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Leisure Fitness
Put it where
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Space planning is an important part of building your home fitness center.Size does matter. Finding the righspot for that new treadmill or elliptical crosstrainer often requires some creative thinking. And configuring space for more than one piece of fitness equipment - to accommodate your need for both cardio and strength training - requires innovation.
"Manufacturers are aware of the space crunch and many have come up with compact products that, while requiring a smaller footprint, still deliver a quality workout," says Frank Williams, manager of the new Leisure Fitness store in Bethesda. "There's no reason to let limited space keep you from achieving your fitness goals," he says.
Leisure Fitness utilizes a software program, available on the Precor Web site (www.precor.com), to help determine the appropriate placemenof fitness equipment within an existing floor plan or a dedicated space or room. The Precor Space Planner allows users to duplicate the room online, complete with windows, closets, outlets, and existing furniture, with the click of a mouse. It then provides scaled versions of its equipmenthat can be placed into the room.
An advantage of the Precor software is that, if the fitness equipmendoesn't fit in the dedicated space, users can move furniture to see if the needed space can be made available. No heavy lifting required.
"Whenever someone buys more than one piece of fitness equipment, we recommend that they join us athe computer to insure that the items will fit in the available space," says Williams. When the customer leaves, Williams hands them a copy of the floor plan. "That way, when the product is delivered, the installer knows exactly where things go. There's no wasted time or effort," he says.
Before making a purchase decision it is important to evaluate your space and consider several factors:
* Is there existing furniture or fitness equipment that you no longer use?
* Can the electrical system handle the prospective equipment? (Dedicated circuits are preferable for treadmills.)
* Is there ample lighting and proper ventilation?
* Is there enough room for a TV or CD player? (Nothing makes time fly like a good TV show or music.)
* Is the flooring appropriate? (rubber mat is best.)
Flooring is important, especially when dedicating an entire room to home fitness. "We can do custom, rubber flooring - any dimension or color, beveled or not beveled," says Williams. Rubber flooring is ideal, according to Williams in that it absorbs some of the impact making exercise easier on your joints. It's also easily cleaned, protects machines from loose carpefibers, and doesn't retain perspiration odors.
Not sure if your home can support the equipment that will help you achieve your goal of lifelong fitness? Stop by Leisure Fitness and ask a trained professional to help you evaluate your needs and space.
