Our new research reveals how to avoid the busiest gym times, and what equipment to use for an uninterrupted training session.

We’ve analysed usage data from our Pure Fitness app to reveal the quietest times to visit the gym, as well as finding out which gym equipment you’ll almost never have to wait around to get on (with advice on how to use them to achieve your goals!)

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gym veteran, you’ll be able to plan out your training sessions for the weeks, months and even whole year at the gym, sidestepping the busy days and maybe even discovering some new equipment to take your training routine to the next level.

We have amazing features in our Pure Fitness app to help you plan your visit to the gym and get a safe, great workout.

• Contactless access to the gym using your phone
• Live attendance tracker to help plan your visits to the gym
• Loads of great classes on demand
• Manage your membership

THE BUSIEST AND QUIETEST GYM TIMES

By reviewing data of our Pure Fitness app users, we found the following results:

• Busiest day of the week to visit the gym: Tuesday
• Quietest day of the week to visit the gym: Sunday
• Busiest calendar month in the year to visit the gym: February
• Quietest calendar month in the year to visit the gym: December
• Busiest day in the year to visit the gym: The second Tuesday in March
• Quietest day in the year to visit the gym (after Christmas and New Year): The Sunday before Christmas
• Quietest day in the year to visit the gym (removing the Christmas period altogether): the final Sunday in August

THE MOST AND LEAST POPULAR GYM EQUIPMENT:

Not only did we look at when the gym is quietest, but also what equipment inside the gym will most likely be easily available, even at the busiest times. Because every now and then you want a quick wait-free workout, and for a beginner the prospect of asking ‘how many sets have you got left’ can be a bit intimidating in the first instance.

It goes without saying that the likes of free-weights and squat racks are popular, but we wanted to know if there’s any under-utilized pieces of equipment, that could be adding to your workout? Following a survey of our gym managers, the answer is one big yes! Find the least and most used gym equipment below:

Least Used Gym Equipment

• Recumbent Bike
• Agility Ladders
• Bosu-Ball
• Sit-up Machine
• Stepper
• Ski-Erg
• Swiss Ball
• TRX

Most Used Gym Equipment

• Squat/Lifting Rack
• Stair-Master
• Cable Machine
• Dumbbells
• Bench Press
• Barbells
• Leg Press Machine
• Leg Extension Machine

Choosing equipment that less people use is a good way to guarantee a quieter workout with less waiting, interrupting or people watching and waiting for you to finish. Especially when the equipment that is the least used is equipment that can be super effective at helping you achieve your fitness goals!

Why Use Agility Ladders

Most commonly used by athletes, particularly football and soccer players, the agility ladder is a great piece of equipment to use if you want to improve footwork, speed, agility, coordination and explosiveness. It’s easy to set up, compact and you can perform a variety of exercise drills on this, so if you’re looking to switch up your cardio routine, why not give it a go?

Why Use a Bosu-Ball?

Treadmill too busy? How about taking time to work on your core and balance? At times a forgotten aspect of a training routine, good balance will benefit most of what you do in a gym, and the bosu-ball is a great way to give it a boost.

Why use a Recumbent Bike?

Looking for a low-impact way to give your general fitness a boost…without any waiting when the gym is at its busiest? The recumbent bike is your answer! No matter your current fitness level, it’s an excellent and under-rated piece of equipment. This bike is suitable for all abilities and comes with a backrest and wider seat so it provides more support and cushioning than on an upright bike. And, being the second least used piece of equipment, you should always be able to get on and get riding too.

MORE WAYS TO BUILD GYM CONFIDENCE

Visiting the gym when it’s not busy, or choosing equipment in a quieter part of the gym, are great ideas when it comes to building gym confidence when you’re starting out, but there’s a lot more you can do to set yourself on the road to feeling completely at home in the gym. Here's another way to make you feel more comfortable working out at the gym… even when it does get a little busy.

Book an Induction… or even a class!

Before jumping straight into an entirely new workout on your very first day at the gym, there’s something every single personal trainer will recommend you do first: book an induction! There’s so much inside the gym this really is the best way to get to know it and realize that it’s not such a scary place after all. Plus, whoever shows you around will become a new friendly face whenever you visit.

Using equipment correctly when you’re exercising won’t only help you to avoid getting injured, but also make sure you get the most out of your workout. An induction can be the difference between spending days or even weeks working out how everything works, or instantly putting an end to any confusion around how everything actually works and getting right after those goals!

Joining a class can be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make when it comes to building your confidence in the gym. Yes, it might be nerve wracking to start with and yes, there will be people you don’t know taking part alongside you. But take part and the buzz you’ll get will be greater than the nerves and you’ll no doubt be booking yourself in again. Take the leap by booking a class early and after that, what else at the gym will make you nervous? Nothing!