Aktiv Solutions Builds Functional Strength from the Ground Up

With a focus on movement-based modalities and innovative gym layouts, Aktiv Solutions transforms fitness spaces into dynamic environments

Most gym members probably don’t think much about how that day’s workout is going to help them with activities of daily living and functionality. They certainly don’t think about how the very floor beneath their feet could enhance their workout, or how the space itself serves as a workout partner.

Beneath the clanging weights and whirring machines lies an invisible choreography, a delicate dance of space and movement that can enhance or encumber a workout experience. In fitness facility design, the footprint is primary, and few understand this better than Bryan Green , Founder and CEO of Aktiv Solutions .

“For Aktiv, it begins with environment, then utility, then form” Green told Athletech News. “It’s easy to say ‘utility matters most’ until you realize that humans engage in fitness in differing ways, and today’s biggest problem to solve is certainly not accessibility to equipment, rather its sustainability in user engagement.”

Form following function seems to apply not only to architecture but to human motivation. This approach appears to have served Aktiv well in its quest to infuse spaces with depth and diversity, paving the way for its industry-leading functional strength solutions. Green says Aktiv seeks to reshape fitness spaces, quite literally from the ground up.

Foundational Solutions

In Aktiv’s vision, the gym floor isn’t just a surface — it’s a carefully orchestrated ecosystem where every square foot is optimized for performance, safety and versatility.

Green calls attention to “functional occupancy,” a term that goes beyond mere headcount or fire code compliance.

“What matters most at the gym is the ratio per user of simultaneous access,” he explains. “More generally, how can a mix of participants engage in kettlebell swings, a lateral lunge and a barbell squats, all without colliding?”

This approach to facility planning is not simply about avoiding traffic jams between the squat rack and the free-weight area. It’s about facilitating an environment that supports today’s increasing demand for functional movement in open space — the kind that translates directly to real-world strength and fitness. In Aktiv’s spaces, the floor plan itself becomes your silent training partner, guiding users toward more effective, varied and engaging workouts.

Aktiv is positioned foundationally to support the spiking consumer interest in both strength and functional training modalities, or “movement with load,” as Green puts it.

This philosophy has guided Aktiv’s approach since its inception as it seeks innovative fitness solutions catering to a broader spectrum of users and facility types. The result is fitness spaces that are inviting, efficient and adaptable to various training modalities.

“We seek to create spaces that are purposeful, or multi-purposeful, and supremely engaging,” says Green.

FORMA & Functional Strength

Aktiv Solutions has been instrumental in refining the concept of functional training toward what Green refers to as Functional Strength, moving beyond the industry’s more generalized attention toward “open-space allocation.”

This shift toward functional strength retraces a foundational format in fitness philosophy. It combines the benefits of traditional strength training with the practical, movement-based approach of functional training. As Green puts it, “Everything we do in life is compound, in whatever angle or motion we have.”

At the heart of Aktiv’s functional strength options is the FORMA line, which exemplifies the company’s commitment to innovation and user-centric design. The line offers a range of equipment designed to support functional strength training, including everything from versatile racks that accommodate various exercises to free weights and accessories that can be easily integrated into different workout routines.

“Our FORMA line is about expanding yet refining the capabilities of strength-based equipment,” Green notes. “We design our systems to be intuitive and space-friendly, ensuring that both operator and user alike are able to gain efficiencies.”

Aktiv’s most recent hit, The SMITH 3D Trainer (S3D), stands out with its multi-directional range of motion, which mimics the natural travel path of an Olympic barbell, and its unique pre-load adjustability, allowing users to achieve the perfect lift-off position.

The product has been recognized as one of the most innovative launches this year, and Green shares an interesting insight: “We’re seeing multiple placements of the S3D within a single facility. We have universities that are coming online for four to six units, yet they never had four to six traditional Smith machines before.”

The reason for this success, according to Green, is that the S3D serves as a bridge between the traditional feature set of a Smith machine, and natural biomechanics of free bar training.

“It’s welcoming more people to strength training,” he explains. “It does so without alienating serious lifters who may already be comfortable with free bar training but are looking for self-spotting and saving setup time in transition from one exercise to the next. ”

Other notable products in Aktiv’s FORMA line include its Olympic Rack and square-shaped Functional Dumbbells. The Olympic rack, with its compact footprint and intuitive design, exemplifies Aktiv’s focus on space efficiency and ease of use. The Functional Dumbbells bring increased utility and unique design while allowing for a wider range of exercises. They further boast an elevated aesthetic appeal suitable for more highly appointed hotels and residential fitness centers.

Impact on Fitness Facilities & Professionals

By creating more efficient and versatile training spaces, Aktiv is helping operators maximize their resources as it develops enhanced training experiences.

“The faster one can achieve a great training session, the more efficient an operator becomes in increasing capacity for more satisfied users in a given day,” says Green. “That’s the equation to solve for any facility.”

The fitness industry is discovering the value of functional strength training, and Aktiv is at the forefront. Green observes, “There’s no end in sight for the emergence of strength with movement, and our passion to design for it. It’s growing the engagement levels for facilities of all types that choose to dive in.”

Looking ahead, Aktiv remains committed to innovation and inclusivity. Green emphasizes the importance of guidance in functional training environments.

“Create guidance whenever possible,” he says. “Everyone agrees that increasing workout variability, safety and fun factor is a step in the right direction, but that can result in too much freedom for some folks.”

To address this, Aktiv integrates digital guidance into unsupervised training spaces, and always advocates for live coaching as the gold standard.

“Technology will obviously continue to play a crucial role in the modernization of fitness,” Green explains. “By integrating digital solutions, operators may seek to provide users with personalized guidance while tracking their progress, making workouts more effective and measurable.”

Aktiv isn’t just riding the wave of this functional strength revolution – it’s driving it. By reimagining fitness spaces and its equipment-based solutions, Aktiv is making strength training more accessible, efficient and engaging for a wider audience.

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