Healthworks Offers Equipment Improvements

Healthworks, a popular gym facility in Sidney, has recently added a new line of cutting-edge workout equipment.

The Roundup spoke with Scott Doty, who has served as director of Healthworks gym for the last 12 years. Healthworks is a separate non-profit from the Sidney Health Center, but rents space from the facility and is managed by hospital staff. Doty explained the new equipment and how it was acquired.

Doty said, "The newest equipment we have in is the Keiser Strength Line. The nice thing about it is that it operates off of air resistance. There's an air compressor in a separate room so what's nice is it offers resistance at one pound at a time. There's no weight stacks. It's used a lot in sport performance. A lot of professional sports teams use it because you can do full-speed strength training with it."

Using what they call Keiser Pneumatic Technology, the company claims the equipment allows muscles to remain active and engaged throughout the entire range of motion and velocities, with reduced shock loading to muscles and joints, allowing for workout regimens that can improve performance not possible with other strength-training methods.

The Keiser Strength Line, a total of 11 machines in all, was funded by a gift from the Good Cents Store.

Doty had some advice for those wanting to stay in shape even in a cold MonDak winter.

Doty suggested, "The biggest things are going to be balance between exercise and nutrition. If you're going for any type of weight loss or increased energy throughout the day, nutrition is the huge key. In terms of exercise, the biggest key is to find something you enjoy. Find something that fits for you. If you don't enjoy it or can't follow through with it, you're not going to be successful with it."

Healthworks, according to Doty, can help health-conscious people stay motivated and be successful.

"Most of our classes include yoga and some strength-training classes," Doty explained. "We have a separate cycling studio as well. We have big screens on the wall, where you're riding your bike and it shows up on the screen."

If someone needs a little help with their exercise routine, Healthworks also offers personal trainers to help facilitate the process of getting into better shape.

"We have one personal trainer on staff and then a number of independent trainers that work within the facility as well. We have three or four of those," Doty offered.

Doty gave the hours of operation, "We open at 5 a.m. on weekday mornings and Monday through Thursday we close at 9:30 p.m. On Fridays we close a little bit earlier at 7:30 p.m., on Saturdays is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays our operating hours are 12 to 4 p.m."