Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/973104
to keep customers, Kublanov said. "We pride ourselves in knowing our members and making sure they are attend- ing the right classes for what they want to accomplish," she said. It's also an intentional effort to create a community within her studio. Bee Well offers various pricing options including un- limited yoga for 21 days for $21 as an introductory offer to $99 for a monthly membership to $980 for an annual member- ship. There's also rates for those wanting to drop in to one class or pay for five to 10 classes at a time. Yoga and pilates studios have grown 10.6 percent annu- ally from 2012 to 2017, accord- ing to a report by IBISWorld, an industry market research firm. There are nearly 25,000 studios nationwide. Revenue is forecasted to grow 4.4 per- cent annually to $13.7 billion over the next five years, ac- cording to the report. Rock climbing is an activi- ty that focuses on body move- ments similar to yoga, such as flexibility and strength, said Dennis Nelms, co-owner of Climb Bentonville. The 22,000-square-foot gym is expected to open late this year or early 2019 at Southwest 14th Street and Southwest I Street. Rock climbing is not about building big muscles but rath- er about maximizing move- ment as one works to scale a wall, Nelms said. "It can be expressed power- fully, but it takes an immense amount of problem-solving to understand how you move," he said. "People see it very lin- ear from one point to another, but it's not." The indoor climbing gym industry grew 3.9 percent an- nually over the past five years, according to IBISWorld. It'll take time to see what role Climb Bentonville will play in Northwest Arkansas' exercise scene. "Ultimately, the whole thing is to have fun," Nelms said. "It's kind of like a bug. It catches you and you become addicted to it." TRADITIONAL WORKOUTS Most studios operate large- ly on membership and admis- sion fees. It's likely consumers will embrace fitness studios, but it'll also be important for stu- dio owners to find alternative revenue streams to adapt and grow, Leve said. For example, several As- sociation of Fitness Studios members offered joint mem- berships with other studios. So a hyper-specific physical training studio may join forces with a yoga studio and offer a membership for both services. Niche studios compete for clients against larger gyms, such as Planet Fitness and World Gym, and community health facilities such as The Jones Center in Springdale and the Bentonville Commu- nity Center. Sallie Elderton, 16-year- old home-school high school junior, uses the amenities at The Jones Center to fulfill her physical education require- ments. She and her mom, Paige, selected it because its com- munity-oriented mission pro- vides a higher level of safe- ness than other gyms, they said. She also uses the pool, courts, track and ice rink in addition to the fitness gym. "We were just tickled to death to be able to use all of it," Paige Elderton said. While niche studios appeal to costumers by offering class- es in a community setting, some larger gyms and clubs offer convenience with low- cost memberships, according to the IBISWorld report. Planet Fitness member- ships start at $10 a month and Jones Center memberships start at $8 a month or $90 a year, according to their web- sites. "These low-commitment options attract on-the-fence consumers, and increase revenue from members who would otherwise avoid indus- try establishments," according to the report. Melissa Gute can be reached at mgute@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWAMelissa. Underserved rural ar- eas — such as northern and western Arkansas outside the region's metropolitan areas — are particularly hard hit, according to the statement. The persistent backlog, over time, has meant doc- tors are not being replaced in their field by an adequate supply of younger physicians, according to the statement. "Over one-third of the current physician workforce is aged 55 or older and like- ly to retire in the coming decade," according to the statement. The Northwest Arkansas report notes local philan- thropy has borne the cost for added residencies in some states. Texas and Michigan have had their legislatures provide some funding. In other states, hospitals are picking up the cost. Wilson said Medical Asso- ciates of Northwest Arkansas physicians have sought out and hired two radiologists who are being trained specif- ically for imaging breasts, a general radiologist, six family medicine doctors, three ur- gent care doctors, a pediatri- cian, two internal medicine physicians, three doctors of chiropractic and sports re- habilitation, a sports med- icine and family medicine physician, a pulmonologist and a pulmonary medicine nurse practitioner, a rheu- matologist, a gynecologist, two gastroenterologists and a neurologist, all in the past three years. Doug Thompson can be reached by email at dthompson@nwadg. com or on Twitter @NWADoug. NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. WAMPLER Students work on heavy bags during a kickboxing class at Fayetteville Fitness Kickboxing. Fitness v Continued from Page 6S Fastest-growing jobs Medical professions, including many specialty areas, are nine of the top 15 projected fastest-growing occupations in Arkansas through 2024. Only occupations with at least 100 workers are included. Job 2014 estimated employment 2024 projected employment Percent growth Occupational therapy assistants 282 433 53.6% Physical therapist aides 422 610 44.6% Physical therapist assistants 1,123 1,592 41.8% Physician assistants 311 430 38.3% Radiation therapists 199 275 38.2% Nurse practitioners 1,082 1,475 36.3% Physical therapists 1,786 2,421 35.6% Statisticians 154 207 34.4% Operations research analysts 429 574 33.8% Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors 563 749 33% Forensic science technicians 150 199 32.7% Cooks, restaurant 9,256 12,175 31.6% Occupational therapists 986 1,294 31.2% Rail car repairers 217 283 30.4% Insulation workers, mechanical 149 193 29.6% Psychiatrists 380 492 29.5% SOURCE: Arkansas Department of Workforce Services Specialists v Continued from Page 6S NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. WAMPLER Stephanie McGaugh of Goshen punches a heavy bag during a kickboxing class at Fayetteville Fitness Kickboxing. 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