You have a fitness center and some of the best gym equipment around. The electrician has come to install everything correctly, and you think you are all set to go. Have you thought about the fitness center design and the concern of people injuring themselves?

Planning a multi-family fitness center on your own is a big job. You will want to be sure to have all of your ducks in a row. If you are building a multi-housing fitness center, here are some tips to follow when planning out your multi-family gym.

Fitness Equipment

When it comes to choosing the fitness equipment for your new fitness center you are going to have to take a few things into consideration. First, you will want to think about how many people will be attending your gym during busy hours.

One way to get a handle on this is to check out other residential fitness centers in the area during the morning and the evening. You can get an idea of what your clientele load will look like by comparing the total number of residents to the total number of residents that you will have. Understanding your clientele load will give you an idea of how many treadmills, ellipticals, floor space, and amount of other popular equipment that you should have in your fitness center.

You will also want to go have a look at some of the popular commercial gyms to see what attracts clients to go out of their way to workout at that place. Once you get a good idea of what it is these places offer that others do not, you can model your fitness center space after it. For example, if one gym is famous for fire engine red kettlebells, then you could purchase all bright orange ones.

One important seemingly small piece of gym design is to ask yourself if the space is ADA compliant. Your property likely has some apartments that service the disabled; you will want to be sure that your fitness center will as well.

Fitness Design

There are two critical components to design. One is traffic flow, and the other is grouping.

When thinking about traffic flow, you will want to be sure that there is adequate space for people to use each piece of equipment. You will also want to consider the amount of room that will be needed for people to travel from piece of equipment to piece of equipment. You don’t want to risk free weights being strewn in walking pathways where people can trip and hurt themselves.

Grouping equipment by type of exercise works great for most gyms. This works because it cuts down on the amount of space needed between each piece of similar equipment. Grouping equipment properly also encourages interaction between residents and creates better traffic flow in the whole fitness center space.

Infrastructure

Many people tend to overlook the underlying infrastructure of their fitness center until it is too late. They will get the space all set up, plug everything in and blow a fuse, people complain about lighting, or the place starts to smell like dirty socks right away.

Be sure to have a licensed electrician come in and install all of the proper elements for your gym to run smoothly. Also, the electrical configuration needs to be up to code with the city so that it does not get shut down upon the first inspection.

You will want to have proper lighting; lighting is essential in a fitness center. Most people do not enjoy working out in the dark; they also risk hurting themselves when the lighting is poor. Take the time to be sure each area is adequately lit and use green solutions when you can, such as natural lighting or eco-friendly light bulbs.

The case of the gym that smells like dirty socks is almost always the result of poor ventilation. Your multi-family fitness center is going to have to be well ventilated like the rest of the property. There are many ways to take care of this issue, talk to your HVAC service provider or consider purchasing a standalone air filtration system.

If you are planning to design your own multi-family fitness center in California or Nevada; be sure to do plenty of research. Many points to consider have been listed here. Should you have, more questions contact a Opti-Fit at 888-601-4350 or info@opti-fit.com for a FREE consultation.

When running a gym, it’s easy to feel like having the best workout equipment is the most important part. While good equipment will be key to the performance of your members, even more crucial is having quality gym flooring.

Now it may seem silly to think that the floor could be such a vital piece of your business, but there are a handful of reasons why you need to pay close attention when making this decision. Let’s take a look at four reasons proper flooring for gyms and fitness centers is important.

Customer Safety

The safety of customers should be at or near the top of any gym’s priority list. Unsuitable flooring in the wrong section of the gym or fitness center like tile or wood can become slippery and even crack, causing numerous health and safety concerns. Having the proper flooring for gyms will provide both gym members and gym owners with the peace of mind that they are safe.

Clean Look

The visual appeal of your gym flooring is one of the first things people will see when they come into your fitness center. Having tile or carpet could appear tacky and unprofessional, deterring many of your potential customers. Make sure the flooring for your gym is aesthetically pleasing to ensure everyone who enters will enjoy the atmosphere just as much as the workout equipment.

Reduce Costs

Utilizing the proper gym flooring in the different areas on the gym is paramount to saving money.  For example, using 1/4 inch rubber under squat racks without a platform will wear quickly causing rips and bubbling.  These issues will cause additional safety issues.

Easy Maintenance

Good gym flooring should be easy to clean and maintain on a daily basis. Dirt from shoes and sweat from gym members can cause damage to the floor’s finish, making it slippery and unsafe. It is vital to vacuum and mop flooring for free weight rooms, cardio areas, and entryways of your gym every night before closing up.

