Two-week health challenge open to all; participants will be paired with fi tness experts

HANCOCK COUNTY — The county’s medical fitness centers are inviting residents to take part in a free two-week challenge designed to show off the wellness centers while helping visitors develop healthy habits.

The Hancock Wellness Center Ultimate Challenge, set Sept. 18 to 29, puts participants into teams and pairs them with exercise specialists to encourage them to move as much as possible, whether it’s on a treadmill, in the weight room or during a dance class offered at one of the centers, said Yvette Dixon, program and operations manager.

Those who register — the challenge is open to both center members and non-members — will fill out a short questionnaire to determine which trainer best matches their preferred approach to fitness, Dixon said. Categories include sports, for those who like best to exercise through games like basketball or soccer, or power, for those whose favorite workout requires dumbbells and a spotter.

The centers’ 12 exercise specialists each will lead a team, guiding them individually through daily goals and offering group activities to motivate workouts, Dixon said.

The team members accruing the most moves — recorded using trackers on the centers’ equipment — will each receive a $50 credit toward membership dues or another service the wellness centers provide, Dixon said. In addition, the person from each of the 12 teams with the most moves will win a $25 credit.

Participants can work out at either the Greenfield center, 888 W. New Road, on the facility in McCordsville, 8505 N. Clearview Drive.

A number of prizes also are up for grabs for current members who recruit others to join the contest. If a member refers someone to the competition, the member will get $5 off their next month’s dues; if someone becomes a member, the referring member will get a month’s dues free, Dixon said.

The wellness center member who has the most people join the wellness center will win a FitBit Charge, valued at about $150, officials said.

The centers’ exercise specialists are pumped for the competition as well. Jackie Williams, who works at the Greenfield location, said she looks forward to getting her team comfortable with the equipment and classes at the facility.

“The most important thing is to get people to move, inside or outside the facility,” she said.

“But I do want to win,” she joked.

Williams plans to touch base with her team members often, encouraging them to take part in daily challenges like spending a certain amount of time on an elliptical machine or taking a class. Williams teaches hip-hop dance and hopes her team will enjoy working up a sweat to high-energy tunes, she said.

She also hopes the competition will overcome any trepidation community members might have about coming in to the wellness centers, she said.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

The Ultimate Challenge at Hancock Wellness Center is a two-week fitness challenge open to both members and non-members. Participants will be paired with exercise specialists and organized into teams. Prizes for winners include FitBits and reduced membership fees.

Registration continues until Saturday and the contest will be held Sept. 18-29.

[sc:pullout-text-end]