Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

In part one we discussed ways to keep your members active throughout the renovation
project.  Now it is finally here, the moment you and your members have been waiting for (drum roll please…) The Fitness Center is reopened!  People are excited, expectations are high and there are lots of questions.  How do you use this new machine?  What settings are correct for me?  Etcetera, etcetera!  Your next steps are imperative for ensuring that members know how to use the new machines safely and are satisfied that their wait was worth it!  Breaking down the process into three sections will set you and your fitness center up for success.  Start off with general information about the new equipment and gradually get more specific by offering the following:

1. New Equipment Orientations

Begin by offering new equipment orientations to small groups.  The goal of the New Equipment Orientation phase is to provide a general overview of the new equipment to the small group by indicating where adjustments can be made, how to modify the amount of weight, safety features along with any other bells and whistles that apply.  Offering an overview of the new machines with specifics on how to use them can be a great resource for members that are interested in trying out the machines independently after gaining preliminary information.  The New Equipment Orientations could be paired nicely with an informational presentation where members have the opportunity to engage in a Q and A session. This is still the general information phase.  Residents wanting individualized instruction can register for a one on one appointment in which the machines can be adjusted specifically for them.

2. One on One Appointments

It is time to make the sessions personal by going one on one.  Begin by taking a member around to each new piece of equipment and adjusting the setting and weight resistance correctly for that individual.  Record the settings onto a program card that the member can then access each time he/she visits the Fitness Center.  Keep in mind that you could be reviewing a lot of information at one time…and this could become overwhelming to the member.  If this is the case then offer to meet with the member again in the near future to review the machines again.  Between the follow up sessions to review the new equipment and the member having access to his/her program card to practice setting the new equipment independently, each member’s comfort level with the new equipment should significantly improve.

3. Exercise Prescriptions:

Now comes the fun part: Add variety.  As the member becomes more comfortable with the new equipment, now is the time to fuse the new pieces with the old.  Create an Exercise Prescription Routine based on the member’s goals that include a variety of machines, bands, dumbbells, body weight exercises…having fun yet?  Well your member’s should be!  Follow up with the member every so often to ask about their exercise routine and be prepared to present a new and fun challenge.

Now your members are familiar with the new equipment and can take ownership of their fitness routines.  They can touch base with Health Fitness Specialists as needed and can move forward into the great services that your fitness center provides.  Before you know it the renovations will be a thing of the past.

Are you considering renovations in your Fitness Center or have you already been through this process?  What worked for you?

It is a time of change and excitement.  Out with the old and in with the new.  Things will be bright and shiny and…different.  During the short or lengthy time that your fitness center is undergoing renovations, how do you gratify your members?   Having a cutting edge  corporate or active aging fitness center is what everyone strives for…but if you don’t have any members waiting for the renovations to be completed, then the doors will close before they can be reopened.  Keep three things in mind during your fitness center renovations to ensure that your members are knocking on your fitness center’s door the minute they are reopened: 1. Keep members active 2. Keep members interested and 3. Use what you have.

1.  Keep members active:

• Equipment Substitutes

  • Is another temporary space available that you can provide a workout area to members in the meantime?  If so, relocate smaller equipment such as:

    • Resistance bands            

    • TRX

    • Resistance Chairs

    • Fitness balls

    • Balance Pads 

These may or may not be items that members have utilized before so seize this opportunity to demo the equipment and provide workouts with the item.  These exercises can carry over with the member’s routine long after the renovations are completed. 

• In addition to the smaller equipment, provide exercises using only body weight.

  • Burpees

  • Lunges

  • Planks

  • Push-ups

…what else?   There are tons!  Create a workout with combinations of the body weight exercises.  Try intervals or time based challenges.  Some members might love to make it a relay in a group setting.  Be creative.

• Group Fitness Schedule

  • Market your Group Fitness Schedule.  This is a great opportunity for members to expand their fitness regimen to include a group fitness class that has caught their interest.  Body Pump, Boot Camp, Circuit, Body Stretch…whatever suites a member’s fancy. 

