starting own gym in UK - advice/help please...

[dazbo]

Hi

Im making this a quick post just to try and get a few gym ideas off people.

Basically, I live in the UK and where I am, there is a limited number of gyms - and I dont know of any GOOD ones!

So, I have just started to look into starting my own.

What I am after in this post, is basically some gym room plans and what you guys would prefer, or even just think would be the best things to include in the gym i.e. the type of gym it is and who it caters for.

My ideas are to make it predominantly a bodybuilders/strength athletes gym which would also include martial arts areas for boxing/kickbxing type equipment. This areaa could also be used as the "cardio" workout for most athletes in the gym. Of course, I dont just want that as the cardio. I also want to include approx 4 treadmills, 4 rowers, 4 bikes as a basic cardio area (Numbers not definates and machine types not either).

So, I am posting on here as a start to get more ideas on this. Ideally, I would like some sort of plans either designed by yourselves, or from a website you know of etc. A business plan for starting up a gym would be great too!!

Anyway, thanks in advance for all your help guys/gals

Darren

[NotSmall]

I'm in the UK too bro and I'm also looking into having my own gym.
As far as the business plan goes I've been told that your bank will help you out with that, I'm almost scared to start putting it together in case I find out that the start up costs are impossible for me!
How far along are you? - Got your eye on any premises yet?

[dazbo]

premises is the stage Im up to right now. I have things like lists of equipment as well as an idea of the gym layout etc, but when I went to the bank to see the business advisor, he said there was nothing else that they could do until I had found premises!! So, thats my mission right now. Im reckoning looking at around £50k for everything - equipment and building work etc to turn the place into a gym.

Really need to find property tho!!!

let me know if you find anything info wise and likewise Ill do for you - not like we can be in competition is it!!! lol

Thanks

darren

[NotSmall]

premises is the stage Im up to right now. I have things like lists of equipment as well as an idea of the gym layout etc, but when I went to the bank to see the business advisor, he said there was nothing else that they could do until I had found premises!! So, thats my mission right now. Im reckoning looking at around £50k for everything - equipment and building work etc to turn the place into a gym.

None of my biz but are you putting up the £50k or the bank? - if it's the bank what do they want to see from your side?

Really need to find property tho!!!

Yup, me too - can't really work on layout plans until you have a canvas to work on.

let me know if you find anything info wise and likewise Ill do for you - not like we can be in competition is it!!! lol

Yeah, thats what I figured too, whereabouts are you based?

Good Luck Bro!

NotSmall.

[icedudez]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...907333-1985457

[NotSmall]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...907333-1985457

Thanks bro! Looks ideal!

[icedudez]

no prob

[BG]

I like the idea of having free weight (barbells)section seperate room( wall of glass dividing it, the you can play music as loud. Have small section of free weights for oldies and ladies but the big one seperated. Easthampton out by me has and its sound proof wall dividing, pretty cool. JMO

[dazbo]

That gym Biz book I've already got! Waste of space really in my opinion, Doesnt really tell you much of what you wanna know. Still does no harm in readin it like if you still want to, there are a few good little bits in it!

Thanks tho icedudez.

Im based in the north East - Middlesbrough area.

As for the layout, yeah we need some plans first! Ive done a little drawing based on a square area. I was actually having a second floor (A place I am interested in has a first floor mezanine looking down), I though it would be a good idea to use the 1st floor as the gentle weights/cardio/girlie machine are. Then have my downstairs split into 2 - one open plan for the big boy free weights, then another part sectioned off for the martial arts - again, trying to keep the sound from the bags down!

Thanks so far, keep me informed please Notsmall!!

Darren

[marcus300]

Dazbo, ive PM you with some info

[dazbo]

thanks marcus

[icedudez]

sounds like an awesome thing to do, but do banks etc take people seriously with these ideas lending money etc?im just curious, what age r u guys looking to do this?

[NotSmall]

sounds like an awesome thing to do, but do banks etc take people seriously with these ideas lending money etc?im just curious, what age r u guys looking to do this?

I'm 28.
If I'm honest all I've done so far is do alot of talking about it, it's been a pipe dream of mine for years but I am getting serious about it now and I finally have some decent money behind me. My brother runs a gym at the moment and he is talking about coming in with me - it's starting to look like it may actually happen!

[icedudez]

I'm 28.
If I'm honest all I've done so far is do alot of talking about it, it's been a pipe dream of mine for years but I am getting serious about it now and I finally have some decent money behind me. My brother runs a gym at the moment and he is talking about coming in with me - it's starting to look like it may actually happen!

sounds like an awesome idea, do you have fitness first and greens where you live?

[Evil Predator]

If your opening a gym, buy some damn BUMPER PLATES!!!

