CBI AUGUST 01 Cover A 1/TOC.QK - IHRSA

Club Business 

February 2005 www.ihrsa.org $7 

>>> The magazine of the 

International Health, Racquet 

& Sportsclub Association 

IHRSA President 

Julie Main makes 

an ironclad case 

for the benefits 

of exercise ›35 

Insurance 

Woes 

›42 

The explosive 

cost of health 

insurance affords a profitable 

opportunity for clubs 

A Friend 

Indeed 

›47 

U.S. Senator 

Charles E. Grassley 

is fair competition’s finest 

champion in Congress 

IHRSA 2005 

Preview 

›65 

One day in the 

life of the club 

industry’s most rewarding 

convention and trade show 

International 

The 

Main Point

Club Business 










Insurance 

Woes 

›42 

The explosive 




A Friend 

Indeed 

›47 

U.S. Senator 





Preview 

›65 





International 

The 

Main Point

Club Business 










Insurance 

Woes 

›42 

The explosive 




A Friend 

Indeed 

›47 

U.S. Senator 





Preview 

›65 





International 

The 

Main Point

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Club Business 

International 

Features 

35 The Main Point 

IHRSA President Julie Main 

makes an ironclad case for 

the benefits of exercise 

42 Insurance Woes 

The explosive cost of health 



47 A Friend Indeed 

U.S. Senator Charles E. Grassley 



51 Rx Rewards 

How to make the most of 

the club/medical connection, 

by Edward M. Phillips, M.D. 

55 Progress in ’04 

IHRSA’s new Profiles of Success 

suggests that clubs face bigger, 

better, times ahead 

60 Flooring Story 

Our design experts tell a tale of 

flooring excellence in six distinct 

areas of your club 

65 IHRSA 2005 Preview 

One day in the life of the club 



71 Group-eXcelling 

F.I.T. Extra gets a real workout 

road-testing all of the new 

group-exercise options 

News & Know How 

15 Much ado over Mills 

15 Star Trac strengths 

16 A vote for ClubCom 

18 LA Fitness for sale 

18 Nonprofit pressures 

20 Dot-com can’t do 

20 FF’s first franchise 

23 Late Breaking News 

Cover Photography: Andy Smalls 

Photography (right): Nancy Kaszerman/Zuma Press 

page 6 

Short Takes 

29 A New York Minute 

29 Real fitness role ‘model’ 

30 Half-ton triumph 

30 My, oh, Maya! 

33 Inside the SpySchool 

33 The ‘Biggest Loser’ 

In Every Issue 

6 This month on www.ihrsa.org 

8 Editor’s Welcome 

Editor-in-chief Craig R. Waters 

on ‘Live Strong’ 

10 Letters 

25 On the Move 

Reader Services 

108 Marketplace 

111 Advertisers’ Index 

Super-role-model 

Cindy Crawford 

page 29 

The IHRSA Report 

The IHRSA Report page 83 


85 Letter from the President 

Let’s demand that sports be 

given the respect they deserve. 

By Julie Main 

86 In Brief 

Republican strategist Mary Matalin 

at Legislative Summit… More 

details on 3rd Capitol Hill event… 

What to see in Washington, D.C. 

88 Inside IHRSA 

Club Business Entrepreneur enjoys 

accolades… Get Active! IHRSA’s 

free new quarterly magazine 

exhorts club members 

90 Club Advisor 

Camera phones require guidelines 

to protect members’ privacy. 

By Kristen A. Walsh 

92 What’s New 

95 News From Associates 

99 New IHRSA Associates 

102 New IHRSA Clubs 

106 Calendar of Events 

112 Memo from McCarthy 

Two new relationships create 

opportunities for IHRSA 

member clubs. By John McCarthy 

FEB 2005

ihrsa.org 

This Month on 

To 

Grow, Protect and Promote the Industry 

About the Industry Running Your Business Marketplace News Room Industry Calendar Membership 


Time (to Save) is Running 

Out! February 15 is the date 

of the final price break for 

IHRSA’s 2005 International 

Convention and Trade Show, 

which will take place next 

month (March 16-19) in 

San Francisco. If you act 

now, you’ll save $55 on 

the cost of a full four-day 

registration, but, if you 

linger until after the 15th, 

you’ll have to pay the undiscounted 

on-site registration 

fee. Visit www.ihrsa.org/ 

register to reserve your 

space today. Don’t miss out 

on topnotch speakers, such 

as General Tommy Franks, 

U.S. Army-Ret., football 

legend Joe Theismann, 

medical-health guru Dean 

Ornish, M.D., and financial 

expert Jean Chatzky! 

Promotions 

Build Momentum with 

Motivation IHRSA’s 

brand-new weightloss 

initiative, 

I Lost It at 

the Club!, is now 

in full swing at 

clubs across the 

country, including, hopefully, 

your own. If you need to 

access program materials, or 

if you’d like some tips to help 

motivate participants, simply 

log on to www.ihrsa.org/ili. 

The clubs reporting the 

biggest losses will be eligible 

to win a Life Fitness crosstrainer. 

The final weigh-in 

must be completed between 

February 28th and March 

4th, and the results reported 

to www.ihrsa.org/ili by the 

latter date. 

IHRSA Institute 2005: 

Boston, Babson, the World Champion 

Red Sox, and More! 

The industry’s most comprehensive educational 

event will take place this summer just outside of 

Boston, which is also the headquarters of IHRSA, 

and the home of the world-champion Boston Red 

Sox and (presumptive) Super Bowl winner, the 

New England Patriots. The 2005 IHRSA Institute 

will take place August 8-12 at the beautiful Babson 

Executive Conference Center, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. 

Last year, attendees came from 25 states and six 

countries to attend this special, four-day event, and 

this year, some 75 enthusiastic club owners, managers, 

directors, and developers are expected to take part in 

the program, which will be conducted by a world-class 

faculty of 16 experienced industry leaders. Among the 

unique institute advantages: 

• Sessions are designed to provide a core understanding 

of the fundamentals of the club business, as well as a 

platform for growth; 

• Participants become familiar with their peers via an 

intense immersion process, which includes social 

events, excursions, and interactive peer-group sessions; 

• And the Boston Sports Club, the flagship of the 

TSI chain, is just a five-minute walk through 

Babson’s wooded campus. 

For more information, visit the IHRSA Website 

(www.ihrsa.org) or look for the complete program 

brochure in the March issue of CBI; to register, 

log on to www.ihrsa.org/institute. 

Raise Awareness About Eating Disorders 

Approximately 8 million Americans suffer from 

anorexia, bulimia, or other forms of eating disorders. 

Chances are, at least one such individual 

works out at, or works at, your club. It’s important 

for club operators and staff to be aware of the 

signs of such problems so they can be helpful. 

One way to do so is by observing Eating Disorder 

Awareness Week (February 27 to March 5). Invite a 

guest speaker to discuss the topic at your club, display 

informational posters, etc. For more information, 

log on to www.ihrsa.org/publicpolicy and choose 

“Eating Disorders” from the issues list. 

6 Club Business International FEBRUARY 2005 www.ihrsa.org 

Education 

Have a Heart! 

Valentine’s 

Day isn’t the 

only time, this 

month, to consider 

affairs of 

the heart—the 

entire month 

of February is 

American Heart 

Month. You can promote 

heart health at your club by 

distributing educational 

materials about heart disease, 

heart attacks, and stroke; 

offering CPR training for 

staff; installing an automated 

external defibrillator (AED), 

etc. (to learn more about the 

role of AEDs in clubs, visit 

www.ihrsa.org/aed). 

Legislative Summit 

Matalin Confirmed as 

Keynoter for Summit 

Recently, IHRSA conducted 

an exclusive interview with 

Mary Matalin—the former 

assistant to President George 

W. Bush and featured speaker 

at IHRSA’s 3rd annual 

Legislative Summit, which 

will take place May 18-20 at 

the JW Marriott hotel in 

Washington, D.C. 

Matalin shared 

her thoughts on 

the recent election, 

the country’s 

future, and 

physical activity. 

When asked her 

reasons for exercising, 

Matalin replied, “It’s not 

a vanity thing—it’s a sanity 

thing!” To read the full interview, 

and for more information 

about the summit, log on 

to www.ihrsa.org/summit.

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Photography: Tracy Powell 

Editor’s Welcome What better cause to 

popularize than basic fitness? 

Make Exercise 

A Trend Again! 

What our industry really needs, I think, is a wristband. Something in 

an eye-catching color, imprinted with a memorable slogan, and 

aligned with some eminently worthy charity. 

Since it was introduced last May, more than 23 million copies of cyclist 

Lance Armstrong’s bright-yellow “Live Strong” wristbands have been sold. 

They are worn by children, college students, blue-collar workers, yuppies, 

politicians, and celebrities. President Bush owns one. Senator John Kerry 

wore one at the Democratic National Convention. 

Bono, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Ben Stiller, Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, 

Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena and Robin Williams—all of them sport the yellow bands. 

This trend owes its strength to several factors. It 

supports a noble cause: providing services for 

children living with cancer. It identifies the wearer 

as a caring person, and as a member-in-goodstanding, 

as it were, of a large, well-meaning tribe. 

The wristband has raised a small fortune for 

charity, made millions of Americans feel a bit better 

about themselves, enhanced Armstrong’s 

standing as a social tour de force, and paid off, 

not unhandsomely, for the sponsor, Nike. 

What better cause to promote, to champion, to 

popularize—I’d like to know—than basic health 

and fitness: the good that IHRSA facilities are 

designed to provide? 

Julie Main, the president of IHRSA and the 

subject of this month’s Q&A, knows all about the 

Craig R. Waters 

benefits of regular exercise and is a true believer 

in its transforming power. As a club manager, owner, 

and client, she’s witnessed, firsthand, the positive effect it can have on appearance, 

attitude, self-esteem, functionality, quality of life, and the prevention and/or 

treatment of a host of medical conditions and diseases, including, yes, cancer. 

If people understood the rich rewards that exercise imparts, Main makes 

the case, it would yield a significant improvement in public health, not to 

mention a distinct uptick in the number of club memberships. 

Edward M. Phillips, M.D., the author of “Maximizing the Medical Connection,” 

and George DeVries, who contributed “Health Clubs & Plans: A New Opportunity,” 

both share Main’s conviction. “The more one considers the possibilities inherent 

in affiliations between physicians and health clubs, the more obvious the benefits 

become,” writes Phillips. “Doctors obtain a way to help patients remain healthy 

and fit, to treat them more effectively when disease or injury occurs, and to 

prolong professional care when medical benefits run out. Clubs profit from, 

among other things, ongoing patient referrals, increased exposure, and 

enhanced credibility.” DeVries leverages the logic further, arguing that clubs can 

play a vital role in helping companies contain skyrocketing healthcare costs. 

We need to get the word out more cleverly, more effectively. 

Do you have an idea for a neat wristband design? A sexy slogan? An 

appropriate charity? A suitable sponsor? Let me know (c.waters@fit-etc.com) 

and I’ll pass the word along. 


Club Business 

International 

The mission of IHRSA is to grow, 

protect, and promote the industry, and 

to provide its members with benefits that will 

help them be more successful. 

PUBLISHING 

Editor-In-Chief: Craig R. Waters 

Publisher: Jay M. Ablondi 

Managing Editor: Rebecca K. Waters 

Editor: Jennifer H. McInerney 

Associate Editor: Patricia Glynn 

Contributing Editors: 

Patricia Amend, Jon Feld, 

Catherine Larner, Cathy Masterson McNeil, 

Gillian Reagan, Stephen Wallenfels, 

Kristen A. Walsh 

Associate Director of Advertising: Michele Eynon 

Advertising Account Executives: 

Jessica DiManno, William Finn, 

Donna Garrity, Christine Richards 

Art Direction, Design, Production: 

tpgcreative, Boston, MA 

CLUB BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL 

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES: 

c/o IHRSA 

263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210 

800-228-4772 USA & Canada 

617-951-0055 • 617-951-0056 FAX 

E-mail: cbi@ihrsa.org 

www.ihrsa.org 

To order reprints of articles: 

Call (toll-free) 866-377-6454 

or visit www.ihrsa.org/cbimagazine 

Club Business International (ISSN 1043-9692, 

USPS 766-570) is published monthly ©2005 

by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub 

Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. All 

rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, 

Massachusetts, and additional mailing offices. 

Canadian Sales Agreement #40767601. 

Subscription rate for members is $48 per year, 

which is included in the dues. Additional subscriptions 

$48 per year (USA) and $75 (International). 

Nonmember subscription rates are $72 (USA) and 

$120 (International). 

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address 

to Club Business International, c/o IHRSA, 

263 Summer St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210 

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2

Photography: Tracy Powell 

Editor’s Welcome What better cause to 

popularize than basic fitness? 

Make Exercise 

A Trend Again! 

What our industry really needs, I think, is a wristband. Something in 

an eye-catching color, imprinted with a memorable slogan, and 

aligned with some eminently worthy charity. 

Since it was introduced last May, more than 23 million copies of cyclist 

Lance Armstrong’s bright-yellow “Live Strong” wristbands have been sold. 

They are worn by children, college students, blue-collar workers, yuppies, 

politicians, and celebrities. President Bush owns one. Senator John Kerry 

wore one at the Democratic National Convention. 

Bono, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Ben Stiller, Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, 

Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena and Robin Williams—all of them sport the yellow bands. 

This trend owes its strength to several factors. It 

supports a noble cause: providing services for 

children living with cancer. It identifies the wearer 

as a caring person, and as a member-in-goodstanding, 

as it were, of a large, well-meaning tribe. 

The wristband has raised a small fortune for 

charity, made millions of Americans feel a bit better 

about themselves, enhanced Armstrong’s 

standing as a social tour de force, and paid off, 

not unhandsomely, for the sponsor, Nike. 

What better cause to promote, to champion, to 

popularize—I’d like to know—than basic health 

and fitness: the good that IHRSA facilities are 

designed to provide? 

Julie Main, the president of IHRSA and the 

subject of this month’s Q&A, knows all about the 

Craig R. Waters 

benefits of regular exercise and is a true believer 

in its transforming power. As a club manager, owner, 

and client, she’s witnessed, firsthand, the positive effect it can have on appearance, 

attitude, self-esteem, functionality, quality of life, and the prevention and/or 

treatment of a host of medical conditions and diseases, including, yes, cancer. 

If people understood the rich rewards that exercise imparts, Main makes 

the case, it would yield a significant improvement in public health, not to 

mention a distinct uptick in the number of club memberships. 

Edward M. Phillips, M.D., the author of “Maximizing the Medical Connection,” 

and George DeVries, who contributed “Health Clubs & Plans: A New Opportunity,” 

both share Main’s conviction. “The more one considers the possibilities inherent 

in affiliations between physicians and health clubs, the more obvious the benefits 

become,” writes Phillips. “Doctors obtain a way to help patients remain healthy 

and fit, to treat them more effectively when disease or injury occurs, and to 

prolong professional care when medical benefits run out. Clubs profit from, 

among other things, ongoing patient referrals, increased exposure, and 

enhanced credibility.” DeVries leverages the logic further, arguing that clubs can 

play a vital role in helping companies contain skyrocketing healthcare costs. 

We need to get the word out more cleverly, more effectively. 

Do you have an idea for a neat wristband design? A sexy slogan? An 

appropriate charity? A suitable sponsor? Let me know (c.waters@fit-etc.com) 

and I’ll pass the word along. 


Club Business 

International 



to provide its members with benefits that will 

help them be more successful. 

PUBLISHING 

Editor-In-Chief: Craig R. Waters 

Publisher: Jay M. Ablondi 

Managing Editor: Rebecca K. Waters 

Editor: Jennifer H. McInerney 

Associate Editor: Patricia Glynn 

Contributing Editors: 

Patricia Amend, Jon Feld, 

Catherine Larner, Cathy Masterson McNeil, 

Gillian Reagan, Stephen Wallenfels, 

Kristen A. Walsh 

Associate Director of Advertising: Michele Eynon 

Advertising Account Executives: 

Jessica DiManno, William Finn, 

Donna Garrity, Christine Richards 

Art Direction, Design, Production: 

tpgcreative, Boston, MA 

CLUB BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL 

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES: 

c/o IHRSA 


800-228-4772 USA & Canada 

617-951-0055 • 617-951-0056 FAX 

E-mail: cbi@ihrsa.org 

www.ihrsa.org 

To order reprints of articles: 

Call (toll-free) 866-377-6454 

or visit www.ihrsa.org/cbimagazine 

Club Business International (ISSN 1043-9692, 

USPS 766-570) is published monthly ©2005 

by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub 

Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. All 

rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, 

Massachusetts, and additional mailing offices. 

Canadian Sales Agreement #40767601. 

Subscription rate for members is $48 per year, 

which is included in the dues. Additional subscriptions 

$48 per year (USA) and $75 (International). 

Nonmember subscription rates are $72 (USA) and 

$120 (International). 

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address 

to Club Business International, c/o IHRSA, 

263 Summer St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210 

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2

Letters “It’s this kind of thinking that will help attract new members, 

and let… the population in on our secret: health clubs are fun.” 

AD-MIRATION 

I thought your article on the Adelaide 

Club’s unique approach to advertising 

(See “Adventures in Ad 

Land,” November CBI, pg. 

56) was great. In an industry 

where many of us still need 

to learn that “perfect” comes 

in many shapes and sizes, 

your article reminded us that, 

because of our failure to do 

so, we haven’t been able to 

convince a large percentage of the population 

to join our clubs. These ads appeal 

to the regular folks out there who know 

that they’d profit from a membership— 

if only for the social benefits. 

Kudos to the Adelaide Club for its 

courage in trying a brave new approach, 

and to the Coyote Marketing Group for its 

innovative and fun campaign. It’s this kind 

of thinking that will help us attract new 

members, and let the rest of the population 

in on our secret: health clubs are fun, 

friendly places to eat, drink, schmooze, 

meet like-minded people—and, oh, yes, 

get some exercise too! 

Randy DeLue, Owner 

Challenge Fitness Center 

San Diego, CA 

A BUM RAP 

I’m a bit behind in 

my reading and just 

came across the picture 

in the October issue of 

CBI of the people from the New York 

Health and Racquet Club dropping their 

pants for some promotion (See “Moon 

Over Manhattan Spotlights Chain,” pg.34). 

Having worked very hard over the last 

30 years, as many in our industry have 

done, to try to improve our standing with 

the public and the medical community, I’m 

very disappointed that you granted this 

idiocy further publicity. You’re supposed 

to be leading the effort to raise the level 

of professionalism in the industry. 


One of the articles beneath the picture 

was about Joe Cirulli’s great achievement— 

receiving the Distinguished Entrepreneur 

for Lifetime Achievement Award, from the 

University of Florida’s Warrington College 

of Business—and a reader could easily 

make the mistake of thinking the picture 

accompanied that story! (See “Joe Cirulli 

Wins Award of a Lifetime.”) Please, let’s 

forget the trash and focus on the many 

great stories, like Joe’s, that we have to tell. 

Mike Arteaga, Owner 

All Sport Poughkeepsie Health 

Poughkeepsie, NY 

CONGRESSIONAL OK 

The European Congress in Berlin was, in 

my view, one of the best conferences I’ve ever 

attended. The presentation by Phillip Mills, 

of Les Mills International, was absolutely outstanding. 

The entire experience surpassed 

my expectations. 

Because the program included just onefifth 

of the programs offered at IHRSA’s

Letters “Our industry is getting away from its obsession with biceps 

and booties and embracing the health and wellness needs of the nation.” 

annual convention in the U.S., and had 

only 300 delegates, compared with 3,000 

for the American event, I’d wrongly 

assumed that this was a lightweight affair. 

I’d stupidly mistaken quantity for quality. 

The level of the attendees in Berlin was 

very high, with most being club owners or 

chief executives, and the quality of the 

presentation was equally impressive. 

I’d like to thank everyone at IHRSA for 

their efforts in promoting the congress. 

I’m sure that our representation at this 

event will be much greater in the future. 

Roger Kerry, Chairman 

Branston Golf and Country Club 

Burton Upon Trent, England 

WIRELESS ACCESS 

Your article on millennials, the technologically 

savvy demographic of our population, 

couldn’t have been more on target. (See 

“How to Turn Technophiles on to Fitness,” 

November CBI, pg. 33). Today, wireless is the 

way. Fitness technology facilitates greater 

revenue, client retention, and customer satisfaction. 

It’s refreshing to see that IHRSA is 

promoting a growing part of the industry. 

Bedros Keuilian, President 

Hitech Trainer 

Buena Park, CA 

HEALTH PROMOTER 

When I flipped open my latest issue of 

CBI and read that Dr. Michael O’Donnell, 

Ph.D., and others from the American 

Journal of Health Promotion meeting 

would be joining the health and fitness 

folks at IHRSA, I was pumped. 

First, the timing couldn’t be better for 

me: at the time of the show, I will be in midsemester 

at the University of Nevada in Las 

Vegas. In May, I’ll be graduating with my 

M.Ed. in health promotion (nutrition and 

fitness), and, in the fall, I plan to start work 

on my M.P.H. in health promotion. 

Second, the line-up of presenters is spectacular. 

In the course of my education, I’ve 

studied the work of three of the featured 

speakers, including O’Donnell; James O. 

Prochaska, Ph.D., of the University of 

Rhode Island; and Lawrence W. Green, 

Ph.D., of the University of California’s 

School of Public Health, in Berkeley. These 

people are the Mains, Mastrovs, and 

Akradis of their universe. 

And finally: our industry is getting away 

from its obsession with biceps and booties 

and embracing the health and wellness 

needs of the population. This represents a 

major step forward in terms of credibility. 

Thanks to the IHRSA team for making 

this happen! 

Bret FitzGerald, Vice President, Corporate 

Communication 

Las Vegas Athletic Clubs 

Las Vegas, NV 

2005 World 

Seminar Series 

30 

Register Today at a Convenient Location! 

Call the designated phone number below for information 

2-03 Seattle, WA 206-364-6339 

2-04 Vancouver, BC 403-239-9439 

2-09 San Diego, CA 831-915-3228 

2-10 Los Angeles, CA 831-915-3228 

2-11 Calgary, AB 403-239-9439 

2-21&22 Australia 61739014985 

3-02 Phoenix, AZ 480-837-7385 

3-03 Denver, CO 480-837-7385 

Editor’s note: Letters may have been 

edited for reasons of space or clarity. 

HOW TO WRITE: If you would like to submit 

a letter for publication, please address it to 

CBI c/o IHRSA, 263 Summer St., Boston, 

MA 02210, or e-mail cbi@ihrsa.org. 

DAYS TO SUCCESS 

GUARANTEED 

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This seminar will lay the foundation to a 

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plus employee morale and productivity. 

YOUR CLUB WILL: 

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Increase closing percentage by 21% in 10 days 

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REGISTER BY: 

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Payment: $149. 00 per person ($198. 00 value with 

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Payment Method: __Check Enclosed / Credit Card: 

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Card Number: 

Expiration: Signature: 

www.ihrsa.org FEBRUARY 2005 Club Business International 11

HOW TO RETAIN MEMBERS 

FOR LIFE 

Equip your club with defibrillators and be prepared to act fast when sudden cardiac arrest 

occurs. Your members may be at greater risk for sudden cardiac arrest during and shortly after 

vigorous exercise.* Of the 340,000 Americans each year who suffer an arrest, fewer than 5% survive, 

largely due to delays in receiving treatment. That’s why having Philips HeartStart Defibrillators available 

at your club is so important. HeartStart Defibrillators are safe, easy to use and low maintenance, and 

virtually anyone can be trained to operate them. Plus, Philips can help with HeartStart Essentials, 

everything from medical direction and site assessment to training and support. It’s no wonder 

Philips HeartStart Defibrillators are the number-one portable defibrillators among airlines, airports 

and workplaces.** It just makes sense. 

LEARN HOW PHILIPS HEARTSTART DEFIBRILLATORS CAN GIVE 

YOUR MEMBERS AND STAFF THE POWER TO SAVE A LIFE. 

VISIT WWW.PHILIPS.COM/HEARTSTART OR 

CALL 800-453-6860 (REFERENCE 1762). 

ASK ABOUT THE IHRSA ADVANTAGE SAVINGS PROGRAM 

AND HOW YOU CAN SAVE UP TO $1,000. 

* Albert CM et al. “Triggering of Sudden Death from Cardiac Causes 

by Vigorous Exertion.” N Engl J Med. 1999; 343:1355-1361. 

** Frost & Sullivan. 

© 2004 Philips Medical Systems North America Corp.

News&KnowHow 

Group-Xcellence 

Proves Rewarding 

For Fitness Innovator 

Mills named Entrepreneur of 

the Year for New Zealand, now 

heads to Monte Carlo 

> Phillip Mills, the chairman 

of Les Mills International 

(LMI), the group-exercise 

empire based in Auckland, 

has been honored as the 2004 

Ernst and Young Entrepreneur 

of the Year for New 

Zealand. Mills took the top 

prize after having won first 

place in the “services” category, 

one of five categories judged. 

He will now go on to compete, 

in May, against 34 entrepreneurs 

from around the globe 

for the Ernst and Young 

World Entrepreneur of the 

Year award, which will be 

presented in Monte Carlo. 

“Phillip Mills is truly an 

inspirational entrepreneur,” 

observes David Johnson, 

the chairman of the judging 

panel. “His licensed, groupfitness 

programs are a world 

first, and we’re certain that 

he’s going to be a superstar. 

After interviewing him, 

all of the judges wanted to 

know how they could buy 

into the company… and 

we even felt healthier!” 

LMI, which owns nine 

clubs in New Zealand, 

and develops and markets 

branded group-exercise 

programs worldwide, was 

founded by Mills’ father, 

Les, whom he succeeded 

as chairman in 1993. The 

company currently offers 

seven exercise options, 

prominent among them 

BODYPUMP, a prechoreographed, 

cardio-and-strength 

routine that makes use of 

special dumbbells. The LMI 

programs are utilized by 

more than 9,000 clubs in 

54 countries, and enjoyed 

by an estimated 3 million 

participants each week. 

“LMI is a highly profitable 

company and has a very 

clear strategic direction,” 

says Johnson. “Mills is a 

charismatic, inspirational 

leader… He’s not only had a 

great idea, but also followed 

it through, and protected 

his intellectual property 

from day one, which some 

entrepreneurs fail to do. 

He has a long-term strategy, 

and you can see, in his 

eyes, that he knows exactly 

where he is going, and that 

he knows the possibilities 

are boundless.” 

“I’m absolutely overwhelmed 

to have been 

named the Ernst and Young 

Entrepreneur of the Year,” 

enthuses Mills. “Would-be 

entrepreneurs out there need 

to remember that nothing’s 

impossible. You have to 

find your glass ceiling 

and burst through it.” 

Weighty win Group-x guru Phillip Mills savors his victory 

Star Trac Gains Strength 

In Fitness Equipment 

Firm known for its cardio successes 

becomes latest ‘full-product-line’ company 

> Star Trac, a leading 

international player in 

the cardiovascular fitnessequipment 

market, has 

established a major presence 

in the strength arena with 

the acquisition of Flex 

Fitness, Inc., of Murietta, 

California. As a result of 

the purchase, announced 

in November, Star Trac’s 

extensive product line of 

stationary bikes, treadmills, 

stairclimbers, and elliptical 

trainers will expand to 

encompass more than 100 

strength-training items, 

including Flex’ Classic and 

Platinum lines. The entire 

Flex operation—e.g., brands, 

products, workforce, manufacturing 

facilities, etc.— 

will be retained, becoming 

Star Trac Strength, a wholly 

owned subsidiary of the 

parent company. 

“To fulfill Star Trac’s emerging 

vision to improve people’s 


NEWS 

continued 

quality and length of life 

through fitness, it became 

clear that integrating a strength 

brand would dramatically 

facilitate penetration into global 

markets with more breadth 

than ever before,” explains 

Steve Nero, the president of 

Star Trac. “Now we have 

the opportunity to integrate 

Flex’ passion and experience 

for strength training with 

Star Trac’s management 

systems, global distribution 

network, and award-winning 

cardio equipment.” 

“The marriage of Star 

Trac’s reputation for customer 

satisfaction with Flex’ 

for innovative design are 

a perfect match, and will 

be a force to be reckoned 

with in this industry,” 

promises Larry Brown, 

the vice president of Flex. 

Star Trac, which distributes 

its wares in 65 countries and 

owns distributorships in the 

U.K. and Germany, is the last 

of the six largest equipment 

companies to become a 

“one-stop-shopping” source. 

The others, which also offer 

complete cardio and strength 

lines, are Cybex, Precor, 

Nautilus, Technogym, and 

Life Fitness. Next month, 

Star Trac and Flex will share 

the same exhibition space, 

for the first time, at IHRSA’s 

24th annual International 

Convention and Trade 

Show in San Francisco. 


“If you drive a Volvo and you do yoga, you’re pretty much a 

Democrat,” observed Ken Mehlman, Bush’s campaign manager. 

Bush Counted on ClubCom’s Clout 

ClubCom couple Bush utilized club TV network to communicate Red message to Blue voters 

> To improve the president’s 

margin in the recent election, 

the Bush campaign not 

only studied, and leveraged, 

Americans’ political views, 

but also their exercise inclinations. 

For the first time in 

history, a presidential candidate 

took advantage of ad 

opportunities in health clubs— 

relying on the ClubCom 

network—to reach a greater 

number of undecided voters. 

Describing the Republicans’ 

sophisticated use of unconventional 

media, campaign manager 

Ken Mehlman explained 

that his team analyzed the 

same sort of data studied by 

consumer-products companies 

(e.g., pastimes, purchasing 

patterns, etc.) to identify potential 

supporters. It then focused 

much of its advertising on 

an environment where, its 

research revealed, Democrats 

tended to congregate: the gym. 

“If you drive a Volvo and 

you do yoga, you are pretty 

much a Democrat,” Mehlman 

observed. Conversely, “If you 

drive a Lincoln or a BMW 

and you own a gun, you’re 

voting for George Bush.” 

In August, the Bush- 

Cheney campaign purchased 

time on the ClubCom network, 

which provides in-club 

entertainment, information, 

and advertising that reaches 

an estimated 15 million viewers 

each month. “Based on 

the number of responses we 

received regarding the campaign, 

it was clear that the 

broadcast was very effective 

in reaching the intended 

audience,” Tom Lapcevic, the 

president of ClubCom, tells 

CBI. “At the same time, the 

program underscored the 

challenges associated with 

political advertising, especially 

in heated campaigns that 

divide the country. As a network, 

we had to be sensitive 

to the nature of the ads and 

make sure that they were 

positive, and not upsetting 

to our viewers.” 

Lapcevic explains that the 

club-member demographic 

is particularly attractive 

to advertisers because it 

consists of people who are 

active, well educated, and 

who, with an average household 

income of $95,900, 

have tremendous purchasing 

power. When they work out— 

an average of 81.6 minutes 

per session—they are also, in 

essence, a captive audience. 

ClubCom is an IHRSA 

associate member. 

Photography: Gary Hershorn/REUTERS

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NEWS 

continued 

Is This the End 

Of the ‘Public’ 

U.K. Club Market? 

Will LA Fitness 

go private? 

> LA Fitness, the last publicly 

held club chain based in 

the U.K., is considering the 

possibility of going private, 

the London Financial Times 

reported last month. If so, 

it would follow in the wellworn 

footsteps of every other 

British public chain, all of 

which have reverted to private 

ownership since 2001— 

in large part because of lack 

of interest and support in 

the City, the U.K.’s version 

of Wall Street. 

