Legend Fitness
A Legendary Story
Beginnings
Legend Fitness is an international fitness equipment manufacturer based in East Tennessee. The folks here are more likely to speak of pickup trucks than private jets, and for decades we have brought the Southern sense of value and hard work to the strength and fitness equipment world.
People here know the value of a dollar and a job well done. As a result, we build everything right here in Knoxville, Tennessee instead of unloading it from a ship on the coast. From the simplest plate holder to the towering Pro Series Power Cage, our standards of detail and quality can be seen in every welded joint and powder-coated finish.
Quality
We are proud to say that we’re not the only ones who feel that way. From professional and collegiate sports teams to government agencies and health clubs, our equipment can be found all over the world helping athletes and average folks to forge themselves into something stronger and fitter than yesterday.
Fitness is a growing business with scores of manufacturers building thousands of products, but even among those numbers Legend Fitness stands proudly above the others for building the strongest, most reasonably priced, American-made equipment in the industry.
Timeline
The rise from our humble beginnings with blowtorches and pencil drafts has always been inspired by a tireless effort to offer an honest product at a reasonable price. With innovative, never-before-seen products and exclusive contracts with some of the best names in the business, the future for Legend is so bright we may have another use for our welding masks...
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1977
Sisko Fitness gets its start in Powell, Tennessee, selling Olympic bar and plate sets to regional customers. Six months later, after repeated inquiries from customers on whether Sisko offered strength equipment, a contract is signed with a small manufacturer in California to provide utility benches and other items.
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1978
Due to the logistical difficulties of fulfilling orders from a factory on the West Coast, John seeks a local supplier for strength equipment, but supply inconsistencies soon convince him that doing his own manufacturing is the next step to take.
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1979-80
Sisko Fitness begins manufacturing a very basic line of benches, employing one full-time employee and two part-timers. Due to additional inquiries, the product line soon expands to include over 30 pieces of strength equipment.
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1980s-early 90s
New fabrication projects supplement the strength manufacturing operations, including building ergonomic sewing stations for Levi Strauss and steel desks for college dormitories.
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1998
Marketing and branding the equipment under a unique name begins. Per the suggestion of a satisfied client, the "Legend" brand is adopted for both the Sisko Fitness company and the strength equipment. Legend Fitness product is only sold through a network of independent dealers.
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1998-2000
Development and manufacture of components for another strength company begins. At this time the total count of employees is still only three people.
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2005
As word of their product begins to slowly make its way through the strength industries of the Southeast, Legend continues to grow in every possible way: the product line expands, more employees are hired and sales increase.
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2006
Annual sales reach all-time highs and more advanced manufacturing techniques are adopted: 3D component design, computer-controlled routers, and plasma cutters. A direct sales department is established, as well as a small delivery service and an in-house upholstery shop. The Pro Series line of equipment is introduced.
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2009
Legend Fitness can now count professional sports teams and championship-winning division schools at every level among its clients. In spite of a worldwide recession, Legend Fitness sales totals tripled in a three-year span. This attracts the attention of Bel-Essex America, who purchases Legend Fitness from the two primary shareholders in the autumn of 2009. Legend becomes the exclusive supplier of strength equipment to several franchises, including D1 Sports Training and Chip Smith's Competitive Edge Sports.
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2010
Legend Fitness sales are on pace to quadruple the totals achieved in 2006. LeverEDGE line of unilateral plate-loaded leverage machines is introduced.
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2012
With the demand for Legend products continually outpacing manufacturing capacity, Legend acquires a 102,000 sq ft facility on Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville. Modular line of cages is introduced.
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2015 and Beyond
2015 marked 500% growth since the end of 2008, making Legend Fitness the fastest growing privately owned strength and fitness equipment manufacturer in the United States.
In 2017, Legend Fitness marked 40 years in business.