Choose Opti-Fit for Your Gym Flooring Needs

With over twenty years of experience, Opti-Fit stands out among the crowd when designing or renovating your fitness space. Whether you need gym flooring, cardio equipment, or strength equipment, our team is here to make sure your gym is successful and looks great in the process.

Contact us today to learn more about the products and services we offer to high schools, multi-family fitness centers, and gyms.

Finding the best equipment and services for your gym should be number one. Not only that, but it should be easy as well. Gym owners, hotel chains and multi-family housing complex managers and other building managers tend to believe that working directly with manufacturers is the best way to go. Most people have the misconception that from end to end things will be less costly when working directly with the manufacturer.

This belief is far from the truth and here is why. When you work directly with an equipment manufacturer, the actual fitness equipment that you order may come with a small discount, but many other factors need to be dealt with when assembling a fitness center for public use. Here are some factors that may not have been considered when ordering from a manufacturer.

• Brand Variety
• Having to Work with Multiple Manufacturers
• Delivery
• Assembly
• Electrical Updating and Wiring
• Overall Design of the Fitness Center
• Installation of Furnishings and Features
• Maintenance

Add all of this up in time and money costs on your end, and you will find that using a full-service fitness center solution will save you. Opti-Fit is a “concept-to-completion fitness center solution” that will work with you to save you money on the full package in the long run.

Opti-Fit offers free consultation for your fitness center planning. Opti-Fit will sit down with you to plan out all of the details for your fitness center and work to make it fit your budget. Here are some of the advantages of working with Opti-Fit:

• Full End-to-End Planning and Execution
• No Hidden Costs
• Work to Stay on Budget
• Choose from the Best Fitness Brands on the Market
• Experienced Designers that Understand the Market you want to Reach

Opti-Fit wants to see your fitness center be a success, whether your goal is to attract new members, tenants or keep your community of people connected and healthy. In addition to fitness equipment, fitness center design, and maintenance, Opti-Fit offers solutions for engaging users in taking charge of their health.

What will you choose to do with your money and your time? Opti-Fit has been the primary fitness center solution company in California and Nevada for over 20 years. Visit the website or give us a call at 888-601-4350 to schedule a free consultation and find out how much money you can be saving on your fitness center today.

Making Corporate Fitness Accessible

Corporations are getting employees moving with on-site workout facilities and custom fitness programming that pays for itself in employee engagement and worker morale.

If you can build and create an attractive fitness space in or around your office, and schedule exercise time around your employees’ work schedules, business owners actually help make consistent and convenient exercise part of the normal workday – and very much contribute to the health and morale of your employees.

Original fitness centers with personal trainers and a slew of cardio machines had certainly made way for on-site yoga studios, compact weight stations and access to local courts.

Increase Employee Health and Morale

Despite economic challenges, the demand for on-site facility fitness opportunities is continuing to increase, according to Corporate Wellness Magazine. If you’re considering a new exercise space in your office, it probably falls directly on your company’s capital to recreate tight spaces, so budget, footage obstacles and security will contribute to the creation of your ultimate corporate wellness areas.

When regular exercise amenities enter the picture – including personal training and group fitness classes – your office exercise facility may also significantly increase worker performance and concentration with stress relief classes like yoga, tai chi and meditation programming.

Think Exercise Quality, Not Quantity

The ultimate goal is to help make working out convenient and accessible for all of your customers and residents. Design staples typically include an inviting setting, natural light and a variety of equipment options at the hub of your corporate wellness center.

10 Fitness Incentives at Work

When space is at a premium, it pays to invest in fitness perks for your employees, such as personal training and employer-paid gym memberships, while still providing the basics:

1. Access to multiple running trails
2. Yoga and Pilates classes
3. Rock climbing wall
4. Juice bars
5. Healthy bistro fare
6. Pool access at a local YMCA
7. Weight loss competitions
8. Charity walks
9. Resistance bands and balls
10. Company bowling leagues

Opti-Fit offers an innovative suite of consulting and project management services to deliver your vision for office-based facilities and corporate wellness operations, from concept to completion. Contact us for a free site assessment.

Elliptical trainers boost your business

You’re overdue. If you are looking for commercial ellipticals Opti-fit is the top fitness distributor in both California and Nevada. We also stock home gym equipment and offer full design and consultation services for your new fitness facility.

Whether you’re a beginner looking for a moderate interval workout, or want to challenge different muscles groups, there’s an elliptical workout for you.

