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JULY 2011<br />

Club business<br />

InternatIonal<br />

Health Club<br />

Hospitality<br />

Jim Snow, tHe<br />

preSident of Gold’S<br />

Gym international,<br />

inC., knowS How to<br />

aCHieve it<br />

36 <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25<br />

44 Group-Ex-cellence<br />

48 Locker Roominess<br />

55 Small-Group Gusto<br />

®


Tone up on CYBEX.<br />

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pounds and building muscle at an astounding rate. Why?<br />

Because the producers of NBC’s #1 show have put their trust<br />

in the #1 fitness brand—CYBEX.<br />

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goals—by giving them access to the same CYBEX equipment<br />

they see weekly on TV’s hottest weight loss and lifestyle show.<br />

Like the Arc Trainer ® , our calorie-burning workhorse that made<br />

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Empower your members to get the results they want on<br />

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+1.774.324.8000 and check out the authentic CYBEX equipment<br />

that’s turning The Biggest Losers into the biggest winners.<br />

© 2010, CYBEX International. All rights reserved.<br />

www.cybexintl.com


| Letters |<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network launch<br />

Anytime Fitness ‘Military Friendly’<br />

> Anytime Fitness is very proud of the fact that we’ve been<br />

honored as a “Top 50 Military Friendly Franchise” by a number<br />

of organizations and periodicals over the past several years.<br />

We provide discounts for military personnel and their families.<br />

In fact, almost 20% of our franchise owners are military<br />

veterans. Virtually all of our clubs currently offer what we<br />

call “Hero” membership rates to military families and others,<br />

like police officers and firefighters. Many of our clubs will<br />

support the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network, as well. —|<br />

Chuck Runyon | President | Anytime Fitness | Hastings, MN<br />

Joining Forces for Our Troops<br />

> Good job, <strong>IHRSA</strong>, for getting involved with First Lady<br />

Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces initiative. Last year, our Idaho<br />

National Guard received notice that they were going to be<br />

activated, and Apple Athletic Club offered their spouses and<br />

children a free membership. It was appreciated by the families<br />

who took advantage of the offer and extremely well received<br />

within the community. We also became involved with “Our<br />

Military Kids” to provide specific training classes for the<br />

Guard members’ children.<br />

God bless our troops and many thanks for all they do! —|<br />

Ray Gordon | Membership Manager | Apple Athletic Club | Idaho Falls, ID<br />

SWEAT for a VET 2011<br />

> We’d like to let CBI’s readers know about SWEAT for a VET<br />

2011, our “all-cardio,” inclusive-fitness fundraising event, and<br />

Editor’s note: For additional information on the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining<br />

Forces Network, please see the “Editor’s Welcome,” pg. 6, and<br />

“The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network,” pg. 104.<br />

4 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

First Lady Thanks <strong>IHRSA</strong>, ACE<br />

“I want to thank the American Council on Exercise<br />

and the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub<br />

Association, and their CEOs … who are with<br />

us here today. Thank you guys, both, for your<br />

commitments … They got a call, and this request<br />

was put in, and they jumped on it … So, Joe (Moore)<br />

and Scott (Goudeseune), we’re truly grateful for<br />

this leadership.” —|<br />

— First Lady Michelle Obama, announcing the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network on<br />

the South Lawn of the White House on May 9<br />

encourage clubs across the country and around the world to<br />

join us and host a live SWEAT-a-thon event at their own facilities.<br />

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, November 12, from<br />

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., EST, with the main event location being<br />

the Tysons Sport and Health Club in McLean, Virginia.<br />

Money raised in the U.S. benefits our Wounded Warriors,<br />

helping to provide equipment that will allow disabled veterans<br />

to continue their rehabilitation and expand their vocational<br />

options. Money raised outside the U.S. supports individuals<br />

with physical challenges by hosting training camps where<br />

they’ll learn to become group exercise instructors, and, subsequently,<br />

be able to inspire club members and promote inclusive<br />

fitness worldwide.<br />

Funds will be distributed to those communities where money<br />

is raised by clubs, so every club counts, and every club will see<br />

the results of their efforts locally!<br />

Clubs can offer one, two, or all three hours of the SWEAT-<br />

a-thon “ride,” and don’t have to worry about registration or<br />

donation payments, since both are handled through our<br />

Website. Each individual event will be participating in, and<br />

following, the main event in McLean, seeing and hearing<br />

everything, connected via a live video link.<br />

The SWEAT-a-thon is a fun and unique program that allows<br />

your members to do something good for themselves and, at the<br />

same time, do something good for others.<br />

Check out www.SWEATforaVET.org for more information<br />

and highlights from last year’s event, to become a sponsor,<br />

or make a donation. Register to participate in the event at<br />

www.SWEATforaVET.kintera.org. Clubs interested in<br />

hosting their own SWEAT-a-thon can contact me directly at<br />

Debbie@ProjectVisAbility.org.<br />

Thanks to CBI for helping us get the word out! —|<br />

Debbie Miller | President | Project VisAbility | Delray Beach, FL<br />

Club Business International (ISSN 1043-9692, USPS 766-570) is published monthly ©2011 by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, Seaport Center 70<br />

Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, Massachusetts, and additional mailing offices. Canadian Sales Agreement #40767601.<br />

Subscription rate for members is $48 per year, which is included in the dues. Additional subscriptions $24.95 per year (USA) and $75 (International).<br />

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Club Business International, c/o <strong>IHRSA</strong>, Seaport Center 70 Fargo Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210<br />

Volume 31, Issue 7


| Editor’s Welcome |<br />

Kerry Brett<br />

Yesterday (May 30) was Memorial Day, and,<br />

throughout the U.S. and in far-flung spots<br />

throughout the world, the commitment, contributions,<br />

and sacrifices of our military men and<br />

women were briefly acknowledged. <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

would like to make their recognition, that sign of<br />

our appreciation, a year-round affair.<br />

Last month, we reported that, approached by First Lady Michelle<br />

Obama, <strong>IHRSA</strong> had eagerly agreed to participate in her Joining<br />

Forces initiative, designed to provide assistance to military families.<br />

A short while before, in May, Joe Moore, the president and CEO<br />

of <strong>IHRSA</strong>, had joined Mrs. Obama and others on the South Lawn<br />

of the White House to announce the creation of the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining<br />

Forces Network (IJFN).<br />

The IJFN, which officially launched on June 1, is composed of<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>-member clubs that have agreed to provide free six-month<br />

memberships to members of the families of actively deployed<br />

National Guard and Reserve personnel. The program<br />

is extremely flexible, allowing clubs to<br />

decide, for instance, whether or not to offer additional<br />

benefits, and, even, if they’d like to extend<br />

the offer to other military, e.g., veterans.<br />

No sooner had Mrs. Obama unveiled the plan<br />

than clubs began volunteering to take part;<br />

among the first were Anytime Fitness and Curves<br />

International, Inc. But even before the advent of<br />

the IJFN, some clubs, recognizing the need, and<br />

acknowledging their own debt of gratitude to the<br />

nation’s servicemen and servicewomen, had<br />

introduced similar programs of their own.<br />

Last August, the three Spring Fitness facilities<br />

in Texas began offering free six-month memberships—no strings<br />

attached—to U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel.<br />

“I’d encourage everyone to do this,” suggested owner Tom<br />

Kennison. (See “Doing the Right Thing!” June CBI, pg. 38.)<br />

Since the IJFN’s debut, however, there’s been a virtual crush<br />

of early adopters. Among the more than 1,000 current network<br />

members are: Club One; Club Fit; Frog’s Fitness; The Alaska<br />

Club; The Atlantic Club; Shula’s Athletic Club; TELOS Fitness<br />

Center; Nashua Athletic Club; Saco Sport and Fitness; Body-<br />

Business Health Club and Spa; Shapes Total Fitness for Women;<br />

and the Personal Training Institute (PTI) of Tucson.<br />

“I feel very strongly about taking part in this worthwhile<br />

program,” explains Craig Jackson, the owner of PTI-Tucson, who<br />

served for seven years as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army, and<br />

participated in the first Gulf War.<br />

For more information on the IJFN, see “The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces<br />

Network,” pg. 104. To enroll in the network, log on to www.ihrsa.org/<br />

joining-forces. Full information on the program is available on<br />

the same site at the extension /joining-forces-network. —|<br />

– Craig R. Waters, c.waters@fit-etc.com<br />

6 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

The mission of <strong>IHRSA</strong> is to grow, protect,<br />

and promote the industry, and to provide its<br />

members with benefits that will help them<br />

be more successful.<br />

PUBLISHING<br />

Editor-In-Chief: Craig R. Waters<br />

Publisher: Jay M. Ablondi<br />

Managing Editor: Rebecca K. Maverick<br />

Editor: Jennifer H. McInerney<br />

Associate Editor: Patricia Glynn<br />

Associate Editor: Mia Coen<br />

Contributing Editors:<br />

Patricia Amend, Liane Cassavoy, Jon Feld,<br />

Julie M. King, Lesley Mahoney, Melissa<br />

Rodriguez, Jean Suffin, Stephen Wallenfels,<br />

Kristen A. Walsh<br />

ADVERTISING, www.cbimediakit.com<br />

Vice President of Advertising & Membership Sales:<br />

Michele Eynon<br />

Senior Account Manager:<br />

Jessica Gutstein<br />

Advertising Sales Executive:<br />

Donna Garrity<br />

Business Development Publications:<br />

Will Finn<br />

Publications & Associate Coordinator:<br />

Meghan Burnham<br />

Art Direction, Design, Production:<br />

Holland-Mark, Boston, MA<br />

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH, RACQUET<br />

& SPORTSCLUB ASSOCIATION<br />

President & CEO: Joe Moore<br />

Chief Operating Officer: Anita Lawlor<br />

Executive Vice President of Public Policy:<br />

Helen Durkin<br />

Executive Vice President of Global Products:<br />

Jay Ablondi<br />

CLUB BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL<br />

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES:<br />

c/o <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

Seaport Center<br />

70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210 USA<br />

800-228-4772 USA & Canada<br />

617-951-0055 | 617-951-0056 FAX<br />

E-mail: cbi@ihrsa.org<br />

www.ihrsa.org<br />

To order reprints of articles,<br />

call 800-228-4772 ext. 117 or<br />

visit www.ihrsa.org/cbi<br />

®


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CLUB BUSINESS<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

President Jim Snow serves<br />

GGI’s constituencies<br />

Features<br />

30 Health Club Hospitality<br />

A hospitality-industry pro, Jim Snow has been<br />

preaching and practicing the virtues of a servicecentric<br />

business for more than 23 years, most<br />

recently as the regional vice president of operations<br />

for Omni Hotels, a 50-facility brand. Now,<br />

as the president of Gold’s Gym International,<br />

Inc. (GGI), he intends to use all he knows to<br />

help transform the industry’s standard “salesoriented”<br />

perspective into a more productive<br />

“culture built around service.”<br />

8 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

CONTENTS | JULY 2011<br />

Spaciousness is key to locker<br />

room/spa success<br />

30 48<br />

36 <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>’s annual ranking of club companies<br />

44 Group Exercise Extraordinaire!<br />

Les Mills’ Ultimate Studio Search winners<br />

48 Locker Room Largesse<br />

Tips on making small areas more spacious<br />

55 SGPT: A Magic Acronym<br />

Small-group personal training is big news!


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CLUBBUSINESS<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

24 Hour Fitness<br />

‘serves’ U.S. military<br />

28<br />

Departments<br />

News & Know How<br />

63<br />

15 News<br />

Virgin Active acquires Esporta; Talwalkars<br />

tops 100; Christian Pierar boards <strong>IHRSA</strong>;<br />

industry mourns Stephen Williams; upbeat<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Index; plus Latin American News<br />

25 First Person<br />

Go Figure CEO Kyle Zagrodzky assesses<br />

technology’s impact on the fitness industry<br />

27 On the Move<br />

Vivafit debuts in Spain; Crunch’s polefitness<br />

X-Pert-ise; Snap ‘fit’ for entrepreneurs;<br />

RED HOT SUMMER for World;<br />

24 Hour supports the troops; and more<br />

<strong>Innovations</strong><br />

63 What’s New<br />

Great new products from TRX, Precor,<br />

Star Trac, Peaksware, Life Fitness, Legend<br />

Fitness, and other <strong>IHRSA</strong> associates<br />

67 F.I.T. Extra<br />

iPod docks, USB ports, LCD screens,<br />

workout tracking—treadmills, today,<br />

are anything but plain<br />

10 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

CONTENTS | JULY 2011<br />

Peaksware tracks<br />

fitness via iPhone<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Report<br />

89 First Set<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Chairperson Art Curtis offers<br />

suggestions on how to accelerate out<br />

of the Great Recession<br />

97<br />

90 In Brief<br />

Whether or not one of your aerobics<br />

instructors is an employee or an independent<br />

contractor matters to the IRS<br />

93 Board Profiles<br />

CBI is pleased to introduce new <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

board members Jasmin Kirstein and<br />

Robert Brewster<br />

94 Ask the Entrepreneurs<br />

Colleen Braun, Simon Gale, and<br />

Michael Jenkins explain how they<br />

solicit club members’ insights<br />

96 Member News<br />

FreeMotion Fitness’ special ‘Value<br />

Proposition;’ plus news from ACE, the<br />

USPTA, Motionsoft, Technogym, and more<br />

101 Calendar<br />

FreeMotion Fitness<br />

on Golden Gate<br />

Reps<br />

4 Letters<br />

6 Editor’s<br />

Welcome<br />

12 Ihrsa.org<br />

102 Marketplace<br />

103 Ad Index<br />

104 Last Rep<br />

First Lady Michelle<br />

Obama is excited<br />

about the new Joining<br />

Forces Network,<br />

reports <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

president and CEO<br />

Joe Moore


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Stop<br />

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START<br />

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THE NEW RULES OF<br />

WEIGHT LOSS<br />

Madonna:<br />

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the Material Girl<br />

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SHOES THAT HELP BOOST<br />

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Save BIG on <strong>IHRSA</strong>30 Recordings<br />

> www.ihrsa.org/store<br />

A PREVIEW OF WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH ON WWW.<strong>IHRSA</strong>.ORG<br />

Read All About It: Get Active! Magazine<br />

> www.ihrsa.org/get-active-magazine<br />

Did you miss <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s 30th Anniversary International Convention and Trade<br />

Show? Or did you attend, but find it impossible to get to every session on<br />

your wish list? Perhaps some of the sessions you attended were so riveting<br />

that you want to share them with your entire staff. You’re in luck: <strong>IHRSA</strong>30<br />

session recordings are now available for purchase as downloadable MP3s.<br />

Buy the full set of 63 recordings for just $399 ($499 nonmembers). This<br />

great value represents a huge savings over the cost of purchasing each<br />

session individually. Individual sessions are available for $15 each ($20<br />

nonmembers).<br />

Best-selling titles to date include: Building a Successful, Highly Profitable<br />

Sales Department; Creating Raving Fans: The Secret to Business Success;<br />

Big Company Talent Management for Small Organizations; Integrating the<br />

Medical Client into Your Facility; Using Technology to Improve Membership<br />

Sales & Retention; and Release Your Inner Geek: Social Media for Fitness<br />

Professionals. —|<br />

To order, visit www.ihrsa.org/store. Use promo code LISTEN to save 20% on any<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>30 convention session recording purchase, through July 31.<br />

12 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Readers are raving about the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Get Active!,<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>’s motivational magazine written exclusively for health club members,<br />

guests, and prospective members. This new issue features interviews with<br />

Madonna and actress Elisabeth Rohm, both of whom own health clubs. It also<br />

includes exercise advice, a dramatic before-and-after club member profile, tips<br />

on staying motivated and overcoming negativity, and much more. Magazines<br />

are available in boxes of 100, and supplies are limited. —|<br />

Log on to www.ihrsa.org/get-active-magazine to read the digital version and to order your<br />

club’s copies of the standard or Anytime Fitness editions.<br />

U.S. Clubs: Enroll in<br />

the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining<br />

Forces Network<br />

> www.healthclubs.com<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> member clubs in the U.S. are being<br />

encouraged to offer free memberships<br />

to the immediate family members of<br />

actively deployed reservists and National<br />

Guard members through the new <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

Joining Forces Network. Clubs may provide<br />

additional benefits such as childcare,<br />

children’s programming, group classes,<br />

discounts for veterans, and discounts for<br />

active-duty families. Military families can<br />

find participating clubs in their area at<br />

healthclubs.com. The Website will also<br />

offer a free digital subscription to Get<br />

Active! Magazine, an <strong>IHRSA</strong> publication<br />

dedicated to promoting healthy living<br />

through exercise. Visit healthclubs.com<br />

for details and to enroll! —|


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News & Know How<br />

News 15 | First Person 25 | On the Move 27<br />

OpenAire, Inc., an <strong>IHRSA</strong> associate member, is currently creating<br />

the Royal Marine Aquapark, a one-of-a-kind recreational facility in<br />

Donetsk, Ukraine. “At 86' high and 278' in diameter, it’s the<br />

largest freestanding aluminum dome structure in the world,”<br />

notes OpenAire President Mark Albertine. “And the<br />

unique retractable design makes it the first<br />

park of its kind. There’s simply nothing<br />

else like it.” —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 15


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OUR CLASSES DO SO ON A REGULAR BASIS.*<br />

The LES MILLS ® Group Fitness System is proven and our programs are constantly refreshed to<br />

keep your members coming back for more. So if you want to turn studio space into your most<br />

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FIND OUT MORE AT LESMILLS.COM/PRO<br />

*Nielsen 2010


Bulking up: Sir Richard Branson<br />

Virgin Active Acquires 55 Esporta Sites<br />

The $125.4-million deal nearly doubles the size of Virgin’s<br />

U.K. holdings<br />

Virgin Active, the international<br />

club chain headed by Sir Richard<br />

Branson, has nearly doubled the<br />

size of its U.K. footprint by purchasing<br />

55 sites from Esporta for some $125.4<br />

million. The transaction involves 35<br />

fitness centers and 20 racquet-sports<br />

facilities with more than 159,000<br />

members, and increases Virgin Active’s<br />

U.K. portfolio to 126 properties.<br />

The company says its enlarged U.K.<br />

business will have some 430,000 members<br />

and generate annual revenues of<br />

about $525 million.<br />

Earlier, in 2004 and 2005, it had<br />

acquired 10 Esporta clubs in the U.K.<br />

and six in Spain.<br />

“The location of Esporta’s clubs is an<br />

excellent fit with our estate and significantly<br />

strengthens our business,” says<br />

Matthew Bucknall, the chief executive<br />

of Virgin Active. “We’ve been able to<br />

sustain … growth over the last three<br />

years, when economic conditions have<br />

been difficult, and we continue to see<br />

excellent prospects for future growth in<br />

all our territories.”<br />

Virgin Active also owns and operates<br />

clubs in Italy, Portugal, and South Africa.<br />

Virgin Active figures prominently in<br />

this year’s <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25 lists (see<br />

“The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25,” pg. 36). In terms<br />

of number of facilities, it ranks No. 7<br />

(with 194 sites); number of members,<br />

No. 7 (975,000); total revenues, No. 5<br />

($709 million); one-year revenue growth,<br />

No. 1 (+14%); five-year revenue growth,<br />

No. 2, (+115%); and one-year unit<br />

growth, No. 25 (+4%). Recently, it broke<br />

through the 1-million-member mark. —|<br />

| News & Know How | News<br />

Talwalkars Hits<br />

100-Club Mark<br />

India’s industry<br />

leader pursues<br />

aggressive growth<br />

> India’s largest health club<br />

chain has just gotten a little<br />

bit bigger.<br />

Talwalkars Better Value<br />

Fitness, Ltd., based in Mumbai,<br />

already has facilities in 50 cities<br />

and more than 1 million members,<br />

and, recently, it announced<br />

the opening of its 100th club. The<br />

new Ballygunge branch, situated<br />

in Kolkata, a metropolitan area<br />

in East India, made its debut in<br />

April, and, like other Talwalkars<br />

facilities, features top-of-theline<br />

equipment and highly<br />

trained staff.<br />

Speaking at the opening,<br />

Prashant Talwalkar, the company’s<br />

CEO and managing director,<br />

described it as an “historic<br />

occasion,” and spoke of the<br />

company’s plans to “continue<br />

expanding at an increasing pace<br />

during the coming fiscal year.”<br />

Talwalkars, Ballygunge<br />

Part of its growth strategy<br />

involves the introduction of a new<br />

brand, known as Hi Fi, that will<br />

target a middle-income clientele.<br />

“Hi Fi will fulfill our dream of<br />

making fitness available to the<br />

masses,” says Chairman Madhukar<br />

Talwalkar. The company<br />

hopes to establish 25 Hi Fi<br />

locations within the next year. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 17


| News & Know How | Latin American News<br />

Cia Athletica Introduces Activities<br />

Accuracy Manager<br />

Companhia Athletica, the Brazilian health club chain, has<br />

developed an Activities Accuracy Manager (AAM), a system<br />

that generates training programs that effectively address the<br />

conditions, needs, and objectives of each individual member.<br />

Using an iPod Touch, trainers are alerted to a member’s arrival at the<br />

gym, and are provided with their personal-profile data and a description<br />

of the training program they’re supposed to follow. Utilizing this<br />

information, trainers can then improve their client planning, integrate<br />

physical assessments as indicated, renew programs in a timely manner,<br />

and, ultimately, maximize results.<br />

The AAM software relies on the guidelines of the American College<br />

of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Brazilian Society of Cardiology to<br />

inform the prescription of activities<br />

and periods indicated, or contraindicated,<br />

for over 400 diseases and<br />

disorders. The software also records<br />

the data obtained in the Test of<br />

Functional Movement (TMF). Developed<br />

in the U.S., TMF was adapted<br />

by Companhia Athletica to analyze a<br />

member’s exercise motions to ensure<br />

proper movement, and, thereby,<br />

Exercise ‘management’<br />

improve posture, prevent injuries,<br />

and enhance performance. —|<br />

O2 Opens Fourth Facility in Chile<br />

This month, the O2 Balance &<br />

Wellness Club will open its<br />

fourth facility in Chile. The<br />

12,900-square-foot unit, situated in<br />

the new Paseo Los Dominicanos mall<br />

at San Carlos de Apoquindo, will<br />

boast a fitness area with strength<br />

and cardiovascular equipment, and<br />

rooms for yoga, group fitness, and<br />

group cycling.<br />

“For us, 2010 was a year in which O2’s No. 4 in Chile<br />

we concentrated on consolidating<br />

our first three clubs,” reports CEO Alfredo De Goyeneche. “Now we’re<br />

beginning a new phase of expansion.”<br />

De Goyeneche reports that the new club “has competition just a block<br />

away, but each of the clubs is good and has a very different profile. Our<br />

club,” he predicts, “will attract a market that’s been growing in recent<br />

years as a result of the strong real estate development in that area of<br />

the city.”<br />

The monthly dues at the new O2 club, which hopes to attract approximately<br />

1,200 members, will range from $100 to $200. —|<br />

Editor’s Note: All of the news items on this page were provided by<br />

Mercado Fitness (www.mercadofitness.com).<br />

18 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Sport Club Goes<br />

Women-Only<br />

Club Sport: for<br />

women only<br />

> Today, increasingly, women are<br />

searching for a space where they can<br />

disconnect from their daily routine, relax,<br />

have fun, and exercise—both individually<br />

and in groups. Responding to this emerging<br />

trend, many fitness providers have<br />

successfully developed unique ways to<br />

serve this market niche.<br />

Among them is Club Sport, an Argentine<br />

chain, which has just opened its first<br />

women-only facility. The 12,900-squarefoot<br />

unit is located at the new Champagnat<br />

Mall, in the city of Pilar, in the northern<br />

area of Buenos Aires.<br />

Mariana Cuevas Coelho, the company’s<br />

marketing manager, describes the new<br />

corporate brand, Club Sport Women, as<br />

being for “women who want to enjoy a full<br />

workout in an exclusive atmosphere, seeking<br />

balance in the different dimensions of<br />

health—physical, emotional, social,<br />

intellectual, and spiritual.<br />

“It’s designed to enable women to cope<br />

with greater freedom and peace,” she continues,<br />

“and feel comfortable as they enjoy<br />

all of the activities of the new club—cardio,<br />

weight training, aerobics classes, indoor<br />

cycling, and Pilates.” The club will also offer<br />

yoga, meditation, and breathing classes.<br />

The Champagnat site will have an<br />

exclusive and limited membership<br />

“because we take care of the service we<br />

offer,” explains Coelho, who expects the<br />

club to reach 800 members within the<br />

first five months. The second Club Sport<br />

Women will open soon in Buenos Aires.<br />

Depending on the public’s response, the<br />

company then hopes to open additional<br />

women-only facilities. —|


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| News & Know How | News<br />

Christian Pierar Joins <strong>IHRSA</strong> Board<br />

Industry veteran will share 30 years of European expertise<br />

Christian Pierar, the special European advisor for <strong>IHRSA</strong>,<br />

has been elected to serve as a full member of the association’s<br />

board of directors. An industry veteran with<br />

more than 30 years’ experience, Pierar has held positions as<br />

a club owner, international consultant, association executive,<br />

and public speaker.<br />

His non-<strong>IHRSA</strong> accomplishments have included serving as<br />

the co-owner of Centro Sportivo and Moving Fitness Center;<br />

owner of Sports and Management Consulting BVBA; co-owner<br />

and CEO of Forum Lifestyle and Wellness, which developed<br />

fitness centers for major hotel chains; and CEO of Tinbert/<br />

Elexia NV, a venture-capital group that developed 68 clubs<br />

and wellness centers throughout Europe.<br />

Among the numerous titles he’s held on the association<br />

front are those of chairman of the National Belgian Syndicate<br />

for employers of the fitness and wellness industry in Europe;<br />

board member of the Belgian Security Fund for fitness<br />

In Memoriam: Stephen Williams<br />

Industry Mourns Passing of Former Cybex and Technogym Executive<br />

Stephen “Steve” Williams, 61, a<br />

former executive with Cybex<br />

International, Inc. (NASDAQ:<br />

CYBI), and Technogym, passed away<br />

in Seattle, Washington, on April 13,<br />

following a long and courageous battle<br />

with diabetes and kidney failure.<br />

A resident of Bainbridge Island,<br />

Washington, Williams was a passionate<br />

technologist and sophisticated marketer.<br />

At Cybex, Williams worked his way<br />

up the corporate ladder, holding the<br />

positions of director of marketing, vice<br />

president and managing director of<br />

fitness, and eventually, vice president<br />

of corporate development. He also put<br />

his marketing expertise to work on<br />

behalf of Technogym and was the first<br />

president of Technogym USA.<br />

Jill Kinney, the managing director of<br />

Clubsource Development Partners, LLC,<br />

><br />

Stephen Williams<br />

20 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

based in San Rafael, California, and a<br />

long-time friend of Williams, describes<br />

him as a “true innovator” whose work<br />

had a profound impact on the fitness<br />

industry. “In the mid-80s, he introduced<br />

a new, polished, industrial<br />

industry employees; founding<br />

member of the European<br />

Health and Fitness Association<br />

(EHFA), responsible for the<br />

European Network of Fitness<br />

Employers; and board member<br />

and treasurer of the European<br />

Association of Sport Employers. Christian Pierar<br />

A member of <strong>IHRSA</strong> for 24<br />

years, Pierar is a graduate of<br />

the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Institute for Professional Club Management and<br />

has been actively involved in many of the association’s<br />

activities. He commences his four-year board term with<br />

new board members Robert Brewster, the president of The<br />

Alaska Club, in Anchorage, Alaska; and Jasmin Kirstein, the<br />

owner of My Sportlady, in Munich, Germany. Brewster and<br />

Kirstein are profiled on pg. 93. —|<br />

design that turned the old weight stacks<br />

into sleek, attractive equipment, while,<br />

at the same time, insisting that sound<br />

science underlie the steel,” she points<br />

out. “He hired world-class photographers,<br />

consulted with sports and<br />

medical specialists, and used women<br />

in ads for the first time in order to<br />

demonstrate the remarkable benefits<br />

of exercise … The net effect of his<br />

marketing genius was worldwide<br />

recognition for brands such as Cybex<br />

and Technogym.<br />

“Aside from his impact on the fitness<br />

industry,” says Kinney, “Steve was best<br />

known as a great friend. He knew just<br />

about everyone and mixed, equally,<br />

with celebrities, club owners, and<br />

equipment manufacturers—with the<br />

same passion and intellectual humor.<br />

He’ll be missed by all.” —|<br />

Short Takes | Green Spaces Inspire Exercise<br />

It’s no coincidence that people who live near wide-open green spaces are more likely<br />

to engage in physical activities. A new study from the University of Southern Denmark<br />

concludes that a person’s proximity to green space has a direct influence on their fitness<br />

pursuits—including their likelihood of belonging to a health club. —|


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Copyright © 2011 Zumba Fitness, LLC | Zumba ® , Zumba Fitness ® and the Zumba Fitness logos are registered trademarks of Zumba Fitness, LLC


| News & Know How | News<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Index<br />

