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

Club Business 

October 2005 www.ihrsa.org $7 

>>> The magazine of the 

International Health, Racquet 

& Sportsclub Association 

Jeff Klinger and 

Chuck Runyon’s 

fitness franchise 

stresses convenience 

for members ›47 

International 

SIGN of the 

Fitness Divas 

›52 

Brenda Loube and 

Sheila Drohan have 

clearly demonstrated that 

Corporate Fitness Works 

Mars vs. Venus 

›59 

TIMES 

Best-selling author John Gray 

will headline Club Industry’s 

20th anniversary convention 

IHRSA 2006 

›66 

Rick Caro and Lori Lowell cue 

up IHRSA’s 25th International 

Convention and Trade Show

Kinesis Patents 

• Fullgravity Technology 

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• Kinesis Wall 

patents pending by Technogym SpA 

KINESIS 

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• Provides a new training program, 

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Kinesis for the End User 

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Fax +39 0547 650505 

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NOW YOU 

CANHAVEIT 

BOTH WAYS. 

Introducing the Star Trac Elite CrossTrainer ® featuring SelectFit technology. It’s the first crosstrainer 

to integrate strength training into a cardio workout. At the push of a button, the user can choose from a 

pushing or pulling upper body motion, working two distinctly different muscle groups. The upper body arm 

motion can even be completely disengaged for a focused lower body 

workout. In short, it’s everything you never expected from a crosstrainer 

Call 800 228 6635 Dept. 1006 or visit us online at www.startrac.com Designed to inspire 


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Visit us at Club Industry Booth #1119


Photography: Tracy Powell 

Editor’s Welcome Solving puzzles is an endless, 

ubiquitous human activity. 

Clubs Rearrange 

World’s Reality 

Hart’s Location, New Hampshire, is one of the smallest incorporated 

municipalities in the U.S., a handful of homes and modest businesses 

scattered about one small part of the vastness of the White Mountain 

National Forest. Among them is the Notchland Inn, a bed and breakfast crafted, 

in the 1860s, from local granite, which still stands sentinel, its windows trained 

on Mounts Crawford and Hope. 

In the parlor of the inn, there sits a large table, and on it rests what the 

innkeepers call their “perpetual puzzle-in-progress.” Thousands of pieces 

that visitors toy with, wrestle with, on and off, at every hour of the night and 

day, season upon season, year after year. Matching colors, eliciting patterns, 

finding a better spot for the piece that fits, somehow, imperfectly. 

Discerning, creating, improving upon—it is an 

endless, ubiquitous human activity. 

I was forcefully reminded of that puzzle when 

I read the “Memo from McCarthy” in this issue of 

CBI. John McCarthy, IHRSA’s executive director, 

has, as it were, cast a thousand fragments of the 

industry’s corpus before us. That picture, assembled, 

suggests that these are times that “have 

never been more challenging, or demanding, or 

full of risk, or rich with opportunity.” 

His vision is reflected, confirmed, by isolated 

pieces or partial patches of puzzle throughout the 

magazine. Random complexity yields eventually, if 

reluctantly, to insights, ideas, innovation. Riddles are 

unraveled, questions answered, problems solved— 

in little, big, and bigger ways. The subjects of 

Craig R. Waters 

this month’s Q&A, Jeff Klinger and Chuck Runyon, 

identified what they thought were the three critical 

challenges confronted by traditional multipurpose clubs—underutilized space, an 

expensive work force, and high member turnover. Their artful rearrangement 

of the parts: Anytime Fitness, a franchise concept that minimizes overhead costs, 

while maximizing members’ convenience. 

Klinger’s and Runyon’s response has apparently struck a chord: they’ve 

already sold 255 territories, have 125 clubs operating, and are opening a new 

one, on average, every three days. 

You’ll also find, within these pages, shorter and longer accounts about: Brenda 

Loube and Sheila Drohan, two corporate-fitness pioneers; Fitness American Style II, 

a new report that sheds light on why people do, or don’t, exercise; four club 

companies that have deciphered the mystery of developing successful Websites; 

both IHRSA’s and Club Industry’s upcoming conventions; how the U.K. market is 

dealing with fierce competition; a new wireless cardiovascular product… 

The wonderful, if existentially frustrating, thing about the jigsaw of life is that it 

is never truly completed, never fully perfected. Even when, finally, the work at hand 

seems clear, coherent, and satisfying, it, like the puzzle in Hart’s Location, is 

inevitably, immediately, swept aside, and promptly replaced by thousands of new 

unmatched pieces. But no matter. Like Notchland, our view is also fixed, forever, 

on the future and on Hope. � 

4 Club Business International � OCTOBER 2005 � www.ihrsa.org 

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, 

Lesley Mahoney, Stephen Wallenfels, 

Kristen A. Walsh 

Associate Director of Advertising: Michele Eynon 

Advertising Account Executives: 

Jessica DiManno, William Finn, 

Donna Garrity, Christine Richards Paterson 

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 10

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Club Business 

International 

Features 

47 Sign of the Times 

Jeff Klinger and Chuck Runyon’s 

fitness franchise stresses 

convenience for members 

52 Fitness Divas 

Brenda Loube and Sheila 

Drohan have clearly 

demonstrated that 

Corporate Fitness Works 

55 Star Websites 

These clubs are utilizing the Internet 

to provide the services that their 

customers expect 

59 Mars vs. Venus 

Best-selling author John Gray 

will headline Club Industry’s 

20th anniversary convention 

66 IHRSA 2006 

Rick Caro and Lori Lowell 

cue up IHRSA’s 25th International 

Convention and Trade Show 

71 Exercise Whys 

Critical facts from Fitness American 

Style II: A Look at How and Why 

Americans Exercise 

75 The Stair Way 

The stairclimbers catalogued in 

F.I.T. Extra will attract stares and 

ensure members’ satisfaction 

News & Know How 

21 This Loser a winner 

21 Cardio goes wireless 

22 U.K. club conflicts 

24 Educational exercise 

24 Fitness Business dough 

26 Executive shortfall 

29 Late Breaking News 

Photography (right): REUTERS/Peter Morgan 

page 24 

Speedo star 

Amanda Beard 

Short Takes 

40 A mermaid’s tale 

40 Fred Flintstone fitness 

43 Jennings’ last 

warning 

43 Me & Mickey D 

44 Achieving fiscal health 

44 Marketing ‘Real Beauty’ 

In Every Issue 

4 Editor’s Welcome 

Editor-in-chief Craig R. Waters on 

life’s puzzles 

8 This month on www.ihrsa.org 

10 Letters 

31 On the Move 

Reader Service 

15 Buyer$Mart 

108 Marketplace 

115 Advertisers’ 

Index 

page 40 

The IHRSA Report 

The IHRSA Report page 89 


91 Letter from the President 

You need to help IHRSA protect and 

promote the industry. By Joe Moore 

92 In Brief 

The facts about fax correspondence… 

Summary of federal regulations… 

State statutes… Tips to help you 

comply… Penalties for violations 

94 Inside IHRSA 

World premier of Get Active! 

magazine… Significant stats from 

new Health Club Trend Report… 

Clubs come to the rescue 

95 IHRSA Spotlight 

Independent clubs will always 

be the backbone of this business. 

By Rick Devereux 

96 What’s New 

99 News From Associates 

102 New IHRSA Associates 

103 New IHRSA Clubs 

107 Calendar of Events 

116 Memo from McCarthy 

Assessing more challenging, 

demanding, risky, and rewarding 

times. By John McCarthy 

OCT 2005

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For more information, call 800.242.9522 or visit www.checkfreeclubmanager.com

ihrsa.org 

This Month on 

To 

Grow, Protect and Promote the Industry 

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

Technology 

Sharing Industry Insights 

The following is excerpted 

from one of the newest 

Trends Insights, produced 

for you by IHRSA and the 

Ketchum Global Research 

Network. To read the entire 

report or any of the other 

Trends Insights, please log on 

to www.ihrsa.org/research. 

Technology-Enhanced 

Sports Products The line 

between geeks and jocks 

may be blurred forever. 

Advancements in technology 

have hit the sports industry 

with enhanced equipment 

and simulation products. 

New equipment and products 

boost the performance, safety, 

and amusement of athletes. 

While new technology has a 

stigma for being complicated, 

advancements with sports 

equipment are designed to 

simplify athletes’ training 

regimens. Enhanced equipment 

and simulation products 

broaden the horizon of 

athletics and influence 

the direction for sports in 

the future. By enhancing 

individuals’ abilities, they 

allow athletes to perfect 

techniques and maximize 

results. Simulation products 

mimic motions and allow 

athletes to train anytime, 

anywhere, which can be 

a great benefit or problem 

for health clubs. 

With focus on customization, 

these technology 

products are reshaping the 

sports industry. Americans 

live in a technological world 

with younger generations 

that not only desire more 

gadgets, but also expect 

Promote Health Literacy Month in October 

This month is devoted to promoting the dissemination 

of instructive and understandable health information 

around the world. Since your members already turn 

to you for healthy lifestyle solutions, why not assist 

them further by posting a health-related question 

each day, awarding a fun prize to the first person to 

answer it correctly? For ideas, visit IHRSA’s online 

store (www.ihrsastore.com) to view the many brochures 

that have been created to educate the public about 

the virtually infinite benefits of regular exercise. � 

‘Celebrate Silver’ at IHRSA’s 

25th Anniversary Convention! 

It’s one event that you simply can’t afford to miss! In 

just a few months, the health and fitness club industry 

will celebrate 25 years of innovation, success, growth, 

and global expansion: IHRSA’s 25th Anniversary 

International Convention and Trade Show will be held 

March 20-23, 2006, in Las Vegas, and now is the time 

to begin planning to attend! As an added incentive, 

IHRSA will take $50 off of the registration fee if you sign 

up by October 15. Early birds also benefit by obtaining 

the best choices and prices on airline flights and hotel 

accommodations. Log on to www.ihrsa.org/convention 

for complete details or to register. And please check out 

the convention preview on pg. 66 of this issue of CBI. � 

Spread the Word in the 

Classified Marketplace 


Club for sale? Looking for a general manager? 

Marketing your consulting expertise? 

CBI classified ads are an effective and 

inexpensive way to get the word out about 

the products or services that you’re either 

selling or looking to buy. Rates start at 

$200 and increase slightly if you incorporate color, 

images, or special effects. Visit www.ihrsa.org/classifieds 

to obtain all of the details. Also: Be sure to check out this 

issue’s “Marketplace” section, which starts on page 15. � 

them. Now, extreme sports 

enthusiasts can surf without 

an ocean, ski without snow, 

and mountain bike without 

a mountain. � 

Savings 

Enjoy Office Supply 

Savings with Staples 

IHRSA and Staples Business 

Advantage have partnered 

to offer you a hassle-free 

office supply solution. In 

addition to great savings 

on office supply purchases, 

Staples Business Advantage 

can provide product selection 

on more than 30,000 

business products, easy 

online ordering through 

stapleslink.com, hassle-free 

returns, free overnight 

delivery on orders over $25, 

special discount shopping 

day offers... and more! For 

more information, please 

log on to www.ihrsa.org/ 

advantage/staples. � 

Relief Efforts 

Update on Katrina 

Immediately following 

Hurricane Katrina, IHRSA 

reached out to member 

clubs in the affected states to 

find out how they had fared 

and to offer the industry’s 

assistance. To learn more 

about Katrina’s impact, 

and to find out what other 

clubs are doing to help those 

in the storm zone, log on 

to www.ihrsa.org/relief. �

It means developing a proprietary American urethane that’s constantly refined to improve durability 

and longevity. And using American-made, aircraft-grade Hard Chrome that’s so tough it meets military 

specifications. It means operating our own manufacturing facility, because choosing the right materials means 

nothing if you don’t control how they’re built. So when you see “Made in the USA,” you see a guarantee that 

our products will consistently deliver the quality and performance that have made Iron Grip the preeminent 

name in strength equipment. For more information call 800-664-4766 or visit us at www.irongrip.com. 


Letters “The clubs in, and for as least 100 miles around, New Orleans are 

in really big trouble, and will be in dire need of help in the future.” 

HURRICANE WATCH 

� Please spread the word to every IHRSA 

facility to keep us in their prayers. The clubs 

in, and for as least 100 miles around, New 

Orleans are in really big trouble, and will be 

in dire need of help in the future—both to 

rebuild our clubs and regain members. All of 

the clubs in New Orleans, Covington, Mandeville, 

and Slidell, Louisiana, and along the 

Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast will 

have to start over. The business that it took 

us 27 years to build is now back to square 

one, with no club and no members. 

Dion Grossnickle, General Manager 

Cross Gates Athletic Clubs 

Slidell, LA 

Editor’s note: the following letter was 

written in response to a statement 

of sympathy that appeared on 

IHRSA’s Website following the 

terrorist bombings in London. 


HUMAN ASPECT 

� Thank you, IHRSA, for your compassionate 

message toward our friends in the 

United Kingdom following the terrorist 

attacks. I appreciate that IHRSA is bringing 

the world together—we are much more 

than just fitness professionals. I have the 

greatest appreciation for your continued 

recognition of the people—the human 

beings—in our business. 

Gail O’Dell, General Manager 

JRC-The Alaska Club 

Valley & Downtown Juneau 

Juneau, AK 

PEACH PERFECT 

� When John McCarthy, IHRSA’s 

executive director, retires next 

year, one of the things that I’ll miss 

the most is his monthly “Memo 

from McCarthy” in CBI. His August 

memo on the “P-E-A-C-H Paradigm” 

was fantastic. I’m going to 

laminate it for safekeeping. I’ve also faxed a 

copy to the school that my kids attend, along 

with information about Operation FitKids, 

which I read about in the same issue. 

I pointed out to the school’s directors that 

my eight-year-old daughter was the only girl 

in the school to receive the highest rating 

from the President’s Council on Physical 

Fitness and Sports. While I’m proud of my 

daughter, the comment wasn’t meant to be 

boastful; it was intended, rather, to illustrate 

the very real problem of children’s 

increasingly sedentary behavior 

and the dangers of childhood 

obesity. Thanks for providing 

the information necessary to 

make people aware of, and to 

help them to deal with, this 

growing problem. 

Dan Santorum, 

Executive Director 

Professional Tennis Registry 

Hilton Head Island, SC

Letters A health club should strive to educate 

its members about healthy eating habits. 

A ZONE TO PICK 

� My business partner and I own a small 

club in Pennsylvania and have been members 

of IHRSA for nearly 10 years. During 

that time, we have come to rely on IHRSA 

for a great deal of information and support. 

I wanted to express my displeasure 

with the recent announcement of the 

partnership formed between IHRSA and 

the Zone Café. I realize that, as fad diets 

go, The Zone isn’t as bad as most, but make 

no mistake—it is a fad diet. It doesn’t 

emphasize the healthy eating habits that 

50 years of research, the Food and Drug 

Administration, and nearly every registered 

dietician advocate. 

A health club should strive to educate 

its members about healthy eating habits. 

At our club, we employ a registered dietician 

to provide advice and counseling to 

our members. It isn’t a money-making 

service, but it helps set our club apart 

as a place where members can receive 

honest and realistic answers to their 

nutrition questions. 

Certainly, many clubs are able to offer 

nutrition counseling as profit centers, but 

The Zone—with its book, café, etc.—is 

designed only to make money. An organization 

such as IHRSA that asks its members 

to adhere to “ethical” business practices 

should be more careful about the alliances it 

enters into. How are we supposed to make 

real changes and emphasize education to 

the public if we aren’t all working toward 

the same goals? 

Rob Bishop, Owner 

Elevations Health Club 

B&B Fitness 

Scotrun, PA 

Editor’s note: the following is IHRSA’s 

response to the preceding letter. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

� Your points are extremely well taken, and 

we greatly appreciate your speaking out. 

We understand your concerns regarding 

IHRSA’s recommending that clubs consider 

the Zone Café business proposition, and we 

concur that we must be very careful with 

respect to the partners we select. 

In the case of Zone Café, we were 

responding to the requests of many IHRSA 

members to present them with opportunities 

to “get into the food business.” We view 

the Zone Café program as a viable business 

opportunity for clubs that wish to go 

in that direction. 

We recognize, of course, that not every 

IHRSA program will resonate with every 

club, but do our best to design programs that 

make sense. 

Thank you again for your response, and 

please continue to speak out—positively or 

negatively—about IHRSA initiatives. 

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Chuck Leve, 

Director of Business Development 

IHRSA 

Boston, MA 

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 

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www.ihrsa.org � OCTOBER 2005 � Club Business International 11



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Special Advertising Section � www.ihrsa.org/buyersmart 

PRODUCT profiles 

Buyer$Mart is an effective shopping tool—one that 

allows you to find out about a wide range of valuable 

products and services easily, inexpensively, 

and without leaving the comfort of your club. 

For detailed contact information for any of the 

following companies, please refer to the advertiser 

index at the end of this section. 

The following advertisers are also listed in the 

Product Profiles section of the Buyer$Mart 

on the IHRSA Website. Point your browser to 

www.ihrsa.org/buyersmart for information 

on the latest products, services, and industry 

news from IHRSA’s Associate Members. 

The Buyer$Mart also has an advanced search 

function to help you find the companies you 

are looking for in the shortest time. 

www.ihrsa.org/buyersmart

A-1 Textiles 


American Hotel Register Company 

Towels, Towels and More Towels 

• A-1 Textiles is a leading supplier of towels to 

athletic clubs and spas nationwide. 

• Golden Touch Towels – The Ultimate Club & 

Hotel Towel – 100% Cotton Dobby Border 

• Six quality levels of imported/domestic towels 

which are designed to fit every budget. 

• A-1 Textiles carries many innovative products 

such as the Merlin & Viceroy lines of towels that 

withstand institutional washing and still remain 

touchably soft and absorbent. 

• Fast delivery via six ship points nationwide. 

ASF International 

For Free samples and pricing, 

call 800-351-1819 ext 6 or 

visit www.a1athletictowels.com 

ASF International provides 

the most comprehensive, 

one-source club management 

solutions in the industry 

including; full service payment 

processing and billing, 

ClubPRO 3000 ® software 

with integrated online business 

and member management and full service 

marketing programs designed specifically to increase 

referrals, sales and retention. 

For more information, call 800-227-3859 or log onto 

www.asfinternational.com. 

Card Integrators 


The Only Supplier Your Club Needs! 

As the world’s largest hospitality supplier 

for nearly 140 years, American Hotel 

Register Company carries over 

37,000 items, including towels, 

linens, amenities, receptacles, 

electronics, janitorial 

supplies, paper products, 

and more. We provide fast 

delivery from our 10 distribution 

centers strategically 

located throughout the 

country. Purchase by phone 

and web. Our 2,000-page 

catalog available upon request. 

1-800-323-5686 · www.americanhotel.com 

Body Bar Systems, Inc. 

Circuit Light 

Circuit Light 

Bright Idea! 

The Body Bar is a weighted, solid 

steel fitness bar encased in easy-grip 

durable rubber, with smooth rubber 

capped tips for added safety. Bars 

range in weight from 4 (2'), 9 (4'), 

12 (4'), 15 (4'), 18 (4'), 24 (4'), and 

30 (5') pounds, and easy to store. 

The bar is utilized in a wide variety 

of workouts for individuals, group 

fitness instructors and personal 

trainers. All products and programs 

are supported by the Master Your 

Body program of videos, master 

classes and workshops. 

Call for pricing. www.bodybars.com 

800-500-2030 

A time adjustable green light instructs users 

to exercise; a red light signals them to stop 

and move to next station. The Circuit Light 

is a heavy-duty unit, constructed from black, 

high-tech, heat-stabilized polycarbonate. It 

measures a compact 21” x 10” x 10”, weighs in 

a under eight pounds, and can be mounted on 

a wall, suspended from a ceiling, or positioned 

on a shelf. it makes use of standard 110v 

current, and its bulbs will burn continuously 

for a minimum of two years 

Call 866-615-6600 or visit www.circuitlight.com.


CSI Software 

DIRECTV 

CSI Software, a leading 

provider of software products 

for the health and fitness club 

industry, has introduced new 

and improved modules as part 

of its SPECTRUM and eMember 

lines. Among them are a 

new Contract program that 

facilitates customized contracts, 

signature capture, complete electronic storage, and 

member “holding pen” capabilities. CSI also incorporated 

full e-mail capabilities into all of its programs, allowing for 

either individual or mass mailings. 

FreeMotion 

Call 800-247-3431 or visit our Website at 

www.csisoftwareusa.com 

FreeMotion is the industry’s 

first full circuit of integrated, 

functional training equipment. 

FreeMotion pieces 

have extensive cable travel 

and swivel pulleys allowing 

users to perform virtually 

any movement with a wide 

range of real-life motion. 

Facility members will love 

the equipment’s versatility 

and facility owners offer machines that accommodate a 

diverse population. 

For information, visit www.freemotionfitness.com. 

International Court Soccer 

ATHLETIC CLUB 

OWNER/MANAGER 

Looking to increase your 

racquetball/squash court 

usage? Looking for a way 

to recruit new members? 

INTERNATIONAL COURT 

SOCCER is your answer! 

ICS is a dynamic new 

game, played inside a 

racquetball or squash 

court. The game uses 

specifically designed ball made exclusively by 

INTERNATIONAL COURT SOCCER INC. 

Visit WWW.INTERNATIONALCOURTSOCCER.COM 

for information. 

DIRECTV® service brings 

the profit power of total 

entertainment to your club! 

Missing the total entertainment 

picture? With DIRECTV ® 

service, your club can offer 

customers the best choice of 

sports, entertainment and news programs available anywhere 

on satellite or cable. Exclusive programs plus an outstanding 

selection of their favorite networks and music, all 

with 100% digital-quality picture and sound. That’s what 

you get with DIRECTV service—the total audio-visual 

solution. Click here to bring the profit power of total entertainment 

to your club today! 

WWW.DIRECTV.COM/BUSINESS 

Green Mountain Coffee 

Iron Grip 

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters – 

The Ultimate Coffee @ Work 

Perfect for your Health Club’s coffee 

needs! These systems deliver a fresh, 

individually-brewed cup of gourmet 

coffee or tea - without the cleanup. 

For your FREE no obligation trial call 

800-432-3402 or visit 

www.GreenMountainCoffee.com 

NASDAQ: GMCR 

Iron Grip eWeight 

Planner 2.2 

JUST RELEASED! Iron 

Grip has updated their 

eWeight Planner software 

to version 2.2. 

Featuring the latest 

product updates from 

15 manufacturers, this 

program is the fastest 

and easiest way to calculate the perfect amount of free 

weights for your fitness facility. Select which plate-loaded 

strength pieces you need, and the Planner recommends the 

proper assortment of free weights. 

Download the planner for FREE at www.irongrip.com, 

or call 800-664-4766 for more information. 



Ivanko Barbell 

Life Fitness 

Ivanko invites leading clubs and 

manufacturers to engrave their 

logo on the company's urethane 

plates and dumbbells. Ivanko’s 

E-Z Lift Urethane plates are 

round (fully functional) for safe 

and proper floor exercises like 

repetition power cleans and dead 

lifts. Ivanko’s urethane dumbbells feature a unique, revolutionary, 

patent pending design using a no bolt and no weld 

system to affix the head to the handle. Because club members 

will see the association day after day, it is important to 

consider a partner’s reputation for quality, passion for perfections, 

and credibility in the gym, where it counts. 

For information please call (800) 247-9044 

or visit ivankobarbell.com 

Nautilus Health & Fitness Group 

Now health clubs can get all the 

combined benefits of legendary 

Nautilus engineering and functionality 

in a sleek new design. 

Enhance the look of your modern 

gym environment with Nautilus 

Nitro Plus, the newest line of 

selectorized strength training 

equipment. Give your members 

the strength training results that 

they demand. 

Nautilus: Be Strong 

www.NautilusNitroPlus.com 

800-864-1270 ext. 5 

Physician’s Resource for Medical Equipment 

Cardiac Arrest... Are You Ready? 

Prices 

Starting at $1200 

Since 1994 

• Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading 

cause of death in the U.S. 

•Average EMS response is 8-12 minutes. 

• Early on site DEFIBRILLATION is the 

most effective way to increase the 

chance of survival. 

• Physician’s Resource is a national 

distributor of AUTOMATED EXTERNAL 

DEFIBRILLATORS (AEDs). 

• Easy for ANYONE to Operate. 

• Complete Service and Support. 

Call for Information 

Physician’s Resource 800-866-6689 

www.physiciansresource.net 


PowerSystems 

Life Fitness Cable Motion Series 

Single Stations 

Life Fitness’ Cable Motion single station 

Chest Press, Pulldown, Row and 

Shoulder Press boast a new, contemporary 

design that complements Life 

Fitness’ Signature Series and Multi- 

Jungle products so facilities can easily 

create a unified look with existing Life Fitness equipment. 

The four newest additions to the leading Life Fitness Cable 

Motion Series offer user-defined paths of motion in compact, 

biomechanically sound, and incredibly durable machines. 

Capitalize on the popular cable motion functional training 

trend and differentiate your facility with these unique 

dual-stack machines. 

www.lifefitness.com 

C 

Petra Hygienic Systems 

Petra’s New Platinum Line 

of Shower Products 

Using new technology, Petra’s Platinum 

Super Concentrates perform as well as 

premium ready-to-use products. 

Thick rich texture and luxurious foaming 

results in great product performance and 

unmatched membership satisfaction. The 

cost and convenience of the Platinum 

products will give management and staff 

equal satisfaction. It’s truly a win-win 

proposal for you and your members. 

Their vibrant colors and refreshing new 

fragrances will be a welcome addition to 

your shower area. 

Call your Petra Rep at 1-800-463-2516 for 

more details and free samples. 

premium care for skin and hair

PureFit 

SCIFIT 


RMT Fitness 

PureFit won “Nutrition 

Bar of the Year.” They 

taste great, and do not 

contain many of the 

harmful ingredients 

found in most bars, 

like hydrogenated oils. They also do not contain wheat, 

gluten, dairy, or artificial sweeteners. Vegan approved, 

they are available in three award winning flavors: 

Chocolate Brownie, Peanut Butter Crunch, and Almond 

Crunch. Call today for free samples and receive 50% off 

your first order. 

A Step Ahead 

With step through access 

and computer controlled 

resistance, the RST7000 

Total Body Recumbent 

Stepper from SCIFIT is 

truly a step ahead of 

its competition. The new 

height adjustable, swivel 

seat makes getting on 

and off the machine a 

snap. Give your Seniors something they will use and enjoy. 

Star Trac 

1.866.PureFit (1.866.787.3348) 

www.purefit.com sales@purefit.com 

“Nutrition bars are for everyone. 

We decided to make one that was nutritious.” 

Call 800-278-3933 or visit www.scifit.com 

The new, space-saving Star 

Trac Elite CrossTrainer 

delivers on the user-focused 

features of the Pro Series 

bikes and treadmills, including 

intuitive displays and fans. 

The groundbreaking SelectFit 

feature provides the unique 

benefit of choosing either a 

“pulling” or “pushing” upper 

body motion or to disengage 

the upper body motion for a focused lower body workout. 

For more information, please visit www.startrac.com 

or call 800.228.6635. 

VitaGlide Pro – The New 

Standard for Seated Fitness 

The VitaGlide Pro is a revolutionary 

fitness machine 

designed to improve the quality 

of seated workouts. Its linear 

“push-pull” stroke, varying 

intensity levels and digital 

pulse monitor help users 

maintain their target cardio 

range while toning the upper body and midsection. 

Inclusively designed with rollaway seat and direct access 

from wheelchair. 

Visit us at Booth #155 at the Club Industry Show! 

Call (800) 577-4424 or visit www.rmtfitness.com for 

more information. 

Sports & Fitness Insurance Corporation 

Since 1985, Sports 

& Fitness Insurance 

Corporation (SFIC) has 

been in the business of 

insuring health clubs and 

fitness centers. For the 

last three years IHRSA 

and SFIC have jointly marketed the IHRSA Association 

Insurance Program for the property and liability requirements 

of our industry. This year the IHRSA Association 

Program now proudly includes Employee Health Care 

Insurance for all 50 States. Individual Personal Trainer 

liability coverage can be obtained by calling: 800-844-0536 

extension 2232. 

Call Jennifer Urmston Lowe for more details 

at 888-276-8392 or send email to JKUrmston@aol.com 

Supreme Audio, Inc. 

SUPREME AUDIO - FITNESS 

AUDIO The only company dedicated 

exclusively to Fitness Sound 

Systems! FREE “Professional Fitness 

Audio Buyer’s Guide” featuring 

Special Projects, Telex, Shure, 

Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, and 

Samson wireless microphones, 

variable speed tape decks and CD 

players, speakers, and amplifiers. 

Broadcast-Vision entertainment systems. 

Free lifetime technical support. 24 hour shipping… 

99% same day! Largest selection of components with 100% 

secure online shopping. Competitive prices! 

