chapter

23Facility Design, Layout, and Organization

Chapter Objectives

• Identify the aspects of new facility design, including the four phases (predesign, design, construction, and preoperation)

• Identify the aspects of modification of an existing facility, along with the differences between design of a new facility and modification or renovation of an existing facility

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Chapter Objectives (continued)

• Explain how to assess an athletic program’s needs in order to design a facility that is well suited to these needs

• Explain how to design specific facility features, including supervision location, access, ceiling height, flooring, environmental factors, electrical service, and mirrors

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Chapter Objectives (continued)

• Explain how to arrange equipment in organized groups, creating better traffic flow throughout the facility

• Explain the maintenance and cleaning needs for the surfaces and equipment in a strength and conditioning facility

General Aspects of New Facility Design

• Forming a committee of professionals is the first step in planning and designing a new strength and conditioning facility.

Figure 23.1. Phases and objectives of designing a new facility

General Aspects of New Facility Design

• Predesign phase– This phase should consist of a needs analysis,

feasibility study, and formation of a master plan. – This stage also includes hiring an architect; one with

previous experience in the strength and conditioning industry is preferable.

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General Aspects of New Facility Design (continued)

• Design phase– In the design phase the committee’s ideas come

together with regard to the facility’s structure and design elements.

– It is extremely important to plan around the flow of the facility while adhering to all relevant regulations and codes.

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General Aspects of New Facility Design (continued)

• Construction phase– The construction phase is the period of time from the

beginning of construction to the end.– Keeping the project on track in relation to the

deadline must become a priority. – Delays may result in loss of potential revenue and

possibly a lawsuit.

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General Aspects of New Facility Design (continued)

• Preoperation phase– Finishing interior decor– Hiring staff– Planning for staff development– Planning so that opening the facility is easy– Planning for organization of administrative and

clerical duties

Existing Strength and Conditioning Facilities

• The strength and conditioning professional should assess existing equipment based on the needs of all athletes and teams who use the facility.

Figure 23.2. Steps in modifying an existing facility

Assessing Athletic Program Needs

• The following questions need to be answered:– How many athletes will be using the facility? – What are the training goals for the athletes,

coaches, and administration?– What are the demographics of the athletes? – What will the training experience of the athletes be? – How will the athletes be scheduled? – What equipment needs to be repaired or modified?

Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility

• Location– The strength and conditioning facility should ideally

be located on the ground floor away from offices and classrooms.

• Supervision location– Supervision should be in a central location in the

facility with clear line of sight and mirrors providing the opportunity to look out and see everyone.

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Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Access– The facility should be accessible to persons with

disabilities, with either a ramp or a wheelchair lift for any change in height exceeding 0.5 inches (1.3 cm).

– A ramp should run 12 inches for every 1-inch rise (30.5 cm run for every 2.5 cm rise).

– Steps should have a rough strip on the edge to prevent people from falling.

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Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Ceiling height– The ceiling should be high enough for jumping or

explosive activities. This includes the athlete’s height plus the space required for box jumps, vertical jumps, and Olympic lifting exercises.

– A recommended height is 12 to 14 feet (3.66 m to 4.27 m), which should give enough clearance to allow people to perform these activities comfortably.

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Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Flooring– The most common floor option is rubber flooring and

antifungal carpet; another option is indoor turf. – Ideally, weightlifting platforms should be made of

wood. The wood provides a sturdy, smooth surface that can help prevent slipping or shoes getting caught.

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Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Environmental factors– The facility’s lighting should include artificial and

natural light. – The lights should be between 50 and 100 lumens,

depending on the height of the ceilings and the amount of natural light.

– A strength and conditioning facility needs to maintain a comfortable training temperature between 68 and 78 °F.

– Relative humidity should not exceed 60%.(continued)

Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Electrical service– A strength and conditioning facility typically requires

more outlets than most buildings do. – Some of these outlets may require higher voltage for

more powerful equipment, such as stair climbers, elliptical machines, and treadmills.