According to the Times, 

LA Fitness, which was 

founded by Chief Executive 

Fred Turok in 1990 and now 

operates 67 facilities, has been 

approached by a number of 

private equity firms, including 

ones that already have significant 

club holdings. Among 

the prospective suitors: Bridgepoint 

Capital, which owns the 

Virgin Active and Holmes 

Place chains; Royal Bank 

Private Equity (Cannons); Cinven 

(Fitness First); and L&G 

Ventures (Total Fitness). Other 

possible buyers include Duke 

Street Capital (Esporta) and 

Hg Capital (which showed an 

interest in Fitness First when 

it became available in 2003). 

Analysts suggest that LA 

Fitness has the potential to 

grow to 100 clubs in size, and 

could produce a sales price of 

between $4.85 and $5.05 per 

share, giving the company a 

total value of $198.7 million 

to $206.6 million. Turok, who 

holds a 15% interest, could 

earn as much as $30 million. 


“The tax code should clearly differentiate between acceptable 

and unacceptable behavior from nonprofits and… should be enforced.” 

Nonprofit Groups Come Under Fire 

For ‘Uncharitable’ Activities 

> Further revelations about 

financial abuses on the part 

of nonprofit organizations 

have led to demands for 

more stringent regulation 

of such groups, as well as 

an admission, on the part 

of some of their directors, 

that such changes are, in 

fact, required. Prominent 

among the movement’s 

leaders is U.S. Senator 

Charles E. “Chuck” Grassley 

(R-IA), the chairman of the 

Senate Finance Committee 

(see “Fair-Competition 

Champ,” pg. 55). Grassley, 

who has held hearings on 

charitable transgressions, 

says he will introduce legislation 

to safeguard against 

such shortcomings. Among 

the remedies he’s weighing: 

a regular five-year review, by 

the Internal Revenue Service 

(IRS), of a group’s tax-exempt 

status; better and broader 

financial disclosure forms; 

and improved public access to 

information about nonprofits. 

“The tax code should 

clearly differentiate between 

acceptable and unacceptable 

behavior from nonprofits, and 

the code should be enforced,” 

Grassley tells CBI. “Nonprofit 

status is a privilege, not a 

right, and everyone should 

treat it as such.” 

IHRSA has long taken issue 

with the tax and other advantages 

accorded nonprofit 

organizations (e.g., the YMCA, 

JCC, colleges and universities, 

municipal recreation departments, 

and hospitals) that 

offer exercise services, competing 

unfairly with for-profit 

health and fitness facilities. 

The Enforcer Grassley wants nonprofits to play by the rules 

“If we in the (nonprofit) 

sector can’t make the changes 

we need to make ourselves 

without legislation, then we 

need the legislation,” Brian 

Gallagher, the president of the 

United Way, told the Associated 

Press. “Because changes 

in nonprofit accountability 

have to be made in order 

to restore trust.” The United 

Way has come in for special 

scrutiny since one of its 

executives admitted stealing 

$500,000 from the charity, 

and another was found guilty 

of embezzling $2 million. 

Not waiting on the 

IRS, the National Database 

of Nonprofit Organizations 

(NBNO) has begun providing 

the public with detailed 

financial information on 

nonprofits. NBNO purchased 

copies of the organizations’ 

IRS filings, and has since 

posted them on its searchable 

Website, www.guidestar.org. 

For-profit entities and the 

media have both found 

them to be interesting reading. 

The Boston Globe, for 

instance, used the site to 

uncover a $36-million expense 

for a private jet expense 

buried on page 134 of a 

191-page report filed by 

a Florida foundation. 

Photography: Greg Whitesell/UPI Photo

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Technology 

Dot-Com Can’t 

Fitness e-sales slow to take off 

By Patricia Amend 

Do clubs buy equipment and supplies over 

the Internet? The answer is no, not very much. 

At the turn of the century, during 

the dot-com boom, a number of 

players had ambitious aspirations 

for fitness portals—virtual one-stop 

shopping hubs, on the Internet, where 

clubs could purchase the products and 

services that they need regularly. 

The idea was to offer convenience, 

competitive pricing, and an instantaneous, 

streamlined purchasing process. Some 

envisioned online business-to-business 

(B2B) transactions, not unlike the commodities 

markets, where there’s an asking 

price, bidding, and a strike price for 

bigger-ticket items, such as equipment. 

So, what happened? 

These ideas evaporated like hundreds 

of other dot-com dreams. Potential 

investors shied away because they suspected 

these New Economy businesses 

wouldn’t generate enough revenue to 

make them viable. 

FitnessMX is just one such example. 

In 1999, former IHRSA President 

Mitch Wald and two partners started 

this fully functional, integrated, e-commerce 

exchange representing 1,000 

health and fitness industry suppliers, 

which they planned to launch in early 

2001. “We had lots of vendors. We had 

900 clubs signed up. We just couldn’t 

raise the money to get it off the 

ground,” recalls Wald, now the president 

and CEO of the Sport and Health 

Company, based in McLean, Virginia. 

So where do things stand now? Do 

clubs buy equipment and supplies 

over the Internet? The answer is no, 

not very much—just a little window 

shopping, really. 

“There just aren’t enough clubs to 

generate the traffic portals need to make 

money,” explains Chris Siucie, the owner 

of Big Fitness, an equipment retailer 

that sells via catalog and stores in Mass- 


achusetts and Rhode Island. Siucie also 

sells equipment on his own Website, 

www.FitnessEquipment.com, to the 

public, the government, and a “handful” 

of clubs. 

“There are something like 35,000 

clubs in the U.S., and a substantial 

number still aren’t connected 

to the Internet,” 

Siucie points out. “For 

clubs, the Internet is a 

good place to conduct 

product research, but 

most can get a better 

deal if they buy directly 

from manufacturers, 

who also offer attractive 

financing. Most manu- FitCom’s Al Valente 

facturers have dealer 

networks, and, to avoid hurting dealers, 

they tend not to sell equipment over 

the Internet.” 

The closest the industry has come, 

recently, to B2B e-commerce is a “distributor 

model,” much like a paper 

catalog, notes Al Valente, the president 

of FitCommerce.com, an information 

portal and online marketplace based 

in Mystic, Connecticut. “These Websites 

cut deals with manufacturers to carry 

some inventory and then sell it to 

buyers… That’s as far as the industry 

has progressed.” 

Valente knows the challenges well. 

He and his partner started work on an 

online B2B exchange in 2000, but abandoned 

it because the market clearly 

wasn’t ready. “Everyone thought that 

that was the way the world was going,” 

he reminisces, “but the Internet got 

ahead of itself, and the bubble burst.” 

PATRICIA AMEND is a contributing editor 

for CBI and can be reached 

at pamend@aol.com. 

NEWS 

continued 

Fitness First 

Initiates First-Ever 

Franchising Effort 

> Fitness First, the huge, 

U.K.-based chain that owns 

and operates clubs in Europe, 

Australia, and Asia, has 

embarked on a franchising 

program to accelerate its 

market penetration in other 

parts of the world. The company, 

which currently has some 

400 facilities, has entered into 

a franchise partnership with 

Leisure Unlimited to introduce 

the brand to the Middle East 

and North Africa. Leisure 

Unlimited is a joint venture 

between retailer Al Hokair 

and Global Brands, a leisure 

organization, both of Dubai, 

Saudi Arabia. 

“Through Leisure Unlimited, 

we are looking forward to 

a long and fruitful partnership 

with Fitness First,” observes 

Allan Druce, the director 

of the Al Hokair Group. “We 

are on a fast-track development 

in the Middle East, 

and will be announcing our 

timelines soon.” 

The first franchised club 

will open in Dubai next month, 

and will be followed by 20 

other facilities in Dubai, and 

elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, 

over the next three years. 

They will be branded “Fitness 

First,” and, in terms of facility 

and amenities, will be identical 

to the other clubs in the 

company’s portfolio. 

“This is the start of a new 

and exciting initiative for Fitness 

First,” notes Mike Balfour, 

the founder and deputy chairman 

of the chain, “and we’ll 

now give serious consideration 

to franchising Fitness First 

clubs in other parts of the 

world where we do not 

currently have operations.”

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NEWS 

continued 

> The devastating tsunami 

born in the Indian Ocean on 

December 26 exacted a terrible 

toll on life and property 

that, perhaps, will never be 

fully tallied. No segment of 

society—including the health 

and fitness club industry— 

escaped unscathed. IHRSA 

has 158 member facilities 

in six of the countries affected, 

and, while most were 

unharmed, a number were 

either destroyed or suffered 

significant damage. 

Among the hardest hit 

was the Royal Bangkok Sports 

Club Thailand, which includes 

the Sivalai Spa and Mukdara 

Beach resort. “The wave left 

us with nothing more than 

a blank landscape—it’s unlike 

anything I’ve ever seen,” 

Sarah Kajonborrirak, the 

founder and president of the 

Thai Heritage Spa Co., Ltd., 

based in Bangkok, told CBI. 

“In 10 minutes, the entire 

facility was wiped out. We 

lost our interior designer and 

almost the entire family of the 

resort owner… Fortunately, 

Late Breaking 

Taking Stock of a Deadly Tsunami 

IHRSA facilities escape, or bear brunt of, devastating Indian Ocean tragedy 

In Memoriam 

Industry Mourns 

Stephen I. Block 

> One of the industry’s true 

innovators, Stephen I. Block, 

the founder and president 

of SPRI Products, Inc., of 

Libertyville, Illinois, passed 

away on December 30, at 

the age of 68, after suffering 

a brain hemorrhage at his 

home in Indianapolis. Block 

founded SPRI 22 years ago, 

Flood damage The fitness center at the Le Meridian Resort 

relief funds and our insurance 

will help us to rebuild,” 

she noted. “Within a year, 

we hope to rebuild the entire 

resort, the spa, tennis courts, 

fitness facility, and the 

remainder of the property.” 

The Khao Lak region north 

of Phuket Island was also 

and transformed it into a 

leading distributor of rubberresistance 

exercise products 

and fitness accessories for 

health clubs, personal training 

studios, and consumers’ 

homes. Though a skilled 

and sophisticated executive, 

Block always remained an 

involved, hands-on, entrepreneur. 

He was a familiar 

fixture at industry events, 

and, even as president, 

didn’t hesitate to roll up 

his sleeves to demonstrate 

the company’s products. 

severely affected. The Anantara 

Royal Coco Palm Resort, 

the Le Meridian Resort, and 

the Sofitel Khao Lak Resort 

all suffered heavy damage. 

Club chains with major 

holdings in the area—e.g., 

Fitness First Asia, the 

Alexander Group, Clark 

“Life at trade shows will 

never be the same without 

Steve strolling from booth to 

booth, shaking hands, giving 

out hugs, and having a kind 

word for everyone,” said Scott 

Swanson, a SPRI partner. 

Block is survived by his 

wife, R. Lee (Reider) Block, 

10 children, and eight grandchildren. 

The family has asked 

that memorial contributions 

be directed to the U.S. Holocaust 

Museum, 100 Raoul 

Wallenberg Place SW, 

Washington, D.C. 20024. 

Photography: Sports Engineering And Recreation Asia Ltd 

Hatch International—reported 

no major losses. 

Soon after the disaster, 

clubs and club-industry organizations 

worldwide began 

raising funds to support the 

tsunami relief effort. Among 

the many donors were the 

Body Zone Health and Fitness 

Club, in Watsonville, California; 

WOW! Work Out World, a 

New Jersey-based chain; 

Curves International franchises; 

Fitness First facilities in 

Malaysia; Lifespa Fitness, 

which operates 12 clubs 

in Indonesia; and IHRSA. 

To expedite contributions, 

IHRSA has dedicated a 

portion of its Website, 

www.ihrsa.org/relief, to 

providing information 

on helping survivors. 

“All of us at IHRSA want 

to extend our condolences, 

as well as our commitment 

to help in any way that we 

can, as an association of 

international clubs and 

fitness businesses,” observes 

John McCarthy, IHRSA’s 

executive director. 

Entrepreneurs 

Hold the Date! 

> On September 8-10, IHRSA 

will stage a Club Business 

Entrepreneur Conference in 

Las Vegas in association with the 

National Fitness Trade Show 

(NFTS), produced by Wally 

Boyko Productions, Inc. This 

new annual event will focus on 

baseline club operations, e.g., 

sales, marketing, etc. For more 

information, visit www.ihrsa.org 

or call 800-228-4772. 


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On The Move 

Career Moves 

Mark Glausser 

New Assistant GM 

At Sporting Club 

> The Sporting Club at The 

Bellevue, in Philadelphia, has 

promoted Mark Glausser, 

formerly its director of massage 

therapy, to the position 

of assistant general manager. 

Glausser, certified in massage 

therapy by the Philadelphia 

School of Muscle Therapy, 

has been involved with massage 

and fitness for 12 years, 

and has worked with numerous 

high-profile clients. Among 

them: professional sports 

teams, including the Philadelphia 

Phillies baseball club, 

the Thomas Jefferson 

University Hospital, and 

corporations such as Cigna 

and PECO. Glausser also 

has strong management, 

development, and sales and 

marketing credentials. 

“Mark’s reputation in the 

fitness club industry, as well 

as in massage therapy and 

management, is extremely 

valuable to us,” notes Dennis 

Mathias, the manager of the 

Sporting Club. “He’s a highly 

respected leader, a well-liked 

person, and extremely deserving 

of this promotion. We’re 

proud, and lucky, to have 

Mark as an integral part of 

the Sporting Club team.” 

The upscale Sporting 

Club, located adjacent 

to Philadelphia’s historic 

Bellevue building, is, at 93,000 

square feet, the city’s largest 

fitness facility. It spans five 

stories, and boasts cardiovascular 

and free-weight equipment, 

group-fitness studios 

and programs, yoga and 

Advance man Mark Glausser 

Pilates studios, an indoor 

jogging track, a pool, 

whirlpool, hydrotherapy, 

massage, café, juice bar, 

and squash, racquetball, 

and basketball courts. 

Expansion 

Clubs Provide 

Healthy Solution 

For Retail Woes 

> The financial strength of 

health and fitness businesses 

is proving a boon to distressed 

shopping centers in Atlanta’s 

suburbs. Strip malls and other 

shopping complexes that have 

been losing money and/or 

big-box retailers, such as 

Wal-Mart, are taking advantage 

of the growing demand, 

on the part of affluent suburbanites, 

for health solutions, 

and opening sleek new— 

and profitable—clubs. 

In Snellville Oaks, Georgia, 

an empty 100,000-square-foot 

Wal-Mart has been replaced 

by a Gold’s Gym. In East Cobb 

and Toco Hills, vacant grocery 

stores are now the site 

of bustling LA Fitness centers. 

And, in Peachtree Corners, 

LA Fitness has signed a 15year 

lease on space formerly 

occupied by an Upton’s store. 

The large fitness centers, 

which offer the high-end 

amenities that local members 

seek (e.g., pools, basketball 

courts, daycare, and extended 

hours) are becoming the 

anchor tenants that shopping 

centers rely upon. “LA Fitness 

brings a lot of traffic to 

the center—probably three 

times what Upton’s did,” says 

Frank Flanders, the owner of 

the Peachtree Corners center. 

“They’re one of the best tenants 

I’ve ever had.” 

“A few tenants have 

already said that our new 

gym is the only reason 

they’ve stayed in the center,” 

notes Adam Ponzio, the 

owner of the Gold’s Gym 

in Snellville Oaks. 

Local city planners are well 

aware of the positive impact 

that clubs are having on traditional 

retail developments. 

As a result, Gwinnet County 

planners are developing revitalization 

plans that specify 

fitness facilities for two struggling 

commercial zones, in 

Snellville and Duluth, Georgia. 

New Competition 

Keeps Columbia’s 

Clubs Au Courant 

> Competition is good for 

business, the old adage goes, 

and good, in turn, for club 

members; and, in Maryland, 

that’s clearly the case. Life 

Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: 

LTM), the Eden Prairie, 

Minnesota-based chain, has 

announced that it plans to 

build one of its megafacilities 

in the Gateway Commerce 

Center, close to two of the 

three clubs operated by the 

Columbia Association (CA), 

of Columbia, Maryland. CA 

has lost no time in preparing 

for Life Time’s arrival. 

It’s already upgraded its 

Supreme Sports Club, in 

Owen Brown, which is 

closest to Gateway, making 

a number of capital improvements 

and transitioning to a 

24-hour operation. And now, 

it’s embarked on a $2.7-million 

renovation of its Athletic 

Club in Columbia; the work 

will involve a $1.3-million 

pool project, and a $1.5-million 

makeover of the club’s 

second floor, which will provide 

room for a new exercise 

area, equipment, a cardio 

theater, and a larger daycare 

area. CA, an IHRSA member, 

is a nonprofit association. 

Financial Results 

Focus on Obesity 

Drives Growth 

For LA Fitness 

> LA Fitness, the large U.K.based 

chain, has announced 

its figures for its most recent 

fiscal year, which ended last 

July. The firm, which, with 

nearly 70 facilities, is Great 

Britain’s fourth-largest club 

company in terms of members, 

reported a 21% increase 

in memberships (bringing 

its total to 200,470), a 20% 

increase in revenues, and 

a 27% increase in pretax 

profits (to $15.6 million). 

Analysts had expected a 

slightly higher ($15.9-million) 

pretax performance. 

Last month, CBI noted 

that LA Fitness, the U.K.’s 

last publicly traded chain, 


On The Move 

continued 

is now considering going 

private, and entertaining 

offers from private equity 

firms. Such a sale could yield 

as much as $300 million. 

Peter Jacobs, the chairman 

of LA Fitness, attributes its 

ongoing growth, in part, to 

increased public awareness 

about the country’s escalating 

obesity epidemic; approximately 

60% of the adult population 

is now overweight, 

and one-third of that number 

are considered clinically 

obese. “The drive by both the 

government and the media to 

get people to focus on obesity 

prevention through exercise 

is helping the recruitment 

and retention of members 

at our clubs, and we expect 

this trend to continue,” he 

explains. “We’re enjoying a 

good start to the current year 

and have great confidence 

in LA Fitness’ prospects for 

this year, and beyond, as we 

continue to develop.” 

Hoping to capitalize further 

on the opportunity posed by 

obesity, LA Fitness recently 

unveiled plans to build a 

weight-loss center, adjacent 

to one of its clubs, that will 

focus specifically on weight 

management and diet. If the 

concept proves successful, 

the company will offer it 

throughout the U.K. 

Club Openings 

Contours Taps 

International 

Opportunities 

> Contours Express, which 

has already made an indelible 

mark in the women-onlyminiclub 

market here, now 

seems ready to repeat its 

success internationally. The 

16-year-old franchise company, 

based in Nicholasville, 

Kentucky, currently has 

more than 350 sites in the 

U.S., and expects to have 

450 by the end of this year, 

and 1,000 by 2009; last year, 

it was honored as one of the 

500 fastest-growing small 

companies in the country 

by Inc. magazine. Like many 

of its competitors, Contours 

Express targets working 

women and stay-at-home 

moms, ages 25-65, offering 

them convenient workouts, 

and equipment and studios 

designed with a female 

clientele in mind. 

Great Britain promises to 

be the next major market for 

the firm. Contours founders 

Daren Carter and Charlie 

Woodward have signed a 

master franchise agreement 

for the U.K. with Jason 

Chong, who plans to open 

82 facilities there within the 

next 10 years. Chong was formerly 

employed by PriceWaterHouse 

Coopers, in Toronto, 

and by Ernst and Young, in 

London. The company has 

also signed an area development 

agreement for Brazil, 

and is expanding into 

Canada and Mexico. 


Contours Express is expanding into Canada and Mexico 

and has signed agreements for Great Britain and Brazil. 

Jolly good! Contours clubs in U.K. will resemble U.S. sisters 

Promotions 

LA Fitness Keeps 

Working Out 

Weather or Not 

> The storms that made 

the 2004 hurricane season 

memorable—i.e., Jeanne, 

Ivan, Frances, and Charley— 

also made life miserable for 

millions. Frances and Jeanne 

were especially cruel to the 

residents of South Florida, 

many of whom couldn’t leave 

their homes for any reason, 

let alone to work out. But 

LA Fitness, the club chain 

based in Newport Beach, 

California, made the impractical 

appealing. The company, 

which is opening a new 

facility in Lake Park, Florida, 

offered local residents free 

workouts at its preview 

membership center, located 

in a Home Depot in Palm 

Beach Gardens. 

“Everybody I spoke to who 

works out fell way behind 

because of the hurricanes,” 

says Matthew Brindisi, a 

personal trainer at LA Fitness 

who came up with the 

giveaway idea. “Some of 

them hadn’t been into a gym 

for over a month, so I figured 

I’d spark some interest.” 

The promotion allowed 

locals to work out, at no 

charge, at the preview center, 

which boasts cardiovascular 

equipment, selected strengthtraining 

machines, and the 

services of a personal trainer. 

The initiative also produced 

a number of new members. 

LA Fitness’ new 41,000square-foot, 

two-story club 

in Lake Park will feature 

the latest cardio and strengthtraining 

equipment, a wide 

variety of exercise programs, a 

full-size basketball court, four 

racquetball courts, saunas, 

a whirlpool, daycare, and a 

junior Olympic-sized pool. 

LA Fitness operates more 

than 120 facilities in California, 

Oregon, Washington, 

Arizona, Connecticut, New 

York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

Georgia, and Florida. 

Alaska Club 

Does Its Part 

For Diversity 

> The Alaska Club East was 

a prominent participant 

in the first-ever Mayor’s 

Diversity Week, which was 

held recently in Anchorage, 

Alaska. The unique program, 

designed to showcase and 

support the city’s diversity, 

featured a week’s worth 

of festivities at the facility. 

Anchorage Mayor Mark 

Begich kicked off the activities 

by awarding six Gold Family 

memberships to local families. 

“The Alaska Club has 

always been a place where 

people from all cultures, 

economic backgrounds, 

and physical abilities are

On The Move 

continued 

welcome,” explains Andrew Eker, 

the president of the Alaska Club 

Network, which operates the Alaska 

Club East. “Making sure those 

who can’t afford a monthly gym 

membership have the ability to stay 

fit and healthy is a gift we’re pleased 

to give the Anchorage community.” 

Other highlights of the week included 

a one-hour Sweat Shop group-fitness 

class; a free seminar on how health 

and fitness affects everyone; and an 

all-day open house (all enrollment fees 

collected were donated to the American 

Heart Association). 

The Alaska Club Network operates 

13 clubs in Anchorage, Fairbanks, 

Juneau, and Wasilla. 

LFF and Subway 

Push HeartSmart 

Eating, Exercise 

> Lifestyle Family 

Fitness (LFF), the Tampa, 

Florida-based chain, and 

Subway Restaurants 

both know a thing or 

two about the importance 

of a sound diet and 

regular exercise in 

controlling weight, and, 

recently, the two got 

together to make the 

point dramatically. 

The 17 finalists lost 

a total of 754 pounds. 

Gold Family Six winners of free memberships with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, 

center, and Andrew Eker, second from r., president of the Alaska Club, during 

Mayor’s Diversity Week 

LFF and Subway joined forces to 

sponsor the first annual HeartSmart 

Weight-Loss Challenge, a 12-week contest 

that gave Tampa-area residents an 

opportunity to shed pounds intelligently. 

The competition incentivized participants 

with a $5,000 grand prize, for the individual 

who lost the most weight, and a 

two-night stay at the posh Sirata Beach 

resort, in St. Petersburg, for 16 runnersup. 

By the conclusion of the challenge, 

the 17 finalists had discarded a total 

of 754 pounds. David Hastings, the 

grand-prize winner, who weighed in, 

initially, =at 508 pounds, had lost 106 

by the end of the 12-week period, and 

reported that the contest had motivated 

him to eat healthier and maintain a walking 

regimen. 

“Lifestyle Family Fitness would like 

to applaud everyone who 

participated in the challenge, 

and strived 

to meet their personal 

goal of living a healthy 

lifestyle,” says Geoff 

Dyer, the president 

and CEO of LFF, 

and former IHRSA 

president. “We hope 

to encourage each 

participant to keep 

motivated, and to keep 

on exercising.” 

LFF operates 20 

facilities, serving more 

than 86,000 members, 

throughout Florida. 

GROUP X FLOORING 

Designed exclusively for group exercise, 

pre-finished Exerflex hardwood floors 

provide maximum shock absorption, safety 

and performance. Multi-layered Exeraire 

padding is ideal for your carpeted 

group exercise areas. 

RUBBER FLOORING 

Heavy duty Flecks Speckled rubber flooring 

in convenient rolls, squares or interlocking tiles. 

MODULAR FLOORS 

Multi-purpose GooseBumps flooring surfaces 

snap together in minutes and last for years. 

QUALITY. PERFORMANCE. 

SELECTION. Our premium 

flooring systems are built to last, 

easy to install and simple to 

maintain. These specialized wood 

and rubber flooring products 

provide the ultimate solution 

for every room in your facility. 

Call for a free consultation. 

1-800-428-5306 

LASTING VALUE UNDER FOOT 

www.fitnessfloors.com 

6801 Lake Plaza, Suite A-105 Indianapolis, IN 46220 

Telephone: (317) 849-6181 Fax: (317) 842-5384 

© 2004 Fitness Flooring, Inc. 


On The Move 

continued 

welcome,” explains Andrew Eker, 

the president of the Alaska Club 

Network, which operates the Alaska 

Club East. “Making sure those 

who can’t afford a monthly gym 

membership have the ability to stay 

fit and healthy is a gift we’re pleased 

to give the Anchorage community.” 

Other highlights of the week included 

a one-hour Sweat Shop group-fitness 

class; a free seminar on how health 

and fitness affects everyone; and an 

all-day open house (all enrollment fees 

collected were donated to the American 

Heart Association). 

The Alaska Club Network operates 

13 clubs in Anchorage, Fairbanks, 

Juneau, and Wasilla. 

LFF and Subway 

Push HeartSmart 

Eating, Exercise 

> Lifestyle Family 

Fitness (LFF), the Tampa, 

Florida-based chain, and 

Subway Restaurants 

both know a thing or 

two about the importance 

of a sound diet and 

regular exercise in 

controlling weight, and, 

recently, the two got 

together to make the 

point dramatically. 

The 17 finalists lost 

a total of 754 pounds. 

Gold Family Six winners of free memberships with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, 

center, and Andrew Eker, second from r., president of the Alaska Club, during 

Mayor’s Diversity Week 

LFF and Subway joined forces to 

sponsor the first annual HeartSmart 

Weight-Loss Challenge, a 12-week contest 

that gave Tampa-area residents an 

opportunity to shed pounds intelligently. 

The competition incentivized participants 

with a $5,000 grand prize, for the individual 

who lost the most weight, and a 

two-night stay at the posh Sirata Beach 

resort, in St. Petersburg, for 16 runnersup. 

By the conclusion of the challenge, 

the 17 finalists had discarded a total 

of 754 pounds. David Hastings, the 

grand-prize winner, who weighed in, 

initially, =at 508 pounds, had lost 106 

by the end of the 12-week period, and 

reported that the contest had motivated 

him to eat healthier and maintain a walking 

regimen. 

“Lifestyle Family Fitness would like 

to applaud everyone who 

participated in the challenge, 

and strived 

to meet their personal 

goal of living a healthy 

lifestyle,” says Geoff 

Dyer, the president 

and CEO of LFF, 

and former IHRSA 

president. “We hope 

to encourage each 

participant to keep 

motivated, and to keep 

on exercising.” 

LFF operates 20 

facilities, serving more 

than 86,000 members, 

throughout Florida. 

GROUP X FLOORING 

Designed exclusively for group exercise, 

pre-finished Exerflex hardwood floors 

provide maximum shock absorption, safety 

and performance. Multi-layered Exeraire 

padding is ideal for your carpeted 

group exercise areas. 

RUBBER FLOORING 

Heavy duty Flecks Speckled rubber flooring 

in convenient rolls, squares or interlocking tiles. 

MODULAR FLOORS 

Multi-purpose GooseBumps flooring surfaces 

snap together in minutes and last for years. 

QUALITY. PERFORMANCE. 

SELECTION. Our premium 

flooring systems are built to last, 

easy to install and simple to 

maintain. These specialized wood 

and rubber flooring products 

provide the ultimate solution 

for every room in your facility. 

Call for a free consultation. 

1-800-428-5306 

LASTING VALUE UNDER FOOT 

www.fitnessfloors.com 

6801 Lake Plaza, Suite A-105 Indianapolis, IN 46220 

Telephone: (317) 849-6181 Fax: (317) 842-5384 

© 2004 Fitness Flooring, Inc. 


Photography: Nancy Kaszerman/Zuma Press 

For Her, Exercise Isn’t a Task — 

It’s a Rewarding Lifestyle 

CINDY CRAWFORD 

is CBI’s fitness choice 

No one needs to tell Cindy Crawford, one 

of the most “super” of the past decade’s 

supermodels, how she should exercise. 

Crawford has not only transformed her 

beauty and skills into a $40-million-ayear 

career, but has also done what many 

people wish they could do—she’s created 

her own workout, and revised it over the 

years to accommodate her busy schedule 

and constantly changing professional and 

personal needs. 

Her exercise expertise and efforts were 

even equal to the challenge of an 80-pound 

weight gain that she experienced in 1999 

following the birth of her son. 

Crawford’s ageless attractiveness and 

ongoing marketability owe much to her 

faithful adherence, over the years, to a personally 

tailored workout regimen. Her commitment 

has not only made her a major 

model, but also a successful actress, 

businesswoman, exercise entrepreneur 

(with a host of workout videos), and 

corporate spokesperson (for 24 Hour 

Fitness, the San Ramon, Californiabased 

chain). 

In the early ’90s, Crawford, 

who turns 39 on the 20th of this 

month, cared for her svelte 

physique with a regimen consisting 

of cardio and strengthtraining 

exercises, three days a 

week, created for her by Radu 

Teodorescu, the personaltraining 

guru based in New 

York City. Together, they also 

produced two best-selling 

videos: Cindy Crawford: Shape 

Your Body Workout, and a 

sequel, The Next Challenge. 

Whenever her busy schedule 

took her to Los Angeles, 

she worked with trainer Valerie 

Waters, who developed an 

intense circuit-training workout for 

Crawford that focused on overall conditioning. 

Following the birth of her son 

and dramatic weight gain, Crawford 

decided to strive for a less muscular figure; 

Waters designed a new workout 

that cut back on weight training, making 

use of lighter weights, and focused, 

instead, on core conditioning, yoga, 

Pilates-style leg work, and incline walking 

on a treadmill. Crawford also credits fitness 

expert Kathy Kaehler, who regularly 

appears on The Today Show, with helping 

her to lose the extra pounds. In 2000, she 

and Kaehler released a 

three-in-one, total-body 

workout video called 

Cindy Crawford’s A 

New Dimension. 

In all, Crawford has 

sold more than four 

million videos. 

ShortTakes 

From 

supermodel, 

to supermom, to 

CBI’s super fitness role 

model of the month, 

Crawford convincingly 

demonstrates that fitness 

can—and should 

—fit any lifestyle. 

Super-role-model 

Cindy Crawford 

CAN YOU REALLY 

GET RESULTS IN A 

NEW YORK MINUTE? 

