Richard Cumelis, founder of the Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, leads an early morning hike at the First Creek Trail on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. Cumelis highlighted that the group isn’t about dieting or trying to become thin, but rather enjoying life through a healthy outlet. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, founder of Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, leads an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. Cumelis highlights that the group isn’t about dieting or trying to become thin, but rather enjoying life through a healthy outlet such as hiking. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Overweight Hikers for Health group members, from left, Sarah Alderks, 43, and Richard Cumelis, 59, take a rest after hiking the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. Cumelis highlights that the group isn’t about dieting or trying to become thin, but rather enjoying life through a healthy outlet. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health group members, from right, Ronna Reed, 59, and Sarah Alderks, 43, observe the rock formations during a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health group member, Ronna Reed, 59, climbs downhill during a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health group members, from right, Ronna Reed, 59, Sarah Alderks, 43, and Kurt Weber, 69 climb downhill during a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health group member, Ronna Reed, 59, walks over rocks during a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, founder of Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, observes a group of wild burros during an early morning hike at the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
William Miller, 65, observes a couple of wild burros during an early morning hike at the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Sarah Alderks, 43, takes a photo of the scenery during an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
The Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health take an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, founder of Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, places his walkie-talkie back on his belt during an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, founder of the Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, 59, talks to his wife Nel Cumelis, 58, over a walkie-talkie during an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, front left, founder of the Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health, 59, points out a different trail to Kurt Weber, front right, 69, during a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Richard Cumelis, founder of The Overweight Hikers for Health, 59, waits for the rest of the group to catch up during a hike at the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
The Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health take an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
The Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health group members pose for a photo before taking an early morning hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Nel Cumelis, left facing, and Richard Cumelis, right facing, provide the rest of the group with some information before starting a hike on the First Creek Trailhead on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Amaya Edwards/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @amayaedw5
Maybe the name isn’t technically accurate anymore, at least when it comes to most of its members.
But calling the Meetup group Overweight Hikers for Health still is an effective way of telegraphing to newcomers exactly what it is about: sociable hiking in the great outdoors, with a laid-back focus aimed more at having fun than just crazily ticking off miles walked.
Besides, that name, and the group it describes, did grow out of the weight-battling experience of Richard Cumelis, who founded OHH in July 2013.
Cumelis had retired from the U.S. Air Force about five years earlier after 25 years of service and was experiencing, he now recognizes, “horrible depression.”
“I was highly successful in the Air Force,” he says. “The world outside the military was tough for me.”
He eventually put on over 100 pounds. “The doctor told me I’d be dead in a year,” he says.
Cumelis began to look for a way to incorporate more physical activity into his life. He always enjoyed hiking but was uncomfortable about going alone, fearing what would happen if he suffered a medical episode or accident on the trail. He also feared the embarrassment of slowing down physically fit hikers in other hiking groups because he was so out of shape.
“If I went 100 yards I was gasping for air,” Cumelis says.
‘It just grew and grew’
His therapist suggested that Cumelis create a group for hikers like himself — average, maybe out-of-shape newcomers who might enjoy hiking but wouldn’t feel comfortable joining more advanced hiking groups. He figured group members could support one another and maybe even motivate each other to start out on the path to a more active lifestyle.
Four people showed up in August 2013 for the first hike of what Cumelis named Overweight Hikers for Health. “Then it just grew and grew and became its own thing,” he says.
OHH now has nearly 5,000 people who have signed up on Meetup and about 300 active members, Cumelis says. The group holds leader-led hikes — typically two to four each week — at local hiking hot spots, including Red Rock Canyon, Mount Charleston and Lake Mead. It also organizes hikes and camping trips outside of Las Vegas at destinations that include Zion National Park in Utah, as well as occasional camping trips.
Hikes range from relatively easy walks of a mile or two to more challenging jaunts. And while some members do join to lose weight, others simply appreciate the group’s welcoming vibe and the hikes’ easygoing pace.
The goal is not to force-feed diet and health on people, Cumelis says, but to accommodate members wherever they happen to be in their fitness journey.