Reflects Industry<br />

Strength<br />

Clubs’ 2010 financial performance<br />

shows marked improvement<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> recently released the findings<br />

of its Financial Index for 2010, and,<br />

despite a weak economy, the industry’s<br />

metrics, the results show, were<br />

surprisingly good.<br />

“Our survey of 16 leading U.S. health<br />

and sports club companies, representing<br />

a total of 498 facilities, shows that<br />

performance was robust among commercial<br />

health clubs last year,” reports<br />

Jay Ablondi, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s executive vice<br />

president of global products.<br />

The Index documented marked<br />

improvements in revenue, membership<br />

dues revenue, nondues revenue, and<br />

EDITDAR (earnings before interest,<br />

taxes, depreciation, amortization, and<br />

rent). Overall, results for the full calendar<br />

year ending December 31, 2010,<br />

compared to those for 2009, showed<br />

that total revenue rose 5.9%; membership-dues<br />

revenue climbed 3.5%;<br />

nondues sales increased 11.8%; and<br />

EBITDAR grew by 4.9%.<br />

“Even though the year started with<br />

performance comparable to 2009 indicators,<br />

the quarterly-index participants<br />

finished the year with strong fourthquarter<br />

results,” points out Melissa<br />

Rodriguez, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s manager of<br />

research. Nondues revenue posted the<br />

strongest increase, up 13.4% over the<br />

same quarter in ’09, and EBITDAR<br />

was up by 9.1% over 4Q ’09.<br />

For complete results, visit<br />

www.ihrsa.org/research. —|<br />

> CORRECTION: Todd Galati was<br />

incorrectly identified as being the<br />

new director of the American Council<br />

on Exercise (ACE) in the March issue<br />

of CBI (pg. 34). In<br />

fact, Galati’s title<br />

is: Director of<br />

Credentialing for<br />

ACE. CBI regrets<br />

the error. —|<br />

Todd Galati<br />

Marketing<br />

The Power of Group Buying<br />

By Liane Cassavoy<br />

22 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Thanks to group-buying services, such as Groupon, shopping is no longer a<br />

solitary activity. These deal-of-the-day services, which have recently<br />

exploded in popularity, are changing the way people shop—and the way<br />

merchants, fitness clubs among them, sell their wares. These services offer clubs<br />

a new marketing platform, and a novel way to get first-time customers in the door.<br />

Groupon, LivingSocial, and the just-launched Facebook Deals work by offering<br />

a limited-time special, which must be purchased by a minimum number of users<br />

in order for everyone to reap the savings. Groupon’s approach, says spokesman<br />

Chad Nason, works because its “tipping-point” concept guarantees a certain<br />

number of customers.<br />

Groupon works with businesses to<br />

create the deal and determine the<br />

tipping point, then sells the vouchers<br />

and collects payments. After taking<br />

its 50% commission, it hands the rest<br />

of the money over to the business.<br />

Nason says that “virtually all” of its<br />

deals reach their payoff point now<br />

that the service has more than 70<br />

million subscribers.<br />

The Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment<br />

Complex, a high-end sports and entertainment complex in Manhattan, uses<br />

Groupon to offer discounts on programs that could bring in potential new members,<br />

notes Dana Thayer, the senior vice president of marketing and sponsorship.<br />

Because customers have to redeem their Groupon once they enter a gym, operators<br />

can track the results of the promotion. “You can see exactly who they are, and<br />

provide the great experience that will turn them into repeat customers,” says Nason.<br />

Amy Peddycord, the owner of Invoke, a yoga and Pilates studio in Indianapolis,<br />

Indiana, agrees. Her first deal, last year, resulted in the sale of 404 Groupons,<br />

70% of which were sold to newcomers to her studio. Peddycord says that 50% of<br />

the Groupon customers went on to purchase additional classes or merchandise<br />

from the studio, and 40% became regular students.<br />

Groupon does allow businesses to impose a cap on their offers, a welcome<br />

relief for those wary of being overrun by bargain hunters. And clubs should<br />

consider how to cover the cost of the deals they offer. Peddycord says she made<br />

the decision not to pay her teachers—who are typically compensated per<br />

student—for the Groupon users who attended their classes.<br />

Both Thayer and Peddycord agree that, while using a service like Groupon is<br />

extra work, the effort is worthwhile.<br />

The concept of group buying and discounting has become so prevalent that<br />

now industry-specific versions, such as FitnessCouponClub.com, have begun to<br />

appear, as have business-to-business versions, including Motionsoft’s<br />

fillMyGym, which allows gyms to purchase discounted equipment.<br />

The overwhelmingly large scope of Groupon is one of the primary reasons<br />

that John Spencer Ellis started FitnessCouponClub.com. “Sometimes<br />

fitness services get lost in the mix,” he explains. “Now, an offer for a gym won’t<br />

be overlooked between the chimney-sweeping and restaurant appetizer<br />

specials.” —|


CBI Spends 10 Minutes on the Line with<br />

Kyle Zagrodzky<br />

Kyle Zagrodzky is the<br />

CEO of Go Figure, Inc.,<br />

based in Houston. He<br />

began developing club<br />

management software<br />

in the 1990s, after he<br />

and his wife, Brenda,<br />

opened nine franchised<br />

Curves facilities. In<br />

1997, he introduced the<br />

iGo Figure Membership<br />

and Business Management<br />

program, which<br />

is now sold in 14<br />

languages in more<br />

than 50 countries.<br />

.com<br />

To hear Kyle Zagrodzky<br />

describe iGo Figure<br />

software in detail, log<br />

on to www.igofigure.com<br />

and click on “iGo<br />

Product Video.”<br />

| News & Know How | First Person<br />

QWhat, exactly, is data mining and how can clubs capitalize<br />

on it most effectively? What prompted you to develop the<br />

iGo Figure Membership and Business Management software<br />

program? How can health clubs get the most out of the<br />

software they have? What’s the future look like for data mining?<br />

“Data mining is a method of processing large data<br />

sets to help identify trends, patterns, and anomalies,<br />

with the goal of gaining insights into what’s<br />

going on in many areas of a business.<br />

For example, on a day-to-day basis, you can use<br />

member data to help increase retention by identifying<br />

at-risk customers—ones with declining or<br />

erratic attendance patterns—or, conversely, VIP<br />

customers who maintain high spending levels.<br />

You can determine where most of your customers<br />

live, define their demographic profile, and then<br />

target the most likely prospects with an effective<br />

ad campaign. You can also use data to help<br />

identify members who are part of a special<br />

population—for instance, ones with diabetes—<br />

and then tailor programs, service levels, and<br />

specific communications for them that they’d<br />

profit from. Or you can identify and establish<br />

partnerships with the businesses in your market<br />

that club prospects tend to frequent.<br />

These are just a few of the ways that good data<br />

can help operators manage their businesses<br />

better. If they’re not making use of data-mining<br />

software at all, or aren’t fully leveraging the software<br />

they have, then they’re missing out on some<br />

major opportunities.<br />

I first entered the fitness industry as a martial<br />

artist many years ago. In the 1990s, my wife, Brenda,<br />

and I opened nine Curves franchises in Houston,<br />

and, in 1999, we won the Curves Multi-Franchisee<br />

of the Year Award. I began designing comprehensive,<br />

all-inclusive membership and club management<br />

software to meet my needs as a club<br />

operator. When iGo Figure demanded more of my<br />

time, Brenda, an outstanding club operator, took<br />

over our clubs. We sold them eight years ago.<br />

Over the years, my team and I have continued to<br />

design the product from the end-user’s perspective.<br />

Today, thousands of clubs use iGo Figure, in<br />

14 languages, in more than 50 countries. Our<br />

software offers integrated payment-processing<br />

and collection services in several of the countries<br />

we serve. And all of our users are encouraged to<br />

take advantage of our free one-on-one training,<br />

and have unlimited access to our powerful,<br />

Internet-based learning tools.<br />

Technological advances are constantly improving<br />

on what club management systems can deliver,<br />

which makes this an exciting field. What we can<br />

accomplish today with a single line of code<br />

required 20 lines of code just a few years ago.<br />

User-interface concepts are much more flexible<br />

and simpler to design, which makes applications<br />

easier to learn. Now, nontechnical employees<br />

can perform the complex data-mining tasks that<br />

were once left to “the IT people” to complete.<br />

For clubs to get the most from software, top<br />

management must recognize its value and properly<br />

train the employees who will be using it.<br />

Clubs will obtain the highest return on their<br />

investment only if they leverage its capabilities to<br />

the fullest.<br />

Social media may be the new frontier. People<br />

spent more time on Facebook than on any other<br />

Website in 2010. It’s becoming one of the best<br />

ways to get information directly to your members,<br />

and allows you to target ads locally, reaching your<br />

desired demographic. Some day, I imagine we’ll<br />

be able to farm data or write applications to work<br />

with sites like Facebook.<br />

Once we do, the sky’s the limit! ” —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 25


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Franchising Programming<br />

Vivafit Breaks Ground in Spain<br />

Warm welcome for Vivafit<br />

Vivafit, the Western European chain of women-only health clubs, has<br />

opened its first franchise location in Spain in the town of Lepe, near Huelva.<br />

The new facility—owned by businessman Florencio Andre—opened in<br />

February, and, having sold 232 memberships during presale, was already<br />

at break-even on the day that it made its debut.<br />

Vivafit owns two additional Spanish locations and hopes to have 100<br />

in the country by 2016. The company, based in Portugal, has more than<br />

100 centers there, and dominates the 30-minute-express sector with an<br />

estimated 80% market share. It’s also exploring opportunities in India<br />

and Singapore.<br />

“Vivafit strives to be the leading weight-loss fitness franchisor in the<br />

world,” explains President Constance Morrissey Ruiz. “We’re committed<br />

to meeting the highest standards of the fitness industry and the highest<br />

standards of franchising.” —|<br />

Snap Fitness a Top Franchisor for Young Entrepreneurs<br />

Snap Fitness, Inc., one of the world’s fastest-growing franchisors of 24/7<br />

express fitness centers, has been named one of the Top 21 Franchises for<br />

Young Entrepreneurs by Under30CEO.com. The recognition honors Snap<br />

Fitness as a franchise concept that appeals to the interests of entrepreneurs<br />

under the age of 30, pointing out that it’s “paid special attention<br />

to helping franchisees select their locations and has some of the lowest<br />

startup costs in the industry.” Snap also offers a Web tool that enables<br />

franchisees to manage their club operations online.<br />

“No matter the age, we<br />

encourage everyone who’s<br />

interested in opening up a<br />

health club to look at Snap<br />

Fitness as a viable franchise<br />

option,” suggests Peter<br />

Taunton, the founder and<br />

CEO of Snap Fitness, based in<br />

Chanhassen, Minnesota. “As<br />

a growing fitness concept, it’s<br />

our franchise system’s goal<br />

to provide the Generation Y<br />

franchise owners within our<br />

system with the necessary<br />

Peter Taunton<br />

support to lead them toward<br />

success.” —|<br />

| News & Know How | On The Move<br />

Crunch Launches X-Pert Pole<br />

Fitness Training Program<br />

Crunch Fitness, an industry leader in the field<br />

of innovative group-fitness programming, has<br />

announced the launch of X-Pert Pole Fitness, a<br />

professional training program. The course, offered<br />

in conjunction with X-Pole, a major manufacturer of<br />

poles, is the first and only one of its kind accredited<br />

by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America<br />

(AFAA) and the American Council on Exercise<br />

(ACE). The curriculum has also been endorsed by<br />

the Pole Fitness Association (PFA).<br />

Developed and led by<br />

top professionals in the<br />

fitness industry and polefitness<br />

community, the<br />

two-day, 16-hour training<br />

lays the groundwork<br />

for a general standard<br />

of safety and technique.<br />

It breaks down each<br />

section of a pole-fitness<br />

class—e.g., how to set up<br />

a pole properly, dance<br />

choreography, exercise<br />

Pole X-Pert-ise science—to provide the<br />

best workout possible. —|<br />

Marketing<br />

World Gym International<br />

Fires Up RED HOT SUMMER<br />

World Gym International,<br />

LLC, the iconic<br />

gym brand and<br />

international franchise<br />

company, has unveiled<br />

a new consumer<br />

campaign for its franchisees.<br />

The tagline:<br />

RED HOT SUMMER.<br />

The promotion features trademarked graphics<br />

that celebrate the company’s heritage and recent<br />

initiatives. The promotion package includes direct<br />

mail and e-mail, in-gym posters, social-media tools,<br />

and Website support to help franchisees attract<br />

prospects and retain existing members.<br />

“Our RED HOT SUMMER campaign helps franchisees<br />

to differentiate themselves from the generic<br />

fitness brands with which they compete,” explains<br />

Managing Director Guy Cammilleri. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 27


| News & Know How | On The Move<br />

Club Openings<br />

FFC West Loop<br />

Sport & Health Finds Promise in Frederick, Maryland<br />

Fundraising<br />

FFC Introduces New West Loop Facility<br />

Sport & Health Clubs, the largest chain of health and fitness facilities in the<br />

metropolitan Washington, D.C., area, has signed a lease in anticipation of opening<br />

a $6-million, 42,000-square-foot location at Market Square, in Frederick, Maryland.<br />

“We’re just crazy about Frederick,” enthuses CEO Mark Fisher, who observes that<br />

the community is “very vibrant, active, and health-conscious.”<br />

The new facility in Frederick will offer an array of amenities, including group<br />

exercise, racquetball courts, indoor/outdoor swimming pools and tennis courts,<br />

Pilates, a Kidz Klub, tanning, and spa services.<br />

Sport & Health is based in Vienna, Virginia.” —|<br />

24 Hour Fitness Employee Supports the Troops<br />

Jessica Maddin, a front-desk employee at 24 Hour Fitness<br />

Worldwide, Inc., the world’s largest privately-owned club chain,<br />

could never have predicted the response she’d receive from an<br />

e-mail she sent to CEO Carl Liebert III, asking for his help to<br />

support U.S. troops. Now, she’s the proud founder of Jessica’s<br />

Hope Project, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports<br />

the men and women of the nation’s armed forces via care<br />

packages containing health<br />

and fitness supplies.<br />

Last April, Maddin sent<br />

her request to Liebert and<br />

explained her concern that,<br />

according to the U.S. Marine<br />

Corps, deployed military<br />

personnel lose approximately<br />

50 pounds of body weight per<br />

deployment. Within 10 days of<br />

Liebert, l., with Maddin her initial message, Maddin<br />

received a shipment from<br />

Liebert totaling more than $17,000 worth of 24 Hour Fitness<br />

retail products, including supplements, vitamins, protein bars,<br />

and powders. She’s since redistributed the donations to soldiers<br />

abroad in 451 individual shipments.<br />

“There are people out there like Jessica who have the power<br />

to take a stand and make a difference,” said Liebert, who once<br />

served as a naval officer. “I hope the success we’ve had with<br />

Jessica’s Hope Project serves as an inspiration to others to<br />

carry through with their ambitions.” —|<br />

28 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), which owns and operates nine upscale clubs and<br />

manages three corporate fitness centers in the Greater Chicago area, has opened its<br />

new West Loop facility at 10 S. Clinton Street. The full-service, 52,000-square-foot<br />

property features a dramatic three-story glass-enclosed atrium entryway; an expansive<br />

skylight over the indoor pool; a new Pilates studio; advanced training areas; and a<br />

luxurious outdoor pool, sundeck, and beverage bar. Other amenities include an indoorcycling<br />

theater; group-fitness studios; complimentary towel and laundry service; and<br />

the FFC Spa. —|<br />

Sport & Health<br />

expanding<br />

The Claremont Club Excels at Art of Giving<br />

The Claremont Club, one of<br />

Southern California’s premier<br />

health, fitness, and wellness<br />

destinations, will celebrate its<br />

fifth year of hosting the Art of<br />

Giving Charity event this<br />

month, on July 30. The semiformal<br />

food and wine-tasting<br />

affair will be held at the side of<br />

the club’s pool, and 100% of<br />

Art of Giving goings-on<br />

the proceeds will be distributed<br />

to three programs:<br />

• the Living Well After Cancer program, in partnership with the<br />

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center’s Robert and Beverly<br />

Lewis Family Cancer Care Center, which supports individuals<br />

in different stages of recovery through personal training, nutritional<br />

counseling, group-exercise classes, and support groups;<br />

• the Adopt a Family program, which provides needy families<br />

with household essentials, such as beds, washers, dryers,<br />

linens, and other items;<br />

• and the Matt Leinart Foundation, an organization that cares<br />

for disadvantaged youth.<br />

“We’re hoping to raise $60,000 this year and anticipate a<br />

great turnout,” notes Shannon Malooly, the club’s groupexercise<br />

director. “Community businesses donate all the food,<br />

beverages, entertainment, and raffle items, and we put on an<br />

incredible event!” —|


GGI President Jim Snow


Jim Snow<br />

By Patricia Amend<br />

CBI: When you moved from Omni Hotels to become president of Gold’s Gym<br />

International, Inc. (GGI), in 2009, it raised a few eyebrows. What valuable<br />

qualities, skills, and experience did TRT Holdings, the parent of both<br />

companies, hope you’d bring to bear on GGI?<br />

JIm Snow: I think TRT saw it as a logical move, since the hospitality and fitness<br />

businesses have many fundamental components in common. They each have<br />

guests, facilities, sales departments, and a lot of competition, and rely heavily on<br />

great customer service and their ability to develop strong customer loyalty. The<br />

hotels I’ve managed were consistently ranked at the top of Omni’s guest-service<br />

and profitability metrics. This experience translated remarkably well to what we’re<br />

doing now at Gold’s Gym.<br />

CBI: Recently, in CBI, John McCarthy, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s executive director emeritus,<br />

wrote that one of the most important things that the industry needs to do<br />

today is “redefine itself as a hospitality business” and become much more<br />

“consumer-centric.” Your thoughts on that concept and how it relates,<br />

specifically, to Gold’s?<br />

JS: John is right on point. The fitness industry has a culture built around sales,<br />

while the hospitality industry has a culture built around service.<br />

But it wasn’t always like that; the hospitality industry was once dominated by fullservice<br />

hotels. When the economy brands began entering the market at a rapid pace<br />

with high-quality products, free amenities, and low prices, the competitive pressures<br />

escalated dramatically. The luxury hotel segment was forced to improve its products<br />

and service, and, today, it’s synonymous with service.<br />

The fitness industry faces a strikingly similar development, and consumers’<br />

spending habits have changed. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to provide<br />

value, regardless of what segment you’re in. Service is driven by culture, and culture<br />

revolves around people—not programs. A service-oriented culture requires a<br />

strong commitment by a company’s leadership.<br />

CBI: How would you best describe your own leadership style?<br />

JS: I’m a driver, and I expect fast results. And, while I don’t change things for<br />

the sake of change, the reason that I’ve assumed the positions I have is because<br />

progress had become stagnant or things were outdated. I also try to be very<br />

transparent for everyone, and, generally, people appreciate that.<br />

CBI: When you came on board, did TRT provide you with a list of specific<br />

goals or objectives?<br />

JS: Our guiding principle is: “To Be the Best Franchisor in this Space.” Our three ><br />

| CBI Interview |<br />

Gold’s Gym International, Inc., is relying on his vast hospitality<br />

industry experience to make it ‘The Best Franchisor in this Space’<br />

Highlights<br />

» Fitness/hospitality<br />

» Franchisee upgrades<br />

» Gold’s Gym Express<br />

» Worldwide expansion<br />

Jim Snow became president<br />

of Gold’s Gym International,<br />

Inc. (GGI), in 2009. A graduate<br />

of Kansas State University, he<br />

brings more than 23 years of<br />

experience in the hospitality<br />

and service industries to GGI,<br />

having developed an impressive<br />

track record in sales, retail,<br />

marketing, and management<br />

in a multi-unit, service-driven<br />

environment. He embarked<br />

on his career with Omni<br />

Hotels in 1992, and worked<br />

his way through numerous<br />

executive positions within the<br />

company. Most recently, he<br />

served as regional vice president<br />

of operations for Omni<br />

Hotels, a sister company of<br />

GGI, where he oversaw several<br />

high-profile properties, thousands<br />

of employees, and<br />

millions of dollars in revenue.<br />

Under his leadership, Omni<br />

Hotels was twice recognized<br />

as one of the “Best Places to<br />

Work in Texas.” Snow resides<br />

in Dallas with his family. He<br />

works out daily at a Gold’s<br />

franchise near GGI’s corporate<br />

office and, on weekends,<br />

at a corporate-owned club<br />

near his home. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 31


| CBI Interview |<br />

long-term goals are to grow the GGI<br />

brand around the world; help our<br />

franchisees become more profitable;<br />

and dominate the fitness industry in<br />

the years to come.<br />

Our philosophy is guided by these<br />

goals, all of which demand that we<br />

balance the needs of our customers,<br />

associates, and owners. Identifying what<br />

was out of balance with GGI, and remedying<br />

that, has been my primary focus.<br />

CBI: Tell us what you’ve accomplished<br />

since becoming president.<br />

What progress have you made,<br />

thus far, in achieving your goals?<br />

JS: During the past 18 months, we’ve<br />

completely rebuilt GGI’s technology<br />

platform and improved the level of<br />

service that we provide to our new and<br />

existing franchisees. This has included<br />

redoing Gold’s Gym University online;<br />

investing in a new franchise communications<br />

platform; rebuilding our<br />

franchise sales systems; and revamping<br />

the Gold’s Gym Website.<br />

In addition, we’ve modified the<br />

roles of our regional field managers;<br />

launched the Gold’s Gym Express<br />

concept; and introduced our new<br />

Gold’s Capital financing division to<br />

support our franchisees.<br />

CBI: Let’s talk about those two<br />

additions for a moment. Can you<br />

tell us more about the Gold’s Gym<br />

Express clubs? What are their<br />

price points, what do they offer,<br />

and how do they differ from others<br />

in the economy segment?<br />

JS: Gold’s Gym Express was created in<br />

response to requests from our franchisees,<br />

who wanted a product to compete<br />

in the high-volume, low-price segment.<br />

Gold’s Gym Express is a $9.99-<br />

$19.99-a-month gym with low labor<br />

costs. All Express clubs feature highquality<br />

construction and design, our<br />

signature Cardio Cinema, unlimited<br />

guest passes, and a no-contract<br />

option. In addition, franchisees can<br />

choose to offer tanning, massage<br />

chairs, and a free training component.<br />

What differentiates us is the support<br />

we provide that most low-cost players<br />

don’t offer, including the latest virtual<br />

training technology, advice from<br />

celebrity trainers, customized workout<br />

programs, and comprehensive<br />

online tracking tools.<br />

“The hospitality and fitness businesses …<br />

each have guests, facilities, sales<br />

departments, and a lot of competition,<br />

and rely heavily on great customer<br />

service and their ability to develop<br />

strong customer loyalty.”<br />

32 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Our brand can now expand in ways<br />

