Printer-friendly format

A Jackson-area fitness center is aiming to eliminate the factors that hinder women in achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Offering an all-female environment and an approach that also serves women’s social and spiritual needs, the Fitness Lady Health Clubs of Ridgeland and Pearl have become a haven for more than 5,000 women in and around the capital city.

Founded in 1990, the business recently opened the largest all-women health club facility in the country at 30,000 square feet. In addition to gym equipment and an expanded lineup of group-exercise classes, the center also offers an arthritis-friendly heated swimming pool, a physical-therapy clinic and the services of an in-house chaplain.

The only thing it lacks is the intimidating presence of men in the workout room.
That exclusion has less to do with the way men act in a fitness facility and more to do with what makes women feel most at ease, said general manager Sissye Gory.

“Women are just more comfortable when they don’t have to worry about their hair or their makeup, or who they’re facing when they’re doing the inner-thigh machine,” she said.

The goal of creating an inviting atmosphere extends up to the chandelier that crowns the new facility’s entry space, and down to each floor surface with the conviction that women have higher standards for cleanliness. It’s also a more social environment than most health clubs, with the goal of creating a sense of “belonging.”

As another key for women, the childcare area features a nursery for infants, a playroom for toddlers and a game room for kids ages 6 to 12. An outdoor play area is planned for the future.

Fitness Lady’s concept for a women-only club got its start in the original facility on County Line Road. The business added a second location in Pearl in 1996. Ten years later, the original location was replaced by the new Ridgeland facility in a visible spot just off Interstate-55.

As new members join, the system is set up to get them plugged in at their individual fitness level, Gory said, with an emphasis on teaching them how to do exercises correctly.

“We have free trainers that work with them, because we know motivation is the biggest factor for women,” she said.

The two facilities offer more than 150 aerobics classes each week, ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Body sculpting, yoga, Pilates, water aerobics and spinning are also part of the lineup.

“Every woman has a different need, so you have to have a wide variety of things to offer,” Gory said.

The addition of a chaplain had been a desire of Fitness Lady owner Marilyn Tyler, Gory said. It came about as a longtime member who was also a licensed chaplain offered to serve the spiritual and emotional needs of women there.
On the physical side, women suffering from arthritis can use the facility’s indoor heated swimming pool, which is sanctioned by the Arthritis Foundation for arthritis-therapy classes.

“People who have a lot of chronic pain will come here, because it is a more laid-back atmosphere where they can work on conditions like fibromyalgia and lupus,” Gory said. “We get a lot of people with things like that, because of the water therapy and the fact we do start out at a very slow pace for everybody.”
The new facility is also home to a branch of the Methodist Outpatient Therapy Center, focused on orthopedic rehabilitation and physical therapy for a range of women’s health issues.

In addition to the broad range of health-and-wellness-related offerings, Fitness Lady does have one amenity the medical community may find more controversial: tanning beds.

“Basically they’re here are just for convenience,” Gory said. “It’s not something we push or advocate; it’s just here if you want it.”

Memberships at the clubs range from $37.50 to $47.50 at the 12,000-square-foot Brandon-Pearl facility, and $49 to $59 per month at the larger facility in Ridgeland. The clubs don’t offer need-based discounts, but they do often give away memberships as prizes for local charity auctions and events.

Patients of Methodist Rehabilitation get a discount to continue with their rehabilitation, and working women can get a deal through corporate memberships.



May 2008

Tags:

None

Login and voice your opinion!