he facility I observed for my risk management project was the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center, otherwise known as the RIFAC. The RIFAC is a division of Rock Island Parks and Recreation, which is in charge of running entertainment and facilities throughout the Rock Island area. Because it is run by the city, this facility is open to the public. The fitness center is family oriented and is designed for all ages and all abilities. My family and many of my friends have been members of the RIFAC for a very long time and feel that it is a very nice facility in comparison to other centers in the area. My dad was actually able to see the Fitness Center being built. It was originally built around 1976 and at that time it was considered to …show more content…
be state of the art facility. When it was initially built, it consisted of the same amenities that it currently has, like the swimming pool, fitness room, locker rooms, and gymnasium. However, over the years they have made several additions to the facility, small repairs and updates along the way, as a result of advancing equipment over the years. Prior to taking this class, I was completely unaware of the potential risks the RIFAC had because from what I knew, the facility seemed very safe. After visiting the fitness center to find risks for my project, I was surprised at what I had discovered. There were several risk in areas that were frequently used that could potentially lead to liabilities. The fitness center offers many amenities: fitness rooms, indoor walking/running track, indoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, basketball courts, racquetball courts, kids’ jungle gym, full locker and shower facility, steam saunas, dry heat saunas, and tanning beds. The facility also offers fitness classes such as Zumba, Yoga, and several kids’ programs. The RIFAC is open Monday-Friday 5 AM to 10 PM, Saturdays 6 AM to 5 PM and Sundays 10 AM to 4 PM, but these hours also change depending on the season. Because the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center has a wide variety of amenities, I had to pick specific areas of the facility that I thought were more likely to contain risks and concerns. I chose not to focus on the swimming pool, school programs, and fitness classes, as these areas were either closed or in use during my visit. The RIFAC is used for multiple things throughout the year. Recently, the facility has made new additions to their summer programs that include new classrooms and an additional gymnasium. The Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center also offers land and water base activities for its member’s year round. They hold intermural leagues during the summer and winter, which include activities like racquetball, soccer, basketball, and pickleball. They hold classes for adult and youth populations, such as Silver Sneakers, aqua abs, cycling class, swim lessons, tumbling, fencing, and many more. The fitness center is very broad in what it offers its’ patrons. In terms of who uses the fitness center, it is opened to the Quad City community for membership purchases. Each member is allowed a single guest per visit, along with an entry fee depending on the age of the guest. The RIFAC offers monthly memberships for college students, who are interested in joining but do not permanently live in the area. The Rock Island Parks and Recreation is in charge of many facilities in the city of Rock Island like WhiteWater Junction Aquatic Center and Saukie Golf Course. During the winter when people do not have access to these outdoor facilities, they tend to transfer their memberships indoors to the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center. . . . . . Located in one of the four Quad Cities is the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center. The facility advertises physical activity and fitness programs to the entire community. Used by numerous residents within the area, they offer a variety of recreational activities like swimming, basketball, and racquetball. Because of the amenities this facility offers, it would be considered a part of the fitness industry. In today’s world, many Americans, in terms of fitness, want to be involved in the current trends to become physical fit. As an individual who prioritizes fitness and health in my day-to-day living, I have tried countless exercises programs and facilities in the Quad Cities area. This wide variety of exercise programs and classes has provided me with a wide range of knowledge in terms of finding efficient and effective fitness options. Definitely a current trend in today’s society is Crossfit.