Fitness guru and club 

owner David Kirsch 

has been helping people 

get in shape for 

years, and is convinced 

that Americans 

want results fast. 

That’s the premise of 

his newest book, The 

Ultimate New York 

Body Plan, which 

claims that, in just 14 days, the truly 

determined can drop a dozen pounds. 

Kirsch, the owner of the Madison 

Square Club in New York City, works 

with a host of sleek celebrities, including 

supermodels such as Heidi Klum, 

Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista, 

and, recently, trained participants 

on ABC’s prime-time, reality TV show, 

Extreme Makeover, leading a group of 

women through a grueling workout and 

weight-loss regimen. 

Kirsch’s program is an exercise in 

extremes. It involves a strict diet and 

intense full-body workouts that burn up 

to 2,000 calories a day. His approach 

has its fans, including actress 

Liv Tyler, who proclaims her enthusiasm 

on the book’s back cover: 

“Within two weeks, I’ve seen huge 

results and feel stronger, healthier 

and 100% better inside and out.” 

(For more information, log on to 

www.theultimatenewyorkbodyplan.com). 

Many health and fitness professionals, 

however, are a bit more skeptical. 

The American Council on Exercise 

(ACE), for example, lists quick-fix 

schemes among its Top Six Fitness 

Myths. ACE concludes that “a wellbalanced 

diet, coupled with regular 

exercise, is still the safest and most 

effective way to achieve weight loss or 

performance goals.” 

w.ihrsa.org FEBRUARY 2005 Club Business International 29

ShortTakes 

MY, OH, MAYA! 

She’s the Hottest Trainer in Town! 

If you’re thinking of expanding your 

fitness staff, there’s a new, albeit somewhat 

unconventional, trainer you may 

want to consider employing. Her name is 

Maya, and she’s… well, superhuman. She 

knows a virtually unlimited number of 

workout routines, and is never too tired or 

busy to accommodate her clients’ schedules. 

Maya, the star of a unique new video 

game, Yourself!Fitness, produced by respon- 

DESIGN, is the first-ever, computer-animated, 

fully interactive personal trainer. She’s 

also the brainchild of Ted Spooner and 

Phin Barnes, both exercise enthusiasts and 

co-founders of the Oregon-based firm. 

Though video games have often been 

blamed for Americans’ increasingly sedentary 

lifestyles, they’re now being viewed as 

a promising tool for promoting physical 

activity. Unlike other games or workout 

videos, however, Yourself!Fitness personalizes 

the exercise experience with a complete 

The nation and media are clearly consumed 

by the dire details of the obesity 

epidemic, but the encouraging stories— 

about those who are waging and winning 

the battle of the pounds—are, all too often, 

overlooked. One of the most positive, and 

inspiring, outcomes that CBI has come 

across recently is that of Patrick Deuel, 42, 

a former restaurant manager from Valentine, 

Nebraska, who, before he took action, 

tipped the scales at 1,072 pounds. At the 

time, Deuel was bedridden, had difficulty 

breathing, and suffered from diabetes and 

high blood pressure related to his obesity. 

Deuel’s doctors at the Avera McKennan 

Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, recommended 

gastric bypass surgery as the 

most feasible route to permanent weight 

loss, but had to prepare him for the sometimes-hazardous 

procedure. They asked 

fitness analysis, goal-setting, customized 

meal planner, fitness calendar, a variety of 

music options and workout environments, 

and more than 200 tips gleaned from 

the pages of Prevention magazine. The program, 

created by a team of fitness trainers, 

generates customized routines from a database 

of more than 500 exercises, which 

encompass everything from basic strength 

training to Pilates, and integrate equipment 

such as hand weights, step benches, and 

balance balls. Maya also dispenses meal 

plans and recipes (4,500 in total), provided 

by Allrecipes.com. 

The game is even able to monitor users 

along the way; Maya not only notices if a 

workout is missed, but will inquire why. 

Yourself!Fitness is currently available 

for Microsoft’s Xbox and PCs and Sony’s 

PlayStation 2. A sequel that’s now in the 

works will offer expanded Pilates, kickboxing, 

and weight-training options. 

Deuel to lose enough weight so that he could 

walk on his own and demonstrate that he 

was strong and healthy enough to survive 

the operation. Deuel embarked on a daily 

regimen that involved a 1,200-calorie diet 

and regular exercise, which included swimming 

and climbing stairs. His efforts made 


Tech-fitness from a fine virtual trainer 

Overcoming Obesity: No Challenge Too Great 

Half-ton triumph Patrick Deuel weighed 1,072 pounds at start of weight-loss program 

it possible for him to lose 421 pounds, and to 

stabilize his diabetes and blood pressure, 

before the surgery, which took place, without 

incident, last June. Hopefully others, regardless 

of their weight, will be encouraged by 

Deuel’s success to wage their own winning 

weight-loss campaigns.

ShortTakes 

MY, OH, MAYA! 

She’s the Hottest Trainer in Town! 

If you’re thinking of expanding your 

fitness staff, there’s a new, albeit somewhat 

unconventional, trainer you may 

want to consider employing. Her name is 

Maya, and she’s… well, superhuman. She 

knows a virtually unlimited number of 

workout routines, and is never too tired or 

busy to accommodate her clients’ schedules. 

Maya, the star of a unique new video 

game, Yourself!Fitness, produced by respon- 

DESIGN, is the first-ever, computer-animated, 

fully interactive personal trainer. She’s 

also the brainchild of Ted Spooner and 

Phin Barnes, both exercise enthusiasts and 

co-founders of the Oregon-based firm. 

Though video games have often been 

blamed for Americans’ increasingly sedentary 

lifestyles, they’re now being viewed as 

a promising tool for promoting physical 

activity. Unlike other games or workout 

videos, however, Yourself!Fitness personalizes 

the exercise experience with a complete 

The nation and media are clearly consumed 

by the dire details of the obesity 

epidemic, but the encouraging stories— 

about those who are waging and winning 

the battle of the pounds—are, all too often, 

overlooked. One of the most positive, and 

inspiring, outcomes that CBI has come 

across recently is that of Patrick Deuel, 42, 

a former restaurant manager from Valentine, 

Nebraska, who, before he took action, 

tipped the scales at 1,072 pounds. At the 

time, Deuel was bedridden, had difficulty 

breathing, and suffered from diabetes and 

high blood pressure related to his obesity. 

Deuel’s doctors at the Avera McKennan 

Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, recommended 

gastric bypass surgery as the 

most feasible route to permanent weight 

loss, but had to prepare him for the sometimes-hazardous 

procedure. They asked 

fitness analysis, goal-setting, customized 

meal planner, fitness calendar, a variety of 

music options and workout environments, 

and more than 200 tips gleaned from 

the pages of Prevention magazine. The program, 

created by a team of fitness trainers, 

generates customized routines from a database 

of more than 500 exercises, which 

encompass everything from basic strength 

training to Pilates, and integrate equipment 

such as hand weights, step benches, and 

balance balls. Maya also dispenses meal 

plans and recipes (4,500 in total), provided 

by Allrecipes.com. 

The game is even able to monitor users 

along the way; Maya not only notices if a 

workout is missed, but will inquire why. 

Yourself!Fitness is currently available 

for Microsoft’s Xbox and PCs and Sony’s 

PlayStation 2. A sequel that’s now in the 

works will offer expanded Pilates, kickboxing, 

and weight-training options. 

Deuel to lose enough weight so that he could 

walk on his own and demonstrate that he 

was strong and healthy enough to survive 

the operation. Deuel embarked on a daily 

regimen that involved a 1,200-calorie diet 

and regular exercise, which included swimming 

and climbing stairs. His efforts made 


Tech-fitness from a fine virtual trainer 

Overcoming Obesity: No Challenge Too Great 

Half-ton triumph Patrick Deuel weighed 1,072 pounds at start of weight-loss program 

it possible for him to lose 421 pounds, and to 

stabilize his diabetes and blood pressure, 

before the surgery, which took place, without 

incident, last June. Hopefully others, regardless 

of their weight, will be encouraged by 

Deuel’s success to wage their own winning 

weight-loss campaigns.

Photography: Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times 

MISSION POSSIBLE: 

MAKING EXERCISE MORE THRILLING 

Members learn tricks of the intelligence 

trade at a one-of-a-kind SpySchool 

Counterattack Student Julie Scott kicks her faux assailant, instructor Perry Hauck 

Unlike James Bond, they may never 

have to disarm an assassin or scale 

a 50-storey building, but the members 

of the Absolution Studio, in West 

Hollywood, California, are learning how 

to do so in the studio’s unique SpySchool. 

In the process, they’re also discovering 

how exciting a workout can be. 

Sascha Ferguson, a former entertainment-industry 

executive, founded Absolution, 

a 5,000-square-foot Pilates and 

workout “playground,” five years ago, 

and has recently livened things up with 

workshops designed to produce spy-like 

skills. Members are flocking to her 

SpySchool sessions to learn about selfdefense, 

rock climbing, and even aerial 

acrobatics; last year, all of the classes 

operated at capacity, and, this year, 

there’s a waiting list. 

When she was growing up, “All the 

other girls wanted to be a Bond girl, but 

I wanted to be Bond,” Ferguson told the 

Los Angeles Times. “I wanted to learn 

how to do the things spies do, and I 

noticed my clients felt the same way.” 

The workouts constitute a rigorous 

conditioning and training regimen that’s 

offered in five different levels of difficulty—from 

SpySchool I/The Intro Package 

($200) to the ultimate SpySchool V: 

Sisterhood of the Amazon Death Squad 

($1,800). As members advance from 

one level to the next, they learn how 

to fight while blind-folded; defend themselves 

against multiple assailants (twoto-five 

at a time); climb and rappel 

on indoor and outdoor rock walls; and 

seduce enemies (e.g., with belly-dancing, 

strip-tease, and pole-dancing techniques). 

They also attempt to develop 

a “tummy of death” via recurring Pilates 

sessions. To add authenticity to the 

experience, Ferguson has recruited 

top specialists in each field, including a 

Cirque de Soleil alumnus, who teaches 

aerial arts. 

“It’s incredibly empowering when 

you realize what you can do,” Evelyn 

Iocolano, 36, a SpySchool student, told the 

Times. “This is a really nice alternative—so 

exercise routines don’t become stagnant.” 

ShortTakes 

Experts Claim 

The Biggest Loser 

Makes Big Mistakes 

Losing five pounds in a week 

would be a triumph—a miracle, 

even—for the most aggressive of 

dieters. But for Dana, a contestant on 

The Biggest Loser, NBC’s primetime 

reality TV show, it wasn’t enough. 

Her overweight teammates voted 

her off the program because winning 

the competition, and a grand 

prize of $250,000, required that they 

discard pounds more quickly than 

the other team, and Dana wasn’t… 

well, pulling her weight. 

Experts accept that a little healthy 

competition can motivate people 

during the challenging weight-loss 

process, but many agree that The 

Biggest Loser is setting an unhealthy 

example, and promoting unrealistic 

expectations, for overweight individuals. 

The show’s participants are put 

on a strict diet, and forced to exercise 

four hours daily—about eight times 

what the U.S. Surgeon General recommends 

for an average day. “What 

they are doing is starving them, working 

them at a pace they cannot 

sustain,” observes Kathleen Zelman, 

the director of nutrition for the WebMD 

Weight Loss Clinic. “I’d stake my life 

on this: Whatever weight these people 

lose, they’ll gain right back.” 

David Katz, the director of the Yale 

Prevention Research Center, observed, 

in the Washington Post, “You can lose 

weight using chemotherapy and crack 

cocaine, but would you want to?” 

Thomas A. Wadden, the director 

of the Weight and Eating Disorders 

Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania, 

also takes exception to the unnecessary 

pressure put on participants and the 

cutthroat nature of the show. “Competition 

may be a benefit to some people, 

but it’s not a benefit when it damages 

self esteem,” he told the Post. 


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CBI Interview “The opportunity’s out there, folks! 

All we need to do is deliver the message effectively.” 

Julie Main appreciates, more than most, what 

exercise can do, and, as the president 

CBI: Before you came to the Santa Barbara Athletic 

Club, you had no fitness experience. Now you’re 

involved with five clubs and serve as the president of 

IHRSA. How did you make the transition? 

JULIE MAIN: I had a strong background in business, 

and I realized, pretty quickly, that health clubs were 

a lot like any other business—you have to understand 

the numbers, costs, margins, etc., and then you can 

operate a club profitably. Since then, I’ve become 

much more involved in the fitness side of the business. 

CBI: What prompted you to become involved with 

IHRSA in a leadership capacity? 

Julie Main earned a 

bachelor’s degree in political 

science from the University 

of California, in Santa Barbara, 

and enlisted in the fitness 

industry in 1987 as a bookkeeper 

with the Santa Barbara 

Athletic Club (SBAC). Since 

then, she’s worked her way up 

through the ranks at the 

SBAC, serving as pro shop 

buyer, program administrator, 

and, finally, general manager—the 

position she’s held 

for the past 11 years. She is 

also involved with four other 

California clubs: as oversight 

manager for the Cathedral 

Oaks Athletic Club in Goleta; 

and as the general managing 

partner of the Hills Swim 

and Tennis Club in Oakland, 

the Ojai Valley Athletic Club 

in Ojai, and the Avila Bay 

Athletic Club in Avila Beach. 

All five are part of the CalWest 

(management) Group. 

By Jennifer H. McInerney 

of IHRSA, is eagerly spreading the word 

JM: I’m passionate about the 

health benefits that regular 

exercise affords, and I wanted 

to bring that zeal, that conviction, 

to the board. I sincerely 

believe that if everyone in the 

U.S. understood what exercise 

could do for them, it would be 

a much better place. As a 

board member, I want to make 

sure the association continues 

to educate people—not just 

club members and employees, 

but America as a whole— 

about those benefits. 

CBI: Besides your passion, what 

strengths do you believe you 

bring to your various duties—as 

a club owner, club manager, 

and IHRSA’s president? 

JM: One of the things that distinguishes 

me is the fact that 

I’ve worn so many different 

IHRSA’s main gal Julie Main 

Q&A Highlights 

• Where IHRSA stands 

• Benefits of exercise 

• State of the industry 

• Work still to be done 

hats. I have been, and still am, an employee, a manager, 

and a club owner. I oversee five clubs—at two 

of them, I’m an employee, and at three of them, I’m a 

part owner. In these capacities, I’m 

actively involved in the day-to-day 

operations: I still give tours, 

work the front desk, and load 

laundry in the washing 

machine! I’ve also served 

on the board of a regional 

association, the California 

Clubs of Distinction, 

in a state that’s 

very active politically. 

All of these experiences 

have given me 

an eclectic perspective 

and wideranging 

skill-sets 

that, I hope, will 

prove valuable 

to IHRSA.

Interview “I sincerely believe that if everyone in the U.S. understood 

what exercise could do for them, it would be a much better place.” 

CBI: You’ve attended a fair share of board 

meetings. Do any of them stand out as 

being particularly memorable? 

JM: As a matter of fact, one does. It was 

our September, 2001, meeting in Sao 

Paolo, Brazil—we were there during and 

after the September 11th attacks. We were 

pretty much stuck in Sao Paolo since none 

of the airlines were flying. We spent most 

of our time watching the news and working 

out, and, as a result, became a very 

close-knit group. It was a very interesting 

board-bonding experience. 

CBI: In terms of ‘walking the walk and talking 

the talk’—do your own clubs make heavy use 

of IHRSA’s services and products? 

JM: Oh, yes, absolutely. We bring a large 

contingent to the convention and trade 

show every year. All of my department 

heads read CBI religiously. We make 

Main Legacy: The Cancer Well-fit Program 

In addition to serving as the president of IHRSA, and as a 

full-time club owner and manager, Julie Main has 

become well known for co-founding Cancer Well-fit, a 

groundbreaking program that helps patients cope with cancer 

through exercise. 

In 1993, when she was 36, Main was diagnosed with, and 

treated for, breast cancer. Between chemotherapy appointments, 

she continued working out at the Santa Barbara Athletic Club 

(SBAC), where she is the general manager. During her treatments, 

she never missed a day of work, continued to care for her two 

young children, and even traveled to Europe. She was in such good 

shape, physically and emotionally, that her doctors wanted to know 

exactly how she was doing it—how she was maintaining her health 

and positive attitude while most cancer patients suffered from 

such side effects as anxiety, depression, fatigue, nausea, and a 

weakened immune system. 

The solution, she told them, was, simply, exercise. 

The following year, Main and Paula Lilly, a personal trainer at 

SBAC, and has developed the Cancer Well-fit program with the 

assistance of members of the local medical community. Since then, 

the program has helped more than 2,000 cancer patients at SBAC, 

and has been introduced at some 20 other clubs. 

“What we teach people here, and at the other facilities 

that have implemented the program, is that exercise can 

significantly improve their quality of life,” Main explains. “These 

good use of the educational materials, 

such as the front-desk training video, 

and the information that’s provided in 

IHRSA’s daily and weekly e-mails. We 

take advantage of a lot of the group-purchasing 

options, participate in the Passport 

Program, and, last year, were very 

involved in the first Get Active America! 

public-outreach campaign. 

CBI: You’ve been working in the industry, 

now, for more than 17 years, and—as you 

point out—in a wide range of roles. If, as 

we embark on the new year, you had to 

give a State of the Industry address, what 

would you say? 

JM: I believe that the main challenge our 

industry faces—whether you’re talking 

about the owners, employees, or vendors— 

is to determine what brings people into 

our clubs initially, and what keeps them 

motivated and participating ultimately. The 


number of members belonging to health 

clubs has grown, but it hasn’t grown that 

much as a percentage of the total population. 

What is it that’s keeping people from 

coming to our doors? 

IHRSA has done an excellent job of 

producing publications having to do with 

the capital markets, the banking industry, 

and member-retention strategies, but we 

need to look industry-wide and identify 

the information that still needs to be 

disseminated. What’s next? Maybe an 

IHRSA guide on the barriers to entry? 

The industry also needs to support 

and promote initiatives, by the federal government 

and others, to incentivize regular 

exercise. The IHRSA-authored Workforce 

Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act, 

which would provide for the equitable tax 

treatment of fitness services whether delivered 

on or off site, is well on its way to being 

enacted. The next task: approval of Section 

125, which would facilitate reimbursement 

are people who have become so sedentary—either by virtue of 

their previous lifestyle, or from the cancer treatment itself— 

that simple tasks, such as going to the grocery store, have 

become a challenge. So we work on balance, core strength, and 

resistance training to build lean body tissue so they can safely 

tackle everyday chores. 

“This isn’t about how much more somebody can bench-press 

after 10 weeks,” she stresses. “This is about people realizing 

that they can regain some control of their own bodies… because, 

when you’re a patient, you have no control.” 

It is a lesson, and an experience, that has continued to serve 

Main well. Last August, fresh from the IHRSA Institute outside of 

Boston, she learned that her doctors were concerned about a 

possible recurrence of her cancer, and that additional tests would 

be required. While many people would be paralyzed by such 

uncertainty, Main kept to her regular schedule and normal 

activities. Within a week, she jetted off to Australia to preside over 

IHRSA’s Asia Pacific Forum, and then returned home to continue 

caring for her two children, Sarah and Allison, and husband, 

Michael, managing her five clubs, and exercising regularly. 

Make A Difference 

For more information about the Cancer Well-fit program, log on 

to www.cancerwellfit.com. If you’ve already implemented the 

program, please contact Julie Main, at info@cancerwellfit.com, 

so she can refer local patients to your club.

Interview “Capitol Hill is beginning to recognize that the 

fitness industry is an important and powerful constituency.” 

of health club dues. And, beyond that—possibly 

working with insurance companies 

to reduce premiums for people who engage 

in healthy lifestyles. 

CBI: Similarly, if you were obliged to deliver 

a State of IHRSA address, what would you 

focus on? 

JM: I’m sure that I’d talk about the incredible, 

unprecedented, opportunity that we 

now enjoy. Whether it’s working with the 

government, insurance companies, or the 

medical community—none of us fully appreciates 

the scope of the possibilities that 

confront us. We need to educate people 

about the fact that they spend too much 

time, every day, just sitting—in a car, at a 

desk, watching TV—and that, if they want 

to improve their quality of life, they have to 

spend 30, or 60, or 90 minutes a day 

engaged in physical activity. Every club 

offers an amazing product, but, for some 

Exer-optimist Main believes the value of club services can convert the sedentary 


Interview “At some point, we’re going to have to start talking to, asking 

questions of, all those people who aren’t coming into our clubs.” 

reason, there’s a disconnect between those 

words and getting people to try our facilities. 

If I were standing up there, giving a 

State of IHRSA address, I’d say, ‘The 

opportunity’s out there, folks! All we need 

to do is deliver the message effectively.’ 

CBI: Effectively seems to be the crux of 

the problem. What, do you think, is the 

best way to communicate that basic, 

fundamental, message? 

JM: To some extent, it may be different for 

everybody. We do know what some 

of the obstacles are—there are, for instance, 

a lot of sedentary and overweight individuals 

out there who think that they have to 

be fit before they can come in for a tour. If 


that’s the perception, then we’re clearly 

doing something wrong. Obviously, there 

are some operators who have done a great 

job of eliminating obstacles—we could talk 

about Curves, for instance. It’s managed to 

launch more than 8,400 clubs in a very 

short period of time, and, whether its model 

is right or wrong, a short-lived trend or 

long-term development, Curves has successfully 

tapped a market that wasn’t coming 

into full-service clubs before. I’d guess 

that 90% of Curves’ members have never 

set foot in an IHRSA facility. Why? What 

motivated them to join Curves? At some 

point, we’re going to have to start talking 

to—asking questions of—all those people 

who aren’t coming into our clubs. 

CBI: Touching on a number of important 

topics quickly—could you please share 

your thoughts about the following subjects, 

beginning with… the obesity epidemic: 

JM: I’d be a bazillionaire if I had the 

answer to the obesity crisis. I think we 

have the message right, but, obviously, 

we’re not delivering it correctly. There 

seems to be a dramatic inconsistency 

between what people read, and hear, and 

believe, and what they actually do—I don’t 

know why. I suspect that, until their health 

begins to compromise their lifestyle, 

people are reluctant to change. 

CBI: AED Mandates. 

JM: In 1994, a physician died of a heart 

attack while exercising in our club and, 

afterward, a group of his colleagues 

wanted to contribute an AED to be placed 

in the club in his memory. We still have it, 

and we’ve never used it thank God—but 

we have it just in case. All five of my clubs 

now have them. I think AEDs are marvelous, 

but I don’t think that they should 

be mandated. I think it should be up to 

any individual club operator/owner to 

decide whether they want one or not. 

CBI: Unfair competition. 

JM: The YMCA and other nonprofit fitness 

providers don’t simply hurt for-profit 

clubs; they also injure local communities

Interview “IHRSA has evolved into one of the industry’s most valuable 

resources, and 25 years from now… that will still be true.” 

by not paying their fair share of taxes, 

putting an additional, unnecessary, burden 

on individual taxpayers. The government 

needs to take a long, hard look at both of 

these inequities. 

CBI: IHRSA’s increased involvement in 

government relations. 

JM: Capitol Hill is beginning to recognize 

that the fitness industry is an important 

and powerful constituency, and I don’t 

mean because of the number of clubs, or 

vendors, or associations that comprise it. 

I mean because of the number of people 

who make use of our clubs—our members—over 

whom we have some real 

influence. One of the things I’m able to 

do, when I walk into a legislator’s office, is 

to say, “I have five clubs in California… 

That represents more than 10,000 voters.” 

CBI: The WHIP Act. 

JM: For me, the WHIP Act is a no-brainer. 

When we went to Washington, D.C., 

for IHRSA’s 2nd Annual Legislative Summit 

last year, we discovered that legislators 

are beginning to understand that 

this is a positive bill; all of the press about 

the dangers of obesity and, conversely, 

the benefits of exercise is beginning 

to have a real impact. The act has strong 

bipartisan support, and Congress is now 

waiting for it to be ‘scored’—for its cost 

to be calculated. I’m confident that WHIP, 

or some form of it, will pass by the end 

of 2006. 

CBI: IHRSA’s growing international presence. 

JM: IHRSA, as you know, is currently 

restructuring its entire international program. 

The activities that the association 

is already involved in, worldwide, and 

the size and scope of the international 

opportunity oblige us to devote more 

resources to the effort. We’ve retained a 

key person to represent us in Europe, 

and are now looking for individuals to 

assume responsibility for Asia and the 

Pacific Rim, and for Central and South 

America. IHRSA’s international role is 

one of unimagined promise. 

CBI: IHRSA’s future—its next 25 years. 

JM: The first 25 years have represented a 

period of rapid growth, of attempting to 

engage and serve as large a segment 

of the industry as possible. The next 

25 years, I think, will see equally dramatic 

growth, but also a significant 

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increase in the association’s sophistication—its 

understanding, and sense of 

itself. We’ll be redefining who we are, 

what we are, whom we serve, and what 

we do. Over the years, IHRSA has evolved 

into one of the industry’s most valuable 

resources, and 25 years from now, in 2030, 

I have no doubt that will still be true. 

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Health Clubs 

&Plans: A New 

Opportunity 

CORPORATE AMERICA IS FACING A HEALTHCARE 

CRISIS THAT IHRSA FACILITIES CAN HELP SOLVE 

By George DeVries 

fFor more than a decade, employers have been struggling with a healthcare cost 

dilemma that has driven health-insurance premiums into the stratosphere. This 

persistent problem, coupled with alarming new statistics about the impact of 

obesity, is creating a crisis of significant proportions for employers. 

Obesity has been directly linked to at least 15 medical conditions—from diabetes 

to heart disease—and two-thirds of U.S. adults are now overweight or obese. As a 

result, companies are paying dearly in terms of increased absenteeism, reduced 

employee productivity, and rising health-benefit expenses. According to the Society 

of Human Resource Management (SHRM), obesity already costs U.S. employers an 

estimated $12.7 billion per year in both direct health expenses and related, indirect 

costs (e.g., reduced productivity), and a study published recently in the Journal of 

Health Affairs suggests that the price tag may soon climb to $30 billion. 

Few sectors are better positioned to tackle this ongoing crisis, hand in hand, and 

in a proactive way, than the health-insurance and fitness industries. How they choose 

to respond to the challenge will have a major impact on our ability, as a nation, to 

combat obesity and stabilize health-insurance costs; it will also, not unimportantly, 

affect the future status, growth, and profitability of IHRSA facilities. 

42 Club Business International FEBRUARY 2005 www.ihrsa.org


Opportunity continued 

CONVERGING FORCES 

A number of socioeconomic developments—in 

addition to rising healthcare 

costs and epidemic obesity—are now 

converging, in an unprecedented fashion, 

to create an opportunity for insurers and 

health clubs to work together in a 

rewarding way. Among the factors that 

confirm the timing is right for such a joint 

effort are the following: 

• Employers are finally beginning to recognize, 

and accept, their role in promoting 

fitness among employees. In a survey of 

254 U.S. corporations conducted in 2003 

by the American Management Association 

(AMA), fully 71% of the executives who 

responded acknowledged that firms have 

a “responsibility” to promote worker wellness. 

Yet, ironically, among those companies 

polled, less than half (47%) offered 

exercise and fitness activities, and only 

34% offered weight-management programs. 

Given the fact that, currently, most 

companies don’t address their employees’ 

health and fitness needs, clubs enjoy a 

wonderful opportunity to reach out to 

corporate America, and to provide the 

programs and solutions required. 

1. Offer a wide range of services: The 

more services your club provides, the 

greater the chance it will attract the 

interest of a health-plan provider. 

You should spotlight its convenient 

amenities, such as showers, locker 

rooms, whirlpools, beverage services, 

24-hour access, modern and safe cardiovascular 

and strength-training equipment, the latest fitness 

classes, and personal trainers who can develop 

customized fitness programs for employees, based 

on their individual health risks and needs. 

2. Offer specialty classes: Develop and schedule classes for 

specific populations, e.g., seniors, adults who are obese or 

overweight, expectant mothers, couples, or elite athletes. 

3. Deliver the data: Employers want to know whether, and 

in what ways, their investment in employee wellness is 

paying off. You should be able to provide figures that 

quantify utilization and progress, both for individuals and 

the workforce as a whole. 

• Health-plan providers are also coming 

to realize that they need to offer their 

clients health-promotion remedies, such 

as weight-loss counseling, discounts on 

club memberships, insured benefits for 

memberships, and other similar incentives. 

Within the past two years, several 

health plans and specialty insurers, 

including PacifiCare, Kaiser Permanente, 

and American Specialty Health, among 

others, have introduced discounts on 

memberships and other fitness incentives, 

and are now working with chains 

such as Curves International and Gold’s 

Gym International, Inc. 

• Outdated tax laws may soon be modified 

to provide tax advantages for employee fitness 

programs. Currently, companies can 

treat the cost of an on-site fitness center as 

a legitimate, tax-deductible, business 

expense, but can’t deduct the cost of an 

offsite center, or of any contribution they 

make toward the cost of a club membership 

for an employee (unless the recipient 

is referred to the club by a physician). 

Workers with a subsidized membership 

are also required to declare this benefit as 

income and pay tax on it (unless they have 


Crisis control George DeVries touts clubs 

a doctor’s referral). All of that, however, 

would change with passage of the IHRSAauthored 

Workforce Health Improvement 

Program (WHIP) Act, which was introduced 

last year and is now being considered by 

Congress. The WHIP bill would provide 

for the equal tax treatment of employersubsidized 

fitness, whether offered on- or 

FIVE TACTICS FOR ATTRACTING HEALTH-PLAN PROVIDERS 

4. Keep on top of technology: Health-plan 

and employer groups are constantly 

tracking and managing employees’ 

health data, and clubs need to be 

able to facilitate that task. This may 

require: member card-scanning software 

that automatically tracks employees’ visits to the club 

and the length of their stay; a phone line that allows 

members to dial in and log a record of their attendance 

each time they visit the club; or an Internet password 

access program that allows a personal trainer to log 

time spent with an employee, or the club to record 

the employee’s attendance, and generate related records. 

5. Prepare pricing options: Many employers and health-plan 

companies or networks will expect per-member discounts 

on pricing in return for the greater volume of business 

they deliver. Study your local market and determine 

what sort of discounts are currently being utilized in 

such arrangements; make sure your organization can 

match or beat them.

off-site, and wouldn’t force workers to 

declare the value of off-site fitness benefits 

as personal income. 

• Unlike their predecessor—the baby 

boomer generation—Generations “X” 

and “Y” are more vocal about employment 

benefits, and want perks, including 

club memberships, from their employers. 

uROI REWARDS 

Until recently, many firms thought that, 

while their fitness and wellness programs 

were good for the labor force, there was 

no real evidence that they were good for 

the company’s bottom line—in short, 

they weren’t able to document a positive 

return on investment (ROI). Recently, 

however, the reports of promising results 

have been proliferating. 

For example, at Motorola, Inc., based in 

Plantation, Florida, executives claim that, 

for every dollar the company spends on 

wellness programs, it saves $3.93. The 

savings, they say, come from reduced 

employee absenteeism and greater 

productivity, and from lower health-insurance 

costs. Motorola, to its credit, promotes 

fitness both on- and off-site. Not all that 

long ago, it built a new 6,500-square-foot 

fitness center for its headquarters staff, and 

it offers each worker $240 a year to spend 

on a club membership. 

