At Penance, our female clients outnumber our male clients almost 3-to-1.
And if you asked each woman what she gets from training in our gym, you would get a lot of answers that also have a common theme running through them.
We solve a problem for them.
There are 4 major problems that we solve – time, direction, inclusion, and independence. These are not small problems. Women come to us listing these problems as the barriers preventing them from reaching their goals.
There is no way around it. Women are the backbone of our society.
They are wives, mothers, teachers, first responders, CEO’s and more. They are the primary care-takers in their families – both for young children and aging parents (many times simultaneously). They run households and family schedules. As my grandmother used to say, they are “nurse-maid, bottle-washer, chef, chauffeur, and diaper-wiper.”
And it can be pretty lonely being in charge of everything for everyone.
I’m not saying that service to her loved ones doesn’t fill up a part of her soul. But every once in a while, she needs to get out of the house and have a conversation with a real human adult. She wants to make girl-friends and enjoy the company of other women like herself.
At our most basic level, we humans are social creatures. We have an innate, biological need to be a part of something outside of ourselves. And when we don’t get the social interaction that we need, studies have shown that we can develop real health issues.
Depression, anxiety and even diseases like dementia and other brain-related disorders have been attributed to loneliness and isolation.
Women with an over-abundance of responsibility, women who are the primary, on-demand care-givers for aging parents and small children, and women without family close by need to find ways to meet new people.
The problem is, that as adults, we don’t have the same opportunities to make new friends as we did when we were kids. Some jobs require regular travel, relocation across the country – or even isolation with a work-from-home position. Communities offer few – if any – opportunities for adult activities. Some people don’t attend religious services. Neighborhoods are being built without sidewalks and there are fewer and fewer community parks. There’s no guarantee that you’re going to build a bond with the parents of your kids’ friends. Even walking into a 24-hour access gym shows rows of people with headphones on, restricting opportunities to strike up a conversation – or a friendship.
So, we step in to help.
We set the tone for inclusion by starting with our consultation. Before she even begins her first training session, we help each woman create the foundation of a trusting relationship with our coaching staff.
Even with her first training session, she begins to interact with new people with whom she shares common likes and wellness goals.
There are no rows of people with headphones zoning out. Every interaction inside Penance Gym is coach led. During her joint-by-joint assessment and throughout her personal training sessions, the coach has a plan for her. When she walks in the door her coach engages with her to learn everything they can about her. The more we understand where our female clients are coming from, the better prepared we are to meet her needs and direct her to where she wants to go.
As she moves into group classes, becomes more competent in moving her body, develops confidence in her movements and attends glasses more regularly, she begins to develop and deepen relationships with the others in class with her.
The group class environment offers a plethora of opportunities for interaction. Regardless of which class time they attend, these women can expect a friendly, welcoming environment with joking, laughing and ready support from their peers.
There are no rows of headphone-covered bodies at Penance. Each member of the group is fully present and engaging from the moment they walk in the door to their final good-byes after class.
We know that physical movement is tantamount to lifelong health and well-being. But too often we overlook the mental and emotional aspects of complete health and wellness. And training the mind and the spirit go hand-in-hand with training the muscles and the body.
If these women sound a little bit like you, send us a message or click that “Free Intro” button. Tell us what you’ve been struggling with and what goals you’re trying to achieve. We’d love to help you get there.