OpenAire Aquatics Municipal Plunge 07 2The festive season has come and gone, hopefully leaving you with some great memories! But, probably also leaving a few less desirable side effects after all that celebration, such as an extra pound or two, and jeans that you could have sworn fit you fine just a month ago. January is the month of resolutions, and getting into shape for the year ahead. You probably have some fitness resolutions in mind to slim down and tone up. We would like to help you accomplish them with these five steps. In particular, we encourage you to embrace the multiple fitness benefits of swimming by finding a YMCA that has a pool with a retractable roof enclosure, offering you year-round access.

Step 1: Get Real and Specific

It doesn’t help to just stare at yourself in the mirror and berate yourself. Rather, get scientific about it and express your weight loss or fitness desires in real, numerical terms. You might want to lose ten pounds or just be able to swim ten pool lengths. Be specific and objective. Leave the despair and self-blame behind. You need to find the right place for you - the right facility that will help you take control of your fitness. Your nearest YMCA - one that includes a swimming pool - is the ideal choice. YMCAs offer a broad range of exercise program options to ensure that you stay active while keeping your routine fresh and varied. Making the swimming pool a central part of your routine will be extremely beneficial.  

Step 2: Set Your Goal

With your general weight-loss needs in mind, you can now set your specific, time-bound goal. Don’t put it too far out of your reach. You can afford to be less ambitious than you think. Setting too high a goal might only end up demotivating and discouraging you a little further down the line. As a general guideline, you only need to cut down your weight by between 5 and 15 percent at first. This will already make you feel better and improve your health. You can relook your goal after that, but it is best to tackle the battle of the bulge incrementally. 

Step 3: Set Your Exercise Program 

If losing weight is your main goal, then what you need is a program that emphasizes aerobic activity. However, resistance training is also a vital aid to weight loss, so make sure you throw that in too. In fact, you could choose an exercise that combines aerobic exercise with resistance training, as well as adding a number of different benefits, such as swimming. Swimming is perhaps the most well-rounded, multi-beneficial exercise there is. Your YMCA will be able to offer you a wealth of excellent fat-burning exercises, from HIIT to cycling. Choose one or a few that suit you and, no matter what else you do, include swimming in your regimen. 

Step 4: Plan for Year-Round Swimming

With that in mind, make swimming a part of your routine throughout the coming year. It will not only help you lose the weight you’re planning to get rid of but it will also tone up your entire body. The result? You will feel much healthier and fitter. And, there is no need to stop once you’ve reached your goal. Swimming is a great habit and could easily be worked into your daily routine. Why not make time in your schedule to do a few lengths in the pool every time you visit the YMCA?

Step 5: Create a Good Workout Mix

Both for the initial weight-loss and/or fitness goals, as well as for ongoing maintenance, it’s essential to have a good mix of aerobics and resistance training. Make sure that you follow a routine that has the right mix for you. You can alternate between running and free-weight training, for example. Or, if you are short on time and want a good combination of both types of exercise, simply get in the pool. Swimming is the best all-round exercise solution and will keep the weight off, tone your muscles, and improve your cardiovascular health.

OpenAire is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of custom retractable roof enclosures and operable skylights. We build and design both fixed and retractable enclosures for swimming pools, having transformed many YMCA aquatic facilities across North America. Contact us for more information.

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If you manage a YMCA or other type of facility with a swimming pool, then you may be wondering how you can take your establishment to the next level. Retractable pool enclosures can significantly improve the experience that you are able to offer your patrons. Here’s why:

Improved air quality

With a roof that can retract, you are able to open the facility and let in fresh air in a way that other establishments with swimming pools can’t. Instead of relying on an air handling system that merely recycles the indoor air back into the facility or windows and doors, give your guests access to fresh air while they swim and relax. This fresh air will also be much appreciated to staff who spend all day in these facilities.

Sunlight

Imagine the difference in experience if you are swimming laps in a pool with artificial lighting versus natural lighting. Retractable pool enclosures give guests access to the outdoors when the weather is good, but it also shields them against bad weather. Let your guests swim in natural light and be able to see the sky, clouds, trees, and surrounding area while they swim in your pristine pool. The best part is that you can offer this experience all year round – even in winter!

Our swimming pool enclosure experience and projects

OpenAire is the world’s premier designer, manufacturer, and installer of custom aluminium retractable roof enclosures and skylights. For more information on our work with YMCAs, visit our YMCA page.

Founded in 1989, OpenAire has completed approaching 1,000 projects that are found in distinctive venues around the globe. We work with municipalities, not-for-profits, boys and girls clubs, architects, developers, investors, contractors, construction managers, independent buildings, and property owners to ensure your retractable pool enclosure project is seamless, from concept to completion. Contact us for more information about our collaborative design process.

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The YMCA, one of the worlds largest not for profit organizations, is competing with municipalities and other for profit recreation centres to meet the needs of their community, and as such many need to up their game. YMCA’s put nearly all revenue back into the organization, so when looking for ways to improve your facility, it needs to be something that can bring in more people so you can give back more to the community in which you operate.

A retractable pool roof is arguably the single biggest change you can make to set your establishment apart from the rest. You will be able to get the most out of your swimming pool, satisfy guests, and reduce operating costs as compared to a traditional pool building by installing a retractable pool roof. Here are three ways that it can increase your revenue:

With a retractable roof, you don’t have to close your pool during the cooler winter months nor cancel or offer only seasonal programming. The retractable roof will shield your guests from foul weather so that they can enjoy your pool all year round and allows you to expand your programs to further meet the needs of the community you serve.

Remember when, as a child, you used to hate rainy days because it meant you couldn’t go outside to play or swim? With a retractable pool roof, rainy days can be fun days for the whole family.

OpenAire enclosures attract and delight guests by satisfying the human craving to be outdoors. Our indoor-outdoor designs offers the best of both worlds: being able to move around in a sunlight environment with perfect swimming conditions while not being subject to harsh weather outside.

OpenAire has been in business for over 30 years and can participate in your project from design to manufacturing, through to construction and installation. This includes providing architectural and engineering services and service support. In addition through our global network we can offer operations support, financial/investment planning, business planning and other design build support to help you accomplish your mission. We also offer the best full warranty in the industry. For more information, contact us today.

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