To grow your personal training business, you first have to invest in your personal training business – you have to spend money to make money, as the cliche goes.
One of the most important investments you can make as a personal trainer is in your gym equipment. When you invest in the right equipment, you can spur significant and sustainable growth in your training business.
In this guide we’ll look at the whats, whys and hows of growing your personal training business by upgrading your gym equipment.
What is ‘upgraded gym equipment?
In terms of your personal training business, ‘upgraded gym equipment’ means new equipment that is built for regular, heavy-duty use by a wide variety of users, AKA commercial gym equipment. Examples include equipment built by brands like Circle Fitness, Body-Solid, Concept 2 and Force USA.
Many personal trainers initially establish their business on a tight budget. If you choose to invest in your own training equipment, you might buy second hand, opt for a cheaper brand, or choose light-duty equipment designed for home use.
Unfortunately none of these options are particularly good for your business in the long term. At some point you should consider upgrading, for a number of reasons that we’ll soon discuss.
How can upgraded equipment grow your personal training business?
Upgrading to high quality personal training equipment that is built for purpose helps to grow personal training business in a number of ways.
1. Provide higher quality workouts
Simply put, better equipment delivers better workouts. The action is smoother. The grips feel better. Your clients will enjoy the experience more, which will make you more likely to retain them. Those clients might tell their friends and family about the quality of your equipment, and how much they enjoy your workouts, which helps you to acquire even more customers.
2. Offer different types of exercise
Upgrading your equipment grants you the opportunity to offer a wider variety of exercise, including many workouts you may never have offered your clients before. A more diverse range of exercise equipment means you can offer your services to a more diverse range of customers, including those who are looking for a very specific type of training, from boxing to weight training to cycling.
3. Deliver more than exercise
Why stop at training? A range of gym equipment is designed to assist with pre-workout warm-ups to post-workout recovery, and investing in these items can help in growing your personal training business by giving clients a more complete experience.
Warm-up equipment tends to be focused on limbering up: think yoga mats and resistance bands. Cool down and recovery equipment focuses on offering relief to tired muscles: think foam rollers and massage guns. You could even invest in an ice bath for your clients to soak in after they complete their workout!
4. Save money in the long run
Perhaps the most compelling reason to invest in upgraded gym equipment is that choosing quality items can ultimately save you a lot of money. Commercial gym equipment is built to last. By investing in brand new, high quality, heavy-duty equipment you can expect it to last many times longer than home or second hand gym equipment, which you’ll need to replace more regularly.
Add in the fact that this equipment delivers a more enjoyable experience to you and your clients, and upgrading your gym equipment becomes a very compelling proposition!
What to look for in upgraded gym equipment
Now that you know how to grow your personal training business with upgraded equipment, what should you be looking for when you choose this equipment? A few key considerations include:
1. Choose equipment built for commercial use
As mentioned above, personal trainers should only buy equipment that is fit for purpose. Home gym equipment isn’t designed to be used all day every day, but commercial gym equipment is. A slightly larger upfront investment can save you a lot of money in the long run.
2. Look for quality and durability
While all commercial gym equipment is built to last, some brands offer better quality and durability than others. Choose equipment from commercial fitness brands that have spent years developing a reputation for quality, like Circle Fitness, Body-Solid, Concept 2 and Force USA.
3. Offer a wide variety of workouts
The more workout variety you offer, the more clients you can attract. Invest in a range of gym equipment that ensures there’s something for everyone.
4. Consider maintenance and safety
You need to offer your clientele a safe personal training experience. Investing in commercial equipment is a step in the right direction, but you also need to ensure it comes with all the necessary safety features, such as locking pins and emergency stop buttons, and that you faithfully maintain the equipment according to local rules and regulations, and the manufacturer’s instructions. At GymQuip we offer ongoing preventative maintenance services to ensure your personal training gym runs smoothly and safely.
5. Consider features and aesthetics
While somewhat less important, you can attract more business by investing in good looking equipment that comes with the latest and greatest tech, such as screens that help you and your clients track workouts. Brands like NOHrD can add real style to your gym or studio.
GymQuip: a one-stop shop for personal trainers
At GymQuip we’ve spent over three decades supplying personal trainers with the equipment they need to grow their businesses.
Our commercial gym equipment strikes the perfect balance between quality and price. We also offer personal training-specific equipment packages, and an end-to-end service that takes the stress and pressure away from the task of fitting out your gym.
Our expert team has the knowledge and expertise to identify the equipment you need. We can help you by designing a high-performance gym layout, we can deliver the equipment to your door (five days a week, and for a flat fee of $99 if you’re within 20km of our store), and we can even install and maintain it (additional charges may apply). Check out our complete gym fitout service for more information.
You can visit us at Australia’s largest fitness showroom, or browse an even more extensive range of personal trainer gym equipment online. Alternatively we can come to you to conduct an on-site consultation! Get in touch with our friendly team today.