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Page 30 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — May 2017
Anthology, Washington, DC
H igh-quality fitness amenities
can drive apartment leas-
ing and retention. As a key
attraction in most multifam-
ily apartments today, fitness
amenities should not only include
state-of-the-art equipment but also
a plan to provide the best possible
experience for the people who live
there.
• Cardio. Residents desire a variety
of cardiovascular choices in today’s
multifamily fitness centers. Tread-
mills, ellipticals and traditional
bikes are no longer enough. Accord-
ing to the American College of
Sports Medicine’s top fitness trends
list for 2017, high-intensity exercise
is No. 3. Residents want high-inten-
sity machines including rowers,
stair mills, motorless treadmills and
indoor cycles.
It’s recommended that centers
have at least five different cardio
choices and duplicates of each unit.
Attaching personal viewing screens
or wall-mounted TVs is still the
norm, while high-end facilities are
embracing embedded cardio enter-
tainment screens. Open-interface
cardio systems now allow the users
to link their smartphone or tablet to
the cardio machine screen, creating
a mirror image of the device. This
allows for most wearable technol-
ogy applications to be present on
the screen. The American College of
Sports Medicine’s No. 1 fitness trend
is wearable technology.
If there’s space in the amenity for
a studio, group exercise programs
such as Fitness on Demand™ can be
installed to provide virtual instruc-
tor-led classes including dance,
yoga, Pilates and cycling. Boxing
areas can be added
if the noise doesn’t
detract from the
other residents’
experience. Group
exercise program-
ming is No. 6 on
the list of trends
this year and yoga
is No. 8.
• Strength. At No.
5 on the top fit-
ness trends list is
strength training.
One of the big-
gest complaints
by residents can
be a lack of free weights in the fit-
ness amenity. To correct this, offer
dumbbells up to at least 100 pounds
and consider barbells from 20 to 115
pounds. Include at least one squat
rack and some multiadjustable
benches. If liability is an issue, a
“freedom rack” can offer the move-
ment of free weights with the safety
of a guided track.
For strength machines, include a
circuit that incorporates all major
muscle groups: chest, back, shoul-
der, arms, abdominal, low back and
legs. There are a variety of equip-
ment options, and residents will
notice if a facility has opted to pur-
chase less than health-club-quality
equipment.
If square footage is an issue, there
are great options for smaller, dual-
purpose machines that work more
than one body part. For cable sys-
tems, a dual-adjustable pully can
meet the needs of most multifamily
centers. For more cable options and
a wow factor, a larger five- or nine-
station system can be explored.
• Body weight exercises. Body
weight training scored No. 2 on the
trends list. This includes isometric
exercises like pushups, situps, planks
and lunges. Most new properties offer
a separate studio for these types of
movements as well as for core work
and stretching. If a dedicated space is
not available, carefully planned small
areas in between existing equipment
can suffice.
• Functional fitness. Functional fit-
ness was No. 12 on the list and is
defined as using strength training to
improve balance, coordination, force,
power and endurance. The newest
fitness amenities offer some form
of functional training, which can
include a larger functional trainer
machine that accommodates mul-
tiple people at the same time with
med balls, plyometric platforms and
cable systems. Functional training
accessories also can be placed in
a separate studio and suspension
trainers can be anchored to the walls
or on a TRX multimount.
• Other considerations. It’s important
to remember that the fitness amenity
represents the brand of the property.
While rubber flooring is still accept-
able, there are higher-end vinyl prod-
ucts that resemble hardwood flooring
or carpet with a comfortable, cush-
ioned rubber on the bottom. Keep the
temperature of the center between 68
and 72 degrees Fahrenheit and con-
sider ceiling fans for comfort.
The fitness amenity should be
cleaned on a schedule. This entails
regular cleaning of the treadmill
hoods, displays and decks, and the
Management
Ryan Conover
Business
development
manager, Sport
and Fitness Inc.,
Littleton
Sport and Fitness Inc.
This apartment fitness amenity features premium floors, which look like wood, a small training
area, strength equipment and cardio with onboard personal trainers.