that weren’t possible before, as this<br />

model works anywhere. Depending on<br />

the location and situation, franchisees<br />

can build a standalone Gold’s Gym<br />

Express or utilize it as part of a huband-spoke<br />

strategy.<br />

CBI: And the new financing arm,<br />

Gold’s Gym Capital—what was the<br />

rationale for creating it? Will it<br />

aid your new franchisees and your<br />

existing ones, as well?<br />

JS: Today, financing is the No. 1<br />

impediment to growth in the industry.<br />

We’ve hired Chuck lemar, the former<br />

president of Cybex Capital, to assist<br />

new and existing franchisees in<br />

obtaining financing for new operations,<br />

equipment financing, and renovations.<br />

CBI: You have an iconic, timetested<br />

brand—one of the few in<br />

the industry. How have you<br />

managed to broaden your market,<br />

while maintaining brand integrity?<br />

JS: Our founder, Joe Gold, was<br />

responsible for some of the earliest<br />

innovations in equipment and training,<br />

and, today, our iconic brand means so<br />

much to so many people around the<br />

world. We have the highest consumer<br />

awareness of any brand in the industry.<br />

More than ever, we’re focused on<br />

creating new offerings to help our<br />

members achieve their goals. We’ll<br />

continue to push the envelope on<br />

technology and innovation, whether<br />

that’s through our signature Cardio<br />

Cinema, our best-in-class customerretention<br />

program, our new Max Burn<br />

Zone and les Mills CX30 programs, or<br />

our new functional-training programs.<br />

Our “Know your Own Strength”<br />

campaign, which rolled out two years<br />

ago, this year evolved to become our<br />

“Stronger Than” campaign. It revolves<br />

around the notion of “redefining<br />

strength.” Strength refers not just to<br />

muscle, but also to inner strength, or<br />

the strength to get through tough<br />

times. This campaign has resonated<br />

strongly with consumers since we<br />

rolled it out in January.<br />

CBI: Speaking of tough times,<br />

we’ve all just been through a<br />

painful economic downturn. How<br />

has the recession affected your<br />

corporate revenues and profitability<br />

since it began in 2007? How do<br />

you see a general economic<br />

rebound taking shape?<br />

JS: After a couple of flat years in ’07<br />

and ’08, GGI posted the two most<br />

successful years in the history of the<br />

company in 2009 and 2010. I’m confident<br />

that we’ll continue to see strong<br />

growth moving forward as we continue<br />

to implement our business plan. We<br />

still have very high unemployment<br />

around the country, and the weakness<br />

of the dollar is a concern, but I<br />

believe we’re on track for a slow,<br />

extended recovery.<br />

I think the right question to ask is,


“What’s the new normal?”(See “The<br />

New Normal,” April CBI, pg. 42). I<br />

believe we’ve gone through a period<br />

that only our grandparents understand.<br />

A lot of people have been hurt. We’ve all<br />

made changes in the way we live.<br />

CBI: In your view, how has the<br />

downturn affected the fitness<br />

industry? Will things ever get<br />

back to ‘normal’, or are fundamental<br />

changes occurring? If<br />

so, what are they?<br />

JS: The industry is experiencing<br />

changes that will be with us for a long<br />

time. For example, short-term, the<br />

lack of financing has slowed franchise<br />

growth dramatically in all segments.<br />

As the economy improves, financing<br />

will loosen, but I’d be surprised if<br />

the easy lending days of the past<br />

ever return.<br />

The recession hurt the retail industry,<br />

creating a window for low-cost<br />

operators to step through. A lot of<br />

retail space is currently available,<br />

and the cost to enter the market in<br />

this segment is low. Franchises are<br />

attractive investments for equity<br />

groups, for multi-unit franchise<br />

operators, and for displaced corporate<br />

executives who can use funds<br />

from their large 401(k)s.<br />

low-cost gyms will improve just<br />

as the economy segment of the hotel<br />

industry has. They’ll continue to put<br />

pressure on full-amenity gym operators<br />

to keep their products looking<br />

good and their service standards high.<br />

CBI: What was the overall mood<br />

like when you attended <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

30th Anniversary International<br />

Convention and Trade Show in<br />

San Francisco? How did you make<br />

use of your time there?<br />

JS: This was my second <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

convention. It was great to see how ><br />

Pro FormA: GOlD’S GyM<br />

INTERNATIONAl, INC.<br />

| CBI Interview |<br />

• Number of Gold’s Gym full-service<br />

franchises in the U.S. and elsewhere: 623<br />

• Number of Gold’s Express franchises:<br />

3-5 open by August 2011<br />

• Total number of members in 2010:<br />

3.5 million<br />

• Member breakdown:<br />

53% female, 47% male<br />

• Cost to build/own a full-service Gold’s Gym<br />

(35,000-100,000 square feet): $963,000-<br />

$3.9 million; $25,000 franchise fee; royalty<br />

of 3% of annual gross revenues; National<br />

Ad Fund fee of 2% of annual gross revenues<br />

• Cost to build/own a Gold’s Gym Express<br />

(10,000-25,000 square feet): $895,000<br />

to $1.9 million; $25,000 franchise fee;<br />

royalty of 5% of annual gross revenues;<br />

National Ad Fund fee of 2% of annual gross<br />

revenues —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 33


| CBI Interview |<br />

much passion there is for this business<br />

among the attendees. These<br />

events provide us with an opportunity<br />

to talk to our franchisees, vendors,<br />

and investors about the new things<br />

that are happening at GGI. There’s a<br />

lot of enthusiasm for our new initiatives,<br />

and <strong>IHRSA</strong> was the perfect<br />

venue to capitalize on it.<br />

CBI: Looking ahead, what are your<br />

plans for 2011 and 2012? How many<br />

new clubs do you expect to open in<br />

the U.S. and internationally?<br />

JS: We anticipate having 20-30 new<br />

domestic clubs in 2011 and up to<br />

100 by the end of 2012. About 20%<br />

will be full-service clubs, and the<br />

remainder will be Gold’s Gym Express<br />

clubs. International development is<br />

also moving at a fast clip. Our master<br />

franchisees in India, the United Arab<br />

Emirates (UAE), the Philippines, and<br />

other places are ahead of schedule.<br />

34 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

India, alone, may exceed 100 new clubs<br />

over this time period. During the past<br />

few years, we’ve also opened Gold’s<br />

Gym clubs in Spain, Poland, and Venezuela,<br />

and, now, we’re drawing interest<br />

from other areas of the world.<br />

CBI: And, finally, on a more<br />

personal note: in what ways has<br />

fitness made a lasting, indelible<br />

impact on your life?<br />

JS: I joined my first gym, a European<br />

Health Spa, when I was 21, and I’ve<br />

been a gym member ever since.<br />

However, over time, all of the business<br />

dinners, traveling, and entertaining<br />

in the hotel industry took their toll.<br />

Thankfully, I see the Gold’s opportunity<br />

as a message from God to get back in<br />

shape! Todd Scartozzi, our chief operating<br />

officer (COO), and I work out<br />

every day at a Gold’s franchise near<br />

our office in Irving, Texas, and I use<br />

our Plano facility on weekends.<br />

new GGI ‘Express’ concept<br />

I’m especially proud of my oldest<br />

son, Mitchell, who’s transformed his<br />

life through fitness. When he went to<br />

college, Mitchell was 6'4" and<br />

weighed about 260 pounds. He joined<br />

a Gold’s Gym near campus, where he<br />

met a trainer, Courtney Palmer, who<br />

was our fitness manager. Courtney put<br />

Mitchell on the path to success, and<br />

he’s now 210 pounds, toned and<br />

muscular, and an inspiration to me,<br />

my wife, and our two other sons. —|<br />

– Patricia Amend, PAmend@aol.com


800. 989.0201<br />

&<br />

balance<br />

form<br />

celare.com


Map locations indicate firms’<br />

corporate headquarters<br />

24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc.<br />

Anytime Fitness<br />

Bally Total Fitness<br />

Brick Bodies<br />

Club One, Inc.<br />

ClubCorp (part of KSl<br />

Resorts)<br />

Curves International, Inc.<br />

elements fitness<br />

Fitness Together Holdings<br />

Gold’s Gym International, Inc.<br />

Jazzercise, Inc.<br />

l&T Health and Fitness<br />

lA Fitness International, llC<br />

lady of America Franchise<br />

Corporation<br />

leisure Sports, Inc.<br />

life Time Fitness, Inc.<br />

lifeStart Wellness Network<br />

lifestyle Family Fitness<br />

lucille Roberts Health Clubs<br />

MediFit Corporate<br />

Services, Inc.<br />

Millennium Partners Sports<br />

Club Management llC<br />

Planet Fitness<br />

Renaissance, Inc.<br />

The Rush Fitness Complex<br />

Snap Fitness<br />

Spectrum Athletic Clubs, Inc.<br />

Stroller Strides, llC<br />

Town Sports International<br />

Holdings, Inc.<br />

Western Athletic Clubs (part<br />

of KSl Resorts)<br />

The <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

GloBAl<br />

25<br />

36 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Organizacion Britania<br />

Goodlife Fitness Clubs


ElIXIA Nordic AS<br />

Fitness World<br />

HealthCity<br />

Bannatyne Fitness, ltd.<br />

David lloyd leisure, ltd.<br />

Fitness First Group, ltd.<br />

lA Fitness, Plc.<br />

A! Bodytech Participações<br />

BIO RITMO<br />

Bodytech<br />

Companhia Athletica<br />

New Fitness Centers, SA<br />

dba/ Gold’s Gym Peru<br />

Sportlife<br />

Nuffield Health Fitness &<br />

Wellbeing Centres<br />

B-Fit<br />

Club Med Gym<br />

Virgin Active<br />

Holmes Place<br />

McFit GmbH<br />

Kieser Training AG<br />

Fernwood Women’s<br />

Health Clubs<br />

power house sports international<br />

Central Sports Co., ltd.<br />

Konami Sports & life Co., ltd.<br />

PURE FITNESS<br />

World Gym Taiwan<br />

The economic<br />

recovery iS uneven,<br />

buT iT’S gaThering momenTum<br />

By Patricia Amend<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 37


The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25<br />

t’s now official.<br />

The health club industry—comprised, in large part, of thousands of dedicated, hard-working, highly professional<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> members—is truly recession-resilient. Figures for 2010 confirm that the U.S. industry has successfully navigated<br />

one of the worst and most trying economic downturns of the last century. Many club operators in other parts of the<br />

world have also stayed the course, but, admittedly, some continue to struggle in this most uneven of recoveries.<br />

A year ago, CBI noted that the industry had breathed a collective sigh of relief, as there was a real sense that things<br />

were finally beginning to improve, despite the fact that a full recovery remained elusive. That positive sentiment is<br />

even stronger now.<br />

“We can be proud that many people in this industry worked very hard to improve their clubs under difficult<br />

circumstances,” observes Rick Caro, the president of Management Vision, Inc., a consulting firm based in New York<br />

City. “In 2010, the number of net members increased, and attrition is under control again—closer to the 2008 numbers,<br />

following a difficult 2009. Nondues revenue came back; EBITDA margins are now closer to 2008 levels, though<br />

not as high as in 2007; and we saw the first growth in members in several years.”<br />

Results from <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s annual membership survey, conducted in January, indicate that U.S. club membership<br />

reached 50.2 million in 2010, a healthy 10.8% increase over 45.3 million in 2009. That jump is even more impressive<br />

considering the fact that the number of Americans belonging to a club was flat—between 45 and 46 million—<br />

from 2006 to 2009. In addition, the total number of health club consumers—i.e., members and nonmember users<br />

and visitors—reached 58 million in 2010, up 10.4% from 52.6 million in 2009.<br />

Finally, total U.S. industry revenues were $20.3 billion in 2010, up 4% over the previous year, and the number of<br />

clubs totaled 29,890, a slight increase from 29,750 in 2009. Worldwide, the industry generated an estimated $70<br />

billion in revenues, the result of the efforts of more than 128,000 clubs.<br />

Turning The corner<br />

“I’m definitely seeing more optimism on the part of club owners, compared to the ‘bunker mentality’ of the last two<br />

years, and, I think, for good reason,” says Duane Stullich, managing director at FocalPoint Partners, an investment<br />

banking firm based in Los Angeles. “Operators with balance-sheet issues who took the steps needed to fix them have<br />

created opportunities for growth. Crunch Fitness is a good example of this.”<br />

“Groups including LA Fitness, Urban Active, and XSport continue to build highly attractive, multisport boxes and<br />

maintain large memberships at reasonable membership prices,” says Pete Moore, the managing partner at Integrity<br />

Square, a boutique investment firm based in New York City that focuses on the active-lifestyle, health, and wellness<br />

sector. “Equinox and Life Time Fitness, on the high end, are exceeding expectations. And Planet Fitness and WOW!<br />

Work Out World are performing extremely well at lower-priced memberships.”<br />

One of the principal factors contributing to the relatively stable number of clubs in<br />

the U.S., and the increase in the number of club members, both in the U.S. and world-<br />

wide, is the ongoing success story of Anytime Fitness and Snap Fitness. By the end of<br />

2010, Anytime Fitness had a total of 1,496 facilities, a 20% increase over 2009, and<br />

placed No. 2 on the Number of Franchises list; Snap Fitness had 1,122, a 17%<br />

increase over ’09, and placed No. 3 on the list. Anytime Fitness’ five-year unit<br />

growth rate (2006-2010) was 397%, and Snap Fitness’ was 783%.<br />

Together, the two companies now serve some 1.3 million members.<br />

Still, there were no big deals in the U.S. last year for three principal<br />

reasons, Caro explains. “Strategic buyers haven’t been willing to pay<br />

the prices of three years ago, so potential sellers have been holding off.<br />

Debt financing has been hard to obtain for cash-based borrowers who couldn’t<br />

get the leverage that was available in 2008. It was also difficult for asset-basedborrowers<br />

because banks have tightened their requirements in general or because<br />

they have problems with this industry. However, due to changes in some SBA loan requirements, things may pick<br />

up by the end of this year.”<br />

“Fitness facilities definitely require cash-flow loans, which was a class of lending that dried up in 2009, but<br />

experienced some loosening in 2010,” notes Brent Knudsen, a managing partner at Partnership Capital Growth in<br />

San Francisco. “It’s now available primarily to larger, stronger operators such as LA Fitness, which raised a<br />

$300-million acquisition line earlier this year, and 24 Hour Fitness, which also restructured its debt recently. In<br />

addition, more local and regional operators have accessed improved credit facilities with lenders willing to support<br />

higher debt levels for growth and acquisitions.”<br />

“We can be proud<br />

that many people<br />

in this industry<br />

worked very hard<br />

to improve their<br />

clubs under difficult<br />

circumstances.”<br />

38 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g


vieW From euroPe<br />

Results from a survey conducted by the Leisure Database Company show a slight increase in the number of U.K.<br />

clubs, from 5,795 in 2009 to 5,885 in 2010, while membership rose from 7.3 million in 2009 to 7.4 million in 2010.<br />

However, Continental Europe was still restrained by the recession in 2010, with the main exception being<br />

Germany, points out David Giampaolo, the chief executive of Pi Capital, based in London. “Greece, Ireland, and<br />

Portugal had to be bailed out by the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Unemployment<br />

is high in most countries, and taxes are on the rise. I don’t think the industry has turned the corner yet,” he suggests.<br />

“However, there are some very successful exceptions, including Fitness First, Virgin Active, and Health City.”<br />

When it comes to debt financing, medium and large companies still enjoy access, Giampaolo says. “However, it’s<br />

neither easy nor cheap,” he adds. “Generally speaking, debt financing, in my opinion, will be a lot harder to obtain<br />

for years to come. Part of the reason for this is the fact that most banks need to shrink their balance sheets and<br />

increase their capital reserves. And there are other industries with a better credit history than fitness.”<br />

Still, the end of 2010 and the first half of 2011 were ripe with noteworthy deals. Health City acquired all 57 Fitness<br />

First facilities in the Benelux region, which, when combined with their takeover of the budget chain Basic Fit, brings<br />

Health City’s total count to 210 clubs.<br />

Virgin Active agreed to acquire Esporta’s 35 health and fitness operations and 20 racquet-sport clubs in the U.K.,<br />

which will give the company 124 sites in Britain, in addition to its locations in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and South Africa.<br />

Club Med Gym’s majority shareholder, the private-equity group 21 Partners, acquired Group Helvetique Silhouette.<br />

Club Med Gym operates 22 clubs in Paris, and 32 corporate or hotel facilities; Silhouette has 22 sports clubs in<br />

Geneva, Zurich, and Brussels. ><br />

NUMBER OF FACIlITIES OWNED—yEAR 2010<br />

Rank & Company number owned other Units Total Units<br />

1 Fitness First Group, ltd. 474 Franchised: 18 492<br />

2 24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc. 419 N/A 419<br />

3 LA Fitness International, LLC 360 N/A 360<br />

4 Bally Total Fitness 300+ N/A 300+<br />

5 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 216 Franchised: 48 264<br />

6 Konami Sports & life Co., ltd. 210 Managed: 149 359<br />

7 HealthCity 203 Franchised: 7 210<br />

8 Virgin Active 194 N/A 194<br />

9 B-Fit 164 N/A 164<br />

10 Town Sports International Holdings, Inc. 158 Managed: 4; Partly Owned: 2 164<br />

11 ClubCorp 139 Managed: 8 147<br />

12 Central Sports Co., ltd. 115 Managed: 40 155<br />

13 SATS Sports Club Sweden AB 113 licensed: 30; Franchised: 3 146<br />

14 Renaissance, Inc. 98 Managed: 6 104<br />

15a Life Time Fitness, Inc. 89 N/A 89<br />

15b David Lloyd Leisure, Ltd. 89 N/A 89<br />

16 LA Fitness, Plc. 80 N/A 80<br />

17 Fernwood Women’s Health Clubs 74 N/A 74<br />

18 Fitness World 64 N/A 64<br />

19 Gold’s Gym International, Inc. 63 Franchised: 637 700<br />

20 Bannatyne Fitness, Ltd. 60+ N/A 60<br />

21 Lifestyle Family Fitness 55 N/A 55<br />

22a Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centres 52 Managed: 148 200+<br />

22b lucille Roberts Health Clubs 52 Franchised: 3 55<br />

23 L&T Health and Fitness 48 N/A 48<br />

24 Organizacion Britania 46 Managed: 5 51<br />

25a ELIXIA Nordic AS 45 N/A 45<br />

25b Bodytech 45 N/A 45<br />

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The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25<br />

The Altor Fund III signed an agreement to acquire ELIXIA Holding II AS, which operates 34 clubs in<br />

Norway, 11 in Finland, and two in Sweden.<br />

auSTralia leadS in aSia-PaciFic<br />

Once regarded as a relatively untapped market, this part of the world now claims a number of successful<br />

club companies, including Konami and Central Sports in Japan; Ozone Fitness and Shenzhen Catic Wellness<br />

in China; and Fitness First, which is based in the U.K.<br />

Now, in a major move, the Fitness First Group has applied for an initial public offering (IPO) on the<br />

Singapore exchange during the third quarter of this year. The company, which is owned by BC Partners,<br />

based in London, hopes to raise S$600 million ($481.4 million) to S$700 million ($561.6 million). Fitness<br />

First now owns or franchises nearly 500 clubs across 18 countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.<br />

“At the same time, over the past two years, club growth was slow or flat in markets affected by the<br />

downturn,” observes Melissa Rodriguez, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s research manager. “Thailand, in particular, endured a<br />

political crisis and violence that led to the loss of the True Fitness Zen Central club in Bangkok. Other<br />

countries, such as Indonesia, were relatively unaffected by the recession, which put Celebrity Fitness<br />

in a position to acquire California Fitness’ Malaysian operations. Just as they have in the U.S., some club<br />

companies in Asia-Pacific are now consolidating and improving their internal processes.<br />

“On the plus side,” continues Rodriguez, “more than 2.5 million people belonged to 2,800 clubs in the<br />

Australian market, which generated $2 billion in 2010. Women-only clubs, such as Curves, Contours<br />

Express, and Fernwood Women’s Health Clubs, a full-service chain, have also flourished. At the moment,<br />

Fitness First Australia claims an estimated one-third of the full-service market.”<br />

In Japan, the fitness market, with some 3,500 clubs, generated an estimated $5.1 billion in 2010. After<br />

three years of slight declines or slow growth, the first quarter of 2010 was marked by an uptrend, according<br />

to Club Business Japan. However, the devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake that struck in March and the<br />

23-foot tsunami that battered the coast have hurt the industry, Rodriguez says. “The FIA Japan has indicated<br />

that more than 100 clubs sustained damage, and 30 of them haven’t announced plans to reopen.”<br />

hat’s ahead for the industry in the near future? What trends bode well for clubs?<br />

Will deal-making resume in the U.S.?<br />

“We can all agree that 2010 was a challenging year as businesses were still<br />

recovering and valuations weren’t appealing with respect to exits,” says Knudsen.<br />

“However, with hold periods approaching five years for private-equity-backed<br />

fitness properties and business performance recovering, we believe that we’ll see a<br />

fair amount of deal activity in 2011 and 2012.”<br />

“I see a number of trends continuing to drive the industry,” concludes Stullich.<br />

“From the consumer’s point of view, I see more choices emerging as operators become<br />

more sophisticated about identifying and exploiting niches. With respect to consolidation,<br />

I do see significant investor interest and improving capital markets. There’s also<br />

the ongoing entrepreneurial spirit, the passion for health and fitness, and the favorable<br />

demographic trends—which is why I love this resilient industry.”<br />

– Patricia Amend, PAmend@aol.com<br />

Editor’s note: Data for this article was compiled, in part, from The 2011 <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global Report: The State<br />

of the Health Club Industry, which contains profiles of more than 240 companies. This comprehensive<br />

publication can now be purchased by logging on to www.ihrsa.org/store; the price is $29.95 for <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

members, and $69.95 for nonmembers.<br />

><br />

40 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g


NUMBER OF FRANCHISES—yEAR 2010<br />

Rank & Company number of Units other Units Total<br />

1 Curves International, Inc. 8,032 N/A 8,032<br />

2 Jazzercise, Inc. 7,800 Owned: 2 7,802<br />

3 Anytime Fitness 1,486 Owned: 10 1,496<br />

4 Snap Fitness 1,092 Owned: 30 1,122<br />

5 Gold’s Gym International, Inc. 637 Owned: 63 700<br />

6 Fitness Together Holdings 394 N/A 394<br />

7 Planet Fitness 374 Owned: 16 390<br />

8 Stroller Strides, llC 303 Owned: 1; licensed: 110 414<br />

9 lady of America Franchise Corporation 168 licensed: 30 198<br />

10 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 48 Owned: 216 264<br />

NUMBER OF MEMBERS—yEAR 2010<br />

Rank & Company Total<br />

1 24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc. 3,800,000<br />

2a Gold’s Gym International, Inc. 3,500,000<br />

2b Bally Total Fitness 3,500,000<br />

3 Planet Fitness 2,348,270<br />

4 Curves International, Inc. 1,900,000<br />

5 Fitness First Group, ltd. 1,317,170<br />

6a McFit GmbH 975,000<br />

6b Virgin Active 975,000<br />

7 Anytime Fitness 940,000<br />

8 Konami Sports & life Co., ltd. 801,000<br />

9 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 670,533<br />

10 life Time Fitness, Inc. 612,556<br />

11 Town Sports International Holdings, Inc. 493,000<br />

12 Snap Fitness 400,000<br />

13 Renaissance, Inc. 355,000<br />

14a Organizacion Britania 350,000<br />

14b ClubCorp 350,000<br />

15 SATS Sports Club Sweden AB 275,000<br />

16 Fitness World 254,000<br />

17 lady of America Franchise Corporation 240,000<br />

18 lucille Roberts Health Clubs 233,300<br />

19 lifestyle Family Fitness 212,969<br />

20 Nuffield Health Fitness &<br />

Wellbeing Centres 170,000<br />

21 ElIXIA Nordic AS 162,000<br />

22 World Gym Taiwan 159,000<br />

23 Club One, Inc. 151,250<br />

24 Spectrum Athletic Clubs, Inc. 125,000<br />

25 Jazzercise, Inc. 119,250<br />

REVENUES—yEAR 2010<br />

Rank & Company Revenues $ millions<br />

1 Konami Sports & life Co., ltd. 1,052<br />

2 24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc. 1,000 +<br />

3 Fitness First Group, ltd. 984<br />

4 life Time Fitness, Inc. 913<br />

5 Virgin Active 709<br />

6 Central Sports Co., ltd. 565<br />

7 Bally Total Fitness 480<br />

8 Renaissance, Inc. 466<br />

9 Town Sports International Holdings, Inc. 462<br />

10 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 341<br />

11 SATS Sports Club Sweden AB 247<br />

12 McFit GmbH 212<br />

13 Holmes Place 193<br />

14 Kieser Training AG 191<br />

15 ElIXIA Nordic AS 168<br />

16 Planet Fitness 157<br />

17 Western Athletic Clubs 111<br />

18a lifestyle Family Fitness 102<br />

18b Fitness Together Holdings 102<br />

19 Jazzercise, Inc. 96<br />

20 Millennium Partners Sports Club<br />

Management, llC 92<br />

21 Spectrum Athletic Clubs, Inc. 90<br />

22a Fitness World 80<br />

22b Club One, Inc. 80<br />

23 A! Bodytech Participações 78<br />

24 Curves International, Inc. 76<br />

25 leisure Sports, Inc. 73<br />

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The <strong>IHRSA</strong> Global 25<br />

REVENUE GROWTH<br />

2010 Revenues 2009 Revenues Change<br />

Rank & Company $ millions $ millions $ millions % Change<br />

1 Virgin Active 709 623 86 14%<br />

2 life Time Fitness, Inc. 913 837 76 9%<br />

3 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 341 275 66 24%<br />

4 Fitness First Group, ltd. 984 943 41 4%<br />

5 Fitness World 80 45 35 78%<br />

6 McFit GmbH 212 179 33 18%<br />

7 Planet Fitness 157 130 27 21%<br />

8 Holmes Place 193 171 22 13%<br />

9 Kieser Training AG 191 170 21 12%<br />

10 BIO RITMO 65 45 20 44%<br />

11 ElIXIA Nordic AS 168 148 20 14%<br />

12 Renaissance, Inc. 466 447 19 4%<br />

13 Organizacion Britania 50 33 17 52%<br />

14 elements fitness 22 9 13 144%<br />

15 A! Bodytech Participações 78 65 13 20%<br />

16 Bally Total Fitness 480 469 11 2%<br />

17 World Gym Taiwan 47 38 9 24%<br />

18 leisure Sports, Inc. 73 64 9 14%<br />

19 Companhia Athletica 49 43 6 14%<br />

20 The Rush Fitness Complex 46 41 5 12%<br />

21 Western Athletic Clubs 111 106 5 5%<br />

22 Brick Bodies 20 16 4 25%<br />

23 Sportlife 25 21 4 19%<br />

24 MediFit Corporate Services, Inc. 35 31 4 13%<br />

25 SATS Sports Club Sweden AB 247 243 4 2%<br />

TOP TEN FIVE-yEAR REVENUE GROWTH<br />

2010 Revenues 2006 Revenues Increase<br />

Rank & Company $ millions $ millions $ millions % Change<br />

1 life Time Fitness, Inc. 913 512 401 78%<br />

2 Virgin Active 709 329 380 115%<br />

3 Fitness First Group, ltd. 984 717 267 37%<br />

4 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 341 127 214 169%<br />

5 Central Sports Co., ltd. 565 422 143 34%<br />

6 Planet Fitness 157 30 127 423%<br />

7 Holmes Place 193 79 114 144%<br />

8 McFit GmbH 212 105 107 102%<br />

9 ElIXIA Nordic AS 168 73 95 130%<br />

10 SATS Sports Club Sweden AB 247 158 89 56%<br />

42 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g


UNIT GROWTH<br />

Rank & Company 2010 Units 2009 Units Unit Increase % Change<br />

1 Jazzercise, Inc. 7,802 7,472 330 4%<br />

2 Anytime Fitness 1,496 1,250 246 20%<br />

3 Snap Fitness 1,122 956 166 17%<br />

4 Stroller Strides, llC 414 305 109 36%<br />

5 HealthCity 210 114 96 84%<br />

6 Planet Fitness 390 300 90 30%<br />

7 B-Fit 164 80 84 105%<br />

8 Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centres 200+ 157 43 27%<br />

9 lA Fitness International, llC 360 324 36 11%<br />

10 Konami Sports & life Co., ltd. 359 327 32 10%<br />

11 Club Med Gym 53 22 31 141%<br />

12 elements fitness 39 12 27 225%<br />

13 Fitness World 64 39 25 64%<br />

14 MediFit Corporate Services, Inc. 224 203 21 10%<br />

15 PURE FITNESS 32 16 16 100%<br />

16 power house sports international 20 6 14 233%<br />

17 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 264 250 14 6%<br />

18 New Fitness Centers, SA dba/ Gold’s Gym Peru 22 10 12 120%<br />

19 lifeStart Wellness Network 30 20 10 50%<br />

20 BIO RITMO 34 24 10 42%<br />

21 leisure Sports, Inc. 16 7 9 129%<br />

22 McFit GmbH 134 125 9 7%<br />

23 Bodytech 45 36 9 25%<br />

24 World Gym Taiwan 22 15 7 47%<br />

25 Virgin Active 194 187 7 4%<br />

TOP TEN FIVE-yEAR UNIT GROWTH<br />

Rank & Company 2010 Units 2006 Units<br />

Units<br />

Increased % Change<br />

1 Jazzercise, Inc. 7,802 6,285 1,517 24%<br />

2 Anytime Fitness 1,496 301 1,195 397%<br />

3 Snap Fitness 1,122 127 995 783%<br />

4 Planet Fitness 390 106 284 268%<br />

5 Stroller Strides, llC 414 151 263 174%<br />

6 lA Fitness International, llC 360 175 185 106%<br />

7 B-Fit 164 10 154 1540%<br />

8 Goodlife Fitness Clubs 264 121 143 118%<br />

9 Fitness Together Holdings 394 300 94 31%<br />

10 Konami Sports & life Co., ltd. 359 276 83 30%<br />

STIPUlATIONS<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>’s Global 25 listings are designed to provide basic<br />

information about some of the world’s largest and/or fastest-<br />

growing club companies, but they are not definitive. Many of<br />

the firms that should appear on these charts do not because<br />

they were unwilling or unable to provide all of the informa-<br />

tion requested by CBI’s deadline. The figures reported were<br />

obtained from the companies themselves or from public,<br />

published resources, and, in most cases involving major<br />

firms, represent the one-year period ending on December<br />

31, 2010. None of the figures, it should be noted, have been<br />

independently corroborated. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 43


Group Exercise<br />

44 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Fitness-Studio onE overlooks<br />

the Black Forest<br />

hen Les Mills International set the stage for its Ultimate<br />

Studio Search in January, it sought to discover the finest<br />

group-fitness studios in the world. In the process, the<br />

industry-wide competition shone a spotlight on the vital<br />

role that design can play in creating memorable—even<br />

magical—group-ex experiences.<br />

“We wanted to make the point that not every club has a sterile, intimidating<br />

group-ex environment,” explains Phillip Mills, Les Mills’ chief<br />

executive. “Many clubs go well beyond the traditional approach to create<br />

the engrossing theatre space a great studio can be.”<br />

The search is over, the votes are in, and the bar has been set. The two<br />

winning clubs, which were selected by an all-star panel of judges, are


First Coast Fitness has a<br />

distinctive theatrical flair<br />

Extraordinaire!<br />

Ultimate Studio Search discovers<br />

infinite design possiblities<br />

located on opposite sides of the planet: Fitness-<br />

Studio ONE in Germany, and First Coast Fitness in<br />

Florida. In recognition of their efforts, they each<br />

win trips for two to Auckland, New Zealand, the<br />

home of Les Mills.<br />

“The top entries demonstrate that great studio<br />

design can inspire your instructors and members,<br />

and transform your business,” observes Mills. “If you<br />

invest in the tremendous power of group fitness, it<br />

can pay huge dividends. I think our two winners set a<br />

very high standard for the industry to strive for, and<br />

it will be fascinating to see how other clubs respond.”<br />

About 14 years ago, Fitness-Studio ONE owner<br />

Frank Schmid bought an aging fitness club in the<br />

historic village of Dornstetten, nestled in the German<br />

Black Forest. The club offered some old-school step<br />

and aerobics classes, but the tiny 646-square-foot<br />

group fitness room had a wooden pillar in the<br />

middle and accommodated only 10-12 class members<br />

at a time. Amenities were basic and, in a town of<br />

10,000 citizens, the club was at the mercy of two<br />

modern gyms that had just opened nearby.<br />

“In such a competitive fitness market, my main<br />

goal was just to survive,” Schmid reflects.<br />

The first part of his journey was to introduce the<br />

Les Mills GFM (Group Fitness Management)<br />

approach and systematize the studio side of his<br />

business. As more and more people began to cram<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 45<br />

