Chizzad’s BodyBlog

OK here’s the latest on the gym. I have recently found a space that is only 3,000 square feet but after some thought I think it would be a good place to start as long as it will hold all of the equipment that I plan to have. I am going to go inside this place today and actually measure it up and do an online layout to see if I can at least get the majority of stuff I want inside. Keep your fingers crossed because if this goes through then hopefully within a few months I will be the proud owner of an old school hardcore strength training gym.

OK so I went again to look at the dowtown property, took photo’s, made a short video, and have drawn everything to scale only to find out that it most likely not would not pass for gym usage. The engineer that has it for rent said the code for flooring is 100 lbs. per square foot and with him being an engineer he knew that it does not meet that. I will try to still post the video and photos that I took just to show you all the character that this place has, it’s awesome. There was some good news however as the same guy has another place that would actually be better and the utilities would be a lot less expensive. The problem here is that it is in a better commercial building, in a better location, and not for rent but is for sale. Not knowing the price as of yet I can assure you it will be out of range for a guy that earns only 28 G’s a year. So onward I march to find something else sighhh……..

OK I was able to gather some very important info on equipment yesterday which previously I have had no luck with. The big words for today "PRICES", you would not believe the hassle it has been for companies to give me something as simple as prices for their equipment. It’s as if they do not know how much their stuff cost which I think it is terrible business practice and very unattractive on a prospective buyers end. I have emailed and called the following companies; Life Fitness, Nautilus, and Precor only to have one company call me back after I contacted their home office. Not wanting to sell or not taking me serious? Either way how would they know if they do not contact me with a follow up? Seems like a very odd way of doing business to me and if Wal Mart sold commercial equipment I would have already turned my nose up at these major companies since they do not have the time for me. To make matters worse the comapny that finally did reply has still not sent me pricing as they said they would nearly 2 weeks ago. Yesterday was a turning point though. I finally decided to contact a local equipment supply that sells for various companies and it seems that this is the way to go. Returning my phone call within 2 days this lady spent almost 2 hours with me on the phone talking equipment and just talking fitness in general. I told her what I was wanting to do and she said that she will be glad to work with me and do everything she could to get me the equipment that I want, not the equipment that they want me to have. So as I wait patienly for that email that I desire I honestly think I have found the one I will buy from if the prices are not too " through the roof" as they say. I have been pricing used/refurbished circuit equipment which is most likely the way to go for me since I am concentrating mainly on strength training and free weights. I want so badly to go back to old school training and more of a Gym type atmosphere. Remember my dream is to break away from the club feel and get back to basics.

I woke up today to check my email and finally received a reply from the company of choice about some equipment pricing. If all goes well I should have a semi accurate price list sometime by the weekend. I have also found a prospective place to open the gym but the only problem is that the parking would be limited due to its location in the downtown area. I honestly think that the gym will survive once open however there is a lot of planning involved just to open the doors. If there is anyone out there that has good knowledge of building a business plan please contact me so that I can find the resources that I will need in order to present it to a bank. As I said earlier if the gym only housed around 400 members it would survive and also it would seem to be more of a private hardcore gym. Of course all the lawyers and courthouse employees would be welcome to come a pump up on there lunch break LOL.

I have always wanted to open my own gym. When I say gym I mean "gym" not a club. Before joining Gold’s here in my hometown I was stoked that we were finally getting a real "gym" and I could get away from the club atmosphere at the YMCA. Well guess what…….turns out that Gold’s has become a club also. Between the sucky roller rink music all the way to being told to not make so much noise at the first little grunt you make it is all just too much. Are there any true lifters out there any more? Have we all become circuit trainers just to only fool ourselves that we work out? I am a free weight kind of guy and I think it’s time to get back to the basics. I want to hear some grunting going on and the clanking of wheels rattling in my gym. Who cares if there are not 3000 members registered there only to have them never step foot in the gym? If my gym only had 400 members and they were all serious trainers then I would be satisfied just to break even. Anyone with me on this or is it just me?