CLUB INTRODUCTION
The Fitness Club is one of Roadhaven’s largest clubs, with membership varying from 350 to 450 members each year. The Fitness Club has been established in Roadhaven for more than twenty years, starting in the former Golf shop, expanding in that location, and moving to the new location adjacent to Phase 1 pool in the Fall of 2022. Lack of space has always limited the ability of the club to expand, although it has consistently been one of the bigger clubs in Roadhaven, in terms of membership. The new location allows good access to the strength and stretching equipment in the South portion of the facility and ample space for the aerobic and floor exercise space in the North portion. There should be opportunity for appropriate activities for all levels of physical fitness.
The Fitness Center is open daily from 5 AM to 10 PM
LATEST CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Maintenance Night: Our last maintenance night for the current season was on March 16th. Our next one will be in the Fall – watch here for the date, usually the third Thursday of the month at 7PM.
Group Exercises :
The last group exercise of this season will be Tuesday, March 21st at 8 AM, with Shelley. We will resume in the Fall – watch here for notification.
All sessions are in the open area of the Fitness Center, adjacent to the North door. The number of participants will be limited by the space, so come early. This is open to all, including non-members of the Fitness Club (if you choose to continue to participate, you will be expected to join). All participants are asked to sign in and sign out, member or not.
ELEVATED STRETCHING BENCH
As you know, doing stretching exercises is important, and even more important as you age. The usage of the exercise mats in the open area of the gym in recent days tells me that many people understand that. However, some of us have difficulty getting down on the floor, and even more so getting up.
So, now that we have a bit more space, your Fitness Club BOD has commissioned the installation of an elevated exercise platform. Because we still do not have a surplus of space, we decided to make it a fold-down platform, so it does not take up a lot of room when not in use.
Yes, it looks a lot like a murphy bed. In fact, the mechanism we used is a murphy bed mechanism.
Installation of the platform is now complete – it was built and installed in the entirety by a dedicated crew from the Woodcraft Club. So thank a woodworker. it would have been in sooner, but the upholstery shop who made the mat (mattress) took a couple of weeks longer than expected.
The new equipment will be available for use Monday (Feb 20th, 2023) morning. I will attach detailed instructions on how to open and close it. In general, treat it gently, and make sure to unfold the legs when opening and folding up the legs when you are finished.
It is important that we get some feedback on this device – we have long-term plans to install up to two more, but we need to know if it works for you and how much it is used. If it is not utilized, we won’t build any more. If it is a great success, maybe we will patent it – it is a Roadhaven invention.
READ DIRECTIONS BEFORE OPENING ELEVATED STRETCHING BENCH
1. PULL CABINET HANDLES TOWARD YOU ABOUT 24 INCHES
2. GENTLY ROLL THE SUPPORT LEGS TOWARD YOU AND SECURE THEM UNDER THE PLATFORM
3. GENTLY PUSH PLATFORM TO THE FLOOR
4. ENJOY YOUR WORKOUT
5. SANITIZE MAT
6. LIFT PLATFORM UP ABOUT 24 INCHES
7. GENTLY ROLL SUPPORT LEGS BACK INTO PLATFORM, MAKE SURE THEY ARE PLACE COMPLETELY INTO THE PLATFORM
8. GENTLY PUSH PLATFORM INTO UPRIGHT POSITION, WATCH YOUR FINGERS
9. THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS
EVENTS AND FUNDRAISING
Massage Therapy and a Fitness trainer functions are now available in the Fitness Center. See information on the website under amenities.
COMMON QUESTIONS
- Exercising improves cognitive function and improves brain plasticity, meaning, your brain (read that, you) will be able to function a little better than if you did nothing at all.
- Stretching and flexibility exercises help to prevent injuries, help to reduce muscular pain and improve our posture, balance, mobility and athletic performance. In- park athletes who participate in sports such as bocci ball, shuffleboard, golf or pickleball, for instance, should take note.
- By exercising, our bodies allocate energy to processes that slows the body’s gradual physical deterioration and guards us against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. 15-20 minutes a day is all we need. We don’t need to work up a sweat, we just need to do something.
- Physical activity also causes the release of exercise-related antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and enhances blood flow, like to the brain. See the first point.
- The body’s response to exercising is to build back stronger, repairing muscle fibers, repairing cartilage damage and healing microfractures. The cellular and DNA repair processes lower the risk of obesity, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and depression.
MEMBERSHIP DUES AND FEES
The fees charged for membership go to the operating of the facility and the purchase and maintenance of the equipment.
Fitness Club year goes from July 1 to June 30th and the fee is $25 per person, with a price break for couples at $40. We also have a guest rate of $5 per person that is good for two weeks.
Membership application forms are available adjacent to each entrance to the facility (as well as on the website), along with a supply of envelopes. Just fill in the form, enclose the fee indicated, and mail in the in-park mail. One of our volunteers will send you a badge sticker by return mail, along with your member number.
We ask you to sign in and out with your member number on the clip board adjacent to whichever entrance you use. Please use the gym as soon as you are able – do not wait for your member number – just write “applied” in the space for the number.
Due to the migration of volunteers, Fitness Club will stop processing membership applications for the 2022/3 season in early April 2023. You can still apply, but the application will be held in in-park mail until November. Yes, please go ahead and use the Fitness Center – it is open 365 days a year. One caution – if you pay by check, it may become stale-dated by the time it is processed, depending on your bank’s policy on such things. If the application form you use says 2022/3 and you want to apply for the next season, just change it to 2023/4 with a pen. The online form will be updated. Membership fees remain unchanged
IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES
Fitness club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 4 PM in the Dakota room, November through March. All members and prospective members are welcome to attend.
Summer Hours effective May 1, 2023. Fitness Room open 6AM-2PM, 7 days a week.