1947Geek Gym

[evile]

 

Feb. 11, 2004

 

 

I started thinking about geek gym again.

I don't know why. I don't have the smarts/marketing skills/capital to
make it work, but I thought about it again.

I even have a location--the old grand prix arcade near 35 and 183.

Life circuit/life fit weight machines
http://www.fitnessoutlet.com/selectorized/circuit_lifecircuit_10pc.htm

DDR machines

Prop Cycle machines

hot tub

sauna

outdoor walking track with cover against rain & sun (maybe eventually
turn it into a covered outdoor pool area)

private rooms

1) for single persons to sign up for individually
2) for up to maybe 10 people to sign up for as a group.

They can also check out towels, yoga mats, Yoga bands & blocks, DDR
stompy things, video tapes/DVDs and TV/VCR/DVD players on a rolling
platform to either play DDR in private or play exercise videos in
private. (eventually get flat screen TV's for walls in private rooms)

Also offer:

Incentives for people who join the '20' '50' and '100' club, post
their weights & measurements & check regularly, prizes for people as
they lose weight/inches.

Also a poster area where people can post ads for workout buddies.

Weekly or monthly parties for members & friends.

Comments

1948Re: Geek Gym

[evile]

Feb. 11, 2004
here is my original LJ post:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/bramblekite/29791.html

evile (bramblekite) wrote,
@ 2003-07-21 20:03:00





Current mood: excited

geek gym
Well, I'm back from the gym, after less than an hour spent there.
Last week sometime, they took away my Life Fit or whatever they were
called...and now I just don't like doing my weight circuit.

These Life Fit (or whatever) were cool because they had an LED
readout that lit up in green when you went through the complete range
of motion on the machine. It had an adjustable thingy so you could
just lift weights like on a regular machine-30 lbs up, 30 lbs down,
OR add weight on the return stroke in order to trick your muscles
into getting stronger. There was also some kind of arc-thing where
you would start at a lighter weight, take 2-3 warmup lifts, then do 6
at your regular weight, and then ramp down with 4 gradually-lessening
amounts of weight. And at the end it told you what percentage you'd
completed (like if you went thru the whole range of motion 12 times,
that was 100%) and how much weight, total, you had lifted. It was fun.

Now they just have stupid Nautilus, which has no bells, whistles,
blinky lights, or anything encouraging whatsoever.

So...I put in a note that I missed the Life Fit or Life Cycle, or
whatever the heck those machines were called.

And then I suggested they add a few Dance Dance Revolution and Prop
Cycle machines to the room.

And then as I was walking out the door, I realized what a Truly
Awesome Idea I'd just had:

Geek Gym.

Pay a flat fee, go play DDR and/or Prop Cycle, there are showers and
lockers to clean up afterwards...maybe even a hot tub or something.

Would that not be fun?

And then, you could sneak in a few weight machines or freeweights
into the corner once the geeks had gotten used to the concept of
exercise.

Anyway...I lost 3+ grand a couple years ago, so I have learned my
lesson about trying to be in business for myself--I am good at ideas,
and I can work really heartbreakingly fucking hard to make them into
reality, but truly suck at promoting myself and my business.

But if you had the right location, good promotion, a fair amount of
startup capital, and possibly an "in" or some "street cred" with your
local DDR fanatics, this would be a great business to open.

Personally, I would have memberships available to only 18+, but with
the numbers of grossly obese children who just sit inside and play
video games, you might make more money operating as a 'kid friendly'
gym.

So...if anyone does this in Austin and it works out, send me a free
day pass or something.



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scirocco
2003-07-22 07:49 (link) Select
That is an OUTSTANDING idea. I'd come work out there!