In another study, NASA found that participants 

in an exercise program had improved 

stamina and work performance, and 

enhanced concentration and decision-making 

powers, for the final two hours of the 

workday, compared to a 50% decrease for 

the average office worker during the same 

period. This, NASA calculated, amounted to 

a 12.5% increase in productivity. 

Thanks, in part, to the accumulating 

studies, in a wide range of industries, 

demonstrating the efficacy of employee 

fitness initiatives, more and more companies 

have turned to clubs for assistance. 

Since 1999, there’s been a 35% increase 

in the number of firms offering membership 

subsidies or reimbursements, points 

out the Society of Human Resource Management 

(SHRM). Employees also seem 

more inclined to take part: a recent IHRSA 

study found that more than 80% of them 

would make use of a club regularly if their 

company was underwriting their dues. 

Today, helping employees improve their 

health and fitness is generally regarded as 

involving three key steps: (1) raising their 

awareness about health-cost issues and 

the impact of their lifestyle on these issues; 

(2) providing them with assessment tools 

to identify their own health risks; and (3) 

providing them with the other tools—e.g., 

fitness activities, medical support, incentive 

programs, educational campaigns, etc.— 

required to implement the changes that 

will deliver valuable long-term benefits. 

PICKING A PARTNER 

Club owners who are interested in making 

their business one of the principal 

factors in the employer/health-insurer 

equation can do so in one of several 

ways. They can: 

• Enter into contracts, directly, with health 

plans: If you enter into a contractual 

agreement with a large health plan, your 

club will become part of an established 

network of fitness facilities marketed to 

employer groups that offer a heath club 

benefit. You should be aware, however, 

that, today, few health plans elect to work 

directly with club providers; most prefer to 

subcontract this responsibility to a specialty 

health organization. 

• Make use of a specialty provider network: 

Another option is to establish a relationship 

with a specialty health network that 

offers a variety of health options, along 

with outsourcing contracts and administrative 

services, to large health plans and 

employer groups. These networks already 

have contracts with major health plans, 

and may be able to simplify your entry into 

this market. 

CREDITS AND DEBITS 

Aligning with a health plan, or specialty 

insurer or network, offers a host of advan- 

tages—both general and specific—for clubs. 

It allows them to serve a real need, establish 

profitable relationships in the business 

community, grow membership, increase 

utilization, ensure prompt dependable 

payment, etc. For a new facility that needs 

to acquire clients quickly, such contracts 

can provide a valuable jumpstart. And, for 

older ones that may be experiencing high 

attrition because of greater competition or 

an aging local population, they can serve as 

a form of business insurance. 

A number of socioeconomic developments 

are now converging, in an unprecedented 

fashion, to create an opportunity for insurers and 

health clubs to work together in a rewarding way. 

Memberships sold this way are often 

discounted, but the higher volume of members 

generated should more than offset any 

reduction in fees/member/month. A club’s 

advertising and other costs-of-acquisition 

may also be reduced, since enrollment will 

be driven by the employer’s informational, 

educational, and incentive initiatives. 

Club owners should also consider the 

possibility that, as corporate concerns about 

healthcare costs continue to increase, and 

as the obesity epidemic continues to unfold, 

more and more companies may turn to 

their insurers, and aligned clubs, to suggest 

solutions. As that happens, the volume of 

traditional, off-the-street, prospects may fall. 

Entering into a relationship with a health 

plan, or specialty insurer or network, may 

be a reasonable way to deal with that 

prospect proactively, albeit at a slightly lower 

membership fee. 

Health-plan affiliations may not be right, 

or viable, for every club, but for those with 

the interest, resources, and skills, they may 

represent a step into the future: a strategy for 

building one’s business, while solving some 

of society’s most pressing problems. 

GEORGE DEVRIES is chairman, president, 

and CEO of American Specialty Health 

(ASH), a provider of complementary 

healthcare products and services, and 

can be reached at georged@ashn.com. 


off-site, and wouldn’t force workers to 

declare the value of off-site fitness benefits 

as personal income. 

• Unlike their predecessor—the baby 

boomer generation—Generations “X” 

and “Y” are more vocal about employment 

benefits, and want perks, including 

club memberships, from their employers. 

uROI REWARDS 

Until recently, many firms thought that, 

while their fitness and wellness programs 

were good for the labor force, there was 

no real evidence that they were good for 

the company’s bottom line—in short, 

they weren’t able to document a positive 

return on investment (ROI). Recently, 

however, the reports of promising results 

have been proliferating. 

For example, at Motorola, Inc., based in 

Plantation, Florida, executives claim that, 

for every dollar the company spends on 

wellness programs, it saves $3.93. The 

savings, they say, come from reduced 

employee absenteeism and greater 

productivity, and from lower health-insurance 

costs. Motorola, to its credit, promotes 

fitness both on- and off-site. Not all that 

long ago, it built a new 6,500-square-foot 

fitness center for its headquarters staff, and 

it offers each worker $240 a year to spend 

on a club membership. 

In another study, NASA found that participants 

in an exercise program had improved 

stamina and work performance, and 

enhanced concentration and decision-making 

powers, for the final two hours of the 

workday, compared to a 50% decrease for 

the average office worker during the same 

period. This, NASA calculated, amounted to 

a 12.5% increase in productivity. 

Thanks, in part, to the accumulating 

studies, in a wide range of industries, 

demonstrating the efficacy of employee 

fitness initiatives, more and more companies 

have turned to clubs for assistance. 

Since 1999, there’s been a 35% increase 

in the number of firms offering membership 

subsidies or reimbursements, points 

out the Society of Human Resource Management 

(SHRM). Employees also seem 

more inclined to take part: a recent IHRSA 

study found that more than 80% of them 

would make use of a club regularly if their 

company was underwriting their dues. 

Today, helping employees improve their 

health and fitness is generally regarded as 

involving three key steps: (1) raising their 

awareness about health-cost issues and 

the impact of their lifestyle on these issues; 

(2) providing them with assessment tools 

to identify their own health risks; and (3) 

providing them with the other tools—e.g., 

fitness activities, medical support, incentive 

programs, educational campaigns, etc.— 

required to implement the changes that 

will deliver valuable long-term benefits. 

PICKING A PARTNER 

Club owners who are interested in making 

their business one of the principal 

factors in the employer/health-insurer 

equation can do so in one of several 

ways. They can: 

• Enter into contracts, directly, with health 

plans: If you enter into a contractual 

agreement with a large health plan, your 

club will become part of an established 

network of fitness facilities marketed to 

employer groups that offer a heath club 

benefit. You should be aware, however, 

that, today, few health plans elect to work 

directly with club providers; most prefer to 

subcontract this responsibility to a specialty 

health organization. 

• Make use of a specialty provider network: 

Another option is to establish a relationship 

with a specialty health network that 

offers a variety of health options, along 

with outsourcing contracts and administrative 

services, to large health plans and 

employer groups. These networks already 

have contracts with major health plans, 

and may be able to simplify your entry into 

this market. 

CREDITS AND DEBITS 

Aligning with a health plan, or specialty 

insurer or network, offers a host of advan- 

tages—both general and specific—for clubs. 

It allows them to serve a real need, establish 

profitable relationships in the business 

community, grow membership, increase 

utilization, ensure prompt dependable 

payment, etc. For a new facility that needs 

to acquire clients quickly, such contracts 

can provide a valuable jumpstart. And, for 

older ones that may be experiencing high 

attrition because of greater competition or 

an aging local population, they can serve as 

a form of business insurance. 

A number of socioeconomic developments 

are now converging, in an unprecedented 

fashion, to create an opportunity for insurers and 

health clubs to work together in a rewarding way. 

Memberships sold this way are often 

discounted, but the higher volume of members 

generated should more than offset any 

reduction in fees/member/month. A club’s 

advertising and other costs-of-acquisition 

may also be reduced, since enrollment will 

be driven by the employer’s informational, 

educational, and incentive initiatives. 

Club owners should also consider the 

possibility that, as corporate concerns about 

healthcare costs continue to increase, and 

as the obesity epidemic continues to unfold, 

more and more companies may turn to 

their insurers, and aligned clubs, to suggest 

solutions. As that happens, the volume of 

traditional, off-the-street, prospects may fall. 

Entering into a relationship with a health 

plan, or specialty insurer or network, may 

be a reasonable way to deal with that 

prospect proactively, albeit at a slightly lower 

membership fee. 

Health-plan affiliations may not be right, 

or viable, for every club, but for those with 

the interest, resources, and skills, they may 

represent a step into the future: a strategy for 

building one’s business, while solving some 

of society’s most pressing problems. 

GEORGE DEVRIES is chairman, president, 

and CEO of American Specialty Health 

(ASH), a provider of complementary 

healthcare products and services, and 

can be reached at georged@ashn.com. 


CALL-IN PRESS CONFERENCE: 

Fair-Competition 

ChampBy 

Jon Feld 

CBI spends 10 minutes on 

the line with U.S. Senator 

Charles E. “Chuck” Grassley 

>> STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS 

are focusing on nonprofit organizations and the 

unfair competition they often breed, as never before, 

and, if one man has come to personify the intensified 

scrutiny, it’s Senator Charles E. “Chuck” Grassley. 

Pick up the Sacramento (California) Bee or the 

Washington Post, and, if the topic is tax-exempts, the 

principal source, it seems, is invariably Grassley. 

Grassley, who has served in Congress for more 

than 30 years, not only knows politics intimately, but 

also has a special affection for small business. 

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 

political science at the University of Northern Iowa, 

and pursued doctoral studies at the University of Iowa. 

Following school, he worked on his family’s farm, and 

as a sheet-metal shearer and assembly line worker. 


Champ continued 

He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1958, 

to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974, and to the Senate 

in 1980. Today, he serves on several committees, most notably 

as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and vicechairman 

of the Joint Committee on Taxation. His strong views 

on taxes and unwavering support of small business have allied 

him with such organizations as IHRSA, Americans for Tax 

Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, the National 

Federation for Independent Business, the Small Business 

Survival Committee, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Grassley lives in New Hartford, Iowa, the town in which he 

was born, with his wife, Barbara Ann; the couple have five 

grown children. 

CBI caught up with him at his office in the Hart Senate 

Building in Washington, D.C. 

CBI: You’ve long been a strong proponent of tax reform and, 

when appropriate, tax relief, but many people feel that the tax 

code still allows many nonprofit organizations to earn income 

that isn’t related to their charitable purpose, giving them, in 

some cases, an opportunity to compete unfairly with for-profit 

businesses. Your views on the subject? 

Senator Charles Grassley: The tax code should clearly differentiate 

between acceptable and unacceptable behavior on the part of 

nonprofits, and the code should be enforced. Nonprofit status is a 

privilege, not a right, and everyone should regard it as such. 

CBI: IHRSA members, who find themselves facing a growing 

number of tax-exempt fitness providers—from the YMCA, to 

hospital-owned centers, to church-based exercise programs— 

are directly affected by, and very concerned about, this problem. 

How can you and the Finance Committee help? 

CG: As the Finance Committee continues to review tax-exempt 

organizations and consider possible reforms, I’m sure that 

questions about unrelated business income tax (UBIT) are going 

to be raised. The proposed reforms that I’m thinking about 

would build in more accountability—make nonprofits more 

responsible both to potential donors and taxpayers in general. 

CBI: Last year, IHRSA staged its second annual Legislative Summit 

in Washington, D.C., and, in three months, will return to the 

capital again; during the summit, the association’s members meet 

with their senators and representatives to discuss important 

industry issues. How effective do you think such initiatives can be 

in influencing public policy? 

CG: I’ve always said that representative government is a two-way 

street. My job is to represent my constituents as effectively as I can, 

and that means I have to solicit their thoughts and suggestions. At 

the same time, they have a real responsibility to communicate 

their views and concerns to me. IHRSA’s Legislative Summit is 

fulfilling its obligation, as a constituent of Congress, to provide that 

sort of input, and I encourage everyone involved to keep up the 

good work. 

CBI: IHRSA is currently working with several members in the 

House and Senate to pass the Workforce Health Improvement 

Program (WHIP) Act, which would provide for the equitable 


tax treatment of employee-subsidized fitness services, whether 

provided on- or off-site. What are your thoughts on WHIP? 

CG: I believe in giving employers tax incentives, whenever 

possible, to encourage job creation, and to attract quality employees. 

Tax relief to promote health insurance coverage—which might, 

conceivably, include a fitness component, such as a discount on a 

club membership—fits into that category. Before committing to any 

specific tax incentive, however, I’d have to weigh the proposal 

against other pressing needs; I’d also have to determine whether 

funds were available to offset the associated costs. The current 

mindset in the Senate is that tax relief has to be balanced 

by revenue offset. For instance, we just offset the cost of a 

comprehensive business tax relief and reform measure by closing 

a series of loopholes that had fostered abusive tax avoidance. 

“Far too many charities have 

broken the understood 

covenant between the 

taxpayers and nonprofits.” 

—Senator Charles E. Grassley, Forbes magazine 

CBI: Many IHRSA clubs are small businesses. What, if anything, 

have you been able to do recently, from a tax perspective, to 

support and strengthen them? 

CG: As chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction 

over taxes, I’ve put forward a number of items, over the years, 

to promote the growth of small business, which have been 

approved by Congress and subsequently signed into law. Most 

recently? Well, the 2003 tax law, which I supported, increased 

the depreciation deduction, and also decreased the tax rate 

applicable to dividend income for taxpayers, which prompts 

more investment and growth—for companies of all sizes. And 

President Bush just signed the business tax bill that I led 

through the Senate, which extends small business expensing 

for another two years. This allows small firms to write off as 

much as $100,000 a year for new business asset purchases, 

and also contains significant S-corporation reforms that make 

it easier for small businesses to succeed. 

CBI: IHRSA, of course, is interested in the nation’s fitness, but 

it’s also interested in that of each individual. How are you 

doing? What can you tell us about your fitness regimen? 

CG: I began running a few years ago, and when I’m in Washington, 

starting at 5:29 a.m., I run two miles every day, four or five 

days a week. I encourage staff members to join me, to keep us all 

motivated and fit. After we run, we have a healthy breakfast of oatmeal 

and fruit. I generally eat well, but running helps counter the 

unpleasant side effects of my favorite treat, which is ice cream. 

JON FELD is a contributing editor for CBI and can be reached at 

kjfeld@rcn.com.

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Drive new business into your 

facility by joining our fitness 

club/exercise center and 

personal trainer networks. 

Visit exhibit booth #412 at 

IHRSA’s 24th Annual International 

Convention & Trade Show in San 

Francisco March 16, and attend 

our seminar entitled “Trends in 

Health Care Reimbursement.” 

(Seminar runs from 10:30 a.m. 

to noon.) 

No fees. No hurdles. No sweat. Here are just a few of the many advantages 

fitness clubs/exercise centers and personal trainers receive by participating 

in American Specialty Health’s (ASH) affinity and benefit networks: 

• New market segments—As health insurers promote healthier lifestyles by offering fitness club/ 

exercise center and personal trainer services, many individuals who have never visited an 

exercise facility may want to visit and join yours. 

• Program options—You may choose to participate in our affinity and/or benefit program, 

whichever best suits your club’s strategies and goals. 

• Marketing exposure—The fitness club/exercise center and personal trainer programs will be 

marketed by participating health plans and employer groups to potential members across the country. 

• Easy online enrollment—Reduce paperwork and save time when you enroll online. Just go to 

ASHCompanies.com and click on “Fitness Center Application” to see how easy it is to enroll! 

For more information, visit ASHCompanies.com, or call toll-free 

1.888.511.2743. 

Benefit programs are not available in all states and may be offered, where available, through American Specialty Health Insurance Company or 

made available through American Specialty Health Networks, Inc., subsidiaries of American Specialty Health, Incorporated.

Maximizing the 

MEDICAL 

CONNECTION 

PART 2 OF A TWO-PART SERIES 

The more one considers the possibilities inherent 

in affiliations between physicians and health 

clubs, the more obvious the benefits become. Doctors 

obtain a way to help patients remain healthy and fit; 

to treat them more effectively when disease or injury 

occurs; and to prolong professional care when 

medical benefits run out. Clubs profit from, among 

other things, ongoing patient referrals, increased 

exposure, and enhanced credibility. 

It is a relationship rife with promising synergies, 

but perhaps the most important is the simple fact 

that the end user—the patient or club member— 

receives a higher level of care, significantly improving 

their quality of life. 

Last month (see “Partnering With Physicians,” 

January CBI, pg. 57), we discussed the three acts that 

it takes to forge such ties: (1) convincing practitioners 

of the utility, and practicality, of “prescribing” 

exercise to patients; (2) providing the services, and 

standard of care, at your club that will impress and 

reassure medical professionals; and (3) identifying 

and accessing potential physician partners. This 

month, we’ll explore a variety of ways to make 

the new marriage pay off most rewardingly. 

By Edward M. Phillips, M.D. 

WHAT DOCTORS CAN DO FOR 

YOUR CLUB… DEPENDS ON WHAT 

YOUR CLUB CAN DO FOR THEM 

Tender care 

Therapy at DHAC 


MEDICAL CONNECTION continued 

BE A REHAB RESOURCE 

When their patients are recovering from 

strokes, accidents, or even common 

sports injuries, doctors often prescribe 

physical therapy to help them regain 

their strength, mobility, and dexterity. 

Unfortunately, dwindling health-insurance 

coverage has reduced the number 

of visits a patient can schedule. When 

coverage expires, the rehab provider 

may be eager to find reputable programs 

their ex-patients can use to continue 

exercising, and to continue progressing 

toward general fitness. 

This, clearly, is a need that health 

clubs are particularly well qualified to fill. 

HealthFit, in Needham, Massachusetts, is 

an example of a facility that has succeeded 

in extending the continuum of care. Owner 

John Atwood has worked closely with a 

local outpatient center of the Spaulding 

Rehabilitation Hospital Network, a teaching 

hospital of Harvard Medical School, to 

provide a viable post-rehabilitation option. 

As a result, the club and its physician friends 

are both enjoying increased business. 

As part of the relationship, doctors 

from the hospital conduct seminars at 

HealthFit, obtaining greater exposure, 

both among members and the community 

at large, which generates referrals. 

Members who, for instance, may have 

sustained musculoskeletal injuries during 

the course of their workouts or daily lives 

often turn, for care, to the physicians 

they’ve met at the club. 

Action flows in the other direction as well. 

Atwood says the connection with Spaulding 

and other local hospitals has elevated 

HealthFit’s status, and produced a dramatic 

increase in medical referrals. He calculates 

that, during one recent six-month period, 

such referrals were responsible for 23% of 

all new memberships. In many cases, he 

points out, these prospects are ones that, 

otherwise, might never have come through 

the club’s doors, and, because they’ve been 

sent by their doctor, they’re more likely to 

join than someone lured in by an ad. 

ACTION ITEMS: 

• Invite local physical therapists to visit your 

club and to bring their patients with them 

for a final treatment on the premises. This 

will help transition the patients to your 

facility for a follow-up to their rehabilitation. 

• Ask local physical therapists, and the 

physiatrists who work with them, to 

deliver lectures or general informational 

sessions at your club. They’ll appreciate 

the access to your members, who, obviously, 

are also potential patients. 

• Develop a system to refer members 

who require formal, hands-on, physical 

therapy to the providers with whom 

you’ve established relationships. 

EMPHASIZE YOUR EXPERTISE 

Many doctors think, incorrectly, that all 

health clubs are pretty much the same, 

and that most of them focus, nearly 

exclusively, on selling memberships. 

While hospitals and medical practices 

are also businesses and have to balance 

their books, they tend to view themselves 

as being more altruistic—philosophically, 

if not legally, not-for-profit. To get them 

to regard you as a peer—someone who’s 

attempting to improve the public’s health 

by, in this case, dispensing fitness expertise—you 

have to rise above the competition. 

One way to do so is by promoting 

your staff’s academic and professional 

qualifications. Lloyd Gainsboro, the owner 


Progress profile The Dedham Health and Athletic Complex (DHAC) sets high standards 

and director of business development 

for the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex 

(DHAC), in Dedham, Massachusetts, 

suggests that clubs should also impose 

more stringent safety standards. This, he 

notes, will reduce the incidence of training-related 

injuries, and make physicians 

more comfortable referring patients to 

the club. 

Gainsboro not only employs instructors 

with degrees in exercise physiology, 

but also has his staff members certified 

in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 

and trained in diabetic management at 

the Joslin Clinic. 

ACTION ITEM: 

• When approaching local physicians, 

provide them with a handout detailing 

the credentials and qualifications of your 

fitness staff. Employees with an ACSM 

clinical certification or degrees in exercise 

physiology make the point that your 

club is serious about health and fitness. 

CONDUCT EXERCISE RESEARCH 

As a researcher who studies mobility and 

falls in the elderly, I regularly confront the

challenge of having to recruit subjects for 

clinical studies. The task is made even more 

difficult when individuals are asked to travel 

to a hospital or clinical center far from 

their home. One solution to this problem is 

to utilize local clubs with the appropriate 

equipment as a convenient site for screening 

study subjects. This sort of involvement 

may not yield a fee or generate new members, 

but it strengthens a club’s relationship 

with the doctors, hospital, university, and/or 

medical school taking part. The affiliation 

may also be acknowledged in published 

references to the research, and can be 

leveraged in the club’s advertising, which 

will further enhance its standing in the 

community. For the past four years, DHAC 

has hosted exercise studies with more than 

300 fibromyalgia subjects; the program is 

supported by the National Institutes of 

Health (NIH), and overseen by physicians 

from Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital 

in Boston. 

ACTION ITEM: 

• Solicit leads about worthy studies from 

knowledgeable individuals or your membership 

at large. 

Exam-ease DHAC’s affiliation with physicians enhances medical care for its members 

EMPANEL A MEDICAL BOARD 

One of the most efficient, and least expensive, 

ways to ensure strong support in the 

local medical community is to invite prominent, 

and receptive, physicians to join a club 

advisory board. You might, for instance, 

offer them a complimentary membership in 

exchange for their participation in a onehour 

meeting, held on a quarterly basis. 

You could also consult with them occasionally, 

one-on-one, or solicit their thoughts 

periodically via e-mail. An advisory board 

can offer valuable information, insights, and 

suggestions, and help cement your relationship 

with the medical profession at large. 

Joe Cirulli, the owner of the Gainesville 

Health and Fitness Centers (GHFCs), in 

Gainesville, Florida, offers on-site, physical-therapy 

services, and has made 

excellent use of such a board. His group 

consists of 12 local doctors, who meet at 

his club quarterly, to advise him on a wide 

range of issues—everything from the success 

the of GHFCs’ community outreach 

efforts, to the delivery of club programs, 

to the need for new offerings. Their recommendations 

have, among other things, 

led him to introduce programs that deal 

specifically with arthritis and back 

pain. Their involvement, Cirulli notes, also 

drives referrals. 

ACTION ITEMS: 

• Invite supportive local physicians to join 

a club advisory board. 

• Run advertisements that recognize the 

contributions of local doctors who 

encourage people to become more active. 

Reaching out to physicians in your market, 

and getting them actively involved in 

your club, isn’t an easy task. It will take 

time, effort, initiative, and may well 

require repeated, concerted, attempts. 

However, the benefits that accrue—e.g., 

greater professionalism, enhanced reputation, 

direct referrals, expert advice 

and oversight, new medically based programs, 

increased membership sales, and 

a positive impact on public health—make 

the labor worthwhile. 

DR. EDWARD M. PHILLIPS, M.D., can be 

reached at ephillips1@partners.org. 


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Profilesof 

In 2003, the industry demonstrated that it 

loves nothing better than a good workout… 

Success 2004 

The 2004 edition of IHRSA’s Profiles of Success, which is By William C. Howland, Jr. 

based on 206 responses from companies representing more 

than 1,000 facilities during calendar year 2003, suggests that 

health clubs will play an even greater role in the years ahead 

The global economy is in a state of flux—significant flux. The dollar is 

weak. Deficits are high. The cost of oil and steel sets, then breaks, 

records. The U.S. has gone from being the dominant manufacturing, 

to the dominant consuming, nation. The European Union has become 

a true force. The 21st century, the analysts agree, belongs to China. 

Flux creates uncertainty, and, in the midst of so much change, it’s reassuring 

to see that the health and fitness club industry seems not to be threatened by 

recent developments, but, instead, to be coming into its own. In the old world 

order, clubs were a rewarding amenity; in the new world order, they are assuming 

the mantle of a necessity. 

Though calendar year 2003 was burdened by the lingering effects of 

a recession, and beset by its own challenges, the 2004 edition of IHRSA’s 

Profiles of Success, which reports on the industry’s performance in ’03, details 

a period of relative stability and steady growth. Between January and July of 

’03, the number of clubs in the U.S. rose from 20,207 to 22,031, a 9% increase, 

and, during the same period in ’04, it climbed from 23,497 to 26,046, a 10.8% 

increase—one of the largest advances in history. 

In ’03, the number of memberships shot from 36.3 million to 39.4 million, an 8.5% 

improvement and another record increase. Revenues for the industry, as a whole, 

rose from an estimated $13.1 billion to $14.1 billion, up 7.6%. 

Take a look at the figures produced by all of the clubs that participated in IHRSA’s 

Industry Data Survey (IDS), which serves as the basis for Profiles, and you find uniform, 

consistent, progress. For ’03, these facilities reported (mean) total revenues of 

$2 million, up 6.3% over ’02; revenue per member of $653 (+3.7%); revenue per 

square foot of $47 (+5.1%); nondues revenue as a percentage of revenues of 28.3% 

(+2.9%); earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) 

as a percentage of revenues of 14.5% (+47.5%); and net membership growth of 3.9%. 


Profilesof Success 2004 continued 

Average membership retention increased slightly, to 65.5%. 

Payroll as a percentage of revenues inched up imperceptibly, 

to 43.8% (+ 1%), despite a painful 15.3% increase in (mean) 

total payroll, precipitated by a 25% jump in healthcare and 

retirement-plan expenses. 

Among the factors contributing to the industry’s ongoing, 

escalating, achievement are: its growing sophistication; a greater 

number of business models, some of which have been quite 

successful in accessing new populations; the development of new 

programs to address both society’s and members’ needs; rising 

healthcare costs; increased public appreciation of the benefits 

of regular exercise; heightened awareness of the dangers of 

epidemic obesity; and a large aging population concerned about 

functionality, longevity, and quality of life. 

Profiles of Success also sheds light on the shifting, responsive, 

nature of club services and programs. In terms of trends, the 

following are now among the most popular: personal training, 

offered by 91% of the responding clubs; fitness evaluations, 

89%; step/bench aerobics, 87%; strength training, 84%; childcare, 

67%; yoga, 67%; nutritional counseling, 66%; and weight 

management, 63%. 

BENCHMARKS BY CLUB TYPE 


STAND AND BE COUNTED 

IHRSA is currently conducting its Industry Data Survey 

(IDS) for calendar year 2004. If you’d like your club to 

participate in this important research project, please 

phone 800-228-4772 or 617-951-0055. Participating 

facilities will receive a complimentary copy of the 2005 

edition of Profiles of Success, a revealing and valuable 

report on the IDS findings, a $215 value. 

During periods of flux, when societal pressures increase, the 

role that clubs play, and the value that they confer, become even 

more, ever more, important. If Profiles is any indication, the 

industry thrives in trying times. 

WILLIAM C. HOWLAND, JR., is IHRSA’s director of public 

relations and research, and can be contacted at bch@ihrsa.org. 

Part of Chain or 

All Clubs Multipurpose Fitness-only Multi-club Group Independent 

2002 2003 2002 2003 2002 2003 2002 2003 2002 2003 

Total Revenue 

(thousands) 

EBITDA as 

$1,974.0 $2,099.0 $2,151.8 $2,245.9 $1,377.8 $1,618.0 $2,323.5 $2,476.6 $1,459.7 $1,618.0 

% of Revenue 

Pretax Earnings 

9.90% 14.60% 10.90% 17.30% 9.50% 13.60% 11.00% 19.40% 9.80% 13.40% 

as % of Revenue 0.90% 6.00% 1.00% 6.00% 0.70% 5.40% 0.50% 7.40% 0.90% 6.00% 

Revenue Growth 

Total Payroll 

— 5.00% — 3.90% — 8.20% — 5.70% — 4.00% 

as % of Revenue 

Rate of Member 

43.40% 43.80% 41.90% 42.70% 46.90% 44.90% 41.20% 42.90% 45.00% 44.80% 

Retention 

Net Membership 

65.00% 65.50% 69.20% 67.50% 59.20% 62.20% 64.70% 61.90% 65.30% 68.00% 

Growth 

Revenue per 

— 3.90% — 3.00% — 6.10% — 3.60% — 4.40% 

Individual Member 

Indoor Sq. Ft. per 

$629.97 $653.56 $676.43 $758.35 $583.66 $558.97 $615.21 $663.00 $663.62 $733.33 

Individual Member 

Revenue per 

14.3 13.5 17.6 16.3 10.8 10.5 17.4 16 14 13.1 

Indoor Sq. Ft. 

Non-dues Revenue 

$45.15 $47.47 $38.19 $40.64 $55.83 $69.29 $48.08 $48.61 $43.56 $44.75 

as % of Revenue 27.50% 28.30% 29.00% 29.60% 21.80% 23.10% 24.90% 25.40% 29.30% 30.30% 

Note: Data reflects information from those clubs that provided complete responses for both 2002 and 2003, allowing for year-to-year comparison. 

Benchmark Data Definitions: EBITDA – Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. 

Pretax Earnings – Earnings before income taxes.

The Story of 


Grand entrance – Plymouth Fitness Center 

Photography: Joel Meus

Our experts explore the challenges, and 

offer solutions, for six areas of your club 

While your members may not notice it 

consciously, making use of the right 

flooring materials throughout your 

club can produce a significant visual, and 

visceral, impression, affecting their overall 

experience. It’s not simply a matter of 

aesthetics. A number of important factors 

come into play when selecting floor coverings 

for the various areas in a modern, stateof-the-art, 

health and fitness facility. Cost, 

comfort, safety, type of use, size of coverage, 

durability, ease of installation, cleaning, and 

maintenance—all of these, and more, enter 

into the equation. Because flooring choices 

are one of the most difficult design decisions 

club owners have to make, CBI decided to 

help. We contacted some of the industry’s 

most accomplished architects and designers, 

and asked them to describe the challenges, 

and to suggest appropriate solutions, for 

six critical club areas. 

Entrance 

In the case of the entrance and lobby—the 

first place that members see—the overriding 

concern is one of aesthetics. “The entrance 

is the spot that makes that crucial first 

impression on any prospect or member, so 

it needs to be done correctly,” insists Dan 

Meus, a principal at Graham/Meus, Inc., 

Architects, based in Boston (www.grahammeus.com). 

“Beyond that, you want flooring 

that is durable—because of the heavy foot 

traffic—and that is easy to maintain, and 

works with your budget.” 

Gary Graham, also a principal at the 

firm, points out that the flooring should be 

compatible with, and complement, all of 

the other design elements in the entrance. 

“Every aspect of the space—millwork, 

counters, etc.—needs to mesh in terms 

of quality and look,” he explains. “If, for 

instance, you’ve gone with a rough-andtumble 

look throughout the building, you 

wouldn’t want to choose something prissy, 

like marble, for flooring.” 