That “overweight” descriptor in the name is “meant to be non-intimidating,” Cumelis says. Most members aren’t even necessarily overweight, he adds, and include, for example, people recovering from injuries or surgeries.
Shared love of the outdoors
If there is a common denominator, it’s that members enjoy spending time outdoors with sociable people. Cumelis estimates at least three marriages have occurred within the group, and many friendships have been formed.
Vern Quever joined about four years ago and has been serving as a hike leader for just over two years. He was drawn to it in part by the group’s camping trips.
“I’ve done a few camping trips, but not as many as I’d like,” he says.
Quever also has been a hike leader for other organizations’ hikes and has noticed that OHH’s hikes tend to attract a more physically diverse crowd.
“Sometimes we’ll have slower people, which can be a little tricky,” he says. “I’ll wait. Sometimes slower people feel bad about waiting. I’ll tell them I enjoy waiting.”
‘It’s so welcoming’
Elsa Olson has loved to hike ever since going on organized hikes while attending college in California. But after school, during marriage and while rearing her children, hiking became “part of my life that was missing.”
After her divorce in 2017, Olson searched online for a leader-facilitated hiking group — “I didn’t want to get lost in the woods,” she says — and discovered OHH.
Her children were 15 and 18 then. “I reached out and asked Richard if my son and daughter could come and he said, ‘Sure, as long as they can keep up’ ” she says.
“It’s so welcoming to have different levels of hiking ability,” Olson says. “The hike leaders have radios and oversee each hike, keeping an eye on slower walkers.”
Olson also credits OHH with helping her kids develop a love of the outdoors. They’re now in their 20s, she says, and hikes with the group “helped them discover that in the valley year-round you can go hiking.”
Cumelis says OHH does serve as a way to introduce newcomers to hiking and the outdoors. It also can serve as an introduction to a healthy activity.
Overcoming intimidation factor
Dr. Gaurav Zirath, a family medicine physician with Southwest Medical, says hiking could be a way to contribute to the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity recommended for adults each week.
In addition to the physical benefits hiking would provide, research has shown that physical activity “decreases the risk of anxiety and depression and improves mental health, and that walking is a great way to get it,” he says.
Hiking with a group also can offer motivation to start and continue an activity, Zirath says. It also can help reduce the intimidation some people experience when starting a program of physical activity.
“Once you break down that intimidation barrier, people tend to do better, and they have a better chance (of maintaining it) for a longer period of time,” Zirath says. “And social interaction certainly helps.”
Even if the Overweight Hikers for Health name isn’t completely accurate, Olson thinks it works just fine.
“I think what our name does is make it less threatening for people who join,” she says. “If you’ve never done it before, and people are anxious to do it the first time … saying ‘overweight’ makes it less threatening.”
How to join a hike
Las Vegas Overweight Hikers for Health can be found at meetup.com/las-vegas-overweight-hikers-for-health.
Following the lessons of the pandemic, 24 Hour Fitness is updating their brand identity and switching their approach to fitness. Their new initiative, Strength in 24, looks to build a more complete, holistic approach to exercising.
“The past few years have really tested the strength of our members in ways we would never have imagined,” said Karl Sanft, the president and CEO of 24 Hour Fitness in a statement. “Inspired by the resilience of our members, we developed our Strength in 24 initiative to celebrate our member community. I love the idea that we are all moving together into the future with a new definition of fitness, one that includes mental as well as physical elements.”
24 Hour is aiming to redefine what it means to be fit, strong and healthy. This can be seen through their new partnerships, programs and services such as, complimentary three-month subscriptions to Headspace; MODUS mind/body small group training program; HIIT+mindfulness program P.A.S.E. Factor; and industry partnerships such as those with nutrition, supplement, and wellness provider Nutrishop.
Another way 24 Hour Fitness is prioritizing holistic wellness is through their partnership with iCRYO.
Together the two brands have created a one-stop health and fitness destination inside the 24 Hour Fitness Parker Arapahoe club in Aurora, Colorado. The iCRYO Wellness Center offers whole-body cryotherapy, compression therapy, and PBM red light therapy, plus IV vitamin and hydration therapy, to boost recovery and athletic performance, pre- or post-workout.
