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Know Your Benefits: YMCA Reciprocity

4During the summer months and the holiday seasons, we travel. Whether it’s over to the next county to visit a friend or to the opposite side of the state to visit relatives, jobs, vacation, holidays, weddings, and family are just a few of the reasons we might spend a few nights, or even a week or two, away from home.

Maintaining a Routine

With labor day just around the corner and summer still underway, it’s important to make sure your healthy lifestyle and fitness routines don’t come to a screeching halt during periods of travel, vacation, etc. According to an article from Prevention.com, “Within about a week, your muscles lose some of their fat-burning potential and your metabolism slows down, says Paul Arciero, an exercise science professor at Skidmore College.” Not only does a long workout hiatus cause you to lose some of the muscle you’ve built, but it also impacts your energy levels, your mood, and your blood sugar if you’re not careful, according to Prevention.com.

When on vacation, however, exercise might seem like a chore. So trying new ways for exercise instead of the gym might be more exciting and enjoyable. According to an article by Healthy Travel Blog, things like swimming, hiking, kayaking, or riding your bike are just a few suggestions to maintain your daily exercise, while enjoying your surroundings on vacation. If you’re camping, at the beach, or in the city, simply taking a long walk each day can help you maintain your fitness routine – though there are many other ways to stay active as well.

YMCA Traveling Benefits

For those traveling for work or non-vacation reasons and need place to work out, the Y is your best bet! With YMCAs located all over the country, there’s hardly an excuse not to visit. If you’re a YMCA member and you travel throughout the state during the year, it’s important to know your benefits.

Throughout Pennsylvania, the State Alliance of YMCA’s has allowed YMCA members in PA to have free access to almost every YMCA in the Commonwealth! (For a full list of participating YMCAs, click HERE.) This means you can utilize nearly every YMCA in PA when you travel – what a great benefit!

In addition to the YMCA Reciprocity agreement, YMCAs all over the United States are participating in the AWAY program – “Always Welcome at the Y.” This program allows facility members, when traveling, to enjoy various privileges at over 2,000 YMCAs across the country that are outside of a 50-mile radius of your home YMCA. Depending on the YMCA, however, the AWAY program may be an additional fee, so make sure to speak to your YMCA before participating in this program.

Summer is a great time to relax, take a vacation, or travel the country. Just don’t forget to make your health a priority when you’re away from home! The YMCA is here to help you on your fitness journey by providing both the AWAY program as well as YMCA Reciprocity across Pennsylvania. Make sure to take advantage of them if you have the opportunity this summer!


For more information on Membership Reciprocity at the Harrisburg Area YMCA, visit our website HERE.

Emily Sanville, Digital Communications Coordinator

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