# If you owned a gym what machines would you buy



## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

Just wondering because Ive never liked any machine besides the hack squat machine.

I think if I owned a gym I would probably just buy a cable crosser


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## Craig660 (Dec 8, 2005)

All techno gym gear for sure


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## Tommy10 (Feb 17, 2009)

i would make sure i had more than 1 squat rack, bench press etc....its a royal pain in the butt when u can't get on anything.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

Pelayo said:


> i would make sure i had more than 1 squat rack, bench press etc....its a royal pain in the butt when u can't get on anything.


Yeh I would try and get like 2-3 racks 4 benches

if you owned your own little meat head type gym would do you think your would have to buy the commercial equipment ?Most little meat head gym I know of seem to use all sort of old equipment


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

cable stations with decent stacks

leg press

seated calf machine

pec dec

leg ext

hamstring url

hyper extension thingy

assisted pull up thingy


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## Tommy10 (Feb 17, 2009)

scouse2010 said:


> Yeh I would try and get like 2-3 racks 4 benches
> 
> if you owned your own little meat head type gym would do you think your would have to buy the commercial equipment ?Most little meat head gym I know of seem to use all sort of old equipment


i suppose u dont really need all the equipment that commercial gyms have if ur focusing on the compound moves but not everyone is in to serious weights so a balance is good for everyones fitness needs, its like a pool/ wet area...i ever use it but a lot of folk love a swim/ steam.


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## BB_999 (Feb 20, 2006)

If you're talking about brands I have found Hammer Strength and Nautilus to be the best.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

No just if you owned your own juice head gym what sort of machines would you fill it with (I plan to own one by 2013)


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

I like the seated leg curl, and donkey calf machine.


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## treb92 (Jun 10, 2008)

Why dont you nip in to some meat head gyms and make a list?


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## BB_999 (Feb 20, 2006)

The essentials for me would be:

Squat rack

Power rack

Flat bench

Incline bench

Decline bench

Chin bar

Dip frame

Heavy dumbells

Lat pulldown

Cable row

A few adjustable benches

Calf raise

A variety of decent cardio equipment

A 'decent' preacher machine (very rare)

Adjustable ab bench

Hyper extension frame

Optional extras:

T-bar row

Cable crossover

Smith machine

Hamstring curl

Pullover machine

Leg extension

Pec deck/rear delt machine


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## BB_999 (Feb 20, 2006)

From your user name I assume you're from Liverpool, pop into Gym 21 in Kensington, that'll give you an idea of what you need.


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## MrO2b (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm quite enjoying this...everything that has been mentioned so far is here at Progress Gym, Yeovil, and then some! )


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## luke80 (Aug 6, 2010)

Depends on space and budget, I would always include a cable crossover machine and a smith machine for there versitality. Given more budget and space I would include a squat rack, leg press/ calf press, lat pull down/ pull up, chest press and shoulder press. And a big freeweight area!


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## Gunni_Sta (Nov 10, 2010)

Hammer Strenght and Gym80


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## H22civic (Oct 6, 2009)

Cable crossover station

Leg press

Hack Squat

Smith machine

Leg extension

Ham curl

Lat pulldown

Those are the only ones i use.


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## JoePro (Aug 26, 2009)

All nautillus and hammer strength gear I'd like, the things I really want to try is all the nautilus shoulder machines the rear delt, side delt ones. The preacher machine, never tryed that. A nautillus pullover would be definite. Hammer rows and pulldowns would be a main.

Then the normal, leg curls, extensions, calve machines, pec deck...


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

H22civic said:


> Leg extension
> 
> Ham curl
> 
> Those are the only ones i use.


Ive been told there damaging to these knees ? true or false ?


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2011)

Good leg press

Good hyper

Then put squat racks and ER benchs everywhere else.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

What about a monolift and a competition bench ? or would these only be worth getting once you get more customers


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## hsmann87 (Jun 22, 2010)

50 power racks (the ones with adjustable clips and a pullup bar) and line them all up

A few smith machines (not too many though...maybe 2 or 3 max)

A load of adjustable benches

Some decline benches

A set of dumbells.

Some 45 degree leg presses.

Glute-ham raise machine.

Dont really think anything else is needed to be honest.

