HOW TO GET YOUR ESSER MONEY
What can you spend your ESSER money on? We’ve got some great options for you that can maximize student wellness and safety!
WHAT IS ESSER?
ESSER is a series of emergency relief funds to address the impact that Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had, and continues to have, on schools across the nation. Talk to your administration now to see if your school has applied for this funding program. Visit your state’s official government website to access an application.
There are three phases of ESSER grants. Have you spent all your ESSER money yet?
In short, you can choose how and where to apply your funds. We want to present you with one option. Help your students get back in your school's gym and exercising with brand new equipment that better suits their needs and supports their wellness.
Have you considered flooring?
Flooring is such an important part of your weight room. Ecore is renowned for their focus on Safety, Acoustics, and Ergonomics. We partner with Ecore Athletic Flooring to bring you the best in the business.
SAFE FLOORING…
Allows exercisers to perform repetitive, high-impact workouts without the worry of injury
Enhances the health of your students by alleviating long-term damage
Reduces risk of injury
PROPER ACOUSTICS…
Reduce sound and add privacy
Prevent rebounding weights, a danger to your student athletes
Increase durability
EFFECTIVE ERGONOMICS…
Diminish fatigue by absorbing energy and giving it back (force reduction vs energy restitution)
Minimize discomfort
Support your student athletes to perform at their highest levels
We're committed to giving your students the best and safest exercise experience while staying within your budget.
In addition to fitness solutions, sanitation products are also an important and allowable use of ESSER funds. To explore some of our cleaning and sanitation solutions for the protection and peace of mind of your students and staff, check out CFES.
YBELL: ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR EVERY BODY™
We’re so excited to be able to offer you this incredibly versatile and ingenious new piece of equipment. What is it all about? Would it be a good fit for your facility?
If you haven’t yet heard of the YBell, you’re in for quite a treat. We’re so excited to be able to offer you this incredibly versatile and ingenious new piece of equipment. What is it all about? Would it be a good fit for your facility?
What is it?
Get an introduction to the YBell Fitness brand!
The YBell Neo rolls the kettlebell, double-grip medball, pushup stand, and dumbbell all into one piece of equipment. Designed by experts in fitness and industrial design, it’s undeniably durable, versatile, and unique. This might just be the missing piece to your fitness amenity.
DURABLE DESIGN
The YBell Neo is composed of Neoprene, a synthetic rubber that is stronger and harder than natural rubber and more resistant to potentially corrosive substances like water, oils, and solvents. YBell is coated in the stuff, making it slip- and rust-resistant. This material makes it ideal for outdoor use, something very useful in the current fitness climate. Ergonomics, anthropometrics, and ease of use took primary importance in the design process, meaning that movements and exercises with the YBell will feel comfortable and intuitive. This is an important ask from all equipment, and YBell certainly meets and exceeds the standard.
VERSATILE
There’s a reason the YBell Fitness tagline is “One piece of equipment for every body™.” The exercises are accessible and easy for every exerciser, no matter where they’re at in their fitness journey. This is especially great for spaces that get a variety of exercisers.
4-in-1 is quite the steal! You get the benefits of four different kinds of exercises that target different muscle groups for a well-rounded workout. Your routine won’t be boring; you can switch it up with a plethora of movements and workout circuits.
UNIQUE
There truly is nothing like the YBell on the market right now. Not only do you have all the same exercises available from the KB, DB, push-up stand, and double-grip medball, but there are also exercises that are unique to the YBell itself. By making only small adjustments in the grip, you’re transitioning between equipment and expanding workout options! With its 4-in-1 design, the YBell has a uniquely small footprint, making it an excellent addition to any space.
Get it in your facility now!
Website Updates: We’ve Rebranded!
We’re excited for our future with you here at CFE. Allow us to give you a short tour of our new website!
Welcome to our new website!
We’re excited about all the new changes to our website. If you’re a long-time visitor, or here for the first time, allow us to give you a small introduction to our brand new layout.