For more information, please call Jane Plaugher at 

800-445-7398 or visit our website at 

www.SupremeAudio.com 



Advertising Index 

Company Phone # Contact Email/Web Site 

A-1 Textiles 800-351-1819 Customer Service www.a1athletictowels.com 

American Hotel Register Company 800-999-6835 Ted Cholak www.americanhotel.com 

ASF International 800-227-3859 Sean Kirby www.asfinternational.com 

Body Bar Systems 800-500-2030 Andrea Dyer www.bodybars.com 

CI Solutions 800-599-7385 Duane Gerardi www.cisolutions.biz 

Circuit Light 866-615-6600 Hal Shannon www.circuitlight.com 

CSI Software 800-247-3431 Frank McDuff www.csisoftwareusa.com 

DIRECTV 1-888-200-4388 DIRECTV www.DIRECTV.COM/BUSINESS 

FreeMotion Fitness 877-363-8449/ Mark Bergstrom www.freemotionfitness.com 

int'l (+1)719-533-2900 (sales@freemotion.com) 

Green Mountain Coffee 800-432-3402 Dan Berger www.greenmountaincoffee.com 

International Court Soccer 206-300-6924 John Birks www.internationalcourtsoccer.com 

Iron Grip Barbell Company 800-664-IRON Donna McCallum www.irongrip.com 

Ivanko Barbell Company 310-514-1155 Chet Groskreutz www.ivankobarbell.com 

Life Fitness 800-634-8637 Mike Rotz www.lifefitness.com 

Nautilus, Inc. 800-777-4348 Jonathan Little www.nautilusinc.com 

Petra Hygienic Systems 

Physicians Resource for 

800-463-2516 Benjamin Whitham www.petrasoap.com 

Medical Equipment, Inc. 800-866-6689 Karen Filchak www.physiciansresource.net 

Power Systems 800-321-6975 Customer Service www.power-systems.com 

PureFit, Inc. 1.866.PureFit Robb Dorf www.purefit.com 

RMT Fitness 800-577-4424 Stephen Roche www.rmtfitness.com 

SCIFIT 

Sports & Fitness 

800-278-3933/ 

918-359-2000 

Denton Smith www.scifit.com 

Insurance Corporation 888-276-8392 Jennifer Urmston Lowe www.sportsfitness.com 

Star Trac 800-228-6635 Paul Ireland www.startrac.com 

Supreme Audio, Inc. 800-445-7398 Jane Plaugher www.supremeaudio.com 

20 Club Business International � OCTOBER 2005 � www.ihrsa.org

News&KnowHow 

The Biggest Loser 

A Growing Business 

Can reality TV have a real impact 

on epidemic obesity? 

> Obesity may be one of 

the nation’s most serious 

health problems, but losing 

weight is quickly becoming 

one of its most popular— 

and profitable—pastimes. 

A lot of the credit goes to 

reality TV. 

The Biggest Loser, the 

NBC series that pioneered 

the pounds-off-in-public 

genre, recently returned to 

the air for its second season 

with an extended 90-minute 

episode. The series, which 

attempts to whip ordinary 

overweight folk into shape 

via exercise, dieting, and notalways-friendly 

competition 

“celebrates hard work and 

rewards discipline,” Ben 

Silverman, its executive 

producer, assured Reality 

TV World. “Hopefully, it 

will inspire an overweight 

America to get fit.” 

That, too, is the professed 

goal of The Biggest Loser: 

The Workout—a new video 

based on the program that’s 

just been released by Lions 

Gate Home Entertainment 

(LGHE). “The Biggest Loser 

was one of the most-talkedabout 

shows of the year, 

drawing huge ratings and 

a large and loyal fan base,” 

points out Steve Beeks, the 

president of LGHE. “The 

workout video takes the 

issue of being overweight 

and gives people real 

solutions to accomplish 

their weight-loss goals.” 

LGHE, which also produces 

videos showcasing 

yoga, Pilates, and fitness 

guru Denise Austin, will 

release a second installment 

of The Biggest Loser 

next year. 

The TV incarnation has 

also prompted some creativity 

on the part of club companies. 

Flex Fitness, in Holland, 

Michigan, celebrated its 20th 

anniversary by producing 

its own version of The 

Biggest Loser—a threemonth, 

weight-loss competition. 

“Every person who 

signs up for the program 

receives a dollar back for 

every pound they lose,” club 

operator Bob Lamb told the 

Grand Rapids Press. And, 

earlier, Bally Total Fitness 

(NYSE: BFT) conducted a 

similar, national campaign. 

Among the other reality 

TV offerings that are anxious 

to have an impact on obesity— 

or, at least, perform well in the 

sweeps—are VH1’s Celebrity 

Fit Club and Flab to Fab; 

ABC’s Extreme Makeover; 

TLC’s 10 Years Younger; 

and Fox’s The Swan. 

While networks herald 

these programs, many 

fitness professionals remain 

skeptical. The intense 

exercise and extreme dieting 

the shows often employ, 

they suggest, may create 

unrealistic impressions and 

expectations and actually 

set people up for failure. � 

Biggest winner Makeover TV shows have made weight loss a fad 

Does WiFi Represent the 

Next Generation of Cardio? 

New wireless technology allows club 

members to exercise virtually anywhere 

> In the beginning, there 

were wires everywhere, 

snaking all over a health 

club’s floors. One piece of 

cardiovascular equipment 

could have as many as five 

electrical cords trailing out of 

it, producing a tangled mess 

and potential safety hazard. 

Next came cordless, selfpowered 

machines, which 

made clubs much neater and 

more efficient. But then, 

with the advent of exercise 

entertainment—e.g., personal 

monitors and audio/video 

systems—the cords returned. 

Today, however, a brandnew 

line of wireless, self-powered, 

cardio units has done 

away with all of the cords 

again—conceivably forever. 

The machines, introduced in 

Europe two years ago by � 

www.ihrsa.org � OCTOBER 2005 � Club Business International 21 

Photo courtesy of NBC

NEWS 

c ontinued 

Pulse Fitness, a U.K. firm, 

include treadmills, stationary 

bikes, and elliptical cross-trainers. 

Each is equipped with a 

state-of-the-art entertainment 

system, and everything— 

including the audio/video 

component—is powered solely 

by the user’s own exertions. 

The line, branded Pulse WiFi, 

is now being installed in U.S. 

clubs for the very first time via 

a joint venture between Pulse 

and Smooth Fitness, based 

in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. 

“The user actually generates 

enough power for the audio, 

video, and the machine itself, 

and it’s all wireless,” Joe Alter, 

the president and CEO of 

Smooth Fitness, tells CBI. “We 

feel that this technology is really 

going to change the industry.” 

Because the units are 

networked to a central transmitter, 

they can be located 

anywhere in the club within 

100 yards of the transmission 

source, permitting unprecedented 

flexibility. “You could 

put 20 ellipticals on the roof, 

under a tent, if you wanted 

to, and, the next day, put 

them beside the swimming 

pool,” Alter explains. “There’s 

no limit to what you can do.” 

Smooth Fitness has 

also produced a new line 

of affordable, wired cardio 

equipment, called Momentum. 

Both lines will be 

unveiled at IHRSA’s 25th 

Anniversary International 

Convention and Trade 

Show in Las Vegas, 

which will be held 

March 20-23. � 

Cardio WiFi 

Pulse 

console 

There are now 2,890 private health clubs and 2,596 public 

fitness facilities, with a total of 7 million members, in the U.K. 

> The two phrases that are 

being used most consistently 

to describe the club market 

in the U.K. seem to be “tough 

economic conditions” and 

“fierce competition.” Among 

the contributing factors: 

accelerating obesity, which 

has quadrupled among 

adults over the past 25 years; 

higher interest rates; record 

levels of personal debt; less 

discretionary spending; and 

reduced consumer confidence. 

Among the results: 

slower per-club membership 

sales and poorer retention. 

But, true to form, adversity is 

also unearthing opportunities. 

Whitbread, the giant corporation 

that owns the David 

Lloyd Leisure chain, has 

seen total membership fall 

by 10,000, and, in response, 

has announced cutbacks and 

introduced a new, strippeddown 

club concept, David 

Lloyd Metro. “As consumer 

confidence [has] weakened, 

we have seen increased 

attrition and slowing new 

member sales,” Alan Parker, 

the chief executive of Whitbread, 

told London’s The 

Independent. Plans to build 

six new centers have been 

scaled back to two, and both 

of those will be racquet-sport 

facilities. “We are not going 

to build any more pure health 

and fitness clubs,” said 

Parker. “That sector is still 

very competitive, and recent 

pronouncements from other 

operators show it is difficult 

to market.” 

Meanwhile, Esporta, 

which recently sold 13 of 


Competition Grows Fiercer in the U.K. 

Challenging conditions force club companies to 

become more creative 

Spinning along Fred Turok, center, is exploring new avenues 

its own “noncore” clubs to 

Virgin Active, has been eying 

David Lloyd. “We would 

be interested in David Lloyd 

if Whitbread decided to sell 

the business,” Neil Gillis, 

Esporta’s chief executive told 

The (London) Times. “But 

there have been no formal 

discussions. It’s up to them 

to decide what they want 

to do going forward.” Whitbread 

denies any interest. 

LA Fitness, which recently 

reclaimed its private status 

in a $250-million deal backed 

by MidOcean Partners, has 

also experienced some pain, 

but made adjustments, and is 

now considering acquisitions. 

New member sales and 

year-to-year retention are 

both down, Fred Turok, 

the founder of the 68-facility 

chain, told the Independent. 

LA Fitness has launched 

a new, nonintimidating 

brand, Promise, designed 

for ordinary people who 

simply want to get fit. Among 

the properties it may be 

looking at are Fitness First, 

the U.K.’s largest chain, 

with more than 400 facilities, 

which, it’s been reported, is 

sporting a $1.5-billion price 

tag; and LivingWell, with 

122 units, which may also be 

available. “If someone were 

to pay me a sensible price, 

then it [LivingWell] is for 

sale,” said David Michels, the 

company’s chief executive. 

There are now 2,890 

private clubs and 2,596 

public fitness facilities in the 

U.K., with a total of 7 million 

members (up 5.9% last year), 

according to The Leisure 

Database Company. �

Only one makes it all about 

www.precor.com 800-4PRECOR 

cardio | strength | entertainment | technology 

Visit us at Club Industry Booth #1101

NEWS 

c ontinued 

> Educators and students 

alike are becoming more 

concerned about their 

fitness and more aware 

of the benefits of regular 

exercise, and, even more 

importantly, they’re doing 

something about it. Witness 

the following developments: 

• This year, the University of 

Missouri, in Columbia, is offering 

a new course, Inactivity 

and Chronic Disease, that’s 

designed to inform students 

about the negative impact that 

inactivity has on their bodies. 

The curriculum, the first of its 

kind in the nation, was created 

by Frank Booth, a biomedical 

science professor, and Marybeth 

Brown, a professor of 

physical therapy. “Everyone 

knows exercise is good for 

them, but many don’t realize 

it’s a matter of life and death,” 

Booth told Prevention magazine. 

It’s hoped that the course 

“Everyone knows exercise is good for them, but many don’t realize 

it’s a matter of life and death,” says professor Frank Booth. 

Exercise is the New ‘Big Man on Campus’ 

New initiatives designed to help students adopt 

healthy lifestyles, become more fit 

may also help incoming 

students avoid the traditional 

“freshman-15” weight gain. 

• A recent PBS documentary 

spotlighted the achievements 

of the Naperville, Illinois, 

school system, whose students 

scored in the top 10%, 

worldwide, on standardized 

math and science tests—in 

part because of an aggressive 

physical-education (PE) 

program. More than 10 

years ago, the school district 

introduced the New PE 

Paradigm—developed by 

retired PE director Phil 

Lawler—which is based on 

cardiovascular exercise and 

mandatory participation. 

In high school, for instance, 

students must take four years 

of PE classes (28 are offered, 

and each child must take 20); 

among the options are dance, 

kayaking, circuit training, and 

wall climbing. School “gyms” 

> It may have been a bit 

of unintended irony, but, 

in August, the cover of 

Fitness Business Pro 

spotlighted an article about 

Bally Total Fitness (NYSE: 

BFT) titled “UNCHARTED 

waters.” That same month, 

the magazine and its 

associated conferences 

and trade shows found 


resemble small health 

clubs, and teachers 

monitor students’ 

progress carefully. 

• Last spring, 

alarmed by the 

32% obesity 

rate among 

their classmates, 

fifth-grade 

students at the 

Bridge Creek 

Elementary School, in 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 

successfully lobbied a State 

House committee, seeking 

its support for the Oklahoma 

Kids Fitness Challenge Act, 

an initiative to promote 

youth fitness. Cody Smith, 

11, told the legislators 

the program would yield 

“healthier bodies, healthier 

minds, [and] reduced healthcare 

costs.” Governor Brad 

Henry subsequently signed 

House Bill 1647 into law. 

themselves with a new owner, 

and embarked on a business 

adventure of their own. The 

club industry property (Fitness 

Business Pro was formerly 

known as Club Industry) 

was part of a larger package 

that was sold by the owner, 

PRIMEDIA, Inc., to PBI 

Holdings, Inc., for $385 million 

in cash. 

• Hawaii State Representative 

Rida Cabinilla proposed that 

teachers be weighed every 

six months to encourage 

them to avoid putting on extra 

pounds. “Teachers have a 

lot of impact [as role models],” 

she told KITV in Honolulu. 

Cabinilla’s measure was 

defeated, but similar proposals 

are still being considered. � 

Fitness Business Pro Turns a New Page in Its History 

Trade publication, trade shows, among package sold by 

PRIMEDIA for $385 million 

PRIMEDIA, based in 

New York City, is the largest 

targeted media company in 

the U.S., with $1.3 billion in 

revenues for 2004. Slimming 

down on declining earnings, 

it had earlier divested its 

Learning Segment business, 

and, last February, had sold 

its About.com Website to 

The New York Times for �


Management 

Growing Pains 

Wanted: Lots of good managers 

By Jon Feld 

Fast-growth club companies often 

find themselves confronting a 

unique dilemma: How can they fill 

management positions as quickly as 

they’re opening clubs? How can they 

train middle-managers to assume management 

roles as efficiently as possible? 

The short answer is: They have to 

work at it. 

David Patchell-Evans, the founder and 

president of the GoodLife Fitness Clubs, 

Canada’s largest chain, acknowledges 

that his company’s robust growth—a 

hearty 24%-35% per year—has made it 

“hard to incubate or create the talent we 

need from within. 

“In the past,” he explains, “we’ve 

moved people into division or regional 

management positions after only about 

15 months on the job as manager. But, 

after a while, we realized that was like 

taking a gifted athlete and moving them 

into the pros at the tender age of 20. 

“The competition at that level is bigger 

and faster, so they wound up getting 

beaten up—physically and emotionally. 

We were robbing people of the chance 

to mature.” 

With 100 facilities already open and 

plans to add another 100 by 2009, 

Patchell-Evans realized that he had to 

develop a more formal managementtraining 

structure. The goal: to ensure 

that managers had a clear understanding 

of GoodLife’s expectations, and 

were mature and experienced enough to 

handle their responsibilities capably. 

“We tend to attract people in their 

20s who’ve been fast-tracked most of 

their lives,” he notes. But now, one of 

Patchell-Evans’ admonitions to them is 

to slow down a bit. “We’re up front about 

the need for them to be in their position 

for a given period of time so they’ll have 

How can club companies fill management 

positions as quickly as they launch new facilities? 


the opportunity to scale the learning 

curve. We tell them they should expect 

to be in their job for at least three years. 

We want to take them through as many 

business cycles as possible until they’re 

intimately familiar with our culture and 

how we work. 

“If they move up too 

early, they might look 

great for a year, but, 

after that, they’ll begin 

to decline, which affects 

their performance, their 

coworkers, the members, 

and our clubs.” 

WOW! Work Out 

World, the Brick, New 

Jersey-based chain with 

40 owned and licensed 

facilities in the U.S., 

Canada, and Japan, has 

dealt with the middlemanagement 

challenge 

in a different way. It selects the most 

promising management candidates 

from its pool of personal trainers, 

enrolls them in its Future Managers 

Club (FMC), and patiently grooms 

them for greater things. The FMC has 

just three members at any given time, 

who meet biweekly to learn about 

such things as leadership, management 

techniques, and the rigors of 

their future roles. 

“These employees are critical to 

our success,” concludes Patchell- 

Evans. “They need to be strong in 

their positions, and we have to help 

them get there.” � 

JON FELD is a contributing editor 

for CBI and can be reached at 

kjfeld@rcn.com. 

Exec-coach 

Patchell-Evans 

NEWS 

continued 

$410 million. The August 

transaction involved its 

Business Information division, 

which encompasses 

70 publications, more than 

100 Websites, 25 events, 

and 50 directories and data 

products, serving a variety 

of industries. Most, like 

Fitness Business Pro and 

its related trade shows, are 

business-to-business entities. 

PRIMEDIA continues 

to own and operate large 

Education, Consumer Guides, 

and Enthusiast Media divisions. 

For the first quarter 

of 2005, it reported a loss 

from continuing operations 

of $19.4 million, a slight 

improvement on the $20.9 

million loss for the same 

period in ’04. 

PBI Holdings, Inc., is a 

subsidiary of Wasserstein 

and Co., a major investment 

and private equity firm that 

specializes in buyouts; it 

maintains offices in New 

York City, Los Angeles, 

and Palo Alto, California. It 

currently manages approximately 

$2 billion in assets. 

Fitness Business Pro, one 

of the club industry’s principal 

trade magazines, sponsors 

two major trade gatherings 

each year: Club Industry, 

which, this year, will take 

place next month, November 

2-5, in Chicago; and Club 

Industry East, which will next 

take place June 7-10, 2006, 

in Philadelphia. 

Next month’s convention 

will feature a keynote presentation 

by relationship expert 

and best-selling author John 

Gray; and a special tribute 

to Jazzercise founder Judi 

Sheppard Missett. For complete 

information, log on to 

www.clubindustryshow.com. 

(See “Men Are From Mars… ,” 

pg. 59.) �

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NEWS 

continued 

> On September 19, Bally 

Total Fitness (NYSE: BFT) 

announced that it had 

entered into an agreement 

to sell its Crunch Fitness 

division to industry veteran 

Marc Tascher for $45 million 

in cash. Tascher, who has 

more than 30 years of club 

experience, is joined, in the 

purchase, by Angelo, Gordon 

and Co., a private equity 

firm based in New York City. 

The acquisition involves 

21 Crunch facilities, plus 

two Gorilla Fitness and two 

Pinnacle Fitness facilities. 

Bally, which has been 

exploring the sale of non-core 

assets to reduce its significant 

dept load, bought the Crunch 

brand, which then involved 

19 clubs, for $20 million in 

cash and 3 million shares 

of common stock in 2001; 

Late Breaking 

Bally Cashes in on Crunch Fitness, Banks $45 Million 

Industry pioneer Marc Tascher acquires 25 facilities, repackages Crunch business 

> Korn/Ferry International 

(NYSE: KFY), one of the 

nation’s leading executive 

search firms, has been 

retained by IHRSA to help 

the association identify a 

new president and CEO. 

The search effort was 

launched by IHRSA’s board 

of directors shortly after 

Executive Director John 

McCarthy, who has presided 

over the organization since 

at the time, the total deal 

was valued at $90 million. 

Tascher was the cofounder, 

chairman, and CEO of Town 

Sports International Holdings, 

Inc. (TSI), the Manhattanbased 

chain that now 

operates some 140 clubs 

in the Washington, D.C.-to- 

Boston corridor, plus three 

facilities in Switzerland. 

Most recently, he’s served as 

chairman and CEO of Sports 

and Fitness Ventures, LLC, 

which owns and operates 

eight clubs in the New York 

City and Washington, D.C., 

markets. Tascher will retain 

those titles with the new 

combined company, which 

will be called Crunch Fitness. 

In the future, all 33 facilities—16 

in New York City, 

two in Washington, D.C., 

two in Atlanta, one in 

its inception, announced his 

intention to retire next year. 

Korn/Ferry, based in Los 

Angeles, employs a global 

network of consultants to 

produce executive-humancapital 

solutions for companies; 

its agents man more 

than 70 offices in North 

America, Latin America, 

Europe, South Africa, the 

Middle East, and Asia. The 

firm has conducted well over 

Upward bound Marc Tascher 

Miami, five in Chicago, one 

in Los Angeles, and six in 

San Francisco—will be 

branded Crunch. 

“We’re excited about 

working with… the Crunch 

team to take the company 

and brand to the next level,” 

says Tascher. “We intend 

to build upon the wonderful 

foundation that is already 

in place, including great 

Korn/Ferry Initiates Search for New IHRSA President/CEO 

Firm drafts job description, interviews prospects, solicits qualified candidates 

100,000 senior-level 

searches for clients since 

it was founded in 1969. 

It has already drafted 

a “Position Specification” 

describing the president/ 

CEO position for IHRSA 

and will conduct its first 

interviews with candidates 

beginning next month. 

IHRSA currently represents 

approximately 7,113 clubs 

and more than 600 industry 

suppliers doing business 

in some 74 countries. The 

new president/CEO, who 

people, dynamic programming, 

and superior locations 

… We bring significant 

financial resources to the 

Crunch community,” he 

continues, “coupled with 

a commitment to excellent 

service, topnotch facilities, 

innovative programming, 

and continued growth.” 

“The health club industry is 

an attractive sector for investment, 

given its strong growth 

characteristics and positive 

demographics,” observes 

Brent Leffel, a director with 

Angelo, Gordon and Co. “We 

believe Crunch is uniquely 

positioned for growth in 

its core markets, as well as 

in new markets, given its 

tremendous brand-name 

recognition and loyal 

membership base.” � 

will report to IHRSA’s board, 

will help it to identify strategic 

objectives, and will be responsible 

for the association’s daily 

operation, budget, meetings, 

other products, international 

growth, brand development, 

government- and publicrelations 

initiatives, etc. 

Interested candidates can 

obtain complete details, or 

apply for the position, by 

contacting Tony Hudgins, 

a senior associate at Korn/ 

Ferry, at 202-955-0915 or 

Tony.Hudgins@kornferry.com. � 


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On The Move 

Award Winning 

Worthington Most 

Worthy of LBCCC 

Business Award 

Champion NAC’s 

Jim Worthington 

> Jim Worthington, the 

owner of the Newton Athletic 

Club (NAC), a multipurpose, 

family oriented facility in 

Newton, Pennsylvania, has 

won the Lower Bucks County 

Chamber of Commerce 

(LBCCC) 2005 Business/ 

Education Award. The award 

recognizes outstanding 

achievement in promoting 

the understanding of 

business and free enterprise 

through education. 

Among the numerous 

accomplishments that 

Worthington was honored 

for: creating the NAC Special 

Needs Summer Camp for 

handicapped children; 

sponsoring the Annual 

YMCA Teen Volunteer 

Awards for local high school 

seniors; giving hundreds 

of jobs to local young people; 

facilitating an internship 

program with local colleges; 

and funding the NAC 

Scholarship, awarded 

annually to a student employee. 

In 2004, Worthington won 

the LBCCC’s Economic 

Development Award. 

“I’m especially honored 

to have received these awards 

from my local business 

colleagues,” observes 

Worthington. “It’s a great 

honor to be recognized 

in your own community.” 

Clubs Dominate 

E&Y Entrepreneur 

Of the Year List 

> Club operators are well 

represented in this year’s list 

of finalists and winners for 

the Ernst and Young (E&Y) 

2005 Entrepreneur of the 

Year Awards. 

Geoffrey Dyer, the president 

and CEO of Lifestyle 

Family Fitness (LFF) and a 

former president of IHRSA, 

has been named Florida’s 

2005 Regional Entrepreneur 

of the Year in the retail 

category. Dyer was honored 

at a black-tie awards dinner 

held last spring in Orlando, 

Florida. Founded in 1982 in 

Lakeland, Florida, LFF now 

owns and operates 27 clubs 

Merritt-orious Terry Dezzutti 

Team FAME White Oaks’ triumphant member/staff entourage 

in the greater Orlando, 

Jacksonville, and Tampa 

Bay markets. 

Among the other E&Y 

club contenders: Terry 

Dezzutti, the chief operating 

officer of the Merritt Athletic 

Clubs, an 11-facility chain, 

based in Baltimore, Maryland, 

is among that state’s 35 

finalists. Michael Cassady, 

the CEO of GlobalFit, a 

club-based, employee-benefits 

provider, prevailed over 

more than 75 nominees 

to become a finalist in the 

Greater Philadelphia and 

Central Pennsylvania area. 

The E&Y Entrepreneur 

of the Year program 

recognizes outstanding 

entrepreneurs who are 

building, leading, and 

growing dynamic businesses. 

Awards are presented on 

a regional, national, and 

global basis in more than 

100 cities in 35 different 

countries. Winners in 

several national categories, 

as well as the overall 

national Ernst & Young 

Entrepreneur of the 

Year, will be announced 

next month. 

White Oaks Wins 

Big at FAME 

Fitness Show 

> The White Oaks Racquet 

and Fitness Club (WORFC), 

of Niagara-on-the-Lakes, 

Ontario, Canada, showed 

great form at the recently 

held FAME Fitness Model, 

Figure and Bodybuilding 

competition, held in Toronto. 

In all, the club’s members 

took home 12 trophies. 

WORFC trainers Kyra 

Watters and Mike Zappitelli 

helped their students score 

a number of first- and secondplace 

wins, and Zappitelli, 

himself, took first place in 

the Men’s Advance Welter 

Weight division. The other 

winners included: Sherri 

Falk, first place, Women’s 

Open; Rick Ujfalssy, first 

place, Men’s Open; Tonie 

Mori, second place, Grand 

Masters, and second place, 

Women’s Advance Middle 

Weight; Carl Krasnor, second 

place, Grand Masters, and 

fourth place, Men’s Open; 

Joanna Ceilen, second place, � 


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On The Move 

continued 

Women’s Open; Linette Garrett, fourth 

place, Women’s Open; Edna Pybus, 

fourth place, Grand Masters, and fifth 

place, Pairs Division; and Rhonda Pybus, 

fifth place, Pairs Division. � 

Public Service 

Hatfield Helps 

Recruits Prepare 

For Boot Camp 

> According to the military, anywhere 

from two weeks to eight months can 

elapse between the time that new 

recruits sign up and when they arrive 

at boot camp. To help keep our fighting 

men and women fit in-between, the 

40,000-square-foot Hatfield (Pennsylvania) 

Athletic Club (HAC) is now offering 

recruits free access to the facility before 

they report for duty. 

“Basic training can be a grueling 

experience, especially for recruits who 

are out of shape,” notes Dan Horan, 

HAC’s co-owner. “We wanted to give 

something back to our military, so we 

decided the best way was to use our 

skills and resources to help new recruits 

prepare for basic training.” 

HAC is also offering recruits’ family 

members access to its fitness center 

and Kid Power Gym for the duration 

of their loved one’s military service. 

In addition to strength and cardiovascular 

venues, HAC encompasses 

the Rehab One Wellness and Rehabilitation 

Center, Hatfield Martial Arts 

Academy, and the Delaware Valley 

Dance Academy. 

Lady of America 

Kicks off Third 

Year of FitTEEN 

> Lady of America, Ladies Workout 

Express, and Workout Express Fitness 

Centers continue to do their part to 

reduce childhood obesity, which affects 

15% of American children and teens 

“To help women achieve 

the ideal balance…” 

between the ages of six and 19, according 

to the American Council on Exercise 

(ACE). The chains have just concluded 

the third year of their successful FitTEEN 

program. In the two prior years, the clubs 

helped some 65,000 teenagers between 

the ages of 13 and 19, providing them 

with free access to the facilities for the 

entire summer. 

“We want to provide a place for teens 

to be able to acclimate themselves to a 

healthy lifestyle at a young age,” explains 

Scott Breault, a spokesman for the chains. 

“We’ve seen the studies and are well aware 

of the obesity epidemic that confronts 

America’s youth. We want to make sure 

that the younger generation has the opportunity 

to experience the thrill of working 

out in a safe, comfortable environment, 

improving their lives through fitness.” 

Lady of America, Ladies Workout 

Express, and Workout Express Fitness 

Centers are brands of the Lady of 

America Franchise Corporation, and, 

together, account for more than 1,000 

locations in 47 states and six countries. � 

Innovation 

Trinity Fitness + 

Spa ‘New Breed’ 

Concept Debuts 

Spa + Amy Kelly, l., Michelle Guenther 

> Michelle Guenther and Amy Kelly, 

the cofounders of Trinity Fitness + Spa, 

have created what they describe as a 

“new breed” fitness club and spa for 

women. Their mission: “To help women 

achieve the ideal balance of mind, 

body, and spirit.” � 

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On The Move 

continued 

Their recently opened Dulles, Virginia, 

facility offers an array of fitness, 

personal training, and spa services. 

Among the club’s many unique features 

are: full childcare under the Trinity 

KidSpirit program; programs, seminars, 

and special presentations on a wide 

range of health and wellness topics; 

and the Trinity Institute, designed 

to serve as a “community-enrichment 

forum to enhance the connection 

between women, and communicate 

a message of emotional wellness to 

the community at large.” 

Trinity also offers a free fitness membership 

to any woman undergoing 

chemotherapy or radiation treatment. � 

Club Openings 

Lifestyle Gains 

Market Share in 

Sunshine State 

> Lifestyle Family Fitness (LFF) is 

continuing its growth in Florida, 

planning its fourth club in the Orlando 

market, scheduled to open next spring; 

its second location in the Jacksonville 

market, slated for next summer; and 

acquiring four SouthSide Athletic Clubs 

in the southwestern part of the state. 

The facilities in Jacksonville and 

Orlando are each 30,000 square feet in 

size and will feature a $30,000 suspended, 

wood-deck floor system. Both clubs will 

offer strength and cardiovascular equipment; 

group-fitness areas; tanning booths; 

personal training; childcare; and a range 

of LFF group-fitness programs, including 

BodyPump, BodyStep, BodyFlow, 

BodyCombat, and RPM. 

In acquiring the SouthSide Athletic 

Clubs, LFF gains locations in East 

Bradenton, West Bradenton, Sarasota, 

and Venice. The former SouthSide clubs 

range in size from 23,000 to 31,000 

square feet, and offer amenities similar 

to those of LFF’s other facilities. 

