Arron Williams discusses fitness facilities in a Spa environment
These days more and more spa facilities are making fitness suites an integral part of their offering. In doing so they are steadily helping to breakdown the stereotypical view that spas are just for women looking to pamper themselves, and are promoting them more as an environment for overall health and wellbeing.
We spoke to Arron Williams, Academy Manager at Life Fitness, to get his thoughts on the factors to consider when installing exercise equipment in the spa environment…
“Spas are traditionally viewed as relaxing and revitalising places, promoting health and well being of the body and mind. Exercise is an essential component of the whole ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ concept and for many people provides an effective way to unwind and ‘switch off’ from the stresses and demands of everyday life. By taking an integrated approach to health and well-being, and providing a wide range of services and facilities, spa operators can offer their customers greater choice in customising the spa experience to the individual’s requirements and preferences.
It’s important for spas to consider the way in which they package exercise for their clients. Fitness is a word that is loaded with far too many negative connotations and in a spa-context it’s a word that should be used with care when trying to attract a lifestyle market. Perhaps emphasising the power of exercise to achieve a natural buzz, feel better and more confident is a more potent attractor to the de-conditioned market.
With respect to the health agenda and attracting the masses, any physical activity is better than nothing and the menu should probably focus more on activities such as Tai chi, Pilates, meditation and yoga. Traditional forms of exercise in a spa setting probably need to be marketed in the same way as beauty products are. The intrinsic benefits of exercise need to be marketed in terms of feel-good factors, the paradox of working out with no energy and having more energy after working out, and simply feeling and thinking better of yourself having done some activity. In addition, consider promoting the neurotransmitter benefits of exercise such as the dopamine rush, the serotonin high, the gamma-aminobutric acid calm and the acetylcholine buzz, just think of what claims the cosmetics industry would make of the benefits of these neurotransmitters in enhancing body and mind!
There needn’t be a difference between the facilities offered within a spa and those included in a health club. The feel and ambience in the gym will vary depending on the colours, décor and equipment chosen. Natural materials such as oak, beech, marble and granite, together with artwork and creative lighting will add atmosphere and mood to a room. This can be an effective way of energising the environment while ensuring it remains in keeping with the rest of the spa.
Offering fitness to spas in the form of mind-body exercise programmes is often more appropriate than traditional cardiovascular and resistance programmes. Fitness interventions are best packaged in short-term single session mind-body-emotional experiences and long-term mind-body-spirit conditioning programmes. The success of both yoga and Pilates in spas is that they both have strong mind-body components. The key is to make exercise more soulful and extol the benefits with respect to enhancing personal well-being.
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