Making your fitness facility more age-friendly.

In order to boost use and participation in your club's fitness facility, it may be prudent to ask the following question: Is your fitness facility welcoming and accessible to ALL of your members? The idea that members of the baby boom generation have--at least theoretically--embraced the merits of regular physical exercise has become a point of common knowledge. But what about members of the "Greatest Generation"? Why are members in this demographic often resistant to using the fitness facility, and what are some ways to change this trend?

The National Institute on Aging estimates that 38 percent of Americans aged 55 and over are sendentary. The statistics are even worse for older Americans--the Centers for Disease control projects that of those aged 75 and over, six out of 10 are inactive. Interestingly enough, in a 2002 study conducted by AARP, 74 percent of the 2,000 respondents stated that they were interested in learning how to exercise safely, 71 percent wanted help staying motivated, and 66 percent wanted to learn how to set realistic fitness goals.

From these numbers, one could assume that if it isn't from a lack of interest that older members don't take advantage of club fitness facilities, there is only one other possible explanation--barriers to entry. Barriers can come in a variety of forms, some more obvious than others.

Equipment Selection

According to the International Council on Active Aging (www.icaa.cc), the world's largest association of health and aging professionals, there are a set of fundamental questions facility managers should pose when planning for use by older members:

* How much does the room get used? What will the total number of members using this area be?

* What is the required traffic flow?

* What space will I need for each piece of equipment?

* How safe is the layout and decor?

* What are my expansion plans or addition of equipment in this area?

Once these points have been considered, managers can then move on to the criteria involved in equipment selection. For strength training equipment, look for the following attributes:

* Non-intimidating in appearance and function.

* Simple to understand and use.

* Provides adjustments that allow members of various body sizes and functional limitations to be in the proper position while exercising, without compromising the joints.

* Clear indication of where to sit and where to place hands and feet.

* Ability to change resistance from a seated position, and in small increments.

* Provides range of motion adjustments to accommodate joint dysfunction.

* Weight pins have large knobs for those who have problems with their grip due to arthritis or other issues.

* Space efficient, with a small size footprint.

Sensible Design

Facilities have a tendency to squeeze as many pieces of equipment as possible into the available space. This philosophy presents the advantage of allowing younger members to have the most machines available at any given period, with shorter waiting times. Mature members, however, may find it more difficult to move around in crowded spaces. Simply reconfiguring your existing equipment may effectively remove this barrier to older exercisers.

For general comfort and safety for all members, according to the ICAA, consider these points as well:

Televisions that are mounted on a wall or ceiling should be placed so that they are seven to 10 feet, at a minimum, away from the user. Members who end up having to strain their necks in awkward directions run the risk of losing balance on the exercise machines, increasing the chance for falls and serious injury. Similarly, the televisions should be oriented with any windows so that the rising and setting of the sun will not cause inordinate glare on the television screens.

Each electrically-powered unit in the fitness center should have its own dedicated outlet, and the ability to conceal electric cords reduces the chances that someone will trip over them. Additionally, plan your electrical setup for the long term. For example, if you have three treadmills now, but you anticipate adding more in the future, wire outlets ahead of time to handle the load.

Align the units from shortest to tallest to improve facility sight lines and ensure proper spacing in the front, back, and on the sides. Although no magical spacing formula exists, a safe rule of thumb is this: 18 inches or more between stationary bikes; eight inches or more between treadmills, ellipticals, and stairclimbers; four feet behind bikes, ellipticals, and stairclimbers; and six feet behind treadmills. Spacing is not only important for the exercisers' comfort, but also for safety when entering and exiting the equipment, especially with units that have moving arms and legs.

With your selectorized equipment, keep muscle-specific units together for a more even traffic flow and to make the area conducive to circuit training. Similar to cardiovascular equipment, strength-training equipment should be organized by height, with the taller units up against walls and the lower units in front.

Proper spacing also is important for two main reasons--users will need room to adjust the resistance (whether it is setting a pin on a selectorized weight stack or adding/removing weight plates) and a machine's arms and legs will need adequate space to move.

The free weight area also needs to be considered when trying to limit liability. Mirrors will help exercisers ensure they are maintaining proper form and should be used as an asset. Furthermore, the positioning of the equipment in relation to light is important. For example, a light directly above a free weight bench could be very distracting and should be avoided. Level, non-slip flooring and an adequate amount of weight trees also are important for improving safety.