St. Petersburg, Florida-based 

LFF operates 27 clubs in the 

greater Tampa Bay, Orlando, and 

Jacksonville markets. 

LTF now has 42 clubs 

in eight states. 

Life Time Opens 

In Texas, Minnesota 

> Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LYM) has 

opened new clubs at Cinco Ranch in 

Katy, Texas, its eighth facility in the 

state, and in Chanhassen, Minnesota, 

its 15th facility in that state. 

Both clubs boast Life Time Fitness’ 

(LTF’s) trademark 109,000-square-foot 

footprint and are open 24 hours a 

day. Each offers 400 pieces of cardiovascular, 

resistance, and free-weight 

equipment; multiple group-fitness 

studios offering free classes; rockclimbing 

walls; two full-size basketball 

courts; squash, racquetball, and 

outdoor volleyball courts; a yoga studio; 

dry sauna; an aquatics center with 

multiple, two-story water slides, two 

zero-depth recreation pools, and a 

lap pool; a children’s interactive play 

area; outdoor bistro; free childcare; 

a separate infant playroom; LifeSpa 

spa services; and the LifeCafe. 

LTF operates 42 clubs in eight states. 

XSport Fitness 

Nearing 20 Clubs 

In Illinois 

> XSport Fitness is scheduled to open 

its 15th, 16th, and 17th facilities in 

three Illinois communities—Chicago, 

Naperville, and Downers Grove—in 

the near future. The three, 50,000square-foot 

clubs will be open 24 hours 

a day. Each facility will boast: 150 pieces 

of cardiovascular equipment with 

personal flat-screen TVs; more than 

300 strength-training machines; a 

free-weights area; three group-exercise 

rooms; a four-lane pool; whirlpool, 

sauna, and steam rooms; basketball 

and racquetball courts; a three-story, 

rock-climbing wall; spa services; 

personal training and fitness assessments; 

20 tanning rooms; childcare; 

an Internet cafe; and a pro shop. 

XSport is based in Big Rock, Illinois. � 

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On The Move 

continued 

Career Moves 

Zdychnec Named Health 

Fitness’ VP of Marketing 

> The Health Fitness Corporation (HFC), 

based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has 



Licensee Hideoshi Masuda has opened his 

ninth WOW! Work Out World club in Japan. 

named Michael Zdychnec its new vice 

president of marketing. Before joining 

HFC, Zdychnec had served as senior 

vice president of marketing and product 

development for the ACN Group, a United 

Health Group business unit; a 26-year 

veteran of the healthcare industry, he 

had been with ACN since 1996. 

Zdychnec’s previous experience includes 

positions as an employee-benefits and 

healthcare-strategy consultant for James 

Bissonnett and Associates, Inc., in Eden 

Prairie; director of client services for Health 

Risk Management, in Minneapolis; and 

director of account management/client 

relations, and product development for 

Medica Health Plans, in Minneapolis. 

He has also held management positions 

at Travelers National Health Plans and 

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Iowa. � 

Franchising 

WOW! Licenses 

Ninth Club In Japan 

> Hideoshi Masuda, a WOW! Work Out 

World licensee, has opened a club in 

the city of Hachiouji, his ninth facility 

in Japan. Masuda has also announced 

plans to open an undisclosed number 

of additional WOW! units this year. 

“We’re delighted with Masuda’s success 

as a WOW! licensee,” says Stephen P. 

Roma, the owner of WOW! “His success 

is our success. We’re becoming worldfamous 

one WOW! at a time.” 

WOW!, a family owned and operated 

chain based in Brick, New Jersey, owns 

nine locations and has 28 licensed 

clubs in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. 

RetroFitness Launches 

New Franchise Brand 

> Yet another club franchise concept has 

made its debut. RetroFitness, based in 

Manalapan, New Jersey, already owns 

and operates three facilities, and has 

several franchised gyms scheduled to 

open in the final quarter of this year. The 

company offers its franchisees interior/ 

exterior design and build-out services; 

staff training on-site or at its own Retro 

University; cardio and strength-training 

equipment at negotiated discounts; 

location services; ancillary profit centers, 

including a juice bar, personal training, 

and apparel; management software; 

marketing solutions; and more. �

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On The Move 

continued 

Strategic Partnerships 

ESN Opens Club 

Borders For Members 

> Members belonging to the Merritt 

Athletic Clubs, the Maryland Athletic 

The Elite Sportsclub Network allows 

100,000 members to access a total of 14 facilities. 

Club, Life Bridge Health and Fitness, 

and the Columbia Association now 

enjoy reciprocal access to 14 facilities 

in the greater Baltimore/Washington, 

D.C. The increased access is one of the 

benefits provided by an alliance, the 

Elite Sportsclub Network (ESN), that 

the four club companies have formed. 



ESN members are provided with 

coupons by their home clubs and are 

limited to three in-network club visits 

per month. The agreement, which covers 

more than 100,000 current members, 

includes fitness, wellness, golf, swimming, 

tennis, racquetball, squash, weight loss, 

physical therapy, spa services, sports 

conditioning, and other services. � 

Acquisitions 

Pilot Group Takes Helm 

At Contours 

> Pilot Group, a “nontraditional” 

investment firm known for its prowess 

in growing such brands as MTV, 

America Online, Century 21 Real Estate, 

and Six Flags (theme parks), has 

acquired a stake in Contours Express, 

the fitness-franchise company. Pilot 

now owns a majority of Contours’ 

U.S. operation and a minority share 

in its international business. 

“We intend to tap the Pilot Group’s 

extensive experience and resources to 

enhance our efforts in public relations, 

franchise sales, marketing, and operations,” 

notes Bill Helton, the president 

of Contours Express LLC. 

According to Helton, there will be 

several immediate changes, starting 

with a name change from Contours 

Express, Inc., to Contours Express, 

LLC. In addition, Daren Carter, previously 

the CEO of Contours, will serve as a 

senior consultant to the new entity 

and as CEO of Contours Express 

International. The corporate offices 

will remain in Nicholasville, Kentucky. 

Contours Express currently has 

40 locations in 10 countries, and 

expects to expand into 5-10 more 

countries by next year. �

JOIN THE MOVEMENT. 


IF YOU ARE JUDGED BY THE COMPANY YOU KEEP . . . 

What’s all the buzz about accreditation? After IHRSA’s 2002 initiative to 

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CERTIFICATION IS THE 

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ShortTakes 

THE MAKING OF A MERMAID 

Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard is CBI’s fitness role model for October 

Yes, swimmer and Olympic gold 

medalist Amanda Beard is also 

beautiful. The blue-eyed beauty has 

posed for the swimsuit edition of Sports 

Illustrated, sexed it up in a bikini for 

Maxim, been named ESPN.com’s Hottest 

Female Athlete of 2005, and next year, 

will be featured in her very own calendar. 

But Beard is much more than a pretty 

face and stunning figure. 

A world-class athlete, Beard sports 120 

well-muscled pounds on a 5-foot-8-inch 

frame, has snagged seven Olympic medals, 

and is the world record holder for the 200meter 

breaststroke. While she remains 

focused on preparing for the next Summer 

Olympics, in Beijing in 2008, she’s acutely 

aware of her role as an ambassadress for 

fitness and embraces the responsibility. 

“I hope young girls look at me and think it’s 

good to be fit and healthy,” she recently 

told the Indianapolis (Indiana) Star. 

It’s a message that’s probably appreciated 

by boys, men, and women, as well. 

Beard has become a 

successful model and businesswoman; 

she co-owns a 

company that produces a line 

of signature personal-care 

products, such as shampoo 

and sunscreen. But, 

when she’s not busy in 

front of the camera 

or with business 

plans, she does 

what she does 

best—she swims. 

Beard spends 4-5 

hours in the pool 

every day, but that’s 

just part of her workout 

regimen. “I run 

three times a week, lift 

[weights] three times a 

week, and do sit-ups 

and push-ups every 

day,” she explained 

to Men’s Fitness. 

Cutting Edge Is Anything But 

New York club preaches a primitive 

approach to functional training 

The name of the club is Cutting Edge 

Sports Sciences, but this gym, in Albany, 

New York, gives a new retro meaning to 

the phrase “cutting edge.” The facility, a 

converted warehouse, boasts little more, 

in terms of furnishings, than a plain 

concrete floor and a few rubber mats. 

Instead of sleek, state-of-the-art machines, 

members work out with concrete balls, 

truck tires, and tugboat chains. “We’re 

pretty anti-machine here,” owner Dyke 

Naughton told the Associated Press (AP). 

The bare-bones approach, Naughton 

explained, isn’t designed to improve one’s 

physical appearance, but, rather, one’s 

strength. “There are two types of training,” 

he noted. “One will make you look 

better, and the other will make you 

stronger. If you just want to look good, 

this isn’t for you. We’re talking about 

functional strength.” 

Naughton, 41, a competitive power 

lifter, embraced this philosophy while 

interning at the U.S. Olympic Training 

Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 

and many of the exercises he employs 

were developed in the Eastern Bloc. His 

own strength, and his clients’ satisfaction, 

attest to the regimen’s value. At 177 

pounds, Naughton bench-presses 441 

pounds and squats 551 pounds. 

One of the exercises he prescribes 

involves lifting a 117-pound concrete 


She’s equally conscientious 

about her diet. She consumes 

lots of fruits and vegetables, 

plenty of carbohydrates to 

provide energy, and enough 

protein to support her muscle 

mass. Although she avoids 

junk foods, she confesses to a 

weakness for Skittles and 

Junior Mints. 

Beard, who turns 24 on 

the 29th of this month, has 

clearly demonstrated that 

she’s more than a cover 

model—she’s also an 

exciting and effective 

role model for fitness. � 

Speedo star 

Amanda Beard 

ball from the floor to the waist, and then 

onto a platform, and then lowering it to 

the floor (this engages the muscles of 

the legs, abdomen, lower back, chest, 

and shoulders). In another exercise, 

two 68-pound tugboat chains are 

dragged across the floor while the 

member performs lunges (for the legs, 

lower back, shoulders, and arms). 

Clients work out on their own or train 

with Naughton for $15 a session. 

Competitive swimmer Derek DeLisle, 

who holds three records at his USAsanctioned 

swim club in Delmar, 

New York, is among the many Cutting 

Edge members who swear that the 

primitive approach has sharpened 

their competitive edge. � 

Photography: REUTERS/Peter Morgan

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Photography: Sherwood/ABC/Getty Images 

Final Word from PETER JENNINGS 

REGULAR EXERCISE DOESN’T UNDO THE 

DAMAGE DONE BY HEAVY SMOKING 

Sign off Despite such examples as Peter Jennings, many club members still smoke 

the tragic death, in August, of ABC 

Evening News anchorman Peter 

Jennings from lung cancer, and the 

announcement, shortly thereafter, that Dana 

Reeve, the widow of actor Christopher 

Reeve, is suffering from the disease have 

reminded the public of the undiminished 

dangers of smoking. (Jennings had been a 

smoker. Reeve is not.) Surprisingly, it’s a 

message that many individuals who have 

embraced healthy lifestyles apparently still 

need to hear. Last year, Scarborough 

Research reports, more than 530,000 club 

members were also purchasing smokingcessation 

medication, and a 2003 study by 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) found that 20% of daily smokers 

exercise more than three days a week. 

The pairing of exercise and smoking “is 

more common than people think,” Will 

Baldyga, a personal trainer at Pure Fitness, 

in Seattle, Washington, told The Seattle 

Times. “People feel that because they work 

out, they don’t have to quit smoking.” 

Club member and marathoner Dana 

Price confirms the theory. “I actually feel 

better about having a cigarette because 

I worked out in the morning,” she noted 

in the Times. “I feel I have carte blanche 

to get a little abusive.” Following a race 

in March, she recalled, “People were 

walking by smoking cigarettes in their 

running gear—they’d clearly just finished 

the race.” 

Another smoker, Jon Christiansen, 

described a similar scenario. “The first 

puff, when you get off a bike ride, is just 

the best,” he reported. “Your lungs are all 

pumped up, and you just go right into 

your cigarette.” 

The connection between sets and cigs 

may, experts speculate, represent an example 

of “paired behavior,” in which two 

activities become mentally linked in a 

person’s mind, e.g., stretching before running, 

brushing one’s teeth after meals. But, 

in this case, it’s a life-threatening mistake. 

“People who exercise and eat well have 

lower risk for heart disease and some kinds 

of cancer,” Abigail Halperin, the director of 

tobacco studies at the University of Washington, 

told the Times. “If you’re athletic and 

you’re smoking a pack a day, you’re going 

to add that risk—and maybe more.” � 

ShortTakes 

Supersize 

Somebody Else! 

Last year, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock 

grabbed the world’s attention 

with Super Size Me, a documentary 

that recorded his experiment of eating 

only at McDonald’s for an entire month. 

As a result, he gained 25 pounds, and 

suffered liver damage, insomnia, 

heightened cholesterol levels, and 

decreased libido. More recently, however, 

a New Hampshire woman, Soso 

Whaley, released a film of her own, 

Me & Mickey D, that chronicles a onemonth 

McDonald’s diet that, in her 

case, produced a 28-pound weight loss. 

While Spurlock allowed McDonald’s 

to “supersize” his orders and ate all that 

he was served, consuming some 5,000 

calories a day, Whaley embarked on a 

controlled eating adventure. Her goal, 

she explained, was to correct misconceptions 

people may have had after 

seeing Super Size Me, which, she feels, 

unfairly blames the fast-food industry 

for causing obesity. “Personal responsibility 

for your own life never ends,” she 

told the Portsmouth Herald Local News. 

Whaley, 49, an animal trainer, 

followed her doctor’s advice to consume 

no more than 1,800 calories per day, 

and exercised regularly (e.g., long walks, 

roller-skating, and workouts at a club). 

The outcome: “She’s in much better 

shape,” her physician, Dr. Mark 

Rayner, of the Holistic Family Health 

Center, in Newbury, Massachusetts, 

told the New York Post. “But this isn’t 

a diet I’d recommend.” 

All that Spurlock really 

proved, Whaley told the Post, 

is that “If you eat a lot of food 

and don’t exercise, you’ll gain 

weight. That’s a no-brainer!” � 

McMunchin’ 

Soso Whaley 


ShortTakes 

Physical Fitness 

a Fiscal No-Brainer 

Reduced healthcare costs just one of 

newly documented benefits of exercise 

ONCE AGAIN, exercise has demonstrated 

that it’s one of the best remedies for 

all sorts of maladies. Researchers at the 

Cooper Clinic, in Dallas, recently published 

the results of a 19-year study involving 

6,679 men, which found that, as physical 

fitness improves, the need for medical 

treatment and physician visits declines. 

“Fit men may reduce [their] healthcare 

costs by more than 50%,” reports 

lead researcher Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D. 

The clinic’s findings were published in 

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 

Other recent revelations about the 

benefits of exercise include the following: 

• A study published in the Journal of the 

American Medical Association reveals 

that women diagnosed with breast cancer 

who engaged in 3-5 hours of exercise 

per week—the equivalent of walking 30 

minutes a day—not only reduced their 

risk of death, but were also less likely to 

experience a relapse following treatment. 

• A 14-year study of 47,620 men concluded 

that men over the age of 65 who 

work out vigorously at least three hours 

a week reduce their risk of being diagnosed 

with an advanced or fatal case of 

prostate cancer by nearly 70%. 

• At the American Society of Clinical 

Oncology’s annual meeting, it was 

reported that moderate exercise, six 

days a week, reduces the probability 

that patients treated for colon cancer 

will suffer a recurrence by 49%. 

• Exercising for 30 minutes, five days 

a week—the amount currently recommended 

by the federal government— 

has proven effective in treating depression. 

Research funded by the National Institute 

of Health (NIH) found that patients 

who became more physically active 

experienced “response and remission 

rates… comparable to other depression 

treatments, such as medication or 

cognitive behavioral therapy.” � 


Campaign for Real Beauty 

MAJOR CORPORATIONS UNVEIL 

AD CAMPAIGNS FEATURING 

ORDINARY PEOPLE 

in June, CBI described the success that 

the 12th Street Gym, in Philadelphia, 

has had in attracting aging baby 

boomers by using some of its older members 

in its ads. Recently, a number of major 

firms—from Nike, Inc., to Unilever (Dove 

soap), to Bath & Body Works (personal-care 

products)—have followed suit by featuring 

“real” people in their pitches. Although it’s 

too soon to tell what sort of an impact they’ll 

have on sales, the campaigns have already 

attracted a ton of media attention and generated 

a fair amount of healthy controversy. 

The new Nike ads—which target the company’s 

traditional market of active women— 

utilize close-ups of different parts of the bodies 

of women “discovered” in gyms and at 

athletic events. The images include ones 

of the battered knees of a soccer player, 

the broad shoulders of a swimmer, and a 

pronounced, lunge-induced derriere. “My 

butt is big, and that’s just fine,” reads the 

copy accompanying the latter. 

“We hope that when women see these 

ads, we can inspire them to love the body 

they have and have created,” corporate 

spokesperson Caren Bell 

told the Boston 

Herald. “It’s recognizing that not all bodies 

are created equal.” 

Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” print 

and TV initiative features six women, sizes 

6 to 14, in white bras and panties, who seem 

delighted with the shape they’re in. These 

nonmodels include a manicurist, retail 

assistant, management assistant, college 

student, kindergarten teacher, and coffee 

shop employee. “We wanted to debunk the 

[prevalent] beauty stereotype that exists,” 

Philippe Harousseau, Dove’s marketing 

director, told USA Today. “We are recognizing 

that beauty comes in different sizes, 

shapes, and ages.” Last year, when the company 

polled American women, 60% said 

they’d like to see women of different shapes 

and weights represented in the media. 

In August, Bath & Body Works introduced 

its “American Girl realbeauty 

Inside and Out” line of shampoos and 

lotions at its 1,200 stores. 

“Any change in the culture of advertising 

that allows for a broader definition 

of beauty and encourages women to 

be more accepting and comfortable with 

their appearance is a step in the right 

direction,” psychologist and author Mary 

Pipher advised USA Today. “But embedded 

within this is a contradiction. They are 

still saying you have to use this product 

to be beautiful.” � 

Real beauties 

Dove soap sirens

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CBI Interview “We polled about 2,000 of our core members… 

and discovered that what they desired was convenience.” 

Jeff Klinger and Chuck Runyon have devised the 

industry’s leanest and meanest new franchise, Anytime Fitness, 

CBI: You’ve been quoted as saying that club members’ 

desire for ‘convenience’ was what prompted you to 

create Anytime Fitness. How did that goal lead to this 

unique, technology-driven, 24-hour concept? 

JEFF KLINGER: The basic idea, which we came up with 

in early 2000, was actually a response to two pressing 

demands. At the time, my partner, Chuck Runyon, and 

I had a 40,000-square-foot club, with 3,000 members, 

and many of the problems familiar to most club owners: 

underutilized space, an expensive work force, high 

member turnover, etc. We spent about 80% of our time 

simply making sure that our employees were doing 

what they were supposed to do. The truth is we had to 

‘churn’ memberships to keep 

Jeff Klinger, the cofounder, 

along with Chuck 

Runyon,of Anytime Fitness, 

a club-franchise company 

based in West St. Paul, Minnesota, 

was introduced to the 

fitness industry while still a 

student at the University of 

Minnesota. A position with 

Medalist, a regional chain, 

led him, in 1988, to found the 

Health and Fitness Group, 

a consulting firm. In 1995, 

Klinger purchased his first 

club, one of three in which he 

would hold an interest. In 

2000, he developed the concept 

for Anytime Fitness, 

and, in 2002, unveiled the 

prototype—a small club, 

open 24 hours a day, staffed 

only part-time, with keycard 

access for members. 

Today, the company has 

seven corporate sites and 

255 franchised units. 

By Jon Feld 

our revenues up. That was one 

part of the equation. 

The other was our sincere 

desire to deliver what our 

members really wanted. We 

polled about 2,000 of our core 

members—the diehard fitness 

enthusiasts—and discovered 

that what they desired, more 

than anything else, was convenience. 

They didn’t want 

juice bars, and personal trainers, 

and a lot of frills. They 

wanted to be able to park right 

in front, walk into the club, 

work out and leave—whenever 

it suited them. 

That’s when the light bulb 

went off! That’s what inspired 

us to develop an efficient, 

streamlined fitness concept. 

CBI: Anytime Fitness offers 

members a clean, attractive 

facility; plenty of equipment; 

24-hour access; state-of-theart 

security; and staffing on an 

and their market timing seems perfect 

Q&A Highlights 

• Birth of a new concept 

• Business model’s potential 

• Of Curves and club copycats 

• Anytime Fitness everywhere 

as-required basis. Can you imagine anyone else 

coming up with an even more efficient approach? 

JK: I don’t know… I guess someone could put a club 

in a big bus or RV and drive it to people’s homes. That 

might be inevitable, but, for the moment, our concept 

is working very well. 

CBI: Society, it seems, is becoming more and more 

insular, with people working independently, on 

computers, addicted to passive entertainment, etc. Most 

clubs work against this trend, trying to get people 

to interact, to socialize. Is Anytime Fitness working 

with the trend—simply giving people what they want? 

JK: That’s absolutely right! We are working with the 

trend. Our members know what they like in terms of a 

workout, and they want to come in, do what they do, 

and leave. We make it as simple, direct, easy, and productive 

for them as possible. Then we leave them alone. 

CBI: Let’s touch on a few of the basics: What’s the 

average size of an Anytime Fitness facility? 

JK: We have clubs ranging in size all the way from 2,200 

to 13,000 square feet, but the optimal size, we’ve found, 

is about 3,300 to 4,500 square feet. Another important 

factor, in terms of profitability, is a location near a supermarket 

or other major retail hub, which allows people 

to do a number of different things—window shop, pick 

up something for dinner, drop off clothes at the dry 

cleaners, exercise—during a single trip. Again: it’s 

all about convenience. Our bigger clubs don’t adhere � 


Interview “That’s when the light bulb went off! That’s what inspired 

us to develop an efficient, streamlined fitness concept.” 

to our formula as closely, but they’re 

also sensibly staffed and offer round-theclock 

access. 

CBI: Pricing seems fairly uniform—an initiation 

fee of about $99 and monthly dues, 

generally, in the $35-$40 range. Is that 

something that’s determined by corporate? 

JK: We really can’t dictate prices. What we 

can do is help our franchisees research club 

pricing in their own individual market, 

and then work with them to arrive at a price 

point that makes sense. In one part of 

northern Minnesota, for example, there are 

more than 20 fitness centers within a 10mile 

radius, so, there, we’d suggest that our 

franchisees match the local pricing pretty 

closely—rather than, for instance, opening 

with a big blowout sale. 

CBI: Staffing—we’ve read that Anytime 

clubs are typically staffed between 8:30 

a.m. and noon, and 3:30 and 8 p.m. Is that 

the recommended coverage? 


JK: Staffing, like size and pricing, is also 

flexible and determined by such factors as 

the size of the market, the number of club 

members, and, in many parts of the country, 

the season of the year. Using northern Minnesota 

as an example again: there, because 

The Ins and Outs of 24-hour Access 

Operating any 24-hour-a-day business introduces significant challenges, 

but Anytime Fitness has devised a variety of systems that ensure member 

convenience and minimize overhead, while, at the same time, reducing 

liability exposure and deftly skirting other problems. 

The heart, as it were, of the Anytime Fitness concept is each club’s Lockmatic 

system, which runs on software provided by Apex Management Services, Inc., an 

IHRSA associate member. This high-tech member check-in utilizes a swipe card 

to admit current members in good standing; deny access to all others; and facilitate 

universal reciprocity at all Anytime Fitness facilities—without any staff involvement. 

“We looked at fingerprint and facial-recognition systems, but the proximity card 

readers seemed the most reliable and cost-effective for our franchisees,” reports 

Jeff Klinger, the co-founder and CEO of Anytime Fitness. “They’re also less 

intrusive, as far as club members are concerned.” 

The company has employed technology in a similarly effective way to safeguard 

members in its sometimes-staffed facilities, allaying the fears of insurers. Among 

other things, the clubs make use of electronic monitoring systems, and distribute 

a special necklace to individuals with chronic medical conditions; a member can 

use it, if necessary, to page a doctor. 

“Insurers like the idea that every club is under constant video surveillance—the 

digital monitoring cuts down on fraud and frivolous claims,” notes Klinger. “Our rates 

used to be tied to sales volume, but now we’re able to offer a very attractively priced 

pool policy.” 

Elegant simplicity Clubs provide a clean facility and lots of equipment Anytime 

there are a lot of outdoor activities for 

people to participate in during the summer, 

club usage declines considerably. 

Our members still enjoy 24-hour access, 

but our franchisees aren’t obliged to 

waste money on payroll. 

CBI: Other than 24-hour access, what 

distinguishes Anytime Fitness from the 

other fitness franchises? 

JK: As far as I know, we’re the only chain 

that guarantees complete reciprocity for 

members. Once you have one of our swipe 

cards, you can use any of our facilities—no 

guest fees, no questions asked. 

CBI: Are there particular types of markets 

in which Anytime Fitness works best? 

JK: We’re convinced that it can work 

anywhere, but it’s especially effective in 

smaller communities. Rents are cheap, 

and one of our facilities can provide 

residents with an option that, otherwise, 

they wouldn’t have. There may not be 

enough people in town to support a 

traditional fitness center, but our clubs 

don’t require as many members to generate 

a nice return. We have one franchisee, 

in Gaylord, Minnesota, who’s doing quite 

well with just 400 members. 

CBI: How many of your franchisees have 

owned clubs before?

Interview “Our members know what they like in terms of a workout, 

and they want to come in, do what they do, and leave.” 

JK: Probably about 15%. One of the first 

10 franchises we sold was purchased by a 

gentleman who owned a very large club; 

he sold that facility to a major chain and 

opened an Anytime Fitness… In fact—and 

this is rather ironic—the person that 

we sold our original, 40,000-square-foot 

club to in 2002 recently acquired one of 

our franchises. 

CBI: What sort of a return can a franchisee 

expect to see? 

JK: That’s difficult to say. It’s really driven 

by your ability to sell memberships. One of 

our franchisees doesn’t necessarily need to 

know how to change the filter on a hot tub, 

but they do have to be able to make themselves 

well known—a familiar figure—in the 

local community. Marketing, sales, public 

outreach—they all figure prominently in our 

franchisee training. 

I can offer one instructive comparison, 

however. Some of our franchisees also 

operate franchised, semi-fast-food sandwich 

shops. They spent, perhaps, $500,000 

to launch those businesses, which have 

a higher overhead and much heavier 

staffing requirements than our clubs; one 

owner, for instance, told me that, during 

the dinner rush, she had to overstaff 

by 20% to cover for employees who, 

invariably, wouldn’t show up. A typical 

Anytime Fitness franchisee may spend 

$35,000 to $90,000 to open a facility, 

doesn’t have to deal with staffing hassles, 

and will see a return similar to that 

delivered by the sandwich shop. 

I think if you compare ours to a lot 

of other franchises—we’re a better 

general investment. 

CBI: You recently signed a multi-franchise 

agreement with the GymDay investment 

group. As you move forward, will you be 

focusing on multi-site or master-franchise 

agreements based on territory? 

JK: We’re going to evaluate opportunities on 

a case-by-case basis. GymDay has excellent 

people who will be able to make this particular 

arrangement work very well; in the 

future, we’ll do multi-franchise agreements 

only if the situation is equally propitious. 

For all practical purposes, we’ll continue to 

concentrate on the independent operator— 

we want to be there for them. 

CBI: How long do you think it will be before 

someone else clones your concept? When 

that happens—what will you do? 

JK: To the best of my knowledge, that 

hasn’t happened yet, but I guess it will. It’s 

probably inevitable. When it does?… Well, 

I don’t think we’ll change what we do. By 

then, we’ll have gotten a healthy head start, 

and replicating what we’ve done won’t 

be easy. It requires serious skills and a 


Interview “Big-box, small-box, women-only, community recreation centers, 

corporate fitness—everyone’s trying to grab market share.” 

significant investment—in time, business-model 

development, hiring, training, 

software, sales and marketing, legal 

issues, customer support, etc.—to launch 

a new franchise successfully. Moreover, 

our industry has never been more competitive. 

Big-box, small-box, women-only, 

community recreation centers, corporate 



fitness—everyone’s trying to grab market 

share. Anytime Fitness has a distinct 

competitive advantage in that we can be 

profitable with a relatively small number 

of members. 

CBI: Okay—other than Anytime Fitness, 

what’s your favorite fitness franchise? 

JK: I think that you have to applaud what 

Gary Heavin has done with Curves International, 

Inc. He identified a niche that no 

one else had noticed, developed a product 

that fit it to a T, and has done a great job 

of nurturing, promoting, and optimizing 

the concept. It’s certainly helped with 

consumers: they’ve begun to realize that 

exercise is as essential as changing the 

oil in their cars. It’s helped us—because 

people have begun to think of fitness as a 

viable investment opportunity. And it’s 

helped the industry, hastening the 

inevitable of, I think, a club on every corner. 

CBI: You’ve said that you expect to have 500 

franchises operating, in the U.S. and abroad, 

by 2007. How’s your game plan going? 

JK: You be the judge—we already have 

seven corporate sites, some 120 franchised 

facilities in operation, more than 100 additional 

commitments, and are signing up an 

average of 15-20 new franchisees per 

month. We have one club open in Canada, 

and have secured trademark protection in 

several other countries. We’ve accomplished 

all of that in just three years… In 

fact, we now expect to have about 1,500 

franchises in place by 2010. 

