In a world filled with endless options, we want to help you have to make one less decision when it comes to your gym equipment.
Now, more than ever there are so many options for gym equipment.
You can buy residential gym equipment from Walmart or Dicks Sporting Goods. You can buy used gym equipment from Facebook Marketplace. You can buy commercial fitness equipment directly from manufacturers or wholesalers.
Shoot, you can even build your own equipment - does anyone remember DIY home “gyms” during the lockdown?
I know one of my buddies built an entire squat rack and bench out of wood in his backyard. I mean who can blame him, got to get the gains by any means possible!
Trying to pick the best type of gym equipment can be tough. However, I think a strong case can be made for why commercial fitness equipment is just better.
Hopefully, you’ll agree and can focus on the more important (and fun) next steps of picking out exactly what gym equipment you need - whether you are looking at purchasing for your home gym or commercial gym or anywhere in between. Picking out squat racks, benches, and dumbbells is way more exciting anyway.
So, you may be asking “What’s so great about commercial-grade gym equipment anyway?”
Well, let’s dive in.
Durability
This is one of the biggest benefits of going with quality commercial fitness equipment.
Commercial fitness equipment is designed for - you guessed it - commercial gyms.
If you’ve ever been to a commercial gym - think Planet Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and the likes - you know they have tons of equipment.
We are talking multiple benches, multiple squat racks (or Smith machines if you are Planet Fitness), and dozens of weight machines, and this is just the beginning of the cardio and strength machines you'll find.
The reason all of this equipment is needed is to meet the demand of the members, especially that 5 pm crowd on a Monday trying to hit chest after work.
With the number of people filing in and out of a typical commercial gym each day, the equipment has to be designed to last.
What does this typically look like? Generally, commercial fitness equipment is made of higher-quality metals.
It also holds up better against wear and tear on things like cushions and stitching.
Oftentimes with benches and machines, there is a lot of padding. A standard bench from say Walmart or your local sporting goods store will not last all that long in a commercial gym. It will likely not be able to hold up with the everyday wear and tear. This also looks like higher-quality coatings on metal, and overall better-quality machines and gym equipment.
This is really, really important.
Now commercial-grade gym equipment needs certainly include traditional gym owners looking to invest in new equipment, but it also includes athletic directors looking for weight room equipment or even administrators looking to build a gym or fitness center for a high school, university, apartment, or hotel.
Every one of these places is going to experience more traffic and use than what residential gym equipment is designed for.
As a business owner or decision-maker in these situations, it is incredibly important you pick equipment that lasts.
Durable equipment will not only last you longer, but more than likely save you time, money, and headaches in the future.
Remember it is much easier to keep up top quality gym equipment than it is to constantly replace residential gym equipment.
Just do future you a favor and go with equipment that lasts.
Now the other group of people considering gym equipment is the home gym crowd. For you guys, durability is still incredibly important.
We all want equipment that is built to last.
Imagine the use you could get out of a commercial adjustable bench at home if it was designed for dozens of people a day at a commercial gym. Dozens of people a day versus you at most probably four times a week.
Just keep the bench clean and greased up and you can give it to your grandkids one day.
Not only is commercial fitness equipment going to last longer, but it’s also going to look better and perform better over time - meaning more gains for you, right!?
I'm no scientist, but that’s got to be how that works.
The last thing to note here, some of the brands you may see for commercial gym equipment could include Body Solid, Hammer Strength, and Life Fitness.
All right, the next reason commercial equipment for your gym is just better.
More Options
When you go and buy a car, do you want the one with four tires and a steering wheel? Of course, but deep down you also want the one with heated seats and Apple CarPlay.
That’s oftentimes what you are getting with commercial fitness equipment.
Because commercial gyms have more space, some of the machines can have more weight, more attachments, and more features.
More weight is always a great thing - well unless you have to move the machine. But, the extra weight will only make you stronger anyway so it is still a win-win.
More features and attachments are another plus.
You will likely see the option for more attachments with commercial-grade gym equipment than you would see with residential gym equipment. Whether we are talking about multiple pulley attachments, extra hooks, and storage on a squat rack, or multiple adjustments on an adjustable bench.
These types of features and attachments are pretty standard on commercial fitness equipment.
Last but not least, one final reason commercial-grade gym equipment is just better.
Packages and Discounts
Commercial fitness equipment is often sold in bulk to gyms. Like with most things, if you are purchasing in bulk you can get a discount or package deal.
Gym owners who consider buying gym equipment packages could see the best prices and a nice little savings.
You also may be able to get help with gym design and layout depending on the company at no additional cost.
Another option is oftentimes, entire gyms are liquidated, sold to a wholesaler, or available for purchase - whether due to the gym closing or just a refresh of equipment. This can allow you to get quality commercial-grade gym equipment at a discount.
At the end of the day, commercial fitness equipment is overall just better.
It is going to last you longer as a home gym owner and as a commercial gym owner, it is a necessity.
As you are looking at investing in quality gym equipment, be sure your equipment can handle all you throw at it and then some.