The founder of Crossfit, Greg Glassman, has made “possibly one of biggest fitness trends in the world” (Wang, 2016). As it has been introduced to over “120 countries,” it has given other fitness centers such as the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center a run for their money (Wang, 2016). I, myself, was involved in the Crossfit community and very easily became hooked to the workouts, meal plans, and the overall mindset of program. When becoming a member at a Crossfit gym, individuals gain all of the benefits and more that you would if you were to belong to a gym such as the RIFAC. Crossfit is such a popular trend in today’s world because the workouts are already designed and a meal plan is provided. In a sense, this Crossfit membership allows individuals to do little to no work. This corporation has caused many Americans, including myself, to switch from the normal gym setting and jump on the current Crossfit trend. As Glassman had previously stated, Crossfit has "broken the back of the fitness industry" (Wang, 2016). When I started doing Crossfit, I kept my membership at the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center, but to no surprise only attended the Quad City Crossfit Motown. If this community of Crossfitters continues to grow as rapidly as it has over the recent years, it could continue to become a huge threat to facilities like the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center. If enough people were to switch their memberships to fitness centers like the RIFAC, YMCA, and Planet Fitness to local Crossfit communities the amount of money these fitness centers would lose could put them out of business. Due to everyone’s interest in Crossfit, they would not be making enough money to keep their facility safe, up to date, and appealing for all of their amenities. The Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center would not be able to treat all their risks because of the loss in business and lack of money. As I
mentioned above, I was apart of the Crossfit Community for over three years and from a spectator/eyewitness the people form a very close bond. Along with the close bond you form, individuals quickly become attached to this thriving community. I was so captivated in this sport and community, I revolved my daily schedule around when I could to go Crossfit, to the point where I even spent some holidays at Crossfit working out rather than at home with my family. It is important that this current trend does not go unnoticed or underestimated by businesses within the fitness industry because it can put them in danger of closing. Another change our society has recently gone through is the 2016 Presidential Election. Our past president, President Obama, was in favor of providing for individuals who struggle by as providing Obamacare and food stamps. However, our newly elected President Trump is not in favor of the same issues, due to his Republican party affiliation. The extra support from the Obama administration gave struggling individuals extra money to spend on facilities like the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center, as they had lower grocery bills and lower necessity costs. As President Trump has only taken office for little over a month, it is still unknown as to what his views are when it comes to the fitness industry. However, we already know that he plans on making budget cuts within certain sectors of the industries. This may cause facilities like the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center to have to make their own budget cuts. Along with the new additions the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center has made, it could lead to problems. The proposition that they may have to make some budget cuts, if they still owe money for the additions they recently had done could lead to financial problems or more if they are already financially struggling. Also if the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center were to fix the risks that I found throughout there facility they need to be aware and smart about spending money, in terms of fixing their risks. Clark Lagemann brought up a point in his article saying that the probability of Americans losing support like healthcare insurance through their employers is going to force people to focus more on preventive care (Lagemann). This takes us to the Fitness Industry, we here T.V. ads and see advertisements all over, stressing the idea of exercise and how it’s the best way to stay healthy and prevent diseases. Therefore, if this is true, Americans will lose support such as healthcare insurance through their employers. Without secured healthcare, more people will have to rely on physical fitness to keep them healthy. We can assume that individuals will seek out gyms and buying a membership to their local fitness center, places such as the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center. As a result of the 2016 Presidential election, it is still unaware if Trump taking office could affect the fitness industry, but from these thoughts it could go either way. Based on the fact we are not sure what Trump’s thoughts are on the fitness industry, the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center should be careful on what they spend their money on, specifically how they go about treating risks within their facility and providing things to keep their patrons happy (Lagemann).
The final threat is the location of the gym; it is located on the north side of Oshkosh. For some our customers it could take twenty or more minutes to get to the location. This could make some of the target market reconsider purchasing a membership. A possible way to minimize this is to consider adding another location or relocating to a more central location. This is not something that we plan to do immediately but is something that we may consider in order to remain successful.
Instead of trying to persuade customers to buy what the LA Fitness has already produced, the marketing department has decided to produce a product for families not just individuals. The corporation has decided to do this through research. Consumer needs and wants became the firm's primary focus. This consumer-orientated marke...
Our table is dismissed. I head back to gym with a full stomach, something that shouldn’t happen. Third block is the lunch block and the eighth grade special block. This shouldn’t happen and as principle the first change that would be in immediate effect would amend the schedule to be specials during first, second, and fourth block. This will cause improvements in health with gym being at least an hour away from lunch for the eighth grade; dietary habits considering people eat as minimal food as possible to preserve their stomach, and enthusiasm because students will see any change to the current schedule as a robust change. In addition, I would change the current format of the schedule. Extend math and English to 3 hour classes, but on an
The gym is a place where a typical American college student goes to work out their bodies. Based on the fact that I personally could be considered a gym rat, a stereotypical name for someone who spends a lot of time in the work out area. This is partially by choice being on the swim team requires the strength training equipment that is available to our disposal in the gym. While I have been to the gym many times I haven’t really taken the time to take in the other people around me. Within this ethnographic exercise I will explore the college gym norms within Roger Williams University.
Bodybuilding is a sport that tests both the body and the mind. For thousands of years, people have used it. However, only for a little over a century has it been popular. A big question asked by many in the sport is, how much has bodybuilding really changed from the silver era (the 1940s)? The answer is a lot, since the 1940s many changes have occurred. Some of these are steroid abuse, competition categories and ranks, and money (Robson). Modern-day bodybuilders have incredibly large “stacks” (slang for the steroids they use on their cycle), more opportunities to compete than they did in the 40s and even more ways to market for money. The sport of bodybuilding has been around for thousands of years and has changed more than ever in just
Lets start by understanding that cultures are a melting pot of people’s beliefs, language, behaviors, values, material objects, and norms. Norms are written and non-written “expectations of behavior” that govern a certain location, place, or culture (26). These norms also vary from culture to culture meaning what is a norm in the U.S may not be a norm in India. For example, a norm in America would be tipping a waiter after a meal. Another would be acknowledging someone as you walk past him or her, typically done at work or in a public place. In all, norms are folkways, mores, taboos, and written laws that are an established standard of one’s behavior.
