Fall is almost here, which means that in addition to dropping temps and changing leaves, folks of all stripes are hitting the gym in droves. Football and soccer workouts are in full swing, and preseason training for basketball is underway, not to mention the people heading to the gym just because cooler temps make it more fun. That spike in use means your Legend Fitness equipment will be working overtime. To keep your gear in top shape this fall and beyond, make sure you’re keeping up with these six habits.
Wipe down padded surfaces
A pretty obvious step, but one that needs to be reiterated. Sweat lingering on vinyl or leather will dry it out while posing a health risk to everyone using your equipment. Gym wipes are ideal for frequent cleaning tasks like this, since they’re preloaded with the right amount of cleaner and their convenience makes everyone in your gym more likely to use them. When selecting which cleaner to use, steer clear of products containing alcohol or ammonia, which will wear out your padding faster while posing allergy risks to users.
Lubricate moving parts
Linear bearing shafts and the rods in your selectorized machines need to be lubricated on a regular basis. More information on where and when lubrication needs to happen can be found in our comprehensive maintenance guide here, but the short version is that a silicone- or teflon-based lubricant on guide rods and a conventional lubricant on bearing shafts along with regular cleaning will keep your machines running smoothly.
Stick to a maintenance schedule
One of the best methods for maintaining the integrity and quality of your equipment is simply consistency. Work with your gym staff or users to write up a list of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks that need to be completed, and stick to it. None of the tasks need to be major overhauls, because in reality just thorough cleaning and examination on a schedule will prevent the most common equipment failures.
Clean barbell knurling
In our experience, this is one of the most overlooked maintenance habits for gym equipment. While the gym wipes we mentioned earlier will be just fine for cleaning almost every other item in your gym, they won’t cut it in this case. Once a week, grab a wire brush and clean the knurling on any gear in your facility, with a focus on barbells and Olympic bars, where grip is especially key. Doing so will clean out accumulated chalk, dirt, and even dead skin cells, all of which can deteriorate metal.
Test cardio equipment
Even if you or your clients are primarily slinging weights, your cardio equipment is still going to take a beating if for no other reason than it’s more fragile than any weighted gear. Odds are, if a treadmill or elliptical breaks, you’ll need to get in touch with your equipment technician. But before it gets to that point, make sure you do a thorough weekly check of your equipment’s analog and electronic functionality. Often, problems will show up during a run-through that can be tackled seamlessly before turning into a larger issue.
Check cables regularly
Like upholstery, cables are a wear item, meaning that they’ll experience consistent deterioration over time and use. This is one of the most important habits you can develop to protect the safety of anyone using your equipment, since a snapped cable can easily cause injury, not to mention damage the equipment itself. Avoid any possibility of harm by visually checking cables regularly, particularly around pulleys and other contact points, for wear and replacing as necessary.
While you have a variety of tools at your disposal to maintain your Legend Fitness equipment, there may still be times where you need the help of an expert. Contact us today with any maintenance or repair needs, and we can work with you to get your fitness routine back up and running in no time. In the meanwhile, check out some of our other resources for how to keep Legend Fitness gear in top shape.