In the case of the Plymouth Fitness Center, 

in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the thrust 

of its club-wide renovation was driven by 

changes to its entryway and front desk. 

“The club had an older, knotty-pine-faced 

desk, which we replaced with one of dark 

mahogany,” says Graham. 

Flooring 

By Jon Feld 


Flooring continued 

“For flooring, we selected a granite tile that extends from the 

front door to the edge of the front desk. It was fairly expensive— 

about $20 per square foot—but it’s among the hardest flooring 

materials, easy to maintain, remarkably durable, and quite 

elegant. As you move away from the high-traffic entry area, the 

flooring switches over to carpeting.” 

Group-Cycling Studio 

The principal design challenge in group-cycling studios is, 

believe it or not, perspiration, attests Steve Kass, the CEO of the 

American Leisure Corporation, based in New York City (800- 

348-6468). “It has both an immediate and cumulative effect,” 

he explains. “For example, if you choose a porous flooring or 

carpeting, the sweat that gathers there will tend to breed bacteria, 

creating unpleasant odors. This is one part of the club 

where function and practicality can’t be ignored for the sake 

of aesthetics. Look for nonporous, skid-resistant flooring, such 

as a rubber composite,” he recommends. “It’s also easier to 

maintain than carpet.” 

American Leisure does a lot of work for New York City’s 

favorite son and Apprentice star Donald Trump, and has 

designed, and now operates, seven fitness facilities at Trump 

Place and Trump World Tower in the Big Apple. “If you look 

at the typical Trump building, you’ll see that the materials are 

all upscale, and utilize a great deal of marble,” says Kass. 

“While we can’t use marble in a cycling studio, we found that 

we could use a marbleized pattern manufactured by Mondo 

USA (www.mondousa.com) that met all of our durability, 

Ace Apprentice Mondo flooring stars in Trump cycling center 


design, and other criteria. It provides a wonderful transition 

from an adjacent waterfall and swimming pool, both of which 

feature a lot of marble. The flooring is sheet-style, and the 

continuity of pattern it creates looks just great.” 

Locker Room 

One of the first things that DelReanne Johnson Lucas, a 

principal at drj designs, inc., in Albuquerque, New Mexico 

(www.drjdesigns.com), considers when designing a locker 

room is the membership demographic. “People spend a lot 

of time in the locker room, so it’s essential that the prevailing 

aesthetic is one that appeals to your target market,” she 

stresses. “Beyond that, you need to be thinking about budget, 

slip-resistance, maintenance issues, and, as important as 

any other factor—smell. If you use carpet, it should be waterresistant 

and have an antimicrobial backing.” 

In the case of Fusion Fitness, in Santa Rosa, California, the 

owner’s design goal was to extend the club’s “upscale funlooking 

attitude” into the women’s locker room. Johnson Lucas 

accomplished the task with a clever combination of carpet and 

stained concrete. “There was already an actual casino carpet, 

and four or five colors of stained concrete, in the club,” she 

explains. “For the new carpet, we held onto the casino style, 

selecting a pattern and a tight-weave, solution-dyed nylon 

that make for easy cleaning; we used it mainly in front of the 

lockers, to maximize comfort. We picked up on a cayenne color 

in the carpet, and used it for the stained concrete in the wet and 

vanity areas, where water is an issue.” 

Cardiovascular Exercise Area 

When it comes to cardio centers, Joel B. Cantor, a principal at 

Joel B. Cantor AIA Architect, in San Francisco (415-957-9755), 

is something of an iconoclast. “The common belief is that 

cardio areas shouldn’t be carpeted because of all the sweating 

that takes place there,” he observes, “but many of my clients 

still want carpet—even if it means putting rubber mats 

under each piece of equipment. Carpeting that’s aesthetically 

pleasing, durable, and stain- and bacteria-resistant can work 

well,” he insists. “Another popular flooring alternative for this 

area is stained concrete.” 

Cantor’s philosophy is illustrated, quite beautifully, by a treatment 

he orchestrated for the Prime Time Athletic Club, in Burlingame, 

California. “In this case, we selected the carpet to accord to the 

general theme of the remodeling project,” he indicates. “To 

distinguish different areas, the interior designer and I employed 

two different carpet patterns—small repetitive squares for 

the equipment areas, and a contrasting linear pattern for the 

hallways. Because we knew equipment would be positioned 

on the carpet, we chose one with a tight weave and low pile, 

made from a durable synthetic fiber; we also required that 

it have antimicrobial backing to fight bacteria and odor. 

“We used rubber mats under some of the heavier equipment, 

but made sure that a great deal of the carpet remained exposed.”

Spa-cial surface Forbo suggests upscale at Lakeshore Athletic Tile wiles Daltile pool pattern mimics locker-room’s marble 

Another advantage of carpeting in the cardio center, Cantor 

points out, is sound attenuation. “Although people may have 

earphones on,” he says, “the carpet does a lot to deaden sound, 

and makes for a more pleasant environment.” 

Massage/Treatment Rooms 

For many multipurpose clubs, spa amenities aren’t a major 

focus, and, as a result, treatment rooms may pose unique 

challenges—e.g., the need to achieve a great deal with 

limited space, and on a limited budget. However, Doni Visani, a 

principal at Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative, in Denver (www.olcarchitects), 

offers some words of reassurance. “There are always 

things you can do at a reduced scale, and with a limited budget,” he 

asserts, “and that includes for flooring.” 

Visani identifies five critical flooring attributes that are required 

to foster a “spa” feel in a treatment room; (1) The flooring needs 

to be attractive, and, in higher-end spas, natural materials are 

preferred; (2) It needs to be easy to maintain since the oils and 

chemicals used in the room can stain; (3) It needs to be reasonably 

priced; (4) It should be resilient to ensure the comfort both of clients 

and the technicians who spend most of the day on their feet; 

and (5) It should attenuate sound, as peace and quiet are among 

a spa’s most important products. 

At the Lakeshore Athletic Club, in Broomfield, Colorado, Visani 

was asked to create an upscale look and feel for the facility’s two 

10'x 12' treatment/massage rooms, but at a reasonable cost. “What 

we came up with was Marmoleum, a hybrid linoleum flooring 

produced by Forbo (www.forboLinoleumNA.com),” he says. “It has 

a marbleized look and texture, and contains cork, which makes it 

comfortable for clients and staff, but is much less expensive, and 

easier to install and maintain, than other types of flooring. It 

was $4-$5 per square foot, which puts it, roughly, on a par with 

high-end carpet.” 

Pool 

There are two, possibly three, principal concerns when you 

consider flooring needs for pool or whirlpool areas, reflects 

Bryan Dunkelberger, a senior designer with Sasaki Associates, 

in Watertown, Massachusetts (www.sasaki.com). The material 

employed must be slip-resistant to ensure safety and reduce 

liability exposure. It must resist bacteria. And it must be easy 

to clean. “You’d never put carpeting in a pool area,” he declares. 

“Generally, you’d utilize hard surfaces, such as concrete or 

tile. Tile and stained concrete offer great looks and easy maintenance; 

and, with tile, you should use an epoxy grout that 

won’t show dirt or mold. 

“You need to be diligent with respect to maintenance—that’s 

an operational, as much as an architectural, issue.” 

Many pool floors, he adds, now make use of a product 

called Cool Deck, which has a rough texture and is imprinted 

with pigment. 

At the Bosse Sports and Health Club, in Sudbury, Massachusetts, 

Dunkelberger’s challenge was to match the pool 

flooring with that in the upscale locker rooms, which boasted 

a tumbled marble stone floor. “It was much too expensive 

a surface to use in the 3,000-square-foot pool area, so we worked 

with the Daltile Corporation (www.daltile.com) to create 

an alternative using standard ceramic tile,” he explains. “It 

took us about three tries, but, eventually, they were able to 

match the beautiful marble color—with a combination of 

dark, light, and gray beiges. It was a bit more expensive, but 

it would have cost, maybe, $10 per square foot more to move 

up to marble. We kept the cost down, and didn’t compromise 

on the appearance.” 

JON FELD is a contributing editor for CBI and can be reached 

at kjfeld@rcn.com. 

www.ihrsa.org FEBRUARY 2005 Club Business International 63 

Photography (right): John Bellenis

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rewarding event!” 

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International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association 

Get Active 

IHRSA2005 

SPECIAL CONVENTION SECTION 

The Premier International Convention & 

Trade Show for the Fitness & Health Club Industry 

We’re Counting the Days! 

After a long wait, IHRSA’s 24th Annual Convention and Trade Show is, finally, just one 

month away. As you’ve probably gathered from earlier issues of CBI, this is predictably, 

invariably, the industry’s most exciting and rewarding event, and the 2005 edition offers 

more reasons to access the action than ever before. Among the distinguished keynote 

speakers are General Tommy Franks, U.S. Army Ret., the former commander of the 

U.S. Central Command; researcher, author, and healthy-lifestyle provocateur Dean 

Ornish, M.D.; and football legend Joe Theismann. Like its illustrious predecessors, 

IHRSA ’05 also delivers a wealth of informative addresses, insightful seminars, enlightening 

forums, networking opportunities, and, of course, the industry’s most comprehensive trade 

show. Each day of the four-day (March 16-19) event is filled with thrilling activities, and, to 

drive home that point, we’ve listed some of the “featured presentations” for a single day 

(Friday, March 18) here: 

FRIDAY FEATURES 

“Kill Darius!” 

If you’ve already seen the movie, Alexander, or even if you haven’t, you should check out this lecture 

by Jay Singer, the president of ACCESS Dynamics LLC, a corporate marketing firm. His subject, 

Alexander the Great, remains one of history’s most fascinating and celebrated figures. At the tender 

age of 20, he acceded to the Macedonian throne, and, at 23, he defeated Darius III and the Persian 

Empire at the Battle of Gaugamela. When he died at the age of 32, he had arguably accomplished 

more than any other leader in history. Singer will provide an intimate and inspiring account of 

Alexander’s life, and detail the brilliant strategy he employed to defeat a much larger opponent in 

this pivotal battle. The insights and lessons Singer elicits can help you overcome significant odds to 

achieve impressive victories of your own. 

Insight Selling 

Heather Shea Schultz, of the Canaan Consulting Group, will describe the personal and emotional 

attributes that, properly orchestrated, can create long-term, mutually beneficial results when selling 

club memberships, products, or services. The presentation is based on her new cutting-edge text, 

Insight Selling, which she coauthored with Richard Whiteley. Schultz will also discuss the tactical, 

day-to-day, basics that salespeople need to master in order to succeed. Her approach is fast. It’s fun. 

And it works. 

IHRSA’s 24th Annual International Convention & Trade Show MARCH 16-19, 2005 SPECIAL SECTION 65


Get Active 


Healthy Aging & the Compression 

of Morbidity: 

The Ultimate Goal of Health Promotion 

In 1980, Dr. James Fries, of Stanford University, formulated a groundbreaking hypothesis—i.e., 

Compression of Morbidity—that has since become one of the principal, theoretical building blocks of 

contemporary health-promotion and healthy-aging programs. Fries concludes that preventive factors, 

such as sound nutrition and regular exercise, have a greater impact on morbidity (disease incidence) 

than on mortality: that is, a healthy lifestyle is most effective in preventing chronic medical conditions. 

Fries will explore his work and findings with convention attendees. Fries is also active in The Health 

Project, a national public/private consortium created to promote healthy-lifestyle initiatives. 

Metabolic Biochemistry & 

Anti-Inflammatory Sports Medicine: 

The Athletes’ Unfair Advantage 

Olympic athletes, competitive sportsmen, weekend warriors—all may, by virtue of their exertions, 

subject themselves to the physical stress induced by the heavy production of free radicals. Intense 

exercise may generate such high levels that free radicals overwhelm the body’s natural antioxidant 

defenses, leading to chronic antioxidant insufficiency. Drs. Barry Sears, of Zone Labs, Inc., and 

Stephen Sinatra, of the New England Heart Center, will discuss the complex process of intracellular 

energy production (ATP), and suggest how nutritional supplements can be used to minimize the problem, 

while enhancing athletic performance. 

Talking Money 

“Americans are addicted to debt!” That’s the battle cry of Jean Chatzky, the financial editor of the 

Today Show, on NBC, and the author of Pay It Down: From Debt to Wealth on $10 a Day. Chatzky, 

who’s determined to help the nation’s debt junkies shake their habit, will offer a wealth of practical tips 

to help them put their financial house in order—from simply eliminating that expensive cup of morning 

coffee at Starbucks, to negotiating a lower credit-card interest rate. (For more information on Chatzky’s 

presentation and book, see December CBI, pg. 58.) 

FEATURED PRESENTERS 

All featured presentations will be offered on 

Friday, March 18, from 11 a.m. to noon. 

JAY SINGER 

ACCESS Dynamics LLC 

“Kill Darius!” 

Sponsored by the International Fitness 

Club Network (IFCN) 

HEATHER SHEA SCHULTZ 

Canaan Consulting Group 

Insight Selling 

DR. JAMES FRIES 

Stanford University 

Healthy Aging & the Compression 

of Morbidity: The Ultimate Goal of 

Health Promotion 

Presented by the American Journal of Health 

Promotion 

DR. BARRY SEARS 

Zone Labs, Inc. 

DR. STEPHEN T. SINATRA 

New England Heart Center 

Metabolic Biochemistry & 

Anti-Inflammatory Sports Medicine: 

The Athlete’s Unfair Advantage 

Sponsored by the Zone Cafe 

JEAN CHATZKY 

Today Show 

Talking Money 

66 SPECIAL SECTION MARCH 16-19, 2005 IHRSA’s 24th Annual International Convention & Trade Show

Get Active 



WHAT TO SEE AND DO 

NEWS ABOUT CRUISES 

In the past few issues of CBI, we’ve pointed you in the direction of some of San Francisco’s most tempting terrestrial attractions. 

This month, we’d like to point out that the setting for IHRSA’s 2005 convention also has a great deal of aquatic appeal. No trip to 

the city is complete without a boat ride around the world-renowned San Francisco Bay! Among the most popular bay-watch 

providers are the following: 

BAY BREEZE CHARTERS 

This company’s fleet of sailboats offers you a unique perspective on Sausalito, historic Alcatraz Island, romantic sunsets 

beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, and San Francisco’s breathtaking waterfront (by day) and glittering skyline (by night). 

You’ll be invited to help hoist and trim the sails, and take your turn at the helm, for the full sailing experience, or to just sit 

back, relax, and enjoy the sights while their professional crew does the work. 

Phone: 800-849-9256 www.sailsfbay.com 

BLUE & GOLD FLEET 

Conveniently located on San Francisco’s historic waterfront at Pier 41 (adjacent to Pier 39), Blue and Gold is the Bay 

Area’s largest provider of ferry and water-excursion services, and the exclusive provider of tours to Alcatraz. The firm also 

offers a wide variety of cruises, including: spectacular outings on San Francisco Bay; ferries to Angel Island, Sausalito, 

Tiburon, Vallejo, and Alameda/Oakland; and tours of San Francisco, the Muir Woods, Monterey/Carmel, the Napa/Sonoma 

wine country, and Yosemite National Park. 

Phone: 415-773-1188 www.blueandgoldfleet.com 

FIVE STAR CHARTERS 

Five Stars offers both chartered and public cruises for brunch, lunch, casino gaming, and dinner/dancing. Depending on 

your boat’s route—determined, in part, by your captain’s attempt to ensure a smooth ride—you’ll be able to see many 

points of interest and types of wildlife. 

Phone: 707-538-8059 www.baydelta.com 

HORNBLOWER CRUISES 

From the decks of the Hornblower boats, you’ll be able to study the endless, interesting features of San Francisco’s skyline, 

including the landmark TransAmerica Pyramid, the Embarcadero Center’s four “fingers,” and Coit Tower on Telegraph 

Hill. You’ll also be able to sail beneath the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge and marvel at its festive lights at night. 

Phone: 888-467-6256 www.hornblower.com 

IHRSA’s 24th Annual International Convention & Trade Show MARCH 16-19, 2005 SPECIAL SECTION 67


IHRSA’s IHRSA’s 24th 24th Annual Annual 

International International Convention Convention 

& & Trade Trade Show Show 

March 16-19, 2005 

San Francisco, California 

Moscone Center South 

REGISTER NOW 

Website www.ihrsa.org/register 

Telephone 800-228-4772 (U.S., Canada) 

617-951-0055 (international) 

Fax 617-737-3323 

Mail IHRSA 2005 


PROGRAM UPDATES 

Website www.ihrsa.org/convention 

GENERAL INFO REQUESTS 

E-Mail meetings@ihrsa.org 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

Website www.ihrsa.org/hotel 

Telephone 617-316-6796 (inquiries only; 

voicemail messaging system) 

Fax 617-737-3323 

Mail IHRSA 2005 


VISITOR INFO REQUESTS 

Website www.sfcvb.org 

Telephone 415-391-2000 

Mail San Francisco Convention 

and Visitors Bureau 

201 Third St., San Francisco, CA 94103 

Get Active 


Win a Free Convention Registration 

Through the end of this month, you have the opportunity to win a free four-day convention 

registration simply by participating in IHRSA’s monthly Convention Trivia Quiz! To play, log on 

to www.ihrsa.org/meetings, and submit your answer before March 1. The names of 

those who answer the question correctly will be entered in a random drawing. The winner 

will be notified by telephone, and their name and their company’s name will also be 

announced on IHRSA’s Website. 

NOTE: If you register early and then become the lucky winner of a free registration, you’ll 

receive your choice of a refund or a credit in the amount you paid. 

Question: Where did convention speaker and financial expert Jean Chatzky attend college? 

SAVE—NOW OR NEVER! 

February 15 is the final day you can take advantage of the special price 

break for IHRSA’s 2005 International Convention and Trade Show. Act 

now, and you’ll save $55 on the cost of a full four-day registration. Delay 

until after the 15th, and you’ll pay the regular on-site registration fees. 

Don’t miss out on the chance to hear upscale presenters—e.g., General 

Tommy Franks, U.S. Army Ret., football legend Joe Theismann, wellness 

guru Dean Ornish, M.D., and financial expert Jean Chatzky—at a bargainbasement 

rate. Visit www.ihrsa.org/register to reserve your space today. 

Celebrity Watch: Heather Hawk 

Model, fitness expert, personal trainer, and 

radio and TV show hostess Heather Hawk 

will make a special guest appearance on 

behalf of SportsArt Fitness, which will launch 

its new X-Trainer total-body unit at the IHRSA 

trade show. As a young girl, Hawk aspired to 

be a dancer, but was denied the opportunity 

by spina bifida, which forced her off the 

stage and into therapy; there she learned 

about the importance of strengthening the 

muscles to support the spine and alleviate 

pain. Thereafter, Hawk headed to the gym, 

built a sound body, and developed a strong 

desire to help others achieve their own 

health and fitness goals. Today, Hawk hosts 

her own radio show and television’s Fit on Fox 

Heavenly Heather Hawk 

with Heather Hawk. Look for her in booth 1635. 

68 SPECIAL SECTION MARCH 16-19, 2005 IHRSA’s 24th Annual International Convention & Trade Show

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Fitness Industry Technology February 2005 continued 

The Group-Exercise HIGH 

The growing number, sophistication, and 

variety of GROUP-X OPTIONS continue to 

TURN EXERCISE FROWNS INTO WORKOUT SMILES 

iI ONCE observed a friend emerge from a group-exercise 

class that had been packed with people. His shirt was 

soaked, and his face was flushed, but he was smiling from 

ear to ear. I asked him why he chose the class over some 

other form of exercise. After a moment of reflection, he 

laughed and said, “Misery loves company, I guess.” 

I recall this conversation now because of its 

irony—the notion of being miserable and loving it— 

which is, in fact, one of the principal attractions of 

group exercise. People, as a rule, tend to avoid exercise, 

but in a group-x class, where everyone is moving 

in harmony, and the instructor is barking out 

cues to a pulsating beat, any discomfort is assuaged 

by something more profound. 

> “Group exercise… differentiates 

your club from the competition, 

attracts new members, and is 

effective in retaining current ones.” 

“It’s all about the experience,” explains Rich 

Boggs, the CEO of Body Training Systems (BTS), 

which markets a number of wildly successful groupx 

programs. “In a group environment, people are 

establishing relationships with fellow participants 

and bonding with the instructor. They’re all working 

toward the common goals of getting a good 

workout, having fun, and seeing results. There’s so 

much energy and excitement that concerns about 

age, physical appearance, or athletic ability simply 

don’t matter.” 

But not all classes are created equal, which is a 

matter of some concern for Boggs. “Participation 


has declined 50% in the past 10 years,” he notes. “If 

instructors don’t deliver a consistent, simple, and 

entertaining class that produces real results, attendance 

will drop, and your group-x program won’t 

reach its potential.” 

And the “potential” is definitely there. In the 

IHRSA publication, Why People Stay, Dr. Jim Annesi, 

Ph.D., and Patricia Amend report that 90% of people 

prefer to exercise in a group rather than going it 

alone. “Group exercise, when it’s offered in a consistent, 

professional manner,” adds Boggs, “differentiates 

your club from the competition, attracts new 

members, and is effective in retaining current ones.” 

Group-x has continued to evolve in response 

to shifting demographics and changing desires. 

Patricia Ryan, the vice president of educational 

development for the IDEA Health and Fitness Association, 

notes that, while classes used to focus on 

cardiovascular fitness, today, they’re also concerned 

with strength, balance, and core conditioning. “Ten 

years ago,” she recalls, “the studios were largely 

devoid of equipment. Now, you see steps, tubing, 

free weights, weighted bars, stability balls, ‘unstable’ 

equipment, such as the BOSU trainer, plus rehab 

and alternative exercise equipment.” And there’s no 

end to the innovative new programs—from Bootcamp 

to Cardio Striptease. 

My old friend might not recognize group-x in 

2005, but he’d surely appreciate the one simple fact 

that remains unchanged: If these people are miserable—well, 

you certainly can’t tell by the smiles on 

their faces. 

STEVEN WALLENFELS is a contributing editor for 

CBI and can be reached at stevewall@charter.net.

F 

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GROUP EXERCISE 

BALAZS, INC. 

SEE F.I.T. OPENER ON PAGE 71 

Track System 


Have your members been begging for 

a high-impact fitness experience? And 

have you, until now, claimed that space 

was the overriding obstacle? The Balazs 

Track System for Heavy Bags can transform 

any room into a boxing/kickboxing 

studio—and then back to its original 

state—in mere seconds. Custom-configured 

to meet the needs of individual 

clubs, the unique system is ideally suited 

for facilities that lack the space to 

create a dedicated boxing/kickboxing 

studio. It consists of a ceiling-mounted 

track, movable trolleys, and a centrally 

located switch that operates a brake in 

each trolley. The versatile track allows 

heavy bags to glide effortlessly from 

their storage space to the workout area, 

and back, bending around corners and 

extending into closets, if necessary. 

Combo Gloves and Target/Focus Mitts 

With a Balazs Track System for Heavy 

Bags in place, the next step is to provide 

the right gloves and mitts. Balazs’ leather 

boxing gloves are designed for optimum 

comfort, protection, and versatility. They 

include thick, shock-absorbing foam 

padding, a Velcro wrist strap, and a 

thumb strap, and can be used with target 

mitts, a heavy bag, or a sparring partner. 

Youth gloves are also available. The Target/Focus 

Mitts, which are made of topgrain 

leather or durable synthetic leather 

with dense foam padding, include hand 

slots and Velcro wrist straps. Boxing and 

martial arts coaches and group exercise 

instructors use the mitts to develop jabs, 

hooks, uppercuts, and kicks. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $55 Combo Gloves; 

$47 Target/Focus Mitts 

Boxing Basics Program 

For an unbeatable instructional experience, 

the Balazs Boxing Basics program 

can be taken at regional ACE-approved 

classes held regionally or through home 

study using the company’s instructional 

DVD I-Box Fitness Boxing Fundamentals. 

The workshop and DVD both 

review basic punching and bag techniques, 

target mitt drills, and advanced 

combinations. Also included are basic 

and advanced workout and boxing conditioning 

techniques and teaching and 

coaching skills to motivate students. 

Workshop participants receive a manual, 

Combo Gloves, a Wrapplicator, and 

the I-Box video or DVD. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $195 per person for 

3-hour workshop; $25 I-Box DVD 

BCUBE 

FITBOXE 

FITBOXE is an exciting new group 

activity that combines aerobics, martial 

arts, and self-defense training methods. 

This complete package includes the program, 

a FITBOXE Punch Bag, gloves, 

and wrist wraps. The punching bag features 

a red hitting surface, a dark gray 

base that can be anchored with sand or 


similar materials, and six, no-slip feet 

that prevent it from sliding on the floor 

when in use. The FITBOXE Punch Bag 

isn’t intended for use in full-fledged boxing 

or martial arts programs. 

BODY BAR SYSTEMS 

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Body Bar 

Add power and versatility to your group 

exercise classes, personal training sessions, 

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with the Body Bar, a weighted fitness bar 

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durable rubber. The 4' Classic Bar comes 

in increments of 4, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 

pounds; the Mini–Bar is 2' and comes in 

2, 4, and 6 pounds. Body Bar-Light is 3' 

and is available in 3, 6, and 9 pounds; 

and the 5' and 6' Heavy Personal Training 

Bars come in 30 and 36 pounds. The 

“Master Your Body” program is committed 

to enhancing professional education 

and creative programming through innovative 

use of the Body Bar, and, to that 

end, the company offers workshops, 

master classes, club programs and an 

ongoing series of videos/DVDs. 

BODYBLADE 

Bodyblade Workshops 

Through Bodyblade, you can become a 

fitness training leader. If your facility 

registers to host a Bodyblade workshop, 

you will receive marketing materials, a 

free mini master class for members, a 

25% discount on Bodyblade Club Packs, 

and you will be provided with a Bodyblade 

master trainer to lead the event.

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Since 1992, Bodyblade has presented 

fitness training workshops throughout 

the world, and it currently offers three 

courses: Driver’s Education, the threehour 

mandatory beginning program; 

Personal Training, a one-hour session 

highlighting one-on-one workouts; and 

MindBodyblade, a one-hour yoga and 

Pilates-based routine. Bodyblade also 

handles all administrative duties associated 

with the workshops, including registration 

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promotes the event on the company’s 

Website. Participants receive a Bodyblade 

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Manufacturer’s list price: $99 per person 

BODYTRAININGSYSTEMS 

bodytrainingsystems 

Body Training Systems (BTS) currently 

offers five group-fitness programs— 

BodyPUMP, BodyCOMBAT, BodySTEP, 

BodyFLOW, and RPM—that have 

enabled more than 8,000 health clubs 

worldwide to increase member participation, 

enhancing their bottom line. 

The company offers high-quality programming, 

training, and management 

and marketing tools so licensees can 

refine their business processes and 

increase profitability. 

CLUBRAMP.COM 


Incline Walking on The Ramp 

ClubRamp.com has introduced Incline 

Walking on The Ramp, a new groupexercise 

program that targets the decon- 

ditioned and other relatively inactive 

populations, such as walkers, the readyto-be-fit, 

and aging exercisers. Developed 

by Gin Miller, the legendary fitness 

pioneer and creator of step aerobics, 

Incline Walking on the Ramp is the first 

group-walking program for the aerobics 

studio. It consists of a simple series of 

linear, low-impact walking movements 

that burn calories and fat as fast as a 

4-mph treadmill workout. The 30-minute 

sessions simulate walking up a hill, 

causing exercisers to feel their heart 

rates increase and their glutes and 

thighs burn. An Introduction to Incline 

Walking video is available upon request. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $89.95 for the Ramp 

with volume discount, plus S&H 

CONCEPT2, INC. 


Group Rowing 

Group Rowing is a 30-60-minute 

group-training program that effectively 

exercises all of the major muscle 

groups. This instructor-led, impact-free 

class makes use of the Concept2 Indoor 

Rower, with participants engaging in 

synchronous rowing. The routine 

includes a warm-up and cool-down, 

and provides both aerobic and anaerobic 

conditioning. Instructor certification 

is offered through the Concept2 Indoor 

Rowing Institute. 

COREPOLE, INC. 

Corepole 

The Corepole offers a fresh, functional, 

and safe twist on traditional resistance 

exercises for group-fitness classes, personal 

training, physical therapy, and 

youth and senior programs. The 6'10" 

standalone pole has seven different 

anchor points that connect to rubber 

resistance tubing. Each point can move 

a full 360 degrees, providing optimal 

variety and functionality for exercises 

such as squats, chest presses, lat pulldowns, 

and shoulder presses. Up to 

12 participants can take part simultaneously, 

and exercisers can adjust the 

height of their individual tubes to 

facilitate different movements. The 

resistance tubing, which comes in 

three levels of difficulty, is covered 

with a safety sleeve to provide protection 

in the case of breakage. 

EFI SPORTS MEDICINE 

GRAVITYSystem 

GRAVITYSystem has devised a single 

machine that can accommodate all four 

of its programming disciplines—group 

strength training, personal training, 

Pilates, and post-rehab—while effectively 

expanding your club’s program variety 

and generating additional revenue. 

It’s a gravity-training device called the 

GTS machine, and it facilitates efficient, 

functional, full-body workouts in a minimal 

amount of space. The GTS employs 

an individual’s body weight to generate 

resistance, utilizing a cable-and-pulley 

system and a free-motion glide board; 

the unit provides eight levels of resistance 

and facilitates more than 250 

strength-training, stretching, and Pilates 

exercises. Personal trainers receive the 

Complete GTS Library that details more 

than 100 exercises and progressions as 

well as information on variation, tempos, 

and programs designed to meet 

specific client goals. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $2,695 plus shipping 


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FITTER INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

DuraBall PRO 

Advanced strength trainers need an 

exercise ball that can withstand excessive 

amounts of pressure, weight and 

wear, and that’s why the DuraBall PRO 

exercise ball was created. It is burstrated 

to 1,000 pounds and load-rated 

to 2,200 pounds, and boasts excellent 

firmness, consistency, and durability. 

The DuraBall PRO encourages an “s” 

shape in the lower back, both to center 

body mass over the ball and to provide 

a stable pelvis on which to balance the 

body. 

Manufacturer’s list price: From $39.95 

Wobble Boards 

Incorporating the patented tri-level 

Wobble Boards into your fitness program 

will help your members gain confidence 

and build agility as they tackle 

dynamic movements, increasing their 

range of motion (R.O.M) and proprioceptive 

awareness. These boards effectively 

prevent injury, expedite rehabilitation, 

and improve overall performance 

in sports and daily living. They are suitable 

for use in clubs, clinics, homes, and 

offices and come in beginner, intermediate, 

and advanced levels, each accompanied 

by a stand. 

Manufacturer’s list price: From $59.95 

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FREEMOTION FITNESS 


Group and Personal Training 

Based on the company’s philosophy of 

functional integrated training, FreeMotion 

Group and Personal Training gives 

health clubs an opportunity to drive 

revenues, while providing members 

with valuable variety. Each educational 

program makes use of the versatile 

FreeMotion Cable Column to facilitate a 

number of exercises. The Group program 

is a classic group-exercise application 

that accommodates any class 

size, while the Personal Training format 

is designed for a smaller number of 

participants. Licensed facilities receive 

onsite training that covers each program’s 

format, techniques to meet the 

needs of a diverse population, and tips 

on implementation. 

