Following its launch in Fullerton, Gold’s Gym SoCal plans to roll out Octagon Load stations across its clubs, offering members access to a new functional strength zone for an added fee
When Gold’s Gym SoCal in Fullerton, California, faced bottlenecks in its high-demand free-weight area, owners Angel and Willie Banos found a game-changing solution from Escape Fitness, a fitness solutions provider for club operators.
The Fullerton club is now the first in the U.S. to install Octagon Load, a strength and functional training system featuring Gold’s Gym’s signature black and gold color palette.
Designed and built at Escape Technologies’ U.K. facility, Octagon Load blends traditional plate-loaded strength with high-tensile resistance bands to deliver continuous muscle engagement and advanced variable resistance, especially at the end range of motion. The system features five bolt-down stations (Squat, Drive, Lift, Press and Row) that support full-body, standing-position workouts, maximizing kinetic chain activation and training efficiency.
The setup was installed in a repurposed kids’ club room, transforming it into a dedicated functional training space that members can access for an additional fee. While Fullerton is the first to feature Octagon Load, it’s not the last. The new training solution is set to roll out across other Gold’s Gym SoCal locations.
“Working with Escape is always a great experience,” Gold’s Gym vice president of facilities Jason Taylor said. “The equipment is not only engineered to deliver a faultless training experience, it is also extremely robust. We have some of California’s biggest, most experienced powerlifters using our facility, and the Escape equipment is more than up to the job.”
As Escape Fitness USA CEO Matthew Januszek points out, strength training has gone mainstream and is no longer reserved just for elite athletes or bodybuilders.
“It’s a cornerstone of fitness for people of all ages and abilities,” he said. “After three years of research and conversations with leading operators, athletes and coaches, built on a lifetime of experience working in the fitness industry, Escape Fitness has created a circuit-based system for the general population that efficiently stimulates muscle.”
The team has also worked with fitness educator Tommy Matthews to develop Load education materials, which are available both in-person and digitally.
“We are also developing content for our MARS digital training system, so users will be able to access digital content anytime to help them execute movements safely and effectively,” Januszek added.
Load’s five stations can function as a standalone unit or be connected, with options for integrated equipment storage. Weatherproofing is also available for facilities with outdoor space, and frames can be customized to reflect brand identity.
