Special Programs for Special People
How facilities cater to special needs populations.
The people who seek the services of fitness businesses approach with a variety of goals and physical capabilities. A person can fulfill multiple “types” by being, for example, an amateur athlete, apparently healthy, with a chronic injury. A person with physical disabilities can also be an amateur athlete.
Personal trainers most often create programs for specific sports and for medical conditions. YMCAs/YWCAs/JCCs serve seniors, kids and perinatal women, most frequently, which is well within their family-centered mission.
These numbers were provided by the 286 IDEA business and program director members who responded to the February 2006 online IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Survey. They represented personal training gyms (20%), multipurpose health clubs (18%), fitness-only health clubs (9%), YMCAs/YWCAs/JCCs (8%) and yoga or Pilates studios (8%), among other types of facilities. Complete survey results are in the July–August 2006 issue of IDEA Fitness Manager.
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Patricia Ryan, MS
Patricia Ryan, MS, develops educational content for leaders and professionals in the wellness, fitness and older-adult marketplaces. Ryan has conducted market research and authored numerous white papers, survey reports, industry analyses and research reviews along with producing educational webinars. She holds a master’s of science degree in instructional technology aimed at designing professional education. She was IDEA’s first editor in chief and developed the Gold Standard of content for which IDEA is still known.