>


Group Exercise Extraordinaire!<br />

Fitness-Studio one wins in<br />

Dornstetten, Germany<br />

into his tiny gym, Schmid realized he needed to<br />

move to a larger venue.<br />

Today, Fitness-Studio ONE occupies a former<br />

car dealership, which has been remodeled into a<br />

state-of-the-art facility. Its group fitness studio<br />

affords breathtaking views and a perfect environment<br />

that motivates up to 45 class members. The<br />

studio’s front and sides are made completely of<br />

glass to provide an impressive view of the Black<br />

Forest and give members the feeling of taking<br />

classes in the middle of nature.<br />

“The fitness room is air-conditioned and flood-<br />

lit to help our people push to the limit and fight for<br />

their fitness, but also to have fun and relax,” he says.<br />

“Our mission was to create a new dimension of group<br />

fitness magic, every time. We want each participant<br />

to be a part of a very special fitness adventure,<br />

effecting a positive life change. And the success of<br />

my members means the success of my studio.”<br />

The studio’s compelling design impressed the<br />

competition’s judges.<br />

“The use of natural light and the view in and out<br />

of the studio make an important statement about<br />

the future of what great studios can be,” enthuses<br />

renowned health club designer Rudy Fabiano, of<br />

Fabiano Designs, an <strong>IHRSA</strong> associate member in<br />

Montclair, New Jersey.<br />

“I love this guy’s story,” adds Mills. “He has succeeded<br />

in a hugely competitive market by emphasizing<br />

group-ex. He invested in, and committed to, giving<br />

his members an outstanding environment for their<br />

workouts, and they’ve clearly responded to that.”<br />

46 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

First Coast Fitness takes prize<br />

in St. Johns, Florida<br />

Similarly, half a world away in St Johns, Florida,<br />

First Coast Fitness goes the extra mile to give members<br />

the best possible setting for their workouts.<br />

Perhaps the most impressive feature of this groupfitness-only<br />

club is a 2,000-square-foot Zenterra<br />

Bamboo fitness floor, designed specifically for yoga<br />

and group exercise. It’s manufactured by Fitness<br />

Flooring, Inc., an Indianapolis-based <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

associate member. A high stage contributes to the<br />

“theatre” effect and a sophisticated lighting system<br />

creates an array of spectacular effects.<br />

“Lighting has really enhanced our participants’<br />

experience,” says owner Annda Kinsey. “Everyone<br />

feels comfortable to explore their own fitness levels<br />

and every class feels like a party!”<br />

Ultimate Studio Search judge Scott Jeffrey, the chief<br />

creative officer at Interbrand Design Forum, in Dayton,<br />

Ohio, felt a personal connection with this room.<br />

“When I think of working out, I do so in the hopes<br />

of transforming my body,” he said. “First Coast<br />

creates a dynamic environment that’s exciting, and<br />

would entice me to go on a regular basis and,<br />

perhaps more importantly, stay on a regimen! In<br />

addition, the darker environment gives me the<br />

feeling that I’m part of a group, yet provides a<br />

modest amount of privacy if I’m not satisfied with<br />

my individual results.”<br />

And that, after all, is the essence of a great<br />

group fitness space: allowing participants to feel<br />

comfortable expressing themselves and inspiring<br />

them to create fitness magic. Congratulations to<br />

Fitness-Studio ONE and First Coast Fitness! —|


moSt-HoNorABlE mENtioNS<br />

to judge entries submitted to the les Mills Ultimate Studio Search, les Mills CEO Phillip Mills<br />

enlisted the expertise of Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming for Crunch<br />

Fitness; Rudy Fabiano, the president and design director at Fabiano Designs; and Scott Jeffrey,<br />

the chief creative officer for Interbrand Design Forum. They singled out several non-winning<br />

studios as appropriate examplars for the industry:<br />

Fitness Concepts, New York - “I love the high ceilings and the antique stained-glass windows.<br />

It creates a wonderful organic feel with varying light throughout the day.” — Mills<br />

City Club, Fort Worth, texas - “The sound boards’ wavy design not only addresses the sound<br />

echo issues in a racquet ball court, but gives the ambience of clouds in the sky.” — Cyrus<br />

level Up, Kuching, malaysia - “The electrically charged atmosphere would encourage me<br />

to go all-out in the spin class. I could imagine the energy created by my spinning ‘powering’ the<br />

room.” — Jeffrey<br />

Go Fitness, Cancun, mexico - “They were able to take the energy of the classes and tie that into<br />

the entire club.” — Cyrus<br />

liFE Clubs, New York - “This is a fabulous sound and light system, and decor.” — Mills<br />

Other companies on the judges’ short list were: Fitness Centre Pura Vita, Emden, Germany;<br />

Zone Health and Fitness, Salisbury Plain, Australia; Powerhouse Utica, Utica, New york; Energy<br />

Gym, Selbyville, Delaware; and Re-Creation Carnegie, Melbourne, Australia. —|<br />

Zone Health & Fitness<br />

PUSHiNG DESiGN BoUNDAriES<br />

While none of the les mills gyms in New<br />

Zealand were eligible to participate in the<br />

Ultimate Studio Search, these facilities are<br />

no less committed to design excellence.<br />

The company’s most recent addition,<br />

les Mills Britomart, in downtown Auckland,<br />

is ideally situated to draw commuter and<br />

residential foot traffic, while complementing<br />

its bigger brother, les Mills<br />

Auckland—which has 10,000 group-<br />

Powerhouse Gym<br />

fitness visits a week—just up the road.<br />

Built adjacent to the city’s central<br />

railway station, its location on prime<br />

real estate means space is tight and<br />

smart design is crucial. To maximize<br />

capacity, the stage is set across the<br />

corner of the main group-fitness studio,<br />

effectively creating a diamond-shaped<br />

layout. To protect personal space, the<br />

studio carpet has been specially woven<br />

City Club<br />

LIFE Clubs<br />

Pura Vita<br />

with circles—approximately four feet in<br />

diameter—defining the ideal individual<br />

workout area.<br />

On the other hand, each bike in the<br />

RPM studio is deliberately set as close<br />

to each other as possible, within close<br />

proximity to the stage, to replicate the<br />

experience of pack riding and make it<br />

easy for people to engage with instructors<br />

and one another. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 47


locker room<br />

largesse<br />

TOP DESIGNERS<br />

OFFER VAlUABlE<br />

TIPS ON ‘OPENING’<br />

UP SMAll SPACES<br />

the average locker room presents a particular design conundrum. It is, by nature,<br />

an intimate area, but operators still need to provide the perception of space.<br />

“Spatial sensitivity—or the general desire for more personal space—is<br />

increasing,” reports Rudy Fabiano, AIA, the president of Fabiano Designs, in<br />

Montclair, New Jersey. “By making one’s personal space seem larger, we can<br />

achieve the desired result of making the overall space seem bigger as well. For<br />

example, larger showers create a feeling of grandness. Likewise, increasing the<br />

width of hallways and passageways creates a sense of spaciousness as members<br />

move through the locker room. Remember, people in towels don’t really want to touch one<br />

another, so the perception of space in this area of the club is critical.”<br />

Even small, tucked-away details can help open things up. “Built-ins and casework—in lieu<br />

of loose, spread-out furnishings—can bring more space back into the room,” says Michael<br />

Prifti, FAIA, a principal at BLT Architects, in Philadelphia. “Millwork items also add a sense of<br />

luxury and a feeling of roominess.”<br />

According to the architects and designers that CBI spoke with, virtually every aspect of the<br />

locker room can be enlarged … without necessarily adding a square foot of space.<br />

COlOR PROVIDES CONTEXT<br />

“Strategically placing lighter color tones in the open and common areas will increase the sense<br />

of openness in contrast to the smaller, individually focused spaces,” points out Robert Braun<br />

48 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Symphony House Health Club<br />

By Jon Feld<br />

>


Spaciousness reigns in Fabiano-designed locker room<br />

of Club H Fitness at Hell’s Kitchen in new York City<br />

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Locker Room Largesse<br />

RA, LEED AP, of Langdon Wilson International, based in Los Angeles. “Selectively placing color and<br />

incorporating complementary hues or changes in saturation can enhance the user’s spatial perception.”<br />

Bob McDonald, senior principal at the Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative, in Denver, adds: “The more light,<br />

bright, and airy you can make a space, the more open it’s going to feel. That’s not to say that a few rich<br />

accents of darker wood or stone aren’t appropriate. If applied sparingly and with care, these can add a<br />

luxurious feel at a reasonable cost. It’s especially important to keep floor tile, partitions, and ceiling<br />

surfaces a lighter color, as these reflect lots of light and will ensure that what might be a tight space feels<br />

as open as possible.”<br />

SHEDDING lIGHT ON SPACE<br />

In the context of creating spatial depth, lighting has as much to do with setting the tone of the locker room<br />

as color.<br />

“Lighting may be among the more important ways to create a more spacious feel within a locker room,”<br />

says J. Thomas Seymour, AIA, of PSA-Dewberry, Inc., in Peoria, Illinois. He notes that concealed, indirect<br />

lighting placed above lockers provides a smooth, uniform feel.<br />

“Up-lighting—a method of indirect lighting in which the lights shine up<br />

to the ceiling—also works well in a locker room setting,” says Bruce Carter,<br />

the president of Optimal Design, in Weston, Florida. “Individual recessed<br />

can lighting gives a locker room a soft ‘spa-like’ atmosphere. Wall sconces<br />

can have the same effect, and work especially well in the entrance to a<br />

locker room.”<br />

When possible, balancing natural and artificial lighting can make a<br />

measurable difference, both aesthetically and economically. “Energy cost<br />

and lighting controls are supporting greater flexibility in the quality of<br />

artificial and natural light,” says Braun. “We’re beginning to see skylights<br />

and light monitors that allow for diffused day-lighting in locker rooms.<br />

Working with different light sources adds animation to the space while providing controlled conditions in<br />

the vanity, shower, and locker areas.”<br />

“Spatial sensitivity—<br />

or the general desire<br />

for more personal<br />

space—is increasing.”<br />

GO WITH THE FlOW<br />

The overall flow—the layout and configuration of the locker room’s components—can make or break a<br />

club’s design, notes McDonald.<br />

optimal Design chose upscale materials, opulent<br />

design for a world Gym in Trumball, Connecticut<br />

50 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Color and translucent doors ‘open up’ shower area<br />

at Club H Fitness, in Jersey City, new Jersey


BLT Architects set this locker room<br />

apart with natural wood, light colors,<br />

open displays, and airy artwork<br />

“It’s important to consolidate all of the enclosed spaces as much as possible. For example, grouping<br />

together the wet areas of the locker rooms—the toilets, sinks, and showers—not only improves the<br />

efficiency of the plumbing work, but also allows the non-enclosed spaces—the lounge, locker, and vanity<br />

areas—to be in a more contiguous relationship. This type of grouping eliminates the need for floor-toceiling<br />

walls, creating one big space, with the lockers appearing almost as pieces of furniture within the<br />

room. The effect is an overall feeling of a larger, more gracious interior.”<br />

More space-enhancing tips:<br />

• High ceilings can add an illusion of grandeur, even when floor space is limited.<br />

• Don’t just keep the doors open; get rid of them! Entryways can be designed in a way that eliminates<br />

sight lines and ensures privacy. In addition to feeling more open and inviting, this approach is more userfriendly<br />

for members lugging a heavy gym bag or other gear.<br />

• Balance circulation space with locker count. “If you have adequate room for a person to stand at the<br />

vanities, another to pass by, and yet another to stand at a grooming station, your locker room will not feel<br />

as cramped,” counsels McDonald.<br />

And if you’re uncertain about how your fixtures or areas should be set up, common sense should<br />

prevail, says Fabiano. “For example, the toilets and showers should not be visible to the rest of the locker<br />

room areas. Today, toilets are no longer stalls, but individual rooms with doors. You need to make the<br />

personal spaces personal.”<br />

MORE ON THE FlOOR<br />

In addition to providing durability and safe footing, locker room flooring can help create the sensation of space.<br />

“Spaciousness can be emphasized by minimizing the number of different flooring materials, as well as<br />

organizing them in such a way that circulation areas are clearly defined,” Seymour says. “Minimizing bold<br />

patterning will also help create a more open and spacious feel.”<br />

McDonald adds: “If the space is chopped up with all kinds of different flooring, it can look patchy and<br />

diminutive. By carefully planning where the different flooring materials occur, and how one transitions<br />

to the other, the room can appear more flowing and unimpeded.”<br />

Braun offers a final bit of advice for club owners, whether they’re remodeling or building from scratch:<br />

consider the big picture. “Contrast the small support spaces with the concentrated common area,” he<br />

suggests. “Use ceiling heights, lighting, and finishes that differ from the individual, focused spaces. Interlink<br />

the spaces to flow together expanding on the whole, versus a series of small detached alcoves.” —|<br />

– Jon Feld, jfeld@inc.com<br />

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PRoDUCT<br />

Feature Headline goes here no Continued<br />

SHOWCASE<br />

A-1 tExtilES &<br />

HoSPitAlitY ProDUCtS<br />

One of the biggest monthly replacement<br />

items in athletic clubs is<br />

towels. The complete line of Golden<br />

Mills towels, available from A-1<br />

Textiles, is manufactured to withstand<br />

constant washing, bleaching,<br />

and over-drying, yet remains soft,<br />

white, and absorbent for club<br />

members. Offering six shipping<br />

points nationwide and seven<br />

different levels of quality and price,<br />

A-1 Textiles has the perfect towel<br />

to cover the needs of every club.<br />

Contact: 800-351-1819,<br />

www.a1athletictowels.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 73. —|<br />

HollmAN<br />

For prospective members, the most important stop along the health club tour is often the locker room. They seek a<br />

rewarding post-workout retreat that’s clean, spacious, and well-appointed. <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s associate-member companies<br />

provide a range of products that cater to your members’ need for refreshment and rejuvenation—fluffy towels,<br />

decadent massage, luxurious soaps and lotions, and, of course, the all-important lockers!<br />

CElárE BY DiGiloCK<br />

52 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Celáre lockers offer clubs the opportunity<br />

to reinvent the locker-room experience. Its<br />

functional frames and immaculate doors<br />

combine beauty with precision engineering.<br />

All Celáre materials meet the latest sustainability<br />

standards and are equipped with a<br />

comprehensive ventilation system, which<br />

provides true airflow. Celáre offers interchangeable<br />

doors in glass and metal, in a<br />

variety of colors and sizes. Secured by<br />

Digilock, Celáre lockers can accommodate<br />

both day-use or assigned-use locker rooms.<br />

Contact: 800-989-0201, www.celare.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 35. —|<br />

Hollman is an LEED/FSC-certified manufacturer of luxury custom wood, veneer, and plastic laminate<br />

lockers. It offers a durable UV-cured finish that’s 100% water-borne, anti-microbial, and<br />

formaldehyde-free. Hollman lockers are fabricated utilizing the latest technology, guaranteeing<br />

a warp- and fade-resistant product, backed by an excellent reputation and customer service,<br />

since 1976.<br />

Contact: 800-433-3630, www.hollman.com. Please see our ad on page 76. —|<br />

GoJo iNDUStriES, iNC.<br />

rEADY CArE iNDUStriES<br />

Healthy people are inherently aware of what they use on<br />

their bodies and the environment. In its new campaign,<br />

“Healthy bodies, healthy skin,” Ready Care offers clients<br />

an opportunity to use a free locking “eco-unit” in their<br />

showers, and then purchase natural products. Its products<br />

are biodegradable; they assimilate into the earth without<br />

damaging it. Natural products provide nutrients that allow<br />

for beautiful hair and skin, and a reduction of fine lines.<br />

Contact: 800-477-7283, www.readycare.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 54. —|<br />

For more than 60 years, GOJO has demonstrated excellence and expertise in creating<br />

the best hygiene solutions for club members. From PUREll Instant Hand Sanitizer to<br />

GOJO soaps and dispensers, the company offers the brands members know and trust.<br />

Its hassle-free program makes it easy for operators to maintain a high-performance,<br />

high-impact hygiene regimen that helps make their facility the club most preferred by<br />

members and staff.<br />

Contact: 800-321-9647, www.gojo.com. Please see our ad on page 14. —|


iDEAl ProDUCtS, iNC.<br />

Ideal has manufactured wood and<br />

plastic laminate lockers and benches<br />

and distributed them worldwide since<br />

1982. The company also helps clubs<br />

resolve issues with locker-room layout<br />

and design. Its current programs<br />

support the political, economic, and<br />

ecological environment: all of its products<br />

are “100% Made in USA” and all of the materials used to construct lockers<br />

are made locally. Its substrate materials come from 100% recycled and rapidly<br />

renewable sources.<br />

Contact: 800-884-3325, www.idealockers.com. Please see our ad on page 82. —|<br />

GYmWiPES/2xl<br />

GymWipes is an industry leader in fitness-equipment<br />

surface cleaning. Specially formulated and disposable,<br />

its wipes are designed to easily clean and sanitize all<br />

fitness equipment surfaces. The GymWipes product<br />

line ranges from EPA-registered disinfecting/sanitizing<br />

formulas that protect against 50-plus pathogens,<br />

including CA-MRSA, HIV, and H1N1, to anti-microbial<br />

cleansing formulas for affordable cleansing options.<br />

All formulas contain no phenol, alcohol, or bleach,<br />

and are freshly scented. Buckets, refills, and<br />

attractive dispensers and stands are available.<br />

Contact: 888 977-3726, www.gymwipes.com. Please see our ad on page 73. —|<br />

oJmAr<br />

SAlSBUrY iNDUStriES<br />

Constructed of industrial-grade particleboard and covered<br />

with plastic laminate, Salsbury’s Designer lockers are<br />

offered in blue, gray, black, maple, cherry, and mahogany.<br />

Designer lockers are available in widths of 12" and 15".<br />

Units measure 6' high and 18" deep, regardless of widths,<br />

and are available in single-tier, double-tier, triple-tier,<br />

six-tier box, and the double-tier “S” styles.<br />

Contact: 800-LoCkers, www.lockers.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 74. —|<br />

A good lock system means simplicity and reliability for<br />

clubs and their customers. Ojmar combines the most<br />

reliable technology with extensive market experience<br />

to offer operators a series of products, which can adapt<br />

to the needs of an entire facility. Its full range of lock<br />

solutions are ideal for wet and humid locker rooms.<br />

Contact: 888-795-5588, www.ojmar.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 78. —|<br />

For more information, or to contact<br />

any of these companies, log on to<br />

www.ihrsa.org/products<br />

HYDromASSAGE<br />

PRoDUCT<br />

SHOWCASE<br />

For over 20 years, HydroMassage has been<br />

trusted by doctors and industry leaders, such<br />

as Gold’s Gym, lifestyle Family Fitness, Mayo<br />

Clinic, U.S. Olympic Training Center, and<br />

Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. Hydro-<br />

Massage provides an outstanding massage<br />

that’s convenient and affordable enough for<br />

members to enjoy every day, but does not<br />

require clubs to hire a massage therapist.<br />

From a financial standpoint, HydroMassage<br />

creates a new profit center for clubs:<br />

members will pay an extra $10-$20 per<br />

month for a HydroMassage package.<br />

Contact: 800-699-1008, www.HydroMassage.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 70. —|<br />

PEtrA HYGiENiC SYStEmS<br />

Petra Hygienic Systems is one of the largest<br />

locker-room-amenity suppliers in North<br />

America. With over 20 years of formulating,<br />

manufacturing, and distribution experience,<br />

Petra is positioned to serve the health and<br />

fitness industry from coast to coast. Its skinand<br />

hair-care products are designed specifically<br />

for active individuals; its budget-friendly<br />

towels pamper club members; and its<br />

economical and effective Anti-Bacterial<br />

Equipwipes provide a clean workout environment.<br />

Contact: 800-463-2516, www.petrasoap.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 72. —|<br />

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Group activity at Gainesville<br />

Health and Fitness Center<br />

By filling the gap<br />

between group exercise<br />

and one-on-one, SGPT<br />

provides an important<br />

missing link<br />

SG<br />

PT<br />

A Magic<br />

ACRONyM<br />

By Jean Suffin<br />

Due to a number of factors—not<br />

the least of which is an ailing<br />

economy—there’s been a distinct<br />

surge in the popularity of<br />

small-group personal training<br />

(SGPT), and, experts predict, it’s going to<br />

continue to grow.<br />

SGPT is neither one-on-one personal<br />

training, nor is it group exercise.<br />

It’s a unique class format that straddles<br />

the two, falling conveniently in between.<br />

“SGPT has been around since personal<br />

training expanded to the general market in<br />

the late 1980s,” points out Michael Motta,<br />

the president of Plus One Health Management,<br />

Inc., a corporate wellness consulting<br />

firm based in New York City. “Going back<br />

even further, the small-group circuit training<br />

protocols that The European Health<br />

Spa promoted in the ’70s could also be classified<br />

as a very basic form of SGPT.”<br />

Historically, the approach has tended to<br />

emerge, naturally, nearly organically, in<br />

sports-training environments. ><br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 55


SGPT: A magic Acronym<br />

“Team sports and training<br />

for them takes a group<br />

of people on a collective<br />

journey, during which they<br />

interact, evolve, grow, and<br />

develop together on a shared<br />

mission,” observes Steve<br />

Jack, the director of Steve<br />

Jack, Ltd., based in London.<br />

“Wouldn’t it be interesting to<br />

consider what clubs might Steve Jack<br />

look like today if our industry<br />

had evolved from team sports rather than from<br />

bodybuilding?”<br />

SGPT: the concept<br />

It’s really only during the past five or so years, since bootcamp-style<br />

classes have come into their own, that many<br />

clubs have begun offering SGPT. Because the format is so<br />

flexible and dependent upon the creativity of the trainer,<br />

individual programs may vary dramatically, but certain<br />

elements remain consistent: class size, frequency, and a<br />

strong focus on each participant’s progress.<br />

Group effort at a Plus one Health<br />

management facility<br />

56 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

“The type of workout is<br />

limited but by the imagination<br />

of the trainer and the<br />

needs, goals, and objectives<br />

of the group,” explains Motta.<br />

“With the right instructor<br />

and equipment, even a small<br />

indoor cycling class could be<br />

considered a SGPT session.”<br />

By definition, small groups<br />

michael motta<br />

range in size from four to 20<br />

participants engaging in the<br />

same activity simultaneously, or in different activities in<br />

a circuit-style format. Unlike group exercise classes,<br />

which don’t limit the number of participants, and are<br />

open to all members, at any time, on a drop-in basis,<br />

SGPT typically requires that students take part two to<br />

three times a week over a series of weeks. Because a<br />

commitment is necessary—and, in fact, is what members<br />

are paying for—they tend to form tight, cohesive groups,<br />

and receive personalized attention that they wouldn’t<br />

enjoy in a standard group class.<br />

“If less than five people are involved, you could, conceivably,<br />

still use the traditional one-on-one moniker,”


Steve Jack’s SGPT classes in<br />

London are sports-oriented<br />

suggests Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and<br />

spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise<br />

(ACE), “whereas anything greater than five people lends<br />

itself to a group program.”<br />

More than 10 members is unusual, notes Sandy Todd<br />

Webster, the editor-in-chief of the IDEA Fitness Journal.<br />

“Ten is about the limit, insofar as equipment and instructor<br />

efficacy are concerned. Instructors have to have<br />

enough small equipment for all of the participants, and<br />

be able to teach, simultaneously, to individuals at different<br />

levels, while ensuring safety, good form, and high<br />

motivation,” she explains.<br />

The Gainesville Health and Fitness Center (GHFC),<br />

which has three locations in Gainesville, Florida, limits<br />

their group classes to 10 people, with the exception of<br />

their boot camp, which is held outside. “We don’t want to<br />

cross the line into group exercise,” says Melissa Lynn Forgione,<br />

the chain’s group-personal-training coordinator.<br />

Most SGPT classes utilize props and equipment, which,<br />

McCall advises, can be employed as a unique selling point.<br />

“Why would someone be willing to pay for a small-group<br />

program?” he asks. “Well, you get to use equipment that<br />

isn’t normally available on the floor. It’s kind of like the<br />

VIPs in a nightclub—they get to go into the roped-off<br />

section. You’re giving your clients a special area to hang<br />

out in and special equipment for them to use.”<br />

“Our members don’t have access to certain equipment<br />

on the exercise floor—things such as TRX, kettlebells,<br />

and all of the other toys—and they probably wouldn’t<br />

have the confidence to use them on their own,” says Pam<br />

Harrison, a GHFC personal trainer.<br />

Visible and measurable progress is the third critical<br />

component of the SGPT class format. To facilitate and<br />

document it, McCall suggests that assessments be conducted<br />

both at the beginning and end of the series. “Each<br />

workout should be a little more difficult than the previous<br />

one, and there should be a progression toward a<br />

certain training goal,” he recommends.<br />

Constant improvement is one of the many reasons<br />

that members stick with, and return to, SGPT classes,<br />

and what makes them such a success. Because they’re<br />

motivated by the group environment, the friendships<br />

Steve Jack’s Team Dynamics<br />

studio is SGPT-specific<br />

SGPT fosters, and the camaraderie it creates, the<br />

participants see results. “Through small groups, the club<br />

becomes, in reality, that third place the industry is<br />

always talking about. It’s not the office, and it’s not<br />

home—it’s the club, and people get really connected to<br />

it,” confirms McCall.<br />

SGPT: the challenges<br />

For individuals who can’t afford one-on-one personal<br />

training or, conversely, aren’t motivated by the anonymity<br />

of a group exercise class, SGPT provides a solution.<br />

“SGPT is a great niche for those folks who are ready for<br />

the next step,” says Harrison. In fact, she notes, most of<br />

the members who are attracted to SGPT are ones who’ve<br />

never been interested in one-on-one. “It’s a different<br />

animal altogether,” she explains. “That’s not the way<br />

these people are wired; it’s not their personality.”<br />

One of the challenges for clubs, however, is distinguishing<br />

SGPT from its standard group-exercise options<br />

and justifying the extra fee.<br />

“Group exercise is our biggest competitor—it’s not<br />

outside clubs that compete with SGPT so much as it is<br />

our own group-exercise offerings,” observes Forgione.<br />

“Our group-ex teachers are phenomenal, and they’re<br />

free, so it’s hard to get members to see the difference.”<br />

Effective marketing is one of the ways to accomplish<br />

that. “Create materials that are professional, of high<br />

quality, and that communicate the concept effectively,”<br />

counsels Darren Jacobson, the head of product for Virgin<br />

Active South Africa. “SGPT is about trust, relationships,<br />

and achieving results, so make sure your marketing<br />

materials reflect this.”<br />

Another challenge posed by SGPT is training to different<br />

levels of participant experience. Often one class has<br />

to accommodate both beginners and high-level athletes<br />

simultaneously, and, in such a situation, a trainer has to<br />

be hyper-vigilant to provide a more personal experience.<br />

This, in turn, makes identifying and training SGPT trainers<br />

critical.<br />

“Not every one-on-one superstar makes a good group<br />

trainer,” says Harrison, “and, when it comes to SGPT,<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 57


