Attract busy professionals with short pool programs
In today’s fast-paced world, busy professionals may not have the time to take up as many recreational activities as they’d like. Pool management services likely see groups that have more spare time, such as young children or seniors. However, redesigning classes can allow facilities to reach out to those with little time on their hands but an interest in short pool programs.
Recreation Management magazine cited the U.S. Water Fitness Association and pointed out that a majority of pool exercise programs lasted roughly an hour. For would-be swimmers who don’t have an hour to dedicate to recreational activities, these courses aren’t an option.
Shorten the time
Adjusting your pool’s programs to better fit the lifestyles of busy professionals and parents doesn’t have to be a major overhaul. Work with instructors to condense the normal hour-long workout into a shorter period of time. Offset the shorter duration by making the activity more intense. Chances are, instructors are familiar with the concept of high-intensity interval training, which has gained popularity in the past few years.
According to Ace Fitness’s Fitnovatives blog, HIIT is an effective form of exercising that involves short bursts of high energy, followed by a period of rest. However, as effective as HIIT is, there are concerns regarding the amount of stress that’s placed on the joints as a result of HIIT. The group suggested taking the routine into the pool. Not only will the exercises be easier on the joints, the water will also make the workouts more difficult.
Free up the day
Shorter pool sessions will be easy to implement into your facility’s daily schedule and won’t take up too much time. Continue to hold your usual programs that run longer, but find the best time slot during which to do a trial run of a shorter workout course. Chances are, a majority of people who would be interested in these programs are professionals or parents, so consider offering this new session outside of the traditional 9-to-5 work hours. If you have a larger pool, you can host the normal sessions in one end of the pool and try out the new shorter workout at the other end.
Managing a commercial pool means appealing to as many audiences as possible, including those that don’t have time for typical pool programs.