Reebok Professional 

Studio Products 

FreeMotion Fitness has teamed up with 

Reebok International and Reebok University 

to offer a comprehensive selection of 

studio products, including balance balls, 

medicine balls, hand weights, and resistance 

tubes. FreeMotion also distributes 

the Reebok Core Board, Reebok Step, 

and the Rep Reebok, which includes a 

steel tube barbell, a set of rubber-coated 

plates, and spring-locking collars. The 

newest addition is the Reebok Deck, an 

innovative exercise platform that offers 

dynamic, total-body workout options 

for personal trainers and group-exercise 

instructors. All Reebok Professional 

Studio products have been tested for 

functionality and durability by Master 

Trainers from Reebok University, a 

research institute. 


GLIDING 


Gliding 

Gliding, a new approach to group exercise 

that makes use of a sliding-disk 

exercise system to facilitate smooth, 

fluid, graceful movements, was created 

by Mindy Mylrea, an IDEA Fitness 

Instructor of the Year and World Aerobics 

Champion. “The specially designed 

disks help users achieve optimal range 

of motion more easily and consistently 

with many exercises, including cardio 

and strength,” Mylrea explains. “Gliding 

adds a smooth touch to the tough stuff.” 

Gliding is extremely versatile, and can 

be structured as a standalone class or 

incorporated into existing formats, such 

as step, hi-low, circuit, yoga, Pilates, and 

balance training. The program is supported 

by an accomplished group of 

Master Trainers, including Lawrence 

Biscontini, Maureen Hagan, Gay Gasper, 

Rob Glick, Marcos Prolo, Sherri McMillan, 

Jeff Howard, and Keli Roberts. 

Manufacturer’s retail price: club starter 

package (25 units), $199 

IM=X PILATES 

Pilates Body Bars 

Create more flexible workout options for 

your members with Pilates Body Bars. 

The three-, six-, or nine-pound bars can 

be introduced to tone the arms, back, and 

abs and add variety to group workouts. 

The 4' bars, when used in combination 

with the IM=X Ring, increase difficulty 

and build muscle strength. Using the

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PilatesBody Bar with any of the IM=X 

Floor Videos will enhance workouts and 

help deliver results. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $25 


Intensive Certification 

Through the six-day Intensive Certification 

program, fitness instructors and 

personal trainers will obtain all of the 

knowledge necessary to teach the IM=X 

Pilates Floorwork and Xercizer 

(reformer) programs in a group exercise 

and/or personal training setting. 

IM=X is known for its direct approach 

to teaching stabilization, and its athletic 

approach to Pilates-style exercise. The 

certification is approved for continuing 

education credits by ACE, (1.5), AFAA 

(14.7), and ISSA. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $1,595 

Pilates Rings 

In teaching group IM=X Pilates floor 

programs, the IM=X Ring is an essential 

tool because it helps to quickly 

enhance pelvic stability and core muscle 

recruitment patterns. The Ring is 

an important device in achieving spine 

stabilization, and it also allows exercisers 

to add resistance to abdominal, hip, 

thigh, chest, and back exercises. The 

lightweight, one-pound ring has a 15" 

diameter and cushioned handles for a 

comfortable, easy grip. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $29.95 each; 10 or 

more: $24.95 each; bulk discounts are available 

IRON GRIP BARBELL 

COMPANY 


Group Strength 

Strength trainers will gladly gather 

’round the Group Strength equipment 

system, which offers versatility, unique 

safety features, and easy handling. 

Group Strength’s most unique feature is 

its set of rubber-encased weight plates 

with two integrated handgrips, designed 

to facilitate quick and safe transitions 

between exercises. The handgrips also 

allow the plates to be utilized for exercises 

that normally require a dumbbell. 

For added versatility—and weight— 

each set includes a lightweight, straight 

chromed bar that can hold up to 100 

pounds and commercial-grade collars. 

The heavy-duty, welded Group Strength 

storage rack can be easily locked to 

keep the equipment secure. Group 

Strength equipment is designed to 

complement a variety of group strengthtraining 

programs, including existing 

classes, and is endorsed by Body Training 

Systems, the creators of BODYPUMP. 

KEISER CORPORATION 

Keiser Performance and Kic-It 

For cycling instructors who want to go 

the extra mile, Keiser offers two different 

types of certification programs for indoor 

group cycling. Keiser Performance 

Cycling is a one-day introductory course 

designed to teach instructors the basics of 

setting up and leading an energetic, effective 

class using proper cycling techniques. 

Kic-It is a comprehensive, two-day course 

that allows for more instruction and indepth 

knowledge of proper cycling techniques 

as well as other skills that will 

allow instructors to produce diverse, 

high-quality cycling class formats. 

KETTLEBELL CONCEPTS 

Continuing Education Courses 

Kettlebell Concepts (KBC) can augment 

your club’s offerings and revenues with a 

complete, turn-key fitness program that 

can be added to your group fitness and 

personal training options. The program 

involves training with Kettlebells, a oneof-a-kind 

exercise tool with a U-shaped 

handle that helps to increase members’ 

strength, flexibility, coordination, speed 

and endurance. To implement the program 

in your club, KBC offers three 

continuing education courses for fitness 

professionals: Kettlebells for General Performance 

and Health (Levels 1-3), Kettlebells 

for the Creative Mover (Levels 1-3), 

and the Kettlebell Group Fitness Program. 

Stacey Lei Krauss and Shannon 

Griffith lead the Group Fitness Program, 

and the company has trained more than 

400 fitness professionals to date. 

Manufacturer’s list price: Group Fitness 

Program: $199; Kettlebells for General 

Performance and Health: $399 for each level; 

Kettlebells for the Creative Mover: $399 for 

each level 

LIFE FITNESS 

SEE OUR AD ON THE BACK COVER 

LeMond RevMaster Group 

Cycling Programs 

The LeMond Academy offers three different 

group exercise workshops for 

health and fitness instructors. Its introductory 

LeMond RevMaster Cycling 

Training course is intended for begin- 


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ners, and covers the fundamentals of 

stationary cycling and designing an 

effective and safe, indoor group exercise 

program. The LeMond RevMaster 

Advanced Training class, as its name 

implies, is designed for seasoned 

instructors, and focuses on heart-ratezone 

training, and how to effectively 

apply participants’ goals and intensity 

levels. The third workshop, called Bike 

Fit for Indoor Cycling, teaches instructors 

how to properly adjust the position 

of the bike to best fit the rider, concentrating 

on alignment physiology and the 

foot-pedal interface. 

MAD DOGG ATHLETICS, INC. 

Spinning 

The Spinning program is the original 

indoor cycling program, and combines 

coaching, music, mind/body philosophy, 

and heart-rate training in energizing, 

cycling-inspired rides designed for individuals 

of all abilities. First offered in 

the commercial market in 1994, the 

Spinning program is now taught by 

more than 100,000 certified instructors 

in thousands of facilities in 80 countries 

worldwide. Mad Dogg Athletics develops 

and markets the Spinning program, 

Spinning Instructor training and continuing 

education programs, and the 

patented Spinner bike, which is manufactured 

by Star Trac. It also operates 

SPIN, a member-based program that 

offers discounts on gear, apparel, bikes, 

and education resources. 

MYGYM FITNESS SYSTEM 


NEW 

MyGym 

MyGym Fitness System will launch a 

new product next month, during 

IHRSA’s 24th annual International Con- 

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vention and Trade Show, that promises 

to deliver a revolutionary total-body, 

group-exercise workout. MyGym’s 

unique design allows users to train the 

entire body anaerobically, while, at the 

same time, maximizing aerobic benefits. 

The company has also devised a 

new class format, BodyWave, that’s 

guaranteed to add energy and excitement 

to group-fitness classes. Participants 

train the core body parts in 

“waves” of exercises that work the 

entire body a number of times to 

achieve maximum shaping, toning, and 

fat-loss results. 

NAUTILUS HEALTH AND 

FITNESS GROUP 

SEE OUR AD ON THE INSIDE FRONT COVER 

Schwinn Cycling 

For indoor cycling instructors who want 

to get up to speed on the latest protocols, 

Schwinn Indoor Cycling offers two 

training programs and a multitude of 

continuing education workshops. The 

12-hour Comprehensive Training Program 

is a one-and-a-half-day course 

designed for instructors who have no 

prior experience with Indoor Cycling. 

The eight-hour Integration System is a 

one-day training program for instructors 

who have already taken another 

cycling training course or have been 

active in cycling. Both programs teach 

individuals how to run an effective, 

results-oriented class that focuses on 

biomechanics, heart-rate training, and 

cadence control. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $270/person (12hour 

training); $200/person (8-hour training) 


POWER PLATE 

Power Plate 

The Power Plate represents both a powerful 

workout tool and a revenue-generator. 

Its advanced vibration technology 

uses the body’s innate response to disruptions 

in gravity or stability to build muscle, 

bone strength and range of motion. 

Individuals stand on the platform, and the 

vibrations between 30-50 times per second 

trigger a neural reflexive response 

that increases blood flow to muscles to 

reduce muscle, tendon, and joint pain. 

The Power Plate requires the supervision 

of personal trainers and warrants unique 

training session fees for personal and 

group training settings. Also, because 

advanced vibration technology has maximum 

session lengths of only 15-20 minutes, 

it allows clubs to significantly 

increase the number of daily group training 

sessions. This unique modality is beneficial 

because it can attract anyone reluctant 

to try conventional, dynamic physical 

activity as well. 

POWER SYSTEMS 

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 101 

Kettlebells, CardioBells 

More than 100 years ago, powerlifters 

and members of the Red Army in 

Russia were using kettlebells to 

obtain challenging cardiovascular and 

strength workouts, and now, thanks to 

Power Systems, health club members 

in the U.S. can do the same. These 

unique weights can be utilized in 

swings, lifts, and clean-and-jerks to 

develop strength, power, endurance, 

and dynamic flexibility. The kettlebells 

come in weights ranging from 20 to 50 

pounds. The vinyl-coated premium line 

is available in 20-, 25-, and 30-pound 

denominations; and the vinyl-coated 

CardioBells are color-coded and weigh 

in at 15, 20, and 25 pounds. An 

instructional DVD is provided.

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The PowerCut system is a two-in-one, 

full-body cardio and resistance training 

program that works each major muscle 

group while increasing the heart rate. 

It employs the PowerCut weight set, 

which consists of one standard 48" 

steel bar with a PVC-coated grip, 

two 10-pound, two 5-pound, and two 

2.5-pound virgin rubber-coated weight 

plates, and one pair of spring collars. 

The optional PowerCut training video 

includes choreography, instruction 

on proper stance and technique, and 

programming for group fitness and 

home use. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $49.95 (barbell set 

and video); $39.95 (barbell set only) 

Protect Your Floor and Your Equipment 

We’re Your “Department Store” 

for Genuine Rubber Mats and Flooring 

Large, One-Piece 

PowerPads 

Widths: 4' to 6' 

Lengths: 6' to 16' 

BUDGET 

PRICED! 

48" x 72" 

Gymatts 

in 4 Colors 

one simple bar… 

one simple solution… 

We’ll show you how. 

The Original Body Bar and 

Body Bar Club Programs. 

Not just a piece of equipment, but a 

source of education & new programming 

for every instructor and personal trainer. 

800.500.2030 • www.bodybars.com 

Mention CBI & receive a FREE video with your next Body Bar order. 

Linear Rubber Products 

Top Mat II 

48" x 48" 

Square or 

Interlocking Tiles 

Solid or Confetti 

Color Flecks 

Factory Direct Prices! - - Low Nationwide Freight Rates! 

1-800-558-4040 rubbermats.com 

Shaping America’s Future 

• Non-intimidating, Safe, Fun 

• Introduce Kids into a Healthy Lifestyle 

• Increase Family Memberships 

• New Profit Center 

• Improve Member Retention 

Kids PE is Ideal for Health Clubs, YMCA’s, 

Schools, Community/ Recreation Centers, 

Youth Teams, Church Groups, Etc. 

For More Information on 

Kid’s PE or our adult PACE 

Ciruit Training Program, 

call 888-604-2244 or visit 

www.kidspaceexpress.com or 

www.pacegroupexercise.com.

Incredibly durable pump tops - replace less often 

New THEFT AND TAMPER RESISTANT dispensers 

Easy to refill 32 oz. bottles - stock or custom logo 

Silkscreened dispensers, unlike paper labels 

which peel and fade, look new for years 

FREE shipping on orders over $495.00 

To request our FREE catalog 

with over 1700 items call: 

800-477-4283 

www.readycare.com

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EXTRA 

This versatile solid steel fitness bar 

is ideal for core strength, functional 

training, and cardio workouts, as well 

as many other group and individual 

exercises. The VersaBar is covered with 

a durable rubberized coating that minimizes 

tears, rips, cuts, or other damage, 

and each unit has a color-coded end cap 

to identify its weight. Bars range from 1' 

to 6' and from two pounds to 36 pounds. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $9.95 to $59.95 

PRO FIT 



Pro Fit’s PACE circuit-training equipment 

is a safe—and fail-safe—way to 

boost both member recruitment and 

retention. For adults interested in a 

quick, effective, never-boring workout, 

the PACE Hydraulic Circuit, a patented 

30-minute training program, features 

hydraulic-resistance machines to 

accommodate all fitness levels. For 

children, Pro Fit offers the Kid’s PACE 

Express (PE), a series of hydraulicresistance 

single stations that are completely 

safe for participants ages 7-11. 

In each case, the machines can be 

arranged in a circuit and supplemented 

with accessories, such as aerobic steps 

and jump ropes, to create fun and nonintimidating 

strength and cardiovascular 

workouts. A marketing package, 

NESTA certification, and accessories 

are included with both PACE circuits. 

SCIFIT 


Fit-Quik 

Scifit’s Fit-Quik is a fun, fast-paced 

strength training and cardiovascular 

workout that requires as little as 30 minutes. 

The classes make use of six pieces 

of SCIFIT equipment that are comfortable 

and easy to use, and are led by a 

Fit-Quik coach, who provides motivation 

and instruction. Small class sizes provide 

a high level of personal attention. Fit- 

Quik is a perfect workout for people who 

know they should exercise, but don’t 

have much time to do so. SCIFIT’s Fit- 

Key system makes class flow seamless 

and provides motivating documentation. 

SPORTSMITH 


Group Exercise Products 

SPORTSMITH catalogs offer an extensive 

selection of quality indoor group cycling 

parts and the most popular group personal 

training products. Replacement 

parts, service tools, manuals, and accessories 

are available for a variety of indoor 

cycling brands, including LeMond, 

Reebok, RevMaster, Schwinn and Star 

Trac. Group exercise and personal training 

products include the original STEP, 

aerobic training mats, yoga mats and 

props, BOSU Balance Trainer, Body Bar, 

and an assortment of accessories. A 

range of strength-training products, cable 

attachment bars, and accessories are 

available as well. Also, the company 

offers a comprehensive selection of 

treadmill parts, belts, and decks, which 

meet or exceed OEM specifications. 

All parts include the full SPORTSMITH 

warranty and best price guarantee. 

SPRINT AQUATICS 

Aqualogix Hand Grips 

The Aqualogix hand bells are an excellent 

training tool to help develop the upper 

body in aquatic training, and are applicable 

for overall strength development, 

sport-specific training, or rehabilitation. 

Because the hand bells create resistance 

in almost every direction, whether pushing 

or pulling, they challenge exercisers to 

reach their physical limits. The lightweight 

dumbbells are made of durable, 

long-lasting, high-impact plastic. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $59.99 

STAGESTEP, INC. 

Plyorobics 

This innovative blend of plyometrics and 

aerobics is intended to safely and effectively 

build endurance, speed, balance, 

agility, and explosive power. The challenging, 

uncomplicated choreography 

alternates periods of modified plyometric 

moves with active rest and recovery stations 

to create a class that is “hard, yet 

easy,” and always fun. The workout is 

performed on the AerSquare, a shockabsorbent, 

anti-fatigue mat with a surface 

specially designed for running, turning, 

sliding, and jumping. The unit features a 

unique, three-layered design and dimensions 

of 42" x 42". Other programs 

developed for the AerSquare include 

PlyoKick (kickboxing) and PlyoSport 

(sports interval training). 

Manufacturer’s list price: 

$79.95 (AerSquare), $19.99 (Plyorobics video) 


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An open letter to everyone in the fitness business 

What’s the power of a new idea worth to you? 

To paraphrase an old classic, we are in the worst of times and the best of times in the fitness business. Getting 

new memberships is harder, new clubs are opening faster than new members are joining, staffing is a nightmare 

on even the good days, and the chains seem to be on a mad track to do as much damage as they can to the 

fitness business in general and to the independent operator. 

We are also at one of the great turning points in the history of the fitness business. The pendulum is swinging 

in our direction as the consumer finally is getting what the fitness industry can offer. Just like the turning point 

for smoking a few years back, the consumer is seeing that fitness is real, needed and articles talking about 

everything from low carbs to Pilates are in every magazine and newspaper in the country. 

Before we can reap the benefits from a more aware and sophisticated consumer the industry itself has to 

change. In the next few years in the fitness business there will be a correction. Some clubs will thrive during 

these changing times and others will fail unable to compete or take advantage of the newer markets. 

What will separate those that make it from those that don’t could be as simple as a few new ideas for your 

business. A single but powerful idea, such as a new way to market, more efficient sales, a key staffing tip or 

simply a different way to niche your business, could be what separates you from the clubs that will struggle. 

The amazing thing about the fitness business is that anyone can be beat. You can learn to compete against any 

competitor by getting a fresh look at your business and how you run it each day. And any fitness business can 

make more money and improve. Remember that just because you were successful in the past does not mean 

that success will continue in the future without a new idea to power the change to need to make. 

The Thomas Plummer Company has been the source of business changing ideas in the fitness business for over 

15 years. Thousands of independent operators, from all over the world, have attended a TPC seminar seeking 

that one powerful new idea that could change the financial success of their business. Even if you have attended 

in the past don’t forget the motivation and inspiration you get every time you dedicate a few days to spend 

working on your business and not in it. 

Our company is in front of more independent owners per year than all other seminar providers in this industry 

combined. We are the clearinghouse for what works and what doesn’t because we are getting that immediate 

feedback from our seminar guests and consulting clients all across the country in every market. If there is a 

new idea out there that works we will be teaching it in our next seminar. 

Come spend a few days with us working on your business. You just never know when you might get that next 

powerful idea. 

The Thomas Plummer Company 

The right idea, at the right time, for your business 

P.S. Find us on the web at Thomasplummer.com 

or if you need immediate help call 800-726-3506 

The power to make money in the fitness business


INSIDE 

85 Letter from 

the President 

86 In Brief 

88 Inside IHRSA 

90 Club Advisor: 

Photo phones 

92 What’s New 

95 News From 

Associates 

99 New IHRSA 

Associates 

102 New IHRSA Clubs 

106 Calendar of Events 

112 Memo from McCarthy

“The program has taken the stress off of me as Director of 

Operations to do training consistently.” 

Jim McQuagge 

American Family Fitness Center 

“I love the training. It’s a great use of our time. The training 

works and is very easy to use for any club.” 

Linda Hansen 

Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness Club 

“It’s hard to measure convenience and quality of these training 

modules because nothing compares to this program.” 

Jeff Houghtaling 

Club Sport 

“It’s simply amazing! It’s extremely helpful on bringing new 

staff members up to speed on specific staff skills.” 

Mike Mazzei 

Paramount Fitness Center 

“The IHRSA Sales System is very organized...The representatives 

at Summit Learning Systems are diligent in their follow-up and 

always more than helpful.” 

Karen Hollingsworth 

PRO Sports Club

The Association of Successful Clubs 

The International Health, Racquet & 

Sportsclub Association is a not-for-profit 

trade association open to investor-owned and 

member-owned fitness, racquet and athletic 

facilities. Associate memberships are available 

to manufacturers or suppliers of products 

and services of use to IHRSA members. 



to provide its members with benefits that 

will help them be more successful. 

800-228-4772 USA & Canada 

617-951-0055 International 

617-951-0056 FAX 

www.ihrsa.org 

www.healthclubs.com 

E-mail: info@ihrsa.org 

Executive Director: John McCarthy 

IHRSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Julie Main: President 

Santa Barbara Athletic Club 

805-966-6147 

Carol Nalevanko: DMB Sports Clubs 

480-609-6979 

Mark Smith: Town Sports International 

212-246-6700 

David Giampaolo: 24 Hour Fitness Europe 

VCR/PiCapital 

(44) 020 7514 8920 

Joe Moore: Fitworks 

937-435-0072 

Greg Lappin: Rochester Athletic Club 

507-282-6000 

Michael Levy: Casaral Inc. 

416-961-5556, ext. 242 

Ed McCall: Brentwood Associates 

310-477-6611 

Debra Siena: TCA 

773-463-1234, ext. 249 

Cy Oskoui 

Columbia Athletic Clubs 

425-814-5300 

Tony de Leede: Fitness First Australia 

(61) 2-9387-5266 

Lloyd Gainsboro: Dedham Health & Athletic Complex 

781-326-2900 

Mike Motta: Plus One Fitness 

646-312-6200 

Ed Williams: The Wellbridge Company 

303-866-0800 

Tom Behan: Ex-officio The Alaska Clubs 

425-830-1507 

INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADORS 

Asia-Pacific Ambassador 

Michael Lamb 

Fitness First - Asia 

Malaysia 

603-2093 7980 

Latin American Ambassador 

Carlos Heitor Bergallo 

Fisilabor 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

(55)21-539-0448 

Letter from 

the President 

Out of Line? 

Out of the Game! 

Sports figure prominently in IHRSA’s name and 

in most of its member clubs. Our facilities offer 

basketball, racquetball, squash, tennis—sports 

activities and competitions of every sort—and, to their 

credit, 99.9% of the time, they do so in a safe, sane, 

responsible, and rewarding way. 

I’d like to think that, in that regard, we can serve 

as a positive role model both for sports enthusiasts 

and athletes in the world at large, who, it seems, 

have forgotten what the “game” is all about. 

Most Americans are sports fans. And whether it’s 

the local kids’ soccer team or the U.S. Olympic 

teams, we love to cheer on our favorite, root for 

the underdog, and, particularly in the case of our 

children, celebrate all of the good that sports afford. 

Why is it that, increasingly, fans and players let 

their enthusiasm, excitement, and loyalty—their 

emotional investment in the contest—get out of 

hand? Why do they feel entitled to let their passion 

take the form of despicable, violent, behavior? 

What transpires, daily, in our clubs provides an 

appropriate model, but there are plenty of fine examples to be found elsewhere. Last 

year’s summer Olympics were an excellent illustration of an appreciative response, 

on the part of spectators, and real sportsmanship, on the part of competitors. And, 

last fall, when the Boston Red Sox triumphed over the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 

the World Series, the fans in both cities were remarkably well behaved. 

As a result, Boston’s “Cinderella story” seemed a victory for all those who love baseball. 

However, by way of unfortunate contrast, we have soccer moms screaming at 

referees, hockey dads attacking (and, in at least one case, killing) coaches, and riots 

in the streets following losses by hometown teams. Most recently, we’ve been treated 

to the disturbing spectacle of fans and athletes brawling, uncontrollably, with one 

another during a basketball game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. 

The situation turned violent, innocent bystanders were injured, and everyone who 

loves basketball—lost. 

Let’s demand that sports be accorded the respect that they deserve—from those 

who participate in them, those who oversee them, those who profit, otherwise, from 

them, and those who enjoy them. Any participant who can’t abide by this simple, 

fundamental, rule should be ejected, summarily, from the game. 

Something more than a score is at stake. It’s something called human decency. 

Yours in health, 

Julie Main 

General Manager 

Santa Barbara Athletic Club 

juliem@sbathleticclub.com 

Let’s demand that sports be 

accorded the respect they deserve. 

Julie Main 



Photography: Tracy Powell

In Brief 

> Mary Matalin, former assistant 

to President George W. 

Bush and counselor to Vice 

President Dick Cheney, will 

discuss “Politics, the Presidency, 

and the Press,” during 

IHRSA’s third annual Legislative 

Summit, which will be 

held May 18-20 at the JW 

Marriott Hotel in Washington, 

D.C. Matalin, who will speak 

on May 19, is also the former 

cohost of the political talk 

shows, Crossfire and Equal 

Time, and the wife of Democratic 

strategist James Carville. 

Known worldwide for her 

humor and straightforward 

take on the day’s hottest political 

topics, Matalin will offer 

Summit attendees an exclusive, 

authoritative glimpse 

inside the world of politics. 

The Legislative Summit 

will also feature briefings on 

key industry issues; meetings 

with influential Capitol Hill 

policymakers; educational 

sessions on how to effectively 

meet and communicate with 

lawmakers; tips on influenc- 


Legal and Legislative Update 

Plan Now to Attend IHRSA’s Annual Legislative Summit 

GOP pro Mary Matalin 

Things to See & Do in D.C. 

Washington, D.C., is one of the world’s most important, 

historically rich, and culturally rewarding cities. While 

visiting it for IHRSA’s third annual Legislative Summit 

in May, you might also want to check out: 

Arlington National Cemetery 

Join the more than 4 million visitors who will tour this inspiring, 

200-acre cemetery this year. More than 260,000 people— 

including veterans from all of the nation’s wars, dating back to the 

American Revolution, as well as famous Americans from every 

field—are buried here. Points of special interest include the 

eternal flame at President John F. Kennedy’s grave, the mast 

of the USS Maine, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (For 

more information, log on to www.arlingtoncemetery.org.) 

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 

Since 1971, this center has fulfilled President Kennedy’s vision 

of enriching the human spirit by presenting a unique variety of 

theatrical, musical, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, 

jazz, popular, folk-music, and multimedia performances for 

individuals of all ages (www.kennedy-center.org). 

ing legislation; appearances 

by guest speakers; networking 

opportunities; social 

events; and much more. For 

details or to register, log on to 

www.ihrsa.org/summit. 

Voices of Experience 

Still not convinced that IHRSA’s 

Legislative Summit is a mustattend 

event? Well, just read 

what some of the IHRSA 

members who participated in 

last year’s Summit had to say: 

“The speakers who presented 

gave us all of the tools 

necessary to prepare us for 

‘taking on the Hill.’ When we 

met with staff and legislators, 

we had the introductions and 

information necessary to feel 

comfortable and confident in 

a situation that, otherwise, 

could have been daunting. It’s 

important that we all become 

politically active, and IHRSA 

has given us the vehicle to 

do so.” —Julie Main, Santa 

Barbara Athletic Club 

“Most of the staff that we 

met were active members of 

health clubs, and the legislators 

themselves were also 

pursuing active lifestyles. 

We’re very confident that 

our efforts—along with those 

of other industry leaders— 

will pay big dividends over 

time.” —Geoff Dyer, Lifestyle 

Family Fitness 

“I was astounded at how 

accessible our members of Congress 

were.” —Bob Shoulders, 

Fayetteville Athletic Club 

National Mall 

No visit to the nation’s capital would be complete without a stroll 

along the beautiful National Mall, which stretches approximately 

two miles from the U.S. Capitol Building to the Washington 

Monument. Surrounding the park are 200-year-old American 

elm trees, the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and 

the U.S. Botanic Garden (www.nps.gov/nama). 

Smithsonian Institution Museums 

Washington is also home to the world’s largest museum complex— 

16 museums that are free and open to the public, including 

the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of 

Natural History, the newly opened National Museum of the 

American Indian, and the National Zoo (www.si.edu/museums). 

White House 

Walk through the halls of the 19th-century building where every 

president since John Adams has resided. White House tours are 

scheduled several weeks, sometimes months, in advance, so 

plan ahead if you’d like to be welcomed inside the president’s 

home; contact the office of your U.S. senator or representative 

for free tickets (www.nps.gov/whho).

Flex Your Mind 

ACSM credentials are recognized by employers 

and professionals alike as the most rigorous 

and well-respected in the health and fitness industry. 

Available ACSM Certifications 

www.acsm.org 

■ ACSM CERTIFIED PERSONAL 

TRAINER SM 

■ ACSM HEALTH/FITNESS 

INSTRUCTOR ® 

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ACTION PLATFORM! 

• Resilient and shock absorbing. 

• Perfect for individual and 

group exercise. 

• Constructed of a strong, 

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polymer, supported by 

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• It’s lightweight, and 

30" x 30" size 

makes it easy to 

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For more information about ACSM 

Certifications or the FREE Certification 

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The Certification Programs of ACSM... 

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For more information about worldwide on-demand testing for the 

ACSM certified Personal Trainer exam, visit www.pearsonvue.com/acsm 

TM 

800-922-3575 

Baltimore, MD 21209 

www.gerstung.com 

info@gerstung.com 

CBI-0205

Inside IHRSA 

Club Busine s Entrepreneur Launched to Rave Reviews 

> Celebrating the entrepreneurial 

spirit that drives the 

U.S. fitness industry, IHRSA 

has launched a new publication, 

Club Business Entrepreneur 

(CBE), a magazine 

and electronic newsletter 

that’s written specifically for, 

and about, the operators of 

small- and medium-sized, 

independently owned, health 

and fitness facilities. 

“Some 60% of the 

association’s member clubs 

are independently owned 

and operated,” notes John 

McCarthy, IHRSA’s executive 

director. “Our goal is to provide 

these businesses with 

practical, and tactical, information 

that will help them 

increase their profitability. 

We’ll feature the owners 

and operators of successful 

Member Benefits 

Members Only! 

Get Active! 

Magazine 

clubs in the pages of CBE, 

and offer valuable advice 

from experts in fields that 

matter to these operators, 

such as law, marketing, 

insurance, and real estate.” 

CBE will cover a broad 

range of issues that are 

critical to the success of 

the independent club. The 

magazine’s “Need to Know” 

section will highlight triedand-true 

business models 

and formulas, such as the 

proper way to calculate a 

club’s retention rate. The 

“Professional’s Corner” will 

regularly provide useful tips, 

such as how to achieve 

OSHA compliance. Since 

independent operators 

are the heart and soul of 

CBE, one such operator 

will be profiled in every 

> Get Active! is an exciting 

new consumer magazine 

written, edited, and designed 

exclusively for the patrons of 

IHRSA facilities. The publication, 

which will be distributed 

to the association’s member 

clubs for free, has been 

created to motivate members, 

help them achieve their fitness 

goals, and prevent them from 

abandoning their exercise 

regimen: in short, to function 

as a powerful retention 

tool. Attendees at IHRSA’s 

24th annual International 

Convention and Trade 

Show in San Francisco 

will enjoy a special sneak 

preview of Get Active! 

magazine next month, 

and the first issue will 

be distributed in May. 

(For more information 


issue. (John Atwood and 

Beth Wald, the owners of 

HealthFit, in Needham, 

Massachusetts, were featured 

in the premier edition.) 

CBE has already received 

rave reviews from IHRSA 

members. “The content 

is insightful, appropriate, 

and can help create 

new ideas and actions,” 

enthuses Barry Klein, 

the owner of the Elevations 

Health Club, in 

Scotrun, Pennsylvania. 

“This is a great benefit 

for the small-medium 

club operator—another 

tangible benefit that IHRSA 

is providing for them,” says 

Greg Lappin, the owner of the 

Rochester Athletic Club, in 

Rochester, Minnesota. “The 

magazine has a clean and 

about this valuable new 

member benefit, log on to 

www.ihrsa.org/getactivemag.) 

