Lifemaxx storage systems

Why choose a Lifemaxx storage system?

Look at what Lifemaxx makes in this category and it is immediately clear who it is for. A rack for thirty class sets, a bar with J hooks holding ten fixed EZ barbells side by side, a wall rack for fifteen mats: that is not home gym equipment, that is the inventory of a group fitness room or a studio. The problem in those rooms is a different one too. Not "where do I put my dumbbells", but "how do I make sure fifteen people put everything back in the same place after class and the room is ready for the next group in two minutes". A fixed rack per type of equipment is the answer to exactly that, which is why these models have higher capacity, heavier construction and a clearer layout than anything you would buy for home.

That thinking carries through into the details. The dumbbell racks use a hook structure or three angled tiers, so a pair only fits one way and the order sorts itself out. The plate racks work with six separate pins, so every plate size gets its own pin and nobody has to dig. And the wall mounted plate rack lifts around a hundred kilos off the floor, which in a narrow room is the difference between having a walkway and not having one. Alongside that, the Crossmaxx line covers functional training and crossfit with the plate tree and the Storage Rack.

The honest trade off: that capacity costs space and money. If you have six pairs of dumbbells at home, you end up with a rack that stays half empty and looks oversized in the room. A compact tower or a smaller rack makes more sense there. But as soon as several people use the same equipment every day, the maths turns around and you get the extra floor space back in time saved and in kit that survives. Also take a look at the other fitness equipment from Lifemaxx to see what these racks sit alongside.

The Lifemaxx storage system range

Over forty models, which fall roughly into six groups.

• Dumbbell racks: an upright rack with a hook structure for ten to twelve pairs, a narrower tower for eight to ten pairs, and heavy three tier racks for twelve, fifteen or eighteen pairs of dumbbells.
• Plate racks: an olympic rack with six pins, the Crossmaxx plate tree with six pins as well, and a wall mounted rack with a single pin that carries around a hundred kilos of weight plates.
• Bar holders: a vertical holder with five tubes for loose barbell bars, plus horizontal racks with J hooks that take five or ten fixed EZ bars next to each other.
• Group fitness racks: a rack for roughly ten to fifteen class sets, a larger version for up to thirty sets, and a wall rack that holds ten to fifteen aerobic mats.
• Functional equipment: a medicine ball rack with two vertical trays for five balls, a rack for five powerbags, and a two tier kettlebell rack for roughly eight to fifteen bells.
• Mixed storage: an accessory rack with shelves and hooks for bands, small mats and loose items, a more compact accessory storage tower, and the Crossmaxx Storage Rack.

Which Lifemaxx storage system suits you?

Here the number of people using the equipment at the same time matters more than personal taste.

You run group classes: start with the large class set rack for up to thirty sets and the wall rack for mats. Together those two cover the busiest moment of the day, the changeover between two classes. Because the mats hang on the wall, your floor stays free for the next group's layout.

You run a personal training studio: a three tier dumbbell rack for twelve or fifteen pairs plus the two tier kettlebell rack stores almost all of your free weight. Clients pick up and put back themselves, and you can see what is missing before the next appointment walks in.

You are fitting out a company gym with no supervision: give every type of equipment its own rack and put the accessory rack near the entrance. The clearer the layout, the better the odds that someone who comes in once a week puts things back where they belong.

You train functional or crossfit: the Crossmaxx plate tree keeps your plates next to the platform, and the wall rack is the answer when you have run out of floor space. The Crossmaxx Storage Rack catches the small items that otherwise end up along the wall.

You have a physiotherapy practice or a small studio: take the accessory storage tower rather than the wide rack, optionally with the medicine ball rack next to it. Everything stays within reach of the treatment table without giving up a whole wall.

You train at home with a limited set: skip the heavy three tier racks. The dumbbell tower for eight to ten pairs is the sensible choice, or look at a smaller model from another range. A rack that stays half empty mainly costs you square metres.

What to look for when buying a Lifemaxx storage system

Capacity based on your busiest hour

Size your rack on your fullest class, not on an average day. If twenty sets are in use at that moment, a rack for fifteen is too small, even if it stands half empty the rest of the week. The same goes for dumbbells: count the pairs that are genuinely in use, not the ones that happen to be on the floor today. Allow one or two extra spaces for what you will add later.

One rack per type, or everything in one

A separate rack per type of equipment is clearer and faster, because everyone learns the layout within a week. The accessory rack with shelves and hooks is meant for the leftovers: bands, small mats, blocks and bits that are too varied for a fixed slot. In a large room you combine the two. If floor space is tight, the storage tower with its smaller footprint is the better trade.

Walking space around the rack

One user only needs room to pick up a dumbbell; several users at once need more. Keep at least a metre and a half free on the working side of the long dumbbell racks and class set racks, so two people can pass without stepping over a bar. Try not to place a rack opposite a door or in a main walking route. Check the height of the three tier models as well if you are working under a sloped ceiling.

Floor loading with a full plate rack

Six pins loaded with olympic plates is a serious point load on a small area, and a three tier rack with eighteen pairs of dumbbells adds up quickly too. On concrete that is no issue; on a timber upper floor or a floating screed you want to spread the load and place the rack over a joist or a load bearing wall where you can. A solid underlay also protects your finished floor from plates being set down.

Wall or floor mounting for plates

The wall mounted plate rack saves floor area and keeps the space underneath free to sweep, but it does need a wall that can carry the load. A solid brick or concrete wall handles that hundred kilos or so without trouble. With plasterboard or a stud wall you have to be able to fix into the steel or timber frame behind it. If you do not know what is behind your wall, choose the plate tree or the floor standing rack instead; those are also easier to move when your layout changes.

Our advice: start by listing what is actually in circulation at your busiest moment, per type of equipment, and only then compare models. If you are between two sizes and you have the metres, take the larger one. Adding a second rack later costs more space than going one size up right away.

Who is a Lifemaxx storage system for?

• Group fitness rooms: a new group every hour, with sets, mats and small equipment that has to be cleared and reset within ten minutes.
• Personal training studios: changing clients who pick up equipment themselves. A clear layout saves you explaining and stops things going missing.
• Company and hotel gyms: usually nobody is there to tidy up. Fixed racks per type keep the room usable without supervision.
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation practices: plenty of small and medium weight equipment that has to stay clean and within reach of the treatment area.
• Functional and crossfit rooms: plates, powerbags and balls otherwise end up scattered around the platform. The Crossmaxx models are made for exactly that.
• Clubs and sports halls: equipment that passes through many different hands and has to take knocks.

Less suitable if you train at home in a bedroom or a corner of the garage with a handful of weights. The very capacity that makes this range strong works against you there: the rack is taller, wider and heavier than you need and stays half empty. In that case look at a more compact model or a tower sized for a single user.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy a Lifemaxx storage system but are you not quite sure which rack suits your equipment and space? We are happy to help. You can reach our fitness specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an email or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about Lifemaxx storage systems

How many pairs of dumbbells fit in a rack?

That depends on the model. The upright rack with the hook structure takes ten to twelve pairs, the narrower tower eight to ten pairs, and the three tier racks twelve, fifteen or eighteen pairs. The real number also depends on the shape of your dumbbells, because rubber hex dumbbells take up more width per pair than slim chrome ones. Let us know which dumbbells you have and we will work it out with you.

Is this suitable for home use as well?

It can be, but in many cases you would be buying more rack than you need. These models are designed for rooms where several people handle the equipment every day, so for capacity and for construction that copes with it. If you have a large plate collection or ten pairs of dumbbells at home, the fit is fine. If you train with a small set, a rack for eighteen pairs mainly gets in the way.

Can the plate rack be wall mounted?

Only the wall rack from the Crossmaxx line is made for that; the olympic rack and the plate tree stand on the floor. The wall model works with a single pin and is rated for around a hundred kilos, so it needs a solid surface. On a masonry wall that is no problem, but on a stud wall you have to be able to screw into the structure behind it. Check that before you order, because a plate rack is not the place to guess.

How much space should I leave around a rack?

Allow at least a metre and a half on the working side once several people train at the same time, and about a metre if the rack sits in a quiet corner. That margin matters more with a long dumbbell rack or a class set rack than with a narrow tower, simply because several people stand alongside each other. Bear in mind too that a bar or a mat being taken out needs extra room for a moment.

Will bars from another brand fit the holders?

Usually yes. The vertical holder with five tubes is designed around the standard olympic bar diameter, and the J hook racks are meant for fixed EZ bars with plates at both ends. What you mainly check is the length of your bars and the free height in the room, because a vertical holder needs a fair bit of ceiling height. If you are unsure, tell us what you have and we will check it for you.