Veteran-Run Gyms as a Long-Term Solution to Health & Happiness
Fitness is an important aspect of living a well-rounded life, especially for veterans. Not only do veterans need to stay fit when they are not on active duty, but hitting up the gym can also provide them with much needed social benefits. Operation HeartFirst has put an emphasis on military-focused gyms in order to assist veterans in achieving their fitness and social goals when not on duty. Take a look at the tips below on how providing a fitness center focused on veterans can further improve their overall health.
Helping Veterans Maintain Fitness While Inactive
Even while inactive, veterans need to maintain their physical fitness, as they could be called back to active duty at any time. By providing a military-focused fitness facility, your gym can cater to their specific fitness needs, which will be different from the average gym-goer. By maintaining their fitness while inactive, they will be ready to go when active duty approaches in the future.
Exercising Decreases Veteran Stress Level
It is no secret that individuals in the military are exposed to certain situations and elements that will impose added stress to their lives. Getting enough exercise is a great outlet to release frustrations and lower stress levels. When you exercise, you release endorphins which are brain chemicals responsible for naturally combating stress and pain. Offering veterans a place where they can exercise and de-stress will help them cope and unwind while not on active duty.
Improve the Social Lives of Veterans
Being enlisted in the military often means quite a bit of travel, which can make it hard for veterans to make much out of their social life when they are moving frequently or gone for long periods of time during deployment. A military-focused fitness center provides a place where fellow veterans can congregate and socialize. By centering the facility based on veteran’s needs, it provides them with common ground of fellow gym-users, which can further aid in building friendships.
Employing Veterans
By employing veterans to help run the fitness center, it will allow them to become more involved in their community while they are inactive from duty. Not only will this employement help occupy their free time and allow them to earn extra money, but it will give them the opportunity to help other fellow veterans with their fitness needs.