CBI: Given a growth plan that ambitious 

and a scenario that rosy, is it possible that 

you might want to take Anytime Fitness 

public some time down the road? As far 

as we know, no other fitness-franchise 

company has ever done so. 

JK: At some point—yes. Not right now, 

though—at the moment, we’re having too 

much fun watching it grow. � 

JON FELD is a contributing editor for CBI 

and can be reached at kjfeld@rcn.com. 

Anytime Convenes 

Anytime Fitness held its first annual 

conference in late August in St. Paul, 

Minnesota. More than 160 club 

owners attended the event, which 

focused on the theme of Building 

Success One Story at a Time.

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Healthcare 

These two visionary 

entrepreneurs have 

demonstrated the 

value of CORPORATE 

WELLNESS PROGRAMS 

By Patricia Amend 

Divas with aDream 

in many ways, Brenda Loube and Sheila Drohan, the cofounders of 

Corporate Fitness Works (CFW), a fitness consulting and management 

firm based in Montgomery Village, Maryland, are much like any 

other partners who launch a small business. 

They share a vision about the services they want to provide, the way 

they want to deliver them, and how they want to manage their company. 

Like many others, they once struggled to raise seed capital, and have since 

had to grapple with the wide range of challenges that confront every new 

entrepreneurial venture. 

What’s impressive about them and startling about their vision is when 

they first recognized the need, and the related opportunity, that gave 

rise to CFW. It was nearly 20 years ago, when the world—in terms of 

medicine, healthcare, and fitness—was a very different place. 

Loube and Drohan were convinced that, by offering companies a wide 

range of fitness and wellness options, they could have a positive impact on 

employee health, which, in turn, would accrue to the business in the form 

of improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower healthcare costs, 

etc. At the time, it seemed a novel—not to say radical—notion. 

Back then, only a few large corporations were beginning to make the 

connection between workers’ health and chronic human-relations 

problems. Preventing disease though lifestyle change wasn’t a priority 

among doctors, let alone among club owners. The U.S. Centers for Disease 

Control hadn’t yet considered adding “Prevention” to its name. 

There were healthy people. And there were sick people. And, for the 

latter, the prescription was generally drugs, surgery, or rehabilitation. 

Loube and Drohan had a different idea. 

“I’d worked in cardiac rehab, and had once been recruited to screen 

apparently healthy people who were members of a club for early detection 

of medical problems,” Loube recalls. “I knew the future could—and 

should—be about prevention.” 

When Loube met Drohan in 1984 at a convention of the Association for 

Fitness in Business—now the Association of Worksite Health Promotion 

(AWHP), an interest group within the American College of Sports Medicine 

(ACSM)—their concerns, evolving notions, and areas of expertise all 

clicked. “We found ourselves focusing on the fact that most people spend 

most of their day at work,” says Loube. “And we thought, ‘Why not create 

worksite programs that are both convenient and cost-effective?’ � 


Healthcare Dream continued 

“We felt that, by doing so, we could 

improve the quality of people’s lives.” 

Today, it’s obvious, CFW is doing just that. 

It oversees a total of 34 fitness and wellness 

programs for companies in 12 different 

states, including, among others, Ford, 

Sprint, Gillette, Tropicana, and Humana. 

The clarity and accuracy of Loube’s and 

Drohan’s vision is attested to by the fact that 

CFW has been consistently profitable since 

its first year… and by the fact that the rest of 

the world is finally catching on. 

Like matching parts of a puzzle, the 

two women seemed destined—by virtue 

of their backgrounds, temperament, 

skills, and passions—to one day work 

side by side. Loube, who serves as CFW’s 

president, has a B.S. degree in health and 

physical education from Towson University, 

in Towson, Maryland, and extensive 

professional experience with a hospital, 

nursing school, and several health clubs. 

Drohan, the company’s CEO, earned a 

B.S. in health and physical education 

from Slippery Rock State University, 

in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and a 

master’s in public administration from 

Rutgers University, in New Jersey, and 

has held positions at YMCAs there and in 

Washington, D.C. 

While both were still working full-time 

and refining the concept for their business, 

they also worked part-time in marketing for 

National Whole Health Programs (NWHP), 

a Boston-based fitness-management firm. 

Aware of their entrepreneurial aspirations, 

the company offered to sell three of its corporate 

contracts to the women, who were 

stymied, nonetheless, by their lack of capital. 

“Even with a business plan and three 

contracts in hand, we couldn’t find someone 

to back us,” explains Drohan. That changed 

when her mother, Mary, mortgaged her 

home and lent the two $300,000. 

“I don’t know what we would have 

done without her,” reflects Loube. 

CFW hooked up its phones and opened 

its doors in 1988, at a time when there 

were just a handful of such operations in 

the country, most of them on the West 

Coast. Since then, driven by its founders’ 

commitment, perseverance, professionalism, 

and personal priorities, it has grown 

into a sophisticated enterprise with 150 


full-time and 100 part-time employees; 

regional offices in Kansas City, Kansas, St. 

Louis, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 

and Tampa, Florida; clients that span the 

spectrum from energy, to manufacturing, 

to telecommunications; and annual 

revenues of $6 million. 

Its service offering now encompasses: 

fitness and wellness program consulting; 

facility planning, design, and implementation; 

fitness-center operations management; 

survey, utilization, and outcomes 

evaluation; and health and wellness 

promotion programs. 

“Whatever a company’s objectives— 

whether it’s to set up a break-even fitness 

operation, or improve employee morale and 

productivity, or reduce medical or disability 

claims—we can develop a specific business 

plan to achieve those goals,” explains Loube. 

Loube’s and Drohan’s complementary 

personalities and skill-sets provide the foundation 

for CFW’s systems and staff. Drohan 

handles sales, contract negotiations, client 

relations, and corporate and financial 

development. Loube concentrates on new 

business development, public relations, the 

in-house leadership-training institute, and, 

importantly, team relations. Question the two 

about the source of their success, and the 

topic quickly turns to their employees. “The 

key is finding the right team to run our centers,” 

insists Loube. “We hire people who 

reflect the core values of our company… 

“We also practice what we preach,” 

she adds. “We value our team members, 

both personally and professionally, and 

do our best to encourage them, acknowledge 

them, and provide them with a 

wellness culture.” 

The rewards produced by their 

approach are attested to by everyone from 

their staff, to their clients, to independent 

entities, such as AWHP, Bank of America, 

and the Women Presidents’ Educational 

Organization (WPEO). 

“I’ve stayed with this company virtually 

from the outset,” notes Vice President Chris 

Nail, “because I have a genuine belief in 

the value of the way that CFW delivers 

health and fitness services to its clients 

and, in turn, their employees.” 

One client, Humana, Inc., the giant 

insurance company based in Louisville, 

Fit divas Sheila Drohan, l., Brenda Loube 

Kentucky, is equally appreciative. “I don’t 

know much about fitness, but I don’t have 

to because CFW does such a good job of 

managing four facilities for us—one in 

Florida, one in Wisconsin, and two in 

Kentucky,” reports Patty Guist, the firm’s 

director of associate (employee) programs 

and services. “The CFW staff focuses on 

all of our associates—not just the ones 

who join our fitness centers. They care 

about the wellness of all of our people, 

and do things for the whole company.” 

Overall, CFW earns an average customersatisfaction 

score of 97% from its clients. 

AWHP and Bank of America have both 

honored CFW, and, in January, WPEO 

recognized it as the outstanding Women 

Business Enterprise in Washington, D.C. 

The criteria for the latter award includes: 

outstanding customer service; quality of 

programs and services; creative problem 

solving and/or innovation that benefits 

clients; affiliations and or contributions to 

women’s organizations, and support of other 

women-owned businesses or vendors. 

When they set off in pursuit of their 

vision, Loube and Drohan were trailblazers 

in a largely uncharted realm. Today, 

thanks, in some small way, to the example 

they’ve set, they’re part of a large, important, 

and growing industry. And they’ve 

demonstrated, to the satisfaction of all, that 

corporate fitness does work. � 

PATRICIA AMEND is a contributing 

editor to CBI and can be reached 

at Pamend@aol.com.

The never-ending quest for a club WEBSITE that works 

INTERNET 

ODYSSEY 

By Stephen Wallenfels 

t 

he figures are irresistible. The 2003 PEW 

Internet and American Life Project reports that 

133 million Americans (63% of the country’s 

adult population) now use the Internet, and, on 

any given day, 66 million log on. More importantly, 

many of them are searching for information having 

to do with their health. When PEW’s researchers 

asked, “Have you ever looked online for information 

about exercise or fitness,” 80% of the adult Internet 

users (93 million) answered yes. 

The implications for club operators are clear. A presence 

on the Internet, once regarded as a novelty, has 

now become a necessity. However, as every business 

owner knows, simply having a Website doesn’t 

guarantee that people will either visit or use it. 

A site that works well requires expertise, experience, 

and effort, all of which can add up to a significant 

expense. The cost of hiring a professional Web-design 

firm—from $10,000 to $250,000-plus—is prohibitive 

for most clubs. Fortunately, a number of prescient 

entrepreneurs—recognizing that a strong demand was 

being met by a poor or overpriced supply—have taken 

it upon themselves to create a Web-based framework 

that provides club operators with exactly what they’re 

looking for. 

The following are among those that have successfully 

utilized this new resource to create fast, upscale, 

professionally designed, feature-loaded, and easily 

updated interactive sites. 

SKYROCKETING RESULTS 

Steve Lampert, the general manager of the Dedham 

Health and Athletic Complex (DHAC), a 250,000square-foot 

facility in Dedham, Massachusetts, has 

borne witness to the typical evolution of Websites, 

commencing with a local designer. “We’ve had five 

sites in six years,” he observes ruefully. “The first 

company went out of business. Then we built our 

own Website using Microsoft’s Front Page program; 

that site was very static—no excitement at all. So we 

hired another Web designer, and, while that site 

looked okay, the firm didn’t update it in a timely 

manner… So we went back to designing our own 

site—which, again, resulted in a Website that 

didn’t generate any interest or action.” 

Determined to have a solid Internet presence that 

addressed the club’s specific needs, Lampert eventually 

hired MembersFirst, one of the relatively new, 

industry-oriented providers. Since DHAC introduced 

its new site last January, Lampert is pleased to report, 

the number of Web inquiries has “skyrocketed,” 

and more importantly, members are using the site 

regularly to access information and communicate 

with the club. � 

www.ihrsa.org �� OCTOBER OCTOBER 2005 �� Club Business International 55

INTERNET ODYSSEY continued 

BOTTOM-LINE IMPACT 

Nancy Terry, the senior vice president of marketing 

for Sport and Health Clubs, a Vienna, Virginiabased 

chain, has seen similar results, which have 

had a positive impact on the company’s bottom 

line. “Since we launched our Website three years 

ago, we’ve experienced significant increases in 

nondues revenue from our classes and programs,” 

she explains. Terry attributes much of the growth 

to improved communication, via e-mail, and to the 

member-to-club, relationship-enhancing nature of 

the site. 

MembersFirst, which has been creating custom 

Websites for the industry since 2000, regards the 

Web as an essential tool for building and managing 

member relationships; and that function, as 

Terry attests, ultimately translates into higher 

retention levels. “Clubs exist for their members’ 

benefit, so it’s important to know, and to be 

responsive to, their expectations,” stresses John 

Blake, the COO of MembersFirst. “More and more, 

Websites are playing a critical role in helping businesses 

deliver the services that their customers 

want and expect.” 

The PEW report also concluded that the Web is 

now regarded as an integral component of contemporary 

culture. People know what it is and what 

it can do, and, when appropriate, want to be able 

to make use of it. 

“People expect technology, and they see its presence—or 

absence—as a reflection of a club’s or any 

other business’ level of sophistication,” observes 

Don Hoskins, the founder and chairman of Insite 

Networks, Inc., which offers FitnessInsite, an 

industry-centric product. “They’re increasingly 

comfortable with using the Web as a primary 

source of information… If a Website doesn’t 

communicate a club’s identity clearly, or doesn’t 

When Nevada Fitness unveiled its 

new Website, it promptly received 

over 1,000 hits, many of which have 

been converted into memberships. 

describe the quality of service members can expect 

compellingly—people will simply switch over to 

some other club’s site.” 

Never before has it been so easy for consumers 

to “shop” clubs, and never before have first impressions 

counted more. 

56 56 Club Club Business Business International International �� OCTOBER OCTOBER 2005 2005 �� www.ihrsa.org 

Group effort Internet connects members and staff 

MAKING A SPLASH 

Larry Gurney, the founder and owner of The Rush, a 

five-facility chain in Tennessee, has labored long and 

hard to develop a unique, exciting, and memorable 

brand, and was determined that the company’s 

Website reflect its philosophy and achievement. “We 

opened our first club in 2001, and, since then, we’ve 

been working closely with FitnessInsite to create an 

appealing Website that effectively conveys who we 

are and what we’re all about,” he explains. 

FitnessInsite, which has built over 1,200 sites 

since Insite Networks entered the fitness market 

in 1999, produced a feature- and kicks-rich 

Web environment for The Rush, and has since 

redesigned its Website twice. The newest edition 

INTERNET IRONY 

While a club Website is a remarkable and rewarding tool— 

both for members and staff—Internet access, for virtually 

any business, is a service that needs to be monitored 

carefully. Witness, for example, a poll conducted recently 

by American Online (AOL) and Salary.com, which revealed 

that surfing the Net for personal use is now the biggest 

time-waster in the nation’s business place. The national poll 

of 10,044 employees found that the average worker goofed 

off more than 2 hours a day, with 44.7% blaming the Net; the 

second-most-prevalent distraction was socializing with 

coworkers (23.4%). The estimated cost, to America’s 

corporations, of the lost time: $759 billion a year.

oasts, among other things, a “splash” page that makes 

use of music. “The site’s feedback feature—with respect 

to the member’s experience—provides us with valuable 

information on how well we’re presenting our brand,” 

reports Gurney. “We’re also looking forward to 

using the online fitness and nutrition tool to grow 

our personal-training revenues.” 

1,000 HITS! 

The PEW study also revealed that 80% of Internet 

explorers have researched a product or service 

on the Net, and the number of people who are 

making purchases online has increased by 63% 

since 2000. 

Jeff Johnson, the owner of Nevada Fitness, a 

five-facility chain, initially had a disappointing 

experience with Websites. He went through three 

of them—two created by local designers—before 

finally turning to HealthClubSites.com. 

In January, Nevada Fitness unveiled its new site, 

which promptly received over 1,000 hits, many of 

which have since been converted into memberships. 

“This is a huge increase, a huge improvement, on 

where we were before,” enthuses Johnson. Websites, 

he notes, have a host of advantages over other advertising 

and marketing options, such as newspaper, 

radio, television, direct mail, etc. E-marketing is 

cheaper, quicker, easier, and more efficient, and that’s 

just for starters. 

“People can shop at any time, or after hours, from 

the convenience of their office or home,” he points 

out. “If the Website impresses them or sparks their 

curiosity, then they’ll come in to inquire about joining.” 

Other site features that drive sales include: excellent 

tracking capabilities; online membership sign-up, 

which reduces overhead costs; and a distinct 

Web address, which is much easier to recall than a 

seven-digit phone number. “Web addresses are hard 

to forget,” says Johnson. 

A key ingredient in the marketing “magic” that 

Websites deliver is the strong visual impact that they 

can produce, adds Harv Koplo, the owner of Avrom 

Systems. A prime example: Avrom, which won 

Fitness Management’s 2005 Nova-7 award for best 

innovation in a fitness Website, offers, as part of its 

product package, an optional feature of short video 

clips, shot on site, of actual group-exercise classes. 

“Videos allow a prospective member to really 

experience a club, but in a comfortable, nonintimidating, 

no-pressure environment,” says Koplo. 

“Combine this with high-quality graphic images, lead 

capture, burst e-mails, and a 24/7 member-communication 

tool, and you have a sophisticated, efficient, 

and incredibly effective marketing system.” 

Gurney, of The Rush, doesn’t need any convincing. 

“We now view our Web presence as an absolutely 

essential marketing and member-retention tool,” 

he concludes. � 

STEPHEN WALLENFELS is a contributing editor for 

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

READ CBI ONLINE 

www.ihrsa.org 

www.ihrsa.org �� OCTOBER OCTOBER 2005 2005 �� Club Club Business International 57 57

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Men Are From Mars, 

Women Are From Venus, and Both Need Exercise 

Best-selling author JOHN GRAY to headline 

CLUB INDUSTRY’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION 

How do men and women differ? It’s a question that humanity has been 

debating since Adam and Eve. How do they differ with respect to exercise 

and diet? And what do those differences suggest about such things 

as effective club design, equipment selection, program offerings, customer service, 

membership marketing and sales, etc.? 

These are questions that health club owners and managers have been 

considering for at least 50 years… although the inquiry may well seem to have been 

going on ad infinitum. 

Fortunately, John Gray, a world-renowned “relationship” expert and author of 

the breakthrough bestseller Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, 

not only has some opinions on the subject, Gray has answers—which he’ll share, 

next month, with attendees at the Conference for Health and Fitness Facility 

Management, Club Industry’s 20th anniversary show, in Chicago. 

The conference will take place November 2-5 at McCormick Place, with Gray 

providing the keynote address on November 3 at 11:30 a.m. 

Gray, who has a doctorate in psychology and human sexuality and is a certified family 

therapist, has won acclaim for his success at helping men and women understand, respect, 

and appreciate one another. He’s shared his wisdom with the public primarily via his 15 

best-selling books, the most famous of which is Mars/Venus; since it was first published in 

1992, more than 30 million copies have been sold in 40 different languages. 

Now, none too soon for club professionals, he’s turned his attention to several topics close 

to their own hearts in his latest book, The Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution: 

Create the Brain Chemistry of Health, Happiness, and Lasting Romance. In it, he sets 

forth his ideas about how diet, exercise, and communication skills interact to affect the 

production of healthy brain chemicals and how that process differs among men and women. � 

By Patricia Amend 


Mars and Venus continued 

Crowd control Club Industry’s 2004 show involved some 130 seminars, 245 industry suppliers, and nearly 5,500 attendees 

Why this particular book right now? Because, when Gray 

surveyed the world around him, the time seemed right. 

“Statistically,” he points out, “one out of every five women, 

and one out of every 50 men, are now taking antidepressants. 

Conversely, one out of every five boys, and one out of every 50 girls, 

are now taking a drug for attention deficit disorder (ADD) or 

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)… When I spotted 

those differences, I began to wonder, Why?” 

Gray’s research led him to suspect that diet and exercise have 

a significant impact on the proper “balance” of brain chemicals; 

that the system is gender-specific; and that a person’s communication 

abilities can either minimize, or amplify, the resulting 

effects. “Men’s and women’s brains are different, and they cope with 

FIRST TIME EVER! 

• The Medical Wellness Meeting and Summit Program 

and Exhibition will be held concurrently with the Conference 

for Health and Fitness Facility Management. The 

event represents the first step, by Club Industry and the 

Medical Wellness Association (MWA), to develop a joint 

wellness initiative. 

• A blue-ribbon panel of fitness industry leaders will 

tackle the controversial topic of instructor and trainer 

accreditation on Friday, November 4, at 11:30 a.m. 


stress differently,” he observes. “After a while, I began to understand 

why so many men were showing symptoms of ADD or ADHD. 

And I recognized that, for many women, exercise plays an important 

role in dealing with depression.” 

Gray’s goal, in writing his new book, was to identify the 

rights types of food and exercise to achieve a healthy brainchemical 

equilibrium. 

“If, for instance, men exercise too much,” he explains, “their 

dopamine and testosterone levels will drop because testosterone 

is needed to rebuild muscle; reduced testosterone levels, in turn, 

may affect their personal relationships. On the other hand, 

if women exercise too much, it can sometimes cause infertility. 

“It’s all about balance—getting the right amount of the right 

food and exercise,” he stresses. “We have to acknowledge that 

diet and exercise affect men and women differently, and that 

there are good and bad regimens not only for each sex, but for 

different individuals as well. Men, typically, require a diet that’s 

higher in protein, or else they’ll run out of dopamine; women 

need certain types of fat, or they won’t have adequate amounts 

of serotonin… 

“People need to be educated about the ways in which food 

and physical activity shape brain chemistry.” 

Gray’s personal life testifies to his convictions about balance. 

His own workout—conducted with a trainer at home or his 

club—is a 45-minute assortment of “slow-burn exercises” that, 

he says, work seven muscle groups and stimulate his brain 

chemistry, cerebral spinal fluid, and hormones. 

Beyond taking Mars/Venus brain-chemistry deviations into 

account in their counseling and programming, club professionals 

can do a better job of catering to the particularities of both

Action attraction Attendees try out equipment at trade show 

genders in a variety of ways, suggests Gray. Social/sexual behaviors, 

spa services, even food can be capitalized on to make clubs more 

appealing. “Many men—let’s be honest—go to gyms, in part, to 

look at women,” he for-instances. “Many women, conversely, 

aren’t thrilled to have a bunch of guys staring at them while 

they’re working out… which explains the need for, and growing 

popularity of, women-only areas in clubs and women-only fitness 

facilities.” At the same time, he points out, coed facilities should 

provide areas where the two sexes can interact comfortably. 

“Generally speaking,” Gray adds, “there doesn’t seem to be 

as compelling a need for men-only clubs.” 

What do male/female differences 

suggest about such things as club 

design, equipment selection, program 

offerings, and member service? 

Natural foods are booming in supermarkets, he observes, 

and clubs can promote their members’ dietary balance by 

offering juices, raw organic foods, natural nutritional supplements, 

etc. “The multipurpose club of the future,” he suggests, “will 

be part gym, part café and health-food store, and part spa.” 

And, yes, even the spa has Mars/Venus implications and 

payoffs. “Everyone is overstressed today, and spa treatments 

can help us cope effectively,” attests Gray. “Massage can 

MISSETT HONORED 

Judi Sheppard Missett, the founder and CEO of Jazzercise, 

Inc., one of the oldest and most successful fitness franchise 

companies, will receive the Club Industry Lifetime 

Achievement Award on November 3 during the Conference 

for Health and Fitness Facility Management in Chicago. 

A legendary industry figure, Missett transformed her 

love of jazz dance into an international dance-exercise 

phenomenon that, after 35 years, is still going strong, 

delivering excitement and cardiovascular fitness worldwide. 

A native of Iowa, Missett earned a degree in theater 

and radio from Northwestern University, near Chicago, 

and worked as a professional dancer during and after 

college. While teaching traditional jazz dance, she decided 

to create a “just-for-fun” class, which led, eventually, to 

Jazzercise. In 1977, she moved to California and began 

training Jazzercise instructors. 

Today, her company, based in Carlsbad, California, 

employs a staff of 150 people, supports and oversees 

more than 6,000 instructors, and produces a wide range of 

Jazzercise-related educational materials and products. 

It has also given birth to several spin-offs, including 

JM DigitalWorks, a full-service video and multimedia 

production company, and Jazzertogs, a multi-milliondollar, 

fitness-apparel, mail-order catalog business. Missett 

remains active in her businesses, choreographing new 

routines, lecturing frequently, and producing a weekly 

fitness column for Tribune Media Services. 

Committed to “giving something back” to the public, 

Missett has also sponsored a number of humanitarian 

initiatives. She and her instructors have raised nearly 

$25 million for a variety of charities, and have promoted 

such programs as Kids Get Fit and the Cyberstretch School 

Giveaway Program. 

produce oxytocin in women, which reduces stress, while 

increasing testosterone levels in men.” Both conditions, 

he notes, can lead to closer and more rewarding male/female 

relationships. (For complete information on the Club Industry 

convention, please log on to www.clubindustryshow.com.) � 

PATRICIA AMEND is a contributing editor for CBI and can be 

reached at Pamend@aol.com. 


Club Industry Show Exhibitors 

November 2-5, 2005 • McCormick Place • Chicago, IL 

(For up-to-date listing, visit www.clubindustryshow.com.) 

Company Name Booth # 

A-1 Textiles & Hospitality Products 660 

ABC Financial Services 425 

AED Sales 466 

AFAA 659 

AGM Group 1435 

ASF International 1119 

AV Now, Inc. 136 

ActivTrax 1331 

ActivXL 126 

Adirondack Rubber Products, LLC 112 

AESON Flooring Systems, a div of Stage Step Inc. 1325 

Affiliated Acceptance 343 

American Council on Exercise (ACE) 150 

American Health Sciences 151 

American Specialty Health 353 

Aphelion 748 

Armasport Mat/Duomed 355 

Aspen Information Systems 124 

Association Insurance Group, Inc. 1354 

Athletic Business 1159 

Athletix Products 1431 

Balanced Body 1335 

Beverly International Nutrition 1361 

Big Ass Fans 1165 

Biodex Medical Systems 1340 

Biometrics Nutrition & Fitness 758 

Blue Fish Activewear 1359 

Body Bar Systems 1355 

Body Cycle & Millenium Fitness International 441 

Body Masters 1136 

Body Wedge 865 

Bodyblade/Hymanson Inc. 1453 

Bodyguard Fitness 137 

Booking Plus 858 

BroadcastVision 237 

C G Industries Ltd. 341 

CRS Products International 653 

CSI Software 449 

CardioVision 1427 



Cateye Fitness/Source Distributors 161 

Centaur Floor Systems 649 

CheckFree Corporation 1149 

City Blends 249 

Club Insider News 118 

Club Marketing & Management Service 1409 

ClubLife Media 102 

Concept2 248 

Conexion 448 

Connor Sports Flooring 104 

Coral Springs Software 862 

Core Spinal Fitness Sytems by MedX 1301 

COSMED srl 364 

Creative Health Products 464 

CYBEX International Inc. 701 

Digilock 359 

DirecTV 1058 

Dr. Smoothie Enterprises 335 

Dynaflex International 1060 

EAS 665 

efi Sports Medicine 849 

Entre Prises Climbing Walls 1261 

EVERLAST Performance Flooring 859 

Fabiano Designs International 657 

Faremon Sportswear 1158 

Fit 365 Weight Management Superfood 1255 

FitDV 560 

FitLinxx Inc. 1418 

Fitness Anywhere, Inc. 261 

Fitness Fit Wear 138 

Fitness Insurance.com / Jewell Insurance Assoc. 442 

Fitness Management 339 

Fitter International Inc. 149 

FreeMotion Fitness Inc. 519 

Fundamental Fitness Products 1413 

Futrex 157 

Gerstung 1259 

Get UP & Go Incentives 452 

Gojo Industries, Inc. 764


Government Recreation & Fitness 1360 

Gym Tech 133 

Gym Wipes - 2XL Corporation 108 

Hampton Fitness Products 1029 

Healthcare International 152 

HealtheTech 1064 

I.F.P.A. 1143 

International Health, Racquet 

& Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) 437 

In Touch 1439 

Inner Strength Health & Fitness 365 

Intek Strength 1049 

IntelaMetrix, Inc. 1358 

International Sports Sciences Association 561 

International Tanning Equipment 959 

Iron Grip Barbell 1021 

Isagenix 351 

Ivanko Barbell Company 549 

Jacobs Ladder 134 

Juice Plus 440 

K & K Insurance Group Inc. 1241 

Keiser Corporation 539 

Kidzpace interactive 566 

Kiefer Specialty Flooring 1349 

Life Fitness 501 

LifeQuest’s NFL Hall of Fame Fitness & Flexibility 1452 

LifeWave 1356 

Magnum Fitness Systems 723 

Mak Attack Fitness Wear 363 

Matrix Fitness Systems 119 

Matrix Fitness and Spa 119 

McArthur Towels 866 

Medical Wellness Association - ACW 265 

MicroFit Inc. 965 

NSCA Certification Commission 1161 

National Academy of Sports Medicine 431 

National Council on Strength & Fitness 367 

Nautilus Group 901 

NESTA 460 

New Leaf Health & Fitness Products 255 

Norvell/Body Invest 1157 

NuStep, Inc. 540 

Orthometrix Inc. 140 

Paramount Fitness Corp 913 

Parterre Flooring 1258 

PaviGym USA 765 

Peak Performance 1243 

Perform Better M-F Athletics Company 434 

Personal Fitness Professionals Magazine 667 


Personal Training on the Net 254 

PETRA Hygienic Systems 461 

The Pilates Coach 1441 

Pneumex Inc. 1424 

Polar Electro 929 

Posi-Trak 661 

Power Systems Inc. 455 

Precor Inc/Cardio-Theater/ClubCom 1101 

Prime Time Boxing Camp by Prime Time LLC 1454 

Promax Nutrition 1059 

Promaxima Fit Youth 130 

RB RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC. 1443 

RMT Fitness 155 

RenoSys Corporation 1405 

Retention Management 1353 

SPRI Products Inc. 1141 

STL International/Teeter 1256 

Sales Makers 756 

Saris Cycling Group 565 

SCIFIT 325 

Shake This 1249 

Shape.net Software 454 

Sissel Inc. 148 

Speed Queen 267 

Sports & Fitness Insurance Corporation 1403 

Sports Art America 735 

Sports Display 1155 

Sportwall International 531 

Star Trac 301 

STOTT PILATES 749 

Strive Smart Strength 1127 

SwingFit USA 760 

TKO Sports Group Inc. 1419 

Technogym USA Corp. 937 

Treeforms Lockers 458 

Troy Barbell & Fitness 1135 

True Fitness Technology 101 

Tuff Stuff 1309 

Twin Oaks Software Development 656 

United Leasing 1422 

Versa Climber 536 

Vitabot.com 349 

The W.A.V.E. 1063 

Walk4Life Inc. 361 

WaterRower Inc. 864 

Woodway USA 1235 

Worldwide Sports Nutrition/MET-Rx 1319 

X Vest Inc. 360 

XSPORT Fitness 759 


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HURRY! REGISTER BY 

OCTOBER 15 AND SAVE $200 

An event twenty-five 

years in the making! 

