In 2020, the Covid pandemic struck and all of the condominium and rental neighborhoods across the country had to close their gym doors. We are seeing more opportunities and we wanted to find out what’s new in the gym since we last visited ( Wellness, Fall 2018).
Karl Smith, DHEd and EIM, Fitwel Ambassador, Director Resident Experience at multifamily developer/owner Cortland, who is better to bring us as many as dates than Karl Smith? Here are some important tips from Dr. “Dr. Fitness” is his name.
1. The big buzz in physical exercise: “gamification .”Smith said Peloton is a producer of house workout devices that has made physical fitness a videogame, especially for Gen Z and Millennials. He stated that they are into the “gamification” of fitness. They want to have fun while working out and to share their experiences with friends.
Peloton made the decision to stop providing multifamily residential and commercial properties with new devices in September 2019. The company acquired Precor in April 2021 and created a new department which provides condominium communities with a pre-industrialized version of the Peloton device. Smith stated that Echelon (workout bikes), and Aviron (“rowing machines”) are its competitors.
Cortland has also installed “mirrors” in its gyms. “There’s a screen that shows you how to exercise,” said Smith.
2. Your gym should be located in the best area. Smith stated that the best location for a gym is as close as possible to the leasing office. “The fitness center can be used as a marketing tool. You want prospects to see all the high-end amenities, such as the gym, fire pit, and pool, so they are able to make a quick decision to sign the lease.
3. Safety is the first concern when using devices.Cortland uses “selectorized,” physical fitness rigs- resistance machines that are limited in weight and movement. No spotter is necessary. Smith stated that this greatly reduces the chance of residents getting hurt while using our equipment. “Safety is built in to everything we do at the gym.
4. Get rid of the group classes.
5. Do not try to meet everyone’s fitness needs. Smith stated that although we market the service, not everyone will use it.
6. Know your target audience for physical fitness. Smith stated, “You must identify the person for whom you are building this fitness center and keep that person in your mind each time you build it.”
7. Amateur exercisers are the sweet spot. Smith stated, “They are active, but not going to be heavy liftingers.” “They will ask questions about how to exercise, which allows us to give them the opportunity to show how to properly use the equipment.”
Smith said that Cortland has at minimum one “wellness champion” trained employee. There are also training signs that demonstrate how to use the devices. Cortland has a partnership with Valet Living that allows it to bring a personal trainer to the website at least twice a week for a few hours.
Dr Fitness’s Magical Fitness Facility Space Allocation Formula
How big should your gym be? Smith actually has a reliable formula to determine minimum square footage for a Cortland rental job based on the number of rentals.
Minimum Square Video = # of Systems x 1.45x 0.35x 0.60 / 5.x 50
For a complex with 300 systems, it would be 300 x 1.45 = 435x 0.35 = 152.25% x 0.60 = 91.35% / 5 = 18.27×50 = 91.35 s.f.
