Rec Center Offers Free Wellness Assessments

A public recreation center in Kansas is offering free wellness assessments to help motivate their members to reach their fitness goals.

The Lenexa Rec Center (featured in our 2018 Architectural Showcase), has been giving members a 60-minute wellness assessment annually since the facility opened in 2017, according to the Shawnee Mission Post. 

The assessments include a basic fitness test, an InBody health scan, and a talk with staff about a member’s fitness goals. Rec center staff utilize the information they gather and show members equipment and exercises that will help them meet their goals.

Facility manager John Forbis told the Mission Post that only about 10 percent of rec center members take advantage of this free service, but he hopes that the number of participants grows.

“The biggest benefit we see is sustainability of whatever program these members are looking to achieve,” Forbis told the Mission Post. “So if they’ve got specific goals, when you have a metric to track and you can see your results, that’s going to give you a little more motivation, that buy-in, to keep carrying out the program that you’re doing.”

Lenexa offers wellness assessments to non-members and members who request an additional assessment for $45. These kinds of assessments are common at fitness facilities, because they can facilitate personal training sales. 

According to Forbis, however, Lenexa’s approach is less about generating revenue than it is about integrating members.

“It’s a great way to jumpstart your gym membership, and it’s a good way to get involved with the facility in terms of meeting the staff and creating that baseline of individuals that you can reach out to for assistance or help, if need be, down the road,” he said.