Are you thinking about starting a fitness business; a gym or weight-training facility perhaps? If so, you’ve most likely come to learn that the most expensive part of opening a gym (besides paying your lease) is purchasing all the equipment for your business. We’re talking about weight machines, free weights, athletic flooring, wall mirrors, water fountains, resistance-training machines, you name it. If you’re one of the lucky ones and happened to find some deep-pocketed investors, you’ll be able to pay for your brand new equipment. However, if you’re self-funding your business, you might want to go the more clever route and find free or discounted equipment. Here’s how:

Purchase Used Equipment from Local Universities

Having attended the University of Minnesota for my undergraduate studies, I can personally verify the size of the student athletic facility. We all know that college athletic spending is crazy, and here’s some proof. Beyond the student workout center, there’s also an entirely-separate athlete training. Anyways, to get to business. Universities are continually updating and upgrading their equipment. Call around to your local universities to see if they intend to do an equipment switch at anytime in the near future. You might be able to secure some great equipment as cut-rate prices.

Contact Law Enforcement & Fire Departments

It’s a well-known fact that firefighters and police officers are encouraged to work out. Most professional fire departments(and some volunteer ones too) have a complete weight room that the firefighters can utilize when they aren’t putting out fires (of course). Contact some local law enforcement or firefighting departments and see if they are going to be updating their equipment any time soon. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a station house that is getting brand new equipment and would happily sell you their old equipment at a discounted rate. Just remember, if there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s just a matter of putting in some effort and trying different approaches.

Work Out a Sponsorship Deal with Suppliers

If you’re willing to sell yourself to corporate America, creating a sponsorship deal with an equipment supplier might be a very good possibility. Look for businesses that cater to both sides of the fitness spectrum, the businesses themselves and the end-users. If you’re able to find a business that sells both equipment, as well as workout clothes, you might be able to set up a deal where you plaster their advertisements around your business, put their logo on your flyers, etc and in exchange, they offer you discounted rates on their workout machinery. It’s an idea that has legs, it will just take a little bit of creativity to finalize it.

Image Credits:
Liberty Township