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Breaking a sweat at the fitness center

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Keenan Berry
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  When you first walk into the fitness center, you can hear sounds of equipment and enthusiasm echoing throughout the facility. People perform heart pumping, adrenaline rushing and sweat breaking exercises in order to maintain fitness standards and achieve set goals. Intense facial expressions are made as sweat from hard work and motivation descends to the floor. Dedicated personnel wait patiently behind their desk with a ready, steadfast attitude to ensure customers receive the necessary resources they may need.

Fitness center personnel work in the gym to help maintain the cleanliness of the facility, as well as provide assistance, fitness guidance, and medical response capability.

"We inspect and clean equipment to ensure they are in working order," said Airman 1st Class Jairzinho Chin, 509th Force Support Squadron fitness center specialist. "If we notice the equipment is not functioning properly, we will input a request to either repair or replace it."

They also offer programs, such as spin classes, throughout the week to help the populace maintain fitness and morale.

"The spin class is a heart-pounding and riveting program that gets the body moving," said Alicia Dannenberg, 509th FSS spin class instructor. "It can be made appropriate for beginners or the advanced cyclist. It's a nice way to get fit and have fun."

The class is open three times a week on Mondays at 5 p.m., Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m., and Thursdays at 11:15 a.m.

The fitness center organizes intramural sports to increase installation involvement with the gym.

"We do intramural sports for people to get out, relax and enjoy themselves as well as their wingmen in a competitive environment to enhance fitness and morale," said Staff Sgt. Brian Heim, 509th FSS sports manager. "Intramural sports occur in accordance with seasons year round. We host five sports: basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer and flag football."

Since people tend to push their bodies to the limit, injuries occur on a weekly basis and range from minor to serious. When a minor injury occurs, Fitness Center personnel log a report in a log book and handle the situation. If it is a serious injury, they will file a report and work with the 509th Medical Group to get an ambulance on-scene.

"On average, four to six injuries are recorded a month. In the event of an emergency, a customer will report it to us first; we will go and ask the injured customer if they need any assistance and we will operate based off their answer," Heim said. "If we decide they may need help anyway, we will make the proper phone calls and inform the chain of command."

In addition, fitness center personnel are required to be certified in CPR training within 30 days of working at the facility. It's a one day course held in-house and consists of training videos, mannequins and CPR tools used to perform the procedure.

In all, the fitness center is proud to serve Airmen and their families by providing outstanding customer service, recreational activities and many events to get people active.

"I think the fitness center is beneficial to the Whiteman mission because it promotes fitness," Heim said. "It's cost free with convenient hours and a place where people can work up a good hearty sweat."