In 1984, Todd Logan and Marc Onigman published the first issue of Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro magazine. Twenty-five years later, the magazine is still going strong, covering every segment of the fitness business.

Throughout the year, the staff of Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro will focus on different areas of the business and how that part of the business has changed during the past 25 years.

Make sure to check back to read the stories and view the pictures that recount the history of your industry.

Looking Back

Clubs of the 2000s

The first decade of the 21st century saw the emergence of Bahram Akradi’s Life Time Fitness, which shared the spotlight with the more established 24 Hour Fitness and Bally Total Fitness. However, these three operations faced competition from other clubs of prominence, such as Club One, Equinox, Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, Town Sports International and World Gym.

The first decade of the 21st century saw the emergence of Bahram Akradi’s Life Time Fitness, which shared the spotlight with the more established 24 Hour Fitness and Bally Total Fitness. However, these three operations faced competition from other clubs of prominence, such as Club One, Equinox, Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, Town Sports International and World Gym.

> Read "Clubs of the 2000s" article

Clubs of the 1990s

The fitness industry in the 1990s was still young but slowly maturing. More people were joining health clubs, and the number of facilities grew with them. By this decade, many people had accepted that exercising improved their health, but the focus of most health club members was still on how to improve their appearance.

The industry faced some challenges in this decade, especially in the early 1990s as the savings and loan crisis helped spur a recession that caused money to be tight and caused some club closings as well as the Chapter 11 filing of four Naiman Co.-owned Sporting Clubs. Still, the health club industry held steady, and by the end of the decade, was going strong with some consolidation of clubs.

The decade also was a time when true brands were created with companies such as 24 Hour Fitness, Bally Total Fitness, Club Sports International (Wellbridge) and Family Fitness Centers.

Read "Clubs of the 1990s" article

Clubs of the 1980s

What did the club industry look like in the 1980s, the decade in which Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro magazine began? The big names in our industry included Bally Total Fitness, the only national chain at that time. However, that doesn't mean Bally was the only game in town.

Read "Clubs of the 1980s" article