  • Add a bonus group fitness class(es) to the schedule.  This will provide a nice option for members who are disappointed that their regular exercise routine was thrown off due to renovations.  Implement a group fitness class that you’ve been wanting to test out.  Whether the class is a staple in the schedule or a promotional session, seize this opportunity to promote your group fitness classes.

2. Keep members interested:

• Programming

  • Your plans for programming will most likely differ from the norm.  Keep members interested by implementing an attendance based incentive program to encourage members to keep up with their activity routine then list several options.

• Communicate

  • Keep your members informed by maintaining an open pathway of communication.  Communicate to your members about what is happening in the Fitness Center.  What are their fitness options in the meantime?  Helpful tools: residential newsletters, in-house TV stations with daily event information, flyers in common areas, personal notices and phone calls can all be means used to successfully communicate.

3.  Use what you have:

• What sets your facility apart? Do you have access to:

  • Pathways

  • Trails

  • Recreational sports areas

  • Lakes/water

  • Swimming pools

  • Fields

  • Stairs

As long as it’s safe, the world is your playground.  Target local features and landmarks to mix into the planning. 

Have you found other successful alternatives to exercise while the Fitness Center was undergoing renovations?  Share your best solutions!

This blog was written by Melissa Cusick. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.

In the world of technology, time equals improvement and efficiency. Back in the day, we had computers that occupied the space of an entire room and Zack Morris-sized cell phones. Now we have personal computers that fit in the palm of a hand and Zoolander-sized cell phones. It seems that as more is discovered in the world of technology, items have become smaller and more efficient. Interestingly enough, this concept does not seem to apply to people.

In 1995 when the United States began tracking obesity rates, Mississippi had the nation’s highest adult obesity rate at 19.8 percent. Now, 16 years later in 2011, Colorado has the nation’s lowest adult obesity rate at 19.4 percent.

As you can see, what used to be the upper end of the nation’s obesity scale is now at the extreme low end of the spectrum. This is concerning because common conditions associated with obesity include, but are not limited to, high cholesterol and triglycerides, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease, all conditions that can be avoided with proper nutrition and activity.

Nowadays, we have low-calorie options at stores and restaurants, fitness centers popping up on virtually every corner, and educational tools at our fingertips. We can download an app on our tiny cell phones to count calories or find a healthy restaurant or fitness facility. But do we?

Something common to the field of technology and humans is that bigger is not always better. What has changed in our society in the last 16 years that has influenced the adult obesity rate to increase so severely? What can corporate wellness programs do to help reverse this alarming trend?

This blog was written by Melissa Cusick. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.

If you're having trouble finding time to keep up with your household chores and do your workouts, why not combine them?

My Chore Workout

Time to work out! I begin with dusting to work my forearms, followed by vacuuming to work my biceps, triceps, and abdominals. I scrub the floors, feeling more and more like Cinderella while working my shoulders and biceps, among other muscle groups.

While in the kitchen I notice that the pile of dishes in the sink is beginning to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, so I do the dishes and target my back and arm muscles, making sure to alternate hands. Now for laundry: to wash, to dry, to fold, providing a full-body challenge. After all this I sit down, feeling exhausted.

More Ways to Burn Calories Around the House

By doing common chores such as dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing the floors, dishes, and laundry, you can burn several calories. Other tasks can be a great workout as well. For example, mowing the lawn with a push mower, or shoveling snow can be a full-body workout. Painting, if you include a squatting motion and alternate hands, can also use most muscle groups. Even pulling weeds can provide you with health benefits by improving grip and the muscles of your forearm and biceps.

Depending on your weight and how intensely you go about these tasks, you could burn as many calories as if you went to NIFS for a workout. Can’t make it to the fitness center today? Consider cleaning your house…I mean, look how buff Mr. Clean is!