Fitness centers step up to meet growing demands

By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

It’s a weekday morning just like any other in Oak Crest’s fitness center. Jim Whitlock has just finished his 15-minute warm-up on the stationary bike and gets ready to head to the NuStep strength machines, which are all designed specifically for older adults. Finally, he rounds out his hour workout with a cooldown on the treadmill.

“I decided to start going to the fitness center three years ago and to this day I feel great,” Whitlock says. “I go there five days a week.”

Whitlock is not alone. More than 160 people at Oak Crest and 255 people at Charlestown regularly use the fitness centers. Like many of his peers, Whitlock’s fitness routine, which was designed to meet his fitness goals and needs, helps him maintain and improve overall health rather than specifically to lose weight or gain muscle mass.

Balanced training
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), strength training can help build muscle tissue and slow the progress of age-related muscle loss. The CDC also says that while strength training has value alone, that value increases in a balanced routine. The CDC encourages aerobic, stretching, and balancing activities in addition to those that strengthen.

“We personalize each person’s program to meet their needs and keep them safe, but we try to give everyone a well-rounded program, which includes cardiovascular, strength, and balance training,” says Oak Crest Wellness Manager Jessica Horwath. “We develop a program after reviewing their medical history and fitness assessment.”

Once a person joins the membership-based fitness center and develops their personal regimen, fitness specialists are on the floor to answer general questions and provide assistance. “The fitness center is always staffed by at least one person, usually more. Everyone on staff is certified and has a college degree in the field,” Horwath says.