As most of you are now aware, we have added two additional exercise settings (the Fitness Solution and Indoor Cycling) that may be a good fit for you and your fitness goals. In doing so, we have had to make some changes to our payment structure to make it easy and affordable for you to take advantage of these new exercise settings. Below you will find more about each of the new programs so you can begin to determine if they are appropriate for you. In addition, I will explain the changes we’ve made to our payment structure (and a few other minor system changes) that are necessary to implement these new programs. What follows is a significant amount of information, and I realize that it may be a lot to process without further explanation. My advice to each of you is to meet with your Fitness Practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the new programs given your individual fitness goals. Once you’ve done that, all of the other aspects of this process should fall into place.

What are the new programs?

Fitness Solution (FS): This is a hybrid class that combines set and rep style resistance training (as in our GRST setting) with conditioning exercises (such as those performed in our WLS Conditioning classes). Workouts will have a strength training segment, a conditioning segment, and a core segment. Unlike our WLS conditioning class, the Fitness Solution class will vary workout-to-workout not only in exercises performed, but also in structure of sets, work intervals, and rest intervals.

Indoor Cycling (IC): AFS indoor cycling is the ideal form of non-impact cross-training to improve aerobic fitness and increase calorie expenditure. Performed on the industry-leading Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle, and taught by experienced and motivating instructors, your workout experience will be both fun and effective. Touted for its superior comfort, performance, and ability to measure critical cycling data (speed, cadence, power, and heart rate) the M3 cycle is like nothing you’ve ever tried before.

Are these classes right for me?

Fitness Solution: Good candidates for Fitness Solution classes are typically clients who are looking for a higher intensity exercise setting than what our WLS Conditioning Class can provide. Additionally, if you’ve been taking the WLS Conditioning Class for some time, the Fitness Solution class will add some variety to your exercise routine due to the variable nature of the class format. Clients who are at the appropriate fitness level will notice a greater improvement in muscular and cardiovascular fitness, as well as higher energy expenditure from the Fitness Solution class.

Indoor Cycling: Good candidates for Indoor Cycling are clients who are looking to perform supplemental cardiovascular exercise to improve cardiovascular fitness and increase calorie expenditure. This setting is perfect for clients who are falling short of their prescribed supplemental exercise goal outside of AFS, or for endurance athletes looking for cross-training. Although calorie expenditure will not be as great during Indoor Cycling as it would be in a WLS or FS class, using it as an additional supplemental workout is a great way to lose additional body fat.

Do I get to try a class prior to committing to it?

Yes. As with all of our classes, you will be able to try a Fitness Solution or Indoor Cycling class first to ensure you like it. Due to the limited number of classes offered, however, initial trial slots in classes will be reduced to ensure that clients with active sessions can utilize the exercise setting. Call AFS at 734-994-8570 to schedule your trial class.

How do these classes fit into my AFS schedule?

Fitness Solution: Initially, the recommended frequency of this class is one day/week (due to the challenging nature of this setting). In most cases, the FS class will be added on to your other AFS workouts (GRST and WLS), or will replace a WLS class. Due to the very muscular fitness-specific nature of GRST workouts, it is not appropriate to substitute a FS for a GRST session. As always, you will want to meet with your Fitness Practitioner to discuss if the FS class is right for you and how it should fit into your schedule.

Indoor Cycling: This class will be performed by most clients an average of 1-2 days/week, to add supplemental cardiovascular exercise or cross-training. This class will be in addition to your current AFS training schedule. Due to the greater overall fitness adaptation and calorie expenditure experience in WLS and FS classes, it is not appropriate to substitute Indoor Cycling for either of those two classes. Again, you should talk with your Fitness Practitioner to see if Indoor Cycling is a good fit for you.

How many people will be in each class and how do I sign up?

Fitness Solution: Classes will be limited to a maximum of 12 people. Clients must sign up online (through the AFS website) starting 72hrs before a class begins. Online sign-up is active up until 15min prior to class, and cancellations are permitted up to 4hrs prior to the class without being charged for the session. Only clients with active sessions in the FS program can sign up online; clients without active FS sessions must call AFS within the 15min-72hr window prior to class to register. If a class is not full, walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis until either (a) class begins, or (b) the 12 client limit is reached. Keep in mind that WLS classes will be running at the same time as FS classes. So, if you attempt to walk in for a FS class and it is full, you can always attend a WLS class.

Indoor Cycling: Classes will be limited to a maximum of 8 people. Clients must sign up online (through the AFS website) starting 72hrs before a class begins. Online sign-up is active up until 15min prior to class, and cancellations are permitted up to 4hrs prior to the class without being charged for the session. Only clients with active sessions in the IC program can sign-up online; clients without active IC sessions must call AFS within the 15min-72hr window prior to class to register. If a class is not full, walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis until either (a) class begins, or (b) the 8 client limit is reached.

How do I sign up and pay for these new classes?

So that clients are not required to have multiple packages and memberships, we have modified our program pricing structure to make it affordable and easy to utilize these new programs. Put simply (with detail to follow), each client will have a primary membership (defined below) and pay a reduced membership session rate (again, defined below) for all additional sessions performed in other programs during the month. For example, if you perform 8 WLS sessions and 4 FS sessions per month, you would have an 8 session WLS membership and purchase 4 FS membership sessions. If you exceed your pre-purchased usage in either program, OR if you decide to try a new program without having pre-purchased sessions, you would pay a membership drop-in fee. Although I have detailed the membership policy below, what this really boils down to is meeting with your Fitness Practitioner and coming up with an exercise frequency game plan that makes sense for you. Once you have that game plan in place, we can handle the paperwork to ensure you purchase the appropriate number of sessions in each program per month.

