This has been said before, but the most important thing about the gym is not the gymnasium itself, but the people inside of it. And how do we get people to enter a place full of nothing but pain and torture? We equip it with the finest products of course! We won’t go into full detail about any particular products specifically, but what we will do is conduct an overview of the ten most important products that will make any gymnasium worth the pain.

1: Large Lockers

Every time I go to the gym, one of the things I dread the most is the locker room. I carry a lot of stuff with me to the gym. I have a laptop, a book, some journals. Some people might be thinking that maybe I should leave some of that at home or in the car, but I want to make sure those things are safe. Besides, I have other things to do than run hours on a treadmill so that I can look good for the beach. Whenever I do visit a gymnasium and I see a large locker, it makes me happy. I am able to fit all of my stuff inside, I feel a lot more comfortable working myself to death. Speaking of which!

2: Modern Treadmills

Not all treadmills are created equal. Of course, they all do the same thing: let us think we could actually run outside for an hour straight (newsflash: we can’t. At least, I can’t). They are low stress and allow us to get in a good cardio workout, but I’ve been to a lot of gyms where the treadmills just aren’t that special. The cup holders suck, the audio jack hasn’t worked for ages, and I can’t even sync up my data to my phone so I can determine just how fit I am not getting. It is 2019, we are our phones at this point. If you’re going to have a treadmill, that treadmill needs to have features.

3: Clean Showers

Okay, this one is a little personal. I don’t enjoy public spaces that are used for cleaning the masses, but unless you want to go home with sweat sticking to your back, you’re going to take a shower at the gymnasium. The least that you could hope for is that it is clean (and spacious). I get that it might be hard to maintain, but take the time to design and invest in good material that is easy to clean and looks amazing even after a hundred sweaty humans stand and wash away their pain, or guilt.

4: Good Personal Trainers

I know a few personal trainers, but I don’t think I have ever personally used one. Why? Well, probably the reason most people don’t: I was embarrassed. No one wants to admit how unfit they are. Granted, despite my relative inactivity, I am surprisingly fit. Still, while they aren’t products, kind and understanding personal trainers who are also able to help you feel at ease make all the difference when it comes to hitting the gym.

5: Drinks & Snacks

We may be at the gym, but we all get hungry from time to time. We all need to rehydrate, sometimes on Gatorade as opposed to water. Not all of us remember to have the wonderful liquids we need every time we go to the gymnasium, so we would love it if they at least provided us with the things we are allowed to drink, and eat. Those are products that all make the difference.

6: Massage Room

I know we are talking about a gymnasium, and it should be used for getting in shape, but isn’t relaxing and letting your body heal also a part of getting in shape? That’s what I’ve learned anyway. It might not be a place that everyone makes use of, but I can guarantee you that almost anyone will sit inside of a massage chair after some intense cardio and strength training on a hot day.

7: Pool Access

The gym is not a place to go swimming, but the gym is a place to go get a good work out, and what better place to workout than in the water? Higher resistance leads to better workouts, I mean what more could you really ask for? Most places probably don’t get the traffic to offset the cost of a pool, but if there are a lot of people coming inside, then maybe a pool might be just the thing to keep everyone coming back.

8: Parking Lot

This is nowhere near a product or amenity, but it has everything to do getting people to walk into that dreaded gymnasium. If there is space to park, people will come.

9: Unique Apparel

Now, this is something that every good gymnasium needs. Unique products that they can sell to the people to make them feel they belong to something bigger. People love to be a part of something, and they also like to spend money, especially if creates a sense of unity. Plus, who doesn’t need an extra T-shirt, sweatshirt, or pair of jogging pants?

10: Other People

I know that people aren’t products, but having a lot of them visit any particular gymnasium on a regular basis is a good thing to have. Some people want their gyms to be mostly empty because they don’t want people to see them struggle. However, after people get over that initial awkwardness, it is actually very motivating to see the same people come into the gym day after day. It keeps you on your toes, and that means that this is a space where people care about their health.

I realize all of these aren’t exactly products in a traditional sense, but they are all amenities and experiences that do make for a good selling point. Most people probably don’t own a gym, but they all consider these things when deciding what gym to call their home.