New Take on an Aging Opportunity


Body Bar Flex has ageless appeal


coming through my doors?’ So, rather than just designing programming and expecting everyone to fit into it, they need to pinpoint what their clientele actually wants and needs. Do they, for example, have balance issues? Do they need to improve their joint flexibility?” A one-size-fits-all approach, he reminds, is inher-


ently ineffectual, especially with an older population. Once goals have been identified, a club must then


be able to facilitate them effectively. The proper set- ting, equipment, and programming are essential, but the most important part of the puzzle, everyone


“This population is vast, and they have all sorts of, every conceivable type of, expectations, wants, needs, dreams, and desires.”


seems to agree, is the expertise of the staff working with these members. “All too often, instructors don’t fully understand how to train this cohort,” says Hymanson. “They’ll just hand them some bands and stretch cords, and falsely assume that they’ll inte- grate easily and well into their exercise regimen. “Staff really have to be better-informed—enough


55-Plus works out at 24 Hour Fitness


so that they can create the right programming, and deliver training that’s interesting, safe, and reward- ing. Fortunately, a growing number of professional organizations are providing ongoing education and certifications in this area. Once a trainer has learned what they need to know, they can then honestly tell a client, ‘Yes, I can give you exactly what you’re looking for.’” “This population is vast,” reflects Milner, “and they


have all sorts of—every conceivable manner of— expectations, wants, needs, dreams, and desires. What it boils down to, for clubs, is ensuring that you can meet all of their functional requirements in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment, staff included, that enables them to grow physically, cognitively, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. “If the industry is able to do that,” he concludes,


“it has the potential to change millions of lives.” —| – Patricia Glynn, p.glynn@fit-etc.com


58 Club Business Internat ional


|


JANUARY 2011 |


www. ihrsa.org


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