A quarter of the room is clear of equipment and filled instead with the men in blue jeans and T-shirts moving back and forth with power tools and paintbrushes. All of our exercise and weight equipment is in the remaining space. The elbow room that members are used to is just not there.

If you came in right now looking for that favorite Precor treadmill it would take a moment or two for you to find it. This is a storm of renovation and upgrade, the first major improvement of our fitness center since it was built more than 15 years ago. There is always calm before and after a storm. The calm after this particular storm is much anticipated.

This project began to take shape a year ago, after a conversation about the future look of the fitness center. What type of equipment should we be looking to purchase? How much of it? How should the floor look? Did we have enough or too much? Are their new concepts out there?

We decided to take the time to look analytically at our room and equipment. It was decided to visit other facilities and examine their equipment and floor plans. We also took this opportunity to speak with the managers and members of each gym.

The conclusions reached were both expected and surprising. We already knew that much of our equipment was older than was desirable. For 10 years our strength line had served us well, but is beginning to show its age in both appearance and performance. Increased membership numbers meant that more cardio equipment was needed. Treadmills and cross-trainers were in short supply. Our small fleet of stationary bikes had seen better days.

These were not surprises. The surprise came when we looked at the room itself. The fitness center is 5,000 square feet in area. A walking track takes up 1,800 square feet, or more than a third of the available floor. On an average day it would be utilized by about 10 percent of members who visited the room. Half of them used the track exclusively, while the other half used it as a supplement to their workout. We decided it was time to make different and better use of that third of the room.

Our updated fitness center will feature a 275-square-foot padded stretching space and a 300-square-foot area dedicated to core workouts.

The core area will feature stability and medicine balls, sit-up platforms and small hand weights. Two Precor treadmills will be added and our fleet of stationary bicycles will be upgraded. The new bikes will include two Espresso Fitness S2U bikes that will allow you to race against yourself or someone else by using a stored interactive program.

 We are most excited about our new strength line, 16 pieces of the Hoist Fitness Roc-It System. I had personally explored many of the options out there for strength training. The Roc-It technology greatly impressed me. Seat adjustments are a thing of the past. These machines adjust to you as you go through the exercise motion. You are gently put into an ergonomically correct position. These improvements and equipment additions will help to put us in a stronger position for the future.

The Fitness Room remained open during renovations. The upgrade should be complete by Wednesday, March 19, including the installation of new equipment.

It would be nice if you could find some time next month to visit with us. Check out the newly renovated fitness center or swim in one our pools. A short sojourn to the steam room or the dry sauna might be what you need. Leave the little ones in our babysitting room and explore what we have to offer you.

The YMCA belongs to its members and we would like for you to consider joining with us. When you do come in be sure to ask for me. I would love to show you around.
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William Legault is the director of health and fitness at the Salem YMCA.

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