WNiF Magazine - Autumn 2017 Edition | Page 20

With such a diverse customer base , here are a few tips to help boost your appeal to your members .

With such a diverse customer base , here are a few tips to help boost your appeal to your members .

The health industry is every bit as competitive as the serious athletes you find stacking weights on barbells , but as fitness becomes an important element of most people ’ s daily schedule , the design of your gym becomes an increasingly critical factor . With such a diverse customer base , here are a few tips to help boost your appeal to your members .
LAYOUT AND EQUIPMENT
You need to separate your weights area and classrooms , making sure you minimise contact . Some members won ’ t want to walk past muscle-bound members to get to a cardio class or be studied as they wait for a class . For the same reason , glass walls shouldn ’ t be gym-facing . Also , if possible , create a separate area with smaller weights for women or beginners .
While solid sets of squats get heart rates as high as cardio classes , there ’ s generally more downtime for users in the main weights area . Experiment and adjust temperature in each area as necessary to make sure everyone is comfortable .
Cardio equipment should be near windows due to the repetitive nature of the exercises , and equipment involving unique poses must face the wall so members feel comfortable . Gym-goers will also tend to perform better when there ’ s a visible source of natural light .
Mirrors need to be high enough to stop rolling weights hitting them , and when considering ceiling height , you don ’ t want one of your taller club members swinging a kettlebell overhead and finding out – the hard way – that your ceiling is too low .
Acoustics are critical , especially if there are people on the floor underneath you ! Cardio and weights areas can be particularly noisy so make sure you set them up with the right acoustics at the beginning to avoid costly changes down the track .
CHANGE ROOMS
Ideally , the location of your change rooms should be as close as possible to the entry point of the gym as you don ’ t want people in incorrect gear ( e . g ., inappropriate footwear ) walking through
20 WHAT ’ S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2017