The 25th Anniversary International 

Convention & Trade Show 

Las Vegas, Nevada • March 20-23, 2006 

It’s the IHRSA 25th Anniversary International 

Convention and Trade Show, March 20-23, 2006. 

Join us as we celebrate silver, cherishing the 

past twenty-five years of an industry that has 

made a difference in millions of lives. And, 

together, we go for gold, looking forward to the 

next twenty-five years. 

We have assembled the ‘best of the best’ speakers, 

motivating workshops, valuable networking, 

special events, and the most expansive trade 

show ever. If you miss it, you will miss out! 

LAST DAYS TO REGISTER FOR THE BEST 

RATE! A four-day pass is only $475 through 

October 15. That’s $200 off the on-site IHRSA 

member registration rate! 

TO REGISTER visit www.ihrsa25.org, call 

800.228.4772 (US/Canada) or 

+1.617.951.0055 (international) 

1982 1983 1984 1985 

www.ihrsa25.org1981 

2006 

1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2022 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 

International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association • 263 Summer Street, Boston MA 02210 USA

Rick Caro 

Celebrating 

The founding father 

of IHRSA, Rick 

Caro first became 

involved in the industry 

32 years ago as a partner 

in a club-development 

company that converted 

failing tennis centers 

into multipurpose fitness 

facilities. Eleven years 

later, after having sold its 

eight units, he founded 

Management Vision, Inc., 

a consulting firm based 

in New York City. Over 

the years, he’s participated 

actively in many IHRSA 

initiatives; was involved 

in the creation of Spectrum 

Clubs, Inc., one of 

the largest U.S. chains; 

and, through his consultancy, 

has helped countless 

entrepreneurs realize 

their dream of owning 

successful clubs. 

1996 1997 1998 

2000 

1981 

1987 

2001 

Silver. 

These are the ancestors, trailblazers, and pioneers who have discovered, 

designed, and developed the modern health and fitness club industry. 

As IHRSA approaches its 25th anniversary, its growth, success, and 

international influence reflect, and owe a debt of gratitude to, their 

achievements and generosity. They have laid the foundation and 

continue to build on it to this day. 

How would you describe your career? 

I consider myself one of the most fortunate 

people on earth because I’ve found a way to 

make a living doing what I love to do, and, 

along the way, I’ve made lifelong friends. 

What’s the greatest professional 

challenge you’ve ever faced? 

Founding IHRSA. It was a real challenge to 

get a group of individuals with different goals 

to embrace a new concept without a clear 

understanding of what the eventual, overall 

benefits might be. 

What’s the most valuable lesson 

you’ve learned? 

For me, it was recognizing the importance of 

sharing information with, and learning from, 

your peers. 

What’s the biggest surprise you’ve 

ever encountered? 

The biggest surprise is how successful IHRSA 

has been. To have more than 7,000 members 

in 74 countries, with a wide range of products 

and services, is grander than anyone had 

ever imagined. 

What role has IHRSA played in your 

own development? 

It’s played a fundamental one. By participating 

in IHRSA, you learn from others, grow as an 

individual, and are reminded that you’re taking 

part in something that’s truly meaningful. 

The single most important development 

in the industry over the last 25 years? 

The concept of electronic funds transfer (EFT). 

It’s made it easier for people to join clubs by 

breaking down the fee, and the commitment to 

join, into monthly installments, and by offering 

the option to cancel at any time. 

What one thing would you still love 

to figure out about the industry? 

I’d love to be able to measure how satisfied 

each member is at a given point in time so 

that we could make their relationship with 

the club even stronger, increasing retention. � 

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 


IHRSA’s special 25th Anniversary 

Celebrating Silver. Going for Gold 

interviews continue online at 

www.ihrsa25.org. LOG ON TODAY!

2006 2007 2008 

2017 

2001 

2031 

Going for 

2022 

Gold. 

These are the newcomers, next generation, and young-bloods who 

have already staked a firm claim in the industry and are destined to 

become its new pioneers. Their fresh faces, ideas, and passions will 

revitalize, reinvent, and redefine the business of fitness for the 

foreseeable future. As IHRSA moves toward its 50th anniversary, 

they are the industry’s best insurance of a “golden” outcome. 

Lori Lowell 

Aformer professional 

dancer, 

Lori Lowell began 

her club career as an 

aerobics instructor. Today, 

she owns two Gold’s 

Gyms in Virginia and 

is the National Group 

Fitness Director for Gold’s 

Gym International, Inc. 

(GGI). In 1996, she 

acquired a part interest 

in her first club, in Lake 

Ridge, and, two years 

later, purchased it outright; 

she opened her second 

facility, in Woodbridge, 

in 2003. Lowell’s enthusiasm 

for group exercise and 

her vision of a consistent, 

revenue-generating, 

group-exercise format 

led GGI to enlist her 

services five years ago. 

What kind of an impact would you 

like to have on the industry? 

I’d like to help club owners, managers, and 

staff understand and embrace the positive 

effect that group fitness can have on their 

clubs, which will make the industry, overall, 

more successful. 

The most significant challenge 

the industry will face over the next 

25 years? 

Pricing. We’ve ruined the value of our service 

by devaluing our product—our clubs. What 

we have to do now, I think, is demonstrate 

the value of our product to the public and price 

accordingly, so that we can hire and grow 

the great fitness professionals we need. 

What do you think the typical 

American’s impression of clubs is 

today? And what do you think it 

will be like in 25 years? 

Today, people are intimidated by clubs, and, 

in 25 years, I suspect they’ll still be intimidated. 

We have to eliminate the intimidation 

factor, working hard to make people feel as 

though they belong in our clubs. 

2006 

How do you think IHRSA’s role will 

evolve over the next 25 years? 

IHRSA does an amazing job of keeping all of 

us—who are so very different—connected. I 

think it will continue to be an industry leader, 

bringing us even closer, but on a global basis. 

Okay, it’s now 2031—what do you see 

in your crystal ball? 

The public is really catching on about the benefits 

of exercise, and by then, I think, clubs will have 

become a legitimate second or third home to 

many people. We’ll also have a lot more influence 

in our communities and on government policy. 

What’s your take on government 

relations? 

I attended the first two IHRSA Legislative 

Summits, and think everyone needs to wake up 

and get to D.C. We need a stronger presence on 

Capitol Hill if we’re going to have a real impact. � 

IHRSA’s special 25th Anniversary 

Celebrating Silver. Going for Gold 

interviews continue online at 

www.ihrsa25.org. LOG ON TODAY! 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 


SPECIAL 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION SECTION 

We’re making plans for THE EVENT OF A LIFETIME. 

You should, too! 

25th Anniversary International Convention & Trade Show | March 20-23, 2006 | Las Vegas 

The date was Monday, March 21, 2005—just a day removed from IHRSA’s 

successful 24th Annual International Convention and Trade Show in 

San Francisco. 

The IHRSA team was gathered, yes, to briefly celebrate the show’s success, but, 

more importantly, to begin its diligent planning for the NEXT BIG ONE—IHRSA25! 

This is the IHRSA convention you must not miss. We’re assembling a stellar cast 

of presenters—including keynote speakers worthy of a 25th anniversary celebration— 

and an impressive lineup of educational workshops. And the industry’s premier 

trade show will be bigger and better than ever—after all, this is the 25th! 

We’ve been planning for this once-in-a-lifetime event. You should, too! 

> Celebrate Silver! IHRSA’s silver anniversary provides us with an opportunity to reflect 

on a quarter-century of accomplishment—the individuals, the products, the clubs, 

and the organizations that have made the fitness industry what it is today. 

> Go for Gold! Let’s look forward to the next 25 years! What’s coming? New players, 

new products, and new markets! A partnership between medicine and fitness to 

deal with the obesity crisis! Reaching and exceeding our goal of 100 million club 

members by 2010! 

Win a Free Convention Registration! 

Trivia Quiz 

From now though February, you have the opportunity to win a free four-day convention 

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

log onto www.ihrsa25.com and submit your answer. 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 identity and that of their company will both 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. 

This month’s question is: 

Where was the 1st annual IHRSA convention held? 


REGISTER NOW for the best rates, the 

best accommodations, and the best that 

Las Vegas has to offer! 

IHRSA members can register by October 

15 and save $200! That’s a rate of $475, 

compared to the on-site rate of $675. 

Accommodations: 

To reserve a room, simply contact one of 

our official hotels directly and request the 

discounted IHRSA convention rate, noted 

below. These rooms are subject to availability 

until February 16, 2006, so you’re encouraged 

to place your reservation as early as possible. 

Reservations require a one-night deposit 

per room and a credit card guarantee and 

are subject to a 9% state/local tax. Be sure to 

inquire about the hotel’s cancellation policy. 

Las Vegas Hilton 

3000 Paradise Road 

Las Vegas, NV 89109 

T: 800-732-7117, 702-732-5212 

F: 702-732-5805 

Room Rates: $155 Single, Double or Twin 

Marriott Suites Las Vegas 

325 Convention Center Drive 


T: 800-583-0079, 702-650-2000 

F: 702-650-9466 

Room Rates: $154 Single or Double 

Residence Inn by Marriott 



T: 702-796-9300 

F: 702-796-9562 

Room Rate: $144 Single or Double 

Courtyard Marriott 



T: 800-583-0079, 702-791-3600 

F: 702-796-7981 

Room Rates: $134 Single or Double 

Tourist Information: 

T: 877-847-4858 (assistance available daily 

from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Pacific Time) 

Website: www.visitlasvegas.com 

Register Today for IHRSA25! 

T: 800-228-4772, U.S. & Canada 

617-951-0055, International 

F: 617-737-3323 

Mail: IHRSA25, 

263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210 

Website: 

www.ihrsa25.org or ihrsa.org/register

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IMPORTANT FINDINGS FROM 

FITNESS AMERICAN STYLE II: 

A LOOK AT HOW AND WHY AMERICANS EXERCISE 

americans are getting the message: 

Exercise plays a significant role in 

keeping them healthy. 

A recent consumer study conducted for 

IHRSA by Ketchum Research demonstrates 

that conclusively. The research reveals that 

87% of all Americans know that regular 

exercise is a major factor in maintaining 

their health, and 90% attest that becoming 

more physically fit is important to them. The 

unfortunate reality, however, is that just 

22% of the population actually exercise at 

least five days a week. 

Exercise? 

AMERICANS: WHY DO THEY & DON’T THEY 

The vast majority of Americans know that 

exercise is good for them. The trick is to 

make it not just possible, but easy and enjoyable, 

for them to transform their intentions 

into action. 

The health club industry can take some 

satisfaction in the fact that 14.2% of the population 

makes use of its facilities, exercising, 

on average, 2-3 days each week, for 1-2 

hours per session. And, each year, the number 

of clubs and of members grows; since 

1998, the latter has increased at a compound 

annual rate of 5.3%. � 

By Katie Rollauer 


Exercise? continued 

Table 1 

ATTITUDES 

Americans Attitudes and 

Behaviors Regarding Exercise 

Social Competitors 

• Tend to be young single men 

• Enjoy fitness for the fun 

and camaraderie 

• See themselves as competitive, 

professional, ambitious, risktaking, 

party-loving 

Abracadabras 

• Tend to be married moms 

• Engage in fitness activities for 

weight-loss benefits, but would 

prefer a “magic pill” 

• See themselves as less outgoing, 

less socially skilled, less energetic 

Balanced Holistics 

• Tend to be college-educated moms 

• Believe fitness provides emotional 

and physical well-being benefits 

• See themselves as intelligent, 

socially confident, energetic, 

goal-oriented 

Conscientious Preventors 

• Tend to be slightly older, 

college-educated women 

• Participate in fitness activities 

for the medical/health benefits 

• See themselves as family oriented, 

intellectual, perfectionists, religious 

Woulda-Shouldas 

• Tend to be married women 

without children 

• Usually out of shape and/or 

cannot commit to a fitness routine 

• See themselves as emotional, 

bookish, shy, and less competitive 

Sitcom Skeptics 

• Tend to be married men 

• Pride themselves on “not falling 

for the fitness craze” 

• See themselves as strongly 

opinionated and less emotional 

To exercise or 

not to exercise 

The recent IHRSA/Ketchum study—titled 

Fitness American Style II: A Look at How 

and Why Americans Exercise—surveyed 

Americans to ascertain their views about 

exercise and health clubs. This research 

built on the findings of a similar 2001 

study. Both identified six distinct cohorts 

characterized by their attitudes and behavior 

toward exercise (see Table 1). These 

segments include: Social Competitors; 

Abracadabras; Balanced Holistics; Conscientious 

Preventors; Woulda-Shouldas; and 

Sitcom Skeptics. 

The largest group, Social Competitors, 

feel that they’re in good physical shape, 

and believe that, if you make good use 

of a club membership, it’s worth the 

cost. The next-largest group, the Abracadabras, 

are primarily interested in 

Chart 1 


FITNESS SEGMENTS 

losing weight, but, given a choice, would 

prefer to take a “magic pill” to do so. 

The number of Americans who identify 

themselves as Conscientious Preventors—i.e., 

embracing exercise for its 

health/medical benefits—has increased 

dramatically. In 2001, 10% of Americans 

fell into this category, but, in 2004, 

15% did—a 50% jump (see Chart 1). 

Today, it seems that more Americans are 

knowledgeable about, and interested in 

taking advantage of, exercise’s recognized 

efficacy in preventing or managing 

chronic medical conditions. 

While the percentage of Conscientious 

Preventors rose, there was a corresponding 

decrease in the number of Sitcom Skeptics, 

who tend to regard fitness, dismissively, 

as a “fad.” In 2001, they constituted 16% 

of the whole, but, in 2004, just 12% of the 

population—a 33% decline. 

For All Americans 

2001 2004 

Social Competitors 25% 28% 

Abracadabras 18% 17% 

Balanced Holistics 16% 15% 

Sitcom Skeptics 16% 12% 

Woulda-Shouldas 15% 13% 

Conscientious Preventors 10% 15% 

For Current and Recent Club Members 

2001 2004 

Balanced Holistics 33% 23% 

Conscientious Preventors 24% 21% 

Social Competitors 20% 7% 

Abracadabras 8% 21% 

Woulda-Shouldas 10% 5% 

Sitcom Skeptics 6% 5% 

Current Members 

Balanced Holistics 

2004 

40% 

Conscientious Preventors 22% 

Social Competitors 19% 

Woulda-Shouldas 10% 

Abracadabras 9% 

Sitcom Skeptics 5%

Exercise and well-being 

Improved emotional, physical, and social 

well-being are clearly at the top of most 

Americans’ “to-do” list, and the vast majority 

understand and acknowledge that there’s 

a well-documented link between regular 

exercise and the attainment of those goals. 

Their beliefs are detailed in Table 2. 

Member/nonmember 

satisfaction 

More than half of the general population 

and of club members regard maintaining 

their physical health as an important goal, 

but members tend to score significantly 

higher both in terms of their aspirations 

and achievements (see Table 3). Among the 

Belief % of Population 

population at large, 59% believe that maintaining 

their physical health is essential, 

while, among members, 76% are convinced 

of that. Of the masses, 70% are “satisfied” with 

their physical health, while 81% of members 

are pleased with their health status. Only 

36% of the population is convinced that it’s 

essential to get enough exercise, but 61% of 

members have no doubts about that. Some 

52% of the latter think that they’re doing so, 

while 69% of members know that they are. 

Tellingly, the population as a whole is 

twice as likely as members to rate their 

health as “fair” or “poor.” 

This data suggests that, while the general 

population may still be weighing the 

importance of getting and remaining 

physically fit, club members have already 

gotten the message. 

Table 2 

AMERICANS’ BELIEFS ABOUT EXERCISE 

• Exercise has a very positive impact on overall physical well-being 69% 

• Exercise has a very positive impact on emotional well-being 55% 

• Exercise has a very positive impact on stress levels 51% 

• Exercise plays a major role in maintaining health 87% 

• A sensible diet and good nutrition play a major role in maintaining health 92% 

Table 3 

AMERICANS’ ATTITUDES ABOUT HEALTH 

General Public Health Club Member 

Maintaining Good Physical Health 

Essential 59% 76% 

Satisfied 70% 81% 

Keeping Up Physical Appearance 



Becoming More Physically Fit 



Getting Enough Exercise 



Implications for clubs 

Continue to inform and educate potential 

and current members about the medical 

benefits of exercise. Virtually every demographic 

cohort is better informed, today, 

about the value of physical activity and 

simply needs to be prodded to act on that 

information. Certain groups—from recent 

college graduates to aging baby boomers— 

are particularly aware of the value of 

regular workouts… or of their own growing 

needs… but everyone can profit from 

a club affiliation. 

There are countless ways to communicate 

this vital message, and to successfully 

deliver the services that members 

require. A few suggestions, to get you 

thinking, follow: 

• Sign up to receive IHRSA’s daily e-news 

alerts about the health benefits of exercise. 

• Arrange for a local physician to speak 

to the public and/or current members 

about the benefits of exercise. 

• Consider offering certain workout 

programs to members free of charge. 

• Make your club an entertaining destination 

spot. Offer more post-workout events, 

e.g., a tailgate party for a televised sporting 

event, or a local chef conducting a healthycooking 

class. Allow members to bring their 

friends to the club and provide them with 

free guest passes. 

• Keep things interesting. Make a habit of 

introducing new equipment and groupexercise 

classes. Periodically stage club-wide 

competitions; challenges of this sort appeal 

strongly to Social Competitors. 

• Offer “soft” exercise options—e.g., yoga, 

Pilates, and tai-chi—that appeal to 

exercise novices, reduce stress, etc. Such 

programs are particularly popular with 

Balanced Holistics. 

Want to Know More? 

To purchase the complete findings 

from Fitness American Style II: A Look 

at How and Why Americans Exercise, log 

on to www.ihrsastore.com or phone 

800-228-4772 or 617-951-0055. � 

KATIE ROLLAUER is the research 

manager for IHRSA and can be 

reached at khr@ihrsa.org. 


F 

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Fitness Industry Technology October 2005 

INSIDE 

> Stairclimbers’ Promised Land 

> Infinite range of cardio workouts 

> Cutting-edge equipment, entertainment 

Photo courtesy of Pulse WiFi by Smooth Fitness

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EXTRA 

Fitness Industry Technology October 2005 continued 

STAIRWAY For the Stars 

“Enlightened” club members appreciate the 

FAMILIARITY, USER-FRIENDLINESS, AND INFINITE 

CHALLENGE that stairclimbers offer 

sSOME compare the experience to walking uphill in 

sand. Others explain that it’s like climbing a mountain 

with no peak in sight. Still others—and I count myself 

among them—insist that a session on a stairclimber 

is whatever you want it to be: everything from one of 

the toughest workouts on the cardio floor to a brisk 

walk in the park—admittedly, a park with lots and lots 

of stairs. 

Meriel, a 52-year-old office manager in Wisconsin, 

is the most dedicated stairclimber that I know. 

She uses the equipment whenever and wherever 

possible, whether it’s at her local club or in a hotel 

fitness center in some distant city. She avoids the 

other cardio machines for a variety of reasons: 

stationary bikes (too easy); treadmills (too hard on 

the knees); and ellipticals (too confusing). 

> Climbing stairs is an inherent, 

integral, fact of everyday life, 

and stairclimbers can play a 

pivotal role in helping club 

members enjoy life to the fullest. 

Meriel concedes that she’s in the minority with 

respect to her assessments—stairclimbers rank 

below the other machines in usage, according to the 

2004 IHRSA/ASD Health Club Trend Report—but she 

enjoys what she regards as her enlightened status. 

“I love the stairclimber,” she says, in a tone bordering 

on reverence. “I always get a great workout, and 

it’s easy on my knees.” Meriel also likes the fact that 

she can read while climbing. “The other types of 


cardio equipment put me too far away from my 

book,” she explains. “And when I’m reading a good 

book, the time just flies!” 

There are plenty of other people who agree with 

Meriel. Some 4.5 million of them—mostly club 

members—made good use of stairclimbers at least 

once last year, notes the Trends Report. 

Tracy Barrett, the marketing director at SCIFIT, 

which has been making and selling the units for 

18 years, has witnessed their rewarding evolution. 

SCIFIT’s own TC1000, for instance, offers a silkysmooth 

belt drive, a whisper-quiet electromagnetic 

braking system, an open-handle design that increases 

accessibility and comfort, and independently 

moving steps that deliver a realistic and efficient 

climbing experience. Life Fitness is proud of its 

955e, which boasts the E 3 integrated LCD system 

with Touch Screen Technology, FM radio, and up to 

125 TV channels. StairMaster, for its part, favors its 

FreeClimber 4600 CL (cordless) Exercise System, 

with cushioned foot pedals, an integrated heart-rate 

monitor, and speeds ranging from 26-174 steps 

per minute. 

The other manufacturers featured in this installment 

of “F.I.T. Extra” have produced equally 

intriguing incarnations. 

When a club member makes use of one of them, 

their mind’s eye may imagine sand dues or mountains, 

but, no matter what their vision, it’s clear that 

climbing stairs is an inherent, integral, fact of everyday 

life, and stairclimbers can play a pivotal role in 

helping them enjoy that life—one step at a time. � 

STEPHEN WALLENFELS is a contributing editor for 

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

F 

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CLIMBERS 

BODYGUARD FITNESS 

Executive 5 

T 

EXTRA 

Designed to produce a smooth and 

quiet climbing experience, this sleek 

unit incorporates an eddy-current 

drive system and a self-leveling step 

design. It offers a speed range of 

15-200 feet per minute, a 141⁄2" step 

height, and a gas plasma display that 

provides a number of exciting programs—e.g., 

Eiffel Tower, Sears Tower, 

and CN Tower—each offering 15 different 

levels of intensity. The machine is 

equipped with a built-in reading rack, 

and is designed so that it can be easily 

daisy chained to other machines to 

share one power source. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $2,895 

Quantum 5 Climber 

The Quantum 5 Climber from Body- 

Guard features a unique, upright handlebar 

system equipped with built-in 

contact heart-rate bars, and a smooth 

and dependable drive system that utilizes 

a series of electromagnets and a 

rotating flywheel to produce resistance. 

The machine’s easy-to-use, backlit LCD 

screen is designed to challenge and 

motivate users, providing 15 intensity 

levels and 11 different hill profiles. The 

Quantum 5 offers a speed range of 15- 

200 feet per minute, is outfitted with a 

built-in reading rack, and permits heartrate 

training via a wireless chest strap. 



CYBEX INTERNATIONAL 

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 5 

Cyclone-S 

The new CYBEX Cyclone-S is equipped 

with the company’s Cyclone family 

displays, which provide a variety of 

programming options and 21 levels of 

resistance for each workout, including 

a fully adjustable heart-rate control 

program and fitness test. The stepper 

comes with contact and Polar-compatible 

heart-rate monitoring, and an 

optional AV mount for television 

screens. The handlebars facilitate 

either an upright stepping position 

or a more traditional stepping posture 

utilizing superior ergonomics. To complement 

an individual facility’s decor, 

the stepper is available in five standard 

frame colors and virtually unlimited 

custom colors. 


HEALTHCARE 

INTERNATIONAL 

ProSTEP 6000 

The ProSTEP 6000 provides a natural, 

low-impact, lower-body aerobic workout 

that eliminates jarring on the feet, 

knees, and hips. The overall design is 

simple to use, and includes a userfriendly 

control panel that prompts 

exercisers through every function. An 

electromagnetic resistance system acts 

as a braking mechanism to slow down 

the rpm rate, thereby controlling the 

speed of the machines, which is meas- 

ured as steps per minute. Because the 

weight of the user automatically activates 

and powers the ProSTEP 6000, 

there is no need for an electrical drive 

motor, so the machine’s power consumption 

is equivalent to that of a 

60-watt light bulb. The compact footprint 

and the ceiling requirement of just 

8' make the ProSTEP 6000 ideal for 

space-constrained areas. 

HOGGAN HEALTH 

INDUSTRIES 

The HOGGAN Sprint Climber 

The HOGGAN Sprint Climber uses a 

dependent stepping motion with a step 

range of 1" to 15", large foot pedals, 

upright vertical handles, and simpleto-use 

programing to deliver effective, 

low-impact workouts to all exercisers. 

The human-powered, commercialgrade 

machine has sealed bearing 

pivot points, combined with hydraulic 

resistance, for smooth, quiet, and 

durable operation. 

H/P/COSMOS 

SPORTS & MEDICAL GMBH 

h/p/cosmos discovery 4.0 

The h/p/cosmos discovery 4.0 is 

an ergometer with a unique ladder 

configuration that permits a full-body 

climbing movement. Used to test and 

train firefighters for over 25 years, the 

unit targets the arms, upper back, legs, 

and glutes, and is designed to improve 

muscle tone, endurance, grip strength, 


F 

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and coordination. The Discovery offers: 

a fixed, 75-degree climbing gradient; a 

speed range of 0-130 feet per minute; 

four programmable memory locations; 

and heart-rate training via the POLAR 

Heart Rate Measurement System. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $9,149-$9,500 

F 

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EXTRA 


JACOBS LADDER 

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Visit us at SPRI ® Booth #1141 

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Jacobs Ladder Total Body Exerciser 

The unique Jacobs Ladder Total Body 

Exerciser is a patented treadmill 

climber that optimizes cardiovascular 

training with low-impact movement. 

Utilizing ladder-type rungs on a nonmotorized 

treadmill, Jacobs Ladder 

places exercisers at a 40-degree angle 

to reduce lower-back stress and pressure 

on the knees and hips. The device 

offers aerobic and anaerobic training; 

automatically adjusts to the user’s 

speed; and accommodates all types of 

exercisers, including athletes, members 

of the military, and those undergoing 

physical rehabilitation. Readouts 

include rate (feet/minute), distance, 

calories, and elapsed time. The 

machine features a welded, tubular 

steel frame; a chain and sprocket drive 

train; solid wood rungs; and an easyto-clean 

ABS housing. 


LIFE FITNESS 

SEE OUR AD ON THE BACK COVER 

95Se 

The 95Se, which features the E 3 Integrated 

LCD System with Touch Screen 

Technology, enables facilities to combine 

advanced exercise program control with 

premium personal entertainment and 

education for the ultimate workout 

experience. Utilizing the IsoTrack Climbing 

System, the 95Se has 26 workouts, 

including five Zone Training+ workouts, 

to help members reach their fitness 

goals. Heart-rate monitoring is provided 

by Lifepulse digital hand sensors, located 

on the ergonomically designed handlebars, 

and by Polar telemetry. Users 

can select from up to 13 languages, and 

the E 3 Integrated LCD display delivers 

up to 125 cable TV channels and FM 

radio for personal entertainment. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $4,899

F 

95Si 

The 95Si offers members a challenging 

stair-climbing workout, while making 

use of its IsoTrack Climbing System to 

closely replicate a natural stepping 

motion. With oversized pedals banked 

at an optimal angle, the Life Fitness 

stair-climber delivers 26 workouts, 

including five Zone Training+ workouts. 

Heart-rate monitoring is provided by 

Lifepulse digital hand sensors, located 

on the ergonomically designed handlebars, 

and by Polar telemetry. The 95Si 

includes a dual-level alphanumeric LED 

console, an integrated reading rack, 

and an accessory tray. Users can select 

from nine different languages, and the 

unit can also be equipped for personal 

entertainment with Life Fitness’ Attachable 

LCD EZ-TV Console. 


93S 

I 

T 

EXTRA 

Life Fitness’ 93S Stairclimber simulates 

actual stair-climbing using the IsoTrack 

Climbing System with a mono-roller 

belt-driven pedal system. For added 

comfort and convenience, the unit also 

features oversized pedals with safety 

rims; bullhorn handlebars; and an 

accessory tray with an integrated reading 

rack. The self-powered 93S offers 

five interactive heart-rate Zone Training+ 

workouts via telemetry heart-rate 

monitoring, 20 resistance levels, and a 

variety of workout options. The unit 

can also be equipped for personal 

entertainment with Life Fitness’ Attachable 

LCD Entertainment System. Users 

can select from up to nine languages. 



MAGNUM FITNESS SYSTEMS 

NexStep Recumbent Stepper 

The new, inviting, step-through design 

of Magnum’s NexStep makes this 

recumbent stepper easy to operate; and 

its natural feel, biomechanical integrity, 

smooth, patented drive system, and 

complete postural stabilization enhance 

safety and comfort. The self-powered 

unit has a simple console that stays lit 

at just 12 rpm, making it suitable for 

seniors and the deconditioned, but the 

brake delivers 2,000 watts of resistance 

to also challenge elite athletes. Two 

hundred resistance levels and 17 programs 

are standard on the NexStep. 


MULTISPORTS, INC. 

ST-2220 

The ST-2220’s long-lasting, patented, 

chain drive delivers a smooth, quiet 

climbing experience. The unit features 

stable construction for extra durability; 

a contact-free electromagnetic resistance 

system; wide, self-leveling foot 

pedals; independent leg action; and 

sturdy, multi-position side rails. The 

user-friendly LCD monitor provides 

multiple workouts, including a manual 

quick start, a variety of preset courses, 

and customizable interval programs 

that enable users to design their own 

routines. Feedback includes time, 

resistance level, steps per minute, calories 

burned, and heart rate. 


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NUSTEP, INC. 


