March 1, 2008
First Word
It's Time to Be a Necessity
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl, editor Pam.Kufahl@penton.com
As I filled up my Ford Taurus the other day, I quickly realized the $3.15 per gallon price for the gas would be ringing up a higher charge on my credit...
First Word
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Digital Edition We've spruced up our Web site and beefed up our Newsbeat e-newsletter. So what more can we do to entice those of you enthralled with anything...
Fitness Business News
24 Hour Restructures Top Ranks
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
San Ramon, Ca In late January on Mark Mastrov's official last day as chairman of 24 Hour Fitness, four additional executives left the company. The departing...
In BRIEF
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM
In mid-February, a little more than a month after police had arrested two men who had broken into lockers and stolen credit cards and other belongings...
Funding Increases for PEP Grants
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
Washington, Dc Funding for Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) grants will increase almost $3 million, according to the fiscal year 2008...
40
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The percentage of Americans who deal with stress by overeating or eating unhealthy foods, according to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association....
Army MWR Chief Leaves Post for Fort Bragg
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Alexandria, Va Karen White, the chief of sports, fitness and aquatics for the Army's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation headquarters in Alexandria,...
Gold's Gym Taps Former 24 Hour Executive for COO Role
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
Dallas Mike Feinman has changed addresses in the health club industry but not his personal address. Last month, Gold's Gym International (GGI), Dallas,...
Clubs Grow 18.1 Percent in Third Quarter
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Boston For 18 mid-size club companies, the third quarter of 2007 was a time of financial growth, according to a survey of health and sports club companies...
Selected Units Assess New Marine Combat Fitness Test Fitness Test
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan During the past month, 14 selected units of the Marine Corps have been testing the Marine Corps' new combat fitness test (CFT)....
Fuel Fitness Trustee Accepts Bids for New Owner
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
Nashville, Tn Gary Murphey, who was appointed as the trustee of the troubled Fuel Fitness chain by a bankruptcy court judge last August, is accepting...
Ys Recognized for Building Healthy Communities
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Chicago The YMCA of the USA recently recognized five Ys for their involvement in Pioneering Healthier Communities (PHC), an initiative that helps communities...
Fittest, Fattest Cities Named In Recent Magazine Study
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
Colorado Springs, Co Men's Fitness magazine released its annual list of the fittest and fattest cities in the United States last month. Colorado Springs,...
RDV Celebrates 10 Years
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Orlando, Fl MVP Sports Clubs' RDV Sportsplex facility in Orlando, FL, celebrated its 10th anniversary last month. In February 1998, the owners of RDV...
Franchises Make Top 500 List
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Irvine, Ca Eight fitness club franchises made Entrepreneur magazine's 2008 Top 500 franchise list, including two key-card clubs, a personal training studio...
Vermont Gov. Urges Kids to Stretch Their Limits
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
Montpelier, Vt Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the only governor supporting children's fitness these days. Vermont Gov. James Douglas urged children and...
Latest 24 Hour Club Involves a New York Yankee
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Stuart Goldman
New York Last month, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter signed up with 24 Hour Fitness. Jeter is the latest in a line of celebrity athletes to lend...
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Walks It Off
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Oak Harbor, Wa Naval Air Station Whidbey Island's (NASWI) fitness center is encouraging sailors to get healthy and fit one step at a time. Since the center's...
Life Time Reports 28 Percent Growth, Expects Less in 2008
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Chanhassen, Mn Despite announcing late last month a 22.8 percent revenue growth in the fourth quarter 2007 and 28.1 percent revenue growth for the year...
Inside Manufacturers
Loss and Change at Nautilus
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Vancouver, Wa The board at Nautilus Inc. has made several changes already this year to curtail the revenue losses the company experienced in 2007. The...
Matrix Doubles Domestic Sales
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Cottage Grove, Wi Matrix Fitness Systems' U.S. sales for the fourth quarter 2007 increased by 120 percent over the corresponding 2006 period, and worldwide...
The Tan Co. Looks for Health Clubs as Franchisees
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Springfield, Mo The Tan Co. plans to grow to 100 locations by the end of the year and 500 salons within five years, the company announced last month....
Torque Fitness Featured On The Today Show
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Andover, Mn The Torque Fitness F5 Fold Away Strength Trainer was featured on NBC's The Today Show recently as part of its Do It Yourself segment titled...
Precor Sets Another Revenue Record
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Woodinville, Wa Precor booked its sixth consecutive year of record-setting revenue last year, generating sales of $411 million, a 17 percent increase,...
DDR Offers Aerobic Benefits, Study Says
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
San Diego A workout using Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is comparable to many other aerobic activities and could result in significant weight loss if used...
First Star Trac HumanSport Master Trainers Named
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Irvine, Ca Five individuals completed training to become the first Star Trac HumanSport master trainers in the United States. HumanSport is Star Trac's...
Cybex Reports 2007 Revenue Increase
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Medway, Ma Cybex International Inc. reported a net sales increase of 16 percent for fourth quarter 2007 and of 15 percent for 2007, according to John...
Retention Management Grows Sales by 70 Percent
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Pamela Kufahl
Charlotte, Nc Retention Management, Charlotte, NC, had a 70 percent sales growth in 2007, and Richard Ekstrom, president of the company, says he expects...
Life Fitness' Net Sales Up 10 Percent in 2007
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
Lake Forest, IL Life Fitness' 2007 net sales were up 10 percent from 2006. In 2007, the company reported net sales of $653.7 million, up from $593.1 million...
Top News
Out of Reach
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver, senior associate editor
Although the government isn't saying the word yet, many economists are predicting that the United States is close to entering a recession. Nonprofit fitness...
Focus On Clubs
Tap Into Your Members For Non-dues Revenue
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Karen Woodard-Chavez
Our industry has a steady stream of members coming through our doors each day, but some operators seem to believe that just having the members come through...
Focus On Design
The Proper Use of Space Can Maximize Profits
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Bruce Carter
In a recent survey about health clubs in Consumer Reports, the magazine indicates that for many people, the idea of a health club is totally unappealing...
Focus On Seniors
Clubs Can Help Seniors Fend Off Depression
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Sandy Coffman
The medical industry is telling us that within the next five to 10 years, depression will become the No. 2 killer in the world. Depression comes from...
Features
Bridge to Success
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM
After a three-year hiatus, the Club Industry East 2008 Conference and Exposition is back in New York City. This year's show, April 16-19 at the Javits...
Austin City Limits
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman, managing editor
The city of Austin, TX, has no doubt changed since 1968, the last time the National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) held its annual conference...
Trend Watch
Circuit Breakers
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Amy Florence Fischbach, contributing writer
Fitness Express Manhattan, a women-only circuit facility in New York City, has added functional training to its circuit these days. Members warm up on...
Utility Players
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Amy Florence Fischbach, contributing writer
Remodeling is usually a time when club owners think about spending money, but for some fitness facility operators, renovations are a time to consider...
Pro Shop
Pro Shop
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Pilates Equipment The Stott Pilates V2 Max Plus is designed to provide maximum programming within a contained amount of space. The all-in-one system multitasks...
One Last Thought
Times Change, Members May Not
Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver
One last thought about change. They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. That doesn't always hold true for business, especially...
