Did you know those who join a fitness center without accountability are part of the average yearly 43 percent dropout rate?
But, with accountability, that number decreases to 6.3 percent. While you can’t ensure a workout buddy for every one of your members, you can help them in terms of a personal trainer.
Megan O’Connor, the association director of fitness and wellness at the YMCA of Muncie, shares how they are successfully offering personal training at the community rec center:
CR: Describe your personal training offerings. Who do you reach?
MO: We offer personal training to anyone in the community 14 years of age and older. Members of the Y get a discounted rate on this program. We offer individual and group — up to five people — training options. Sessions are sold in packages of four, eight and 12 sessions, each lasting one hour in length with a pre and post meeting/assessment. We serve age ranges from 14 to 93 at this time, but the majority are between 25 to 55 years of age.
CR: Why do you have personal training?
MO: We offer personal training in order to help participants achieve their health and well-being goals. We want to help individuals lead healthier lives through educating them on proper ways of exercise, and give them the confidence and tools to adapt and maintain activity throughout their life.
CR: What are three things you’ve learned to make a personal training offering successful?
MO: First, ask to see what the participants need and want from the program. Second, offer a quality program with an end goal in mind. Third, keep the mindset knowing every individual is different and one program doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle.
CR: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome with your personal training offering?
MO: Staffing — it is hard to find quality trainers with open availability to fit the needs of the YMCA.
CR: What other advice can you give to community rec centers when it comes to personal training?
MO: Make the program fun and engaging with a challenge. If the main goal is to help educate and provide these individuals with tools to grow in their fitness journey, you want to keep them engaged and meeting their goals.
