As the fitness industry continues to bounce back and members keep returning to gyms, 2022 is set to be a very successful year.
But how do you make sure your gym is offering and delivering the very best for your members? How do you stand out from the competition and give your members what they want?
Start by looking at the latest trends and upgrading your equipment wherever necessary.
What Equipment Is New And Essential For Gyms In 2022?
This year, the latest trends aren’t all about the hottest new dance class or the must-try workout regime. They’re not focused on exciting new cardio equipment or must-have weights.
This year, the buzzword is hybrid, as gyms around the country look to capitalise on the huge rise in online classes and home exercise – alongside the desire to work out in a traditional gym setting.
Virtual training and online workouts are likely here to stay, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of kit your gym can invest in. Kit that supports a hybrid way of working out, and kit that really shows the value of training in a gym environment.
There are a few other trends to watch out for too.
1) TV And Projector Screens
To capitalise on the rise in virtual training, give your members the chance to take part in online classes at your gym. They’ll have all the space and equipment they might need, and could even benefit from the company of others.
Besides an internet connection, the only kit you’ll need is a large TV or a projector and pull down screen.
2) More Functional Equipment
That shift to home workouts during lockdown has also seen a rise in members preferring bodyweight training and HIIT type workouts – the kind that can easily be done at home, in a small space and with limited equipment.
But your gym can capitalise on that, providing the types of equipment that support this flexible, functional training. The equipment that could be bought for the home, but that most members would rather use at your gym. Look at:
- Resistance bands
- Medicine balls
- Kettlebells
- Pull up bars or frames
- Small dumbbells
- Rollout wheels
The trick is making sure you have enough of each type to meet demand.
3) Smart Machines
Treadmills, bikes, rowers and cross-trainers are always going to be essential kit for your gym, but as more and more members embrace online training, they want smarter machines, including:
- Treadmills that members connect to their own devices
- Bikes with screens so members can stream virtual workouts
- Steppers and cross trainers that sync with members’ wearable tech
Wearable tech is another huge trend forecast for 2022, so if your equipment can easily sync with multiple brands of wearable tech, including Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, and MyZone, then you’re sure to attract more members and keep existing ones.
4) Self-Powered Machines
As the world’s attention turns to how we can look after our planet more effectively, your gym could showcase some green credentials with new self-powered treadmills and bikes, like this Hammer Strength HD Tread.
It doesn’t need any electric power to operate, rotating solely based on the effort of its user. It’s good for the environment, and also gives you more flexibility in how you arrange your gym floor, as you won’t need to worry about power sockets and trailing cables.
5) Touchless Entry Gates And Electro-Static Cleaning Guns
Given everything we’ve been through over the last two years, it’s only natural that a lot of the focus in gyms in 2022 will be on cleanliness and sanitation. There are two pieces of must-have kit your gym could invest in to show how serious you take this:
- Touchless entry gates – that control access to your gym while minimising the spread of germs, scanning QR codes rather than fingerprints, or using apps instead of keypads
- Electro-static cleaning guns – that are filled with antibacterial solution and sprayed like a mist over all your equipment – a good way to get into every nook and cranny
6) Efficient And Effective Gym Management Software
Lastly, as your gym goes from strength to strength in 2022 and your membership base expands, you’ll need to make sure you’re on top of all your administration and management.
Your members are savvy; they’ll expect a smart, streamlined customer experience that embraces digital technology wherever possible.
So one final must-have piece of kit for 2022 is end-to-end gym management software like Xplor Gym. Software that will help you:
- Sign up and onboard new members in the most efficient way
- Collect membership payments and manage access with zero hassle
- Allow members to book classes and manage their own memberships
- Give you full, accurate oversight and reporting of all your member data
It’s the one piece of kit you need to increase your revenue and deliver a better experience in your gym.
Learn more and request a demo here.
Article by Xplor Gym
First published: 12 December 2021
Last updated: 19 February 2024