Do you go to the gym? Or have you before? I had bouts in my high school in college years where I went for a while but fell off both times. Now, I'm far too nervous to start going again.
This is a feeling shared by tons of folks, and is even more common among older people. Thankfully, there are those who wish to change that and get older people moving in a safe space!
For those who don't go regularly, it's a pretty intimidating place, and it becomes even moreso when someone wants to start attending. Where do they start? What will they do? Will they be stared at?
This is amplified among older people, who may not feel to keen about navigating a gym full of young jocks.
Having once worked as Chris Hemsworth's personal trainer, Freeman founded a chain of gyms called Club Active that doesn't allow anyone born after 1970 to join.
As he puts it, he's made a 'safe space for boomers'.
Freeman spoke to news.com.au about why he chose to create a space for this particular crowd, saying,"Mainstream gyms are certainly not designed to support this age group, nor are they overly welcoming, which often impacts their motivation for and ability to exercise comfortably and regularly."
“The truth is, the traditional gym environment can often be intimidating for the ageing population which is why I set out to create a space that was welcoming, supportive and fun and catered specifically to their needs.
"Having parents in the active Baby Boomer space, it was important for me to ensure that they could change the way they exercise – and that they had a space where they felt comfortable to do so.”
He says he wanted to create an alternative to retirement being "something where you end up seeing doctor, after doctor, after doctor and not enjoying yourself".
The now seven locations seem to be doing quite well, and when asked if he's had any criticisms from millennials, he said, "A little bit but I’m okay with that."
h/t: LADbible
