If you enjoy exercising at the North Royalton Family YMCA (and keeping up with your New Year’s resolution to get fit), here’s some news to really get your heart pumping.
Starting this spring, gym-goers will see new equipment installed to further enhance their workouts and exercising experience.
Members may have noticed that the large wellness desk has been removed from the first floor of the State Road facility. The move came to make room for a Freedom Climber climbing wall that will be installed to the existing wall, said newly named Executive Director Jeff Jacko. Those with a fear of heights need not be afraid; the Freedom Climber offers all the benefits of a climbing wall without the nerve-racking height. According to its website, the Freedom Climber is “powered by you,” and rotates just inches off the floor with the action of climbing and the climber’s weight.
For those who enjoy a good sweat session on a stationary bike, six Expresso Bikes are also coming to the main floor. The bikes allow for High Intensity Interval Training gaming, studio cycling interactive classes and road racing via a visually stunning touchscreen. In addition, the facility’s step machines will be replaced with Intenza Escalate Stair Climbers. The sleek silver and black machines will offer users loads of variations in speed, incline and settings.
A Torque Fitness X-Rack will also make its debut in the first-floor free weight room, Jacko said. The feature-packed X-Rack system can be customized for a variety of training moves like squats, lifting, pull-ups and more. Also coming is a Synrgy360 group training unit ideal for small-group sessions, one-on-one personal training and individuals hungry to mix up their exercise routine.
And if you’ve ever dared to do the super-human and flip tires like those you see doing CrossFit and participating in beastly bootcamps and high-stakes obstacle races, you can get ready to do it at the North Royalton Family YMCA. A Marpo Functional Tire Trainer will be installed that gives users the chance to further up their fitness game. According to its webpage, the Marpo Functional Tire Trainer targets the entire body providing cardio, strength, power and athletic training. The tire trainer will be set up on the fitness floor where the machine equipment is, Jacko said.
Members can expect minimal disruptions as all the new fitness equipment gets moved in, installed and bolted down, officials said.
“I’m eager to get it moving,” Jacko said. “There’s been a lot of clutter and issues with space, so this will really increase safety. The pieces we’ve ordered will be more supportive for our member base. When I came on board, it was how can we be of better service to the North Royalton community.”
Jacko has been at his new post as Executive Director for four months and replaced former director Brandon Bussey, who transferred to the YMCA of Central Stark County to be closer to home.
Though talks are in infant stages, there’s also discussion of possibly adding an interactive gaming screen to the first-floor gymnasium and transforming a multi-purpose staff room into a space for supervised gaming, like that of the “Plugged-In Room” at the French Creek Family YMCA in Avon. Officials are looking into the feasibility of the upgrade.
By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer