What opportunities do you see for health clubs and fitness professionals in the future?
Today health club members share a common goal, improved health and wellness. Depending on the age and experience levels, these members will select many different training modalities to achieve their goals. Three distinct populations: seniors, under-active children and overweight individuals present the greatest opportunity to expand the range of services health clubs offer. By providing safe and effective solutions, health clubs can increase membership and revenues.
Senior Citizens
Senior citizens present a great opportunity for health clubs because they make up a larger percentage of the population and that percentage continues to grow each year. Increased incidence of arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, overweight and obesity come with aging. The body undergoes many physiological changes as it ages and it is important to understand these changes, so that the correct program can be administered. Health club professionals, personal trainers and instructors need to receive additional education to effectively work and train the aging population.
Under-Active Children
Under-active children are in the most critical need of health club services. Children are becoming increasingly overweight, resulting in a variety of health problems that were non-existent a generation ago. Type II diabetes, a condition that commonly affects older individuals who are overweight, is now being seen in children at an increasingly alarming rate. Health clubs have a great opportunity to develop fitness programs that children and their families can participate in to become healthier. Specially designed programming and proper sized equipment will make it fun and entertaining for children to exercise. Getting children involved in an exercise program at an early age can have a tremendous impact on their health.
Overweight Individuals
Obesity is clearly on the rise. 50 percent of adult Americans are overweight with over 1/3 classified as obese. This is a trend that unfortunately will not reverse itself overnight. It is up to health club professionals, personal trainers, group instructors and health club owners to help provide professional training to help individuals fight obesity. Programs will need to target improving overall health and self-esteem.
It is no secret that today people are living longer. The medical achievements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have increased the average life-span; consequently health clubs have the opportunity of improving the quality of life for individuals as they age. The benefits of exercise cannot be disputed and with more information being released each day on the benefits of exercise, more individuals have begun to take charge of their health.
The industry needs to be committed to researching the needs of these individuals, so that we can develop innovative products and programming to help health club owners and personal trainers provide vital services to improve the well-being of each member and client.
How can health club owners and fitness professionals help these populations?
Health club owners and fitness professionals can help provide a solution to these populations by offering a complete line of specialized equipment including the latest in training technology and programming materials as well as standard favorites which will allow them to develop innovative training programs for their members and clients. Senior citizens, under-active children and overweight individuals require different programs and specialized equipment for results to be obtained.
What do health club owners and fitness professionals need to know before choosing specialized training products and programs?
When choosing specialized training products and programs make sure you consult a reputable company with excellent customer service, so that they can help you choose the right products for your customers.
Choose products from a qualified supplier that has gone through great lengths to study and recognize industry trends and offers new products or includes products that have been modified to be of greater use to a broader customer base. That may include adjusting sizes, weights or resistance levels of a product to meet the needs of your seniors. Many products available include size options to suit diversity of users. Products also are available in fitness levels from beginner to advanced in order to match the fitness level of your member or client. Look for a supplier that offers a complete line of programming and professional teaching aids for all areas of the health club, whether it be group fitness, aqua, core or sports performance. When clients are successful clubs are successful.
Make sure to check pricing, volume discounts and if they offer a dealer program. These are all things that can save you some money. It is also important that you purchase from a company that has inventory of their products on site because orders can be shipped in 24 hours, which allows for improved turnaround time.
Also, when choosing quality products and specialized equipment for your club make sure to choose a company that has a ‘No Hassle” return policy in case you purchase a product that does not fit the need of your customer. One size does not fit all. You need products that fit all sizes and training levels from the beginner to the professional.
Describe winning the Nova 7 Award and what it means to Power Systems to be named the “Best Specialized Equipment Supplier”.
It is always a great feeling to receive recognition. However, it is even more gratifying when the recognition comes from the industry professionals you serve. Receiving the Nova 7 Award was a great honor as it recognizes the best in the industry. For the last eighteen years, we at Power Systems have operated on the premise that you are never too good not to get better. We know that our challenge is not on how to stay at the top and win awards, rather it is to continue to provide the top quality products and excellent customer service that our clients have come to trust and depend on to maintain and excel in their businesses.
Power Systems is committed to researching the needs of individuals and developing innovative products and programming to assist health club owners and personal trainers provide services to improve the well-being of each and every client. We provide quality products and programming specifically designed to help club members safely and efficiently attain their goals; from weight loss to strength improvement. Our diverse line of equipment keeps members on the path to success.
Power Systems is a Christian-based business and we follow those guidelines in all aspects of the company. Our mission statement reflects just that: “Our mission is to supply our customers with quality products and exceptional service through a professional staff that strives to exceed customer expectations”. All of our business transactions reflect a firm commitment to our core value… Integrity!
Bruno Pauletto is the Owner of Power Systems. He can be contacted at 800.321.6975, or by email at bpauletto@power-systems.com, or visit www.power-systems.com.
