Ceiling Fan

The Isis ceiling fan from Big Ass Fans was designed for smaller exercise facilities with ceilings as low as 12 feet high. The fan weighs less than 100 pounds and is available in 8-, 9- and 10-foot diameters. Isis works in conjunction with HVAC systems to distribute conditioned air and reduce energy consumption. Increased air movement prevents stagnant air as well as unpleasant gym odors. Isis offers industrial performance, commercial style and proven energy savings.

Contact: Big Ass Fans; phone: 877-BIG-FANS; www.bigassfans.com.

Dehumidifier

Desert Aire's VerticalAire is a dedicated outdoor air system that lowers humidity while providing comfortable temperatures in areas with indoor air quality problems, such as warm, humid locker rooms. VerticalAire units are an independent system that can provide full control of both temperature and humidity. Specifically designed for small footprints, the 4- to 8-ton units are less than 34 inches wide to fit through standard 36-inch doorways.

Contact: Desert Aire; phone: 262-946-7400; www.desert-aire.com.

ID Scanner

Affiliated Acceptance Corp. released SnapShell, a driver's license and ID scanner. The device uses a driver's license, employee or student ID to replace club membership cards as a check-in device. The technology also populates customer records to capture contact information within four seconds for either new members or guest registrations. The product uses a three mega-pixel camera that takes a high-quality digital image powered by an optical character recognition engine that can read driver's licenses from all 50 states plus 40 countries and can be configured to read employee or student IDs.

Contact: Affiliated Acceptance Corp.; phone: 800-233-8483; www.affiliated.org.

Training Bike

The RealRyder ABF8 is a non-stationary spin/training bike that mimics an outdoor ride by tilting, turning and twisting while it's ridden. The bike's instability forces riders to engage core and upper body muscles that typically are not employed on a traditional stationary bike, which results in a workout burning more calories and toning a wider range of muscles. The RealRyder also encourages better form and rewards a good pedal stroke and proper position like a real road bike, making it not only good for cardio workouts but also as a training tool for competitive cyclists.

Contact: RealRyder International; phone: 800-976-6280; www.realryder.com.

Hand Grips

GRIPAD allows gym members to maintain a firm grip while working out by preventing sweaty hands, blisters and color staining. Unlike traditional workout gloves, GRIPAD's patented grips provide minimal coverage of your hands while maximizing protection. The cushioning pads are secured to the palm of the hand with ring bands around the fingers that stretch to fit every individual. Made of neoprene, GRIPADS are designed to prevent odor usually associated with workout gloves.

Contact: Gripad USA; phone: 646-498-6574; www.gripad.com.

Hand Sanitizer

Terraboost released a hand sanitizer dispenser display with educational signage. The dispensers include alcohol-free Tazza foaming hand sanitizer, which kills 99.99 percent of the most common germs that may cause illness, plus it leaves hands moisturized. Built-in areas in the dispensers let you display new posters every three months to promote healthy hand hygiene habits. Posters can be customized with facility logos or special messages.

Contact: Terraboost; phone: 877-837-7210; www.terraboost.com.

Aquatic Heart Rate Monitor

FINIS released the AquaPulse heart rate monitor, a workout accessory for swimmers looking to maximize their workouts through heart rate training. The AquaPulse uses an infrared sensor that clips to the earlobe in order to pick up the swimmer's heart rate. The internal computer then audibly communicates the heart rate to the user using Bone-Conduction Technology, a unique sound transfer technology that communicates sound vibrations through the temple bone to the inner ear. The small unit can be clipped onto a swimmer's goggle strap to rest on the temple.

Contact: FINIS Inc.; phone: 888-333-4647; www.finisinc.com.

Gym Towels

ERC Wiping Products Inc. offers hand and bath towels for athletic, fitness and recreation facilities, including new white 16-inch by 27-inch hand towels and 22-inch by 44-inch bath towels. Both sizes come with a choice of a blue, green or gold stripe down the middle to make the towels easily recognizable and less likely to become lost or stolen. ERC also stocks a wide variety of other athletic towels in numerous colors, sizes and degrees of thickness.

Contact: ERC Wiping Products Inc.; phone: 800-225-9473; www.ercwipe.com.

Floor Coating

UCoat It America LLC designed UCoat It floor coating systems to provide a commercial-quality, durable and protective coating for concrete and wood surfaces that is applied easily without professional installation. UCoat It is made of commercial-grade catalyzed epoxy floor coatings that are applied with a roller and brush to an easily prepared surface. A co-plastimer additive in the bond coat allows UCoat to flow and dry at the proper rate as it penetrates porous surfaces and bonds permanently to the substrate. UCoat It floor coating systems provide a chemical-resistant surface that has a lifetime warranty against peeling and blistering.

Contact: UCoat It America LLC; phone: 800-826-2848; www.UCoatIt.com.

Pipe Protector

MERUS is a metal ring that fits on the outside of pipes to stop rust, scale, corrosion, biofilm and legionella. The product keeps pipes clear and preserves infrastructure. MERUS keeps jets, nozzles and spitters from clogging. It works on water-bearing pipes for cooling towers, heat exchangers, condensers, air conditioning units, boilers and evaporators. It is easy to install and reduces the need for chemical and mechanical cleaning to save labor and maintenance expenses.

Contact: Merus California LLC; phone: 866-277-1563; www.merusca.com.

Yoga Mat

Manduka introduced the BlackMat PRO yoga mat designed specifically for men. Perfect for the man who wants to be physically fit and mentally balanced, the mat's simple design uses a thick, dense material for improved comfort and cushioning. The non-stick fabric finish promotes pose stability. The mat is available in both the standard 71-inch and supersized 85-inch lengths. It is guaranteed to last a lifetime and made to survive tough yoga practices.

Contact: Manduka LLC; phone: 310-426-1495; www.manduka.com.

Personal Training Software

Atlas Fitness Consulting and Creative Business Technologies partnered to promote eFitnessTracker personal training software, a Web-based exercise and nutrition program for health clubs. It was designed to help club owners improve retention rates, promote personal training and add another profit center to their businesses. Clubs can have a custom Web site built using their own logos, trainer photos and content, then create custom workouts, healthy meal plans, do fitness evaluations and track member progress.

Contact: Atlas Fitness; phone: 404-502-2964; www.efitnesstracker.com.

Group Training

Fitness Anywhere, creators of the TRX, introduced the Suspension Training Zone, a group training system that includes equipment, education and marketing materials. The Suspension Training Zone lets clubs offer group fitness classes and personal training programs based on suspension training that build strength, flexibility, core stability and endurance within an efficient space. Plus, the system has no power requirements and is fairly low maintenance. The Suspension Training Zone is fully supported with on-site education and turnkey marketing programs.

Contact: Fitness Anywhere; phone: 888-878-5348; www.fitnessanywhere.com.

Rope Climber

The VECTOR cross trainer from Marpo Kinetics is designed for group or individual strength and cardio programs. Small, portable and easy to use, it provides fast, effective upper-body workouts and enables alternative cardio training for those with lower body injuries. It makes a good complement to lower-body workouts, such as Spinning or running. Soft, comfortable rope is designed for prolonged use. A patented, isokinetic breaking system adapts to each user. Electronic display tracks distance, time, speed and calories.

Contact: Marpo Kinetics; phone: 925-606-6919; www.marpokinetics.com.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.