It is not uncommon that group fitness classes tend to be the bread and butter of a community’s fitness program. Classes provide so many benefits including guided exercises, socialization, and of course the variety and health benefits. However, there is one thing that group fitness cannot as effectively offer for individuals and that is the 1-1 focus a person may need based on their health, abilities, and understanding of the exercise. Yes, good group fitness instructors provide modifications in class, but not always can they move around the space talking to each person to make sure they are getting the full benefit of the work they’re putting in.
Cue 1-1 services!
NIFS has the benefit of managing senior fitness centers across the country, so we know how important it is to have a dedicated fitness professional who can really capitalize on engaging residents through various services beyond group fitness classes. NIFS knows how multi-dimensional health and fitness is and we make sure our staff understand that and we start each member out with a fitness evaluation (after all of the new member orientation pieces, that is!). Why? Because fitness evaluations provide both the resident and the trainer with their baseline fitness level, and not only does it shine a light on areas that need improvement through the measurements, but also how that person is feeling.
Why is it important to make sure your fitness center isn’t missing this piece of the puzzle? Because imagine everything that is left on the table for not only current users but also for non-users that your fitness center has to offer! Here are just a few questions to get you started.
- Is the equipment in your fitness center underutilized?
- How many residents are currently active at least monthly in the fitness program?
- How many residents have been oriented with the fitness center space and program?
While these questions do not seem directly related to a fitness evaluation, they are. If a resident has been through a membership process that included a fitness evaluation, their participation in the program is likely to increase. From the fitness eval, the resident became more comfortable with exercise in the fitness center space, they began to trust the knowledge the fitness center staff has to offer, and these things bring residents back to the fitness center. This increased participation will no doubt be able to provide you with a wonderful story to tell about quality of life and ease of daily activities that exercise will hopefully bring them. There will be proof that the fitness program your community offers is being mindful about each individual member and not just the regular group fitness goers.
It is easy to fall into believing your fitness center is as vibrant and active as it can possibly be when we see classes are full and feedback is wonderful! However, I am willing to bet that there is still a large group of residents not attending the fitness center offerings and we need to find out why. Reaching out individually to inactive members inviting them to the fitness center for a 1-1 fitness interaction provides the fitness center staff with not only their fitness evaluation scores and a direction to point the person in, but also provides feedback on what that person feels like they are missing.
If you found yourself wondering if your fitness center offers individualized services or how effectively they’re being offered, consider reaching out to NIFS for a consultation, we would love to assist you in identifying areas you can further support your residents!
