Area fitness centers cater to wide range of needs, pocketbooks

By Linda Redeffer

Business Today

Like other businesses, fitness centers are faced with marketing challenges -- creating a need that will bring customers into their particular businesses instead of the others.

Some, like Contours and Curves, appeal only to women who want to work out in an all-female environment. They offer amenities that women appreciate along with the support and camaraderie of their girlfriends.

Other fitness centers have found other niches.

Anytime Fitness Center at 1131 North Kingshighway appeals to busy people who want a no-frills workout. Manager Jill Mills said Anytime Fitness is a basic workout center that is open to members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"It's just for people who are busy and just want to get in and out," she said. "We don't have all the recreational equipment, like a pool, and we run a little bit cheaper than the bigger mega-gyms."

Anytime Fitness is staffed only during the day, Mills said, so anyone who wants time with a trainer would need to adjust his schedule. But if all a customer wants is to come in and do an established fitness routine, then membership pays for a key card to get inside and a security system so that he can feel safe working out in odd hours.

The equipment includes free weights, cardio equipment and everything needed for a full-body workout. There are no aerobics classes, hot tubs or spas. Membership is limited to ages 14 and above.

"People have busy lives; they want to get in and out," Mills said.

Families also are busy. Class Act Fitness Center of Jackson markets to families who want to keep fit and do it as a family, said Lynn McNally who owns the center with her husband Shawn.

"Most places take kids in a day care situation," she said. "Parents drop them off and then work out. We have activities for kids and while the kids are doing that the parents can go work out."

This works out well for parents who leave work, pick up the kids at school or day care, and then want to work out before going home. McNally said she realizes that once customers pick up the kids and go home to make other arrangements, it's easy to get out of the mood to go back into the car and drive to a workout.

Family togetherness extends to the proprietors. McNally said some of her children work there after school, and the family lives on the premises.

"It's a good place for them to row up," she said.

Children as young as 18 months can accompany their parents to Class Act and begin their physical fitness lifestyle with gymnastics. Also available for children are indoor soccer, tennis and Tae Kwan Do classes. When they're 13, they can work out with adults and once they're 16 they can come in without an adult and work out.

Adults can work out on the fitness equipment, and can take classes. McNally said that classes are open to non-members; prices vary among the classes. To members of Class Act, classes are free. A personal trainer is available at an additional fee depending on the length of the training session. An indoor swimming pool is under construction.

The fitness center is open seven day a week at various hours to accommodate most people.

Larger centers, such as HealthPoint Fitness Center and Fitness Plus are full-service centers with pools, equipment, trainers, and an assortment of classes, children's activities and other add-ons. Both centers offer various discounts for various reasons and enticing entry fees for new customers.

When it comes to fitness, there's something for everyone.