NuStep TRS4000 Recumbent 

Cross Trainer 

Inviting and easy to use, this recumbent 

cross trainer provides a full range of 

motion that simulates natural walking, 

10 workload levels for greater high-end 

resistance, an easy-to-read display, an 

ergonomically correct design to minimize 

back strain, and a comfortable 

swivel seat. It meets the needs of virtually 

every exerciser, from individuals up 

to 400 pounds to baby boomers or seniors 

who want an effective low-impact 

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workout. The highly durable and selfpowered 

TRS 4000, which boasts a 

welded, coated steel frame and maintenance-free 

design, meets the needs of 

high-traffic commercial fitness facilities. 


PRECOR INC. 


C776i Climber 

The self-powered C776i climber features 

a quiet, durable belt drive and 

Precor’s commercial-grade generator. 

Fitness 

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It has 15 preset programs, including 

a fitness test that simulates VO2 max. 

Other features include: touch-sensitive 

keypad technology; SmartRate monitoring 

that establishes a user’s optimum 

weight-loss and cardio-training zone; 

hand-held heart-rate sensors and 

heart-rate telemetry; and QuickStart, 

which allows users to “get on and go” 

with a single touch. The unit is CSAFEcompatible 

with fitness industry workout 

and entertainment technology. 


SCIFIT 

SEE OUR AD ON PAGES 12 & 13 

TC1000 Climber 

The TC1000 climber from SCIFIT 

provides a smooth and quiet climbing 

motion courtesy of its unique V-belt 

drive system. The TC1000’s rubberized, 

14" x 7" footplates afford independent 

step action and superior traction, and 

can operate within a speed range of 

5'-110' per minute. To accommodate 

both beginners and advanced athletes, 

it features ergonomically designed 

handlebars that permit multiple hand 

positions, as well as a wide variety of 

user-friendly programs, such as wireless 

heart-rate control, contact heart-rate, 

and a manual program that allows 

users to change their climbing speed at 

any time in one-foot-per-minute increments. 

The unit is self-powered and 

Fit-Key ready. It comes in the company’s 

fresh new color scheme, featuring a silver 

frame and metallic silver panels. 


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EXTRA 

RS7000 Recumbent Stepper & 

RST7000 Total Body 

Recumbent Stepper 

SCIFIT has introduced its new RS7000 

Recumbent Stepper and RST7000 Total 

Body Recumbent Stepper. Step-through 

access facilitates easy and safe entry for 

all users. A new, optional swivel seat 

adds increased accessibility, and 

a large, comfortable seat is removable 

to allow wheelchair access. Optional 

range limiters are available for therapy 

use. One-touch start and contact heartrate 

monitoring make exercising and 

the monitoring of workouts easy; and 

SCIFIT’s unique isokinetic resistance 

program, ISO-Strength, provides an 

effective cardiovascular and strength 

routine. The RST7000 Total Body 

Recumbent Stepper adds upper-body 

exercise arms to provide a complete 

total-body exercise experience. 

Manufacturer’s list price: RS7000 $3,895 

RST7000 $4,195 

SMOOTH FITNESS 


Pulse WiFi 220 Climber 


The Pulse WiFi 220 Climber features 

contoured pedals, which are only one 

inch apart, and a whisper drive Kevlar 

belt drive system, which facilitates a 

16-inch step height. Patented Pulse WiFi 

Technology gives clubs the freedom to 

position a family of cardio products anywhere 

in the building, thanks to wireless 

transmission of video and audio to selfgenerating 

cardiovascular machines. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $3,000 (Includes 

WiFi TFT Video Entertainment) 

IHRSA 2006 

Register by October 15 and Save $200! 

March 20-23, Las Vegas 

800/228-4772 or 617/951-0055 

www.ihrsa25.org 


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IHRSA 2006 

F 

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Pumped Up 

About Being an 

Entrepreneur? Here’s Your Chance to 

Own a 1-2-3 Fit Franchise. 

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franchise guru Rick Schaden of Quiznos Sub® fame 

Exciting new concept for men & women 

Our 30/30 Circuit provides a total body workout in just 30 minutes 

3rd party financing available 

Revolutionary Simbio System makes this circuit training unlike 

anything else out there 

State-of-the-art training and complete marketing support 

Low start-up costs 

Simple operation, no inventory, limited hours, small staff 

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“1-2-3 You’re in Business” Seminar and 

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or Phone 888-Out-in-30 • 888-688-4630 

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Denver, Colorado 80202 

Denver 


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SPORTSART FITNESS 


SportsArt 7100 Club Climber 

The S7100 makes use of a self-generating 

power supply with a proprietary 

battery backup. The unit also boasts 

a drive system that is silent, smooth, 

and predictable; a 14" step range; selfleveling 

steps to minimize ankle stress; 

and multiposition handrails to accommodate 

a variety of positions. A number 

of preset programs provide users with 

a wide range of workouts, among them, 

the innovative CardioAdvisor heart-rate 

control programs. A large dot-matrix 

display and oversized LEDs provide 

feedback on time, resistance level, total 

steps, steps per minute, watts, METs, 

calories, and calories per hour. 


STAIRMASTER 

SEE NAUTILUS AD ON 

THE INSIDE FRONT COVER 

FreeClimber 4200 PT 

The cost- and space-efficient 

FreeClimber 4200 PT features four 

different workout programs (each 

with 20 levels of intensity), scrolling 

workout statistics, and optional side 

handrails. StairMaster’s lowest-priced 

climber, the unit offers the same step 

action, patented pedal geometry, and 

electronic braking system as the company’s 

original stairclimber, the 4000 

PT. The FreeClimber 4200 PT measures 

70" H x 44" L x 22" W, and provides 

performance statistics, including 

time, calories burned, distance traveled, 

floors climbed, and step rate. 


F 

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EXTRA 

FreeClimber 4400 CL 

The cordless 4400 CL boasts an efficient, 

upright, rail-less design, and an 

electronically controlled braking system 

that precisely controls the rate of pedal 

descent—from 26-174 steps per 

minute. The machine comes equipped 

with StairMaster’s back-lit LCD console, 

which features six speed-control buttons 

that allow users to increase or 

decrease the intensity of the stepping 

action at any time during the exercise. 

Intended to meet a wide range of exercise 

needs, the unit can fit into a 2' x 4' 

footprint, and is capable of interfacing 

with Polar Heart Rate monitors. The 

patented, independent pedal geometry 

helps to ensure a safe, biomechanically 

correct movement. 


(model 4400 CL) 

FreeClimber 4600 PT/CL 


The FreeClimber 4600 PT and the cordless 

4600 CL represent the latest in stateof-the-art 

stepping machine technology. 

Featuring StairMaster’s patented design 

and trademark feel, both models include: 

ergonomically designed side handrails; 

smaller, “easy-grip,” upper-body handles 

with integrated contact heart-rate monitoring; 

and one-piece, soft pedals that 

minimize impact and provide optimal 

comfort. The FreeClimber 4600 PT and 

4600 CL incorporate the company’s custom, 

back-lit, LCD console, which offers 

six different workout programs, 20 levels 

of intensity, and scrolling performance 

feedback, and can pivot in order to 

reduce glare; it also comes equipped with 

volume and channel controls for wireless 

commercial entertainment systems. 

Manufacturer’s list price: $3,299 (model 4600 

PT), $3,399 (model 4600 CL) 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

See the advertisers’ index on pg. 115 or 

search at www.ihrsa.org/buyersmart 

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IHRSA 2006 

F 

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800/228-4772 or 617/951-0055 




StepMill 7000 PT 

Offering both cardiovascular and 

strength benefits, the StepMill 7000 PT 

is a one-of-a-kind revolving staircase 

that works the user’s heart, lungs, and 

lower-body muscles—without jarring 

the joints. The unit’s C-40 computer 

console provides readouts of elapsed 

time, calories burned, miles traveled, 

floors climbed, step rate, relative exercise 

intensity (METs), and power output 

(watts) for workout-to-workout comparisons. 

The StepMill 7000 PT features a 

speed range of 30-174 steps per 

minute, measures 78" H x 50" L x 29" 

W, and requires a minimum ceiling 

height of 91⁄2'-101⁄2'. 


STAR TRAC 


Pro Stepper 

The Pro Stepper has been completely 

redesigned with the sleek look of 

the company’s Pro Series bikes, 

CrossTrainers, and treadmills. The Stepper 

features approachable grip bars that 

run the full length of the product, along 

with a unique Aero bar that wraps 

around the top of the display for maximum 

support at every angle. The oversized 

Soft Trac pedals with safety rims 

provide a secure, comfortable workout. 

Also included are an intuitive display, 

personal cooling fans, and a variety of 

motivational programs, such as heartrate 

monitoring and Famous Steps.

F 

TECHNOGYM 

SEE OUR AD ON THE FRENCH COVER 

Excite Step 

With 25 resistance levels and a variety 

of programs, the Excite Step meets the 

needs of beginners and elite exercisers 

alike. Its goal-oriented display delivers 

constant monitoring and feedback on 

time, distance, heart-rate and calories. 

The Excite Step comes in two basic 

models and five configurations. The 

700 model is available in three versions: 

a standard plug-in unit, a selfpowered 

unit, and a fully featured unit 

equipped with the company’s Wellness 

TV and fast-track control. The 500 

model comes as either a plug-in or selfpowered 

unit. 

VERSACLIMBER 


108 CM 

I 

T 

EXTRA 


The CM was specially designed to 

provide a more relaxed total-body 

workout, and it offers a number of 

innovative features: a shorter, 10" step 

height to provide a challenging, but 

more comfortable workout; and 

increased upper-body range of 

motion—up to 27"—for users of every 

size. Exercisers will also enjoy the new 

voice-feedback module that provides 

training guidance, coaching and 

instruction, and users can select virtual 

landmarks and opponents to race. Also 

included are standard heart-rate moni- 

toring; variable control resistance 

up to 500 pounds; soft, padded side 

handrails; and optional arm extenders 

for individuals up to 7' tall. This 

machine, which is made in the U.S., 

is incredibly space-efficient and only 

requires 43"x46" of floor space. 



IHRSA 2006 



800/228-4772 or 617/951-0055 



F 

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F 

108 SM 

The SM features a number of refinements 

that are designed to deliver a 

high-caloric expenditure. Among its 

many attractions: the new smart 

module display, featuring voice feedback 

for training guidance, coaching 

and instruction; virtual landmarks and 

opponents to race; a deep step stride— 

from 1" to 20"—and up to 20" of vertical 

arm travel. The 108SM comes standard 

with heart-rate monitoring; 

variable control resistance up 

to 500 pounds; soft, padded side 

handrails; optional arm extenders for 

individuals up to 7' tall; and an optional 

seat for training versatility. 


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IHRSA 2006 


108 CMA 

The 108 CMA offers many of the same 

innovative features of the other models 

in the 108 line, but includes fixed resistance 

for a more relaxed total-body 

workout. Its step height, from 1"-10", is 

shorter, and well suited for individuals at 

all fitness levels. It also offers increased 

upper-body range of motion—up to 

27"—to accommodate users of every 

size; a new voice-feedback module for 

training guidance, coaching and instruction; 

and a variety of virtual landmarks 

and opponents to race. Also included are 

heart-rate monitoring, soft, padded side 

handrails, and optional arm extenders. 




800/228-4772 or 617/951-0055 



108 SMA 

The SMA, or “sprinter,” takes fixedresistance 

training one step further: 

it has no top-end limitations, which 

makes it ideal for sprinting and interval 

training. It features a number of refinements 

and improvements that are 

designed to deliver a high-caloric 

demand. Among the unit’s many attractions: 

the new smart-display, featuring 

voice feedback for training guidance, 

coaching and instruction; virtual landmarks 

and opponents to race; and a 

deep step stride—from one to 20"—and 

up to 20" of vertical arm travel. The 

SMA comes standard with heart-rate 

monitoring; variable control resistance 

up to 500 pounds; soft, padded side 

handrails; optional arm extenders for 

individuals up to 7' tall; and an optional 

seat for training versatility. Hand-built 

in the U.S., this total-body trainer 

requires only 43"x46" of floor space. 


Eliminates cross-contamination. Removes 

sweat and body oils from surfaces. 

Alcohol free. Safer on equipment than 

liquid spray cleaners. 

Heavy duty pre-saturated wipe won’t rip or 

tear.Convenient 700 count roll. 

Approved by leading fitness equipment 

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The industry’s best dispenser is now theft 

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Offer your members a change! 

Three new fragrances from Entiere TM Rain 

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Group SPX training and 

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Ask about on-site 

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QUOTE CODE CBET



INSIDE 

91 Letter from the 

President 

92 In Brief 

94 Inside IHRSA 

95 IHRSA Spotlight: 

Independents 

96 What’s New 

99 News From 

Associates 

102 New IHRSA 

Associates 

103 New IHRSA Clubs 

107 Calendar of Events 

116 Memo from McCarthy

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. 

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 

Joe Moore: President 

Fitworks 

937-435-0072 

David Giampaolo: Zest Health and Fitness 

PiCapital 

(44) 020 7619 9949 

Greg Lappin: Rochester Athletic Club 

507-282-6000 

Michael Levy: Casaral Inc. 

416-961-5556, ext. 242 

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 

Bahram Akradi: Life Time Fitness 

952-947-0001 

Laurie Smith: Leisure Sports 

925-600-1966 

Gene LaMott: Gold’s Gym International 

800-457-5375 

Phil Wendel: ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers 

434-978-3800 

Harold Morgan: Bally Total Fitness 

773-380-3000 

Julie Main: Ex-officio 

Santa Barbara Athletic Club 

805-966-6147 

INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADORS 

Asia-Pacific Ambassador 

Michael Lamb 

Fitness First - Asia 

603-2093 7980 

Latin American Ambassador 

Carlos Heitor Bergallo 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

(55)21-539-0448 

Letter from 

the President 

Big Achievements 

Require Teamwork 

Randy Richter was a nice young man—maybe 

too nice to be a cop. He joined the sheriff’s 

department in Montgomery County, Ohio, at 

about the same time that I did, and he was a good 

friend. We worked the same beat, but different 

shifts. One day, I walked into the station to relieve 

him, but he hadn’t returned from his tour of duty. 

Randy, I discovered, had been murdered. 

He had approached a suspicious man seated in a 

car—the type of thing every cop does thousands of 

times each year. What Randy didn’t know, though, 

was that the man had just robbed a store. Without 

warning, he shot Randy once, but once was enough. 

Randy was dead, and his murderer was on the 

loose. No one in the department would rest until his 

murderer was found. 

Day after day we searched. Everyone was determined 

to be the cop who found Randy’s killer. The 

dispatchers and clerical staff worked just as hard as 

us, sharing information with every law-enforcement 

agency in the country. Then, finally, an investigator 

from the prosecutor’s office made the arrest. 

The killer was caught as a result of dedicated, cooperative teamwork. 

One of the many things that IHRSA does very well is promote teamwork throughout 

the fitness industry. The Legislative Summit it stages each year in Washington, D.C., 

is a great example. The organizers of this event assemble teams of club operators 

to talk to the nation’s legislators about the industry’s vital interests—not just my interests, 

not just your interests, but every club owner’s interests. In many cases, direct 

competitors work side by side to promote their mutual good. 

This year’s Summit—held in May, although it still seems like yesterday—was a 

memorable experience and fantastic success. I had the opportunity to contribute to 

the team effort and can’t recommend it too highly. The next Legislative Summit is 

seven months away, but please begin making plans now to join us then. We need you 

to help us convince lawmakers that we’re in the disease-prevention business, and 

can have a positive impact both on public health and healthcare costs. The Summit 

is educational, incredibly productive, and you’ll have a great time. 

There are 1,000 good reasons why you should be at the Summit. Me? I’ve got 1,001. 

Randy Richter’s name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers 

Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

Yours in health, 

Joe Moore 

Regional Director 

Fitworks 

We need you to help us protect 

and promote the industry. 

Joe Moore 

IHRSA President 


Photography: Tracy Powell

In Brief 

> Many health club operators 

use facsimiles (i.e., faxes) to 

communicate with prospective, 

current, and/or past 

members, local businesses, 

and others. The practice, 

while sometimes effective in 

communicating one’s message, 

can also be considered 

a nuisance by recipients. It’s 

also important to note that, in 

some cases, sending unsolicited 

faxes is a violation of 

federal and state laws and is 

punishable by hefty fines. 

Federal Law 

The Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC) oversees 

the federal laws governing 

fax transmissions. 

• The Telephone Consumer 

Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991 

prohibits sending unsolicited 

advertisements to a telephone 

fax machine, but it does 

permit such faxes to be transmitted 

to individuals who 

have given their express 

consent to receive them. 

• The recently enacted Junk 

Fax Prevention Act of 2005 

(also known as “the Fax Law”) 

permits club operators to 

send unsolicited commercial 

faxes to those individuals and 

businesses with whom they 

have an “existing business 

relationship” (EBR)—i.e., a 

relationship formed by a 

voluntary two-way communication 

between the club and 

a residential or business 

subscriber, which hasn’t been 

terminated, previously, by 

either party. 

Fax numbers obtained after 

the enactment of the Fax 

Law (July 9, 2005) must be 

obtained either directly from 

the recipient or from a public 

source (such as a Website, an 

advertisement, or a business 

directory) that obtained the 

number directly and voluntarily 

from the recipient. 

The Fax Law also requires 

clubs to include a clear 

“opt-out provision” on the 

first page of an unsolicited 

fax, providing recipients with 

a free, 24-hour-accessible 

means for requesting removal 

from the club’s fax list (e.g., 

local/toll-free telephone or 

fax number, but whether an 

e-mail alone would be acceptable 

is still unclear). The 

provision must state that 

the recipient has the right to 

opt out of future unsolicited 

advertisements, and that the 

sender’s failure to comply 

within the shortest reasonable 

time (to be determined 

by the FCC in the coming 

months) is unlawful; it should 

also include FCC language 

detailing an effective opt-out 

request (to be provided by the 

FCC in the coming months). 

State Law 

Most states have laws restricting 

commercial faxes. However, 

state laws can only regulate 

intrastate transmissions. The 

federal Fax Law specifically 

stipulates that it doesn’t preempt 

state laws that are more 

restrictive, but that relate only 

to intrastate transmissions. 


Legal and Legislative Update 

Know the Law: 

The Facts About Fax Communications 

Compliance Tips 

To help ensure compliance 

with ever-changing—and often 

confusing—fax laws, club 

operators should consider 

adopting any or all of the 

following measures: 

• Check your state’s official Website, 

or consult an attorney 

who is licensed in your state, 

to learn about laws pertaining 

to commercial faxes. 

• Document all fax numbers 

in the club’s possession 

for those individuals with 

whom your club had an EBR 

at the time of the Fax Law’s 

effective date (i.e., prior to 

July 9, 2005). 

• When collecting fax numbers 

from publications or 

Websites, document the source 

by photocopying or printing 

the source of the number. 

• Double-check fax numbers 

when entering them into a 

computer to avoid wrong 

numbers. 

• Provide full contact information 

on all faxes so that the 

document’s origin and purpose 

are immediately clear 

to recipients. 

• Provide at least one (but 

preferably two) free methods 

via which recipients can 

remove their names from 

the fax list. This information 

should be on the first page of 

the fax, which may be the 

cover sheet. 

• Be sure the fax list is updated 

before each broadcast. 

Penalties for Noncompliance 

The penalties for violating the 

TCPA are $500 per fax, with 

triple damages for willful violations. 

Consumers also have 

a private right of action under 

the law, so the law can be 

enforced by consumers, state 

attorneys general, or the FCC. � 

In Brief is written by KRISTEN A. 

WALSH, IHRSA’s content editor, 

in collaboration with HELEN 

DURKIN, J.D., its director 

of public policy; they can be 

reached at gr@ihrsa.org.

©2004, efi Corp. Source code: 7079 

THE GRAVITY SYSTEM 

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To request a free info pack, call 800 525 6901 or visit efisportsmedicine.com. 


Inside IHRSA 

Introducing Get Active! Magazine 

> Get Active! is an exciting 

new magazine written, 

edited, and designed 

exclusively for the patrons 

of IHRSA member clubs. 

Its purpose is to: 

• Reinforce the reader’s 

decision to belong to a 

health club by highlighting 

the many health, physiological, 

and economic benefits 

of exercise; 

• Increase awareness of the 

many services offered by 

IHRSA facilities (such as personal-training, 

group-exercise, 

yoga, nutritional-counseling, 

and Pilates programs); 

• Provide useful lifestyle, 

diet, and workout tips to 

make exercise fun and 

rewarding for everyone; and 

Publications 

Tracking 

the Trends 

> Did you know that: 

• Last year, more than 66 

million Americans visited a 

health club? 

• More than 41 million 

Americans belong to a 

health club? 

• Females make up the majority 

(52%) of club members? 

• The average club member 

has belonged to a club for 

more than five years? 


visits the club 91 days 

per year? 

• Develop a grass-roots 

movement of fitness-conscious 

consumers to support 

governmental initiatives that 

encourage regular exercise. 

The premier issue, which 

was mailed recently to 

more than 700 IHRSA 

clubs that had reserved 

their free copies, includes 

the following articles: 

• Mini-Meal Makeover: 

A Midday Eating Strategy 

to Keep You on Track 

• Start Me Up: A Beginner’s 

Workout 

• Scrap the Scale: Why 

Focusing Too Heavily on 

the Numbers can be a 

Big Mistake 

• The average club 

charges $34 per month 

for a membership? 


is 41 years old? 

• 70% of club members 

have incomes of over 

$50,000 per year? 

You’d be familiar with these 

critical facts and figures— 

and many others—if you’d 

read the 2004 Health Club 

Trend Report! A joint venture 

of IHRSA and American 

Sports Data, Inc. (ASD). This 

annual collection of health 

club consumer data outlines 

who is working out at health 

clubs and which programs 

are the most popular. 

For more information 

about this report, visit 

www.ihrsa.org/research. � 


• How to Hire a Trainer: 

Choose the one that’s best 

for you 

• How Being Fit Can 

Boost Your Finances 

Log on to www. 

getactivemagazine.com 

to read the premier issue! 

Attention advertisers! 

Interested in letting 

1.2 million U.S. health 

club members know 

more about your 

product? Contact 

Michele Eynon at 

me@ihrsa.org to 

receive a free copy 

of the Get Active! 

media kit. The next edition 

of Get Active! will mail in 

January 2006. � 

Public Service 

Out of Tragedy 

Comes Kindness 

> When tragedy strikes, 

those in the fitness industry 

are often among the first to 

respond. This was certainly 

the case following the terrorist 

attacks of September 11, 

2001. Many IHRSA clubs in 

New York opened their 

doors 24 hours a day, free of 

charge, to anyone seeking 

refuge, safety, or simply a 

shower. IHRSA associate 

members donated bottled 

water, healthy food, and 

much more. 

Since then, individuals 

and companies involved 

with the industry have 

been equally generous in 

the wake of the tsunami 

that devastated southeastern 

Asia last year, and the 

terrorist bombings in 

London in July. Now, 

they’re reaching out in 

the same way to help all 

those residents of Louisiana 

and Mississippi whose 

lives have been shattered 

by Hurricane Katrina. 

Visit www.ihrsa.org/relief 

for reports on how clubs 

have been affected by these 

tragic events; to learn about 

the industry’s efforts to 

assist those in need; and to 

find out how you can help. 

To provide updates about 

a disaster that may affected 

you directly, contact 

relief@ihrsa.org. �

IHRSA Spotlight An unfathomed pool of fresh talent makes 

independent clubs the backbone of this business. 

Solo Performers’ 

Ongoing Success 

By Rick Devereux 

Large companies enjoy certain unique advantages—e.g., 

greater access to capital, more 

manpower, true efficiencies of scale—but, 

those competitive charms notwithstanding, the health 

club industry has, for the most part, remained committed 

to the small independent club. For the first 

half century of the sector’s history, fragmentation 

has been the rule, consolidation the exception. 

Over the past few decades, we have, of course, 

borne witness to the emergence of a number of fine, 

large, and successful multiclub companies, and 

they’ve had a significant influence and impact on the 

industry. They’ve done so by providing clarity of 

brand and excellence in delivery, and, I would 

argue, against the odds. 

Why? Because our industry, by its very nature, 

favors the local, committed, community-oriented 

operator. There’s a growing number of such individuals, 

and, given their passion and talent, it seems 

likely that—the Ballys, Fitness Firsts, and 24 Hour 

Fitnesses, notwithstanding—the independent club 

will remain the backbone of this business. 

Consolidation, undeniably, has demonstrated its 

strengths and produced its glowing successes in virtually 

every arena of human activity—from retail to fast 

food; witness, for instance, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s. 

In the discount-retail environment, megastores 

such as Wal-Mart attract customers and generate 

loyalty by offering enormous selections and incredibly 

low prices. They achieve excellent profit margins by 

purchasing in volume, obtaining brand names at 

remaindered prices; remaining open long hours; 

paying low wages; and turning over inventories 

quickly. Small retailers compete on the basis of such 

things as convenient location, exclusive merchandise, 

well-informed staff, etc. 

In mobile, fast-paced societies, fast-food companies, 

with a store at every intersection, offer a solution 

that’s hard to resist. Again, volume, pricing, long 

opening hours, and low pay are key. Local restaurants 

compete on the basis of ambience, cuisine, 

food quality, attentive service, etc. 

Club chains are characterized by some of the 

same features—e.g., volume purchasing; standardized 

facilities, programs, and training; attractive 

pricing—but, to date, haven’t produced anything 

comparable to these examples. At last count, Wal- 

Mart had 3,762 stores in 10 countries. McDonald’s 

had more than 30,000 restaurants in 119. By comparison, 

the largest club chains have hovered 

around 400 units for several years. The vast—no, 

overwhelming—majority of the estimated 82,321 

clubs worldwide remain independent businesses. 

Why? There are scores of 

reasons. Unlike our examples, 

which offer products considered, 

by many, as essential— 

i.e., retail (microwave ovens), 

and fast food (burgers)—clubs 

provide one (fitness) that’s 

still regarded, by most, as 

optional. Given that unfortunate 

fact, locally based clubs 

enjoy a distinct edge. The pursuit 

of fitness is an intensely 

personal process that doesn’t 

lend itself well to assembly 

Sage Rick Devereux 

lines. It involves personalities, 

expectations, goals, interest 

levels, involvement, constant change—factors 

that are difficult to assess, let alone respond to, from 

corporate headquarters. 

Independent owners, however, have access to a 

grab bag of attributes that make their clubs a perfect 

fit. They’re an intrinsic part of the market, in touch 

with its needs, and privy to its schools, churches, 

organizations, and governing bodies. They provide 

a friendly face, an intimacy, and a sense of personal 

responsibility that hired hands find hard to feign. 

Independents can pivot, gracefully, on a dime, responding 

quickly either to new trends or unexpected problems. 

They can customize their offering ad infinitum. 

Independents bring a passion, determination, 

and vested interest to bear that no other, more 

abstract business form can claim. Each day, they 

demonstrate, convincingly, both the pride and the 

power of true ownership. � 

RICK DEVEREUX, the former director of operations 

and marketing for IHRSA, recently retired after 

18 years of distinguished service; he can still be 

reached at rd@ihrsa.org. 


Products 

� Affiliated 

Acceptance Corporation 

(AAC) 

continues to help 

simplify health-club 

operations. Its new 

Biometric Fingerprint 

Identification 

One-finger ease, AAC software enhances 

security at check-in 

and eliminates the need for membership 

cards. The company’s new Centralized 

Management Software keeps businesses 

connected to real-time data, which is 

ideal for chains with multiple locations. 

AAC manages data transfers, daily backups, 

software upgrades, and maintenance, 

and facilities can access AAC’s FrontDesk 

Software from any computer with Internet 

access, and generate reports for individual 

clubs or multiple locations. For more 

information, contact the company at 

N. Hwy. 5, Sunrise Beach, MO 65079; 

800-233-8483; 573-374-9970; 573-374- 

9972 (FAX); www.affiliated.org. 

Flyometrics, 

Human Kinetics 

� Personal and athletic 

trainers have two new valuable 

guides at their fingertips, 

courtesy of Human Kinetics. 

High-Powered Plyometrics, on DVD, 

is loaded with progressively complex 

intermediate and advanced workouts—including 

foundation exercises, 

power-building workouts, and highintensity 

drills—that are designed to 

improve strength, power, and speed 

for better overall performance. Also 

available is the second edition of Training 

for Speed, Agility, and Quickness, 

a text written by Lee E. Brown and Vance Ferrigno 

that includes a bonus DVD with 195 drills and 

current information on testing, techniques, and 

training programs for optimal athletic performance. 

For copies of either resource, or for more information, 

contact the company at 1607 N. Market St., Champaign, 

IL 61822; 800-747-4457; 217-351-5076; 

217-351-2674 (FAX); www.humankinetics.com. 


Rocking Course 

What’s New 

� Two new Perform Better tools challenge exercisers to get off 

solid ground and work their core muscles to enhance balance and 

proprioception. The first, the Motion Bench, is fixed at a 35-degree 

angle and rocks side-to-side during core exercises for additional difficulty. 

With a compact design, the bench weighs only 25 pounds 

and folds easily for transport and storage. The second new item, the 

versatile Vew-Do Fitness 101 Board, is designed to function as a balance, 

wobble, or rocker board; the conversion is made in seconds 

by simply changing the fulcrum. The Vew-Do offers a wide-riding 

surface, consisting of a rugged, seven-ply deck with a low center of 

gravity that provides considerable control. For more information, 

contact the company at P.O. Box 8090, Cranston, RI 02920-0090; 

800-556-7464; 800-682-6950; www.performbetter.com. 