The principal goals of Get 

Active! are to: 

• Reinforce the reader’s 

decision to belong to a 

health club by highlighting 

the many physical and physiological 

benefits of exercise; 

• Increase awareness of the 

many services that IHRSA 

clubs offer (e.g., yoga, 

Pilates, group exercise, 

personal training, etc.); 

• Provide useful lifestyle, diet, 

and workout tips to make 

exercise fun and rewarding 

for everyone; and 

• Encourage fitness-conscious 

consumers to support government 

initiatives that promote 

regular exercise. 

professional look to 

it, and the articles have 

so much value.” 

To read, subscribe to, or 

contribute to CBE, log on to 

www.ihrsa.org/entrepreneur. 

The premier issue will 

boast the following features: 

• “Starting Out:” A beginner’s 

workout that can give even 

the most inexperienced 

club-goer a quick start on 

a fitness-oriented lifestyle. 

• “Cardio Smarts:” How to 

maximize your cardio time 

with key training strategies. 

• “Scrap the Scale.” Why 

focusing too heavily on the 

numbers can be a big mistake 

• “Financial Fitness:” Here’s 

how maintaining a healthy 

weight can increase your 

bottom line. 

• “Food Rules:” Interpreting 

the carb content on labels. 

• “Top 10 Most Nutritious 

Fast Foods—and the 10 

Worst!” What to choose 

when you’re in a hurry.

FEATURES TO MAKE YOUR HEART POUND 

[ with a price that will lower your blood pressure ] The all new Matrix MX-T3x is everything you 

would want in a top-of-the-line treadmill, 

without the top-of-the-line price. From the 3 HP 

club-rated drive system to the flipable 

maintenance-free polymer deck, this treadmill 

is loaded with features that you could only find 

on comparable models at twice the price. 

Designed by the world leader in quality treadmills, 

the T3x sets a new standard in commercial cardio 

equipment. Features plus durability equal value. 

Strong. Smart. Beautiful. Matrix. 

Working With an Expert Pays 

Dividends for Your Club 

When you protect your health, racquet or sports club 

employees with the IHRSA workers’ compensation program 

– you get more than you paid for. Like the opportunity to 

earn a safety group dividend. In 2000, for example, 100 

IHRSA members shared a workers’ compensation dividend 

of more than $160,000. 

To learn more, call Jon Denley, Senior Vice President, 

Creative Agency Group, at (800) 888-8381, ext. 116, or 

direct at (732) 946-4000. Our fax number is (732) 946-2044. 

By law, dividends cannot be guaranteed and are subject to approval by The Hartford Board of Directors. 

Administered by: 

©2003 The Hartford, Hartford, CT 06115 

430 South CP Ave • PO Box 740 • Lake Mills, WI 53551 

T 920.648.6100 • F 920.648.6101 

www.matrixfitness.com 

Offered by:

Club Advisor A number of chains, including Club One, 24 Hour Fitness, and 

The Sports Club Company, prohibit the use of camera cell phones. 

Ethics 911: Camera Phones 

Create Privacy Problems, 

Legal Exposure 

By Kristen A. Walsh 

The use of camera-equipped cell phones has 

exploded in recent years, and their popularity 

is now forcing health clubs to take steps to 

safeguard their members’ right to privacy. The latest 

models function like digital cameras, allowing 

users to snap and instantly send photos to family, 

friends, and Websites. This, obviously, can pose a 

serious problem in locker rooms, dressing areas, 

or other locations where people commonly disrobe. 

Further complicating the situation is the fact that 

many units are virtually indistinguishable from noncamera 

phones, and that individuals may not even 

realize they’re being photographed; many camera 

phones produce a flash or audible noise when triggered, 

but some allow the user to disable that feature. 

While a survey, conducted by IHRSA in 2003, didn’t 

uncover a single example of the inappropriate use 

of such a device in a club, concern about the potential 

for such incidents is justified. That year, some 

8.5 million camera phones were already operating 

in the U.S., reports the International Data Corp. 

(IDC), a Boston-based, computer-industry consulting 

company, and, by 2006, it predicts, 80% of all cell 

phones sold will include a photo option. 

“It appears clear that a club operator who 

knows—or who, in the exercise of reasonable care, 

should know—that camera phones are being used 

on its premises might be liable to members who are 

being surreptitiously photographed,” explains attorney 

Anthony Ellrod, of the Los Angeles law firm of Manning, 

Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez LLP. To avoid 

such legal exposure, Ellrod recommends that clubs 

prohibit the use of camera phones on their grounds. 

Directory Assistance 

Cell phones without cameras can also cause 

problems for health clubs. To find out what 

they are and how to avoid them, read IHRSA’s 

“Cellular Telephones TIP” by logging on to 

www.ihrsa.org/tips. 


A number of 

chains—including 

Club One, 24 Hour Fitness, 

and The Sports Club 

Company—have already done so. 

Federal regulation 

While there’s no federal law that protects citizens 

from secret or intrusive photography (or videotaping) 

in public places, legislation recently passed in 

Congress which would prohibit such acts on federal 

property. The Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 

2004 makes it illegal to photograph, film, videotape, 

record, or broadcast such records of a person who 

is naked, or dressed in underwear, in a place where 

a “reasonable person would believe that he or she 

could disrobe in privacy.” 

Conviction could bring a maximum fine of up 

to $100,000 or up to a year in prison, or both. 

President Bush is likely to sign the measure into law. 

State legislation 

At least 26 states have already enacted laws that 

prohibit secret taping with cameras, and some are 

now modifying those laws to encompass camera 

phones. For example, a Michigan law which took 

effect on September 1 states that people who use 

gadgets such as camera phones to invade others’ 

privacy can be punished with jail time or fines as 

high as $5,000. 

Providing a safe haven 

Two British companies, meanwhile, have developed 

a patent-pending technology, called Safe Haven, 

which generates a signal that disables the cameras 

in cell phones within a small area, such as a locker 

room, creating a so-called “wireless privacy zone.” 

Until such systems, or other solutions, can be effectively 

implemented, however, club operators should 

seriously consider adopting, and then enforcing, 

a “no camera phones” policy in some, or all areas of 

their facility to ensure their patrons’ privacy. 

KRISTEN A. WALSH is the content editor for IHRSA 

and can be contacted at kaw@ihrsa.org.

Products 

Indo action by Fitter 

For managers who want to spend less 

time on paper work—and who doesn’t?— 

CheckFree Health and Fitness, a 

business unit of CheckFree Corporation, 

has created the Schedule Manager, an 

Internet-based reservation system for 

health clubs. The new software integrates 

with RCM Solutions, CheckFree’s complete 

club-management system that enables 

clubs to streamline scheduling and managing 

resources and facilities. Customers 

can securely schedule and pay for appointments 

online in real time; employees can 

also make reservations. CheckFree Schedule 

Manager can tailor reservations to 

meet the needs of individual clubs, based 

on a particular location, specific staff 

member, or other data. For more information, 

contact the company at 6000 

Perimeter Drive, Dublin, OH 43017-3215; 

800-242-9522; 614-564-3000; 800-331- 

4373 (FAX); www.checkfreecorp.com. 

Fitter International, 

Inc., has introduced an 

innovative way for members 

to improve their core 

stability, balance and coordination: 

the Indo Board 

Balance Trainer, the latest 

addition to the company’s 

FUNctional product line. It 

is a specially shaped oval 

board balanced on a long 

roller that was originally designed to train surfers 

out of water, but is now used by snowboarders, 

skiers, windsurfers, skaters, and all types of sports 

enthusiasts. The Board Balance Trainer requires 

only six feet of open space—indoors or out—and a 

quick, five- to 15-minute learning curve. For more 

information, contact the company at 2600 Portland 

St. S.E., #3050, Calgary, AB Canada T2G 4 M6; 800- 

348-8371; 866-250-8824 (FAX); www.fitter1.com. 

Harbinger’s extensive line-up of training 

products now includes two new items priced under 

$20. The first is the Balance Trainer, a unique 

exercise tool that is ideal for performing push-ups, 

sit-ups, and Pilates and yoga poses. It’s a 13" diameter 

disk—ribbed on one side and smooth on the 

Tic-Tac-Go! 


What’s New 

For an exciting twist on aerobic exercise, BroadcastVision 

Entertainment has created a new video dance game system, the 

Dance Exercise Revolution, or DXR. The DXR combines games, music, 

video, and a dance pad controller that “players” use to spin, slide, 

dance, and stomp their way toward earning points and burning 

calories. Scrolling onscreen arrows show participants where to place 

their feet, and points are gained by stepping on the corresponding 

dance pad at the appointed time. The DXR system includes a 

BroadcastVision 23" or 27" LCD television on a telescopic stand, a 

Sony Playstation 2, a dance pad and controller, and game software 

discs. For more information, contact the company at 5126 Clareton 

Drive, Suite 160, Agoura Hills, CA 91301-4526; 800-770-9770; 

818-879-9780; 818-879-9790 (FAX); www.broadcastvision.com. 

other—made of pliable, anti-burst 

PVC that is inflated to a 3" platform. 

The second is the Adjustable Grip, 

which can be used to prevent repetitive 

motion injuries and to strengthen 

grip and forearm muscles in tennis 

players, golfers, rock climbers, or 

weight lifters. It has a patented design 

that features ergonomic thermoplastic 

handles with cushioning 

inserts and interchangeable weightresistance 

caps of 30, 35, and 

40 pounds. For more information, 

Great Grip 

by Harbinger 

contact the company at 35 Executive Court, Napa, 

CA 94558; 800-729-5954; 707-257-5838; 707-257- 

5843 (FAX); www.harbingerfitness.com.

Products 

continued 

Life Fitness has just made exercising more fun, 

and more stimulating. Members working out on the 

company’s LCD-equipped machines can now enjoy 

four new entertainment options: an integrated 

Phillips FM radio tuner; language selection (eight 

choices); a Custom Workouts program that enables 

personal trainers to record and save six unique 

workouts for members; and a secure channel 

for facility-specific video content. These new 

features will be available on 

the 95Te and 97Te treadmills, 

97Xe total-body elliptical 

cross-trainers, 95Ce 

Lifecycle upright exercise 

bikes, 95Re Lifecycle recumbent 

exercise bikes, and 

95Se stair climbers. For 

more information, contact 

the company at 5100 N. 

River Road, Schiller Park, IL 

60175; 800-735-3867; 847- 

288-3300; 847-288-3703 

(FAX); www.lifefitness.com. 

Magnum Fitness 

Systems has expanded its 

E-Series of premium selectorized 

machines with the new 

2044 Functional Trainer and 

2043 Abductor/Adductor 

Combination. The Functional 

Trainer includes a full package 

of handles and bars and 

facilitates a wide variety of 

free-form movements. Resistance 

can be adjusted in 

five-pound increments. The 

Abductor/Adductor Combination 

machine boasts a 

patent-pending mechanism 

that ensures that the exercise 

arms engage immediately, to 

eliminate any cable slack. 

The leg pads rotate freely for 

easy set-up, and follow the 

thighs throughout the movement; 

resistance can be 

fine-tuned in five-pound 

increments. For more information, 

contact the company 

at 2201 12th Ave., South Milwaukee, 

WI 53172; 800-372- 

0554; 414-768-7047 (FAX); 

www.magnumfitness.com. 

What’s New 

Clubs interested in adding popular 

circuit-training programs to their 

offerings can now check out two new, 

non-intimidating Quick Circuits from 

Quantum Fitness—an Adult Circuit 

and a Kids Circuit. Both feature 

easy-to-use hydraulic resistance to 

accommodate all exercisers; work two 

opposing muscle groups simultane- 

2-Size Circuits, 

by Quantum 


Products 

continued 

ously with positive resistance; and minimize or eliminate 

delayed muscle soreness. These compact 

machines are portable and maximize space efficiency, 

and the circuit comes with a comprehensive 

interactive program. For more information, contact 

the company at 10245 West Airport, Stafford, 

TX 77477; 800-937-2282; 281-495-3003; 281-495- 

7542 (FAX); www.quantumfitness.com. 

Welcome a new demographic into your 

club with SportsArt Fitness’ new 

C53r recumbent exercise bicycle, which 

is specifically designed to assist the active 

aging market. With a convenient, stepthrough 

design and a centrally located 

handle, mounting and dismounting the 

Super C53r 

bike is simple; the company’s proprietary 

by SportsArt 

Ufit technology incorporates an infinitely 

adjustable four-bar linkage and a flexible 

mesh seatback for a tailored fit. Push-button controls 

let users easily modify their workouts at will, and 

easy-to-read LEDs are shown on an oversized dot 

matrix display. The C53r is also equipped with the 


What’s New 

patented CardioAdvisor heart rate training system. 

For more information, contact the company at 

19510 144th Avenue NE, Suite A1, Woodinville, 

WA 98072; 900-709-1400; 425-481-9479; 

425-488-8155 (FAX); www.sportsartamerica.com. 

This just in: Star Trac’s treadmill models are 

now faster, easier to maintain and better-looking 

than ever! The top-of-the-line Elite and Pro models 

have been bolstered with five-horsepower motors, 

a new maintenance-free, no-wax deck system, and 

a five-year parts and labor motor warranty. The Pro 

S, TR4500, and Sport treadmills have been upgraded 

with three-horsepower motors and a three-year 

parts and labor motor warranty. In addition, the 

Elite, Pro, and Pro S units have also been given new, 

family-look displays that were modeled after the 

intuitive, user-friendly versions first released with 

Star Trac’s Pro Series upright and recumbent bikes. 

For more information, contact the company 

at 14410 Myford Road, Irvine, CA 92606; 

800-228-6635; 714-669-1660; 714-838-6286 

(FAX); www.startrac.com.

Companies 

Two powerful forces in the fitness 

industry have teamed up to provide nutritional 

supplements to gym-goers nationwide. 

American Body Building 

Products, a subsidiary of Optimum 

Nutrition, Inc., has signed a three-year 

agreement with 24 Hour Fitness, 

which will make the American Body 

Building line of RTD drinks and sport 

shakes the brand of choice in 24 Hour 

clubs nationwide. As part of the deal, 

American Body Building (ABB) will provide 

coolers with ABB graphics to all 

clubs in the 24 Hour Fitness network. 

“We are proud to supply our cutting-edge 

line to 24 Hour Fitness members—people 

who have committed to making fitness a 

way of life,” remarks Tony Costello, the 

CEO and co-owner of Optimum Nutrition, 

Inc. To accommodate its growth, the 

company recently expanded its drink factory 

in South Carolina and has purchased 

additional manufacturing and warehousing 

equipment. 

The American Council on Exercise 

(ACE) and the United States Sports 

Academy (USSA) have formed a strategic 

partnership to provide continuing and 

advanced educational opportunities for 

ACE-certified fitness professionals and Academy 

students. Through the partnership, ACE-certified 

professionals can meet their continuing education 

needs and earn an advanced degree at the Academy, 

and USSA students can now sit for an ACE exam at 

the Academy. This is the first time that ACE has 

partnered with a university that offers advanced 

degrees in exercise science and sports management 

with both traditional and distance-learning options. 

“ACE will work with USSA to update existing courses 

and develop new curricula that meet both university 

credit and ACE requirements,” explains Graham 

Melstrand, the director of educational services for ACE. 

Body Bar Systems’ stock is rising! With the help of 

executives from Body Bar Systems, Inc., the USA 

Women’s National Wrestling Team has made history 

a second time. As part of a celebration of the historic 

first Olympic women’s wrestling team, two members of 

the team, Patricia Miranda and Toccara Montgomery, 

News from Associates 

Georgia Tech Triumph 

Life Fitness is the exclusive fitness equipment provider to the 

recently renovated Campus Recreation Center at the Georgia Institute 

of Technology in Atlanta. The 15,000-square-foot fitness center, 

which serves 16,000 students, houses 61 cardiovascular pieces, and 

more than 120 strength-training machines from the Life Fitness 

Pro2 SE and Signature Series, Cable Motion Series, Hammer Strength 

plate-loaded line, Motion Technology Selectorized series, and benches 

and racks. In other news, 153 Life Fitness employees recently raised 

more than $40,000 for the American Heart Association in the organization’s 

annual three-mile walk. Through bake sales, T-shirt sales, 

and generous contributions from vendors, Life Fitness far surpassed 

its original $15,000 goal. This is the second consecutive year that 

the company has participated in the fundraiser. 

joined Arno Niemand, the 

chairman and founder of 

Body Bar Systems, and Sherry 

Catlin, the president of Body 

Bar Systems, to ring the bell 

at the New York Stock Exchange 

on September 13. “Body Bar 

Systems was honored to be 

part of such an all-American 

activity that has been 

reserved for famous people 

over the years,” notes Niemand. 

NYSE start, with Body Bar 

After three years of planning, building, and managing 

a leading chain of large-scale health clubs in 

China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, James Campbell 

has joined Cybex International, Inc., in the 

newly created position of regional sales director 

of the Asia Pacific region. In this position, based 

in Manila, Philippines, Campbell will work with 


Companies 

continued 

Exec act 

Kathryn Olsen 

distributors to better meet the commercial fitness 

industry needs in Asia, and will focus on developing 

long-term relationships with customers, distributors, 

and industry and education professionals. 

“Being able to anticipate and exceed customer needs 

will promote Cybex as a leading equipment supplier 

in the region,” says Campbell, who has more than 

30 years of experience in club operations, including 

managing 25 facilities as a regional vice president of 

24 Hour Fitness. 

Promoter Katey Prinz 

Pilates U. of Pennsylvania 

The Iron Grip Barbell Company 

continues to grow in both size and 

scope. Kathryn Olsen is a new account 

executive for the 17-state Western U.S. 

region, responsible for dealer relations 

and account development. She 

previously worked for American 

Exposition Technologies and has a 

bachelor’s degree in kinesiology as 

well as a personal training certification. 

Iron Grip’s new marketing 

manager, Katey Prinz, will oversee all 

trade shows and events, Website 

development, and promotions. She 

comes from Frog’s Club One, where 

she was advertising manager, and 

holds various fitness and personal 

training certifications. The company 

has also added five new distributors— 

Force Fitness, U.K.; PrimaFit, Indonesia 

and East Timor; Power Sports, 

Malta, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia; 

Future Wave, Israel; and Gymco 

Sports, Taiwan—for a current total of 

50 international dealers covering 56 

countries outside the United States. 

Peak Pilates has outfitted 

one of the only fully 

equipped university Pilates 

studios in the country. The 

1,600-square-foot Pilates 

studio at the David Pottruck 

Health and Fitness Center at 

the University of Pennsylvania 

in Philadelphia has eight Total 

Workout Systems, one Cadillac, 

six chairs, and 12 mats. 

Since the studio opened last 



fall, almost all of its classes have sold out, and many 

have waiting lists. The university’s department of 

recreation also offers an in-depth, three-weekend 

certification workshop that covers Intro through 

Level III mat, pole, chair, and reformer Pilates. 

The Health and Fitness Center serves the campus 

community of 40,000 students, staff, faculty, and 

local alumni. 

Plus One Health Management, a manager 

of corporate fitness and spa facilities, is working 

with McDonald’s to help Americans lead more 

active, balanced lives. Plus One is the provider of the 

online fitness and guidance tool for the Interactive 

Personal Trainer feature on McDonald’s new 

global “Go Active!” Website. Plus One will provide 

customized fitness plans powered by its unique 

“My Fitness Expert” Website, enabling users to 

interact—virtually—with a team of exercise experts 

who develop a variety of strength, flexibility, and 

cardiovascular programs specific to individuals’ 

goals. “This partnership represents an extension of 

our philosophy to provide people with the necessary 

tools and information to successfully improve 

their health and fitness,” explains Mike Motta, the 

president of Plus One. 

To meet increased global demand for Precor 

Icarian commercial strength equipment, Precor 

is doubling the size of its commercial strength 

production facility by relocating to a new 100,000square-foot 

building in Valencia, California. The new 

site—which replaces a Burbank, California, facility 

where the Icarian line had been produced for more 

than a decade—features new and improved 

welding, paint, packaging, and loading systems, and a 

research and development lab. Modern materials– 

handling and inventory processes similar to those 

used in Precor’s Woodinville, Washington, production 

center are also being implemented. By doubling 

the facility size and applying sophisticated 

manufacturing techniques, Precor significantly 

expands capacity and gains incremental quality 

improvements, according to company president 

Paul Byrne. The new facility is expected to employ 

at least 200 individuals. 

A reporter from the Seattle Times recently gave 

the one-of-a-kind Quadmill from Cascade Fitness 

Technologies a trial run, describing the two-minute 

workout experience as a “fun and flowing ride…

Companies 

continued 

that stealthily delivered considerable impact to the 

targeted areas”—the legs, abs and core. The eccentric-muscle 

training device debuted a few years ago, 

but the updated version—which the Seattle Sonics 

basketball team, the Navy Seals and the U.S. 

Olympic Ski Team all train on—recently began circulating 

in clubs nationwide. Users stand on the 

Quadmill’s irregularly shaped platform and ride the 

motion, while trying to keep their upper bodies level, 

as the platform comes up and around them. “A key 

element in sports conditioning and injury prevention 

is the ability to absorb the downward forces on the 

legs and low back, time after time, by regular eccentric 

exercise of those muscles,” explains Dr. Kevin 

Creelman, co-inventor of the Quadmill. 

Employees at SCIFIT Systems, Inc., in Tulsa, 

Oklahoma, recently blasted calories, shed pounds, 

and increased their fitness levels during the company’s 

first-ever Employee Wellness Challenge. Over a 


period of 90 days, six teams 

of staffers and their spouses 

were challenged to complete 

two 30-minute strength and 

cardio workouts per week 

using on-site SCIFIT equipment. 

The company’s unique 

Fit-Key system automatically 

documented sessions and 

downloaded information into 

a database so participants 

could track results. The team 

Sofit SCIFIT’s red team 

that burned the most calories 

won the trophy, and individual awards were also 

presented for other accomplishments, such as the 

most weight lost. Overall, the company completed 

511 workouts and burned 246,422 calories with 

57% participation. “Healthy employees make a 

healthy company, and that’s what we’re all about,” 

says Denton Smith, the president of SCIFIT. 


Companies 

continued 

that stealthily delivered considerable impact to the 

targeted areas”—the legs, abs and core. The eccentric-muscle 

training device debuted a few years ago, 

but the updated version—which the Seattle Sonics 

basketball team, the Navy Seals and the U.S. 

Olympic Ski Team all train on—recently began circulating 

in clubs nationwide. Users stand on the 

Quadmill’s irregularly shaped platform and ride the 

motion, while trying to keep their upper bodies level, 

as the platform comes up and around them. “A key 

element in sports conditioning and injury prevention 

is the ability to absorb the downward forces on the 

legs and low back, time after time, by regular eccentric 

exercise of those muscles,” explains Dr. Kevin 

Creelman, co-inventor of the Quadmill. 

Employees at SCIFIT Systems, Inc., in Tulsa, 

Oklahoma, recently blasted calories, shed pounds, 

and increased their fitness levels during the company’s 

first-ever Employee Wellness Challenge. Over a 


period of 90 days, six teams 

of staffers and their spouses 

were challenged to complete 

two 30-minute strength and 

cardio workouts per week 

using on-site SCIFIT equipment. 

The company’s unique 

Fit-Key system automatically 

documented sessions and 

downloaded information into 

a database so participants 

could track results. The team 

Sofit SCIFIT’s red team 

that burned the most calories 

won the trophy, and individual awards were also 

presented for other accomplishments, such as the 

most weight lost. Overall, the company completed 

511 workouts and burned 246,422 calories with 

57% participation. “Healthy employees make a 

healthy company, and that’s what we’re all about,” 

says Denton Smith, the president of SCIFIT. 


Companies 

Since 1994, Apex 

Fitness Group has been 

a leading resource for 

software-driven training programs and 

nutrition products. Each year, more than 

10,000 fitness professionals participate 

in the company’s educational offerings. 

To help club members reach their 

goals, the company offers personalized 

programs with five components: food 

plan, cardiovascular work, dietary support, 

resistance training, and personal 

assistance. To complement the food plan 

and dietary support elements, Apex 

has more than 100 products, including 

nutrition bars, drink mixes, protein 

cookies, sports drinks, vitamins, and 

supplements. Apex’s Weight Management 

Program meets state and federal 

standards and complies with recommendations 

of the American Dietetic 

Association’s Position on Weight 

Management. A variety of license options 

for Apex programs are available. For 

more information, contact the company 

at 100 Camino Ruiz; Camarillo, CA 

93012; 800-656-2739; 805-504-8049 

(FAX); www.apexfitness.com. 

The Brazil Connection 

imports several lines of 

fitness active wear from 

South America, including 

the popular Annatomy line. This 

sportswear is designed and manufactured 

in Brazil using thick, highquality 

Dupont Suplex, and comes in 

a wide variety of styles and colors. Sizes range from 

small to extra large. For more information, contact 

the company at 1697 Carleton Court; Redwood City, 

CA 94061; 415-606-8519; 650-365-3048 (FAX). 

Enwright Associates, Inc., a leading architectural, 

engineering, and planning firm, has been 

creating vibrant environments for clients throughout 

the country since 1968. The company’s wellness 

design practice is led by James A. Binger, AIA, 

who is nationally recognized for his role in shaping 

the direction of the industry and for his passion 

New IHRSA Associates 

Let the Sun In! 

Unlike conventional saunas that use convection heat, Sunlight 

Saunas use infrared light—the same energy that is released 

naturally by the sun. The Journal of the American College of 

Cardiology reports that infrared sauna treatment significantly lowers 

blood pressure, aids weight loss, reduces blood sugar, increases 

circulation, decreases cholesterol, and lowers triglycerides. Sunlight 

Saunas plug into a standard outlet and use less electricity than an 

average hair dryer. Also, because no water is necessary, the saunas 

require minimal maintenance as opposed to conventional saunas 

and hot tubs. Furthermore, far-infrared heat therapy can generate 

as much as $14,800 per year, based on a $15 per session, foursession-per-day 

ROI analysis. For more information, contact the 

company at 14119 Marshall Drive, Lenexa, KS 66215; 877-892-0020; 

www.sunlightsaunas.com. 

for wellness. Headquartered in 

Greenville, S.C., Enwright Associates 

has renovated its site to capture its 

100-year history and bring nature 

indoors by flooding it with natural 

light and exposing the original brick 

and hard rock maple floors. For more 

information, contact the company at 

P.O. Box 5287, Greenville, SC 29606; 

864-232-8140; 864-233-8460 (FAX); 

www.enwright.com. 

FitnessLeasing.com is a premier 

financial resource for fitness professionals, 

business owners, and vendors, 

and has been active in the commercial 

Stylin’ digs by Enwright 


efreshing 

restorative 

invigorating 

nourishing 

pure 

sustaining 

original 

easy 

functional 

all-natural 

real 

A TONIC A DAY 

THE HEALTHY 

ALTERNATIVE 

BEVERAGE 

tonic bar kits & more 

wholesale & distributer 

inquiries welcome 

sales@elixir.net 

877-4-elixir 323 850-9450 

®

Companies 

continued 

fitness industry since 1987. Backed by the experience 

and funding of Innovative Lease Services, Inc., the company 

offers a wide range of products and services, 

including equipment leasing, local and national vendor 

programs, franchise financing programs, working capital 

loans, commercial property financing, business 

acquisition loans, and SBA programs. For more information, 

contact the company at 5937 Darwin Court, 

Suite 103, Carlsbad, CA 92008; 800-438-1470; 760-438- 

1470; 760-438-2046 (FAX); 

www.fitnessleasing.com. 

Shake This 

offers a simple way 

to install and manage 

a nutritional 

shake bar, and supplies 

basic layouts; 

an initial stock of 

protein powders, 

supplement blends, 

flavorings and juices; signage; 

two sets of recipe cards and 

breakdowns of each for calories, 

protein, carbohydrates 

and fat; five customized fullcolor 

countertop menus; a 

set of hanging menu boards; 

200 customized “to go” menus, 

and 12 promotional “Today’s 

Feature” ad slicks. For more 

information, contact the 

company at 3795 W. Blake 

Court, Springfield, MO 65807; 

866-224-8265; 417.886.3446 

(FAX) www.shake-this.com. 

TravelFit makes the 

TRX, a total-body exercise 

system that delivers a unique 

workout, combining core 

stability, balance and strength 

training—all in a lightweight, 

non-elastic device that packs 

up to the size of a running 

shoe. Developed by athletes, 

the TRX uses body-weight 

resistance to facilitate more 

than 100 exercises that can 

be modified instantly to suit 

the user’s fitness level. The 

versatile TRX has many convenient 

applications: it can 

hang from an overhead 

fixture or mount to a wall 

in a fitness facility; it can 

hang over a door in a home 

or hotel room; or it can be 

New IHRSA Associates 

strapped to a pole or a tree 

outdoors. The $79.95 system 

includes an instructional video 

and laminated exercise guide. 

For more information, contact 

the company at 58 West Portal 

Avenue, #108, San Francisco, 

CA 94127; 415-753-2681; 

www.travelfit.com. 

On-the-go, TRX’ TravelFit 

www.ihrsa.org FEBRUARY 2005 Club Business International 101

Members 

Alabama 

24/7 Fitness & Tanning 

920 Winchester Road 

Huntsville, AL 35811 

(256) 851-0574 

Ms. Karrah Hopkins 

Arkansas 

Maumelle Athletic Club 

2 Country Club Circle 

Maumelle, AR 72113-6198 

(501) 851-6263 

Mr. Michael Dingler 

California 

Electronic Arts 

Fitness Center 

5510 N. Lincoln Ave. 

Ste. 5510L 

Playa Vista, CA 90094 

Ms. Noelle Vincent 

Figures!/ ScrImage 

Fitness Clubs 

6100 Redwood Blvd. 

Ste. B-1 

Novato, CA 94945 

(415) 309-1859 

Ms. Brenda Proaps 

Fitness Results 

1842 W. 11th St., Unit G 

Upland, CA 91784 

(909) 608-1720 

Mr. Lance McCullough 

Sportsmen of Stanislaus 

(SOS Club) 

P.O. Box 3031 

Modesto, CA 95353-3031 

(209) 578-5801 

Mr. David E. Massa 

Florida 

Club Boom 

Racquet & Fitness 

One S. Old Kings Road 

Ormond Beach, FL 32174 

(386) 672-4044 

Mr. Robert Rosetti 

Pensacola Athletic Center 

P.O. Box 4716 

Pensacola, FL 32507 

(850) 453-1534 

Mr. Whit Wise 

Hawaii 

Fit for Life 

801 Dillingham Blvd. 

Honolulu, HI 96817 

(808) 535-1550 

Mr. Eric Okamura 

Idaho 

Sun Valley Athletic Club 

PO Box 3238 

Ketchum, ID 83340-3238 

(208) 726-3664 

Mr. Bill Koretz 

Illinois 

Motorola Activity Center - 

Deer Park 

21440 W. Lake Cook 

Deer Park, IL 60010 

Ms. Wendy Kuminowski 

Indiana 

Anytime Fitness * 

P.O.Box 6 

Aurora, IN 47001 

(812) 926-3655 

Mr. John Spence 

Kansas 

Love Box Company Inc. 


700 E. 37th St. N 

Wichita, KS 67205 

(316) 832-3582 

Mr. Todd Wineland 

Maximus Fitness 

& Wellness 

5515 SW 21st St. 

Topeka, KS 66604 

(785) 271-0200 

Mr. Scott Huston 

Maine 

Basics Fitness Center, Inc. 

