Chapter 23 Shit

Question 1

Who makes up the facility design team?

Answer 1

-Contractor
-Architect
-Designers
-Lawyers
-Facility users
-At least one instructor, coach, or professional who will be working out of the facility

Question 2

What is the predesign phase?

Answer 2

-The first phase of facility design
-Should consist of:
+Needs analysis
++Designers collaborate and determine the needs of the athletic program
++Example questions
+++“How much space is needed?”
+++“What needs to fit into the space?”
+++Should correspond to philosophy and intended use of the facility
++++I.e. if plyometrics will be trained, ensuring an area for this activity

Question 3

What is a feasibility study in the predesign phase?

Answer 3

-Should analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis)
+Determines whether the financial investment will yield a viable return
+Should examine location, strength and weaknesses of any ideas, and potential for growth for the athletic and strength and conditioning programs
+Should analyze the nearby competition threats and opportunities
+Include market analysis for growth potential and efficient training of athletes

Question 4

What should the master plan in the predesign phase have?

Answer 4

-General plan for all phases of the new facility
-Should include:
+Building and construction plan
+Facility design
+Budget information
+Operational plan
++Short-term and long term goals that will enhance the facilities success
+Hiring an architect
++Select from architects with positive reputations from previous work
++Ideally, choose an architect with experience in the strength and conditioning industry

Question 5

What is the design phase?

Answer 5

-The second phase in the process of building a new facility
-Committee ideas come together with regard to the facility structure and design elements
-Must plan around the flow of the facility while adhering to relevant regulations and codes
+City planning provides the local guidelines and codes
-Step one - finalize design committee
-Blueprint and design must consider equipment specifications
+Must consider traffic flow to ensure access to equipment
+Should also allow coaches to have a clear view of athletes

Question 6

What is the construction phase?

Answer 6

-The time period from the beginning of construction to the end
-Typically the longest phase of the process
-The committee must refer to master plan throughout the construction phase to ensure the project is on track with regard to the established goals and design
+Must ensure the project remains on track with the deadline
+Costs of delays may need to be born by the architect if deadlines are not met
++Delays may lead to a lawsuit to ensure owners do not lose potential revenue

Question 7

What is the preoperation phase?

Answer 7

-The final steps before the facility can open
-Include:
+Finish interior decor
+Hiring qualified staff
++Staff should have at least the minimum required certifications and education
++Should include a plan for staff development
-Vital to create a plan that will make opening the facility easy
+I.e. ensure cleaning and maintenance is delegated ona weekly basis
+Plan for administrative and clerical duties must be created
++I.e. choosing software, organizing liability and budgeting

Question 8

How do you assess how many athletes will be using the facility?

Answer 8

-Facility size will be influenced by the number of athletes using the facility at the same time and total athletes using it per day, week, or season
-Number of athletes will also affect the scheduling and flow of the facility if groups are training simultaneously
-The city planning department will specify the maximum users at any one time

Question 9

How do training goals affect program needs?

Answer 9

-Training goals will affect equipment choice
-Plyometrics and agility will require turf area designated for this purpose
-Resistance training requires weightlifting racks and platforms

Question 10

How does demographics affect program needs?

Answer 10

-Are users primarily older, younger, male, female?
-Older populations may require more machine weights
-Collegiate/team facilities may require equipment grouping sections to allow multiple groups to train simultaneously

Question 11

How does experience of the athletes affect program needs?

Answer 11

-Level of experience may guide equipment choice
-Athletes with no lifting experience may do more bodyweight exercises than advanced athletes who do more weightlifting
-Also important to assess equipment need variations based on training season

Question 12

How can you effectively schedule athletes?

Answer 12

-Effective scheduling can be difficult
-Staff, layout, and design will be affected by the athlete’s schedules
-If more than one group trains at a time, the facility should be broken into different sections to limit overlap
-Athletes should be scheduled throughout the day to avoid flooding the facility

Question 13

How should you maintain your equipment?

Answer 13

-Equipment should not have holes, cuts, or missing pieces
-If a cable is frayed or damaged, do not use the machine until the cable is replaced
-Existing equipment should be repaired or replaced if broken and cleaned regularly
-Lack of space will limit training more than lack of equipment
+Recommended minimum space per athlete is 100 square feet per participant

Question 14

What are design considerations for the location of the gym?

Answer 14

-Should be located on the ground floor away from offices and classrooms
+Prevents noise/interruptions elsewhere in the building from dropped weights, music, etc
+Non-ground floor must have a load-bearing capacity of 100lb per square foot

Question 15

What are design considerations for the supervisor location?

Answer 15

-Facility supervisor station/office should have a central location with a clear line of sight and mirrors to allow viewing of the entire facility
+Positioning the office at an elevation can provide better viewing

Question 16

What are design considerations for accessibility?