Maybe a cable machine if members really start to moan lol.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

hsmann87 said:


> 50 power racks (the ones with adjustable clips and a pullup bar) and line them all up
> 
> l.


erm dont think I would ever be able to afford 50 power racks lol

ANo its not a machine but I would get my self some sleds and plyo boxs for jumps and squats.Dont think Ive seen them in any gyms before


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## hsmann87 (Jun 22, 2010)

you'd be surprised.

you can probably buy about 10 power racks for the price of a fancy fvcking "iso lateral high lat row 5000 hammer tech elite lever arch" machine.

and a pwoer rack would do so much more for anyone's physical goals....


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

Looking around it doesnt even look like it would cost that much probably like £10-15 grand depending on if you could get some good equipment second hand


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

hsmann87 said:


> you'd be surprised.
> 
> you can probably buy about 10 power racks for the price of a fancy fvcking "iso lateral high lat row 5000 hammer tech elite lever arch" machine.
> 
> and a pwoer rack would do so much more for anyone's physical goals....


but more than half of the people who go in to gyms to train usually use machines and just the bench press lol.I never use them my self though only one I used to like using is that hack machine all the rest seem a bit boring and they all seem easy to use.


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## hsmann87 (Jun 22, 2010)

yeah i know. power racks arent that expensive

and if you buy a load from a supplier, im sure you will be able to get some sort of discount.

i went to a gym in vancouver, canada a few years ago. a lot of (american style) football players trained there.

there were a load of power racks lined up. there was a leg press, and some cables and a ton of benches in one corner of the gym. all the big cvnts congregated around there.

and all the lovely fitties were messing around on the machines and the cardio equipment. it was a GREAT day lol


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## Clubber Lang (Nov 4, 2009)

Rich-B said:


> If you're talking about brands I have found *Hammer Strength and Nautilus to be the best*.


ditto

proper machines they are.

hate all this fancy pant sh#te gyms are getting now a days. Keep it basic.


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

the problem lies in making a "meathead" gym a viable business... the majority of users will not be meatheads and I am just not sure that there are enough meathead types in one area to run a purely meathead type of place... get all the fitness/gym bunny types in to pay for the meathead part of the gym is mho... for this you will need to have a good machine/cardio area then you can have a meathead area... course this will depend on the size of the business you wish to run too... a small gym might be able to get away with a small membership base...


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

hsmann87 said:


> 50 power racks (the ones with adjustable clips and a pullup bar) and line them all up
> 
> A few smith machines (not too many though...maybe 2 or 3 max)
> 
> ...


X2. And loads of dipping bars and dip belts. And 3 lots of heavy db's, hate it when i cant get the ones i want.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

scouse2010 said:


> Just wondering because Ive never liked any machine besides the hack squat machine.
> 
> I think if I owned a gym I would probably just buy a cable crosser


It depends on who the gym is for. A bodybuilders gym is going to be different to a Powerlifters gym, Weight lifters gym or Athletes Strength and conditioning gym.

A cable cross over has to be one of the most popular pieces of equipment available , but its in the fitness/bodybuilding category and fairly unnecessary for Weightlifters/Athletes/Powerlifters or anyone interested in strength. A simple pulley machine is fine but performing crossovers is very 'fluffy'. People enjoy them, its fairly easy (relative to say something useful, like a squat/DL) so its a high popularity piece..........oh and people like to pump up their chests in the mirror so its going to be on the yes list for all gyms.

Twin cable machines also fit in with the latest "functional" craze - so high popularity........which leads me to the conclusion that there are legions of health club members who can "functionally" perform a multitude of fluffy 10kg cable exercises, but only a handful of dysfunctional weightlifters who can throw around heavy barbells into the 100's of kg's.


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2011)

scouse2010 said:


> What about a monolift and a competition bench ? or would these only be worth getting once you get more customers


Build it and they will come!


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

If we are talking about brands of equipment economically available in the UK - its getting a bit scarce, it looks like its a two horse race - Techno Gym and the cheaper Life Fitness both very cheap, and both very available - which is why every Health club has one or the other. Another cheap horrible brand is Matrix. The only good machine available (for bodybuilding purposes) in the UK is Hammer Strength. (no good for general use because it is plate loaded - the weight stack MTS? version may be ok - but not sure as I havnt used one)

If I was looking for good equipment for a bodybuilding gym Id be looking for a mixture of pieces (in no particular order) from Hammer Strength, Icarian, MedX Avenger, Bodymasters, Atlantis, Flex, Vintage re-engineered Nautilus, Magnum, Paramount, Strive, PowerLift, EliteLFTS Gym 80, Forza Strength, Eleiko, Ivanko.