The whole website has been updated to a more modern aesthetic. Our home page welcomes you to our website with outlining the markets we serve, an overview of some of our services, and some of our favorite featured projects
In this tab, you’ll find three sections! The first is our project portfolio. Here, we list a few projects we’ve worked on that we are especially excited about. We have projects featured that are Country Clubs, Rec Center College Athletics, Multifamily Housing, Hospitality, and more! Check it out if you’re curious about what we have done for other facilities.
Next in this drop-down menu is our CFE Blog, where you are now! Here, we post bimonthly fitness-centric content. Our goal is to educate, help you be a more informed buyer, and be a helpful resource to learn more about the industry and about our offerings!
On the Team page, you can meet us! Who are we as a company, what we stand for, and bios of our Team members. Get to know us!
First us, we talk about what brands we offer - and why. We have carefully chosen to work with brands whose goals align with ours and are of the best quality out there. Some of the brands we offer include: Precor, Escape, Ecore, and more!
Programming and Education: what does this even mean? Navigate there and you’ll find out! We’re proud of this unique offering, and it might be a good fit for you.
The Our Services page will explore all our services, top to bottom, all that we offer from start to finish. You'll find at the top of the page an excellent video that captures how our services helped one of our favorite projects at the University of Nevada, Reno.
The final option in that drop-down takes you to our sister company, CFE Services. If you have sanitation needs, we are here to help provide our best solutions for your facility.
You’ll notice that there are 12 markets listed in this drop-down menu. Which of these is your market? When you go to the one that matches you best, there you’ll find what unique solutions we can offer you, and how we’ve done so for other facilities in the same market. Give it a look!
Overall, we hope to show you that we are here and ready to offer unique solutions for your facility. Let’s get started!
PELOTON TO ACQUIRE PRECOR
An exciting partnership that could change the way we move.
On December 21, 2020, Peloton, the leading interactive fitness platform, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Precor. See the press release here.
We’re very excited to see what possibilities this acquisition opens up for the future of fitness and for our customers.
“Precor is driven to create personalized health and fitness experiences that help people live the lives they desire. That passion has led us to create highly customizable solutions running on the fitness industry’s largest commercial network,” said Rob Barker, Precor’s President. “The Precor team is excited to combine our manufacturing expertise and more than 40 years of equipment innovations with Peloton’s award-winning workout experiences to help commercial customers succeed and keep exercisers moving.”
Let’s keep moving forward together!
HOW TO: MAINTAIN YOUR FITNESS ROOM ON A BUDGET
Has your budget taken a hit? How can you maintain a high-quality fitness amenity without breaking the bank? Learn about where to save, where to spend, and other practical steps you can take.
In these unprecedented times that we’re facing, many budgets have taken a hit. You want to be able to provide the same high-quality services and amenities to your customers that you have in the past but current economics make that difficult. With the right approach and careful analysis, you can maintain a high-quality fitness center on a budget. Here are some tips:
MAINTENANCE!
The primary way that you can continue to provide a high-quality fitness amenity is by keeping it high quality with proper maintenance.
Wipe everything down regularly. Even if your fitness center is currently closed, do not neglect vacuuming and dusting. When dust and dirt make their way inside the machines, they will drastically increase friction on belts and chains, causing them to break down faster. Keeping your fitness center clean can help to prevent buildup inside of your machines.
One of the more destructive elements that you should be mindful of is sweat. Cleaning the ramps of your elliptical, around and under the belt of your treadmill (carefully!), and any area where sweat collects will go a long ways towards extending the life of your machines.
Rotate your equipment. Studies have shown that every fitness center seems to have a "sweet spot” that exercisers tend to gravitate toward. This means that you will likely have one treadmill with substantially more miles than the rest. Or an elliptical that needs a new belt when the rest of your ellipticals have minimal use. If you regularly rotate your equipment, you will even out the usage and extend the life of all of your equipment. (Note: Most fitness equipment is extremely heavy. If you ask your employees to rotate your equipment, make sure that they are physically capable and understand how to do so safely.)