[thegodfather]

Ill tell you what bro, the one thing my gym has that I absoluetly love, are these incredible squat racks. Ive never seen anything like them before...They have fully adjustable spot bars and then fully adjustable posts to hold the barbell, and theyre magnatized...then the floor section of it is hardwood in the middle, and a grip material to the outside...and on the top of it is 3 different positions for doing pullups/chinups. Its really badass and squat racks are often neglected by most gyms, and the ones they have are shitty, this thing is awesome and i love it. Thats my rant...Next gym session Ill get the name of it for you, maybe you can find em online...

[Schwarz]

I've always liked the idea of a building with 5 or 6 floors and each floor would have a shit load of machinery and free weight but tailored to each body part. So floor one would be for legs, 2 for back etc. Might be a bit expensive getting the right building though.....just a dream!

[NotSmall]

sounds like an awesome idea, do you have fitness first and greens where you live?

Nope, don't think so anyway.
What are they, a franchise chain or something?

[Booz]

Nope, don't think so anyway.
What are they, a franchise chain or something?

yeah mate there for the pooftas and girls who wanna get fit not hardcore or anythin,not for bodybuilding at all really!!imo!

[NotSmall]

yeah mate there for the pooftas and girls

Ahhh, no wonder I haven't heard of them then!

[dazbo]

yeah al we really have are those type of gyms like fitness first - for the pooftas!!

Would like to know the name of that squat rack please.

Just got a quote for the main free weight equipment - £22k

Wasnt going to buy the bumper plates cos thought people would just prefer the look sound and feel of real metal plates?! Anyone anything to say on them ?

Also, Im 23 at the minute and owning my own gym has been sitting in my head for about 2 yrs now!! The bank has said whatever money I cna scrape up for it, generally, they will put the same amount in. Im also looking into money angels, and other means too.

thanks again guys

[marcus300]

yeah al we really have are those type of gyms like fitness first - for the pooftas!!

Would like to know the name of that squat rack please.

Just got a quote for the main free weight equipment - £22k

Wasnt going to buy the bumper plates cos thought people would just prefer the look sound and feel of real metal plates?! Anyone anything to say on them ?

Also, Im 23 at the minute and owning my own gym has been sitting in my head for about 2 yrs now!! The bank has said whatever money I cna scrape up for it, generally, they will put the same amount in. Im also looking into money angels, and other means too.

thanks again guys

have a look round at some auction sites, a few of my friends have picked up nearly new gym equipment for less than half the price, very good quality,
yeh stick with metal plates,,,love the rattle.
if you do some digging and research you will find some second hand equipment at a bargain price

[oldandgrim]

There. Are two types of people you need to cater for here, the ones that spend the money on a gym membership and only use it once a month or less? These are your main source of income. The puffers who just won’t to get fit has it says in this thread.

Then there is us, the meat heads. The ones who shout and grunt and shift some weight. Where there every other day and we train hard so we need hard core equipment.

A good set of dumb bell up to no less than 80kg. A good squat rake, leg press, leg curl, chin bar. Smiths and some free weight chest bars, good curl bars, a cable cross over with free weight attachments and benches. Not less than four benches and not less than two pieces of each equipment. The list goes on

The heavy weight gear should me in a separate room from the keep fit and cardio and a separate membership card will be needed to gain access to the heavy room. Keep the twigs out that slow down our training. Maybe there should be a minimum chest press required to gain access to this room.

I could go on for hours. I have also dreamed of this, put will never do it.

Good luck. But you do need both to make it a commercial success.

[icedudez]

Ahhh, no wonder I haven't heard of them then!

lol there the only gyms we have round where i stay! dumbells only go up to 40kg ! =LOL...so its good to look like you can lift the heaviest weights in the gym when the only ppl that go are fat or thin !

[MASTER]

wheres this gym gona be bro?

[dazbo]

middlesbrough are in the north east.

Thanks for that long reply oldandgrim.

Ive been on ebay and found a few bulk purchases of second hand equipment but at the minute I just dont have the space to put them all!! Also, I think I would rather buy new just so the maintenance costs are lower and that everything looks like its meant to be together - instead of having bits of one style then bits of another!

thanks

[dazbo]

bump

[Evil Predator]

Wasnt going to buy the bumper plates cos thought people would just prefer the look sound and feel of real metal plates?! Anyone anything to say on them ?

Do you really want people doing olympic lifts with metal plates?

have at least 5-600 pounds of bumpers, it'll save you repair work on your floor...

Unless your opening a girly gym where olympic lifts arent allowed.

[NotSmall]

Spotted some premises today that I took a fancy to, a boarded up pub, a huge one with what looks like a big function hall coming off it.

