Gold’s Closes Last Club in Hawaii, Announces Company Hires 

By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor

IRVING, TX -- Last year, Keith Albright, senior vice president of franchising at Gold’s Gym International, said the company planned to open about a half dozen Gold’s Gyms in Hawaii over the next few years. Those plans will not include the last remaining Gold’s Gym in Hawaii, which will close on Aug. 31....

Club Closes After Minnesota College Files Eviction Complaint 

MOORHEAD, MN -- Officials at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, are still weighing their options after Moorhead Racquetball and Fitness Center, a for-profit club that operated in a building it leased from the college, closed last week....

Air Force Commander Scores 100 Percent on Fitness Test, Inspires Others 

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, SC -- When Air Force service members take their annual fitness test, most of them hope to pass. But one commander is inspiring his group to do much more than just pass. Col. Joseph Mancy, 437th operations group commander at Charleston Air Force Base (SC), passed his July fitness test with a score of 100 percent in the men’s 25-and-under category. Mancy is 47. ...

Y of Greater Seattle Partners to Offer Fitness Program to Cancer Survivors 

SEATTLE -- The YMCA of Greater Seattle and a cancer research center recently partnered to create a new strength and fitness program designed specifically for cancer survivors. The 10-week program, Exercise and Thrive, is available free to adults who have completed cancer treatment, regardless of where they were treated. ...

New Jersey Club Recovering After Fire 

By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor

BRICK, NJ -- Work Out World owner Stephen P. Roma says he’s fortunate that a fire last month in his corporate club in Brick, NJ, did not significantly slow down his company’s operations....

Titan Fitness Wins Visionary and Bravo Awards 

IRVING, TX -- Titan Fitness won the Visionary Award from Gold’s Gym International and the Bravo Award from the Gold’s Gym Franchise Association during the Gold’s annual franchise convention in late July in Las Vegas. ...

MFA Introduces Medical Fitness Facility Certification 

RICHMOND, VA -- The Medical Fitness Association (MFA) is now accepting applications for its new facility certification program. This is the first facility certification to be offered within the fitness industry and specifically for the medical fitness industry, which serves more than 3 million members nationwide. ...

The Sports Club Co. Revenue Up 

LOS ANGELES -- The Sports Club Co., Los Angeles, had a 4.1 percent increase in its second quarter revenue, according to a statement from the company. The company’s second quarter 2008 revenue was $16.4 million compared to $15.7 million for the second quarter of last year. ...

Slow Sales in North America Hurt Precor 

HELSINKI, FINLAND -- Amer Sports, the Finnish parent company of Precor, had net sales of $441 million, a 14 percent decrease from the same period last year, according to a release from the company. Net sales for the fitness equipment division of the company decreased 17 percent. ...

Former President Clinton Honors 43 Schools for Their Efforts in Battling Obesity 

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Former President Bill Clinton honored 43 schools for their anti-obesity efforts, including one school that banished candy from its building and another that offers a student fitness club. ...

Gainesville Club Owner Makes Inc. Magazine Cover 

By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor

GAINESVILLE, FL -- Joe Cirulli, owner of Gainesville (FL) Health and Fitness Centers (GHFC), is featured on the cover of this month’s issue of Inc. magazine....

Children of Deployed Troops Offered Sports/Fitness Camp 

BITBURG, GERMANY -- According to the National Military Family Association, an estimated 155,000 children are coping with having a deployed parent—and in some cases two deployed parents. To help these children, Installation Management Command-Europe in Germany recently offered a sports and fitness event as a part of Camp A.R.M.Y Challenge, a summer program for children in grades six through 12. ...

TSI Revenues Increase 8 Percent in Second Quarter 2008 

NEW YORK -- A growth in membership and personal training revenue as well as a low attrition rate highlighted the second quarter 2008 results for Town Sports International (TSI)....

Small IHRSA Study Shows Positive Results for First Quarter 2008 

BOSTON -- Despite a slowing economy, a recently conducted survey of 18 leading U.S. health and sports club companies shows that financial performance improved for the first quarter ending March 31, compared to the same period last year....

Cybex Sales and Income Down in Second Quarter 

By: By Pamela Kufahl, editor

MEDWAY, MA -- Cybex International Inc.’s second quarter net sales and net income were down in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. Net sales were $33.1 million, 4.6 percent lower than the $34.7 million for the corresponding 2007 period. Net income was $128,000 compared to $1.1 million for the corresponding 2007 period. ...

Richard Simmons Reaches Out to Congress in Support of Physical Education 

WASHINGTON, DC -- Trading in his glittery tank top and striped shorts for a suit and tie, famed fitness guru Richard Simmons spoke at a hearing before Congress on Thursday, urging the House Education and Labor Committee to expand physical education in public schools. ...

Grand Rapids Y Replaces Three Water-Free Urinals 

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- During a renovation at the David D. Hunting YMCA in Grand Rapids, MI, operators recently replaced three of the facility's water-free urinals with a more traditional model. ...

At Sea, Navy Ship Tries Yoga 

USS BONHOMME RICHARD -- Although the flight deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard (BHR) usually sounds like a whir of loud rotor blades, those noises are replaced a few times a week with something a bit unusual for a Naval ship -- the sound of ambient music. Since mid-July, the flight deck has been the setting for yoga classes. ...

Life Fitness Is Bright Spot for Brunswick 

By: By Pamela Kufahl, editor

CHICAGO -- Life Fitness had a 9 percent sales increase in the second quarter despite difficulties in the consumer side of the business, according to earnings released yesterday by Brunswick Corp., owner of Life Fitness. ...

Life Time Surging During Tough Economic Times 

By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor

CHANHASSEN, MN -- Despite the continued struggles of the economy that has affected most of the club industry, Life Time Fitness continues to experience steady growth, reflected in the second-quarter results that the company announced today....

Nautilus Closing Tulsa Facilities by End of the Year 

VANCOUVER, WA -- After experiencing revenue losses for the last several quarters, Nautilus Inc. announced plans today to consolidate its U.S. manufacturing and distribution facilities. ...

IDEA Survey Finds Fitness Facilities Focusing More on Community 

SAN DIEGO -- Fitness facility owners are focusing on building communities for their members, according to results from the IDEA Fitness Programs and Equipment Survey. The 13th annual survey also finds that although new pieces of equipment and group exercise formats are popular in clubs, the old standbys are holding strong in popularity, too. ...

Fitnessgram Tests Reveal More About Texas Schoolchildren 

AUSTIN, TX -- After further analysis of the results of the Fitnessgram test created by The Cooper Institute of Dallas and given to Texas schoolchildren in grades 3-12 this spring, children in high poverty levels have poorer fitness, and physically fit students tend to perform better on state standardized exams....

Physical Fitness May Slow Brain Atrophy in People With Alzheimer’s 

KANSAS CITY, KS -- A new study shows that exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, people with early Alzheimer’s who were less physically fit had four times more brain shrinkage than normal older adults....

Two Military Fitness Centers in Construction Bill 

WASHINGTON, DC -- Air Force and Navy Fitness may be adding new fitness centers to their ranks. A new fitness center at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina and Naval Air Station Kingsville (TX) were recently added by House appropriators to President Bush’s fiscal 2009 military construction request....