Most gym owners are cautious about what products they endorse, and what to sell to their members. We’re in the business of helping clients through health and fitness; we’re not in the snake oil business trying to sell products that don’t work just so we can make a buck.

So when it comes to deciding if and what you should sell at your gym, I believe the questions you should ask yourself are these:

1. Will it help the client?

2. Will it help the coach?

3. Will it help the business owner?

If the answer is yes to all three of the above, there’s a good chance it’s something you should consider stocking.

Here are our top 4:

4. White Athletic Tape:

Client: Someone rips almost everyday and the first thing they ask for is tape. It’s great for dealing with fresh rips, and great for preventing rips on high-volume bar, barbell days or muscle-up days. And it’s even useful for protecting joints, like the wrists on movements like cleans and overhead squats.

Coach: When someone rips and there’s no tape in sight, I always feel guilty not being able to help my client tape up their rip so they can continue the workout. I admit, there has even been a time or two, where the whole class was interrupted because I went on a search for a roll of tape I thought I had in my locker upstairs. Selling tape on site solves the problem.

Owner: It’s relatively inexpensive for you to stock (as compared to ROCK TAPE), and it will have no problem selling. You might even be able to make a buck or two per roll.

3. Log Books

Clients: Some people still like writing with a pen and paper. No matter how much you encourage them to track their scores on whatever online platform you promote, they don’t do it. These people usually appreciate a log book. Whether it’s just a simple notebook, or you get books printed with your gym’s logo, this will encourage your pen and paper members to keep track of their numbers and their progress.

Coach: When everyone knows his numbers and his progressions, life is much much easier for the coach!

Owner: Clients who truly get on board with logging their progress will develop a much better understanding of what they’re doing everyday at your gym. They get more excited about their numbers and fitness improvements, making them more likely to stick around for the long haul than the guy who still can’t remember what a clean is after a year of coming to the gym. 

2. Skipping Ropes

Client: Learning how to skip can be frustrating. Especially learning how to double-under. And especially if you use a different rope each day! A consistent rope, of a consistent length, is only going to help you learn faster.

Coach: Skipping ropes do break sometimes, and other times they mysteriously go missing. It’s so much easier to coach a class when people aren’t fighting over ropes. And so much easier to coach when people are skipping well.

Owner: Ropes are relatively inexpensive in terms of gym equipment, but when they go missing all the time, and break, it adds up. Spend your equipment budget elsewhere and encourage your athletes to buy their own rope. If they can buy it directly from you, chances are much higher they’ll be on board with the purchase.

DRUM ROLL….The FINAL PRODUCT…

1. Ript Skin Systems

Client: When clients keep their skin healthy—their calluses thin and pliable with the GRINDSTONE and their skin healthy with DAILYDOSE—they’ll be able to show up more often (it’s frustrating to have to miss a workout because of a rip). 

Coach: Clients always ask me what they should to do prevent and heal rips. I can tell them to go online and buy RIPT Skin Systems, but chances are they’ll go home and forgot; their rip will heal, and then the same thing will happen all over again the following week! There’s nothing better than being able to provide a solution to your client in the moment. 

Owner: If not missing days because of rips or blisters isn’t benefit enough to the business, here's a second reason: Our wholesale program, meaning your gym can benefit financially from selling RIPT Skin System's product. Read about our wholesale program here.