Have you been closed for a while? Ensure that all of your equipment is completely dust-free before you let your customers back into the fitness center. This includes removing covers from your ellipticals and bikes to clean anything that has built up on belts and chains. You will also want to clean under your treadmill belt.
If you’re not sure how to perform this maintenance effectively, give us a call or request a preventative maintenance visit here. We can do a one-time deep clean or recommend a regular maintenance schedule.
But, eventually, things will wear out. How should you proceed? Ask yourself a couple of questions.
DO I ACTUALLY NEED THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT?
We find that many of the facilities we work with have more equipment than they need. Today’s fitness trends are often best facilitated by open space for body and free weight exercises. For instance, what if you have a chest press that is in dire straits? You might not need to replace it. Do you have a multi-purpose unit like a functional trainer? Or heavy enough free weights? These can easily replace your need for selectorized units depending on the demographics of your customers.
A big key to maintaining a great fitness offering while reducing the amount of equipment you have in your space is providing direction. Great looking wall charts that demonstrate how an FTS Glide can be used to perform flys or the proper mechanics of a dumbbell overhead press make all the difference.
There are many factors to consider. We provide complimentary space planning and long term replacement recommendations. We’re here to help you decide if something should be replaced or eliminated based on the demographics of your customers. Let us know if you need assistance.
What about those pieces you know you need?
SHOULD I REPAIR OR REPLACE?
Does your elliptical have a strange knock? Is your treadmill belt slipping? Maybe the handle is broken on a piece of strength equipment that you need to keep. An important question comes into play: should you repair the piece or replace it?
We would love to be able to write an exhaustive list of circumstances and recommendations… But it would be impossible! We can’t cover all of the scenarios and diagnose your equipment with a blog post. Our service technicians are trained to make recommendations for when to repair and when to replace. We won’t recommend you replace a treadmill that needs a simple repair when it has years of life in it. And we won’t recommend an expensive repair on a unit that is on its last leg. Our sales and service teams work together seamlessly to recommend the best value for your business. Contact our team here.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
When it comes time to spend your precious dollars on replacing a piece of equipment, how do you choose? It’s easy to want to run out and buy the cheapest, flashiest piece of equipment that you can find. Please don’t. Choose the equipment that is right for your demographic, your usage rates, and the lowest-cost-in-use.
What does lowest-cost-in-use really mean? When you add up the initial purchase price and repair costs over the life of the equipment, you have your cost-in-use.
It doesn’t save you any money to buy a piece of equipment that will need constant repair. We don’t believe in making those kinds of recommendations.
We have options for every scenario. If your facility is low-use, we might recommend a high-quality refurbished piece of equipment. Or if your equipment is really going to take a beating, we will provide you with a piece of equipment that can stand up to the impact.
One of the brands that we recommend most often is Precor. Precor has a reputation for excellent customer service (think warranty claims) and lowest-cost-in-use equipment. We have worked with them for more than 20 years, handling any repairs and warranty claims for our customers. We can say with absolute confidence that their equipment is an exceptional value. Precor has created equipment lines based on expected usage. When you have the right line of equipment, you don’t pay for more than you need and can rest assured that equipment will hold up to years of use in your facility. Precor also puts tremendous effort into designing their equipment to be the best user experience possible. Your customers will thank you for a great workout.
Our customers keep coming back to us year after year. Why? Because we carefully analyze their unique situation and made recommendations to bring the greatest value to their facility. Their equipment stands the test of time and requires minimal repairs. Their customers are happy because they are getting a great workout. And their return on investment adds to the success of their business. Let us add to your success with recommendations for an equipment purchase you can have confidence in.
We believe in being your partner, supporting your bottom dollar and your reputation. Let’s start working together on a fitness amenity that fits your budget today.