SGPT: A magic Acronym<br />

outdoor SGPT class at<br />

Gainesville Health and Fitness<br />

the right staff will either make you or break you.” At<br />

Gainesville, the group exercise instructors must receive<br />

one of three approved personal training certifications<br />

before moving into SGPT. Then, after that, they’re<br />

trained internally.<br />

At this point, there aren’t many certifications specific<br />

to SGPT, although there are a few on the horizon, so it’s<br />

generally up to clubs to get trainers up to speed. “Our<br />

trainers get specific extra training in-house,” reports<br />

Mike Wunsch, the director of training and program<br />

design at Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California.<br />

Wunsch suggests that, to engage members at different<br />

levels, circuit-based classes may work well. He advises<br />

picking an exercise of medium difficulty that’s adjustable<br />

in level. “With the circuit, a trainer has all of the<br />

exercises on a worksheet in front of them, along with the<br />

variations. There are no last-minute decisions, and<br />

nothing is done ‘on the fly,’” he points out.<br />

In choosing an SGPT trainer, clubs are advised to look<br />

for someone who’s concerned about, and appropriately<br />

trained, on safety measures; a creative programmer;<br />

adept at teaching to different levels; able to foster inclusiveness;<br />

and possessing an engaging and motivating<br />

personality. Few club programs place such high<br />

demands on a trainer’s skills as SGPT.<br />

Often, explains McCall, the best SGPT trainers have a<br />

team sports coaching background. “If you’ve coached<br />

a team, you can give directions and lead a number of<br />

people through a workout at the same time.”<br />

58 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Results Fitness students enjoy<br />

rope-undulation exercise<br />

“Through small groups, the club becomes, in reality, that<br />

third place the industry is always talking about. It’s not the<br />

office, and it’s not home—it’s the club, and people get really<br />

connected to it.”<br />

SGPT: the payoff<br />

When a club is staffed with talented trainers and stocked<br />

with appropriate equipment, the profitability of SGPT<br />

classes is a virtual given. Members are happy because<br />

they’re saving money and seeing results; trainers are<br />

happy because their earnings are climbing; and the club<br />

is happy because it’s offering a program with a high<br />

return on investment.<br />

At Gainesville, members can choose from any of six<br />

small-group options, all designed to be<br />

consistent with the club’s brand. These<br />

Custom Fit offerings include Body Ultimate,<br />

Boot Camp, Dance Definition, Pilates,<br />

Wedding Ready, and Yamuna Body<br />

Rolling. Members can purchase a single<br />

session for $25 or a 10-pack for $199<br />

($19.90 per session) with no time limit.<br />

Results Fitness offers two options. The first involves<br />

SGPT and semiprivate sessions (less than four participants)<br />

for $267 per month. The second offers SGPT only,<br />

on an unlimited basis, for $147 per month. Because<br />

SGPT attracts more people, the club more than makes up<br />

the difference in fees through increased sales volume.<br />

“When we first switched from one-on-one to smallgroup,<br />

we thought that members’ results might not be<br />

as dramatic, since we weren’t providing that extra<br />

attention,” Wunsch explains. “But we thought, ‘We can<br />

give a person a cheaper membership, serve more clients,<br />

and make more money, and there’d only be a slight<br />

reduction in results.’ What we discovered was that we<br />

had better results, which was very unexpected.”<br />

Since Results Fitness introduced SGPT, Wunsch notes<br />

with satisfaction, its membership renewal rate has<br />

increased by 70%. —|<br />

– Jean Suffin, jean@fit-etc.com


Small group personal training (SGPT) helps clubs satisfy the needs of members who opt not to participate in large<br />

group-exercise classes or one-on-one training. This type of offering combines the camaraderie of the former with the<br />

personalized attention of the latter. Recognizing this important niche, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s associate-member companies offer a<br />

range of SGPT programs and products that will guarantee success for members and clubs.<br />

lES millS iNtErNAtioNAl<br />

les Mills CX30 offers a short, sharp<br />

workout that’ll inspire members to the<br />

next level of fitness, while strengthening<br />

and toning their bodies. The 30-minute<br />

core workout hones in on the torso and<br />

sling muscles and helps improve functional<br />

strength. It’s based on scientific<br />

research and combines the best of<br />

personal training with the energy of a<br />

group fitness class. Each class is based<br />

on a choreographed routine that’s<br />

refreshed every three months and set<br />

to chart-topping music.<br />

Contact: www.lesmills.com/pro.<br />

Please see our ad on page 16. —|<br />

CroSSCorE, iNC.<br />

CrossCore180 “Turn your Game Around” is<br />

a breakthrough in bodyweight training for<br />

sports and fitness conditioning. The patentpending<br />

suspended pulley adds improved<br />

balance through imbalance to any sportsspecific<br />

exercise. The pulley can also be<br />

locked in place via a magnetic pin for improved stability, when needed. Attach<br />

gymnastics rings, resistance bands, and even kettlebells for enhanced versatility.<br />

The CrossCore180 can be used at home, at the gym, or out in the field, and fits<br />

conveniently into a small carry-along bag.<br />

Contact: 800-288-3047, www.crosscore-usa.com. Please see our ad on page 66. —|<br />

iNtErNAtioNAl SPortS<br />

SCiENCES ASSoCiAtioN<br />

For decades, ISSA has focused on<br />

two industry strengths: education<br />

and support. National DETC<br />

accreditation, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, confirmed these<br />

strengths and opened the door to ISSA’s fully accredited associate’s degree in<br />

exercise science. ISSA certification courses are at the core of the degree, allowing<br />

candidates to progress from entry-level certification to advanced credentials<br />

to a degree. Comprehensive curriculum and ongoing support ensure that ISSA<br />

trainers are fully prepared to help clients reach their goals.<br />

Contact: 800-892-4772, www.issaonline.edu/clubs. Please see our ad on page 65. —|<br />

VitFit<br />

VitFit is a customized training program that provides exercise regimens to users via the Internet or<br />

through a club’s Web portal. The experience is made personal with programs built around the user’s<br />

fitness level and mp3 downloads to coach them in real-time at the gym, on the road, or at home. VitFit<br />

supports club trainers, motivates members, and keeps exercisers on track with their training. VitFit<br />

offers dynamic programming for trainers, portable fitness for members, and ancillary revenue for clubs.<br />

Contact: 215-280-8210, www.myvitfit.com. Please see our ad on page 72. —|<br />

PRoDUCT<br />

SHOWCASE<br />

NAtioNAl FEDErAtioN oF<br />

ProFESSioNAl trAiNErS (NFPt)<br />

NFPT has been<br />

certifying fitness<br />

professionals<br />

since 1988,<br />

offering an<br />

NCCA-accredited<br />

Certified Personal<br />

Trainer (CPT) credential. NFPT’s education<br />

curriculum provides a comprehensive<br />

approach to fundamental exercise science<br />

concepts with prep tools that facilitate individuals’<br />

full understanding of the material. Exam<br />

dates are set by appointment at more than<br />

300 locations, and certification maintenance<br />

allows for free Continuing Education Credits<br />

(CECs). NFPT can guide trainers step-by-step<br />

down the path to success by providing startto-finish<br />

support, convenience, and credibility.<br />

Contact: 800-729-6378, www.nfpt.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 34. —|<br />

AEroBiCS AND FitNESS<br />

ASSoCiAtioN oF AmEriCA (AFAA)<br />

For aspiring and<br />

experienced<br />

fitness professionals<br />

working<br />

one-on-one with<br />

clients, this three-day certification workshop<br />

includes lectures, practical demonstration,<br />

and both written and practical exams. This<br />

certification is also offered, as an option, through<br />

AFAA’s third-party authenticated Personal<br />

Trainer Certification Online Course. It covers<br />

exercise physiology, anatomy, kinesiology,<br />

and injury-prevention strategies, along with<br />

fitness-assessment testing procedures, nutrition<br />

fundamentals and weight management,<br />

special populations and medical considerations,<br />

communication skills, leadership and motivational<br />

coaching, exercise programming,<br />

and risk-factor assessment guidelines.<br />

Contact: 877-968-7263, www.afaa.com.<br />

Please see our ad on page 23. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U l y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 59


“In Every Industry, There is One Product or Service<br />

That Changes The Game Forever...”<br />

MYZONE is the only system in the world that<br />

has the capability of accurately tracking and<br />

reporting the activity of every single member in<br />

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MYZONE offers unrivalled group and studio<br />

feedback enhancing your instructor’s and<br />

member’s club experience.<br />

MAKING MOVEMENT MEASURABLE<br />

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Welcome to...<br />

MYZONE is marketed<br />

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MYZONE is the ‘pinnacle’ of customer<br />

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physical activity levels 365 days of the year.<br />

MYZONE offers your club the opportunity to<br />

connect with any School, Business or Weight<br />

Loss Center in your community.<br />

“MYZONE comes with a money back guarantee!”


<strong>Innovations</strong>What’s New 63 | FIT Extra 67 | BuyersMart 83<br />

Paramount Fitness,<br />

Treadmill 7.85T —|<br />

Photo sponsored by Paramount Fitness<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 61


Where some treadmills are good in one or two areas,<br />

ours is a bit of an overachiever in all of them.<br />

Introducing Star Trac Coach <br />

It coaches. It motivates. It entertains.<br />

Star Trac Coach , a personalized treadmill workout led<br />

by a professional coach with over 1 million possible<br />

workouts to ensure a different workout every time. This<br />

revolutionary technology is exclusively available on Star<br />

Trac’s embedded screen E Series treadmills. Star Trac<br />

Coach takes the ordinary treadmill experience to a new<br />

level of engagement never seen before.<br />

For more information contact Star Trac at<br />

714.669.1660 (800.228.6635) or sales@startrac.com<br />

©2011 Star Trac. All rights reserved. Star Trac, the Star Trac logo, Soft Trac, Dynamic Heart Rate Control<br />

are registered trademarks of Core Industries. Star Trac Coach is a trademark of Core Industries. iPod is<br />

a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.<br />

Nike + iPod<br />

»


ABC Financial Services, Inc.<br />

» ABC Financial Services, Inc., has<br />

added seven feature upgrades to its<br />

popular DataTrak software. These<br />

include: automated e-mail to send<br />

reports and agreements to employees or members; electronic agreement<br />

entry with customized fields; wallet software that accommodates various<br />

forms of payment; a freestanding, in-club kiosk for membership or<br />

class registration; locker management to assign lockers, view history,<br />

and track maintenance needs; a customizable dashboard that features<br />

new loss-prevention and tools for graphs and charts; and MyiCLUBonline,<br />

which enables prospective members and renewals to sign up from<br />

home. For more information, contact the company at 800-551-9733;<br />

www.abcfinancial.com. —|<br />

Life Fitness’<br />

Virtual Trainer Website<br />

Life Fitness<br />

» Created in June 2008, the Life Fitness Virtual Trainer Website<br />

(www.virtualtrainer.lifefitness.com), now boasts 21,290 users, and is<br />

compatible with Facebook. The new “Buddies” feature enables exercisers<br />

to create and share cardio workout programs with their friends and<br />

family, add a profile picture, group their buddies, and view buddies’ alerts<br />

on their homepage. The site also allows exercisers to create personalized<br />

workouts for the company’s Elevation Series cardio products. Users<br />

can track and organize their workout results to view their progress,<br />

and personal trainers can develop customized workouts for their clients<br />

virally. For more information, contact the company at 800-735-3867;<br />

www.lifefitness.com. —|<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | What’s New<br />

Legend Fitness<br />

LeverEDGE, by<br />

Legend Fitness<br />

» LeverEDGE, the new<br />

plate-loaded, unilateral<br />

strength line from Legend<br />

Fitness, features thoroughly<br />

researched biomechanics,<br />

competitive pricing, and<br />

versatility. “We incorporated<br />

a lot of adjustability to<br />

accommodate a wide variety<br />

of users, while keeping<br />

the machine as simple as<br />

possible,” says Pierre<br />

Steenekamp, the president<br />

of Legend Fitness. Each machine in the LeverEDGE<br />

line breaks down to fit through a standard single<br />

doorway, and all models employ pillow-block bearings<br />

that are durable, yet easy to replace. Most LeverEDGE<br />

units feature a smaller footprint than comparable<br />

models. For more information, contact the company<br />

at 865-992-7097; www.legendfitness.com. —|<br />

Peaksware, LLC<br />

Peaksware’s<br />

TrainingPeaksGPS<br />

» Peaksware, LLC, has acquired<br />

SprintGPS, a suite of GPS<br />

activity-tracking applications<br />

for the iPhone from Screenmedia.<br />

Being rebranded as<br />

TrainingPeaksGPS, the suite<br />

includes several customizable<br />

applications: Run Tracker Pro,<br />

Cycle Tracker Pro, Walk<br />

Tracker Pro, Walk Tracker<br />

Free, and Pedometer Pro. On<br />

March 22 and 23, Peaksware<br />

donated all the proceeds from<br />

the specially priced 99-cent<br />

download cost equally to the American Cancer Society’s<br />

DetermiNation, Lymphoma and Leukemia Society’s<br />

Team in Training, and the National Multiple Sclerosis<br />

Society’s BikeMS, raising $5,000 for these programs.<br />

For more information, contact the company at<br />

720-406-1839; www.peaksware.com. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 63


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | What’s New<br />

Zumba Fitness, LLC<br />

Exhilarate with<br />

» Zumba Fitness, LLC, has launched Exhilarate,<br />

a seven-disc DVD collection that features<br />

Beto Perez, the creator of Zumba, along with<br />

instructors Gina Grant and Tanya Beardsley.<br />

Shot in music video format, each workout allows<br />

users to either Learn It, with verbal move-cueing<br />

from the hosts, or to Feel It, by turning off the<br />

verbal instructions to fully sense the music.<br />

The DVD set also introduces Mix, a compilation<br />

Zumba Fitness of workouts based on cultures and rhythms<br />

inspired by the global explosion of the Zumba<br />

Online TRX Directory<br />

brand. Each DVD includes bonus material as well. For more information,<br />

contact the company at 954-925-3755; www.zumba.com. —|<br />

Precor's Seated<br />

Leg Curl C007ES<br />

Precor, Inc.<br />

» Precor, Inc., has launched five dual-function machines to extend its<br />

Experience Strength S-line range. The new additions include a multipress,<br />

bicep curl/triceps extension, pull-down/seated row, leg extension/<br />

leg curl, and abdominal/back extension. “The S line has an economical<br />

footprint and is designed for facilities with limited space, and the dualfunction<br />

pieces allow for maximum user convenience,” notes Jez Whitling,<br />

the U.K. sales director at Precor. “Ease of use was top of mind when<br />

designing the dual units, so individuals can make adjustments and perform<br />

exercises while seated on the machine.” For more information, contact<br />

the company at 800-786-8404; www.precor.com. —|<br />

64 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

TRX<br />

» TRX, the creator of<br />

Suspension Training<br />

bodyweight exercise,<br />

has launched the<br />

online TRX Directory<br />

at www.trxdirectory.<br />

com. This directory<br />

is a database of<br />

30,000 trainers<br />

from 40 countries<br />

who are educated in<br />

TRX Suspension Training, along with a list of qualified<br />

host facilities of TRX Professional Education courses<br />

and TRX R4 licensed facilities. “We’ve been conducting<br />

thousands of education courses for professionals,<br />

and are excited to connect the public with these<br />

trainers to learn more about Suspension Training,”<br />

explains Randy Hetrick, the inventor and CEO of<br />

TRX. For more information, contact the company<br />

at 888-878-5348; www.trxtraining.com. —|<br />

Star Trac<br />

Star Trac’s next-generation<br />

Spinner<br />

» Star Trac introduced<br />

several new<br />

products at <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

recent 30th Anniversary<br />

International<br />

Convention and<br />

Trade Show. Among<br />

them is a new plateloadedstrengthtraining<br />

line called<br />

Leverage, which uses<br />

a unique lever and<br />

cam system to work efficiently with human biomechanics<br />

by matching the natural strength profiles of<br />

specific movements. Eight units are currently available.<br />

And, along with Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc., Star Trac<br />

presented the next generation of Spinner bikes, including<br />

the new Spinner NXT, Spinner Pro, and Spinner Blade,<br />

with a patent-pending drive train that enhances safety<br />

and reliability. For more information, contact the<br />

company at 800-228-6635; www.startrac.com. —|


Associate’s Degree<br />

in Exercise Science with an Emphasis in Personal Training<br />

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Introducing a continuum of education that celebrates the autonomy of the personal training<br />

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Knowledge is Power. Call us today at 1.877.633.9644<br />

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Sports Performance<br />

and Fitness Training<br />

Rotation, Rotation, Rotation…<br />

In order to mimic the natural mobility of your body and<br />

sport, it takes rotational movement – Period! Whatever<br />

your sport, whatever your fitness goal, the CrossCore180®<br />

offers the most advanced fitness training tool in one<br />

small package. The ability to train in static mode when<br />

the pin is engaged and rotational mode when the pin is<br />

pulled makes it safe for beginners and a rude awakening<br />

for even the most elite athlete.<br />

TURN YOUR GAME AROUND<br />

crosscore-usa.com<br />

Military, Mixed Martial<br />

Arts and Action Sports<br />

Eight years in development and originally developed for<br />

the military, the War Machine® is the perfect training tool<br />

for troops in the gym or out in the field. The War<br />

Machine® is built like a tank and adapts to any climate and<br />

terrain to provide training consistency no matter the<br />

location. Counterweights and resistance bands can be<br />

used when more than just bodyweight is desired. MMA<br />

fighters are also discovering how the exclusive rotational<br />

movement of the War Machine® is increasing their speed<br />

and endurance while helping reduce the chance of injuries.<br />

PULL THE PIN


Treadmills<br />

Hit Their Stride<br />

From basic to sophisticated, these ubiquitous units offer<br />

something for everyone<br />

At clubs worldwide, newcomers and longtime members<br />

alike gravitate toward the tried-and-true workhorses of<br />

the cardio floor: treadmills. For newbies, they offer instant<br />

access to exercise; for veteran exercisers, they’re like a<br />

reliable friend—one who’s constantly being upgraded with<br />

ever more innovative features.<br />

Among the most prevalent innovations is a greater emphasis on<br />

sophisticated technology. Many treadmills now come equipped with<br />

iPod docks, USB ports, LCD screens, and workout tracking—all of<br />

which help to motivate members, increasing exercise adherence and,<br />

importantly, member retention.<br />

Another trend that continues to emerge is “green” treadmills.<br />

“Our engineers are finding new ways to make our treadmills superefficient,<br />

creating self-generating equipment that feeds power<br />

back into the grid,” reports Amber Maechler, the marketing and<br />

communications director at SportsArt Fitness.<br />

SportsArt’s ECO-POWR is a 5-HP maintenance-free system that<br />

uses up to 32% less electricity than standard AC and DC motors—<br />

which can save an average club, running 12 treadmills a day, an<br />

estimated $3,000 per year.<br />

Woodway and Technogym, among others, also produce energyefficient<br />

treadmills.<br />

Another innovative advance is offered by the AlterG Anti-Gravity<br />

Treadmill, which takes technological advances to a new level—a new<br />

altitude, actually—giving the user the sensation of “running on air.” It<br />

employs differential air pressure technology to minimize impact by<br />

“unweighting” exercisers to as little as 20% of their body weight.<br />

“Originally used for rehabilitation, the AlterG suits fitness facilities<br />

because it allows many more people to use a treadmill who wouldn’t<br />

otherwise be able to,” contends Gabriel Griego, the vice president of<br />

marketing at AlterG, Inc.<br />

But, for club operators and members who want to keep it simple,<br />

there are still plenty of attractive options. “Many people just want to<br />

get on a treadmill and press start,” observes Dean Sbragia, CEO of<br />

Med-Fit Systems, Inc., which manufactures Nautilus.<br />

Take, for instance, Woodway’s new Curve treadmill, a non-motorized<br />

unit that recently appeared on NBC-TV’s The Biggest Loser: Couples.<br />

“The Curve delivers a dynamic workout with the user in control of the<br />

speed,” explains Michael Frank, Woodway’s associate marketing<br />

communications manager.<br />

For more, check out the following pages of F.I.T. Extra! —|<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

TREADMILLS<br />

BH NORTH AMERICA<br />

BH Fitness SK6900<br />

The BH Fitness SK6900 is an uncompromising<br />

commercial treadmill that balances<br />

both style and function. It features<br />

a powerful 4-HP AC motor, 12 mph top<br />

speed, 15% elevation, a 22" x 63" running<br />

surface, five Alpha-Numeric LED displays<br />

for statistical information, and a large red<br />

LED matrix window.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $6,699.00<br />

BH Fitness T8 Pro,<br />

BH Fitness T9 (shown)<br />

The BH Fitness T8 Pro is a high-power<br />

solution for light commercial facilities<br />

that need high-quality, affordable fitness<br />

equipment. It features advanced electronics,<br />

a powerful 3.5-HP motor, 12 mph<br />

top speed, 15% elevation, a 22" x 60"<br />

running surface, and five red alphanumeric<br />

LED displays, with a blue backlit LCD<br />

program profile display. Its warranty is<br />

lifetime on the frame, 10 years on the<br />

motor, five years on parts, and one year<br />

on labor. The BH Fitness T9 features an<br />

embedded cable-ready 15" touch-screen<br />

LCD television with built-in speakers,<br />

headphone jack, and MP3 capabilities.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: BH Fitness T8 Pro,<br />

$3.299.99; BH Fitness T9, $4,599.00<br />

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| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

BODy-SOLID, INC.<br />

T10HRC Commercial Treadmill<br />

by Endurance<br />

With its all-steel frame, generous<br />

20" x 60" running surface, and high-torque<br />

3-HP motor, the T10HRC treadmill by<br />

Endurance can hold its own in any commercial<br />

setting. It offers 25 user programs,<br />

heart-rate control, and an elevation range<br />

of 0%-15% to help the most determined<br />

fitness enthusiasts achieve their goals.<br />

The easy-to-read panel and push-button<br />

speed controls provide ease of operation<br />

and instant feedback information on a<br />

long list of features.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $2,999.00<br />

BRuDDEN TECHNOLOGy<br />

E750 Treadmill<br />

E750 is controlled by a 15" LCD touchscreen<br />

with an interactive, user-friendly<br />

interface that facilitates a quick, easy<br />

workout setup. Equipped with an intelligent<br />

system of shock-absorption control<br />

(SAC), E750 controls the impact caused<br />

by running or walking. The unique World<br />

Courses feature simulates more than 30<br />

different well-known running circuits,<br />

from Central Park to the Paris Marathon.<br />

CyBEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.<br />

SEE OUR AD ON THE INSIDE FRONT<br />

COVER & PAGE 1<br />

625T<br />

The CYBEX 625T is a value-packed<br />

treadmill that delivers the performance<br />

features that health clubs need to keep<br />

members happy and business healthy. For<br />

colleges and universities, this treadmill<br />

is designed to encourage serious athletes<br />

and casual exercisers alike to rediscover<br />

the simple joys of running, jogging, and<br />

walking. Built for performance, the<br />

CYBEX 625T is engineered to provide<br />

better stability and greater comfort<br />

than other treadmills.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $6,795.00<br />

750T<br />

68 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

The CYBEX Legacy 750T is a premium<br />

treadmill that’s fully equipped to deliver<br />

an exceptional user experience. It has<br />

a high-contrast display and enhanced<br />

easy-to-use technologies, as well as a<br />

high-performance AC drive capable of<br />

delivering 6 HP. The Legacy 750T also<br />

offers a compact design with a running<br />

surface of 22" x 62" and an ultra-lowprofile<br />

hood for a spacious feel.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $7,495.00<br />

NEW<br />

770T-CT<br />

The CYBEX 770T enriches the joys of running,<br />

jogging, and walking. The advanced<br />

770T boasts CYBEX’s ARMZ support bars,<br />

as well as the CardioTouch display, which<br />

puts every exercise and entertainment<br />

option at the user’s fingertips. The IS3<br />

Intelligent Suspension System matches<br />

the ergonomics of running—the deck is<br />

soft at landing, firm in the middle, and<br />

rigid at toe-off. With the 770T, elite runners<br />

can push the limits, while casual<br />

users can enjoy a comfortable walk.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $7,395.00<br />

LCX-425T<br />

The LCX-425T treadmill is designed to<br />

provide light-commercial facilities with<br />

the functionality and running area of<br />

larger commercial treadmills in a spacesaving<br />

package. Featuring a full 20" x 60"<br />

running surface, this treadmill boasts an<br />

ultra-low-profile hood to maximize the<br />

entire running area and minimize the<br />

footprint to just 72" long. Equipped with a<br />

3-HP motor, the LCX-425T incorporates<br />

a fully featured console that employs a<br />

simplified approach to make it extremely<br />

user-friendly.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $4,495.00


Pro3<br />

The durable Pro3 Treadmill features a<br />

clean style that complements any décor<br />

and a low step-up height that’s less<br />

intimidating for new exercisers. With<br />

plenty of programs to satisfy serious<br />

runners, the CYBEX Pro3 treadmill is<br />

simple to operate for even the occasional<br />

user. Programs can be changed on the<br />

fly so that exercisers can raise or lower<br />

intensity. Users will also appreciate the<br />

convenience of dual water bottle holders,<br />

utility tray, and Quick Start.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $6,795.00<br />

FASSI SPORT<br />

NEW<br />

FCPTMTX07<br />

The FCPTMTX07 treadmill from FASSO<br />

Sport features a 19" advanced graphics<br />

widescreen TFT touch-screen display,<br />

with 16.7 million colors, and 1440 x 900<br />

pixel resolution. A hand-scroll roller<br />

controls digital speed and incline adjustment,<br />

and a deck-heating sensor provides<br />

an alert when the belt and deck need<br />

lubrication. The treadmill is also<br />

certified by TUV.<br />

FITNESS MASTER, INC.<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 71<br />

NEW<br />

Aristo PT10 Treadmill<br />

For commercial and rehab use, the<br />

Steelflex Aristo PT-10 treadmill features<br />

a low start-up speed of 0.2 mph, a wide<br />

speed range, a reverse option, and an<br />

oversized user cooling fan. With an easyto-read,<br />

eight-window display with dotmatrix<br />

LED readouts, the treadmill also<br />

offers contact and wireless heart-rate<br />

monitoring, a USB feature that allows<br />

customer programming and tracking,<br />

cushion-grip side handrails along the<br />

full length of treadmill, and a large<br />

emergency panic/stop button.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $5,100.00<br />

FREEMOTION FITNESS<br />

FreeMotion Incline Trainer<br />

The FreeMotion Incline Trainer provides<br />

a comfortable, yet challenging, exercise<br />

experience. It’s powered by the Direct<br />

Rear Velocity System (DRVS), a rear-drive<br />

motor system that, combined with urethane<br />

deck isolators, provides additional<br />

cushioning to minimize impact. The<br />

Incline Trainer boasts a 22" x 60" running<br />

surface; incline capabilities of -3%-30%;<br />

QuickTouch functions for easy incline<br />

adjustments; and Workout TV. The LED<br />

console reports on time, incline, pace,<br />

distance, calories, heart rate, speed,<br />

and more.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

FreeMotion Treadmill<br />

The FreeMotion Treadmill, powered by<br />

the innovative Direct Rear Velocity System<br />

(DRVS), provides a smooth, consistent<br />

workout and a long, efficient motor life.<br />

This unique motor system pulls, rather<br />

than pushes, the tread belt, which provides<br />

direct, consistent belt tension and<br />

alleviates stress on the bearings and<br />

rollers. The treadmill features a 22" x 60"<br />

walking surface and an optional 12.1" LCD<br />

television with the Workout TV console.<br />

H/P/COSMOS SPORTS &<br />

MEDICAL GMBH<br />

h/p/cosmos mercury<br />

Incorporating a shock-absorbing running<br />

surface that measures 59" x 19.7", this<br />

premier treadmill can elevate to a maximum<br />

25% grade, and generate a speed range<br />

of 0-14 mph. The mercury offers smooth,<br />

quiet operation, and a comprehensive<br />

programmable control panel with safety<br />

components. It features: a maintenancefree,<br />

3-HP, continuous-duty drive motor<br />

backed by a 20-year warranty; a three-year<br />

warranty on all parts; and an RS 232 interface<br />

for a PC, printer, ECG machine, etc.<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 69


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

LANDICE TREADMILLS<br />

Profit Center Made Simple.<br />

Buy it and plug it in...<br />

how much easier can it get?<br />

HydroMassage ® is an unattended profit center that<br />

offers your members a fantastic massage every day.<br />

No additional staff<br />

No inventory to control<br />

No major renovations<br />

Most importantly, your members will pay an extra $10-20<br />

per month for a HydroMassage ® package.<br />

“Most importantly for me...the numbers just work.<br />

It’s flat-out a profit center. If you want to make money,<br />

add it to your facility.”<br />

Bart De Bruijn, Anytime Fitness - Largo, FL<br />

Call Now For Details On The Anniversary Special<br />

1.800.786.1930 - www.hydromassage.com/club<br />

L7 Club Pro Trainer<br />

Since 1967, Landice has been manufacturing<br />

state-of-the-art treadmills. Made<br />

in the USA, its treadmills are a result of<br />

years of manufacturing, design, and field<br />

experience in the harshest club environments.<br />

The Club Series represents the<br />

culmination of this experience. Using the<br />

latest in engineering technology, uncompromised<br />

materials, and old-fashioned<br />

American craftsmanship, these treadmills<br />

HydroMassage’s 22 nd<br />

Anniversary Special<br />

Get Started with<br />

HydroMassage for<br />

only $22/month<br />

call 1.800.786.1930 for details<br />

70 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

HydroMassage_0711_halfisland.indd 1 6/2/2011 2:31:22 PM<br />

offer the features and dependability today’s<br />

high-volume health clubs demand.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $3,495.00<br />

LIFE FITNESS<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 11<br />

Elevation 95T Achieve Treadmill<br />

The 95T Achieve treadmill from Life<br />

Fitness sets health clubs apart with its<br />

sophisticated design and intuitive interface.<br />

Everything about the 95T Achieve—<br />

from the DX3 Belt and Deck System and<br />

Flexdeck technology, to the open sightlines,<br />

to the Activity Zone that places<br />

the most frequently used controls at the<br />

user’s fingertips—is designed to deliver<br />

the ultimate cardio experience.<br />

Elevation Series 95T<br />

Inspire Treadmill<br />

The Life Fitness 95T Inspire Treadmill<br />

includes seamless iPod audio integration,<br />

a Virtual Trainer, USB connectivity, and<br />

Workout Landscape Perspectives. Its 7"<br />

integrated LCD screen allows users to<br />

make workout selections and manage<br />

their iPod music lists; 36 workout programs<br />

and six goal types offer variety.<br />

For premium personal entertainment,<br />

a 17" attachable HD-ready wide-screen<br />

TV is optional. The Elevation Series 95T<br />

Inspire Treadmill with Attachable TV<br />

features an HD-ready 17" diagonal<br />

wide-screen television.