"Ideal" I thought, got myself all excited thinking I could live above it, use the main floor area as a cardio/light weights area and convert the beer cellar into a cool underground hardcore weights room.

Then I called the estate agents and it's already under offer - FVCKIT!
The search continues...

I'm going to go and see an independent business advisor next week and try to work out the best way forward as I'm a little confused as the guy at the estate agents told me I need to get my business plan & finance sorted before looking for premises but it occurs to me that I don't know how much money I need until I know what premises I will be using and what needs doing to them.
It's a bit of a chicken & egg situation!
Ah well, that's why there are business advisors I guess!

How are you getting on Dazbo?

[dazbo]

thats strange because I went to the bus advisor and he told me theres nothing much else we could do until we had some property in mind?!! Need to work business plan out on that basis!! like u said - chicken n egg!!

Anyway. Today, I had a look at the building I was interested in - looks good but Ive got a proper viewing on wed for it. Plenty of space and lots of parking.

I also found something that has taken over that tho - but its pricey!! It used to be a car showroom - so it has glass windows ALL round and a car lot area with full roof over the top. Perfect size, nice area, nice location - just perfect really!! Only thing is, rent is £600 PER WEEK! Or I can buy it for £300000! So tonight I have applied to diff places regarding a commercial mortgage and also finance loans etc for it.

dunno if I said but the main reason for me getting my arse into gear right now is due to the fact that the only reasonable and very big gym in my area has just closed down - without notice to any members!! They now can find anywhere to go other than the place I am at - which noone likes, but its all there is!

Anyway, the owner of that gym has lots of good equip to sell. I reckon Ill get the lot inc weights for 18k if I can find the cash and somewhere to store them!!

Ive also had quotes from some companies for the equipment. Bare in mind the prices in the long run will be VAT free because u can claim the VAT back for the equip at the end of the yr!

Keep me informed - thanks

[NotSmall]

thats strange because I went to the bus advisor and he told me theres nothing much else we could do until we had some property in mind?!! Need to work business plan out on that basis!!

Trouble is with that surely is that you need to move swiftly 'cos what if you get your plan & finance together and then someone else swoops in on the site?

I also found something that has taken over that tho - but its pricey!! It used to be a car showroom - so it has glass windows ALL round and a car lot area with full roof over the top. Perfect size, nice area, nice location - just perfect really!! Only thing is, rent is £600 PER WEEK! Or I can buy it for £300000!

Sounds good - you get what you pay for!
Funnily enough my buddy suggested an empty Toyota garage to me today, all glass fronted on 2 floors, parking, nice area....

So tonight I have applied to diff places regarding a commercial mortgage and also finance loans etc for it.

Sounds like you're really cooking on gas now!

What are you going to call the place?

[dazbo]

Not sure yet - was thinking bout kinda piching the name Olympia!

[MASTER]

forged steel

[dazbo]

forged steel - that a name ida ?/ like it

[nirish_mark20]

good luck with this man, im thinking of trying to start my own gym where i live, got quoted 20K for all equipment, but was told i could just buy refurbished stuff for the beginning (like benches)

keep it up and let us all know how its coming along!

[dazbo]

Where did you get the quotes from mate ?? And where can you get refurbished equip from ?

[dazbo]

so far the name is going to be rock solid fitness.......

[MASTER]

thats a good one, i just like forged steel for some reason, theres no hardcore gyms over here are there, its annoying! U better make a success of this so u can open one near me!!

[GetRichOrDyeTryin]

i thought in ire things where so much more expensive!!!!!
because everything else is

[Kärnfysikern]

I didnt read all replies so someone might have posted this.

The most important piece of equipment any gym can have is a solid power rack!!! With pin holes all the way down to the floor.

Is this gonna be a bigtime gym or a small hardcore place? If you want it to be fairly big it cant be to hardcore that will scare off the fitness crowd. Buy equipment that looks fresh and out of the newest sci-fi movie, that will make all the tiny people wet there pants in anxiety to get a membership no doubt. But plz plz plz allow chalk.
Make sure you have all the luxury, tv's in the cardio area, water massage, tanning, small supplement shop, a certified personal trainer. If not you wont be able to compete with the big gyms.

If you want it to be hardcore make it pretty small, dont expect to much revenue but it might turn into a real nice place. In my old hometown we had a small gym where all the members had there own key's to the place. You could bring your own music, not much equipment but all the basics where covered. This is the gym all the big meatheads and juicemonster trained at. Loved it. Wish I could find a gym like that here. Since there was no one working at the gym(only way to become member was to call the owner and he would meet you in the gym someday). I guess it might have been pretty profitable even though it was small.