April 1, 2009
First Word
It's All in How You Look at It
When I was a child, the world seemed so much smaller to me. And my world really was smaller at that time because it only consisted of my family, friends,...
Boston Beckons
For those of you on the East Coast, don't forget that Club Industry East is coming up May 27-30 in Boston. If you haven't already registered for this...
Top 100 Time
It's time to submit your company's Top 100 Clubs information. The forms are being e-mailed to club companies that appeared on the list last year, but...
Top News
Show Me the Money
You'd never know there was a recession if you talked to Eric Casaburi. The founder of Retrofitness, Colts Neck, NJ, speaks animatedly about how he plans...
Feature
Back to Boston
After a nine-year absence, the Club Industry East Conference and Exposition returns to Boston with a program designed to help club operators ride out...
Proof of Pilates
The term recession proof gets loosely tossed around these days. Some observers say that the fitness industry is recession proof because people have a...
Cardio Remix
Disc jockeys aren't your typical health club employees, but you'll find them spinning vinyl at Crunch every week though Crunch is not your typical club...
25th Anniversary
Products of Change
Treadmills may be the most popular piece of equipment under your club's roof, but club operators know that to be successful, the industry has had to evolve...
Fitness Business News
Navy SEAL Fitness Challenges Pit Public Against Military Elite
Tempe, AZ The Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge is hitting the road again in 2009 with several events planned throughout the United States. The free events...
Diversified Health Expands With Purchase of Butterfly Life
Fort Lauderdale, FL Diversified Health & Fitness Inc. purchased another chain of women-only health clubs this time acquiring the assets of San Ramon,...
Gold's Gym Thinks Small with Concept Clubs
Irving, TX Gold's Gym International is about to enter the small-box club market with a new concept club program that CEO James Weaver announced at the...
Perspective Important for Industry Statistics
Boston Two industry surveys detailing January 2009 club performances paint a different picture of club membership sales during a difficult economy. Results...
TSI Slows Growth for 2009
New York The economy weighed heavily on Town Sports International's (TSI) business in fourth quarter 2008, and the public company's management team expects...
In Brief
Planet Fitness A Planet Fitness franchise in the Bronx, NY, set a company record in March by pulling in $300,000 in EFT payments for the month. The club...
Inside Manufacturers
Nautilus Experiences Tough 2008, Foresees Tough 2009
Vancouver, WA Nautilus, which has had disappointing financials for the past several years, wasn't helped last year by the economy. Net sales in fourth...
Spin Fitness Acquires Peak Pilates
Venice, CA Spin Fitness (Mad Dogg Athletics Inc.), which created the Spinning program and line of Spinner bikes, says it hopes its recent acquisition...
X-Force Debuts in U.S.
Stockholm, Sweden Swedish company X-Force debuted in the United States its line of fitness equipment designed for negative-accentuated training at IHRSA...
Les Mills Launches Software
Auckland, New Zealand Les Mills introduced its new ClubCount software at IHRSA 2009 last month in San Francisco. The Web-based program will allow club...
New Prospect E-mail Program Launched
Cornelius, NC Retention Management launched a new prospect e-mail program as part of its member communication service. An expansion of its automated e-mail...
On the Mark
Around the Fitness World in 80 Days
The question I have been receiving most often of late is, How is the fitness club industry doing around the world? My answer is it is mixed at best. Having...
Focus on Clubs
Minimize Cancellations And Grow the Bottom Line
Over the last three financial quarters, cancellations at clubs have increased. Unfortunately, many club owners are not doing anything about it, but it's...
Executive Insights
Raising the Gold Standard
When James Weaver took over as the new CEO of Gold's Gym International last fall, the question on everybody's mind was: Does he have a fitness background?...
Pro Shop
Pro Shop
Personal Training Computers Polar's FT40 Training Computer provides a new EnergyPointer feature that simplifies exercise by displaying a user's exertion...