Precor: Resolute Strength
Provide an experience, not just a workout. Precor’s Resolute™ Selectorized Strength Line is coming out this fall and we wrote this post to tell you what you need to know.
Resolute Strength
Available Fall 2020
The newest strength line from Precor, Resolute Strength, is about to hit the market. While this stellar video is a pretty good introduction, it might still leave some questions. What is it all about, and what makes it a great addition to your facility?
BIOMECHANICALLY SOUND
The Resolute Strength line was designed to maximize the exerciser’s safety and comfort. The geometry and angles of the pieces are purposefully designed to ensure the correct and supported position through the whole movement. Precor conducted extensive research with ergonomics as a focus and priority. The result is movement that feels natural and intuitive, and that helps the exerciser maintain proper alignment and form. The bright orange adjustment points are easily accessible and allow the exerciser to adjust to the optimal position for their comfort.
What are “biomechanics”?
According to the Journal of Biomechanics, biomechanics is “the study of the movement of living things using the science of mechanics” (Hatze, 1974). In this context, it’s taking mechanical principles and applying them to human movement during exercise. The goal of biomechanics in exercise is to maximize performance and movement, and minimize injury. The farther from mechanical efficiency, the higher the risk of injury. The more mechanically efficient we can be, the safer we are and the better our performance. This science was heavily applied when designing the Resolute line so that risk of injury is much lower and performance is enhanced.
DURABLE DESIGN
This strength line is built to last. The pieces include over-sized steel tubing, sealed bearings on pivot points, and chrome-plated adjustment plates to maximize durability and thus puts a high value on your investment. You can expect quiet and durable operation, and the pieces will remain stable and steady even during intense movement or if accidentally kicked. This line underwent rigorous testing to make sure it’s going to last under extensive use. For example, the weight stacks endured 250,000 cycles of testing at full weight, and the upholstered pads went through 1.2 million cycles of testing, all to ensure they didn’t crack under the pressure. They didn’t.
EXPERIENCE DRIVEN
With all of their equipment, Precor strives to offer, not just a great workout, but an experience. The Resolute line is no different. Firstly, the sleek and minimalistic aesthetics of the line give it a contemporary, low-profile design and a more spacious feel. With 5 frame colors, 12 upholstery options, and the ability to create custom shroud wraps, you can ensure your facility’s branding shines through on your strength floor.
The pieces themselves have an upright and open design that allows the exerciser to enter and exit with ease. Touch points for adjusting the equipment will feel intuitive and conveniently placed. These adjustment points also make the pieces adaptive to fit almost any exerciser. With the flip of a switch, you can increase the workload and challenge yourself with Precor’s patented add-on weight system. Individual pieces offer a variety of engaging movement possibilities that keep the workout feeling fresh and interesting. Seating is comfortable, and some pieces are even specifically designed for the exerciser’s privacy. When your exercisers enter into your facility, they can be sure they’re in for a great, varied, and experience-driven workout.
CONNECTIVE
Strength training has gone digital. The Precor Resolute comes with the option to pair with Sony® Advagym to create a truly connected fitness environment. This technology will drive engagement and revenue opportunities. If your facility is staffed, it will also allow engaging interactions between staff and exercisers; personal trainers can keep track of their client’s progress.
What is Advagym?
Advagym is a training and tracking system that links Precor selectorized equipment with a mobile app. Wireless sensors called “pucks” are positioned on equipment and throughout training zones, allowing your exercisers to follow their workout program, track exercises, and watch instructional videos throughout the facility. Go here for even more information on Advagym.
We’d love to discuss how we can get your facility outfitted and ready to welcome back exercisers to enjoy the high quality workout they deserve. Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to get started!
Social Distance : Layout Solutions
As reopening continues there are lots of requirements related to social distancing in an environment where space is already a premium. How can you make the most of your fitness room and help your exercisers to maintain social distance?
