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Specifier: What's new in rigs?
Rigs have been central to gyms for years. Now suppliers tell us how they’re evolving to meet the changing needs of clubs and clients
The beauty of our XF80 rigs is the versatility and scalability – the modular design lends itself to hundreds of configurations. One of the most popular elements is the adjustable pull up bars, which make transitions between taller and shorter athletes very easy. This has been especially popular within facilities that are encouraging teen or kids’ classes.
Eleiko Education has its role to play within our rig installations, in particular the Eleiko Functional Training course, which is often delivered to upskill personal trainers on the increased training options available with our rigs, or for gym-goers who manage their own training plans.
As facilities are reopening, they’re looking for ways to freshen up their clubs and excite members into returning. We’re seeing more facilities creating new functional training spaces or updating existing ones.
One of the more exciting ways they’re doing this is by offering outdoor workouts centred around a functional training rig (see above). In fact, it’s very common to see a club ordering two rigs for a single facility; one for the indoor space and one to be placed outdoors. This attests to the growth in popularity of functional training and the excitement around this equipment.
Throwdown – a Core Health & Fitness brand – offers customisable rig solutions for outdoor spaces. We recently launched our XTC, Compact XTC and XTR lines in a hot dipped galvanised finish, which allows the rigs to be placed outdoors while being protected against the elements.
This provides versatility for club owners when it comes to turning their available space into a functional training classroom that can create new revenue opportunities and better recruitment, while keep members coming back for more.
Demand for space-saving equipment is already a priority for most boutiques and small box gyms. The pandemic has brought the need for more personal, individual training spaces to the forefront of people’s minds and this new way of training is set to be in demand, even after all restrictions are lifted around the world.
Multifunctional rigs are a great way for club owners to run classes or PT sessions in a dedicated space. Depending on the rig, different stations and attachments offer different movements. Dip bars offer many alternative exercises, including push-ups, rows, and planks. Steps are perfect for plyometrics and cardio. Wing attachments are for pull-ups or hangs and are ideal for a Jungle Gym or TRX.
Gresham’s School, for example, uses rigs in a different way – with an obstacle course proving a good way for students to be active and have fun on the rig.
For those looking to bring their rigs and racks into the 21st century, we integrate technology into our rigs in the form of velocity-based training devices or heart rate telemetry systems.
Using practices out of the elite sports market, clients can now begin to get instant feedback while using their rig – for example, seeing their live heart rate or the power developed during a kettlebell swing or jump.
All feedback can be displayed on integrated TV monitors to enhance motivation and engagement during classes or PT sessions.
