Resolutions Get Healthy Workout
By Robert Cole, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Jan. 23–January and February can be key months for bulge battlers and cellulite fighters trying to tighten up their post-holiday curves.
Health club devotees begin to increase their number of weekly visits, and fitness managers are busy showing their workout areas to new prospects.
“It’s prime time right now,” said Molly Fahrmeier, account manager for Xtreme Fitness in Lee’s Summit. “We call them our New Year’s resolutioners.”
Resolutions and employer incentives are popular reasons for couch potatoes to get up and get moving, but they’re also being lured by an increasing number of centers offering new approaches to getting fit and staying healthy.
Clubs are adding one-on-one consultations, massage therapy and body composition testing to attract fitness buffs that may be searching for specialized health information or particular routines.
Two fitness megacenters, with more than 100,000 square feet of space, opened last year in Johnson County. HealthRidge Fitness Center in Olathe has a full spa, cafe and 25-liter indoor lap pool, in addition to racquetball, basketball and volleyball courts.
Life Time Fitness in Overland Park is open 24/7 and offers rock climbing, child care and indoor/outdoor aquatics. The center has corporate wellness programs and sponsors day and sports camps.
Rex-Ann Pfister, an owner of Fitness Together in central Overland Park, said members design a program based on their fitness goals and work out with a trainer in a private room. Individuals don’t have to wait for equipment, she said.
Fitness centers also cater to the needs of large companies that have a vested interest in the health of their employees. Fitness Source, based downtown, offers fitness assessments and exercise consultations, but innovative wellness programs and strategies are a priority.
The center is owned by the city of Kansas City and managed by St. Luke’s Hospital.
Many Kansas City sites, including the 17 centers operated by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, continue to offer weight training, swimming, martial arts and other familiar activities. Others promote their fitness activities by targeting a specific demographic or lifestyle.
To reach Robert Cole, call (816) 234-4296 or send e-mail to rcole@kcstar.com.
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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