As restrictions lift and businesses start to reopen, a key protection measure that is consistent throughout the country is social distancing. How might you address this in your fitness center?
Every facility has different needs and limitations but here are some options to consider:
Option A:
CLOSE
What if you don’t have the ability to move equipment around? What if you have space or storage limitations? Consider “closing” every other piece of equipment. We’ve created an attractive sign to seamlessly attach to a cardio screen to mark it “Closed for Social Distancing”. Throughout the week rotate the signs to other pieces to even out the wear and tear on your equipment.
Consider: Do you still have ADA access to each unique piece of equipment? Make sure to analyze your layout as you close equipment so that everyone can have access to a workout.
Option B:
GUARD
What if you have to have access to all of your pieces of equipment? Consider placing sneeze guards between each of your units. These guards are 6-8 feet tall and 33 inches deep. They form a barrier between each piece of equipment so that you can utilize all of your existing equipment and it’s placement. Choose the placement of the guards carefully so that you can still maintain ADA access.
Option C:
SPREAD
If you have space, you can simply spread out your equipment to allow exercisers to maintain the expected 6’(more in some states) of social distance. This may require moving some pieces of equipment to storage and possibly limiting the pieces of equipment that you can make available. Do you have out-of-the-way nooks and corners to create a 1-person workout zone? What about a game room, basketball court, or racquetball court that is not in use?
Not sure if things are going to fit? Use Precor’s fabulous space planner to virtually plan it out.
With any of these options, there are still other factors to consider. What are the “pinch points” your exercisers might deal with? Carefully evaluate walkway widths, wipes and sanitizer dispenser access points, and entries. Would 1-way walkways assist in saving space while maintaining social distance? Do you have a water dispenser? What about locker rooms and restrooms? Will they be open? How will you keep them sanitary?
With careful planning, consistent protocols, and the right products you will be ready for a safe and successful reopening. To explore what we have to offer, contact your CFE rep or choose from the categories below:
HOW TO REOPEN
Our sister company, CFE Services, helps you to prepare to reopen and stay open in these uncertain times. Learn more about what to consider in order to keep your patrons safe.
cfeservices.co/reopen
Social Distance Fitness
How can we support each other to be active and healthy at this difficult time? How can we offer a valuable service to our members if our facility is shut down? This is our solution.
The world is going through an unprecedented collective experience. To protect ourselves and each other we are being encouraged, and even mandated, to limit social contact. During this time we need to support each other. Members, residents, guests, all those that normally benefit from your facility, need help to stay active and connected. Your employees and your business need a way to provide a service and stay valuable to your customers. This is our solution.
EQUIP
ON LOAN. Do you have small items that you can check out on loan to your members? Medicine balls? Kettlebells? Dumbbells? If you don't have items to check out, we've got you covered. Our Fitness-in-a-Bag items are easily disinfected, self-guided, and suitable for all fitness levels. Loan out a bag to your members and help them to stay healthy at home.
Included in each bag is:
Resistance Tubing (20,30,40lb)
Quick Flip Handles (for cables)
Speed Jump Rope
6lb Medicine Ball
Medium Mini Band
Kettlebell Sandbag
Foam Roller
Exercise Mat
Whether you need some items or already have items, set up a system for getting them out to your members. Can they request a time to pick up the items for use in their homes? Or can you offer a delivery service? Do you want to require a return within 3 hours? Can they keep it for the duration of your facilities closure? Not sure how to get started in your facility? Let us know, we’re happy to work with you to provide a solution.
DIRECT
APP ACCESS. We have an app that allows you to provide on-demand fitness classes by certified trainers. They are fun, engaging, and easy to follow. There is something for everyone.
The Wellbeats app includes:
30 unique channels
400+ classes
Fitness Tests
Challenges(2-8 week programs)
Nutrition and Recipes
Help each exerciser to access their "fitness center" from home.