• Mirrors– Mirrors should be placed at least 6 inches (15 cm)

from any equipment and a minimum of 20 inches (50 cm) above the floor.

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Designing the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Other considerations– Drinking fountains should be located away from the

training area.– Having a shower located somewhere in the building

helps to maintain hygiene to prevent the spread of infections and disease.

Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility

• Equipment placement– Equipment should be grouped in sections such as

stretching and warm-up area, agility and plyometrics, free weights, aerobic area, and resistance machines.

– Free weights and racks should be organized along the wall, with walkways between the free weights and machines. This allows for improved flow through the weight room, preventing congestion and maximizing space for more use.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Equipment placement– Cardiorespiratory machines should be in their own

section and organized into groups (treadmills, elliptical machines, and so on)

– Barbells and dumbbells should have a minimum of 36 inches (91 cm) of space between them to allow for movement between racks without danger to the lifters and spotters.

Key Point

• Safety and function are top priorities when one is deciding on placement of equipment.

Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility

• Traffic flow– Traffic flow is heavily influenced by equipment

placement. – Most facilities are one big room, and walkways can

be created or manipulated by the arrangement of equipment.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Stretching and warm-up area– If possible, this area should have at least 49 square

feet (4.6 m2) of open space so that athletes can perform a dynamic warm-up.

– There should be enough room that multiple people can use the area at the same time.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Circuit training area– The circuit training machines should be placed at

least 24 inches (60 cm) and preferably 36 inches (90 cm) apart in order to provide adequate walking space and some extra space for safety, called a safety cushion. Any designated walkways in the circuit training area should be between 4 and 7 feet (1.2 and 2.1 m) wide to provide enough area to move freely.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Free weights– The racks and dumbbells should be lined up along a

wall with enough room to walk between the wall and weights and at least 36 inches (90 cm) between ends of racked bars.

– Kettlebells could be lined up under a dumbbell rack or in their own section.

– Since most movements with a kettlebell are dynamic and take up lots of space, this area should be large.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Weightlifting area– Racks and platforms should have enough room

between them so that if someone were to fall, people nearby would not be injured.

– The racks and platforms should have 3 to 4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) of walk space between them.

– The weightlifting standards or rack should be bolted to the floor to ensure that it does not move when in use.

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Arranging Equipment in the Strength and Conditioning Facility (continued)

• Aerobic area– Cardiorespiratory machines should be in their own

section.– They should be lined up and organized such that the

treadmills, elliptical machines, stair machines, and bikes are grouped together.

Figure 23.3. Weight room layout for a secondary school

Figure 23.4. Weight room layout for a university

Maintaining and Cleaning Surfaces and Equipment

• Checklist for cleaning floors– Check for large cracks and standing dirt or grime.– Check for splintering and breaking on platforms.– Check any bolts or screws that go into the floor.– Ensure that no glue is extruding from the floor.– Ensure that floor is sturdy and locked in place.– Check carpet for mold, mildew, and tears.

Maintaining and Cleaning Surfaces and Equipment (continued)

• Checklist for cleaning walls– Check walls for dirt buildup.– Replace mirrors if cracked.– Clean mirrors of smudges at least once weekly.– Clean windows of smudges at least once weekly.– Dust windowsills and any shelving weekly.– Mirrors should be at least 20 inches off the ground.

Maintaining and Cleaning Surfaces and Equipment (continued)

• Checklist for cleaning ceilings– Ensure that lights work properly.– Check for dust and cobweb buildup.– Ensure that nothing attached to the ceiling is loose.– Replace ceiling tiles as soon as possible if needed.– Ceilings should be at least 12 feet high to ensure

clearance.

Key Point

• Scheduling frequent maintenance and cleaning ensures safe training, protects investments, and maintains the strength and conditioning facility’s appearance.