“Mind and body health is a priority for most people, and we’re excited to offer these additional services to help everyone lead their healthiest, happiest lives,” said Ben Randall, the regional vice president of 24 Hour Fitness in a statement. “From destressing after work or recovery from a workout or training session, the new iCRYO Wellness Center will provide some of the best recovery options in a space that can help people relax and recuperate from daily pressures and improve fitness performance.”
Overall, the Strength in 24 initiative has potential to impact many lives. A poll by the American Psychiatric Association reported in 2022, one-quarter of Americans made a new year’s resolution to improve their mental health. Making the need for more holistic wellness programs high in demand for years to come.
Photo courtesy of 24 Hour Fitness.
The post 24 Hour Fitness Launches New Approach to Holistic Fitness appeared first on Club Solutions Magazine.
Until recently, bone and muscle strength have been thought to be the result of two things: drinking milk and exercising regularly. Thanks to research out of Japan, this might not always be the case. Researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have identified a chemical compound capable of replicating certain exercise benefits.
Locamidazole was born out of a desire to improve bone frailty and prevent reduced locomotion in people who are unable to exercise. In search of the right treatment, the researchers developed their own method of monitoring muscle and bone cell health. They used this method to test 296 chemical compounds for their effects on the proliferation and differentiation of myocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Eight total compounds were found to improve cell health and differentiation. Of these, one compound was capable of enhancing myoblast and osteoblast function, thus boosting muscle and bone tissue growth. This compound was given the name locamidazole, or LAMZ.
(Photo: Harlie Raethel/Unsplash)
The team then tested the effects of LAMZ in mice by administering the drug orally. While the drug didn’t cause any evident side effects, it did successfully increase muscle fiber width, maximal muscle strength, and bone formation in treated mice. It also lowered the animals’ bone resorption activity. Better yet, LAMZ was found to mimic calcium and PGC-1α signaling pathways, which typically activate during physical exercise and help to maintain muscle and bone tissue. When administered orally and subcutaneously to mice with sarcopenia and osteoporosis (diseases resulting in muscle and bone tissue loss), the drug reduced locomotive frailty by improving and reinforcing cell health.
Despite its ability to mimic exercise in certain ways, LAMZ isn’t a weight loss drug. While many of us have found ourselves wishing at least once for a magic pill that could effectively eliminate the need for dieting and exercise, that’s still a bit reachy. In fact, the researchers explicitly write that “this treatment did not affect body weight.” But that was never the point. People with physical disabilities, cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and other conditions are often unable to participate in the level of physical activity necessary to maintain proper muscle and bone health, which is essential to preventing further locomotive restriction and disease. If a drug like LAMZ becomes commercially available, it could help preserve the physical health of those who are unable to use traditional methods (i.e. exercise) to keep their muscles and bones in tip-top shape.
According to Dr Marisa Wan, MD, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Aging is linked to hardening of the arteries and a decrease in ventricular compliance. (1) Lack of regular exercise is also associated with sarcopenia, metabolic syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, hypertension, stroke, congestive heart failure, endothelial dysfunction, arterial dyslipidemia, hemostasis, deep vein thrombosis, cognitive dysfunction, depression and anxiety, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, balance, bone fracture/falls, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, polycystic ovary syndrome, erectile dysfunction, pain, diverticulitis, constipation, and gallbladder diseases. (2)
Studies conducted in 2014 on the amount of exercise adults performed showed inactivity increases with age. The study showed that 25% of those between the ages of 50-64 are inactive, 27% of those between the ages of 64-74 are inactive, and that jumps dramatically in people over the age of 75 where a least 35% are inactive.
However, we all know cardiovascular and resistance training can reduce risk factors and increase heart health which contributes to healthy aging. Exercise also helps to improve core stability which in turn reduces the risk of falls. Aerobic activity increases blood flow to the brain which improves cognitive function. Although their abilities could be limited in fragile, elderly clients, movement with modifications will help to make them more functional for daily activities. This will contribute to maintaining independence and mobility of seniors.
