Due to the resilience of polyurethane in demanding environments, the fitness industry has embraced the material for many applications both inside and outside the gym. From the multitude of strength training and endurance equipment on the market today, to polyurethane coated free weights, polyurethane has been firmly embraced by fitness companies. Let’s look at the usage and applications of polyurethane in the fitness industry.
Why Polyurethane was needed?
When the recreational fitness industry was in its early stages, weight products were usually made of uncoated iron disks or concrete. These would damage floors and walls if any impacts occurred, and were not resistant to the environment. Iron weights would rust due to sweat and humidity in the gym environment, and cause extreme impacts when they were dropped to the floor. By coating weights in polyurethane elastomer, damage to floors could be reduced, while also making a quieter lifting experience.
Applications of Polyurethane
Modern fitness equipment such as treadmills and motion specific fitness machines are full of polyurethane. Precision roller assemblies are used in strength training equipment to provide smooth and consistent motion for the user. Whether they are used in weight based machines, or resistance based machines such as rowers or rope-pull machines, polyurethane provides an unmatched workout experience.
Trying to get a better grip during your workout? Polyurethane is used across all forms of fitness equipment to ensure users can maintain a firm grip on levers or bars that are present of many forms of fitness equipment. Treadmills, stair trainers, peck decks, and many other machines rely on polyurethane to keep users safe and maintain a firm stable grip.
Superior vibration dampening properties of polyurethane make it an indispensable part of the gym experience. Many machines use polyurethane foot pads to reduce vibration transmission through the floor. With many residential building now incorporating gyms into the floor plan, appropriate vibration dampening is required to keep noise down and residents happy.
If you are looking to improve your companies fitness equipment or strength training equipment, contact one of our urethane specialists today on how we can assist you.