AFS Membership Policy:
1) All clients have a primary membership, defined as the program in which they use the greatest number of sessions per month.

2) Clients using sessions in more than one program will pre-purchase membership sessions in their non-primary program(s) for a reduced rate: WLS Membership Session: $8.00, GRST Membership Session: $20.00, FS Membership Session: $11.75, IC Membership Session: $8.00. This total number of sessions will be considered the client’s membership, and is what will be billed on the 1st of each month.

3) Any sessions used above and beyond the pre-purchased sessions will be billed as “drop-in” sessions at month’s end. Drop-in rates are as follows: WLS Member Drop-In Session: $8.50, GRST Member Drop-In Session: $22.50, FS Member Drop-In Session: $12.50, IC Member Drop-In Session: $9.00

4) WLS 4 sessions/month memberships, FS 4 sessions/month memberships, and IC 4 sessions/month memberships that are indefinitely sold are NOT eligible for membership sessions or member drop-in pricing in other programs.

4a) Regular drop-in rate (WLS = $15, FS = $20, IC = $15, GRST = N/A) is applied for additional classes performed in OTHER programs. The member drop-in and membership session rate is applied for additional sessions within the client’s enrolled program.

5) In order to be eligible for membership session and/or member drop-in pricing in multiple programs, a client must pre-purchase ≥ 8 sessions/month (with the exception of A, B, & C below). In these cases, a client must have a primary membership and MUST pre-purchase additional membership sessions in other program(s) to total a minimum of 8 sessions.

5a) GRST Members: Can purchase a 4 session/month membership ($90) and be eligible to pay membership session and/or member drop-in pricing in other programs.

5b) Downgrades: A “downgrade” is defined as a reduction in usage to < 8 sessions/month in the following programs: WLS, FS, & IC (excludes GRST). Downgrades cannot exceed two months. During the downgraded period, clients remain eligible for membership session and member drop-in pricing in ALL programs. Primary membership and membership sessions are reduced to the number to be used, monthly, during the downgrade period.

5c) Shareable Memberships: Memberships are shareable within families (who reside at the same mailing address). Shareable memberships are as follows: WLS 16 & WLS 24 session per month memberships, and any combination of WLS, IC, GRST, & FS that total 16 sessions/month.

6) Class Appointment & Online Registration: FS & IC classes are appointment-based (scheduled through the AFS-Mindbody Online web portal). Classes can be registered for up to 72hrs in advance of their starting time, until 15min prior to their starting time. No-charge cancellations can be made up to 4hrs in advance. Cancellations made inside of 4hrs will be charged the class rate. If additional space is remaining 15min prior to class, walk-ins are permitted. Clients must have purchased sessions available to register online; if purchased sessions are not available, clients must call AFS at 734-994-8570 to register.

If I am continuing to perform WLS or GRST classes only, will these new classes and fees affect me?

WLS-Monthly Membership: No, if you are continuing to perform only WLS classes on your current membership. If, however, you are performing ≥ 8 sessions/month, you will be able to pay the membership drop-in fee for FS and IC classes.

WLS-Packages: Yes, we have changed our pricing structure for packages. Effective 1/1/2012, we will offer one WLS package (24 session = $290). These packages cannot be shared by family members. Expiration dates on packages still remain the same (average rate of use of 1 session per week, so this package expires in 24 weeks). Package pricing is held intentionally high, as it is our desire to have all clients on monthly memberships due to the accountability factor of having to use a certain number of sessions in a finite period of time. If you are currently on a package, talk with an AFS staff member about transitioning to the appropriate membership.

GRST: Yes, and significantly. We are pleased to begin offering monthly memberships for GRST. These memberships will be governed by the same rules as our current WLS memberships (15th of the month cancel, 25th of the month change). Pricing will be as follows: 4 sessions/month = $90 ($22.50/session), 8 sessions/month = $160 ($20/session). As you are aware, this is a reduction in price from our $25-$35/session price previously charged. A package will still be available: it is 12 sessions for $300 ($25/session). As with the WLS packages, these packages cannot be shared by family members. As with WLS, it is our desire to transition everyone over to the memberships because this fosters greater exercise adherence.

If I have purchased a GRST or WLS package, do I have to complete it prior to membership enrollment?

No, you can transition over to the memberships at any time after 1/1/2012. Any remaining sessions in either program will be converted over to internal AFS account dollars (i.e., 4 remaining sessions on a 16 session GRST package = $100 account dollars). These account dollars can be used to make monthly membership and drop-in payments until the account dollars are used up. Once the account dollars are used, your credit card on file will be billed monthly for your sessions.

Can I continue with the WLS membership or WLS/GRST package sharing option that I have currently?

WLS Monthly Memberships: Yes, your current monthly membership agreement is valid indefinitely (until the time of cancellation). As stated in your membership agreement, the only component that may change is the 7.5% annual price increase to sessions and drop-ins (keeping in mind that our previous policy stated a minimum of a 12-session packages was available for sharing).

WLS/GRST Packages: Effective 1/1/2012, we will only have one option for WLS package purchase (24 sessions = $290) and one option for GRST package purchase (12 sessions = $300). These are NOT shareable options; each client (regardless of relation or previous purchase) must purchase his or her own package.
Do I have to have a credit card on file to purchase memberships? Our merchant processor does require all members to have a credit/debit card on file as a secured form of payment. However, this card does not have to be billed monthly. Clients can put any amount of money they’d like on an internal client account, and internal client dollars are always used prior to the credit card on file. Account dollars must be present on or before the 25th of the month prior to the membership charge being deducted. If account dollars are not present by 11:59 p.m. on the 25th of the month, the credit card on file will be billed on the first day of the month.