Integrity Series 97Ti Treadmill<br />

The Integrity Series 97Ti Treadmill delivers<br />

unmatched durability with speeds up<br />

to 16 mph and a 3% decline to challenge<br />

everyone, including advanced exercisers.<br />

It offers a simplified, intuitive amber LED<br />

console with seamless iPod integration,<br />

so that exercisers can skip songs, adjust<br />

the volume, and change channels right<br />

on the console. Users can charge their<br />

iPods while they work out, and can also<br />

view iPod-delivered video content through<br />

an optional 17" HD-ready, attachable TV.<br />

MATRIX FITNESS<br />

SEE OUR AD ON THE FRENCH COVER<br />

7-Series Treadmills<br />

The Matrix T7xe features an integrated<br />

15" touch-screen display with FitTouch<br />

Technology, iPod compatibility, a wireless<br />

data transmitter, crossbar speed and<br />

controls, secondary data display window,<br />

and a personal fan. The 22" wide belt<br />

provides security and freedom while<br />

running, and the Ultimate Deck System<br />

holds up under the most extreme conditions.<br />

The T7x shares many of the same<br />

features as the T7xe, but comes with an<br />

integrated 7" LCD.<br />

T1xeLS<br />

The T1xeLS offers Vista Clear Television<br />

Technology—the most vibrant picture<br />

quality in the industry—on its integrated<br />

7" LCD loaded with workout options.<br />

From the 3.2-HP club-rated drive system<br />

to the ultimate reversible, maintenancefree<br />

deck, this treadmill is packed with<br />

features that are typically only available<br />

on higher-priced models. Each purchase<br />

from the LIVESTRONG by Matrix line<br />

ensures that a minimum of $4 million<br />

will support LIVESTRONG and the fight<br />

against cancer.<br />

T1xLS<br />

Appealing to users of all experience<br />

levels, the T1xLS features a large LED<br />

display for easy viewing with simple<br />

controls. The Ultimate Deck System and<br />

3.2-HP Johnson Integrated Drive system<br />

provide years of superior, worry-free<br />

performance and durability. The low 7.5"<br />

step-on height allows for easy accessibility.<br />

The T1xLS is also designed to accommodate<br />

the optional Matrix FITCONNEXION<br />

integrated entertainment system. Each<br />

purchase from the line of LIVESTRONG<br />

by Matrix ensures that a minimum of<br />

$4 million will go to LIVESTRONG and<br />

the fight against cancer.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

FMI Fitness MasterCBI July Ad OL.pdf 1 5/25/2011 10:01:51 AM<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 71


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

T3x<br />

Sharing the same platform as the T3xe,<br />

the Matrix T3x is designed with simplicity<br />

in mind. Users of all experience levels<br />

will easily navigate the controls of its<br />

intuitive console. Featuring several<br />

training programs, including manual,<br />

rolling hills, fat burn, 5k, target heart<br />

rate, Gerkin protocol, and Army, Navy,<br />

Air Force, and Marine PFT and PRT<br />

tests, the T3x has plenty of options<br />

for user motivation.<br />

T3xe<br />

-IntRoDuCIng-<br />

A N T I B A C T E R I A L<br />

EQUIP<br />

Antibacterial Formula Disinfects, Cleans and Deodorizes<br />

Safe to use on all fitness equipment<br />

Alcohol , Bleach and Phenol Free<br />

EPA Registered<br />

Multiple dispensing systems available<br />

1-800-463-2516 • INFO@PETRASOAP.COM • WWW.PETRASOAP.COM<br />

72 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

The T3xe blends ease-of-use and entertainment<br />

to deliver a superior workout<br />

experience. Complete with an engaging<br />

graphical user interface and Vista Clear<br />

Television Technology, the T3xe provides<br />

a greater variety of workout options. The<br />

4.2-HP AC drive and Ultimate Deck system<br />

provide years of superior performance<br />

and durability. The user-friendly console<br />

offers multiple training programs to keep<br />

users motivated to reach their fitness goals.<br />

WIPES<br />

WIPES<br />

CLEANER & DISINFECTANT B Y P E T R A<br />

CAll TOdAy FOR MORE INFORMATION & SAMPlES:<br />

T5x<br />

The Matrix T5x features an intuitive LED<br />

console designed to minimize intimidation<br />

for new users, while providing a complete<br />

workout selection to challenge advanced<br />

exercisers. A 22" wide belt enhances<br />

security while running, and the Ultimate<br />

Deck and Dynamic Response Drive systems<br />

offer maintenance-free performance and<br />

durability. The T5x features an integrated<br />

personal fan and a wireless data transmitter<br />

for product-performance monitoring.The<br />

treadmill also accommodates the optional<br />

FITXCONNEXION integrated entertainment<br />

system.<br />

VitFit


MILON INDuSTRIES GMBH<br />

Clubrunner<br />

The Clubrunner treadmill features a<br />

specially designed shock-absorption<br />

system that has been scientifically<br />

validated as well as 13 programs to keep<br />

exercisers motivated and deliver results.<br />

The Clubrunner uses milon’s proven<br />

Smart Card system. Boasting central<br />

lubrication, the treadmill is almost<br />

maintenance-free. milon is a German<br />

manufacturer and complete supplier of<br />

electronic fitness and medical training<br />

equipment. It produces all of its own<br />

products and has a dedicated distribution<br />

and service network.<br />

MOTuS uSA<br />

M900T Advanced Interactive<br />

Interface Treadmill<br />

The sophisticated M900T Series treadmill<br />

incorporates soft-touch consoles and<br />

touch-sensitive buttons with blue LEDs<br />

for easy scrolling of statistics. A variety<br />

of custom and pre-programmed courses<br />

are at the user’s fingertips. Features<br />

include antimicrobial handlebars; spacious<br />

accessory trays; Quick Start functions;<br />

heart-rate monitoring; and the<br />

company’s innovative OneTouch buttons<br />

for instant speed and incline adjustments.<br />

Smooth, minimal-impact workouts are<br />

delivered via Hyundai precision electronics<br />

and a 5.7-HP Mitsubishi AC drive motor.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

NEW<br />

RESIDUE<br />

FREE<br />

FORMULA!<br />

NAuTILuS<br />

Nautilus T916 Treadmill<br />

The T916 premium treadmill is equipped<br />

with a custom 4.8-HP AC motor with the<br />

patented Quinton Hyperdrive system,<br />

delivering maximum torque. The system<br />

powers a 22" x 63" running surface at<br />

speeds of 0.5 mph-12 mph and at elevations<br />

up to 15%. It also offers Nautilus’<br />

REACT Absorption Control System; a low<br />

step-up height of 7.5"; Remote Operation<br />

Control (ROC) bar with TouchSensor<br />

technology; 14 exercise programs; and a<br />

welded steel frame.<br />

Defeat CA-MRSA,<br />

H1N1 and HIV<br />

■ Lowest Cost, Most Effective<br />

■ Made with 100%<br />

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■ Approved by leading<br />

equipment manufacturers<br />

Let the Revolution Begin!<br />

(888) 977-3726 ■ www.2xlcorp.com<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 73


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

PARAMOuNT FITNESS<br />

CORPORATION<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 26<br />

7.85T and 7.55T Treadmills<br />

The Paramount 7.85T and 7.55T treadmills<br />

offer health clubs a progressive design;<br />

durable performance; a wide 22" x 64"<br />

running surface with cushioned footfall<br />

and firm push-off; and up to 21 training<br />

programs with a motivational color LCD<br />

screen. A USB port allows facilities to<br />

upgrade software easily and insert their<br />

personalized messages into the display.<br />

User-centric features include a backlit<br />

Touch Sensor console, numeric keypad,<br />

heart-rate monitor, exercise data-tracking<br />

software, and state-of-the-art entertainment<br />

options.<br />

PRECOR, INC.<br />

74 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

NEW<br />

TRM 823 (shown), TRM 833<br />

Durability meets a low-impact workout<br />

in the TRM 823 and TRM 833 treadmills.<br />

As with all Precor models, these new<br />

models come standard with Integrated<br />

Footplant Technology (IFT) and Ground<br />

Effects (GFX). The TRM 823 and TRM 833<br />

are built with exceptional durability, and<br />

ensure users comfort, ease-of-use, and<br />

a dynamic and rewarding workout to help<br />

them meet all of their exercise goals.<br />

NEW<br />

TRM 885<br />

The TRM 885 is a top-of-the-line treadmill,<br />

renowned for its performance and<br />

durability. A 3-degree decline option and<br />

maximum speed of 16 mph are unique to<br />

the TRM 885. Equipped with Integrated<br />

Footplant Technology (IFT) and Ground<br />

Effects (GFX), the TRM 885 delivers a<br />

smooth and natural feel when running or<br />

walking. The TRM 885 features a touchscreen<br />

console, just like a high-end phone,<br />

and a simple, intuitive interface that draws<br />

members deeper into their workout.<br />

PROMAXIMA FITNESS<br />

S16TX and S16T STEX Treadmill<br />

The STEX S16TX treadmill includes an<br />

integrated LCD with HDTV. Both the<br />

S16TX and S16T include a 4-HP AC<br />

continuous-duty motor; a speed range<br />

of 0.5-14 mph; elevation from 0-16%; a<br />

20" x 60" four-ply, self-lubricating belt;<br />

a shock-cushioning deck system; and fitness<br />

test protocols, such as Gerkin, Navy<br />

PFT, Marine PFT, Army PFT, Air Force<br />

PFT, and Fit Test. Also included are the<br />

Intelligent Touch Heart Rate System and<br />

a six-segment display.


S25TX and S25T STEX Treadmill<br />

The STEX S25TX treadmill boasts an<br />

integrated LCD with HDTV. Both the<br />

S25TX and the S25T include a 5.5-HP AC<br />

continuous-duty motor; a speed range<br />

of 0.5-15.5 mph; elevation from 0-20%;<br />

a 22" x 64" four-ply, self-lubricating belt;<br />

a shock-cushioning deck system; the<br />

Intelligent Touch Heart Rate System;<br />

and a six-segment display. Fitness test<br />

protocols include Gerkin, Navy PFT,<br />

Marine PFT, Army PFT, Air Force PFT,<br />

and Fit Test. Generous warranties<br />

cover both treadmills.<br />

SCIFIT<br />

AC5000 Treadmill (shown),<br />

AC5000M Treadmill<br />

SCIFIT’s AC5000 Treadmill uses a 3-HP<br />

motor to provide durability and a smooth,<br />

comfortable feel. It offers a slow starting<br />

speed of .1 mph; an incline up to 15%; an<br />

oversized walking/running surface; and<br />

a 500-pound user-weight capacity to<br />

accommodate all exercisers. Side handrail<br />

switches for speed and elevation<br />

make it easy to adjust the workout without<br />

breaking stride. Special features of<br />

the AC5000M (medical) Treadmill include<br />

extended handrails, an elevation of -3%<br />

to 12%, and a reverse speed up to 4 mph,<br />

making it ideal for rehabilitation.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

SPORTSART FITNESS<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 77<br />

NEW<br />

T652 Treadmill<br />

The T652 treadmill features a 5-HP<br />

Eco-Powr motor that uses 32% less<br />

electricity than traditional treadmill motors;<br />

delivers a speed range of .1-15 mph; and<br />

has a user weight capacity of 500 pounds.<br />

The 22" x 62" running surface is easy on<br />

the joints, and telemetry and contact<br />

heart rate, along with multiple pre-set<br />

programs, allow exercisers to achieve<br />

maximum benefits. The treadmill comes<br />

with WFI Firefighters’ Wellness Fitness<br />

Initiative programming and optional<br />

iPod connectivity.<br />

Do you need a hand<br />

managing your facility?<br />

With AAC, running your<br />

facility has never been easier.<br />

Affiliated Acceptance continually strives to keep you easily<br />

connected with your facilities. We offer everything you need to keep<br />

your facility running smoothly. By providing billing, software and<br />

collection services, we know you will find our full service program<br />

meets all of your business needs.<br />

Call our sales team today to start making your life easier.<br />

AFFILIATED ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION<br />

800.233.8483 • sales@affiliated.org • www.affiliated.org<br />

Join our community!<br />

Scan this QR code with your<br />

smartphone to find out more.<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 75


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

T680 Treadmill<br />

The T680 treadmill is equipped with the<br />

ECO-POWR (Extreme Conservation and<br />

Output) System, a maintenance-free,<br />

self-regulating, brushless drive system<br />

that delivers long-term savings by using<br />

up to 32% less electricity. It also boasts<br />

the comfortable, joint-friendly My-Flex<br />

cushioning system, as well as the proprietary<br />

CardioAdvisor heart-rate-training<br />

system. The unit’s entertainment-ready<br />

15.4" LCD screen can display full-screen<br />

workout data, full-screen video, or a<br />

split-screen combination.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $7,799.00<br />

H O L L M A N<br />

L o c k e r s & C o u r t s<br />

STAR TRAC<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 62<br />

E-TRx Treadmill<br />

The E-TRx has been built with the<br />

benefit of Star Trac’s 20-plus years of<br />

treadmill innovation. The E-TRx offers<br />

optional upgrades, including: Made for<br />

iPod connectivity, USB charging station,<br />

integrated 900 MHz wireless controller,<br />

and 15" HD personal viewing screen.<br />

The treadmill comes with dual-adjustable<br />

personal fans; a Hot Bar with onefinger<br />

speed and elevation controls;<br />

contact heart-rate grips; and 20%<br />

maximum elevation.<br />

E-TRxe Treadmill<br />

The E-TRxe features Made for iPod<br />

technology, a USB charging station, an<br />

integrated 900 MHz wireless controller,<br />

and a 15" HD personal viewing screen.<br />

The treadmill also comes with dualadjustable<br />

personal fans; a Hot Bar with<br />

one-finger speed and elevation controls;<br />

contact heart-rate grips; and 20%<br />

maximum elevation.<br />

Chosen by The Dallas Cowboys, Equinox, LA Fitness, Gold’s Gym, 24 Hour Fitness, Lifetime<br />

Fitness and the Spectrum Clubs as the superior locker and court supplier.<br />

76 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

If you can imagine it; we can build it!<br />

1-800-433-3630<br />

www.hollman.com


E-TRxi Treadmill<br />

The E-TRxi treadmill is built on the culmination<br />

of Star Trac’s 20-plus years of<br />

treadmill innovation and the company’s<br />

flexible E Series entertainment offering.<br />

It features an integrated 15" HD personal<br />

viewing screen with intuitively placed<br />

channel and volume controls; Made for<br />

iPod technology; a USB charging station;<br />

centered, dual-adjustable personal fans;<br />

an easily accessible Hot Bar with onefinger<br />

speed and elevation controls; an<br />

integrated stop button; contact heartrate<br />

grips; and 20% maximum elevation.<br />

coming soon...the Green System – revolutionary<br />

energy-generating fi tness equipment<br />

To fi nd out how much you can save, log on to<br />

http://green.sportsartamerica.com<br />

Built.<br />

Going green not only helps the environment,<br />

it also reduces energy and builds business for your club.<br />

T652 Treadmill<br />

View detailed specs for this<br />

and more ellipticals,<br />

treadmills and cycles at<br />

www.sportsartamerica.com<br />

Star Trac Coach<br />

The Star Trac Coach is a personalized<br />

treadmill workout led by a professional<br />

Coach. Over 1 million possible running<br />

and walking workouts ensure users’<br />

workouts will be different every time.<br />

This patent-pending technology is exclusively<br />

available on Star Trac’s E series<br />

embedded-screen treadmills.<br />

*iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

S-TRc Treadmill<br />

The STRc is a customized model for use<br />

in unsupervised facilities. The treadmill<br />

is equipped with user-focused features,<br />

such as hourglass-shaped handrails;<br />

a 5" step-up height; a stop clip; larger<br />

buttons and fewer scrolling letters for<br />

easier viewing; 13 programs; personal<br />

cooling fans; and multiple cup holders.<br />

An integrated 15" HD personal viewing<br />

screen is optional.<br />

LIFETIME ECO-POWR motor warranty<br />

3% decline to 15% incline range<br />

Optional iPod ® connectivity<br />

22” x 61” running surface<br />

Multiple language settings<br />

Fitness tests for fi re, military and medical<br />

SportsArt’s ECO-POWR treadmills<br />

use 32% less energy than traditional<br />

treadmills, saving club owners<br />

thousands on electricity bills.<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 77


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

S-TRx Treadmill<br />

The S-TRx treadmill is designed for<br />

light-commercial facilities seeking a<br />

commercial-quality treadmill without<br />

a commercial price. The treadmill is<br />

equipped with user-focused features,<br />

such as hourglass-shaped handrails;<br />

a 5" step-up height; a stop clip; larger<br />

buttons and fewer scrolling letters for<br />

easier viewing; 13 programs; personal<br />

cooling fans; and multiple cup holders.<br />

An integrated 15" HD personal viewing<br />

screen is optional.<br />

TECHNOGyM<br />

SEE OUR AD ON THE BACK COVER<br />

Excite Med Run<br />

78 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Excite Med Run combines cardiovascular<br />

wellness with performance training,<br />

testing, medical treatment, and rehabilitation<br />

applications. Med Run is UL, CE,<br />

and TUV Medical Certified and incorporates<br />

submaximal, maximal, and military<br />

testing features. Excite Med’s Cardio<br />

Memory software enables real-time<br />

acquisition, visualization, and storage of<br />

all relevant training and test data. Med<br />

Run safety accessory options include a 6"<br />

rear safety step; a minimum speed of<br />

0.25 mph; height-adjustable underarm<br />

supports; and adjustable handrails.<br />

Excite+ Jog Now 700<br />

Technogym’s Excite+ Jog combines<br />

space efficiency and style with enhanced<br />

usability, safety, and entertainment features.<br />

Jog offers numerous accessibility<br />

features, such as the patent-pending In<br />

Motion light, a low 0.25 mph minimum<br />

speed, a step-up height of 8", and heartrate<br />

program access through the hand<br />

sensors. Jog features a high-contrast<br />

LED display or the VISIOWEB display,<br />

an interactive cardiovascular interface<br />

that offers touch-screen entertainment,<br />

as well as Web-browsing, marketing<br />

capacity, and intuitive navigation.<br />

Excite+ Run Now 900<br />

Technogym’s Run Now treadmill offers<br />

exceptional energy savings, along with<br />

engaging new workout interfaces and<br />

enhanced safety features. An independent<br />

TUV study found Run Now uses 40%<br />

less energy than other treadmills. Run<br />

Now also incorporates a high-contrast<br />

LED interface or the Web-compatible<br />

VISIOWEB display, an entertainment,<br />

marketing, and education digital platform.<br />

Safety features include the new In<br />

Motion light that indicates when the belt<br />

is in motion, Runner Detection Function,<br />

and laser-etched belt markings.


TRuE FITNESS<br />

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 81<br />

CS500 Treadmill<br />

The CS500 treadmill features a new<br />

console design that provides a sleek,<br />

cohesive look, along with versatile display<br />

options. Among them: the classic<br />

two-window LCD, featuring basic iPod<br />

compatibility; and the 15" LCD with<br />

touch-screen technology, offering<br />

advanced iPod compatibility. With its<br />

space-efficient design, low-profile<br />

frame, and accessible 7" step-up height,<br />

the CS500 is equipped with a 4-HP<br />

Endura-Drive motor to ensure smooth<br />

operation. It also features one-touch<br />

HRC Cruise Control.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $5,999.00<br />

CS550 Treadmill<br />

The CS550 treadmill features a new<br />

console design that provides a sleek,<br />

cohesive look, along with versatile<br />

display options: the 11" LCD offers<br />

basic iPod compatibility, and the 15" LCD<br />

with touch-screen technology features<br />

advanced iPod compatibility. With its<br />

space-efficient design, low-profile frame,<br />

and accessible 7" step-up height, the<br />

CS550 is equipped with a 5-HP Max-Drive<br />

motor with a self-cooling system. It also<br />

features one-touch HRC Cruise Control.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $7,099.00<br />

CS800 Treadmill<br />

The CS800 treadmill features a new<br />

console design that provides a sleek,<br />

cohesive look, along with versatile display<br />

options: the 11" LCD offers basic<br />

iPod compatibility, and the 15" LCD with<br />

touch-screen technology features<br />

advanced iPod compatibility. The CS800<br />

is built on a commercial, 11-gauge,<br />

robotically welded, steel frame that<br />

provides uncompromising stability. It<br />

utilizes the patented SOFT system, and<br />

is equipped with a 5-HP Max-Drive<br />

motor with a self-cooling system.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $7,799.00<br />

LC1100 Treadmill<br />

The TRUE LC1100 treadmill is engineered<br />

to outperform and outlast other equipment<br />

in its class. A performance-driven machine,<br />

the LC1100 is powered by a heavy-duty<br />

Endura-Drive AC motor that delivers<br />

TRUE’s signature smooth and quiet<br />

acceleration, plus its proven reliability.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $5,099.00<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

PATRIOT<br />

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w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 79


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

PS100 Treadmill<br />

The TRUE PS Series treadmill was<br />

engineered to be a real workhorse, but<br />

designed to look like a true thoroughbred.<br />

Built on a commercial-grade frame<br />

and outfitted with the sturdiest and most<br />

durable components in its class, the PS<br />

Series treadmill will remain attractive<br />

and reliable for years to come.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $2,699.00<br />

PS900 Treadmill<br />

Making Great Trainers for Over 35 Years...<br />

Let NETA make you great!<br />

www.NETAfit.org<br />

800.237.6242<br />

80 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

The TRUE PS900 treadmill has been<br />

engineered to provide performance and<br />

durability. This workhorse is driven by<br />

a powerful 4-HP DC self-cooling motor<br />

that delivers TRUE’s signature smooth<br />

and quiet acceleration, plus its proven<br />

reliability.<br />

Manufacturer’s list price: $3,699.00<br />

VISION FITNESS<br />

SEE MATRIX<br />

T9700HRT, T9700S<br />

The T9700 Series features heavy-gauge,<br />

welded steel frames; 3-HP continuousduty<br />

motors; low-maintenance Seigling<br />

Cool-Weave belts; club-rated PWM motor<br />

controllers with fuseless current-limit<br />

and dynamic short-circuit protection;<br />

and 2.5" rollers that allow the belts to<br />

operate under low tension, generating<br />

minimal friction and heat. The T9700HRT<br />

offers motivational programming with<br />

heart-rate training. The T9700S doesn’t<br />

include programming—just touch the<br />

Start button and get going. All are<br />

assembled in an ISO 9001-certified<br />

manufacturing facility.<br />

NETA<br />

CERTIFICATIONS<br />

NCCA Accredited and<br />

nationally recognized.<br />

Personal Trainer<br />

Group Exercise<br />

HANDS-ON<br />

INSTRUCTION<br />

By the best trainers<br />

in the fitness industry.<br />

WORKSHOP<br />

LOCATIONS<br />

Conveniently located<br />

near you.<br />

Call for a FREE brochure<br />

®


T9800HRT, T9800S<br />

Vision Fitness’ robust T9800 Series<br />

treadmills will withstand hours of use<br />

in commercial settings. Large 3" rollers,<br />

a powerful AC drive system, and a spacious<br />

22" x 60" running surface make these<br />

treadmills comfortable for exercisers<br />

and require very little maintenance. The<br />

T9800HRT offers 16 programs, including<br />

the exclusive SPRINT 8, four heart-ratetraining,<br />

and five user programs. The<br />

T9800S, a simpler model, does not include<br />

programming; exercisers simply touch<br />

the Start button to begin.<br />

©2011 TRUE FITNESS TECHNOLOGY, INC.<br />

WOODWAy uSA<br />

CURVE<br />

The CURVE manual treadmill allows<br />

users to exercise in dynamic way. The<br />

innovative Curve design enables exercisers<br />

of all sizes to instantly achieve their desired<br />

speed simply by increasing their pace,<br />

much like running outside. Because the<br />

treadmill has no motor, the user is doing<br />

all the work, and is thereby burning 30%<br />

more calories, which benefits both the<br />

exerciser as well as the health club’s<br />

electricity bill.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | FIT Extra Treadmills<br />

EcoMill<br />

The WOODWAY EcoMill uses zero<br />

electricity, and actually creates power<br />

utilizing the user’s energy output. The<br />

display board is powered by the exerciser<br />

spinning the belt, and has a USB outlet<br />

that charges a phone or iPod during<br />

workouts. WOODWAY’s electromagnetic<br />

braking system effectively controls and<br />

maintains a consistent speed throughout,<br />

and the EcoMill has an initial maximum<br />

speed setting of 1.0 mph to prevent overacceleration.<br />

A battery back-up system<br />

ensures uninterrupted display functions<br />

during exercise sessions.<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 81


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LAU_SIF_Ad_7.125x4.75.indd 1 6/7/11 10:44 AM


»<br />

Product Profiles<br />

Special Advertising Section<br />

The BuyersMart is an effective shopping tool—one<br />

that allows you to find out about a wide range of<br />

products and services without leaving the comfort<br />

of your club. The following companies are also listed<br />

on www.ihrsa.org/buyersmart, where an advanced<br />

search function enables you to find the companies<br />

and products you are looking for easily. For detailed<br />

contact information, please refer to the advertiser<br />

index at the end of this section.<br />

SPOTLIGHT<br />

Supreme Audio<br />

The Leader in Sound and Entertainment Systems for Gyms<br />

New…“The Entertainer” 3-Band (FM, 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz) Wireless Entertainment<br />

System by SupremeVision. Receivers and transmitters are 100% compatible<br />

with all your current entertainment system components! FREE “Professional<br />

Audio Buyer's Guide” featuring SupremeProAudio, Samson, Shure, Telex and<br />

Audio-Technica wireless microphones, variable speed CD players and tape<br />

decks, speakers and amplifiers. Wireless entertainment systems, personal<br />

LCD screens digital signage and studio lighting. Largest selection of components<br />

with 100% secure online shopping. Competitive prices. Free Lifetime<br />

Technical Support. Our experience has made the difference since 1975!<br />

» For more information, please contact us at P.O. Box 550,<br />

Marlborough, NH 03455, call Jane Plaugher, V.P.- General Manager<br />

at 800-445-7398 or visit www.SupremeAudio.com.<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | BuyersMart<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 83<br />