Be Active for Healthy Aging
It is never too late to become active and earn healthy aging! People over the age of 50 should be aiming for a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercises, such as brisk walking or light jogging. Resistance training should be done 2-3 days a week at an intensity of 50 – 60 % for 15 to 30 minutes to start depending on the level of current fitness. Increase time to 30 to 40 minutes depending on ability and health conditions.
Just remember that any physical activity is better than no activity and given time it will provide health benefits and improve quality of life. Do whatever you can manage initially based on your ability and your doctor’s advice. Ensure you hire a qualified, elite personal trainer to develop and modify an appropriate exercise prescription along with your physician and other health professionals. Healthy aging can be yours with an exercise program.
The study, which involved almost 200,000 men and women in South Africa, found coronavirus vaccination effectively prevented severe illness in most of them. But it worked best in people who exercised regularly. They wound up about 25 percent less likely to be hospitalized with covid than sedentary people, although everyone received the same vaccine.
“I think this study adds to the growing evidence that, along with vaccination, daily physical activity is the single most important thing you can do to prevent severe COVID-19 outcomes,” said Robert Sallis, a family and sports medicine doctor at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center in California and former president of the American College of Sports Medicine. He has researched covid and exercise but was not involved with the new study.
A wealth of research in the past year has shown that being active and fit substantially lowers your risk of becoming seriously ill if you develop covid. Sallis led a study, for instance, of almost 50,000 Californians who tested positive for the coronavirus before vaccines were available. Those who had regularly walked or otherwise worked out before falling ill were about half as likely to need hospitalization as sedentary people.
So, for the new study, which was just published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers in Johannesburg gathered anonymized records of almost 200,000 men and women from the nation’s largest health insurer.
The records included information about people’s vaccinations, covid outcomes and exercise habits, gleaned from activity trackers and gym visits. Because the health insurer gave people points and prizes for being active, the study subjects tended to scrupulously record each workout.
The researchers first broadly compared the vaccinated and unvaccinated. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was the only available option then.) As expected, the unvaccinated developed covid and became seriously ill in much larger numbers than the vaccinated.
This study was associational, though, meaning it shows links between activity and covid outcomes. While it does not prove that being active causes vaccines to be more effective, the links were consistent and the effects large, Patricios said.
Perhaps most encouraging, “I do not think it is ever too late” to start exercising, he said. Been inactive? A stroll today should begin prepping your immune system to respond with greater fervor to your next vaccination or covid exposure. “Plus,” he pointed out, “you don’t need a prescription, and it’s free.”
Starting October 24, Apple Fitness+, the award-winning fitness and wellness service designed to be welcoming to all, will be available for iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch.
On October 24, Fitness+ will be available for all iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy in the 21 countries it is offered in, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch.
With iOS 16.1, Fitness+ will be fully integrated with the Fitness app and located in the middle tab, available in all 21 countries where the service is offered.
The same day, music by Taylor Swift will be available in the service for the first time ever, beginning with a dedicated solo Artist Spotlight series featuring newly released songs from her album “Midnights,” out October 21. Fitness+ will also introduce a new workout program, Yoga for Every Runner, featuring one of the world’s top ultramarathon athletes, Scott Jurek, and led by Fitness+ Yoga trainer Jessica Skye. Time to Walk will also add new guests, including Emmy-winning actor Hannah Waddingham, globally renowned singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, and former astronaut and colonel Eileen M. Collins. Fitness+ will also introduce three new Collections: Totally ’80s Cycling, Best Mindful Cooldowns for Athletes, and 14-Day HIIT and Strength Challenge.
This year, there are even more ways to get started with Fitness+ with new special offers from SilverSneakers, Target, UnitedHealthcare, and Mobile Health, and for the first time ever, customers can now receive three free months of Fitness+ with the purchase of a new iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV.