5 Benefits of Elliptical Cross-Training

1    Smooth motions and low-impact aerobics is easier on the joints of your lower body than a run or higher impact activity

2    Moderate elliptical workouts blast similar calories to a similar jog or a very brisk walk efficiently

3   One study found that runners’ legs felt more tired after using the elliptical than a comparable treadmill – the rate of exertion just seems easier on ellipticals

4   Sculpt your thighs, butt and hips, in particular, with posture tweaks in every workout

5    Preset equipment options on our commercial elliptical machines offer many settings in order to offer variety

We service California and Nevada

California:

• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• San Diego
• Sacramento
• San Jose
• Fresno
• Irvine
• Santa Barbara

Nevada:

• Las Vegas
• Reno
• Carson City
• Henderson

Several effective, super-fun elliptical workouts for every fitness level, and every kind of commercial elliptical cross-trainer out there:

Booty Workouts Target glutes and hamstrings by playing with the incline on the elliptical. This elliptical booty workout will help you tone your backside while also getting a good cardio workout. Really give your backside a good workout by focusing on keeping your heels down while you’re on the machine.

Forward and Back Pedaling forward you work the thighs and front of the legs – backwards targets more your hamstrings and butt. A great way to challenge your core stability is to let go of the handles while keeping your pace steady.

Opti-fit also designs your space while partnering with your architects, interior designers and contractors to fully optimize your fitness amenities and  building design. With our specialized process, we can provide realistic renderings of your facility while bringing a strong sense of detail and accuracy to your fitness space.

Design Solutions in California and Nevada

And even beyond that. Opti-Fit Fitness design and consulting services is a one-stop fitness shop with 20 years of design services, exercise outfitting and machine installation experience.

We have partnered with thousands of clients in the planning, supply and ongoing maintenance of fitness equipment all over the United States.

Amazing Las Vegas installation at the Four Seasons Hotel

Opti-Fit also specializes in applying practical knowledge of human movement based  on the science of the body’s biomechanics to provide the most effective solution to meet your fitness needs, whether that is in a multi-family residential gym, a commercial personal training facility or even your local day spa or college fitness center.

We partner with architects, interior designers and contractors to build fitness amenites into your design. With our specialized process, we provide realistic 3D renderings of your future site.

 Multi-Family Fitness Centers

Through the design process, we help conceptualize your fitness space and market to prospective clients prior to grand openings, which can be used in your marketing campaigns and social media initiatives/

Read Customer Testimonials 

Opti-Fit has perfected our tried and true formula to focus on delivering superior results regardless of budget or size of project. You may find our design and fitness center services in:

Las Vegas

Reno, NV

Los Angeles

Sacramento

San Diego

San Francisco

• Our design process creates detailed 3D renderings of your facility including overviews
• 3 Dimensional walk through also provides an interactive in-room view
• 3 D Virtual Reality allows your user to virtually step into the fitness space room

Well-Fit in No-Cal is a groundbreaking turnkey solution

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We offer consulting and continues throughout the solution lifecycle touching every aspect from exercise maintenance, supply, and ancillary revenue opportunities. Reach out for a free design consultation.

Equipping College Gyms and Athletic Teams

College Athletic Departments that support collegiate-level sports teams are competitive when it comes to designing revolutionary fitness spaces to attract future athletes and keep their student body healthy, happy and fit.

Big-time college athletic departments and state-of-the-art training facilities are raking in more money than ever – and spending it just as quickly.

Very often we build, design and develop entertainment wings in schools or universities with attractions more commonly seen in glittery theme parks than on college campuses.

Just in Time for College Tours…  

Check out where the sports teams exercise. Some of these exclusive athletic training centers in college facilities are for athletes only, while others are open to all students. Your school is probably spending a whole lot of green on equipment for top athletic training and state-of-the art athletic performance facilities.

To remain competitive and attract top athletes and revenue, you might see a college football stadium and basketball arena with elaborate practice facilities, professional-quality locker rooms, players’ lounges with high-definition televisions and video game systems. 

We Design and Outfit University Fitness Centers

No matter where you attend college, your school is probably spending a whole wad of annual budget on the athletic training center and customized fitness programming, especially for the school football team.

Ranked university football team gyms tend to have higher caliber demands based on the level of cross training and pure athletic performance involved in their sport.

Imagine the well-stocked 2-story weight room, hydrotherapy tubs and rehab equipment, water walls, amphitheaters and Olympic-level aquatic centers.

That’s just the beginning of creating state-of-the-art fitness spaces for universities and college sports teams.

Fitness and wellness amenities in college gyms:

– Imported wood for custom flooring

– A barbershop and a salon

– A basketball and baseball stadium

– Sauna and steam room

– Student pool with a lazy river and rafts

– Sand volleyball courts, and more

Quality Athletic Centers for College Sports Teams

On-campus stadiums, volleyball courts, soccer fields, golf practice facilities and ice hockey arenas are often built on funds derived from powerhouse football teams and men’s basketball teams.