®


| <strong>Innovations</strong> | BuyersMart<br />

ABC Financial<br />

84 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Special Advertising Section<br />

Aeromat/EcoWise Fitness Products<br />

Aran Stainless ASF International<br />

Big Ass Fans<br />

» www.bigassfans.com;<br />

877-244-3267<br />

THE Ultimate Spray Bottle Holder<br />

No more broken holders or<br />

misplaced spray bottles. Stainless<br />

steel. Proudly made in the U.S.A<br />

» www.aranstainless.com;<br />

aran1@consolidated.net;<br />

1-800-228-2726<br />

The 8-to-10-ft diameter Isis ® is a silent,<br />

customizable fan for fitness spaces with<br />

ceilings as low as 12 feet. Just one 8-ft<br />

Isis covers more area than nine small<br />

ceiling fans while using only one-third of<br />

the energy. The airflow from Isis creates<br />

an evaporative cooling effect that lowers<br />

perceived temperatures and improves<br />

the comfort level of members.<br />

Aeromat/EcoWise<br />

2070 Zanker Road<br />

San Jose, CA 95131<br />

Toll-Free: 877-278-6158<br />

Fax: 707-221-4040<br />

info@aeromats.com<br />

www.aeromats.com<br />

www.ecowisefitness.com<br />

Aeromat/EcoWise Fitness Products specializes in supplying<br />

high quality mats and related fitness products to the fitness,<br />

sporting and rehabilitation industries, and offers the market<br />

both product innovations and brand name recognition.<br />

» For a dealer near you, call today!<br />

Call toll-free: 877-278-6158 or visit www.aeromats.com<br />

or www.ecowisefitness.com.<br />

CI Solutions


HEX Tanning<br />

Tune Belt<br />

Special Advertising Section<br />

245cbi<br />

505245_Buyersmart_July_09_FINAL.indd 1 5/19/09 2:35:07 PM<br />

For free samples & pricing<br />

Call: 1-800-860-1175<br />

visit: www.tunebelt.com<br />

Page Advertiser<br />

Cardio Entertainment Accessories &<br />

Instructor Supplies<br />

• Armbands for iPhones, iPods & More<br />

• Microphone Belts & Batteries<br />

• Ten Quality Headphones<br />

84 » ABC Financial Services, Inc.<br />

www.abcfinancial.com | 800-551-9733<br />

84 » Aeromat/EcoWise Fitness Products<br />

www.aeromats.com | 877-278-6158<br />

84 » A-RAN Stainless Fabricators<br />

www.aranstainless.com | 800-228-2726<br />

84 » ASF International<br />

www.asfinternational.com | 800-227-3859<br />

84 » Big Ass Fans<br />

www.bigassfans.com | 877-244-3267<br />

Ojmar<br />

| <strong>Innovations</strong> | BuyersMart<br />

Ojmar Locking Systems for Lockers—<br />

A good lock system means simplicity<br />

and reliability for you and your customers.<br />

Ojmar combines the most reliable<br />

technology with extensive market<br />

experience to offer you a series of<br />

products which can adapt to the needs<br />

of an entire facility. Ideal for Wet and<br />

Humid Locker rooms Ojmar has a full<br />

range of lock solutions for your facility. Our aim is to make<br />

the complicated simple.<br />

» Contact us at jameso@ojmar.com or toll free<br />

888-795-5588.<br />

See your ad here!<br />

Contact Meg Burnham at mb@ihrsa.org<br />

to advertise in BuyersMart.<br />

Page Advertiser<br />

84 » CI Solutions<br />

www.cisolutions.biz | 800-599-7385<br />

85 » HEX Tanning and Marketing Concepts<br />

www.hextanning.com | 800-556-3201<br />

85 » Ojmar US<br />

www.ojmar.com | 888-795-5588<br />

83 » Supreme Audio - Fitness Audio<br />

www.supremeaudio.com | 800-445-7398<br />

85 » Tune Belt, Inc.<br />

www.tunebelt.com | 800-860-1175<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 85


CAPTURE THE CRAZE OF<br />

GROUP FUNCTIONAL TRAINING<br />

CLASSES IN YOUR CLUB!<br />

Introducing the complete Functional Training Station<br />

(FTS) designed by PÚRMOTION . Perform countless<br />

functional strength exercises in one dedicated area. Great<br />

for individual workouts, with personal trainers, or in a<br />

group training setting.<br />

Get clients on their feet, developing total body strength<br />

and stability while using bodyweight for resistance<br />

along with PÚRMOTION’s unique, patent pending<br />

training products. Promote exercise that emphasizes<br />

developing real life functional strength while keeping it safe<br />

and FUN! Workshops, education, and marketing materials<br />

are available for integrating the FTS and conducting group<br />

training in your facility.<br />

<br />

LEASE FOR<br />

AS LOW AS<br />

$199/MO FOR<br />

60 MONTHS<br />

WAC.<br />

“The PurMotion FTS has been incredible for our<br />

one-on-one and small group training services and<br />

revenues. Our members in the club cannot help but<br />

notice and watch what our staff is doing with their<br />

clients and our clients are getting fantastic results, and<br />

just as important, having FUN while they work out! I<br />

highly recommend the FTS!”<br />

- Robert Rettmann, MS, Vice President of Education,<br />

The Rush Fitness Complex<br />

VISIT WWW.PURMOTION.NET<br />

FOR MORE DETAILS!<br />

TOLL FREE 877.798.9078


<strong>IHRSA</strong> Report<br />

First Set 89 | In Brief 90 | Ask the Entrepreneurs 94<br />

Member News 96 | Calendar 101 | Coming Soon 101<br />

The results of a study presented recently at the<br />

annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies<br />

concluded that children and teenagers with cystic<br />

fibrosis may benefit from an individually tailored<br />

exercise program. This inherited life-threatening<br />

disease affects the respiratory and digestive systems.<br />

Patients in the study profited from improved lung<br />

function, overall health, self-perception, and<br />

emotional well-being. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 87


Welcome New <strong>IHRSA</strong> Associate Members.<br />

Time to get Down to Business!<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> welcomes this month's new<br />

Associate Members. These leading<br />

companies offer the products and<br />

services your business needs to<br />

succeed in the rapidly competitive<br />

club market.<br />

For information on up-to-date products<br />

and services in the health club industry,<br />

go to ihrsa.org/products.<br />

Fit in Fit<br />

514/706-6000<br />

www.fitinfit.com<br />

Induro Cycling Studios, Inc.<br />

816/561-0088<br />

www.indurocycling.com<br />

International Sports &<br />

Fitness Trainers<br />

Association, Inc.<br />

863-949-4271<br />

www.isfta.com<br />

Jet Sport Industrial Co, LTD.<br />

886 4 2491 7666<br />

LAR Audio Systems<br />

716/285-0555<br />

www.laraudio.com<br />

Netsertive<br />

919/323-8385<br />

www.netsertive.com<br />

Resolute Physio Sport<br />

719/661-9499<br />

www.resoluteps.com<br />

reZeneration, Inc.<br />

310/890-3305<br />

www.CoreTransformer.tv<br />

Royal Blue Textiles<br />

310/888-0156<br />

www.royalblueintl.com<br />

TheGymShoppe.com<br />

201/984-5079<br />

www.TheGymShoppe.com<br />

US Sport Tech, LLC<br />

201/773-8218<br />

www.usstech.com<br />

Zebra Mats<br />

763/315-4920<br />

www.zebramats.com<br />

International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association | Seaport Center, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210 USA


The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub<br />

Association is a not-for-profit trade association<br />

open to investor-owned and member-owned<br />

fitness, racquet and athletic facilities. Associate<br />

memberships are available to manufacturers<br />

or suppliers of products and services of use<br />

to <strong>IHRSA</strong> members.<br />

800-228-4772 USA & Canada<br />

617-951-0055 International<br />

617-951-0056 FAX<br />

www.ihrsa.org<br />

www.healthclubs.com<br />

E-mail: info@ihrsa.org<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Board of Directors<br />

Art Curtis: Chairperson<br />

Millennium Partners<br />

Sports Club Management, LLC<br />

617-476-8910<br />

Mike Raymond: Curves International<br />

254-399-9285<br />

Susan Cooper: BodyBusiness Health Club & Spa<br />

512-459-9424<br />

Sandy Hoeffer: Clubsource<br />

Development Partners<br />

415-459-1500<br />

David Hardy: Franvest Capital Partners<br />

780-953-4273<br />

Kilian Fisher: <strong>IHRSA</strong> Europe Council<br />

+353 89-4322125<br />

Chuck Runyon: Anytime Fitness<br />

651-438-5000<br />

Kay Yuspeh: Elite Fitness & Racquet Clubs<br />

262-786-0880<br />

Bill McBride: Club One<br />

415-477-3000<br />

Richard Bilton: Companhia Athletica<br />

+55 11-5181-2000<br />

Carol Nalevanko: DMB Sports Clubs<br />

480-609-6979<br />

Brent Darden: TELOS Fitness Center<br />

972-458-2582<br />

Scott Gillespie: Saco Sport & Fitness<br />

207-284-5953<br />

David Patchell-Evans: Ex-officio<br />

GoodLife Fitness Clubs<br />

519-661-0190 ext. 238<br />

SPECIAL ADVISOR<br />

EUROPE<br />

Christian Pierar: De Fitness Organisatie<br />

+32 9-232-5036<br />

® Innovate<br />

Art Curtis<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Chairperson<br />

Out<br />

of Slow Growth!<br />

The great recession may be over, but things<br />

certainly aren’t back to normal—or, at least, the<br />

normal that we knew before 2008. Now, we’re<br />

trying to understand how we can help our clubs<br />

prosper given a slow-growth environment in<br />

which buying behaviors have changed dramatically.<br />

Those of you who’ve fared the best during the prolonged economic<br />

downturn probably did so by playing good defense. However, in<br />

a new book, Accelerating Out of the Great Recession, How<br />

to Win in a Slow-Growth Economy, authors David Rhodes<br />

and Daniel Stelter, of the Boston Consulting Group, argue that<br />

defense isn’t enough to prevail in a slow-growth economy. To<br />

win, you have to go on the offensive.<br />

One of the most effective ways to do so, they remind us, is to<br />

focus on innovation.<br />

A study conducted recently by Accept Corp. found that there<br />

were several characteristics common to highly innovative companies,<br />

as well ones shared by the least innovative.<br />

The top innovators understood how to:<br />

• Balance investments in breakthrough advances with spending on incremental<br />

innovations in existing processes, products, and services.<br />

• Prioritize by focusing on projects that aligned both with market needs and the<br />

company’s overall business strategy.<br />

• Analyze customer feedback effectively, right from the start, so they could make<br />

adjustments or drop an idea early on if it wasn’t well received and, then, move<br />

on to the next idea.<br />

On the other hand, the poor innovators:<br />

• Didn’t listen to customers or truly understand their wants and needs.<br />

• Didn’t collaborate with their customers and other stakeholders, including staff<br />

and suppliers, when developing new ideas.<br />

• Were misaligned, with poor communication between senior management and<br />

line staff, resulting in resources being spent on the wrong ideas, or leading to<br />

poor execution of viable ideas.<br />

• Were uncertain because of a lack of clear criteria and decision-making<br />

processes. As a result, decisions were made on the basis of internal politics and<br />

subjectivity rather than an idea’s actual merit.<br />

• Executed ideas ineffectively. They found it difficult to allocate resources to<br />

match a new market opportunity, and, simultaneously, to keep their eye on the<br />

ball with respect to their core products and services.<br />

So, how does your business stack up in terms of innovation? —|<br />

– Art Curtis, acurtis@millenniumptrs.com<br />

| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | First Set<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 8 9


| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | In Brief<br />

Employee or<br />

Independent<br />

Contractor?<br />

How to<br />

Satisfy the<br />

IRS<br />

When hiring an aerobics instructor or tennis pro, many health club<br />

operators consider making use of an independent contractor, especially<br />

for teaching a specific class or exercise. On the one hand, doing<br />

so costs less money and reduces the possibility of exposure to liability<br />

claims related to negligent acts by employees while on the job.<br />

But, on the other, it can prove problematic.<br />

At the close of 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will complete its<br />

National Research Program, which involves the random selection and auditing<br />

of 6,000 employers. For years, the IRS has intentionally made it more difficult to<br />

classify workers as independent contractors (independents). For that reason, club<br />

operators who decide to treat workers as independents risk being audited and<br />

found in violation of the IRS tax code, which has costly repercussions. (Some<br />

sources say an improperly classified worker costs an employer an average of<br />

$3,000 in back taxes). Therefore, a growing number of club operators have been<br />

reluctant to take on workers as independents.<br />

But this doesn’t necessarily mean that hiring them at your club is inadvisable; it<br />

just means that, in order to do so, you should take great care and cover all bases.<br />

Here’s a summary of what you need to know when it comes to hiring independents<br />

rather than regular employees:<br />

Who is, and who isn’t, an independent contractor?<br />

While there’s no clear-cut answer to this question, the key factors that distinguish<br />

employees from independents are: (1) the degree to which the club company controls<br />

the job the worker performs and how they do it—for instance, employees take their<br />

orders from club management, while independent contractors use their own<br />

discretion as to how they perform a task or provide a service; (2) if financial<br />

aspects of the worker’s job are controlled by the company (i.e., how the<br />

worker is paid, expense reimbursement); and (3) whether there are written<br />

contracts or employee-type benefits, such as health insurance or vacation pay.<br />

Some factors may suggest that the worker is an employee, while others may<br />

indicate they’re an independent. According to the IRS, “there’s no ‘magic’ or set<br />

number that ‘makes’ the worker an employee or an independent contractor.”<br />

Therefore, it’s in your best interest to examine the entire relationship between<br />

your business and an individual worker and consider how much right you have<br />

to control the way in which they perform the designated service or task.<br />

How do other clubs classify aerobics, fitness, and racquet sport instructors?<br />

The majority of <strong>IHRSA</strong> clubs compensate their aerobics, fitness, and racquet<br />

sports instructors as employees. However, about 31% pay their racquet sports<br />

instructors as contractors; 22% classify their aerobics instructors as contractors;<br />

and 10% compensate their fitness instructors as contractors.<br />

What if I’m not sure?<br />

The conservative approach is to compensate workers as employees to avoid the<br />

risk of an audit and back taxes. If you remain unsure, you can ask the IRS for a<br />

determination by filing Form SS-8. The IRS will use the information provided to<br />

determine how certain workers should be classified.<br />

The IRS does allow for relief from federal tax obligations for businesses as long<br />

as three requirements are met: (1) you had a reasonable basis for not treating<br />

workers as employees (i.e., advice from a lawyer, a court case, or an IRS ruling);<br />

(2) you treated all previous and similar workers the same way; and (3) you filed<br />

a 1099-MISC form for each worker.<br />

If your club is audited, strengthen your case for hiring independents by doing<br />

your homework. Research IRS rulings on situations similar to your own, and,<br />

most importantly, be sure to commit to writing each of the factors you used to<br />

determine whether to classify workers as employees or independents. —|<br />

.org<br />

9 0 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

To read <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s complete briefing paper on independent contractors, log on to<br />

www.ihrsa.org/briefing-papers.


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u JaSmIn KIRSTeIn<br />

My Sportlady<br />

Introducing: Jasmin Kirstein<br />

and Robert Brewster<br />

As the newly elected members of <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

board of directors begin taking their seats,<br />

you might well be wondering, who are they?<br />

Well, we'd be delighted to introduce Jasmin<br />

Kirstein, the owner of My Sportlady, in Munich,<br />

Germany, and Robert Brewster, the president<br />

of The Alaska Club, in Anchorage, Alaska.<br />

Preface: In the early 1980s,<br />

Jasmin Kirstein worked as a<br />

model, and, during a visit to<br />

Boston, discovered Healthworks.<br />

Inspired by this innovative<br />

women’s club, Kirstein<br />

returned to her native Germany<br />

to open the first-ever fitness<br />

facility for women in Munich.<br />

In 1984, she launched My<br />

Sportlady, a 3,000-square-foot<br />

unit that offers women a<br />

holistic approach to fitness<br />

and well-being.<br />

Shortly after opening the<br />

club, Kirstein’s daughter was<br />

diagnosed with leukemia, but<br />

the new entrepreneur was<br />

able to continue developing<br />

her business while caring<br />

for her child. Fortunately,<br />

her daughter prevailed over<br />

the disease and inspired<br />

Kirstein to open her club’s<br />

doors—for free or at reduced<br />

rates—to struggling mothers.<br />

The original facility has<br />

since been expanded to nearly<br />

20,000 square feet, and now<br />

has a sister operation in<br />

Taufkirchen. Kirstein also<br />

launched the My Sportlady<br />

Trust Fund, which supports<br />

women and children both<br />

locally and in other countries.<br />

Her efforts led to her being<br />

awarded the 2010 Julie<br />

Main Woman Leadership<br />

Scholarship for excellence,<br />

professionalism, courage,<br />

and perseverance.<br />

Preview: “I learned so much<br />

through <strong>IHRSA</strong>,” Kirstein<br />

reflects. “The association<br />

made it possible for me to<br />

face the risk of opening a<br />

studio, and encouraged me<br />

to go further. So now, it’s<br />

time for me to give back.”<br />

As a member of <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

board, Kirstein would like<br />

to develop ideas designed<br />

to attract new members to<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>, and help create an<br />

educational component that<br />

encourages women in leadership<br />

positions. She’d also<br />

like to help grow <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

international membership.<br />

“The industry has to<br />

recognize that it needs to<br />

provide club members with<br />

additional benefits, some-<br />

| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Board Profiles<br />

Jasmin Kirstein Robert Brewster<br />

thing more than just exercise,”<br />

she says. “We have to listen<br />

to our members, and make<br />

them feel welcome again,<br />

and again, and again.” —|<br />

u ROBeRT BReWSTeR<br />

The Alaska Club<br />

Preface: Robert Brewster has<br />

a lifelong history of participation<br />

in competitive sports,<br />

primarily cross-country skiing,<br />

for which he received a gold<br />

medal in the 30-km freestyle<br />

at the World Masters Cross<br />

Country Ski Championships<br />

in 1983. Over the past 28 years,<br />

he’s managed a diverse<br />

assortment of health clubs,<br />

including multipurpose,<br />

tennis-only, sport-specific,<br />

high-end gyms, and lowprice/high-volume<br />

units.<br />

Today, Brewster serves<br />

as the president of The Alaska<br />

Club (TAC), a company that<br />

operates a network of 18<br />

multipurpose facilities;<br />

Acceleration Alaska, a sportstraining<br />

center; and Alaska<br />

Fitness Equipment, a commercial<br />

equipment distribu-<br />

tion company. His broad<br />

experience, longstanding<br />

relationship with <strong>IHRSA</strong>,<br />

and participation in the REX<br />

Roundtables for Executives<br />

have provided him with<br />

a clear understanding of<br />

the unique circumstances<br />

confronting the industry.<br />

Preview: “The perspectives<br />

I’ve gained will help me identify<br />

critical industry problems,<br />

effective solutions, and the<br />

resources that clubs need to<br />

prosper,” says Brewster.<br />

During his time on <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s<br />

board, Brewster intends to<br />

focus on ensuring the association’s<br />

financial stability<br />

through revenue diversification<br />

and resource management,<br />

and on strengthening its<br />

public policy and advocacy<br />

efforts to protect <strong>IHRSA</strong><br />

members from unfair competition<br />

and burdensome<br />

government regulation.<br />

“I’m excited at the prospect<br />

of being able to help<br />

shape direction and policy<br />

at this important moment in<br />

the association’s development,”<br />

he explains. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 9 3


| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Ask the Entrepreneurs<br />

9 4 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Accessing Valuable Insights<br />

How do you solicit feedback from your club’s members?<br />

u mIcHael HOeBeR JenKInS, Owner<br />

Body Kinetics, LLC, Mill Valley & Novato, California<br />

We solicit feedback from our members via an annual club survey that we send out each January.<br />

We e-mail it to members and also make it available at the front desk. The survey asks what<br />

new equipment, facility changes, and/or programming the client would like to see. We charge<br />

a $25-$35 enhancement fee each year and use the proceeds to implement the most-requested<br />

changes. This usually involves adding new pieces of equipment or improving a particular area<br />

of the club. Our members are very happy with the changes, and can clearly see that their money<br />

is being used for their benefit. —|<br />

u cOlleen BRaun, Owner<br />

Anytime Fitness, Madelia & Springfield, Minnesota<br />

We randomly distribute a brief questionnaire asking members about their experience at the<br />

club and soliciting their suggestions about how we could improve. We also try to connect with<br />

them face-to-face, talking with them regularly on a personal basis as they work out, participate in<br />

classes, etc. In addition, we hold a weekly staff conference call and review the thoughts, ideas,<br />

and feedback that we’ve received. We then communicate the changes and solutions we intend<br />

to implement in our monthly newsletter. I’ve also considered developing a member advisory<br />

board, but we haven’t done that yet. —|<br />

u SImOn Gale, General Manager & Director of Instruction<br />

Yonkers Tennis Center, Yonkers, New York<br />

Our front-desk staff has established solid relationships with our customers, and, as a result,<br />

member feedback tends to come directly to them, and is then passed along to management.<br />

We also make a point of getting out from behind the desk and interacting with our clients in<br />

the lobby. Being a tennis club, we’ve had great success with our parent weeks, which involve<br />

parents coming down onto the courts and taking part in their child’s lesson. We answer any<br />

questions or concerns they may have about their child’s progress. By obtaining feedback from<br />

them and dealing with any concerns head-on, we avoid any end-of-season complaints that<br />

might result in a child’s quitting. —|<br />

Editor’s note: If you’d like to be profiled in this column, please contact Kristen Walsh, <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s senior editor, at kwalsh@ihrsa.org.


“With ACSM-certified staff, my club<br />

can provide higher quality service.<br />

That’s good for our members, and<br />

it’s good for business, too.”<br />

ONE CERTIFICATION<br />

OPENS THE DOOR TO<br />

MORE MEMBERS.<br />

ACSM certification means your staff will be uniquely qualified to work with a variety of people to<br />

improve health, fitness and wellness, even those with health risks. We’ll help by providing your<br />

staff with everything they need, from self-study materials to hands-on workshops worldwide.<br />

Go to www.acsm.org/cbi for everything you need to know about ACSM’s health, fitness and<br />

clinical certifications.<br />

ACSM CLUB CONNECTION PROGRAM<br />

The ACSM Club Connection Program makes educating and certifying your club’s fitness<br />

professionals easier and less expensive by providing study materials and valuable discounts<br />

on certification. To learn more, please call 1-800-486-5643.<br />

LEADING THE WAY<br />

CHECK OUT OUR<br />

ACSM Group Exercise<br />

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| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Member News<br />

Value Proposition Freemotion Fitness<br />

‘Innovation and education’ are the keys that have allowed this functional-strength<br />

company to expand into, and explore, the whole world of fitness equipment<br />

FreeMotion Fitness, based in<br />

Logan, Utah, was founded in<br />

1999 on the basis of what Pat<br />

McGinnis, the company’s<br />

president and COO, describes<br />

as a simple, yet bold observation:<br />

One-dimensional training doesn’t correspond<br />

to, doesn’t carry over into, a<br />

three-dimensional world—a place<br />

where twisting, turning, and moving in<br />

all planes is a fact of daily life.<br />

Guided and driven by that insight, the<br />

company has developed comprehensive<br />

lines of strength and cardiovascular<br />

equipment that focus on developing core<br />

strength for balance and stability, as<br />

well as products that are designed to<br />

strengthen individual isolated muscles.<br />

Spinning into a new Space<br />

“We’re no longer just a functional strength company,” posits Pat<br />

McGinnis, the president and COO of FreeMotion Fitness. While the<br />

firm has made major inroads into the cardio space over the past<br />

few years, it’s climbed to an entirely new level with the recent<br />

introduction of its FreeMotion Indoor Cycling Bikes.<br />

The company’s audacious goal with this particular product line,<br />

McGinnis says, is to “revolutionize” the way that people experience<br />

indoor cycling.<br />

The bike’s features are designed to deliver on the promise. The<br />

FreeMotion S Series of bikes boasts rust-resistant, zinc-coated<br />

steel frames; ergonomics to accommodate virtually any user,<br />

including an open, step-through design and multiple bar and seat<br />

adjustments; a drive system that mimics outdoor cycling; a magnetic-resistance<br />

system that delivers consistent resistance, with<br />

no brake pads to maintain; a perimeter-weighted flywheel, which<br />

means that, with the weight on the outer edge, the flywheel produces<br />

high inertia, which provides a smoother riding experience;<br />

and a console that features direct power measurement. —|<br />

9 6 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

It didn’t take long for the fitness<br />

manufacturing community to take notice<br />

of FreeMotion’s unique approach. In<br />

December 2000, ICON Health & Fitness,<br />

the equipment juggernaut that’s headquartered<br />

in Logan, acquired the<br />

company and positioned FreeMotion as<br />

its commercial division. Icon also owns<br />

the NordicTrack, ProForm, Weider,<br />

HealthRider, EPIC, Image, and Weslo<br />

brands, and licenses the Google, Gold’s<br />

Gym, and Jillian Michaels names.<br />

Today, FreeMotion enjoys all the<br />

benefits of being a wholly owned subsidiary<br />

of the world’s largest producer of exercise<br />

equipment, but remains independent<br />

with respect to its marketing, sales,<br />

research, development, and operations.<br />

Asked what sets<br />

FreeMotion apart,<br />

McGinnis responds<br />

immediately with<br />

two simple words:<br />

“Innovation,” he says,<br />

“and education.”<br />

Patents and<br />

partnerships<br />

S i n c e t h e f i r m ’ s<br />

inception, research<br />

and development<br />

have been an integral<br />

part of the business’<br />

DNA. In fact, notes<br />

McGinnis, R&D is one<br />

of the key corporate<br />

attributes FreeMotion<br />

has brought to ICON.<br />

“As far as I know, we<br />

spend more money<br />

on R&D than anyone<br />

else in the fitness<br />

industry,” he says.<br />

The facts suggest that<br />

» “While<br />

Pat McGinnis<br />

we<br />

have a complete<br />

education<br />

staff at our<br />

headquarters,<br />

we also have<br />

an established<br />

team of master<br />

trainers all<br />

over the world<br />

… Today, we do<br />

trainings on our<br />

equipment at<br />

all of our major<br />

installations.”


