Welcyon, Fitness After 50 Sets Sights on The Coachella Valley

(Franchise Buy) - By . Updated Jan 17, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Welcyon, Fitness After 50 Sets Sights on The Coachella Valley

EDINA, Minn. – The Coachella Valley’s nearly 200,000 people over the age of 50 may soon have a place of their own to exercise – Welcyon, Fitness After 50.

As a health club designed specifically for those 50 or older, Welcyon  promises a better experience and healthier results than traditional gyms, citing its specially trained staff, safer user-friendly equipment and personalized workout and nutrition plans – all delivered in a smaller, comfortable setting that contrasts with oversized, overcrowded big-box gyms.

With four clubs already open and operating in the Upper Midwest – including Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota – Welcyon is looking to expand its national footprint and open as many as six locations in the valley over the next few years.

Targeted areas include Palm Springs, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, LaQuinta, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.

“Our personalized approach to fitness and nutrition coaching is redefining how America ages and will no doubt be welcomed in the valley,” said George Henry, Welcyon’s Senior Vice President of Franchise Development, who will be in Palm Springs February 5-7 to meet with prospective franchise owners and discuss the company’s local expansion plans in more detail. 

According to Henry, about 40 percent of the valley’s population is over the age of 50 and, while they want to live healthier, traditional gyms don’t offer the direction, support and sense of community they are looking for at this stage in their lives. “Welcyon changes that by providing a place that’s a better fit, a place where you can get stronger, leaner, re-energized and feel the best you have in years,” he added. 

Welcyon clubs feature a structured fitness program consisting of strength and cardiovascular training, as well as stretching and balance exercises. Workouts are guided by specially trained fitness coaches on equipment that uses air instead of traditional weight stacks to create resistance and build strength. Adding high tech to the high touch, the strength-training equipment is powered by Smart Card technology that tracks each member’s workout and measures progress. Each machine greets the member by name, sets the resistance, counts reps and adjusts the workouts, making them progressively more challenging as the member improves.

In addition to personalized exercise programs, members are paired with a registered dietician and receive customized nutrition and meal plans as well as ongoing counseling aligned with their specific health goals, such as weight loss, improved sports performance or better management of chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

The clubs also feature an area for social activities and wellness workshops covering such topics as healthy eating, brain fitness and better sleep.

“To succeed in the $22 billion health club industry you need a concept with a crisp, clear, differentiated proposition – and Welcyon provides it,” George said. “The baby boomer population is one that is incredibly underserved. No other health club chain is expressly designed for the needs of adults over 50.”

To contact Henry or for more information, call (952) 873-7917 or visit www.welcyon.com/PalmSprings. 

About Welcyon, Fitness After 50

Founded in 2009 by healthcare executives and active aging experts Tom and Suzy Boerboom, and partner Paul Contris, Welcyon, Fitness After 50, is an up-and-coming franchisor of health clubs for adults over 50. The company has carved a niche in the $22 billion health club industry with a concept that caters specifically to the exploding baby boomer market and its desire for healthier and more active lives. Based in Minneapolis, Welcyon has locations in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota, and is expanding nationwide via franchising. For more information, visit www.welcyon.com.

# # #