Santa Came Early!

If you haven't noticed, there has been some new equipment arriving around the gym. No, we didn't win the lottery, but we are committed to making sure we invest some of your membership dollars in new and replacement equipment. Some of the new gear is equipment that you asked for in the member survey or otherwise (Ski Erg, new 10 LB wall balls, heavier slam balls). Some of it was added to make full classes run more smoothly (additional squat rack and Assault Bike). Finally, some of it replaces equipment that has lived out its useful life (10 and 15 LB bumper plates, jump ropes and collars). 

This seemed like a good time to remind you about best practices for caring for this equipment. Many of you know all this and are diligent about helping keep everything clean and well cared for, so this is just a refresher. Others of you are newer and maybe aren't quite sure of the protocol. So, whether new or refresher, here is the scoop:

Barbells--Easy Does It
You guys do a great job of basic cleaning. All our barbells will be getting some routine maintenance this weekend. We will be scrubbing off the ground in chalk and oiling them to keep them in good shape. Please remember to always wipe your bars down with gym wipes after use and to never drop unloaded bars. We also appreciate you not using the barbells as benches or seats.

Bumper Plates--Control Your Load!
Your safety is the number one priority. Our plates are rubber and our floors are rubber so if you get into trouble with a barbell, please bail! It is 100% okay to drop barbells loaded with rubber plates on the floor as long as you make sure the space around you is safe for others. However, this should be the exception rather than the rule. In a workout with 30 clean and jerks, you should only need to do this once or maybe twice...not 30 times. Additionally, please do NOT drop bars from overhead to the floor without following the bar down to control the landing. They bounce around, the rings in the center of the plates come loose, and we end up needing to replace them...not to mention the risk of them bouncing into someone else. The smaller the plate (10s and 15s) the harder this is on the equipment. Lower the bar below your waist, then let go of it. Questions? Just ask. We are happy to help.

Wall balls, Slam balls, Rowers--Wipe'em Down
These guys endure a lot of sweat and abuse. Our rowers will get a heavy dose of maintenance this weekend as well, with a fresh coat of oil on the chains and a thorough de-funking. You can help by wiping down the seat, handle and slide when finished rowing. Wall balls are also not meant to be chairs...even when you are really, really tired. 

Jump Ropes--Long Overdue
We have a whole new set of jump ropes set to debut. I know many of you will miss the sharp wires from the old ones, but it has started to get out of hand. Keep them nice by not creasing them in the middle or taking them outside to jump. 

We are very excited about our new equipment and really appreciate everyone's help in keeping it in good condition. If you are bored this weekend and want to come help with our cleaning and maintenance day, the coaches will be throwing down on a couple of hours of maintenance between 11 and 1. Also, please claim lost water bottles and clothing items from the lost and found this week. They may not survive the weekend cleaning.