“We built Fitness+ to be the most inclusive and welcoming fitness service in the world, and the response from our users has been overwhelmingly positive. We wanted the amazing impact of Fitness+ to reach iPhone users, and with special offers from partners like SilverSneakers, Target, and UnitedHealthcare, it’s easier than ever to get started on your health and fitness journey,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of Fitness Technologies. “Whether users want to get outside and go for a walk with Time to Walk, improve their running with ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, or get moving to one of their favorite artists, like Taylor Swift, there really is something for everyone to stay motivated.”
Fitness+ Available for iPhone Users
Starting October 24, for the first time ever, Fitness+ will be available for iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy in the 21 countries it is offered in, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch. iPhone users will have access to the entire service featuring over 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations, all led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. Users will also see onscreen trainer guidance and interval timing, and estimated calories burned will be used to make progress on their Move ring.
With iOS 16.1, Fitness+ will be fully integrated with the Fitness app and located in the middle tab, where users can already stay motivated to close their Move ring through coaching, awards, activity sharing, and more. Users only need an iPhone to sign up, and can then experience Fitness+ on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Fitness+ subscribers without Apple TV can use AirPlay to stream workouts or meditations on compatible third-party devices, and all AirPlay-enabled Roku devices will see onscreen metrics for additional motivation next month.
Fitness+ users with an Apple Watch can continue to take their motivation to the next level with personalized real-time metrics that display on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, as well as the ability to experience Time to Walk, Time to Run, and meditations with just their Apple Watch paired with Bluetooth-enabled headphones.
iPhone users will have access to the entire Fitness+ library featuring over 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations, all led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. Users will also see onscreen trainer guidance and interval timing, and estimated calories burned will be used to make progress on their Move ring.
Artist Spotlight with Taylor Swift
Starting October 24, music by Taylor Swift will be available in the service for the first time ever, beginning with a dedicated solo Artist Spotlight series featuring newly released songs from her album “Midnights,” out October 21. The series dedicates an entire workout playlist to a single artist, and every Monday for three weeks, new workouts featuring music by Taylor Swift will appear across workout types including Core, Cycling, Dance, HIIT, Pilates, Rowing, Strength, Treadmill, and Yoga.
To celebrate the theme of “Midnights,” the first three workouts will feature special themed lighting, and the Fitness+ trainers will highlight the artist in fun and creative ways. In a Treadmill workout, the first letter of each coaching tip by Fitness+ trainer Scott Carvin will combine to spell “SWIFTIE.” In a HIIT workout, Fitness+ trainer Anja Garcia will coach users through 13-second intervals to lean into Swift’s affinity for the number 13.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ music will be featured in Apple Fitness+ workouts
Yoga for Every Runner with Scott Jurek
Cross-training is essential to runners of all levels, as it may help improve speed and strength, and help prevent injury. Fitness+ will introduce a new workout program, Yoga for Every Runner, featuring and designed with Scott Jurek, one of the world’s top ultramarathon athletes and an author, and led by Fitness+ Yoga trainer Jessica Skye. Inspired by Scott’s approach and integration of yoga, this program is designed to improve running posture, balance, and mobility. Users can do each 10-minute Yoga flow as a warmup, a recovery stretch, or mixed with other workouts from the Fitness+ library. As with all Fitness+ studio workouts, modifications are shown so users can enjoy the workouts at their own level.
“Throughout my running career, I have pushed my body and mind to new limits by running longer distances and exploring trails and roads around the world. Having optimal strength, flexibility, stability, and balance is crucial to running efficiently, and yoga is one of the many ways I get the most out of my body and become a more holistic runner,” said Jurek. “Whether people are new to running or seasoned veterans, I hope these 10-minute workouts in this program on Fitness+ will help users feel more confident and comfortable incorporating yoga into their training and recovery.”
Workout programs on Fitness+ — such as Workouts for Beginners, Workouts for Older Adults, Stay Active During Pregnancy, and Get Ready for Snow Season — feature custom content designed to support users through a season of life or help them prepare for important moments.
