Basic gym equipment to open a fitness center

Fitness has more and more followers with each passing day. That's why opening a fitness center or gym can be a successful business idea if you know how to manage it properly.

If you're considering opening your own gym, you're probably already starting to have doubts. The premises or the initial investment are key, but you must also understand all the gym equipment you'll need.

In this article, we break down what equipment you'll need to open a fitness center, whether it's a traditional or boutique gym.

What equipment is needed to open a gym?

Basic equipment

Knowing the equipment for fitness centers is key if you're thinking about starting a fitness center business.

The most important thing is having the necessary equipment to work in all areas of fitness.

The basic equipment for a gym consists of:

• Cardiovascular training equipment.
• Equipment for muscle-building and free weights.
• Equipment for guided activities or group training.

The key materials you would need are guided weight machines, cable machines, benches and ranks, dumbbells; and other materials such as jump ropes, weights of different sizes and functional training equipment (kettlebells, ropes, gym sled, etc.)

Gym machines

The equipment at any gym has cardio and muscle-building machines. Here are the most important:

For cardio:

• Treadmill. Virtually everyone who goes to a gym uses a treadmill at some point, both because of its usefulness and simplicity. It allows you to perform simple workouts adapted to all intensity levels.
• Stationary bike. This is another machine that's part of a gym's equipment. The upright bike guarantees an intense cardiovascular workout, which is essential for both warm-ups and burning fat.
• Elliptical. This machine allows you to work both the legs and the upper part of the torso. It's widely used in fitness centers due to its versatility.
• Stepper. Although less commonly used, stairmasters are also part of the equipment in many gyms. They work the lower body and are perfect for defining the buttocks, thighs, and calves. It’s usually intensive.
• Rowing machine. Having a rowing machine will offer your gym users an appealing alternative for cardio workouts. This type of machine can help you split up the users. They can choose between the elliptical or the rowing machine for their cardio workout.

For muscle-building:

• Olympic weight bench. This type of bench is usually found in the free weight area and allows users to do a toning workout without guided machines.
• Cable machines. It's part of the basic gym equipment. On the one hand, it makes it possible to train an infinite number of muscles at one station and, on the other hand, you can take advantage of eccentric training when the muscle returns to its resting position.
• Leg press. This gym machine is quite bulky, but it's also very important to have in fitness centers.
• Abdominal and pull-up bench. Another gym classic to do both exercises, which help us gain strength, burn fat, and improve back muscles. It requires technique and know-how to avoid injury, and is usually used by the most experienced fitness enthusiasts.

For guided activities

With regards to the equipment needed for a gym, it's essential to have machines and materials for guided classes.

Particularly important are the Indoor stationary bikes, which are used for spinning, a very popular activity.

These types of initiatives are interesting to create immersive training experiences and to generate feedback from your customers. As for guided activities, additional equipment such as mats, fitballs, elastic bands, etc. will be more important than machinery.

Additional material

Should you open a Fit Jeff center, you can start with just additional material, such as the Yoga Mat (a comfortable and light mat to do exercises on the floor) or elastic bands (to work on strength and resistance), without the need for additional machinery.

In your gym you can choose to include equipment for functional training such as a cage (a Hiit area for short, more dynamic group workouts), an air bike (upright bike with rowing, a sort of mix between a bike and an elliptical), and curved treadmills (which, in addition to speed, offer the user with resistance training).

Equipment for a traditional gym vs. Fit Jeff Equipment

The main difference between a traditional gym and a Fit Jeff center is the high level of specialization of the latter. The targeted offer of specific activities at our boutique gym as opposed to the wide range of activities offered by a traditional gym to reach a much larger number of people.

At Fit Jeff we specialize in a few disciplines: yoga, pilates, HIIT, and functional training. This is precisely why the material and equipment needed at our gym is minimal.

At Jeff, we consider ourselves a technology company and that allows us to evolve with the market and consumers. The technology will be, in the medium term, our ally to improve the user experience, but also a key element when advising our entrepreneurs.

At Jeff, we'll provide you with all the tools you need to facilitate access to the app and your center's classes for your customers.

Boutique gyms like Fit Jeff are an opportunity if you’re thinking about entering the fitness industry. You'll receive all the advice, brand image, and know-how of the company, and you'll be able to open your boutique gym with a minimum investment.

And of course, you won't have to worry about gym equipment since we'll give you the guidelines to get the materials for your Fit Jeff. Thanks to our marketplace, you'll be able to place the necessary orders with just a few clicks and without worrying about anything else.

Want more information? Contact us.