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Gym Wise
Are Memberships Worth Your Family's Money?
By Jenn Director Knudsen
He says Life Time Fitness has myriad offerings so that everyone in the family – from infancy through dotage – can achieve and maintain an active and healthy life.
"[We want] to enable the entire family to have activities, to have health and fitness be a major component of their lifestyle," whether working out with weights, in cardio classes, getting a nutritious snack or smoothie at the Life Caf窠or participating in the facilities' athletic events, such as its 5-K run and kid's triathalon, Thunstrom says. (He, his wife and their 9-year-old son limit TV at home and workout together; Dad and son participate in their local center's 5-K run.)
He adds families pay roughly $120 a month and comprise the majority of Life Time Fitness' 550,000 members. Stephanie McGuire of Glenview, Ill., and her young family take advantage of Life Time Fitness' many programs.
"We swim with our children, ages 6 and 7, both indoors and outdoors, wall climb together on Thursday evenings, play basketball on weekends and have tried on occasion racquetball," says McGuire.
Unfortunately, she says, the facility's rules prohibit children 12 years of age and under from using weight-room equipment. (This is typical; a Bally Total Fitness spokesperson says weight training generally is not recommended for kids until their later teen years.)
And though McGuire has occasionally dropped off her kids in the gym's expansive child center – complete with its own junior gym, play structure, tot-sized basketball court and hoops, indoor and outdoor playgrounds and even computer area – she defaults to family workouts.