One brand never builds the best of everything and its best to mix and match - no Health Club or major chain buys like this, they buy lines of equipment usually dictated by who does the best deals on cardio equipment (or who takes them to the best lunch £££££). For example if Techno Gym offers a major chain, multi-site operator the strength equipment at cost price for buying cardio..........EVERY CLUB WILL HAVE ITALIAN TECHNO GYM. If Life Fitness offer the same deal with 10% discount on their cardio and throws in 3 year maintenance - it will be Life Fitness.

Health Clubs dont buy individual pieces of equipment on merit they buy the best deal (economically or incentive wise), In turn this means good equipment is less available to the market. As the Health club get more popular good equipment will get very scarce, or get priced out of existence.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

I forgot the British made Watson looks ok for bodybuilding purposes, but I havnt tested it. It looks like they have their fingers on the pulse and that the owners of the company actually have training knowledge.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

physcult said:


> It depends on who the gym is for. A bodybuilders gym is going to be different to a Powerlifters gym, Weight lifters gym or Athletes Strength and conditioning gym.
> 
> .


 The gym would be for me  but I dont know who I would like to attract as I wouldn't mind trying to train for amateur strongman stuff next year (when I have fixed an injury and got a lot more stronger) but then I know not many people would be intrested in that and if it was jsut full of powerlifters or strongmen then locals mite not even come to have a little workout.

Baisc idea of a gym I have in mind is.

2 big rooms

1 with

3 cages or 2 cages and a monolift

source a cheapish as I know these can cost a few grand Powerlifting Bench

4 adjustable benches

****load of heavy dumbbells

variety of bars (guess these would vary for who I would want to come into the gym)

dip bars

cross over machine with a Lat pull down attachment

(1 of the above 2 could have a pull up bar)

hack squat machine

hyper extension bench

hack machine

calf raise machine

then a big room for fitness/cardio

and have something like

2 treadmills

2 rowers

1 crosstrainer

about 2 or 3 punchbags

and space for people to do circuit training and using medicine balls and sandbags

I would have to think a lot more into it and like I said this plan wont take of till about 2013 but lets see what happens.

Maybe if I get my self into strongmen comps and I enjoyed it then maybe I would go that route.

of topic but who here made or bought a gym and they had a big thread about it on this site ?


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

scouse2010 said:


> of topic but who here made or bought a gym and they had a big thread about it on this site ?


Im sure there are a few threads like that, but do you mean something like this? 

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/general-conversation/80805-physical-culture-gym-putney.html

or

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=131811723&highlight=gym+wandsworth


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

scouse2010 said:


> The gym would be for me


Very few people can get away with that - Perhaps Louie Simmon's Westside ? Thats probably mostly built for him (and people very similar to him)


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

scouse2010 said:


> 3 cages or 2 cages and a monolift


I dont really understand the popularity of Monolifts - unless your a Powerlifter what's the point? (probably equipped Powerlifter at that)


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

From what I have read a lot of squat injury's are caused by walking out with the weight especially if you haven't got a spotter.


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## MrO2b (Aug 19, 2010)

Watsons got some good kit, we have it here in abundance. in reference to the question re gym owners- i bought a pre set up gym a few months back. it has everything mentioned bar the monolift, including strong man kit...come on down.


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## Paulieb (Jan 1, 2008)

This:


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

scouse2010 said:


> From what I have read a lot of squat injury's are caused by walking out with the weight especially if you haven't got a spotter.


Maybe for the equipped powerlifters, but for the rest of the world Im skeptical. If you cant walk with it, its unlikely you can squat it. Olympic lifters dont use spotters or racks/cages and the injury statistics are the lowest of just about any sport http://www.qwa.org/parents/content.asp

Ive never seen an injury walking out from the stands or racks ever - in over two decades, and I have seen some heavy squatters over the years (eg: World/British/London Powerlifting Champions) . Im not saying it doesnt happen, but I would say its the equipped powerlifters lifting beyond what they can walk with that are at risk, not people doing sets and reps with loads lower than 1RM with just belt and wraps.

A monolift is probably an essential bit of kit if you want to cater for competition Powerlifters, but for bodybuilders and general keep-fit I think its just rank laziness and OTT.......BUT.......... it doesnt really matter what I think!  , if many people think its uber-cool to join a gym because it has a Monolift , the gym should have one!


