Rewind button image original by Thinkstock/istockphoto, montage by Cheri Jones.

In the past 12 months, the fitness industry saw encouraging signs that it was breaking free from the recession that engulfed the latter part of the previous decade. More club company owners were able to refinance their debt, thus putting them in better position for expansion and acquisition. More club operators created new brands, some in the form of the still-growing high volume/low-price arena, while personal training studios and cycle-only clubs continued to grow. And, at least according to statistics released by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the industry enjoyed 5 million more memberships since the last roll call in 2009.

However, for every 24 Hour Fitness grand opening, there was a club such as the 20-year-old Spa & Fitness Club in Costa Mesa, CA, that closed. For every new LA Fitness, there was the Naples (FL) Fitness Center that closed after 32 years. For every club that In-Shape Health Clubs acquired or built, there were clubs such as Lakeshore Athletic Club that closed. For every new Planet Fitness, Anytime Fitness or Snap Fitness, there was a Bally Total Fitness, a World Gym, or a smaller gym, such as Medina’s Gym in Hayward, CA, that closed its doors. Growth was everywhere, but so were reminders that the industry, like all industries, is still grappling with a lagging economy.

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