WELLBEATS IS OFFERING FREE ACCESS UNTIL APRIL 30TH. CONTACT US FOR AN ACCESS CODE.
CONNECT
COMMUNITY. What we're all missing right now is that sense of community. Equip your members, direct your members, and then connect them. Host a social media challenge! Encourage them to post videos or pictures of what they're doing from home. Recommend a Wellbeats "channel of the day". Set up a competition with a prize or "badge of honor". #SocialDistanceFitness
LET’S KEEP EACH OTHER HAPPY AND HEALTHY
2020 FITNESS Trends
Are you ready for 2020? Let’s put that to the test!
Are you ready to put your best foot forward this year?
A great place to start is educating yourself on the top fitness trends of 2020. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conducted a worldwide survey in order to forecast these trends. Here are the top four trends, and how you can incorporate them in your fitness offering!
#1 Wearable Technology
Number one again! Wearable technology held the number one spot in 2016, 2017, 2019, and now 2020. This is definitely something your exercisers are interested in. Through their Apple Watch®, Misfit®, Garmin®, FitBit®, or other fitness tracker, they can monitor heart rate, track calories burned, count their steps, and help gauge their fitness progress.
How to address. One way to address this trend is to incorporate leaderboards that sync up with their tech. This creates a sense of healthy competition, a powerful motivator, and can even help build community between your exercisers. Go here for more information about incorporating wearable technology in your offering.
#2 High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
HIIT has stayed in the top five fitness trends since 2014. HIIT is a training method that involves pushing the body to its limit. Short periods of intense work (ex. 30 seconds) are followed by a brief period of rest. This is repeated over the allotted amount of time or number of rounds. This method has risen in popularity greatly because of its efficient, results-driven design. It can feature strength training, cardiovascular exercise, or a mix of the two. There’s the option to go solo, or participate in a group class.
How to address. This trend is actually very simple to address in your fitness center if you get the right equipment. Precor has partnered with Assault Fitness to offer equipment specially designed for HIIT workouts. Additionally, you can install functional training units. Consider Queenax by Precor or an Escape HIIT Hub. Incorporate HIIT zones into your space where performing these workouts is ideal. For more information on how to address HIIT in your fitness space, check out this blog post.
#3 Group Training
Group training means at least 5 participants trained together in a fitness class. It can cater to different fitness levels and cover a wide range of equipment use. Classes can range from simple open-format functional training to cardio-based group training to spin classes. This trend continues to be popular for its highly motivating atmosphere and community feel.
How to address. You do not have to be a dedicated gym with tens of fitness staffers to offer group training in your facility. This can be done in apartments, clubs, colleges, universities, hotels, resorts; pretty much anywhere! All it takes is just a little planning and the right tools. If you have staff available to lead a group class, you have an array of options for awesome group training. For example, see what we did with the Turtle Bay Resort staff to get them trained to offer an Escape BattleFit group class in their resort. Additionally, with Precor spin bikes, you can offer a high-quality spinning class.
For some programs, you don’t even need an on-site instructor to offer group training. Through programs like Wellbeats and Spivi, all you need is a screen and some equipment and you’re golden!
#4 Free Weight Training
Coming in 4th place is free weight training. This would be training using equipment like kettlebells, medicine balls, dumbbells, barbells, etc. It can be done individually or in a class setting. The focus is primarily on form, and once proper form is achieved, the intensity is raised and more weight is added.
How to address. More than likely, you’re already offering some kind of free weight training in your facility, such as dumbbells or maybe kettlebells. But since this is one of the most popular trends in the industry right now, why not expand your offering? A great tool for free weight training is the MARS screen by Escape. The MARS screen provides education for how to use different free weights, and even has suggested workouts.
So how about it? Are you ready to address these trends in your facility and grow along with the industry? Each and every one of these four trends can be addressed at your facility. We are prepared to help you with each one! Let us know, and we’ll be happy to keep your 2020 going strong!