� Group-cycling fans can now take a 

ride on a great new indoor cycling bike: 

the new Spinner NXT from Mad Dogg 

Athletics, Inc., and Star Trac. 

Designed with eye-catching, oval-shaped 

tubing and rust-resistant aluminum that 

prevents sweat buildup and corrosion, 

the Spinner NXT features an easy-toremember, 

alphanumeric handlebar 

and seat-post adjustment with a unique Star-tracking, 

microadjustable seat slider to provide Spinner NXT 

the perfect fit for all riders. A dual 

water-bottle holder is integrated into the new, noslip-grip 

handlebar design; the pedals are dual-sided 

platform/SPD-compatible; and the cranks, bearings, 

and axle have been upgraded. A flexible seat base 

with double-density padding and an anatomical 

cutout ensure comfort. For more information, contact

Products 

continued 

the company at 2111 Narcisus Court, Venice, CA 

90291-4818; 800-847-7746; 310-823-7008; 310- 

823-7408 (FAX); www.spinning.com. 

� OPTP has introduced several new “must-haves” 

for fitness professionals. The Versadisc Pro, an airfilled 

cushion made of soft PVC, is an unstable disc 

that’s ideal for strength, stability, and balance training. 

The 18"-diameter disc can be used for two-leg 

exercises, lunges, abdominal training, and push-ups. 

Also, the heavy-duty, inflatable, vinyl FitBall exercise 

ball can support up to 600 pounds of pressure and 

is made of a burst-resistant material that deflates 

slowly if punctured. The ball can be used for a variety 

of exercises and comes in black, yellow, red, 

pearl white, and blue, and in sizes of 45, 55, 65, and 

75 centimeters. For more information, contact the 

company at 3800 Annapolis Lane, Ste. 165, P.O. Box 

47009, Minneapolis, MN 55447-0009; 763- 553- 

0452; 763-553-9355 (FAX); www.optp.com. 

� Polar Electro has launched the Polar FitPro 

Rewards Program to recognize the training efforts 

of progressive fitness professionals who incorporate 

heart-rate training into exercise regimens. As part 

of the program, registered Polar FitPro Rewards members 

receive exclusive discounts on Polar heart-rate 

monitors purchased online; earn reward dollars on 

every Polar purchase, redeemable toward future online 

purchases; and have direct access to Polar Master trainers 

and other heart-rate training resources. Certified 

fitness professionals can register for the loyalty 

program at www.polarusa.com/FitProREWARDS. 

For more information, contact the company at 

111 Marcus Ave., Ste. M15, Lake Success, NY 11042; 

800-290-6330; 516-364-0400; 516-364-5454 (FAX); 

www.polarusa.com. 

� The new Exer-station from 

Powergrid Fitness transforms 

off-the-shelf video games 

into productive workouts. This 

compact, economical, videogame 

joystick controller is a 

physically demanding, full-body 

training tool that challenges 

Exer-station, Powergrid 

muscles via isometric contractions. 

The Exer-station boasts 

the company’s international, award-winning ISOCOR 

technology, which utilizes sensors to measure the 

force applied to a 1.3-meter, steel-alloy rod fitted 

with a universal video-game controller; the harder 

that exercisers push in a racing game, for instance, 

What’s New 

the faster they travel. A one-touch adjustment changes 

the resistance level to accommodate all users, and 

an LCD displays total workout time, pounds lifted, 

and effort level. The Exer-station is compatible with 

PlayStation, Xbox, GameCube, and PC gaming systems. 


8681 Cherry Lane, Laurel, MD 20707; 800-266-6775; 

301-498-9400; www.pwrgrid.com. 

� Exercise mats can make all 

the difference in a workout, 

providing comfortable padding 

and solid support for all types 

of exercise. Power Systems 

offers an impressive variety of 

mats to meet every club mem- On a roll, Power Systems 

ber’s needs. Among them: mats 

for Pilates, yoga, general fitness, floor work, and 

stretching exercises. The mats lay flat immediately, 

retain their shape, and can be hand-washed or wiped 

down with an antibacterial cloth to ensure cleanliness. 

Yoga mats range from 68" to 72" long and from 

1/8" to 5/16" thick; Pilates mats range from 56" to 72" 

long and are 5/8" thick. Power Systems also offers 

bags, racks, and carts to store and transport mats 

safely and conveniently. For more information, contact 

the company at 2527 Westcott Blvd., Knoxville, 

TN 37931; 800-321-6975; 865-769-8223; 865-769- 

8211 (FAX); www.power-systems.com. 

� Peak inside the new 2005-2006 Health and Fitness 

Flooring Guide from Aeson Flooring Systems, a division 

of Stagestep, Inc., and you’ll find the company’s 

two latest flooring options. The first, Vertex, is a 

revolutionary PVC sheet vinyl with a carpet-like 

wear layer that’s stain-proof and waterproof, and 

ideal for lobbies, locker rooms, childcare facilities, 

and high-traffic areas. Vertex comes in several patterns 

and colors in roll and tile formats, and can be 

installed easily. The second new product, Sport Tile 

multi-purpose flooring, is suitable for athletics and 

nonsport activities; it installs quickly over virtually 

any surface, including vinyl, tile, concrete asphalt, 

and carpet. This economical flooring is low-maintenance, 

easy to clean, and available in 12 standard 

colors. For more information, contact the company 

at 4701 Bath St., Ste. 46, Philadelphia, PA 19137; 

800-523-0960; 215-636-9000; 215-564-4206 (FAX); 

www.stagestep.com. 

� The new Group SPX Reformer from STOTT 

PILATES, a division of the Merrithew Corporation, 

is a lightweight, portable version of the commercial 


Products 

continued 

Reformer designed for facilities that would like to 

offer group Pilates sessions in their exercise studios. 

The Group SPX Reformer weighs 100 pounds, 

45 pounds less than the company’s professional 

model; accommodates all reformer accessories; and 

sits on wheels so it can easily be moved out of the 

way when not in use. Clubs can also stack the spacesaving 

reformers up to six high, and a special trolley 

facilitates transport and storage. Stott is also intro- 


What’s New 

ducing a new Group SPX certification program to 

help clubs implement Pilates programs quickly and 

easily. For more information, contact the company 

at 2200 Yonge St., Ste. 500, Toronto, Ontario 

M4S 2C6; Canada; 800-910-0001; 416-482-4050; 

416-482-2742 (FAX); www.stottpilates.com. 

� The popular Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) 

Groove Pad now comes in a commercial-grade, 

warranty-backed model from 

Youth Fitness Solutions 

(YFS). YFS has updated the 

exciting, interactive PlayStation 

2 game with the toughest 

and most durable reactive 

dance pad. The pads are 

available as part of a turnkey 

group-exercise program, which 

Dance Dance with YFS 

comes with commercial pads, 

practice pads, a lock box, and 

video game. This unique 

system has elementary schoolage 

kids and teenagers alike 

stomping their feet, shaking 

their bodies, and improving 

their fitness levels. For more 

information, contact the company 

at 1506 Judge Baylor 

Drive, Ste. 8, Belton, TX 

76513; 254-295-4140; www. 

youthfitnesssolutions.com. �

Companies 

Liquid fruit, 

Dr. Smoothie 

� Eating healthy just 

became more convenient— 

the result of a new partnership 

between the American 

Council on Exercise (ACE) and 

FoodFit.com, a comprehensive resource 

for current information on food. Through 

this relationship, ACE will be able to offer 

2,000 healthy, simple, and delicious recipes 

on its Website (www.acefitness.org). The 

recipes are provided by Bonnie Moore, 

the FoodFit executive chef, and a network 

of other professional chefs and cookbook 

authors. Search options are available for 

low-carb, low-fat, and kid-friendly entrees, 

appetizers, desserts, and other meal options. 

“The majority of recipes incorporate 

many of the recommendations presented 

in the recently updated USDA Dietary 

Guidelines,” notes Dr. Cedric Bryant, the 

chief exercise physiologist for ACE. “We 

hope that this extensive database will 

help Americans make healthy eating part 

of their lives.” 

�For an even more refreshing 

smoothie, try the new 

Dr. Smoothie’s 100% 

crushed-fruit concentrates, 

which are unlike anything 

else available today. Naturally 

sweetened with the juice of apples, 

grapes, and pineapples, and specially 

blended to meet the USDA’s fruit-consumption 

requirements, these delicious 

drinks contain no corn syrup and provide 

more than three servings of fruit per 

16-ounce serving. “With just one 

smoothie, people following the National Cancer Society’s 

‘5 a Day’ program are almost three-quarters of the way 

there,” says Bill Haugh, the CEO of Dr. Smoothie. The 

shelf-stable concentrates come in a variety of flavors, 

including strawberry, Pineapple Paradise, Mango 

Tropics, Four Berry Blend, Acai Plus, Northwest Berry, 

Peach Pear Apricot, and Wild Cherry Cranberry. 

� The GravitySystem from efi Sports Medicine 

continues its steady growth, domestically as well as 

internationally. Since the company launched its pilot 

program in 2002, it’s succeeded in marketing its 

News from Associates 

Gold’s Group 

� Gold’s Gym International, Inc. (GGI), has selected Les Mills 

International as its preferred group-exercise vendor; the chain’s 

41 corporately owned clubs will implement the Les Mills programs, 

which include BodyPUMP, BodySTEP, BodyFLOW, BodyJAM, 

BodyATTACK, and RPM. According to Gene LaMott, the CEO of 

GGI, key factors in the decision included the 20 years of experience 

Les Mills has in program design; the current seamless integration 

of Les Mills programs at Gold’s Gyms; and the extensive Les Mills 

catalog of classes. “We’re very pleased that the world’s largest 

chain of coed gyms made this commitment to Les Mills,” responds 

Phillip Mills, the chairman of Les Mills International. Each week, 

about 4 million people participate in Les Mills’ seven branded, 

choreographed routines in nearly 10,000 clubs in 55 countries. 

product in the U.S. and eight other countries, including 

Germany, Italy, Australia, Spain, and Russia. 

“Most new installations recoup their investment and 

report clear profits within 12 weeks of their launch,” 

explains Tom Campanaro, the president of efi. The 

company has recently introduced its new Blast program, 

which consists of 15-minute, muscle-isolation 

supersets, and CoreDynamics, a 30-minute, teamtraining 

session that blends multiple workout 

disciplines, such as Pilates core work, functional 

strength, and endurance training. The innovative 

GravitySystem, which can adjust to eight resistance 

levels and facilitates more than 250 exercises, has won 

several awards in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. 

� Taraflex Sports Performance flooring by Gerflor 

has been named the “Official ATP (American Tennis 

Professionals) Court Surface” as a result of a new, 

three-year partnership between the company and 


Companies 

continued 

the tennis professionals’ organization. Taraflex will 

be used on four courts at the Tennis Masters Cup in 

Shanghai, China, from 2005 to 2007. The ATP selected 

Taraflex for its superior technology, which provides 

an ideal combination of comfort, shock-absorption, 

and high performance. “We’re pleased to enter into 

this agreement with Gerflor, an outstanding company 

with whom we’ve cooperated for many years to provide 

the best playing conditions for ATP players,” 

reports Mark Miles, the CEO of the ATP. Taraflex also 

has provided courts for the past eight Olympic 

Games and many world championships. 

� The Iron Grip Barbell Company is on its way 

to establishing the most advanced free-weight manufacturing 

facility in the world, having recently completed 

the first phase of a multiyear expansion of 

its U.S. factory. The company has added an extensive 

line of new, highly automated CNC manufacturing 

equipment, and improved its proprietary urethane 

line and engraving operation to become a more vertically 

integrated and responsive model. “Completing 

phase one of our expansion has enabled us to boost 

our production capacity, but also our R&D capabilities,” 

notes Scott Frasco, the CEO of Iron Grip. “Our 

new facility will enable us to continue to improve the 

quality, accuracy, and consistency of our product, as 

well as speed new products to market.” 

� The Equinox Fitness Clubs have named the 

National Strength and Conditioning Association’s 

(NSCA’s) NSCA-CPT and CSCS certifications 

as their certifications of choice. All trainers hired by 

Equinox in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles must 

now register for one of the two certifications within 

six months of their hire date; the same applies to 

trainers hired in San Francisco and Miami after Jan. 1, 

2006. Existing Equinox personal trainers are encouraged, 

but not required, to take the exam, and, if they 

do so, will be given special discounts. The Equinox 

Fitness Training Institute (EFTI) is offering a review 

course to prepare trainers for the exam, and Equinox 

will serve as an exclusive host site for the tests. Equinox 

and NSCA also are creating a proprietary T4 education 

program solely for the chain’s trainers. 

� Nautilus, Inc., has entered the $2-billion, premium-fitness-apparel 

industry with its recent $74-million 

acquisition of Pearl Izumi USA, a provider of 

high-performance activewear for cyclists, runners, 

and fitness enthusiasts. “The Nautilus management 

team, which has experience in the apparel and 

footwear industry, intends to further leverage our 

brands as fitness enthusiasts pursue technically superior 

equipment,” explains Gregg Hammann, the 



chairman and CEO of Nautilus. Pearl Izumi made its 

U.S. debut in 1981 and is known for its quality, innovation, 

and technically superior sports apparel and 

footwear; its products are distributed through 2,600 

independent bike dealers and 600 running specialty 

retailers worldwide. 

� Kudos to NuStep, Inc., for practicing what it 

preaches. The company recently received the gold 

level for the 2005 Healthy Workplace Award, which 

is bestowed by the Washtenaw County Public Health 

Department in recognition of five local businesses 

that create healthier workplaces for their employees. 

Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, NuStep was 

lauded for its long-term strategic vision in which 

health, wellness, and quality of life issues are priorities. 

“Health and quality of life are included in 

NuStep’s company mission, vision, and values,” says 

Jennifer Brant, the human resources manager for 

NuStep. The company manufactures the NuStep 

TRS 400 recumbent cross trainer. 

� Brent Shafer has been appointed 

executive vice president and CEO of 

sales and service for the North American 

region of Philips Medical 

Systems, a division of Royal Philips 

Electronics. Shafer will leverage the 

company’s wide range of products 

and technologies to maintain growth 

and increase overall market share. 

Most recently, Shafer was vice president 

and general manager of the patient- Exec-ellent Shafer 

environment division at Hill-Rom, in 

Batesville, Indiana, which helps healthcare professionals 

provide treatment to patients in acute-care, 

long-term-care, and home-care environments. 

Previously, Shafer served as vice president of Hill- 

Rom’s Americas and Asia Pacific sales divisions. 

“Shafer’s 20 years of leadership experience make 

him ideally suited to help lead us in the U.S.,” 

observes Jouko Karvinen, the president and CEO 

of Philips Medical Systems. 

� The Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) has established 

the first-ever national Pilates certification. To 

qualify for it, candidates must complete at least 200 

hours of lecture, self-study, apprenticeship, 

and assistant-teaching hours, 

as well as hold a CPR certification, 

prior to sitting for the exam. The 

exam was developed by the PMA 

and Castle WorldWide, a certification 

and licensure testing company, 

and is accredited by the National

Companies 

continued 

Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Instructors 

passing the exam will be titled PMA Pilates Certified 

teachers and can be identified by the PMA Certified 

mark. “Our goal is to create a professional 

standard for the industry and give consumers protection 

from incompetence, while preserving the 

quality of the Pilates method,” explains Kevin 

Bowen, the CEO and co-founder of the PMA. 

� Pro*Fit Enterprises, 

the manufacturer of the PACE 

group circuit-training program 

and the Kid’s Pace Express (PE) 

hydraulic circuit-training program, 

has appointed Canadian 

Fit Kids as its exclusive 

Canadian distributor for both 

lines. Mary Theresa Gelineau 

of Canadian Fit Kids is a former 

PACE club owner and a certified 

PACE trainer. “We feel 

Kid’s PE is ideal for recreation 

centers, clubs, schools, and 

many other places because it 

is fun, non-intimidating, and 

safe,” she explains. Adds 

Rande LaDue, the president 

of Pro*Fit Enterprises, “We 

are proud that Canadian Fit 

Kids has accepted the challenge 

to help fight the obesity 

problem in Canada by representing 

our lines.” 

� SCIFIT Systems, Inc., 

which designs, produces, 

and markets cardiovascular 

equipment for domestic sales 

and exports to more than 

40 countries worldwide, continues 

to earn recognition in 

its Tulsa, Oklahoma, community. 

The U.S. Small Business 

Association named Larry 

Born, the CEO of SCIFIT, 

State Exporter of the Year for 

Oklahoma, and the company 

won Exporter of the Year at 

the regional level in U.S. 

Region VI, which includes 

Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, 

Louisiana, and New Mexico. 

Specifically, SCIFIT was commended 

for its contributions 

in exporting, including its 


creative overseas marketing strategies, effective 

solutions to export-related problems, and introduction 

of unique trading relationships. 

� SportsArt Fitness has partnered with Lucille 

Roberts Health Clubs to equip the 50 women-only 

fitness centers and the newly launched franchise, 

Lucille Roberts Fitness Express, with more than 

$1.1 million worth of cardiovascular machines. � 

Is Your Staff 

Qualified? Qualified? 

National Council on 

Strength & Fitness 

Board For Certification 

(800) 772-NCSF (6273) 

www.ncsf.org 

info@ncsf.org 

NCCA Accredited 

QUALIFIED PERSONAL 

TRAINERS come 

from a validated process. 

NCCA Accredited Board 

Certification Exams are 

the only regulated 

certifications in the 

fitness industry and 

provide full legal 

defensibility. 

Why would you 

place your career or 

business at risk? 

NCSF Board for 

Certification Exam: 

■ Offers On-Demand testing in 

over 400 locations everyday 

■ Instant certification exam 

results 

■ Identifies truly competent 

practitioners 

■ Provides a standardized 

competency 

■ Ensures legal defensibility of 

the credential 

■ Instant credential verification 

NCSF Education: 

■ Hands-on practical training 

instruction 

■ Individualized training and 

exam preparation models 

■ Convenient home study 

preparation 

■ Complete technical support 

www.ihrsa.org � OCTOBER 2005 � Club Business International 101

Companies 

� The American Tanning Institute (ATI) is raising 

the bar for tanning professionals with its industry 

training and tanning certification program. The 

organization’s objective is to ensure that all program 

participants receive four hours of comprehensive 

training focusing on such things as: the requirements 

of state and FDA tanning regulations; procedures for 

correct operation of a tanning facility and tanning 

equipment; recognition of injury or overexposure to 

UV light; and equipment manufacturers’ procedures 

for operation and maintenance of tanning equipment. 

For more information, contact the company at 24833 

N. 36th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85310; 866-869-6790; 

www.tanningprogram.com. 

� The innovative, Penco Products’ SmartLocker 

electronic locker system eliminates the need for conventional 

locks and keys by employing computerized 

identification technology to permit or refuse access. 

Membership ID cards with magnetic, bar-coded, or 

proximity devices can be used to open individually 

assigned lockers. For convenience, the lockers are 

designed to accept virtually any means of personal 


New IHRSA Associates 

identification that clubs use, or, if desired, Penco can 

provide dedicated locker access cards. The locker 

system is networked to a central computer in the 

back office, where usage can be monitored and 

access codes controlled. For more information, contact 

the company at P.O. Box 378, Oaks, PA 19456-0378; 

800-562-1000; 610-666-0500; 610-666-7561 (FAX); 

www.pencoproducts.com. 

�Wellworks Online represents the next generation 

in business-management solutions for the health and 

wellness community. Wellworks Online studio-management 

software services provide efficient scheduling, 

marketing, retail P.O.S., and accounting for health 

clubs and wellness studios. Applications include client 

management, class and private session scheduling, 

retail P.O.S. and inventory management, accounting 

services, and marketing tools; all are integrated into 

an intuitive, easy-to-use system designed for people 

who don’t have a lot of computer experience. 


3782 Wonderland Hill Ave., Boulder, CO 80304; 888- 

515-3099; 303-526-3893; www.wellworks.com. �

Members 

California 

Althon Health & Fitness 

1345 Park St. 

Paso Robles, CA 93446 

Mr. Ryan Joiner 

In-Shape Health Clubs * 

1313 S. Mooney 

Visalia, CA 93277 

559-741-1700 

Ladies Workout Express 

4447 Redondo Beach Blvd. 

Lawndale, CA 90260 

310-921-6332 

Ms. Claudine Robinson 

Georgia 

Liberty Fitness - Suwanee 

10900 Medlock Bridge Road 

Ste. 305B 

Suwanee, GA 30024 

678-417-0997 

Ms. Marianne Byron 

Illinois 

West Loop Gym 

1024 W. Kinzie 

Chicago, IL 60622 

312-421-8594 

Ms. Lynn Meluch 

Indiana 

It Figures! Altered 

Image Fitness 

844 Royal Dublin 

Dyer, IN 46311 

219-864-0202 

Ms. Judith Wiatrowski 

Kansas 

Anytime Fitness - 

Dodge City 

2203 Central Ave. 

Dodge City, KS 67801 

620-225-3303 

Mr. Josh Gunderson 

Louisiana 

Lady Spectrum 

4710 O’Neal Lane, Ste. 110 

Baton Rouge, LA 70817 

225-751-1411 

Spectrum Highland 

111 Founders Drive, Ste 300 

Baton Rouge, LA 70810 

225-752-3123 

Massachusetts 

Gold’s Gym - Amherst 

10 University Drive 

Amherst, MA 01002 

413-549-6565 

Ms. Joanne DeLong 

Ladies Workout Express 

P.O. Box 54 

Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 

413-625-2082 

Mr. John Bos 

Michigan 

Contours Express 

of Pittsfield 

3825 Carpenter Road 

Ypsilanti, MI 48197 

734-973-2082 

Ms. Lori A. Howell-Mial 

Dow Chemical 

(Health Promotion 

Resource Center) 

Employee Development 

Center 

Midland, MI 48674 

989-638-7251 

Ms. Nancy Lamb 

MVP Metro Club 

33 Fountain St. NW 

Grand Rapids, MI 49503 

616-254-8815 

Ms. Karen Gibson 

Minnesota 

Anytime Fitness - Bemidji 

1710 Paul Bunyan 

Bemidji, MN 56601 

218-444-5529 

Mr. Tim Restle 

Anytime Fitness – 

Hibbing * 

990 W. 41st St., Ste. 63 

Hibbing, MN 55746 

218-263-8200 

Ms. Karen Koslowski 

Anytime Fitness - Virginia 

603 9th St. 

Virginia, MN 55792 

218-749-8000 

Mr. Steve Schultz 

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 segregated 

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 Mexico 

Defined Fitness 

4080 Ridge Rock 

Rio Rancho, NM 87124 

505-892-4080 

Mr. Shawn Gale 

New York 

Pilates on Fifth 

501 5th Ave., Ste. 2200 

New York, NY 10017 

212-687-8885 

Ms. Kimberly Corp 

North Carolina 

Anytime Fitness LLC 

14460-159 New Falls 

of Neusc 

Raleigh, NC 27614 

919-453-1077 

Mr. Corey Fobes 

North Dakota 

Anytime Fitness - Minot 

305 20th Ave. SW 

Minot, ND 58702 

800-704-5004 

Mr. Chuck Runyon 

Wisconsin 

Preferred Fitness 

5173 Maplewood Drive 

Greendale, WI 53129 

414-423-0554 

Ms. Laura Pipp 

Wyoming 


Green River 

410 Uinta Drive 

Green River, WY 82935 

307-382-4441 


Members 

continued 


Rock Springs 

2441 Foothills Blvd. 

Rock Springs, WY 82901 

307-382-4441 

Ms. Holly Henss 

Germany 

Fit-Plus Fitness Center 

GmbH 

Altdorfer Strasse 38 

Landshut 84030 

(49) 8-717-4057 

Mr. Uwe Eibe 

Gold’s Gym 

Immanuelkirchstrasse 3/4 

Berlin 10405 

(49) 30-442-8294 

Mr. Rene Eick 

Sporting - 

Das Muelheimer 

Fitness Center 

Mintarder Strasse 21 

Muelheim 45481 

(49) 20-848-8552 

Mr. Volker Schlueter 

India 

Highland Parade (The 

Valley Club) - Kodaikanal 

Holiday Homes pvt ltd 

73/b Gopal Mansions, 2nd Fl. 

Bandra (west) Mumbai, 

Maharashtra 4000050 

(91) 454-224-2300 

Mr. Rajiv Naik 

Highland Retreat (The 

Hill Club) - Lonavala 

Highland Holiday homes 

pvt ltd 


Bandra (west) Mumbai, 


(91) 211-427-4405 


Highland Shoreline 

(The Beach Club) 

Highland Holiday Homes 

pvt ltd 


Bandra (West)Mumbai, 


(91) 4-1142-7284 


Korea 

Daegu Sangin 

7F Lotte Department Store 

1502 Sangin-dong 

Dalseo-gu 

Daegu 

Gangnam 

2F Orcite Bldg. 

1316-15 Seocho-dong 

Seocho-gu 

Seoul 

Pusan Bexco 

B1F. Bexco 1291 Wu2-dong 

Haeundae 

Pusan 

Mexico 

24 Hour Fitness 

Monterrey 

Ave. Lazaro Cardenas 2506 

Col. Valle Oriente 66250 

San Pedro Garza Garc 

Indonesia 

PT Fitness First Indonesia 

Kawasan Bisnis Granadha 

The Plaza Semanggi UG, 

1st & 2nd 

Jl Jend. Sudirman Kav 50 

Jakarta 12930 

(62) 2-12-553-9499 

General Manager 

Malaysia 

California Fitness 

Mid Valley * 

Lot T-Oil, 3rd Fl. 

Mid Valley Megamall 

Kuala Lumpur 5800 

(60) 32-295-0088 

Ms. Jesslyn Goh 

California Fitness 

Standard Chartered * 

Menara Standard Chartered 

30 Jalan Sultan Ismail 

Kuala Lumpur 5800 

(60) 32-145-1000 

Ms. Jesslyn Goh 

Netherlands 

Better Bodies Zundert * 

Godfried van Seijstln 55 

Zeist 3703 BR 

(31) 76-597-5499 

Mr. Ad van Broekhoven 

Body Active 

Vijfhuizenweg 15 

Etten-Leur 4871 EE 

(31) 76-501-7274 

Ms. Monique van Geel 

Sportinstituut Ooms B.V. 

Puccinistraat 535 

Tilburg 5049 GP 

(31) 13-455-2929 

Mr. Peter Ooms 

Wells Club Leeuwarden 

Graafseweg 777a 

Wychen 6603 CG 

New Zealand 

Club Physical Botany 

P.O. Box 84 046 

Westgate 

Auckland 

(64) 9-272-1670 

Ms. Jude Menzies 

Club Physical New Lynn 

P.O. Box 84 046 

Westgate 

Auckland 

(64) 9-827-5093 

Mr. Steve King 

OEC Ltd. 

P.O. Box 19123 

Wellington 

(64) 4-385-8871 

Ms. Sarah Dickens 

Norway 

Spenst Moss 

Ryggeveien 96 

Moss 1528 

(47) 6-923-6010 

Mr. Thomas Solberg 

Philippines 

Planet Infinity 

4F Crossroad 77 

Mother Ignacia Ave. 

Cor. Sct. Reyes St. 

Quezon 1103 

(63) 2-376-2044 

Mr. Caesar Conde 

Russia 

World Class Almaty 

pr. Alf-Farabi 20 

Almaty 480051 

(7) 3-27-250-1190 

Ms. Lola Malakhova 


New IHRSA Clubs 

World Class Astana 

ul. Ishimskaya 31B 

Astana City 

(7) 3-17-223-7200 

Mr. Aiman Omarova 

World Class Kuntsevo 

ul. Ivana Franko 16 

Moscow 

(7) 0-95-935-7299 

Ms. Natalia Kruchinina 

World Class Nizhniy 

Novgorod 

Beketova St. 

Nizhny Novgorod 603057 

(7) 8-31-218-1181 

Mr. Alexander Kovalenko 

World Class Olimpiskiy 

Olimpiiskiy pr. 16, Bld. 2 

Moscow 

(7) 0-95-755-6522 

Ms. Svetlana Andreeva 

World Class Romanoff 

Romanov per. 4 

Moscow 

(7) 0-95-772-7545 

Mr. Dmitriy Zhirnov 

World Class 

Rostov-na-Donu 

ul. Geramisenko 5 

Rostov-na-Donu 344038 

(7) 8-63-245-9944 

World Class Saratov 

ul. B. Sadovaya 239 

Saratov 410005 

(7) 8-45-245-9596 

Ms. Valery Slutski 

XFit - Lianozovo 

Uglicheskaya St., vl. 13 

Moscow 127572 

(7) 0-95-909-3011 

Mr. Igor K. Lukashov 

XFit - Senator 

Kutuzova Ave., 11 

Moscow 127572 

(7) 0-95-416-3011 

Mr. Igor K. Lukashov 

Saudi Arabia 

Kai Fitness Center 

P.O. Box 7473 

Jeddah 

(966) 50-442-2584 

Mr. Badr Alshibani 

Sweden 

Reinhold Lifestyle 

Sports & Health Club * 

Vastmannagatan 44A 

Stockholm 11325 

(46) 823-2380 

Ms. Maria Josefina Santos 

Switzerland 

CSM Centro Sportivo SA 

Via R. Simen 15 

Minusio 6648 

(41) 91-743-4558 

Mr. Charly Bachman 

David Gym Zurich 

Letzigraben 165 

Zurich 8047 

(41) 43-311-1230 

Mrs. Kathi Fleig 

Fit-Line Bulle S.a.r.l. 

