 |
Fitness Centers Kick Start
|
Fitness centers for WOMEN-ONLY are on the rise.
Fueled by a growing movement of women interested in kick starting their workout program, small boutique centers, along with full service sites, are springing up fast.
These centers are tapping into a growing customer base that wants specialized services in a comfortable environment, fitness experts say.
"Women fitness centers are everywhere," said Lori Shannon, owner and operator of See Jane Run Sports, a women's athletic gear store and resource center in Oakland and San Francisco. "This is a huge market."
Health Fitness Club
Shannon said women-only fitness centers are satisfying the needs of Baby Boomer women who are becoming interested in sports and fitness."I think there's an incredible rise in women in their 40s and 50s getting involved in physical activities," she said. "And some of these women feel more comfortable participating in settings that are specifically just for women."
Many of the new, smaller centers concentrate on circuit training-- an interval training technique that minimizes rest between sets and exercises.
A wide variety of women attend, who need a place where they can go and feel comfortable.
Women's Fitness Tips
Fitness center owners said they offer services that correspond to the specific needs of women. For example, time management is an important aspect in women's fitness goals, center owners said.A lot of women are really pressed for time. The 30-minute workout (the length of a circuit training session) is very appealing because they can get in and get out quickly.
Some women said they are less self-conscious about their appearance in a male-less environment.
Sue Whatley, a member of NuBody, said she enjoys doing her workout at a women-only center.
"I can come in here (NuBody) and look like whatever," she said. "I don't have to worry about looking good while working out."
Workouts for Women
"Women say they feel more relaxed here because they don't have to always worry about how they look," she said. "They can just concentrate on their workout."In addition to the boutiques, there are larger centers that feature a healthy selection of free weights, machines and cardio equipment.
It's important for women to feel at ease at women-only centers.
"We try to keep things as relaxing and as feminine as possible," she said.
Center owners said a women-only site also helps bring in a diversity of fitness-type clients.
"We definitely get a variety of fitness levels," Ross said. "We have a dancer, there's the elderly, the overweight and people who want to get back into fitness."
Women's Health and Fitness
The number of women-only centers is hard to gauge; most centers said they are not a part of any formal organization.Women-only centers are not a new phenomenon. The grand dame of women centers is the YWCA. Oakland's YWCA was started in 1877, the first YWCA west of the Mississippi.
The YWCA has been responsible for many firsts for women's health,now fitness centers is included.
Check out these links for additional information:
Exercise Eliminate Killer Stess With Exercise!
Return to Natural Health & Beauty from Fitness-Center