the claim is not mere hyperbole: The<br />

company holds more than 300 separate<br />

patents on things such as quick-touch<br />

speed and folding treadmills, and currently<br />

has more than 100 filings in the<br />

pipeline. Its recently introduced iFit Live<br />

is supported by no fewer than 20 patents.<br />

iFit Live stands as something of a<br />

testament to FreeMotion’s commitment<br />

to new-product development. The<br />

interactive system, which complements<br />

the company’s cardio equipment, offers<br />

users infinite workout options. For<br />

example, thanks to a partnership with<br />

Google Maps, they can follow routes<br />

in Boston, New York City, Paris, and<br />

Pasadena, California, including 5Ks,<br />

triathlons, and more. As the workout<br />

unfolds, iFit Live controls the speed and<br />

incline, or resistance, of the equipment<br />

to simulate the terrain and distance of<br />

the actual real-world route. “With<br />

Google Maps, you can see an overhead<br />

or street view of any place you’d like to<br />

run,” explains McGinnis. “Running in<br />

Central Park is my personal favorite.”<br />

iFit also allows exercisers to compete<br />

with friends; download and access data<br />

via their PCs and mobile devices; or<br />

choose to take part in specially designed<br />

workouts by The Biggest Loser’s Jillian<br />

Michaels, another program partner.<br />

eclectic educational options<br />

For FreeMotion, education is a multifaceted<br />

discipline involving the collection of<br />

original information and its dissemination<br />

along a number of different avenues.<br />

The company takes part in independent<br />

research on muscle movement and<br />

other important fitness-related issues;<br />

offers a wide range of downloadable<br />

exercise charts; produces product videos;<br />

and makes excellent use of its human<br />

capital. “While we have a complete education<br />

staff at our headquarters, we also<br />

have an established team of master<br />

trainers all over the world,” notes Jeremy<br />

Strom, the firm’s director of education.<br />

iFit Live technology takes users<br />

onto the Golden Gate Bridge<br />

“Our company grew, from the ground up,<br />

by educating the market about functional<br />

training with our cable cross, selectorized<br />

circuit, and incline workouts … and, today,<br />

we do trainings on our equipment at all<br />

of our major installations.”<br />

market-expansion moves<br />

On the development side, FreeMotion<br />

has worked hard to expand beyond its<br />

cable-strength origins by exploring<br />

many of the possibilities of cardio,<br />

including upright and recumbent bikes,<br />

standard and reflex treadmills, elliptical<br />

trainers, incline trainers, and striders.<br />

Now, similarly, on the sales and marketing<br />

side, it’s attempting to delve more deeply<br />

into vertical markets consisting of hotels,<br />

schools, wellness centers, multi-housing<br />

complexes, etc.<br />

In terms of demographic targets,<br />

FreeMotion has the active-aging population<br />

in its sights. “There are more than<br />

93,000 extended-living facilities,” points out<br />

McGinnis, “and most have some sort of<br />

wellness facility. We feel a deep corporate<br />

responsibility to help people remain<br />

healthy, fit, and active longer.” —|<br />

| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Member News<br />

Pro Forma<br />

Year Founded:<br />

1999<br />

Growth:<br />

20% revenue growth,<br />

2010 to 2011; 20%-25%<br />

growth projected for 2011<br />

Facilities:<br />

21,000-square-foot<br />

prototype facility; 140,000<br />

square feet of ISO 9001<br />

manufacturing capacity<br />

Installation:<br />

more than 2,000 fitness<br />

facilities in 40 countries<br />

worldwide<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 9 7


| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Member News<br />

aSSOcIaTe PROFIleS<br />

ACEOS Gmbh<br />

u The new Aeroman professional is a handy<br />

device that accurately and conveniently<br />

measures energy metabolism during<br />

exertion. With it, the previously time-consuming,<br />

uncomfortable, and sometimes<br />

imprecise methods for performance<br />

diagnostics become obsolete. It enables<br />

fitness professionals, athletic trainers,<br />

and physiotherapists to determine the<br />

fitness levels and optimum training zones<br />

of athletes more quickly, easily, and reliably.<br />

The Aeroman professional offers performance<br />

diagnostics that, to date, have only<br />

been available to professional athletes. For<br />

more information, contact the company at<br />

+49 (0) 911-477527-0; www.aeroman.com. —|<br />

The Coughlin Group, Inc.<br />

u The Coughlin Group, Inc., provides<br />

customized and comprehensive insurance<br />

coverage for large health clubs or small<br />

studios to protect them and their members,<br />

while keeping costs under control. Providing<br />

maximum coverage for the dollar,<br />

product offerings include comprehensive<br />

property and building; loss of income,<br />

extra expense, and equipment failure;<br />

professional, general, personal injury,<br />

and products liability; sexual and molestation<br />

abuse liability; crime, including<br />

theft, disappearance, and destruction;<br />

disaster coverage; earthquake; automobile,<br />

including non-owned and hired car;<br />

and liquor liability. For more information,<br />

contact the company at 800-542-0661;<br />

www.coughlingroup.com. —|<br />

aSSOcIaTe neWS<br />

American Council on Exercise<br />

u The American Council on Exercise (ACE)<br />

and Life Fitness are searching among more<br />

than 261,000 certified personal trainers<br />

for America’s Personal Trainers to Watch.<br />

To nominate a personal trainer who’s<br />

passionate and inspires others to change,<br />

visit www.lifefitness.com/personaltrainers.<br />

One grand prize winner will receive $5,000<br />

toward their personal training business, a<br />

piece of Life Fitness equipment, an ACE<br />

fitness-certification package with study<br />

materials and exam voucher, and national recognition as the winner of America's<br />

Personal Trainers to Watch. Ten finalists will also be honored, and winners will be<br />

announced in October. For more information, contact the company at 800-825-3636;<br />

www.acefitness.org. —|<br />

Merrithew Health & Fitness<br />

Marina Glogovac<br />

Motionsoft, Inc.<br />

9 8 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

u Motionsoft, Inc., has hired Brian O’Leary as vice<br />

president of enterprise sales, where he will guide<br />

the sales direction and execution of the launch<br />

of MoSo, Motionsoft’s cloud-based membership<br />

relationship management software. O’Leary has<br />

25 years of industry experience selling valueadded<br />

software and service solutions, and is a<br />

former Gold’s Gym club owner. He has been a<br />

featured speaker, presenter, and advisory board<br />

member for <strong>IHRSA</strong> chapters along the east coast.<br />

Most recently, he was a senior sales executive for<br />

another club management software and billing<br />

company. For more information, contact the<br />

company at 800-829-4321; www.motionsoft.net. —|<br />

u Merrithew Health & Fitness has hired Marina<br />

Glogovac as executive vice president of marketing<br />

and sales. With more than 20 years of experience<br />

in multi-channel sales, direct and brand marketing,<br />

eCommerce online marketing, strategy development,<br />

and general management, Glogovac most<br />

recently served as CEO of Lavalife Corp., Toronto,<br />

Canada, a world-leading provider of singles services,<br />

including online communities and products across<br />

several consumer communication channels.<br />

“We look forward to taking the company to the<br />

next level,” says Lindsay G. Merrithew, the<br />

company’s president and CEO. For more<br />

information, contact the company at<br />

800-910-0001; www.merrithew.com. —|<br />

Brian O’Leary


aSSOcIaTe PROFIleS<br />

Bodybuilding.com<br />

u Bodybuilding.com offers more than<br />

13,000 sports supplements, nutritional<br />

products, and fitness accessories to help<br />

7.5 million monthly visitors achieve their<br />

health, fitness, and aesthetic goals. The site<br />

includes 35,000 pages of free instructional<br />

and motivational information, including<br />

articles, videos, and expert online trainers;<br />

new content is added daily. The company<br />

also offers BodySpace, a large social media<br />

site for fitness-minded individuals; more<br />

than 800,000 members find and share<br />

workout, diet, and motivation tips. In addition,<br />

Bodybuilding.com runs the largest online<br />

discussion forum in the fitness industry.<br />

For more information, contact the company<br />

at 877-991-3411; www.bodybuilding.com. —|<br />

Astone Fitness, Ltd.<br />

u Unlike other bodyweight trainers and<br />

suspension gyms, The Human Trainer from<br />

Astone Fitness, Ltd., has a proprietary<br />

design that allows users to select and<br />

instantly swap the handles for other<br />

accessories, such as rings, foot cradles,<br />

cable pulley attachments, and ab straps.<br />

The Human Trainer also facilitates additional<br />

exercises, such as dips and widegrip<br />

overhead pull-ups, as well as training<br />

with separately anchored dual straps.<br />

According to Darren Shane, the company’s<br />

director of fitness, “The Human Trainer is<br />

the most versatile piece of fitness equipment<br />

on the planet.” For more information,<br />

contact the company at 866-497-9012;<br />

www.humantrainer.net. —|<br />

< aSSOcIaTe neWS<br />

| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Member News<br />

Octane Fitness<br />

u In the midst of the 2009-2010 U.S.<br />

recession, Octane Fitness LLC introduced<br />

nine new standing and seated<br />

elliptical cross trainers, doubled its<br />

space, and hired nine new team members,<br />

with plans to add seven to nine<br />

more employees, and six new products,<br />

this year. “Our ability to deliver equipment<br />

that people want and products that<br />

meet their needs has helped us thrive,<br />

despite economic challenges,” explains<br />

Dennis Lee, Octane’s president and CEO. Octane’s new headquarters is located<br />

at 7601 Northland Drive North, Suite 100, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428. For more<br />

information, contact the company at 888-OCTANE-4; www.octanefitness.com. —|<br />

Technogym<br />

u Technogym’s mywellness key received the<br />

prestigious Health Innovation Award during<br />

the FIBO trade show held recently in Germany.<br />

The mywellnesskey is a portable device that<br />

measures an individual’s daily physical activity,<br />

and assigns a daily target based on one’s lifestyle.<br />

The unit provides immediate visual feedback<br />

through a bar that has to be filled—the more the<br />

user moves, the faster the bar fills, indicating if<br />

the target has been reached. Inside health clubs,<br />

the mywellnesskey allows clients to activate the<br />

Technogym machines on their personal training<br />

program and save the results, which helps them<br />

to achieve their daily target. For more information,<br />

contact the company at 800-804-0952; www.technogym.com. —|<br />

United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. (USPTA)<br />

u In 2010, United States Professional Tennis<br />

Association (USPTA) teaching professionals<br />

raised more than $5 million for charity<br />

through the association’s Lessons for Life<br />

program. Since Lessons for Life became<br />

its national charitable program, USPTA<br />

members have raised more than $45 million<br />

to support various organizations. Fundraisers<br />

include tournaments, pro-ams, auctions,<br />

black-tie dinners, and clinics, many of which<br />

are at country clubs and commercial clubs,<br />

where the majority of USPTA professionals direct tennis operations and<br />

programming. While Lessons for Life is officially celebrated in October, events<br />

may be hosted throughout the year. For more information, contact the company<br />

at 800-877-8248; www.uspta.org. —|<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | M O N T H 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 9 9


| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Member News<br />

neW memBeRS<br />

Arizona<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

3990 S. Alma School Road<br />

Ste. 1<br />

Sun Lakes, AZ 85248<br />

480-855-5510<br />

Mr. David Grueneich<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

16650 E. Palisades Blvd.<br />

Ste. 109<br />

Fountain Hills, AZ 85268<br />

480-837-5151<br />

Mr. Josh Allison<br />

PeRSOnal TRaInInG<br />

InSTITuTe<br />

7625 N. Oracle Road<br />

Tucson, AZ 85704<br />

520-297-8280<br />

Arkansas<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

5313 Hwy. 5 N<br />

Ste. 300<br />

Bryant, AR 72022<br />

501-213-0526<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

206 Garden Oaks Drive<br />

Camden, AR 71701<br />

870-836-7100<br />

Mr. Tom Reynolds<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

1301 Hwy. 62 E<br />

Mountain Home, AR 72653<br />

870-580-0941<br />

Mr. Chris Kimball<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

1007 S. Mt. Olive St.<br />

Siloam Springs, AR 72761<br />

479-373-1122<br />

Mr. Nikolas Hicks<br />

California<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

4270 Riverwalk Pkwy.<br />

Stes. 112-116<br />

Riverside, CA 92505<br />

951-977-9607<br />

Mr. Benjamin McCarty<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

3191-B Mission Inn Ave.<br />

Riverside, CA 92507<br />

951-684-2874<br />

Mr. Benjamin McCarty<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

811 Via Suerte<br />

San Clemente, CA 92673<br />

949-276-8888<br />

Mr. Steve Sullivan<br />

In-SHaPe cITy *<br />

125 Sunset Ave.<br />

Suisun City, CA 94585<br />

707-439-4004<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

26536 Carmel Rancho Blvd.<br />

Carmel, CA 93923<br />

831-620-7100<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

6901 Ming Ave.<br />

Bakersfield, CA 93309<br />

661-833-3740<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

1140 N. Lemoore Ave.<br />

Lemoore, CA 93245<br />

559-925-4210<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

2821 Countryside Drive<br />

Turlock, CA 95380<br />

209-634-1035<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

2370 Fremont St.<br />

Monterey, CA 93940<br />

831-333-1853<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

1146 Forest Ave.<br />

Pacific Grove, CA 93950<br />

831-649-2348<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

3900 Pelandale<br />

Modesto, CA 95356<br />

209-552-7590<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

4300 Delta Gateway Blvd.<br />

Pittsburg, CA 94565<br />

925-752-7010<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

4230 California Ave.<br />

Bakersfield, CA 93309<br />

661-843-3100<br />

1 0 0 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Membership Eligibility Standards<br />

Members of the association must comply with <strong>IHRSA</strong>’s baseline health,<br />

safety, and ethical standards. To learn more, visit www.ihrsa.org/standards<br />

or contact <strong>IHRSA</strong> at 617-951-0055.<br />

In-SHaPe FITneSS *<br />

615 Elmira Road<br />

Vacaville, CA 95687<br />

707-455-5010<br />

PeRSOnal TRaInInG<br />

InSTITuTe<br />

16350 Ventura Blvd.<br />

Ste. C<br />

Encino, CA 91436<br />

818-783-4792<br />

Colorado<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

2740 Hwy. 50<br />

Grand Junction, CO 81503<br />

970-242-7200<br />

Mr. Eddie Elari<br />

Connecticut<br />

cluB FITneSS *<br />

107 Old Windsor Road<br />

Bloomfield, CT 06002<br />

860-286-9801<br />

Mr. Rick Pomygalski<br />

cluB FITneSS *<br />

640 Enfield St.<br />

Enfield, CT 06082<br />

860-253-9521<br />

Mr. Rick Pomygalski<br />

GOld’S Gym<br />

Scitico, CT<br />

860-763-1909<br />

Mr. Steven Suschanna<br />

GOld’S Gym *<br />

1001 Day Hill Road<br />

Windsor, CT 06095<br />

PeRSOnal TRaInInG<br />

InSTITuTe<br />

995 Boston Post Road<br />

Guilford, CT 06437<br />

203-533-4595<br />

Idaho<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

1251 Arrowhead Plaza<br />

Driggs, ID 83422<br />

208-354-9675<br />

Mr. Greg Rasmussen<br />

Illinois<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

1862 South West Ave.<br />

Freeport, IL 61032<br />

815-233-4334<br />

Mr. Karl Dimmer<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

5325 N. Second St.<br />

Loves Park, IL 61111<br />

815-639-9100<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

1003 W. Lane Road<br />

Ste. A<br />

Machesney Park, IL 61115<br />

815-633-3100<br />

Mr. Mike Langley<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

2705 N. Dirksen Pkwy.<br />

Springfield, IL 62702<br />

217-523-1541<br />

Mr. Tim Everett<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

506 N. Elida St.<br />

Winnebago, IL 61088<br />

815-335-8222<br />

Mr. Trent Eddy<br />

Indiana<br />

PeRSOnal TRaInInG<br />

InSTITuTe<br />

493 E. Dupont Road<br />

Fort Wayne, IN 46825<br />

260-338-2022<br />

Iowa<br />

anyTIme FITneSS<br />

3415 53rd Ave.<br />

Bettendorf, IA 52722<br />

563-332-3200 —|


.org<br />

To obtain complete details about, or to register for,<br />

all <strong>IHRSA</strong> events, log on to www.ihrsa.org/meetings.<br />

| <strong>IHRSA</strong> Report | Calendar<br />

Save the date | 2011 <strong>IHRSA</strong> Events cOmInG SOOn In<br />

July 14<br />

The Winning Triad: Personal<br />

Training, Health Clubs, and Medicine<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Webinar<br />

www.ihrsa.org/webinars<br />

SePTemBeR 1-3<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong>/Fitness Brasil Latin American<br />

Conference & Trade Show<br />

Transamerica Expo Center,<br />

São Paolo, Brazil<br />

www.ihrsa.org/meetings<br />

OcTOBeR 27-30<br />

11th Annual <strong>IHRSA</strong> European Congress<br />

Milan, Italy<br />

www.ihrsa.org/congress<br />

2011 Industry Events<br />

July 12-13<br />

FIA Flame Conference<br />

Telford, Shropshire, U.K.<br />

www.fia.org.uk<br />

July 14-16<br />

WellnessRio 2011<br />

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<br />

www.fitnessbrasil.com.br<br />

July 18-20<br />

Gold’s Gym Convention<br />

Las Vegas, Nevada<br />

www.goldsgym.com<br />

auGuST 11-14<br />

2011 IDEA World<br />

Fitness Convention<br />

Los Angeles, California<br />

www.ideafit.com<br />

auGuST 17-21<br />

Can-Fit-Pro Toronto<br />

Toronto, Ontario, Canada<br />

www.canfitpro.net<br />

SePTemBeR 7-10<br />

SPATEC Fall North America<br />

Dana Point, California<br />

www.mcleanevents<br />

international.com<br />

SePTemBeR 14-16<br />

Health & Fitness Business<br />

Conference & Expo 2011<br />

Las Vegas, Nevada<br />

www.healthand<br />

fitnessbiz.com<br />

SePTemBeR 20-22<br />

Leisure Industry Week (LIW)<br />

Birmingham, U.K.<br />

www.liw.co.uk<br />

SePTemBeR 22-25<br />

SIBEC North America<br />

Marina Del Ray, California<br />

www.mcleanevents<br />

international.com<br />

SePTemBeR 23-25<br />

WELLFIT Expo Romania<br />

Bucharest, Romania<br />

www.wellfitexpo.com<br />

SePTemBeR 24<br />

AGAP Annual Congress<br />

Lisbon, Portugal<br />

www.agap.pt<br />

OcTOBeR 6-8<br />

Fitness & Health<br />

Bureau Benelux<br />

Utrecht, The Netherlands<br />

www.fitnessandhealth<br />

benelux.nl<br />

mOnTHly<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> Online Education<br />

Monthly Webinar Series<br />

For details and topics, visit:<br />

www.ihrsa.org/webinars<br />

2012<br />

maRcH 14-17, 2012<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> 2012<br />

31st Annual International<br />

Convention and Trade Show<br />

Los Angeles, California<br />

www.ihrsa.org/convention —|<br />

OcTOBeR 6-9<br />

Inner IDEA Conference<br />

San Diego, California<br />

www.ideafit.com<br />

OcTOBeR 12-14<br />

Club Industry 2011<br />

Chicago, Illinois<br />

www.clubindustry<br />

show.com<br />

OcTOBeR 19-20<br />

ILAM Annual Conference<br />

& Exhibition 2011<br />

Ireland<br />

www.ilam.ie<br />

nOvemBeR 2-5<br />

SIBEC Europe<br />

Malta<br />

www.mcleanevents<br />

international.com<br />

decemBeR 1-3<br />

Athletic Business<br />

Conference & Expo<br />

Orlando, Florida<br />

www.athleticbusiness<br />

conference.com —|<br />

CLuB BuSINESS<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

u SaTS-ifaction: An exclusive Q&A<br />

with Orlav Thorstad, the new CEO<br />

of one of Europe’s most vital club<br />

companies<br />

u exercise Rx: A growing number<br />

of clubs are designing and offering<br />

fitness programs that target specific<br />

medical conditions<br />

u Gym-Pact act: These two Harvard<br />

grads-turned-entrepreneurs believe<br />

club members should pay more if<br />

they don’t exercise<br />

u Group-ex ease: Professionally<br />

produced group-exercise products<br />

take the pain out of launching<br />

successful new programs<br />

u added attractions: F.I.T. Extra<br />

showcases the aerobics accessories<br />

that make workouts even more fun<br />

and productive<br />

Out of Shape by Stan Tran<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 1 0 1


| Marketplace |<br />

Employment<br />

We want DYNAMIC individuals who will build<br />

and develop teams, drive sales, implement<br />

and improve business tactics, foster member<br />

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industry sales & management experience.<br />

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training teams. Create a fitness culture that continues to<br />

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&benefits Competitive salaries, aggressive bonus &<br />

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&bonus Ask about our signing bonus!<br />

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See your ad here!<br />

Rates start at just $245 per issue<br />

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visit www.ihrsa.org/classifieds or<br />

e-mail classifieds@ihrsa.org for details.<br />

1 0 2 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

Business Opportunities<br />

Consulting<br />

See your ad here!<br />

Rates start at just $245 per issue<br />

for <strong>IHRSA</strong> members.<br />

visit www.ihrsa.org/classifieds or<br />

e-mail classifieds@ihrsa.org for details.<br />

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Page Advertiser<br />

73 » a-1 Textiles<br />

www.a1athletictowels.com | 800-351-1819<br />

13 » aBc Financial Services, Inc.<br />

www.abcfinancial.com | 800-551-9733<br />

23 » aerobics & Fitness association of<br />

america (aFaa)<br />

www.afaa.com | 877-968-7263<br />

75 » affiliated acceptance corporation<br />

www.affiliated.org | 800-233-8483<br />

95 » american college of Sports medicine (acSm)<br />

www.acsm.org | 800-486-5643<br />

2, 3 & 5 » aSF International<br />

www.asfinternational.com | 800-227-3859<br />

35 » celare by digilock<br />

www.celare.com | 707-766-6000<br />

91 » club Industry<br />

www.clubindustry.com | 610-238-9306<br />

66 » crosscore, Inc.<br />

www.crosscore-usa.com | 800-288-3047<br />

Inside Front<br />

cover & 1<br />

» cyBeX International, Inc.<br />

www.cybexinternational.com | 508-533-4300<br />

9 » Fiserv<br />

www.clubs.fiserv.com | 888-590-0026<br />

71 » Fitness master, Inc.<br />

www.fitnexonline.com | 866-434-8639<br />

14 » GOJO Industries<br />

www.gojo.com | 800-321-9647<br />

33 » Gold’s Gym International<br />

www.goldsgymfranchising.com | 214-296-5003<br />

73 » Gym Wipes-2Xl corporation<br />

www.2xlcorp.com | 888-977-3726<br />

92 » Healthy learning<br />

www.healthylearning.com | 888-229-5745<br />

76 » Hollman, Inc.<br />

www.hollman.com | 800-433-3630<br />

70 » Hydromassage<br />

www.hydromassage.com | 727-536-5566<br />

82 » Ideal Products<br />

www.idealockers.com | 800-88-IDEAL<br />

29 » iGo Figure<br />

www.igofigure.com | 866-532-9588<br />

65 » International Sports Sciences association<br />

www.issaonline.edu | 800-892-4772<br />

16 » les mills International<br />

www.lesmillsusa.com | 888-669-8876<br />

Page Advertiser<br />

11 » life Fitness<br />

www.lifefitness.com | 800-634-8637<br />

French<br />

cover<br />

» matrix Fitness<br />

www.matrix-fitness.com | 866-693-4863<br />

7 » motionSoft, Inc.<br />

www.motionsoft.net | 800-829-4321<br />

60 » myZone<br />

www.myzone.org | 312-870-4802<br />

80 » national exercise Trainers association (neTa)<br />

www.netafit.org | 800-237-6242<br />

34 » national Federation of Professional<br />

Trainers (nFPT)<br />

www.nfpt.com | 800-729-6378<br />

78 » Ojmar uS<br />

www.ojmar.com | 888-795-5588<br />

26 » Paramount Fitness corporation<br />

www.paramountfitness.com | 800-721-2121<br />

79 » Patriot creative Group<br />

www.patriotcreativegroup.com | 877-844-7446<br />

72 » Petra Hygienic Systems<br />

www.petrasoap.com | 800-463-2516<br />

86 » Purmotion, llc<br />

www.purmotion.net | 877-798-9078<br />

54 » Ready care Industries<br />

www.readycare.com | 800-477-4283<br />

Inside Back<br />

cover<br />

» Retro Fitness<br />

www.retrofranchising.com | 201-867-5309<br />

74 » Salsbury Industries<br />

www.lockers.com | 800-562-5377<br />

82 » Sports & Fitness Insurance corporation<br />

www.sportsfitness.com | 800-844-0536<br />

77 » Sportsart Fitness<br />

www.sportsartfitness.com | 800-709-1400<br />

62 » Star Trac<br />

www.startrac.com | 800-228-6635<br />

Back cover<br />

» TecHnOGym<br />

www.technogymusa.com | 303-875-0306<br />

81 » TRue Fitness<br />

www.truefitness.com | 877-712-7209<br />

19 » Twin Oaks Software<br />

www.tosd.com | 866-278-6750<br />

72 » vitFit<br />

www.myvitfit.com | 215-280-8210<br />

21 » Zumba Fitness, llc<br />

www.zumba.com/gyms | 954-925-3755<br />

| Ad Index |<br />

w w w . i h r s a . o r g | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l 1 0 3


Tracy Powell<br />

| Last Rep |<br />

The IHRSa<br />

Joining Forces Network<br />

One of the questions I’m frequently asked by <strong>IHRSA</strong> club operators<br />

is: “What can I do to give back to my community?” Here’s a unique<br />

and excellent answer: Log on to healthclubs.com right now and<br />

enroll your club(s) in the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network.<br />

On the afternoon of May 9, my good friend, Scott<br />

Goudeseune, the CEO of the American Council on<br />

Exercise (ACE), and I had the privilege of sharing<br />

the stage with First Lady Michelle Obama on the<br />

South Lawn of the White House as she introduced<br />

two exciting new programs, both designed to<br />

support the nation’s military families.<br />

The first, administered by our own association,<br />

is the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network (IJFN).<br />

“The International Health, Racquet and Sports Club<br />

Association has agreed to offer free memberships<br />

to immediate family members<br />

of actively deployed National<br />

Guard and Reserve members,”<br />

Mrs. Obama explained. “They’re<br />

aiming to offer more than<br />

100,000 free memberships—<br />

the equivalent of more than<br />

18 million free days of access<br />

to gyms and health clubs<br />

across the country….”<br />

Starting last month, on<br />

June 1, <strong>IHRSA</strong> facilities<br />

nationwide began offering<br />

Joe Moore<br />

free six-month memberships<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> President & CEO to the immediate family members<br />

of actively deployed<br />

reservists and National Guard<br />

members (certain restrictions apply). Full program<br />

details are available at www.healthclubs.com.<br />

ACE, for its part, has agreed to encourage<br />

personal trainers to provide at least 1 million hours<br />

of free instruction to the same group of families.<br />

Both programs are aligned with Mrs. Obama’s<br />

Let’s Move! and Joining Forces initiatives.<br />

Many clubs across the country have already<br />

answered the call, but, if you haven’t enrolled,<br />

let me assure you: Uncle Sam does want you!<br />

Now, given the fact that I’ve had the opportunity<br />

to meet both Barack and Michelle Obama, people<br />

1 0 4 C l u b B u s i n e s s I n t e r n a t i o n a l | J U L Y 2 0 1 1 | w w w . i h r s a . o r g<br />

are asking me, “What are the president and first<br />

lady like?”<br />

I’m pleased to report that both of them work out<br />

regularly and are sincere about their commitment<br />

to active lifestyles. I met the president a few days<br />

after Seal Team 6 had completed its mission at the<br />

compound of Osama bin Laden, so he had a lot on<br />

his mind, but his personal trainer, Cornell McClellan,<br />

told me that, no matter how busy Obama is,<br />

and no matter how difficult the challenges he faces,<br />

he makes time for exercise.<br />

The president is the same man you see on<br />

television—smart, warm, and engaging, and, most<br />

definitely, a sports and fitness person. He’s been<br />

a member of several <strong>IHRSA</strong> facilities, and told<br />

me he’s very pleased that we’ve aligned our clubs<br />

with the first lady’s Let’s Move! and Joining<br />

Forces campaigns.<br />

And, yes, Mrs. Obama is the same woman you<br />

see on television—smart, warm, and engaging,<br />

and just as committed to exercise as her husband.<br />

She’s well informed about our industry, appreciates<br />

the work that clubs do, and understands the role<br />

that <strong>IHRSA</strong> plays in uniting the industry.<br />

During the presentation announcing the new<br />

<strong>IHRSA</strong> and ACE initiatives, she told her audience,<br />

composed largely of members of military families:<br />

“You might not be in uniform, but we all know that<br />

all of you make the same—if not more of—the sacrifice.<br />

We know that, when our troops serve, you<br />

all serve. And I think that it’s time that we started<br />

serving you in return. It’s time we started doing<br />

everything as a country that we can do to show our<br />

gratitude for your contributions to this nation.”<br />

How can you do your part in giving back to these<br />

military families?<br />

Log on to www.healthclubs.com right now to<br />

enroll in the <strong>IHRSA</strong> Joining Forces Network! —|<br />

– Joe Moore, jmoore@ihrsa.org


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