Challenge Fitness plans to reach more elderly centers
Challenge Fitness — a boutique gym in Santurce — is planning an expansion of a pilot program to reach elderly centers in and beyond the San Juan metro area with recreational activities.
In November 2021, the gym signed a contract for the program with Multidisciplinary Psychological Services, a group of psychology clinics in Puerto Rico with an office in Guaynabo that offer their services to elderly homes and other parts of the community, Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of Challenge Fitness, Michael Cheverez, told News is my Business.
“Using our experience with them as a reference, we’re using this year as a test and by summer we’re going sign up two new homes,” he said.
“Right now, I’m going to different places, taking their experiences, criticism and other things to see in which areas we can improve and be able to continue working toward the proposal that we have designed,” said Cheverez.
The centers currently receiving the services are: Hogar Somos Familia and Hogar Aurora in San Juan; Hogar Hacienda El Quijote in Bayamon; Hogar Edad Dorada Posada De Amor and Hogar I Love You Lord in Guaynabo; Hogar Paraíso Plateado in Morovis; Hogar Paraíso De Mis Padres in Vega Baja; and Hogar Bendición Dorada in Río Grande.
Challenge Fitness currently has three trainers licensed by the Puerto Rico Department of Sports and Recreation to work with the elderly or as recreational leaders and Cheverez said he is currently searching for additional licensed trainers to work for the program.
“The activities would be varied, but among them, some for balance, coordination and those who have the recreation license, to do paper crafts, among other things, depending on the type of people in the center,” said Cheverez.
He also explained that he sends a document beforehand that breaks down the center’s capacity, its members, and their conditions, as well as limitations to make a “well prepared plan” for them and know how much equipment to take.
Costs per session may vary depending on the center’s location, how often they would receive the services, as well as the number of participants. As many as 15 people could participate per session.
In addition, the gym invested $20,000 in equipment that includes new exercise machinery, like the InBody device and functional training equipment, such as kettlebells, dumbbells, hip thrust machine, slam balls, and others, he said.
Challenge Fitness also launched a new food preparation service for its facility, also known as “meal prep,” to help meet customers’ nutritional needs and a new “juice bar” with supplements, shakes, coffee, and fruit.
The menu, which changes weekly and is designed by a licensed nutritionist, offers portions that adjust to physical training objectives by balancing protein, carbohydrate, and fat content.
Lastly, the company has increased its team of certified trainers to five, and Cheverez projects the growth of the workforce with the creation of additional jobs during the remainder of 2022.