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

MrO2b said:


> Watsons got some good kit, we have it here in abundance. in reference to the question re gym owners- i bought a pre set up gym a few months back. it has everything mentioned bar the monolift, including strong man kit...come on down.


Have you got the rear delt/fly machine? If so, is it nice and smooth ,frictionless movement with adequate weight on the stacK?


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

Paulieb said:


> This:


Vintage Nautilus when re-engineered with bearings is cool.


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## Paulieb (Jan 1, 2008)

physcult said:


> Vintage Nautilus when re-engineered with bearings is cool.


Indeed check this website out for old skool machines: http://construction-decorating.com/NautilusMachinesForSale/


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## MrO2b (Aug 19, 2010)

physcult said:


> Have you got the rear delt/fly machine? If so, is it nice and smooth ,frictionless movement with adequate weight on the stacK?


The fly machine we have is Cybex dual axis pec fly. Watsons stuff here is mainly racks, bars, benches etc. most machines are Cybex. check the gym pics on FB.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

MrO2b said:


> The fly machine we have is Cybex dual axis pec fly. Watsons stuff here is mainly racks, bars, benches etc. most machines are Cybex. check the gym pics on FB.


Will do . The Watson stuff looks pretty decent for UK equipment.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

Paulieb said:


> Indeed check this website out for old skool machines: http://construction-decorating.com/NautilusMachinesForSale/


Yep - Ive owned a few of the machines pictured there over the years, Ive still got a 10% Chest and 4 way neck in the gym now. I think the 10% maybe coming out soon as I run out of room for new kit.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

anab0lic said:


> I was going to get the watson hack squat for my home gym, looks pretty decent for 1300....


It looks as good as any other, and will run nicely as it has the same bearings and guide rods as the best machines. The best Hack squat I had was the Icarian, which was popular due to the wide footplate and laid back stance of the machine. A machine that allows the user to load more 20kg plates without getting any stronger will always make the machine popular.

Nowadays I dont like any 45% Leg Press, Hack Squat or Smiths Machine - These all move the load in a linear fashion and humans have rotary movement - these are unnatural movements. But as these are the machines that everyone sees, so these are the ones everyone wants to use. Most consider these machines essential to bodybuilding gyms...... along with 'fluffy' cable x overs


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Greyphantom said:


> the problem lies in making a "meathead" gym a viable business... the majority of users will not be meatheads and I am just not sure that there are enough meathead types in one area to run a purely meathead type of place... get all the fitness/gym bunny types in to pay for the meathead part of the gym is mho... for this you will need to have a good machine/cardio area then you can have a meathead area... course this will depend on the size of the business you wish to run too... a small gym might be able to get away with a small membership base...


this is exactly right.

If you want to make money then you have to provide for all tastes.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

Tinytom said:


> this is exactly right.
> 
> If you want to make money then you have to provide for all tastes.


Yep - its exactly right, or you have to specialise in something like personal training.. I built a gym that was suitable for the World Strongest Man - He loved it, as did the other few strong guys. The vast majority who didnt need the 500 lbs stacks on their lat pulldown machines, and the hardcoreness of it all would only be members if it was cheap. They might also leave and join the local health clubs if they want to look at women, or fancy swimming etc.


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

The other thing Ive never really understood is people who are interested in the changing room and showers. Obviously you need somewhere to change, but I cant see why it matters enough to come to look at it, and I certainly cant conceive it to be a deal maker, but it often is. Ive always thought any area wasted on anything other than gym is wasted space - and that includes the cardio machines


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## _Shaun_ (Mar 2, 2011)

I'd buy one of those really cool sit down motorbike racing games.

Vroom vroom.


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## MrO2b (Aug 19, 2010)

physcult said:


> The other thing Ive never really understood is people who are interested in the changing room and showers. Obviously you need somewhere to change, but I cant see why it matters enough to come to look at it, and I certainly cant conceive it to be a deal maker,


for me, when i have toured other gyms, this is a strong indicator of the level of hygiene in the club.


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## Maturemuscle (Oct 30, 2010)

Smith machine and assisted pull ups/chins machine


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## physcult (Apr 6, 2008)

MrO2b said:


> for me, when i have toured other gyms, this is a strong indicator of the level of hygiene in the club.


To me its a waste of London £22 per square foot space


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

these look good but seem expensive

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=1376

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=825


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