The Health and fitness industry have many ethical issues involved which was very interesting to me. I have never purchased a membership at a health club, but from the reading I learned a lot about how they operate. It amazed me that health clubs push their sales representatives to get 200-300 new members a month (Amend, 1992). This is a large amount of people for such a short amount a time, which means some members are not fully aware of the fine print of the membership agreement. Also the reading mentions that more than half of instructors at these clubs do not have valid certification (Copeland et al, 1988),. This is unethical because the members pay each month for the service of a qualified staff member to assist them in exercise and fitness. Safety of the members could also be at risk working out with a non-qualified trainer. Learning how these companies do business make me want to hold off as long as possible to join a gym.
Black, Tamara. 2008. Exercise and Fitness in a U.S. Commercial Gym.Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
In modern society, people take physical appearance quite seriously and will spend vast amount of time and money to transform their bodies. Some people rely surgeries to change themselves, while others spend lots of time in the gym and focus on their nutrition. Bodybuilding focuses on getting the largest muscles, while crossfit is about looking in shape, but not as big. Bodybuilders compete in competitions on how they look and crossfitters compete in physical competitions where they are to complete the workout as fast as possible. Nutrition is very important to crossfitters and bodybuilders. The way they train is also extremely important to them. Crossfit and bodybuilding use different methods to reach their goals.
Throughout my life, I have always loved physical fitness and athletics. Unfortunately, due to a horrible knee injury at the end of my senior year of high school’s basketball season, my athletic lifestyle came to a screeching halt. Ever since I have gone through physical therapy and gotten back on my feet, I have had the desire to pursue a career in the field of health and fitness and my goal is to become a personal fitness trainer so I may help others reach their fitness goals and teach ways to be active safely and help prevent major injuries. I have always had a love and passion for health and fitness. I have become more sensitive to the importance of exercise and the related issues of nutrition and fitness for the avoidance of injury to the human body. Especially now that I
Obesity is a growing issue across the United States. A study in 2009 showed that 35% of Americans were obese (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012). Those within 35% are not the ones only suffering the effects related to obesity. In 1998, the medical costs of obesity were approximately 78.5 billion dollars. That number had risen to 147 billion as of 2006, and half of the costs were paid by Medicare and Medicaid (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2013). Obesity is defined as a weight higher than a healthy weight for a certain height. Obesity is determined by body mass index, which is calculated using height and weight, which is directly tied to the amount of body fat. A total BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese (Center for Disease Control, 2012). Proper Crossfit training promotes overall health and fitness, and could be a solution to the growing issue of obesity.
For this week’s observations assignment, I have chosen to observe my home away from home the gym. Now, to garner a view of the entire gym I select to jump on the stair master which offers the best vantage point of the facility. The location of the gym is on the island of Hawaii centrally located between the different sides of the island. The time of observation is the peak operating hour of 1600. Additionally, the gym setting is natural lighting, upbeat music, and young patrons. Furthermore, the patrons of the gym are a mix of ethnicities; however, the primary ethnicity is Polynesian because of the gym 's location. Moreover, the socioeconomic class of the gym patrons seems to be middle-class citizens who dress well, have the latest technology gadgets, and newest training aids. So now that there is information regarding the atmosphere let’s move onward to the social norms.
that 81% thought that the price of the gym was fair for the quality of
To upkeep their judgement-free environment they would have to make sure that the public view of Crunch is separate from SportsLife who may or may not have held the same standards. If Crunch takes over the location of Sports Life's gyms, it does mean that people will differentiate them from SportsLife. Crunch’s appeal to younger crowds
That amusement focus was dealt with like it was YMCA or Lifetime focus. You must be a part or be joined by one to be in that building. It had an indistinguishable standards from the those spots when talking about visitor and participations. I had chat with staff that work there and he disclosed to me the accompanying things about the place.New enlistments get guest passes credited direct into their cooperation card. Family investments get 10 free passes and single enlistments get 5 passes that will end when the support slips. Additional guest passes may be purchased. Passes may be recovered at the control work region or pool cabana after landing (one go for each guest). All guests must be in investment with people at enlistment and all through the entire visit. In the occasion that paying the ordinary affirmation charge for guests, costs are according to the accompanying; Senior Citizens (62+) and weakened is $2; ages 16 to 61 years is $5, ages 3 to 15 years is $3. Children under age 3: no charge. There happened to be two people who happened to rehearse skateboard. I accept there were rehearsing for like headliner. Their aptitudes were very