R. des Ages 3 

Bulle 1630 

(41) 26-919-5000 

Fitness Connection Uster 

Schulweg 9 

Uster 8610 

(41) 1-940-6303 

Mr Daniel Orsinger 

Fitnesstreffpunkt Niklaus 

Am Bruggrain 1 

Reinach BL 4153 

(41) 61-711-4024 

FitnessZentrum Wetzikon * 

Breitistrasse 21 

Wetzikon 8623 

(41) 1-930-2244 

Mr. Markus Egli 

Kieser Training 

Rorschacherstrasse 1 

St. Gallen 9000 

(41) 71-244-6644 

Kieser Training 

Hottingerstrasse 21 

Zurich 8032 

(41) 1-251-7565 

Ms. Romy Schneebeli 

Ladies Gym AG 

Uberlandstrasse 129 

Dietikon 8953 

(41) 1-745-3030

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 

Offered by:

Certifying 

For Over 

28 Years. 

NATIONAL EXERCISE TRAINERS 

Since 1977 

ASSOCIATION 

Since 1977, NETA has been 

helping fitness professionals 

actualize their career goals. 

We have certified over 

120,000 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. 

NETA is a proud member of 

NETA is an affiliate of the National Board of 

Fitness Examiners providing you with 

preparation for NBFE’s Personal Training Exam. 

For more information regarding 

NETA’s uncompromising 

curriculum, call 1.800.237.6242 

or visit www.NETAFIT.org 

$2000 OFF 

or $5000 OFF 

If you are 1st in 

your state 

(not valid with other offers) 

Weight Loss Studio 

Competes with Weight Watchers 

and LA Weight Loss 

Add to Your Gym 

Double 

results for your clients 

& double income for 

your club! 

Or 

Weight Loss/Workout Studio Combined 

Add to Your Gym 

WHERE TO INVEST IN 2005… 

The $300 Billion Weight Loss Industry! 

CALL NOW - Free Report to Bring $1,000’s 

of Extra Dollars to Your Clinic Annually! 

STUDIO I & STUDIO II 

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: OFFER A SYSTEM 

WITH AN ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC BASE 

• Computer Wellness and Weight 

Management Center & Menus 

• Weight Loss, Muscle Gains, Sports 

Nutrition, Teens & Children 

• Vitamin and Product Center 

• Based on Oxidative Typing 

• Corporate Wellness 

Projected Income: 

300 members = $269,000.00 

500 members = $449,000.00 

Includes All of Studio I Plus: 

• The Best 30 Minute Workout 

• Deconditioned, Already Fit, 

Seniors & More 

• Rehabilitation Workouts & More 

• Skin Care Line & Airbrush Tanning 

Projected Income: 

300 members = $424,000.00 

500 members = $708,000.00 

Call 605-388-3755 www.weightaminute.com

Calendar of Events 

2005–2006 

October 2-5 

5th Annual IHRSA 

European Congress 

Rome, Italy 

800-228-4772 (U.S. & Canada) 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/congress 

October 6-9 

IDEA Personal Trainer 

NYC 2005 

New York, New York 

800-999-4332, Ext. 7 

(U.S. & Canada) 

858-535-8979, Ext. 7 

www.ideafit.com/ptrainer 

October 27-29 


Asia Pacific Forum 

Singapore 

800-228-4772 (U.S. & Canada) 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/forum 

November 2-5 

Club Industry 

Chicago, Illinois 

800-927-5007 

www.clubindustryshow.com 

November 30- 

December 3 

11th Annual Medical Fitness 

Association Conference 

Orlando, Florida 

804-327-0330 

www.medicalfitness.org 

December 1-3 

23rd Annual Athletic 

Business Conference & Expo 


800-722-8764 

www.athleticbusiness.com 

December 1-3 

Active Aging 2005: 

The Tipping Point 

Orange County 

Convention Center 


866-335-9777 

www.icaa.cc 

January 23-25 

The Super Show 


305-893-8771 

www.thesupershow.com 

February 24-26 

Forum Il Nuovo Club: 

The International Congress 

& Trade Show Verona, Italy 

www.ncforum.com 

March 3-5 

Arnold Fitness Expo 2006 

Columbus, Ohio 

www.arnoldclassic.com 

March 18-23 

16th Annual 

Art & Science of Health 

Promotion Conference 

Presented by the American 

Journal of Health Promotion 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

248-682-0707 

www.healthpromotion 

conference.org 

March 20-23 

IHRSA 2006 

The 25th Anniversary International 

Convention & Trade Show 


800-228-4772 (U.S. & Canada) 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org 

Out of Shape by Stan Tran 

April 20-23 

IDEA Fitness 

Fusion - Chicago 

Rosemont, Illinois 

800-999-4332 

www.ideafit.com 

May 17-18 


Legislative Summit 

Washington, D.C. 

800-228-4772 (U.S. & Canada) 

617-951-0055 

www.ihrsa.org/summit 

June 7-10 

Club Industry East 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

800-297-5007 

www.clubindustryshow.com 

July 25-29 

IDEA World 

Fitness Convention 


800-999-4332 

www.ideafit.com 

Coming 

Soon 

inCBI 

• CBI Exclusive: Head to head 

with Peter B. Hamilton, the new 

president of Life Fitness 

• SRO: PRO Sports’ five-star 

‘performance’ has made it the 

best-attended club in the country 

• Fair Fight: Club owner John 

Janszen whipped a $33-million 

public recreation center 

• Kid-Powered: Clubs are 

capitalizing on children’s programs, 

notes IDEA’s Kathie Davis 

• Price Squeeze: Club owners 

are being forced to learn how to 

compete on the basis of cost 

• Fitness Afloat: Canyon Ranch’s 

SpaClub helps make the Queen 

Mary II a beautiful buff lady 

• Weigh to Go: An update on 

‘I Lost It at the Club,’ IHRSA’s 

annual public-outreach program 

• Extra Options: F.I.T. Extra test 

rides all the latest alternative 

strength-training equipment 

Club Business 

International 


Marketplace 

PRODUCTS FOR SALE 

• Sell • Buy 

• Recondition 

•Broker • Lease 

• Trade In 

Like–New Fitness Equipment 

at Wholesale Prices 

800-922-3488 

www.firstfitnessequipment.com 

CLUB INDUSTRY SHOW – 

BOOTH #1160 

THINK ABOUT THIS…. 

Do you want a wipe that 

just cleans sweat off the 

machines, or do you want 

to provide TOSaway , a 

wipe that Kills Germs and 

Bacteria? You decide. 

• TOSaway Disinfecting Wipes 

(EPA #1839-178-80678 ) 

• Alcohol & Bleach FREE 

(safe to use on machines 

& equipment) 

• 175 Count, 7" x 6", 

Heavy Duty, Fresh Scent, 

Soft Cloth Wipes 

• Antibacterial formula that 

Cleans and Disinfects 

• Streamlined—Stainless, 

or Powder-Coat Wall Mount 

Dispenser (6" x 6" x 22") 

• TOSaway Dispensers 

Have a Built-in Disposal Bin 

• New packaging: wipes in 

polybags @ 175 count 

• We customize TOSaway 

with your logo—no charge 

866.742.4900 

WWW.CFYWIPES.COM 

JOBLINE 

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 

LOOKING FOR THE BEST 

Manager – Training & 

Development 

Rapidly expanding Gold’s 

Gym franchisee (TN, KY & 

OH) is seeking an experienced, 

highly motivated 

person to join the growthfocused 

management team. 

Responsibilities include 

education & support for all 

management, sales, customer 

service, and front desk 

operations for 16 existing 

locations, and all new sites. 

5-7 yrs fitness industry 

experience in training/ 

development required 

Salary, Benefits 

and 401k Plan. 

Don’t Miss This 

Great Opportunity!!! 

If you are the best, Fax 

Resume to 859-977-3174 

or email to 

Resume@GGTKO.COM 


BRING YOUR CAREER 

TO LIFE! 

Lifestyle Family Fitness is 

ranked in the top 34 fitness 

clubs in N. America and has 

over 27 locations throughout 

Florida. We are currently hiring 

for the following positions: 

• Operations Managers 

• Regional and General Sales 

Managers 

• Personal Trainers 

• 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 or 

e-mail to jobs@lff.com. 

Nautilus has immediate openings 

for Outside Territory 

Managers for the west coast 

region. Responsibility is to sell 

Nautilus, Schwinn and Stair- 

Master fitness products directly 

to the commercial marketplace. 

Grow territory sales through 

direct action and networking. 

Requirements include: 

• Previous outside sales experience 

with proven success. 

• Ability to travel extensively. 

• Good driving record. 

• Excellent communication 

skills. Ability to lift 100 lbs. 

• Knowledge of Microsoft 

Office products. 

Please send resumes to: 

Nautilus 

Attn: Human Resources–MT 

1886 Prairie Way 

Louisville, CO 80027 

Or email: 

cgonzales@nautilus.com 

No phone calls please.

Marketplace 

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). 

•14 Chicagoland 

Locations 

(plus 5 new store 

openings) 

•Highest Earnings 

Potential 

For Exciting 

Career 

Opportunities 

Phone 

877/417-1450 

Fax 

630/556-4018 

Visit Us Online at 

xsportfitness.com 

CORPORATE 

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR 

Healthworks Fitness Centers 

for Women is the 

country’s premier chain of 

fitness centers for women. 

Founded in 1977, Healthworks 

has been operating 

women-only facilities for 

over two decades. Healthworks 

provides its members 

with a supportive, 

progressive environment 

in which to meet their 

fitness and wellness goals. 

Healthworks Fitness Centers 

is currently seeking a 

Corporate Membership Director. 

The primary responsibilities 

of this position are to 

expand corporate accounts 

through direct sales and 

manage the Membership 

Directors at each location. 

Qualified candidates will have 

at least 5 years previous 

sales experience, preferably 

in the fitness industry. Must 

have experience soliciting 

corporate clients and managing 

a sales team. Additional 

qualifications include, 

excellent communication 

skills, ability to manage multiple 

tasks in a fast paced 

environment, a passion for 

the fitness industry, as well 

as a strong desire to further 

their career in a high-energy 

company, generally considered 

the industry leader in 

women’s health and fitness. 

Healthworks is a 20M Company 

ranked in the Top 50 

Fitness Clubs nationally. We 

offer an excellent compensation 

package. 

Qualified candidates please 

email resumes and cover 

letters to: 

opportunities@ 

healthworksfitness.com. 

Check us out on the web at 

www.healthworksfitness.com 

and 

www.healthworksfoundation.org. 

See Your Ad Here! 

Contact Kristen Walsh, by e-mail at kaw@ihrsa.org or 

by phone at (800) 228-4772 ext. 117 for more information. 


Marketplace 

LOOKING FOR THE BEST 

Dir. Marketing/ 

Advertising 

Rapidly expanding 

Gold’s Gym franchisee 

(TN, KY & OH) is seeking 

an experienced, highly 

motivated person to 

join the growth-focused 

management team. 

Responsibilities include 

managing print, 

broadcast and radio 

advertising and promotional 

campaigns for all 

markets in three states. 

5 yrs industry experience 

in direct marketing 

& advertising 

management required 

Salary, Benefits 

and 401k Plan 

Don’t Miss This 

Great Opportunity!!! 

If you are the best, 

Fax Resume to 

859-977-3174 or email to 

Resume@GGTKO.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 

Pure Fitness is the fastest 

growing fitness company in 

Washington and Arizona with 

fifteen locations and plans for 

an aggressive growth to fifty 

locations by the year 2010. 

We pride ourselves in offering 

outstanding customer service, 

low monthly dues, state of the 

art equipment, free personal 

training, group exercise classes 

and fitness education at a 

great rate. All this makes Pure 

Fitness the best deal in town. 

While Pure Fitness is a young 

company, our owner, Neil 

Schober, has a proven track 

record of building over 50 

profitable and successful 

health clubs with over 30 

years of experience in the 

fitness industry. Pure Fitness 

is looking for energetic, positive, 

motivating, and passionate 

individuals with remarkable 

people skills. Must be 

self-motivated, driven, and a 

great team player with a desire 

to win. Sales experience 

preferred but not necessary. 

Huge growth potential with 

numerous opportunities for 

advancement! Don’t allow this 

opportunity pass you by, come 

work for the best! Inquire 

about our Manager-in-Training 

program. To apply in 

Arizona, call 602-424-3936 

or email resume to: askjb@ 

purefitnessclubs.com.For 

Seattle, call 206-267-4774 or 

email resume to CrystalVenti@ 

purefitnessclubs.com. EEOC. 

Open Positions 

General Managers 

Fitness Directors 

Manager-in-Training 


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 advertisement 

call (800) 228-4772 or 

e-mail kaw@ihrsa.org.

Marketplace 

DID YOU KNOW CLUB ONE CAN OFFER YOU A FUTURE 

FULL OF POSSIBILITIES? 

We’re committed to attracting, hiring, and retaining energetic, 

motivated, passionate professionals!! 

Club One is the leading fitness provider in the United States. 

We are a management company, which operates through 

different channels. We own and manage commercial clubs 

under the Club One Fitness brand and the Frog’s Club One 

brand. We also manage fitness centers and wellness programs 

for many corporations, community centers, and fitness center 

developers throughout the United States and Canada. 

Club One is a fun, lively, and exciting place to work. We believe 

every employee is a valued team member with potential to 

contribute to the overall success of our company. We’re always 

looking for employees who are dedicated to making a difference 

and who care about fitness and wellness in their lives and the 

lives of others. 

Fitness and wellness bring people together. Results and 

relationships keep us together! 

Become a part of a team that shares your values and work 

for a company that provides the highest quality fitness and 

wellness programs available anywhere. 

Club One is seeking candidates for General Manager positions 

for mainly our California locations. Our fitness and wellness 

programs, the people who deliver them, and the connection 

they make with our members and partners is what positions us 

as the leading health and fitness company in the industry. For 

more information about the company, please see our web site, 

www.ClubOne.com. Club One—where ONE is MORE! For a 

multi-tiered career plan and the advantage of Club One having 

over 100 sites, consider this a great opportunity! 

All applicants must have at least five years of management 

experience in the fitness industry. Applicants must be committed 

to rigorous customer service standards and maintain the 

highest levels of integrity. We are only interested in candidates 

who have previously managed a health club. 

The General Manager is responsible for carrying out Club 

One’s commitment to service its members in the best fitness 

environment possible with the friendliest staff, most educated 

members, cleanest facility, most ethical business practices and 

state of the art equipment. This person is responsible for achieving 

club objectives by developing a quality environment, meeting or 

exceeding financial projections, overseeing ancillary sales and 

meeting or exceeding new membership and retention goals. 

The General Manager also plays one of the most key roles 

in affecting the membership attrition rate. The hiring and 

management of the staff to ensure that the staff is well trained, 

friendly and implements member retention efforts as well as 

the cleanliness of the site helps accomplish this objective. 

Club One benefits include complimentary club membership, 

paid vacation, health insurance, employee discount, 401(k) and 

advancement opportunities. 

If you are interested in beginning a career with us and feel 

that you are the right candidate for this job, please e-mail your 

resume to Bill McBride, Vice President of Commercial Clubs at 

Bill.McBride@ClubOne.com. 

Tennis Corporation of America, 

one of North America’s 

leading upscale athletic club 

companies seeks exceptional 

talent at all levels. If you are 

professionally minded, relationship-oriented, 

motivated, 

and know how to create a 

unique member experience 

we want to hear from you. 

To learn how you can build 

a successful career with a 

dynamic organization, visit 

the TCA Career Center at http:// 

www.tcaclubs.com/careers. 

CONSULTING 

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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 

To view CBI online visit 

www.ihrsa.org/cbi 


Marketplace 

Grainger 

OSHA Fast 

Fix 

Affiliated 

Power 

Purchasers 

Int’l 

Philips 

The Hartford 

IHRSA 

ADVANTAGE 

Sports & 

Fitness 

Insurance 

Corp. 

Motion Picture 

Licensing 

Corp. 

Staples 


CLUB FOR SALE 

FEATURES 

Racquetball 

Handball 

Aerobics 

Weights 

Nautilus 

Massage 

1/2 court Basketball 

Jacuzzi & Sauna 

Tanning 

CONTACT: 

Rocky Joy 

530-257-7748 

877-583-2249 

www.erajoyrealty.com 

NORTH EASTERN CALIFORNIA 

RAQUETBALL & 

FITNESS CENTER 

Area offers economic stability with 

future growth potential including 

a five star ski resort & golf course 

and new federal prison. Established 

business of 25 years; under the same 

ownership for 18 years. This is a 

great investment opportunity with 

Main Street frontage consisting of 

approximately 34,000 SF of building 

and parking space. There is an on 

site daycare facility for client convenience 

as well as shower facilities 

and locker rooms. Included in the sale 

are 5 rental properties all fronting 

First Street. 

Offered at @ $1,500,000 

“Always there for you” 

turn things to your advantage – 

Ask for your IHRSA member discounts 

with our Advantage partners: 

Energy Services and Utility Audits: 

Affiliated Power Purchasers Int’l (APPI) 

Housekeeping, Cleaning, & HVAC Products: Grainger 

Workers’ Compensation Insurance: The Hartford 

Umbrella Licenses ® for Public Viewing of DVDs: 

Motion Picture Licensing Corp. (MPLC) 

Club Safety Plans and Standards: OSHA Fast Fix 

AED Equipment and Training: Philips Medical Systems 

Property, Liability, Casualty, & Healthcare Insurance: 

Sports & Fitness Insurance Corp. (SFIC) 

Office Supplies: Staples 

Ready to take advantage? 

For more information, visit our website: www.ihrsa.org/advantage, 

or call IHRSA directly at: 800/228-4772.

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Celebrating Two Decades of 

Uniting the Entire Fitness Community and 

Providing Solutions for Every Type of Facility 

FREE Keynote 

Address 

John Gray 

Best-Selling Author — 

Men are From Mars, 

Women Are From Venus 

Be There When Club Industry Celebrates its 20th Anniversary of 

Serving the Changing Needs of For-Profit and Non-Profit Operations Alike! 

November 2-5, 2005 ■ McCormick Place ■ Chicago, IL 

The First of its Kind 

…for three days in November, the 

pages of Club Industry will burst 

to life in Chicago at our first trade 

show and seminar program. 

We promise you, it will be like no 

other show you’ve ever attended. 

Conference: November 2-5 ■ Exhibits: November 3-5 

This was the promotional announcement of a new trade show made by the 

publishers of Club Industry magazine in 1986. It was a promise that was kept that 

year…and improved on ever since. 

Club Industry is designed to be an information environment that provides solutions to owners, 

operators and managers of all types of fitness facilities. A trade show that enables these pros to 

find everything they need to retain existing clients and recruit new ones. 

The main reason Club Industry—and those who attend it—have continued to grow and 

prosper for these turbulent 20 years is that it has evolved into the focal point for monitoring the 

ever-changing needs of diverse and growing landscape of the commercial fitness marketplace. 

Our anniversary present to you is to keep on delivering the information, new products and 

networking opportunities that make it must-attend event. Make your plans now. 

Check our website: www.clubindustryshow.com 

Call 800-927-5007 or 203-358-3751

Index 

Company Page # Phone # Contact Email/Web Site 

1-2-3 Fit 82 800-OUT-IN30 Nicole Passell www.123FIT.com 

A-1 Textiles 79 800-351-1819 Customer Service www.a1athletictowels.com 

ABC Financial Services, Inc. 30 800-622-6290 Paul Schaller www.abcfinancial.com 

Aerobics and Fitness Association of America 36 800-225-2322 Tom Ivicevic www.afaa.com 

Airex ® distributed by SPRI Products, Inc. 78 800-222-7774 Terri Selz www.spriproducts.com 

American Council on Exercise 39 800-825-3636 Kristie Spalding www.acefitness.org 

ASF International 2 & 3 800-227-3859 Sean Kirby www.asfinternational.com 

Balanced Body Pilates 14 800-745-2837 Dave Littman www.pilates.com 

Body Masters Sports Industry Inside Back Cover 800-325-8964 Ray Boudreaux www.body-masters.com 

CheckFree Corporation 7 800-242-9522 Ron Poliseno www.checkfreeclubmanager.com 

Concept2, Inc. 113 800-245-5676 Bill Patton www.concept2.com 

Conexion 34 866-440-8992 Craig Fine craig@conexionllc.com 

Core Spinal Fitness System by MedX 37 866-814-0719 Jennifer Passudetti www.corespinalfitness.com 

COSMED S.r.l. 84 (39) 069 315492 Marco Brugnoli www.cosmed.it 

Creative Agency Group 105 800-888-8381 Jon Denley jdenley@creativeagency.com 

CSI Software 27 800-247-3431 Frank McDuff www.csisoftwareusa.com 

CYBEX International, Inc. 5 508-533-4300 Deb Cowell www.cybexinternational.com 

DIRECTV 64 1-888-200-4388 DIRECTV www.DIRECTV.COM/BUSINESS 

EFI Sports Medicine 93 800-541-4900 Natalie Watson www.efisportsmedicine.com 

Electronic Billing & Collecting Services 113 800-766-1918 Gerald Hamm www.achbilling.com 

Expresso Fitness Corporation 41 408-746-9122 Sandy Ballinghoff www.expressofitness.com 

Fit Rewards 45 888-762-8156 Maria Parella www.fitrewards.com 

Fitness and Wellness Insurance Agency 49 800-395-8075 Jeffrey Frick www.fitnessandwellness.com 

Formo Star Direct 74 866-984-9235 Jim Frye www.formostardirect.com 

Gliding 10 800-464-7309 Stu Turner www.glidingpro.com 

Hampton Fitness 33, 35 805-339-9733 Craig Landfair www.hamptonfit.com 

HealtheTech, Inc. 102 877-310-1200 Sales www.healthetech.com 

Hollman, Inc. 81 800-433-3630 www.hollman.com 

INTOUCH division of MCRT 51 800-710-6652 Scott Johnston www.intouchtrainer.com 

Iron Grip Barbell Company 9 800-664-IRON Donna McCallum www.irongrip.com 

Ivanko Barbell Company 25 310-514-1155 Chet Groskreutz www.ivankobarbell.com 

K & K Insurance 38 800-637-4757 Sandee Howle www.kandkinsurance.com 

Keiser 88 800-336-8133 Darrin Pelkey www.keiser.com 

Life Fitness Back Cover 800-634-8637 Mike Rotz www.lifefitness.com 

Matrix Fitness Systems, Corp. 46 866-693-4863 Tiffany Hoeye www.matrixfitness.com 

Microfit, Inc. 80 650-969-7296 Paul Vodak www.microfit.com 

National Council on Strength and Fitness 101 800-722-NCSF www.ncsf.org 

National Exercise Trainers Association 106 800-237-6242 Mario Crespo www.netafit.org 

Nautilus, Inc. Inside Front Cover 800-777-4348 Jonathan Little www.nautilusinc.com 

NHCA 98 800-765-6422 Tamara Valdez www.asfinternational.com 

NSCA Certification Commission 11 888-746-2378 www.nsca-cc.org 

Nustep Inc. 50 800-322-2209 Sales Department www.nustep.com 

Peak Pilates 69 800-925-3674 Julie Lobdell www.peakpilates.com 

Precor Commercial Division 23 800-786-8404 Chris Torggler www.precor.com 

Ready Care Industries 87 800-477-4283 Kevin Hedican www.readycare.com 

SCIFIT 12 & 13 800-278-3933/918-359-2000 Denton Smith www.scifit.com 

Smooth Fitness 58 888-211-1711 Kyle Dean www.smoothfitness.com 

Soft Play & Little Tikes Playground by PlayPower 106 888-752-9582 Michaella Zahn www.softplay.com 

SportsArt America 42 800-709-1400 Scott Logan www.sportsartamerica.com 

Sportsmith Outsert 800-713-2880 Brad Schupp www.sportsmith.net 

SPRI Products, Inc. 85 800-222-7774 Customer Service www.spriproducts.com 

Star Trac 1 800-228-6635 Paul Ireland www.startrac.com 

STEX Fitness 105 +82 31 463 7920 Mike Choi www.stexfitness.com 

Stott Pilates 87 416-482-4050 Sales Department www.stottpilates.com 

Supreme Audio, Inc. Outsert 800-445-7398 Jane Plaugher www.supremeaudio.com 

TECHNOGYM French Gate 800-804-0952 Ivo Grossi www.technogymusa.com 

Thomas Plummer Company 90 800-726-3506 www.thomasplummer.net 

TouchFit 32 423-847-1410 Pam Newberry www.TouchFit.com 

Tricore Fitness, LLC 32 800-223-1084 Don Brown www.tricorefitness.com 

United Leasing, Inc. 70 800-742-3928 Sales Department www.unitedevv.com 

VersaClimber 39 800-237-2271 Brett Collins www.versaclimber.com 

Weight-A-Minute International Studios 106 605-388-3755 Devorah Golden www.weightaminute.com 

Wellness Business Systems 83 888-515-3099 John Meyer www.wellworks.com 

X-Vest 28 800-697-5658 George Morrison www.thexvest.com

Memo from McCarthy The times have never been more challenging, or 

demanding, or full of risk, or rich with opportunity. 

October 1, 2005: 

The State of the Industry 

The wind is at our backs, and a gale is lashing in our faces. 

The times have never been more challenging, or demanding, 

or full of risk, or rich with opportunity. The purchase 

of 24 Hour Fitness by Forstmann Little for $1.6 billion; the initial 

public offering (IPO) of Town Sports International; the anticipated 

sales of Crunch, Spectrum, Wellbridge, and The Sports Club 

Company; the “race to the bottom” in terms of membership 

pricing (e.g., Fitness 19, Planet Fitness, and Anytime Fitness); 

Gold’s Gym International’s (GGI’s) attempt to create the first 

controlled franchise model; Curves’ 8,000-plus U.S. franchises; 

the rapid expansion of LA Fitness (U.S.); Fitness First’s 

425 facilities; LA Fitness’ (U.K.) hunt for acquisitions. 

Wall Street applauds Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM); LTM 

surpasses $1.1 billion in market capitalization, sells at 33 times 

earnings; David Patchell-Evans exceeds 100-club mark in 

John McCarthy 

Canada; Quiznos enters industry with its own fitness franchise 

IHRSA Executive Director 

model, 123 Fit; Dan Morrissey’s XSport Group challenges the 

major players in Chicago. 

Body Training Systems and Les Mills International divorce; board of Bally Total Fitness (NYSE: 

BFT) backs CEO Paul Toback; major shareholder, Emanuel Pearlman, attacks Bally’s recovery 

plan; U.S. commercial club count tops 28,000; number of U.S. clubs climbs 6% in first six months 

of 2005; the proliferation of miniclub franchise opportunities; U.S. club membership tops 41.3 

million (15.6% of population over the age of six years are now members). 

Colleges and universities everywhere create world-class fitness facilities; the risk of commoditization 

increases; the search for differentiation intensifies; President Bush, 59, bench-presses 

185 pounds; the 18-34-year-old and 55-plus markets continue to expand; HMOs subsidize memberships 

in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Minnesota; recognition of the benefits of exercise broadens 

and deepens, and, as it does, the industry’s value proposition grows stronger by the year, month, 

and minute; the obesity epidemic explodes with dramatic implications for the industry. 

Competition is fierce (many clubs now share their primary trading area with 20-25 others); 

downward price and upward cost pressures are intense; big boxes wreak havoc in many markets; 

YMCA family clubs spring up everywhere; mature adults, in ever-increasing numbers, understand 

the necessity of regular exercise; more and more doctors are prescribing fitness for their 

patients; health insurers are beginning to offer incentives. 

New business models have emerged; LTM and LA Fitness (U.S.) approach “category-killer” status; 

the family club opportunity is huge; nondues revenue opportunities continue to expand; upscale 

clubs (e.g., Sawmill, East Bank,Western Athletic) are prospering; a buyers’ market emerges in 

fitness equipment; the women-only opportunity expands; yoga, Pilates, and personal-training 

opportunities increase; the industry racks up retention gains. 

Major clusters are developing within GGI (the Galiani, Pulliam, Felsted, and Neste groups); local 

and regional brands are growing stronger; national brands are beginning to emerge; the industry 

is experiencing a critical shortage of talented, battle-tested managers; tacticians such as Polic, Chaet, 

Conrad, Plummer, Wischmann, and Woodard-Chavez have never been more important; feasibility 

and valuation experts such as Caro are in greater demand than ever before; CapEx questions abound. 

Opportunity is everything. Talent is everything. Implementation and execution are everything. 

In short: competition is everything. � 

Photo by Tracy Powell 

116 Club Business International � OCTOBER 2005 � www.ihrsa.org


Built to Lead 

INTRODUCING THE NEW AB CRUNCH BENCH FROM LIFE FITNESS. 

The new Life Fitness Ab Crunch Bench is the perfect addition to your Core Training offering. Our 

patent-pending AbCam System ensures that exercisers will maintain a smooth and natural 

crunch motion for an effective, results-generating workout. And, of course, the Ab Crunch Bench 

delivers the ease of use, outstanding biomechanics, attractive design, and unmatched durability 

you’ve come to expect from Life Fitness. 

To find out more about the new Ab Crunch Bench or any of our other strength-training or cardio 

products, call us at 800.634.8637 or visit lifefitness.com. 

Absolutely Effective 


AD CODE: AD-CBI-AB 

©2005 Life Fitness, a division of Brunswick Corporation. All rights reserved. Life Fitness is a registered trademark of Brunswick Corporation. USC-007-05 (02.05) 

lifefitness.com

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

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