Answer 16

-The facility should be accessible to those with disabilities
+Include a ramp or wheelchair lift for height changes greater than 0.5 inches
+The ramp should run 12 inches for every 1-inch rise
+Steps should have rough strips on the edge to prevent slips and falls
-Weight room should have double doors to allow equipment and machines to be moved in and out
-If the hallway is too narrow, the size of the doors will not make a difference
+Wall would have to be removed or garage door opened to allow equipment mobility

Question 17

What are design considerations for ceiling height?

Answer 17

-The ceiling should be high enough to allow jumping and explosive activities
+Includes athlete height plus the space required for box jumps, vertical jumps, and Olympic lifting exercises
-Recommended height is 12-14 feet to allow enough clearance to perform these activities

Question 18

What are design considerations for the flooring?

Answer 18

-Several flooring types can be used
+Rubber flooring
+Antifungal carpet
+Indoor turf
+Weightlifting platforms should have a middle portion made of wood and outer sections made of rubber

Question 19

What are design considerations for environmental factors (lighting, temperature, humidity)?

Answer 19

-Facility lighting should include natural and artificial lighting
+Lights between 50 and 100 lumens depending on ceiling height and natural lighting
-Maintain comfortable training temperature
+HVAC system should allow section by section heating/cooling
++Optimal temperature range - 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit
++Humidity should not exceed 60%
++Circulation should allow fresh air exchange and box fans should provide necessary circulation
++Air should be exchanged anywhere from 8-12 times per hour
++If using fans - recommended to have 2-4 fans for every 1200 square feet
-Sound system may be beneficial to allow music
+Sound should be less than 90 decibels to allow athletes to hear instructions and cues
+Speakers should be elevated to prevent damage and project sound
-Background noise such as HVAC must be considered
+Facilities with yoga or dance classes should have sound-absorbing material in floors and walls to prevent excess noise from reaching others in the facility
+Rubber flooring can reduce noise from jumping, running, or dropping things

Question 20

What are electrical design considerations?

Answer 20

-Electrical service needed for treadmills etc may be more than other buildings
-Must be properly grounded

Question 21

What are design considerations for mirrors?

Answer 21

-Can be used for coaching, cueing, and improving overall lighting
-Should be 6 inches away from any equipment and minimum 20 inches above the floor
+Ensures equipment will not roll, slid, or bounce into the mirror
+Standard weight plates are 18” which gives 2” clearance from the mirror

Question 22

What are other design considerations as far as hydration, emergency, damage protection, locker rooms, storage?

Answer 22

-Drinking fountains should be located away from the training area to avoid traffic interruptions
-Locker rooms with showers allow improved hygiene after working out and can encourage athletes to push themselves during the workout
-Every facility should have at least 1 emergency phone that is wheelchair accessible
-Bumper rails or padding can protect mirrors, drywall, etc from damage
-Area for storage is also important
+Larger facilities require more storage
+Storage room likely occupied mostly with unused equipment

Question 23

How should you arrange equipment with regards to its placement?

Answer 23

-Grouped into sections such as stretching warm-up area, plyometric area, free weights, and aerobic area
-Ideally, free weights and racks should be organized along the wall with walkways between the free weights and machines
-Machines can be lined up in the middle of the weight room to prevent congestion and maximize space
-Cardio machines should be in their own area and organized by type
-Barbells and dumbbells should have a minimum of 36 inches of space between other barbells and dumbbells to allow for movement between racks without danger to lifters or spotters
-Racks are best placed along the wall unless there is a row of two racks with the backs of the racks facing each other

Question 24

What are equipment arrangement considerations for traffic flow?

Answer 24

-Flow heavily influenced by equipment placement
-Walkways can be created via the arrangement of equipment

Question 25

What are equipment considerations for a stretching/warmup area?

Answer 25

-Should include yoga mats, foam rollers, bands, PVC pipes, etc
-Should be at least 49 square feet of open space to allow multiple athletes to perform dynamic movement

Question 26

What are equipment considerations for a circuit training area?

Answer 26

-Grouping push/pull equipment can allow ease of switching between one machine to the next
-Machines should be at least 24-36 inches apart to provide adequate room to walk in addition to extra space for safety known as a safety cushion
-Designated walkways should be between 4 and 7 feet wide to provide space to move freely

Question 27

What are equipment considerations for a free weight area?

Answer 27

-Racks, dumbbells etc are best grouped against the wall
-Should be at least 36 inches between the ends of racked bars
-Kettlebells can be under dumbbells or in a separate section
+Kettlebell area should be large to allow adequate room for movement

Question 28

What are equipment considerations for the weightlifting area of a gym?

Answer 28

-Includes racks with platforms or just the platforms
-Usually on concrete floor with rubber foundation
-Racks should have between 3-4 feet of room between each
-Should be bolted to floor to ensure they do not move

Question 29

What are equipment considerations for an aerobic area?

Answer 29

-Equipment spacing varies based on equipment
+Bikes - 24 square feet per piece
+Stair steppers - 24 square feet per piece
+Skiers - 6 square feet
+Rower - 40 square feet
+Treadmills - 45 square feet