Fitness Equipment Maintenance

Whether you work in, run, or own a gym for public use, or whether you use a home gym, you will have two reasons for wanting to keep your fitness equipment in tip top shape.The first is for safety and efficiency.  Your gym equipment needs to work properly and you want to avoid accidents and injuries to yourself or the people using the equipment.The second makes purely economic sense.  The better the condition you can keep your machines and equipment in, the longer they will last and the less you will have to pay in repairs.  The secret is to prevent breakages before they happen. Machines out of order mean unhappy clients, or no workout for you that day, or even several days.Obviously it makes sense to buy the best quality machines that you can afford.  It is perhaps a good idea, when buying equipment, to find out what parts may be vulnerable, and whether spares are available.  Items like bolts and cables tend to wear over time and hard usage, no matter how good a quality machine you buy.It is important to establish a routine maintenance of the fitness equipment on a regular basis.  Keep your gym as clean and dust free as possible. Regular vacuuming helps to prevent the build up of dirt under and around the machines.  If you have carpets, rubber mats beneath the individual machines themselves helps to prevent carpet fibres getting into the moving parts.  They also make the area easy to clean.Remember dust, moisture and grime can seriously interfere with any electronics on the machines.  With this in mind, while cleaning the machines, be careful the cloths and sponges are not too moist.  You will be wise to install surge protectors to protect the machines from electricity spikes or electrical storms.Pay particular attention to any moving parts. Regular cleaning will prevent grime build up and consequently wear and tear.  Where necessary, according to manufacturer’s instructions, apply grease, graphite, Teflon spray or oil.Due to the presence of perspiration and any number of germs brought into your gym by the public, you need to consider using anti-bacterial cleaning materials, and all machines should be wiped over every day, and on hot days, even more often.Even during workout sessions, keep a cloth handy to give a wipe or a polish here and there.  There is nothing worse for your clients than to move onto a machine and feel sticky hand grips or damp seats from the previous person!Now we come to the actual maintenance of the machinery.  When you purchase your equipment, you may find that some of the suppliers offer a maintenance or service contract.  This is very convenient.Each piece of equipment should have its own logbook, so that you will easily be able to keep a record of what has been done, and when replacements of parts are due. This is particularly important when you have a public gym and employ staff.Together with the logbook, you should keep the instruction manuals of each machine.  Follow the instructions for assembly or erection and maintenance of the pieces of machinery.Make routine checks on all nuts and bolts, making sure none are starting to work loose.  Also test the tensions of belts and look for signs of wearing or shredding.  Check for upholstery damage and repair tears quickly before they get bigger.Check all stop/start buttons and other electronic controls, as well as levers, switches and mechanical controls.  Finally, train your ears to listen for any irregular sounds – squeaks, grinding noises, or any other early warning sounds.