Time to Walk
Starting on October 24, Fitness+ will also introduce new episodes of Time to Walk, beginning with Hannah Waddingham. Time to Walk is an inspiring audio experience on iPhone and Apple Watch, designed to help people walk more often, featuring some of the world’s most interesting and influential people who share stories, photos, and music with Fitness+ users. Waddingham is known for her performances on the West End, garnering three Olivier Award nominations, and more recently, she rose to mainstream fame for her Emmy-winning role as Rebecca Welton on Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso.” On this walk, Waddingham shares how being championed by a legendary director at just the right moment in her career renewed her faith in her own abilities, and how playing Rebecca brought healing after her own difficulties in life. Additional guests throughout the season will include globally renowned singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and former astronaut and colonel Eileen M. Collins.
Starting on October 24, Fitness+ will introduce new episodes of Time to Walk, beginning with Hannah Waddingham.
Collections
Additionally, Fitness+ will introduce three new Collections, curated content from the Fitness+ library to help users go after their goals or find inspiration, including:
• Totally ’80s Cycling, featuring eight spirited workouts that can boost cardio fitness. Every workout has the energy of a party and is set to a playlist full of songs from the 1980s.
• Best Mindful Cooldowns for Athletes, offering a series of total-body stretches and short visualizations that are curated to help athletes mentally prepare for their sport and recover more easily after any athletic endeavor.
• 14-Day HIIT and Strength Challenge, featuring 30-minute Strength and HIIT workouts that help motivate users to take their fitness routines to the next level.
This year, Fitness+ will offer new ways to sign up for the service at no additional cost through offers with SilverSneakers, Target, UnitedHealthcare, and Mobile Health.
• SilverSneakers, the nation’s leading fitness program for older adults, will now offer members a Fitness+ subscription at no additional cost starting in January 2023 through select Medicare Advantage plans. Members will also have access to the Workouts for Older Adults program on Fitness+, which helps users stay active at any age with a focus on strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and mobility. They can activate their Fitness+ subscription through the SilverSneakers GO app on the App Store or through their SilverSneakers member account on silversneakers.com.
• Target will now offer a four-month free trial of Fitness+ for members of Target Circle, the retailer’s free-to-join loyalty program. Members of Target Circle also have free access to three months of Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+, Apple Arcade, and News+, with no purchase required.
• UnitedHealthcare continues to offer Fitness+ as an annual subscription at no additional cost to millions of members as part of their fully insured employer-sponsored health benefit. Employers with self-funded health plans can make a similar offer available to their employees.
• Mobile Health, a fast-growing digital health and well-being technology company, will offer its employer customers the opportunity to add Fitness+ as a wellness benefit for their employees and allow them to earn an Apple Watch by staying active.
Apple Fitness+ is an award-winning fitness and wellness service with studio-style workouts and meditations designed to be welcoming to all, wherever they are in their journey, and to help users live a healthier day.
Pricing and Availability
• Apple Fitness+ is available as a subscription service for $9.99 (US) per month or $79.99 (US) per year, and can be shared with up to five other family members.
Fitness+ is included in the Apple One Premier plan, which, where available, also gives customers access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and iCloud+ with 2TB of storage, and can be shared with up to five other family members.
• Fitness+ is available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US.
• Three months of Apple Fitness+ are included for customers who purchase Apple Watch Series 4 or later, iPhone 11 or later, iPad (9th generation) or later, iPad Air (5th generation) or later, iPad mini (6th generation) or later, iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) or later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) or later, Apple TV HD, or Apple TV 4K (2nd generation). One month of Fitness+ is included for existing users.
• Fitness+ can be shared with up to five other family members for the same price, making it easy for users in the same household to enjoy the service.
• Apple Fitness+ requires an iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16.1, or Apple Watch Series 3 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14.3 or later.
• To get the newest features, make sure your devices are running the latest software version.
• All Time to Walk and Time to Run episodes are available in the Fitness app on iPhone with a Fitness+ subscription. Users can also enjoy the episodes with just their Apple Watch paired with AirPods or other Bluetooth-enabled headphones.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple Watch is still the best way to fully partake in Apple Fitness+, so making it optional will bring more into the Fitness+ fold, where they will rather quickly want to buy their first Apple Watch – a win-win for Apple!
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