As the primary revenue-driver, however, the football team is usually the first to get the facilities upgrade. Every improvement is considered a recruiting edge, from the deluxe locker room to the scoreboard.

We design and equip your fitness facilities with top-of-the line exercise equipment brands and facilitate a collaborative design process. Contact Opti-Fit Fitness Solutions for a free consultation and start creating the monumental college gym of the future. And the future is now.

The Study of Human Movement

We’ve been a source of commercial strength equipment and top-of-the-line cardio equipment for decades. We specialize in applying our practical knowledge of human movement based on the science of the body’s biomechanics to provide effective solutions to meet every fitness – and business – need you may have.

We are always excited for the chance to help you design a gym or upgrade your current facility’s equipment with professional commercial strength equipment and strength tools targeting functional fitness, such as medicine balls, balance boards and much more.

Functional fitness interest kicks in with aging:  Our bodies naturally lose muscle and flexibility, which in turn can impair the ability to live life to its fullest. Simple tasks such as carrying groceries or putting away dishes can become taxing. 

Many studies show that functional strength exercises mimic everyday movements and tend to focus on targeting multiple muscles groups at once, as well as maximizing core strength.  

Equipment Design: Action in Motion

Here are a few biomechanical concerns that crop up when strength or cardio equipment manufacturers produce new commercial fitness machines:
– Properly positions your back and muscles to engage your muscle groups through full range of motion

– Avoids compression of muscles or joints

– Maintains balanced and controlled friction bilaterally (on both sides) of strength equipment

– Increases resistance levels in minute increments for progression and safety

– Adjusts to accommodate a wide range of sizes, shapes, body types and fitness levels

– Provides a heavy-enough load to accommodate your biggest and strongest members or clients

Over the last 20 years, Opti-fit experts and design staff have partnered with thousands of customers in dozens of cities to plan and design commercial spaces, and supply and maintain fitness equipment all over the United States. We’d love to hear your story!

Contact us for a FREE design consultation or facility assessment.

Maybe a New Home Gym?

The man in your life deserves to stay fit and healthy. FOr dad, the best way to get into shape is by taking his workouts outside this month and using outdoor recreational fitness equipment as often to sustain.

Outdoor fitness equipment and recreational exercises – like basketball courts, mini rock walls and outdoor weight circuits – will get dad and everyone in the family beach-ready in record time.

If you don’t see them already, you are going to start seeing a proliferation of sophisticated outdoor recreational equipment in cities and local playgrounds near you. What’s new? Everything from aquatic centers and new basketball courts to tamper-proof steel ab press machines near a set of adult parallel bars.

 Weatherproof and Tamperproof Equipment

Fitness machines and bolted, steel workout stations are popping up in green spaces in parks to promote wellness in local communities and to help in the fight against child and adult overweight and obesity.

The next time you are in a neighborhood park., take a good hard look around and see if there are grownup playground items adjacent or close to the kids’ areas.  You might find body weight exercises done in a circuit training format or within different cardio and strength stations can provide a complete workout – especially if you finish your playground workout with a brisk walk or run around the park to torch additional fat and calories.

5 Reasons for Dad to Use Recreational Equipment

He trains longer. Studies show exercise participants are likely to work out longer when they are outside in nature, resulting in burning roughly 5-7 percent more calories during outside exercise.

He trains harder. The rugged or varied terrain of a park might be just what your body needs to challenge itself to learn a new skill, like hanging upside down on a set of adult monkey bars. Get crazy, be confident, do more cardio!

He soothes stress. Outdoor exercise battles work stress. According to a report published in Environmental Science and Technology a 30-minute walk in the park made 71 percent of active people in the study feel “significantly less stressed,” while 72 percent of people who exercised inside actually felt more stressed.

He is the best role model.  You serve as instant wellness role model to your kids, your family and your office mates. That’ll keep you sweating and inspiring all season long.

He avoids getting sick. Indoor air is two to five time more polluted than outdoor air, according to a study from the Environmental Protection Agency, so you may just sidestep cold season by perspiring in the park instead of your favorite gym class.

We’ve developed a reputation for tough equipment that provides real workouts to even the fittest of users. At the same time our innovative, built-in assist mechanisms make our equipment accessible to all fitness levels. We work closely with our clients to create and deliver the optimal fitness experience.

We design your space while partnering with your architects, interior designer and contractors to fully optimize your fitness amenity into your building design. With our specialized process, we can provide realistic renderings of your facility while bringing a strong sense of detail and accuracy to your fitness space.

Call today for your facility’s free design assessment.