380 Western Ave. 

S. Portland, ME 04106 

(207) 774-3536 

Mr. Donna Marston 

Maryland 

Figures Fast Fun Fitness 

5798 Morland Drive N. 

Adamstown, MD 21710 

(301) 607-4591 

Ms. Margaret A. Dawson 

New Jersey 

Atlantis Health & Fitness 

600 Plaza Drive 

Secaucus, NJ 07094 

(201) 271-0202 

Ms. Liz Kane 


New IHRSA Clubs 

IHRSA Membership Eligibility Standards 

Members of the association must comply with IHRSA’s 

baseline health, safety, and ethical standards. 

1. The club will open its membership to persons of all races, creeds, 

and places of national origin. 

2. The club responds to and endeavors to resolve, within 60 days, 

any consumer complaints made to the Better Business Bureau or to 

state or local Consumer Protection Agencies (or other such agencies). 

3. The club will place all presell membership fees in a segragated 

escrow account. 

4. The club will not sell prepaid, lifetime memberships. 

5. The club must conform to all relevant laws, regulations, and 

published standards. 

6. The club must be able to respond in a timely manner to any 

reasonably foreseeable emergency event that threatens the health 

and safety of the club users. Toward this end, a club must have 

an appropriate emergency plan that can be executed by qualified 

personnel in a timely manner. 

7. The club must offer each adult member a pre-activity screening 

appropriate to the physical activities to be performed by the member. 

8. Each person who has supervisory responsibility for a physical 

activity program or area at the club must have demonstrable 

professional competence in that physical activity program or area. 

9. The club must post appropriate signage alerting users to risks 

involved in their use of those areas of the club that present potential 

increased risk(s). 

10. A club that offers youth services or programs must provide 

appropriate supervision. 

If any club has evidence that a member club is not abiding by the IHRSA 

Membership Standards, contact the executive director at jmc@ihrsa.org 

or write to: IHRSA, 263 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210. 

*Indicates clubs participating in the IHRSA Passport program. 

New York 

Hardscrabble Club * 

22 Sutton Place 

Brewster, NY 10509 

(914) 669-9500 

Ms. Charlotte Kuey 

Pennsylvania 

The Fitness Garage 

11031 Perry Hwt., Ste. 102 

Meadville, PA 16335 

(814) 724-2348 

Ms. Alicia Reist 

Virginia 

Fitness Zone at Sportsplex 

221 Commonwealth Court 

Winchester, VA 22602 

(540) 869-0100 

Mr. Chris Petsko 

Australia 

Fernwood Womens 

Fitness Chatswood 

Level 2/370 Victoria Ave. 

Chatswood, New South 

Wales 2067 

Ms. Sue Simnor

Members 

Alabama 

24/7 Fitness & Tanning 

920 Winchester Road 

Huntsville, AL 35811 

(256) 851-0574 

Ms. Karrah Hopkins 

Arkansas 

Maumelle Athletic Club 

2 Country Club Circle 

Maumelle, AR 72113-6198 

(501) 851-6263 

Mr. Michael Dingler 

California 

Electronic Arts 


5510 N. Lincoln Ave. 

Ste. 5510L 

Playa Vista, CA 90094 

Ms. Noelle Vincent 

Figures!/ ScrImage 

Fitness Clubs 

6100 Redwood Blvd. 

Ste. B-1 

Novato, CA 94945 

(415) 309-1859 

Ms. Brenda Proaps 

Fitness Results 

1842 W. 11th St., Unit G 

Upland, CA 91784 

(909) 608-1720 

Mr. Lance McCullough 

Sportsmen of Stanislaus 

(SOS Club) 

P.O. Box 3031 

Modesto, CA 95353-3031 

(209) 578-5801 

Mr. David E. Massa 

Florida 

Club Boom 

Racquet & Fitness 

One S. Old Kings Road 

Ormond Beach, FL 32174 

(386) 672-4044 

Mr. Robert Rosetti 

Pensacola Athletic Center 

P.O. Box 4716 

Pensacola, FL 32507 

(850) 453-1534 

Mr. Whit Wise 

Hawaii 

Fit for Life 

801 Dillingham Blvd. 

Honolulu, HI 96817 

(808) 535-1550 

Mr. Eric Okamura 

Idaho 

Sun Valley Athletic Club 

PO Box 3238 

Ketchum, ID 83340-3238 

(208) 726-3664 

Mr. Bill Koretz 

Illinois 

Motorola Activity Center - 

Deer Park 

21440 W. Lake Cook 

Deer Park, IL 60010 

Ms. Wendy Kuminowski 

Indiana 

Anytime Fitness * 

P.O.Box 6 

Aurora, IN 47001 

(812) 926-3655 

Mr. John Spence 

Kansas 

Love Box Company Inc. 


700 E. 37th St. N 

Wichita, KS 67205 

(316) 832-3582 

Mr. Todd Wineland 

Maximus Fitness 

& Wellness 

5515 SW 21st St. 

Topeka, KS 66604 

(785) 271-0200 

Mr. Scott Huston 

Maine 

Basics Fitness Center, Inc. 

380 Western Ave. 

S. Portland, ME 04106 

(207) 774-3536 

Mr. Donna Marston 

Maryland 

Figures Fast Fun Fitness 

5798 Morland Drive N. 

Adamstown, MD 21710 

(301) 607-4591 

Ms. Margaret A. Dawson 

New Jersey 

Atlantis Health & Fitness 

600 Plaza Drive 

Secaucus, NJ 07094 

(201) 271-0202 

Ms. Liz Kane 



IHRSA Membership Eligibility Standards 

Members of the association must comply with IHRSA’s 

baseline health, safety, and ethical standards. 

1. The club will open its membership to persons of all races, creeds, 

and places of national origin. 

2. The club responds to and endeavors to resolve, within 60 days, 

any consumer complaints made to the Better Business Bureau or to 

state or local Consumer Protection Agencies (or other such agencies). 

3. The club will place all presell membership fees in a segragated 

escrow account. 

4. The club will not sell prepaid, lifetime memberships. 

5. The club must conform to all relevant laws, regulations, and 

published standards. 

6. The club must be able to respond in a timely manner to any 

reasonably foreseeable emergency event that threatens the health 

and safety of the club users. Toward this end, a club must have 

an appropriate emergency plan that can be executed by qualified 

personnel in a timely manner. 

7. The club must offer each adult member a pre-activity screening 

appropriate to the physical activities to be performed by the member. 

8. Each person who has supervisory responsibility for a physical 

activity program or area at the club must have demonstrable 

professional competence in that physical activity program or area. 

9. The club must post appropriate signage alerting users to risks 

involved in their use of those areas of the club that present potential 

increased risk(s). 

10. A club that offers youth services or programs must provide 

appropriate supervision. 

If any club has evidence that a member club is not abiding by the IHRSA 

Membership Standards, contact the executive director at jmc@ihrsa.org 

or write to: IHRSA, 263 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210. 

*Indicates clubs participating in the IHRSA Passport program. 

New York 

Hardscrabble Club * 

22 Sutton Place 

Brewster, NY 10509 

(914) 669-9500 

Ms. Charlotte Kuey 

Pennsylvania 

The Fitness Garage 

11031 Perry Hwt., Ste. 102 

Meadville, PA 16335 

(814) 724-2348 

Ms. Alicia Reist 

Virginia 

Fitness Zone at Sportsplex 

221 Commonwealth Court 

Winchester, VA 22602 

(540) 869-0100 

Mr. Chris Petsko 

Australia 

Fernwood Womens 

Fitness Chatswood 

Level 2/370 Victoria Ave. 

Chatswood, New South 

Wales 2067 

Ms. Sue Simnor

Members 

continued 

Fernwood Female Fitness 

Centre Harbour Town 

P.O. Box 3048 

Robina Town Centre 

Robina, Queensland 4230 

(61) 75-537-7370 

Ms. Caroline Stewart 

Fernwood Female Fitness 

Centre Robina 

P.O. Box 3048 

Robina Town Centre 

Robina, Queensland 4230 

(61) 75-593-0983 

Mr. Jeffrey Palmer 



Five Dock Leisure Centre 

Queens Road & William Street 

Five Dock, New South Wales 2046 

Mr. Dan Skakavac 

Genesis Fitness Club 

20 Longstaff Rd. 

Bayswater, Victoria 3153 

(61) 38-727-7777 

Mr. Glen Hanegraaf 

Hornsby World of Fitness 

100-102 George St. 

Hornsby, New South Wales 2077 

(61) 29-476-5225 

Mr. David Simmons 

Newtown Gym 

Level 1 294 King St. 

Newtown, New South Wales 2042 

Mr. Jeremy Bratt 

Prairiewood Leisure Centre 

Rickard & Prairie Vale Roads 

Prairiewood, New South Wales 

2176 

Mr. Peter Hickey 

South Pacific Health Club 

10-18 Jacka Blvd. 

St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria 3182 

(61) 39-525-4888 

Mr. Conn Constantinou 

Canada 

The Yorkville Club 

87 Avenue Road, Ste. 252 

Toronto M5R 3R9 

(416) 961-8400 

Mr. Peter Stevens 

Finland 

Liikuntakeskus Fressi Oy 

Haallituskatu 16a 

Tampere 33200 

(358) 3-222-6009 

Mr. Peter Byman 

Italy 

Free Time Sport Club * 

Via Mameli 63/D 

Verona 37124 

(39) 4-591-8511 

Mr. Federico Bellotti India 

Whispering Woods Country Club* 

Dreamz Achievers India PVT Ltd 

Office No. 4, Jains Arcade 

14th Road, Khar West 

Mumbai 400 052 

(91) 21-147-1887 

Ms. Karina Pherwani

1010 East 62nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90001-1598 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certifying 

For Over 

28 Years. 

Since 1977, NETA (National 

Exercise Trainers Association) 

has been helping fitness 

professionals actualize their 

career goals. 

We have certified over 

110,000 fitness professionals in 

Personal Training, 

Group Exercise and Pilates 

and our certifications are 

recognized in over 18,000 

fitness facilities across the U.S. 

NETA prides itself on 

providing the most up-to-date 

hands-on training and 

proficiency examinations 

in the industry. To continue to 

enhance our commitment to 

quality training, our Personal 

Trainer Program is currently in 

the application process for 

accreditation through NCCA. 

If you’re looking 

for top notch 

fitness professionals, 

look for NETA. 

NATIONAL EXERCISE TRAINERS 

Since 1977 

ASSOCIATION 

NETA is a proud member of 

For more information regarding 

NETA’s uncompromising 

curriculum, call 1.800.237.6242 

or visit www.NETAFIT.org

Calendar of Events 

2005 

February 17-19 

BTS Summit 

Presented by Body Training Systems 

Portland, Oregon 

800-729-7837 

www.bodytrainingsystems.com 

March 11-13 

ECA/NYC 2005 Fitness Convention 

& Trade Show 

Miami Beach, Florida 

516-432-6877 

www.ecaworldfitness.com 

March 14-19 

15th Annual Art & Science of 

Health Promotion Conference 

Presented by the American Journal 

of Health Promotion 

San Francisco 

248-682-0707 

www.healthpromotionconference.org 

March 16-19 


24th Annual International 

Convention & Trade Show 


San Francisco 

800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/convention 

April 16 

2nd Annual Pilates Method Alliance 

Pilates Day 

Sponsored by Canyon Ranch 

More than 20 cities worldwide 

www,pilatesday.com 

April 17-19 

American Spa Expo 

New York, New York 

800-736-7170 

show.americanspaexpo.com 

April 28 - May 1 

IDEA Fitness Fusion - Chicago 

Rosemont, Illinois 

800-999-4332 

www.ideafit.com 



FILEX 

Sydney, Australia 

(61) 0-29-908-9908 

www.fitnessnetwork.com.au 

May 5-8 

FIBO 

Essen, Germany 

www.fibo-messe.com 

May 18-20 

3rd Annual IHRSA Legislative Summit 

JW Marriott Hotel 


800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/meetings 

August 8-12 

IHRSA’s 17th Annual Institute for 

Professional Club Management 

Wellesley, Massachusetts 

800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 


September 8-10 

24th Annual National Fitness 

Trade Show 

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

541-830-0400 

www.msfitness.com 

Out of Shape by Stan Tran

Calendar of Events 

2005 

February 17-19 

BTS Summit 

Presented by Body Training Systems 

Portland, Oregon 

800-729-7837 

www.bodytrainingsystems.com 

March 11-13 

ECA/NYC 2005 Fitness Convention 

& Trade Show 

Miami Beach, Florida 

516-432-6877 

www.ecaworldfitness.com 

March 14-19 

15th Annual Art & Science of 

Health Promotion Conference 

Presented by the American Journal 

of Health Promotion 

San Francisco 

248-682-0707 

www.healthpromotionconference.org 

March 16-19 


24th Annual International 

Convention & Trade Show 


San Francisco 

800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/convention 

April 16 

2nd Annual Pilates Method Alliance 

Pilates Day 

Sponsored by Canyon Ranch 

More than 20 cities worldwide 

www,pilatesday.com 

April 17-19 

American Spa Expo 

New York, New York 

800-736-7170 

show.americanspaexpo.com 


IDEA Fitness Fusion - Chicago 

Rosemont, Illinois 

800-999-4332 

www.ideafit.com 



FILEX 

Sydney, Australia 

(61) 0-29-908-9908 

www.fitnessnetwork.com.au 

May 5-8 

FIBO 

Essen, Germany 

www.fibo-messe.com 

May 18-20 

3rd Annual IHRSA Legislative Summit 



800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 


August 8-12 

IHRSA’s 17th Annual Institute for 

Professional Club Management 

Wellesley, Massachusetts 

800-228-4772 

617-951-0055 


September 8-10 

24th Annual National Fitness 

Trade Show 

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

541-830-0400 

www.msfitness.com 

Out of Shape by Stan Tran

Marketplace 

PRODUCTS FOR SALE 

• Sell • Buy 

• Recondition 

•Broker • Lease 

• Trade In 

Like–New Fitness Equipment 

at Wholesale Prices 

800-922-3488 

www.firstfitnessequipment.com 

Buys-Sells-Reconditions 

Used Fitness Equipment 

1000+ Pieces in Stock 

Cardio-Strength- 

Circuits-Free Weights 

Call 800-383-2008 

Real Time Inventory 

with Pictures online at: 

usedfitnessequipment.com 

Special 

10 Piece Strength 

Circuit $15,995 

Major Brands Available 

Instant Financing 

Available 

Approval in 5 Minutes 

12 Months No Interest 

No Down Payment 

Call 800-383-2008 

Real Time Inventory 

with Pictures online 

USEDFITNESSEQUIPMENT.COM 

CFYWIPES @ IHRSA – 

SAN FRANCISCO ‘05 

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JOBLINE 

Spectrum Clubs, the 10th 

largest athletic club company 

in the U.S. is expanding in 

Southern California and San 

Antonio, Texas. "A step up" 

from the rest, we provide fitness, 

wellness, and sports 

programming with cutting 

edge technology executed by 

award winning professionals. 

• General Manager 

• Business Office Manager 

• Sales Manager 

• Sales Representative 

• Group Exercise/Pilates/ 

Yoga Instructors 

• Private Trainers/Fitness 

Managers 

• Receptionist 

We offer excellent benefits 

and an energetic work atmosphere! 

Come be a part of our 

growing, ambitious company! 

Please submit resume, salary 

requirements, and a cover letter 

to: tbrown@spectrumclubs.com 

or fax 310-727-9310 (CA) or 

cguillet@spectrumclubs.com 

or fax 210-404-2214 (TX). 


JOIN OUR 

EXPANDING TEAM!!! 

Capital Fitness, a 14 club chain 

in the Chicagoland area is 

growing and seeking General 

Managers, Sales Directors, and 

Sales Representatives for new 

and existing clubs. This is a high 

energy environment where 

rewards are high and growth is 

unlimited. Fax: 630-556-4742 or 

email: johnt@xsportfitness.com 

WORK WHERE YOU PLAY 

Wellbridge owns and operates 

45 premier athletic clubs and spas 

nationwide under the mission of 

“improving quality of life through fitness, 

wellness, sports and fun.” If you are 

highly qualified and seeking a position 

where you can utilize your passion to 

exceed your career expectations, we 

want you to join our team. 

• Corporate Sales Management 

• Club and Regional Management 

• Membership Sales Representatives 

• Personal Training Managers 

• Personal Trainers 

• Fitness Managers 

• Group Fitness Instructors 

• Pilates/Yoga Instructors 

Visit www.Wellbridge.com and send us 

your application via our employment 

link or fax us at 303.830.7502 

To view CBI online visit www.ihrsa.org

Marketplace 

JOBLINE 

JOIN OUR DYNAMIC TEAM 

The Tennis Corporation of 

America, a leading upscale 

club management company 

is seeking: 

• Club Managers 

• Sales Directors 

• Fitness Directors 


• Group Exercise 

• Instructors 

• Sales Reps 

• and more! 

We own and operate over 

40 prestigious clubs in North 

America and have a strong 

track record of stability and 

growth. We provide longterm 

career opportunities, 

training, and a competitive 

salary, plus full benefits. If you 

are highly motivated and 

desire personal growth and 

development, we want to 

talk to you! 

Email your resume to Greg 

Snow, National Recruiting 

Director, at gsnow@tcaclubs.com 

or fax to 877/ 

881-0200 

Also visit TCA’s Job Line at 

www.tcaclubs.com 

JLR 

ASSOCIATES 

Executive Search, 

Recruitment 

and Placement – 

Helping You Find 

the Right People 

Call Jeff Randall 

Tel: 781-251-0094 

jr@jlrassoc.com 

WE HAVE 

IMMEDIATE 

OPENINGS! 

www.jlrassoc.com 

CONSULTING 

JOIN OUR TEAM IN 

SUNNY FLORIDA 

Lifestyle Family Fitness is 

ranked in top 34 fitness clubs in 

N. America and has over 19 

locations in Central Florida. 

We are currently hiring for the 

following positions: 

• Operations Managers 

• Regional and General 

Sales Managers 


• Group Fitness Instructors 

• Sales Consultants 

Lifestyle Family Fitness offers 

competitive salaries and benefits 

package. For more information 

call 1-800-881-8755 or 

fax resumes to 727-456-3112; 

JOBS@LFF.COM. 

Classified 

Ad Rates 

Member Company/Club 

$200/first 50 words, 

$1 each additional word 

Box 

additional $35 

Logo 

additional $35 

For more information, 

or to place a classified 

advertisment call 

800 228-4772 or 

e-mail cbi@ihrsa.org. 

FITNESS MANAGEMENT 

AND CONSULTING 

• Troubleshooting 

• Sales Training 

• Tele-Coaching 

• Operational Analysis 

• Leasing & Finance 

• Lead Boxes 

• Direct Mail 

• Books, Tapes & Videos 

• Investment & Business 

Opportunities 

www.fmconsulting.net 

800-929-2898 


3rd Annual 

IHRSA 

LEGISLATIVE 

SUMMIT 

May 18-20, 2005 

Washington, DC 


Featuring Keynote 

Speaker Mary Matalin 

“Politics, the 

Presidency 

and the 

Press” 

Who Should Attend? 

• Club owners and general managers 

• Anyone in the fitness industry with 

an interest in being politically active 

For More Information: 

• Phone: 800-228-4772 (U.S./Canada), 

617-951-0055 (International) 

• Fax: 617-737-3323 

• Email: meetings@ihrsa.org 

263 Summer Street 

Boston, Massachusetts 02210 USA 


Marketplace 

CONSULTING 

TO PLACE A 

CLASSIFIED AD 

CALL 800 228-4772 

OR E-MAIL 

CBI@IHRSA.ORG 

FILL 

A JOB, 

FIND 

A JOB AT: 

CLUB FOR SALE 

FITNESS STUDIO 

FOR WOMEN 

Located in southwest Florida. 

Full service studio with aerobic 

room, pilates reformers, 

strength and cardio equipment, 

free weights, tanning booth. 

Establishing membership. 

Beautiful fun location. Asking 

$275,000. Owner financing 

with $150,000 down. Price 

includes significant leasehold 

improvements, approximately 

4,000 sq ft. Turnkey operation. 

E-mail for further info: 

starlightc@earthlink.net 

www.ihrsa.org/jobs

Index 

CBI Advertisers 

Company Page # Phone # Contact Email/Web Site 

ABC Financial Services, Inc. 40 800-622-6290 Paul Schaller www.abcfinancial.com 

Airex ® distributed by SPRI Products, Inc. 103 800-222-7774 Terri Selz www.spriproducts.com 

Amercian College of Sports Medicine 87 317-637-9200 Chris Kushner www.acsm.org 

American Council on Exercise 54 800-825-3636 Ken Germano www.acefitness.org 

American Specialty Health 50 888-511-2743 John Donoghue www.ashproviders.com 

ASF International 2, 3 800-227-3859 Sean Kirby www.asfinternational.com 

Balanced Body Pilates 32 800-745-2837 Dave Littman www.pilates.com 

Balazs Boxing 71 888-466-6765 Patrick Gormley www.boxingsource.com 

Body Bar Systems 79 800-500-2030 Andrea Dyer www.bodybars.com 

Bodyguard Fitness 103 800-373-2639 www.bodyguardfitness.com 

BroadcastVision 21 800-770-9770 Mark Blake www.broadcastvision.com 

CheckFree Corporation 5 800-242-9522 Ron Poliseno www.rcmsolutions.com 

Club Marketing & Management Services 11 406-449-5559 Mike Chaet www.cms-clubweb.com 

Club-Pak 107 800-234-6363 Scott Morgan www.Jenkins-Athens.com 

Concept2, Inc. 91 800-245-5676 Bill Patton www.concept2.com 

Core Spinal Fitness System by MedX 22 866-814-0719 Jennifer Passudetti www.corespinalfitness.com 

Creative Agency Group 89 800-888-8381 Jon Denley jdenley@creativeagency.com 

CSI Software 31 800-247-3431 Frank McDuff www.csisoftwareusa.com 

CYBEX International, Inc. 9 508-533-4300 Deb Cowell www.cybexinternational.com 

Elixir Tonics & Teas 100 323-850-9450 Bob Mah www.elixir.net 

Exerflex 27 800-428-5306 Steve Chase www.fitnessfloors.com 

Fit Rewards Insert 888-762-8156 Maria Parella www.fitrewards.com 

FreeMotion Fitness 28 877-363-8449 Brandon Lee www.freemotionfitness.com 

Gerstung 87 800-922-3575 Jeff Tarleton www.gerstung.com 

Gliding 10 800-464-7309 Stu Turner www.glidingpro.com 

Graham Meus Architects 98 617-423-9399 Jennifer Meus www.graham-meus.com 

Hitech Trainer 106 877-205-3448 Bedros Kemilian www.hitechtrainer.com 

HOIST Fitness Systems 46 800-548-5438 Reina Reeves www.hoistfitness.com 

Ideal Products 98 800-88-IDEAL Robert Martin www.idealockers.com 

Iron Grip Barbell Company 7 800-664-IRON Donna McCallum www.irongrip.com 

Ivanko Barbell Company 19 310-514-1155 Chet Groskreutz www.ivankobarbell.com 

John Spencer Ellis Enterprises 105 877-348-6692 Michele Corillo www.thespencermethod.com 

K & K Insurance 93 800-637-4757 Sandee Howle www.kandkinsurance.com 

KIP Machines 91 (54)341-464-7302 Horacio Moavro www.kipmachines.com 

Life Fitness Back Cover 800-634-8637 Mike Rotz www.lifefitness.com 

Linear Rubber Products 79 800-558-4040 Ron Fechner www.rubbermats.com 

M.S. Plastics and Packaging Co. 98 800-593-1802 Keith Howson www.msplastics.com 

Magnum Fitness Equipment IBC 800-372-0554 Larry Nelson www.magnumfitness.com 

Matrix Fitness Systems, Corp. 89 920-648-6100 ext. 333 Tiffany Kump www.matrixfitness.com 

Max Rack 69 866-231-3383 Karen Skilken www.maxrack.com 

MembersFirst 34 866-636-3477 Pete Diffendal www.memfirst.com 

Mondo USA 64 800-441-6645 Matt Sheafer www.mondousa.com 

MyGym Fitness System 87 801-671-6907 Vincent Engle www.mygym.net 

National Council of Strength & Fitness 39 800-722-NCSF Damian Stephens www.ncsf.org 

National Exercise Trainers Association 105 800-237-6242 Mario Crespo www.netafit.org 

Nautilus Health & Fitness Group IFC 800-864-1270 x1611 Pete Dame www.nautilus.com 

New Leaf Health & Fitness Products 57 888-826-2751 Kristen Icarella www.newleaf-online.com 

Peak Performance Insert 800-574-4400 Jim Smith www.healthclubpros.com 

Philips Medical Systems 14 800-453-6860 Thomas Costello www.medical.philips.com 

Power Systems 101 800-321-6975 Bruno Pauletto www.power-systems.com 

Powerful Promotions, Inc. 58, 59 877-822-5577 Jim Martin www.powerfulpromotions.com 

Precor Commercial Division 17 800-786-8404 Chris Torggler www.precor.com 

Pro*Fit Enterprises 79 888-604-2244 Rande LaDue www.pacegroupexercise.com 

Ready Care Industries 80 800-477-4283 Kevin Hedican www.readycare.com 

Salsbury Industries 105 800-562-5377 Ricardo Alva www.lockers.com 

SCIFIT 12 800-278-3933/918-359-2000 Denton Smith www.scifit.com 

Soft Play 94 888-752-9582 Michaella Zahn www.softplay.com 

Sports & Fitness Insurance Corporation 80 888-276-8392 Jennifer Urmston Lowe www.sportsfitness.com 

SportsArt America 24 800-709-1400 Scott Logan www.sportsartamerica.com 

StairGlider 54 888-716-4747 Kimber Thayer www.StairGlider.com 

SPRI Products, Inc. 38 800-222-7774 Customer Service www.spriproducts.com 

Star Trac 1 800-228-6635 Paul Ireland www.startrac.com 

Stott Pilates 49 416-482-4050 Sales Department www.stottpilates.com 

Summit Learning Systems 84 800-666-6404 x3 Raymond Cardinale www.IHRSAClubResults.com 

Susan K. Bailey Advertising Insert 888-349-4594 Patrick Kell www.clubads.com 

TECHNOGYM Cover 800-804-0952 Ivo Grossi www.technogymusa.com 

Thomas Plummer Company 82 800-726-3506 www.thomasplummer.net 

Tricore Fitness, LLC 97 800-223-1084 Don Brown www.tricorefitness.com 

VersaClimber 37 800-237-2271 Brett Collins www.versaclimber.com 

X-Vest 70 800-697-5658 George Morrison www.thexvest.com 

Yeadon Fabric Domes, Inc. 107 800-493-2366 Steve Flanagan www.yeadondomes.com 


Memo from McCarthy IHRSA’s relationship with GNC and FitRewards offers 

real, meaningful, benefits for its member clubs. 

IHRSA Offers New Programs 

with GNC and FitRewards 

In an association with members as varied as IHRSA’s, not 

every membership benefit is right for every club. However, 

IHRSA has recently entered into a relationship with two 

companies, each of which, I’m convinced, can provide a real, 

meaningful, value added for many IHRSA facilities. Those two 

firms are GNC and FitRewards. 

GNC is well-known to most IHRSA members. As you’re 

probably already aware, in the U.S., it’s the leading retail 

supplier of vitamins and nutritional supplements. 

We appreciate that many clubs have chosen not to sell vitamins 

or supplements, but, at the same time, we recognize that 80% 

of the American public, and an even higher percentage of club 

members, are now making use of dietary aids of some sort. 

Our relationship with the company provides significant 

discounts to the members of IHRSA facilities whenever they 

John McCarthy 

purchase something at a GNC store. Last September, GNC 

IHRSA Executive Director distributed more than 1 million temporary Gold Cards—good, 

for one day, for a 20% discount on any GNC product—to the 

members of participating clubs. And, last month, GNC put 

another 850,000 Elite Gold Cards into circulation through IHRSA facilities; these 

extend a 20% discount for the first week of every month for a full year. 

Each time GNC conducts one of these promotions, it markets it to GNC customers, 

either in-store or via direct mail, offering them a free two-week guest membership 

at participating clubs. 

This benefit costs you nothing. It allows you to give something of real value to 

your members. And, perhaps most importantly, it may well generate new memberships. 

As I indicated above, this program may not be appropriate for every club, but for 

many—it’s a great deal. (For more information or to enroll, contact Brooke Basile at 

800-228-4772, ext. 173.) 

FitRewards, for its part, has developed a program that fills a huge void in the health 

and fitness club industry. Up until now, no one has created loyalty programs for our 

business comparable to the “frequent-flier” programs originated by the airline industry. 

FitRewards meets that need. 

Modeled on the “frequent-buyer” programs instituted by hotels, supermarkets, car 

rental agencies, and others, it rewards club members for consistent and long-term 

usage, and for purchasing ancillary items, such as personal training, spa services, etc. 

Each time a member uses the club, they earn points. Each time they take a tennis lesson, 

they earn points. Each time they refer a new member, they earn points. And each time 

they buy something in the club, they earn points. 

Redemption is painless and seamless. A special Website tracks all of the 

member’s activities, keeps a running toll of points earned, and allows them to redeem 

their points for a variety of products and services—either standard merchandise or 

club-specific products. 

FitRewards is, at once, a marketing tool, a revenue-generating tool, a memberrecognition, 

-satisfaction, and –retention tool, and even a staff-motivation tool. It’s 

clearly worth your consideration. (For more information or to enroll, contact Maria 

Parrella at 800-762-8156 or log on to www.fitrewardsclub.com.) 

Photo by Tracy Powell 

112 Club Business International FEBRUARY 2005 www.ihrsa.org

Magnum fits all the pieces together to help make 

your business a success. 

Your Single Source 

Over the past 25 years Magnum has become a trusted name in the 

fitness industry by building integrity into our products and services. 

Every project receives our steadfast commitment to craftsmanship, as 

well as, the highest caliber of professionalism to help you and your 

clients achieve success. Our experienced representatives provide 

expertise in equipment selection and facility layout to maximize the 

use of your floor space. 

Magnum offers a turnkey product package including: strength, cardio, 

flooring, weights and accessories, facility layout and planning, and 

other support services. The core of what we do is to provide all the 

necessary products and services to bring success to your business. 

800-372-0554 • www.magnumfitness.com

Picture Perfect 

NOW EXERCISE ENTERTAINMENT IS MORE POWERFUL 

THAN YOUR MEMBERS EVER IMAGINED. 

Customizable, upscale, and truly unique. It’s the power of attraction 

that makes our new LCD Technology so appealing. But looks aren’t the 

only thing. The interactive touch-screen performance of the Integrated LCD 

Console and the simple functionality of the Attachable LCD Entertainment 

System deliver the most powerful customized entertainment experience. 

Because when you combine the best in LCD Technology with the 

best equipment, your members get much more than they expected. 

For a closer look at our LCD Technology, visit lifefitness.com 

or call 800.634.8637. 

AD CODE: AD-CBI-LCD 

©2004 Life Fitness, a division of Brunswick Corporation. All rights reserved. Life Fitness is a registered trademark of Brunswick Corporation. USC-082-04 (12.04) 

Integrated LCD Console 

Attachable LCD Entertainment System 

lifefitness.com 

Built to Lead >>

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