Potential for an office gym. I’m putting together a kit list and budget, but don’t want to take the piss as it will kill it.

I can get this lot with a mixture of new, used and ex-demo for about £1750.

Treadmill

Cross trainer

Rowing machine

Punch/kick bag and bracket + gloves

Bench with stand

Adjustable bench / multi gym for flys, leg raises etc

200+ kg mixed weights with bars and fittings

What else would you want? Like I said, funds are limited.

ventilation

based on our gym here

if your buying cardio kit buy less of but good quality kit. we have 2 good tread mills – 2 cheap bikes , 2 cheap crosstrainers and a cheap treadmill.

of those after less than 12 months use only the 2 good treadmills still work.

The bigger items are all ex-demo. Thought that would be better than buying new and cheap.

Pull-up bar or rings.

Squat rack

A range of dumbells and I wouldn’t touch free weights – someone will knacker themselves with them and the whole thing will get shut down

A bed…

Bench with stand

Not sure what you mean by this, maybe a flat/incline bench press?

If this is the case then I’d go for a bench with power rack combo.  A semi-commercial one can be pretty reasonable these days and with few moving parts they are built to last.   Then it’s good as a squat rack, rack pulls, place to do deadlifts assuming you put mats down here, bench & shoulder press, and chin/pull ups.

https://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/bodymax-cf475-heavy-power-rack.php

In any gym setup that’s trying to be cost effective should be based around a power rack.  Unfortunately this is very rarely the case…

Or go proper budget – this is what I have for squat stands in my back yard!  Maybe not suitable for the workplace…

A sign that says “Outdoors this way – get your running trainers, walking shoes or bike on and go”

And budget for a line of suitable motivational posters….

ventilation

^this^  along with a shower.

Also this –

I wouldn’t touch free weights – someone will knacker themselves with them and the whole thing will get shut down

I’d go with free weights, the budget goes a lot further than buying machines. Just put a sensible risk assessment together (no lifting alone, hire/subsidise a proper PT for inductions).

And +1 for good but fewer cardio stations, I’d get a rowing machine and a sign pointing outside for running rather than a treadmill.

Based on the two work gyms I’ve used kettle bells, Dumbbells, Swiss ball, some mats, spin bikes, running machine neither of the gyms have cross trainers. One of them is run by a mate who gets all the kit from the profits of an office tuck shop he runs so it all self funds

Oh heck, that might be a tough job!

I’m guessing it’s a “normal” workplace and you aren’t on a Forces base or the like! Probably circulate a short survey to staff and ask them what they use? Might end up being more basic and cardio focused, with higher numbers of popular things rather than variety as a result though.

I think some of the suggestions above would be far too advanced for my workplace, YMMV!

No bikes?  For shame.

Vending machine selling cold drinks and overpriced carb / protein bars.  Water fountain.

I can see the logic in the Power Rack. I’ll add it to the budget.

I would include a busty masseuse.

Too many busts already, which is why we need a gym.

Power rack thingy.

A series of crisp related motivational weight loss posters?

Skips not chips

Savour that quaver

etcetera etcetera…..

I’m sure you know a guy who could sort you out. 😉

A dartboard?

aye, a power racks a great addition.  as well as being versatile (squats, bench press, shrugs, rack pulls, RDL, calf raises, maybe even pull-ups and chins with the right attachments) it also ticks the ‘safety’ box which should stop people hurting themselves and appeal to the H&S bods……

match it with a separate adjustable bench (no built-in stand) with leg extension and youve got a good variety of exercises just with those two bits of kit.  obviously a selection of bars, db’s and metal plates too.

that should sort out the weight monkeys, cardio just good quality rower, treadmill, spin bike and cross trainer should do.

at least one of these;

As bwd says, pull up bar and rings.
Additional stuff that can be used for
bodyweight fitness: Paralletes for
the weak wristed to do push ups on,
squat rack for Australian push ups (aka
inverted/horizontal rows) – if ring not
available. Small selection of boxes for
plyometric jumps/step ups etc – diy
pretty easy.

Sauna and jacuzzi.

Defibrillator.

How big is the area? Also what is the make up of the office?

the gym at work has a ton of equipment but probably on of the most used areas is the open floor bit where people put down yoga mats or every so often have a guest aerobics instructor.

Size of the area not defined yet as it will be a new build. I may get nothing! Will find out today.

Heavy engineering company. 200 staff split 30/70 between office and shop floor. Older workforce, but with quite a few youngsters on the way through. We have lots of apprentices, so hopefully this will appeal to them.

Showers, ventilation, lockers, bike store, treadmill, bikes, TV.

Encourage people to get outside not stay inside. Encourage people to ride to work or run to work.

A risk assessment and adequate training for staff by a qualified member staff.

Proper spinning bike, not a gym cardio bike with mahoosive saddle.

Decent TV and AV. Wiifi or Zwift!

Pre developed programs with targets.

A lot of people/beginners don’t use the gym because they get bored.

Cardio is cardio, save a shed load of cash by doing burpees or are they just not sexy enough?

Squat rack + bumper plates and bar.

Olympic rings.

You only need to train twice a week if you do big compound stuff.

Application in and being considered.

Let’s see what happens.

You forgot the mirrors 🙁

I’m only allowed to walk through the gym to use the showers (which I get for nowt because I’m a regular cycle commuter, you may wish to consider this scenario) but for office based staff the cardio is popular and the weights are usually only used after guidance by the gym staff. running machines are the most popular.