Fitness Management 02-2007

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Retaining Members

Solutions to Keep Members Coming Back

Sp e ci a l Re p o r t : Member Attrition

Retaining Members

PLUS:

O

O

O

PLUS:

O 2nd Annual Augie’s BashO Group Cycling PrinciplesO Youth Weight-Loss Program Basics

FITNESS ASSESSMENT

CUSTOMER SERVICE

MAINTENANCE

FITNESS ASSESSMENTMotivate Membersby Measuring Exercise Results

CUSTOMER SERVICEImprove ServiceExperience with Secret Shoppers

MAINTENANCEKeep CustomersHappy by RaisingCleanliness Standards

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w w w . f i t n e s s m a n a g e m e n t . c o m F I T N E S S M A N A G E M E N T • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7 7

F E A T U R E S

28The ‘Issue’ isMember AttritionRonale Tucker Rhodes, M.S., Editorial Director

The ‘solution’ is to get members involved,show them results, provide great serviceand keep your facility clean.

30Assessing for RetentionRichard J. Bloomer, Ph.D., CSCS

Improve member exercise programcompliance by educating them andshowing them the results of their efforts.

32Use Secret Shoppers toEnhance Customer ServiceAmy Scanlin, M.S.

A secret shopping company can provideinsight about your members’ experiencesand help to improve customer service.

34Optimal Cleanliness =Member SatisfactionGuy Brown

Clean fitness centers keeps members byraising standards and eliminating hazardsand wasteful practices.

40The Basics of a YouthWeight-Loss ProgramRyan Vogt

Offering a successful youth fitnessprogram takes planning, commitment, agreat staff and motivating ideas.

42Group Cycling ResultsStephen A. Black, M.Ed., PT, ATC/L, NSC-CPT

Understand the principles that will helpcreate fun, motivating and safe groupcycling programs.

46The Fitness CureRonale Tucker Rhodes, M.S., Editorial Director

Fitness professionals will play a crucialrole in the second annual Bash for Augie’sQuest, to be held in March.

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February 2007Volume 23, No. 2

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8 F I T N E S S M A N A G E M E N T • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 7 w w w . f i t n e s s m a n a g e m e n t . c o m

WARM UP

10 Editor’s Note

12 Contributors

13 Letters

PULSE

14 NewsIndustry News, Fitness Research, Peopleand Places, Trend Watch and more

23 Fitness Q&ABY MATT BRZYCKI

■ Is it possible to eat healthy at a fast foodrestaurant?■ What’s meant by the term ‘significant’when it’s used in studies?■ Is there a difference between refurbishedand reconditioned equipment?

24 MediaBY NEIL WOLKODOFF, PH.D.

■ Workouts from Boxing’s Greatest Champs■ Mastering Cortisol■ Vegetarian Sports NutritionPlus, catalogs and charts

26 Best Ideas■ Certified in Wellness Excellence■ Trick or Trim■ Successful Aging

MANAGEMENT MATTERS

50 OperationsMembership Attrition and Club Profitability, Part 1BY STEPHEN THARRETT, M.S., AND JAMES A. PETERSON, PH.D.

51 Independent IssuesRetention vs. Sales Costs:A Re-ExaminationBY ROB BISHOP

52 Risk ManagementWhen Your Insurance Company Won’t PayBY DAVID L. HERBERT, J.D.

53 Facility MaintenanceMake a Difference with the BasicsBY BRIAN SAMUEL

54 Instructor TrainingObesity 101: The Physiology of FatnessBY BARBARA A. BREHM, ED.D.

55 Client HandoutUnderstanding Obesity Health RisksBY BARBARA A. BREHM, ED.D.

MARKETPLACE

56 Purchasing GuideTreadmillsBY HEATHER PEAVEY, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

60 New Products

64 Classifieds

67 Supplier Index

COOL DOWN

68 What’s Next

69 Calendar

70 Facility SpotlightRenovation Increases UsageBY ANNE B. MCDONNELL, SENIOR EDITOR

D E P A R T M E N T S

There’s more to FM than can befound in the pages of each issue.Visit our website to findresources to help you succeed inyour fitness services business.

FM’S E-ZINE Read FM onlinecover to cover for free. Informyour international peers!

CURRENT ISSUE Readingsomeone else’s issue? View thismonth’s articles online.

PRODUCTS & SERVICESDIRECTORY Find suppliers byproduct or name in the mostsearchable database in theindustry.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Locateindustry meetings, conferencesand trade shows.

E-LETTER Clubs respond andinteract about monthlymanagement topics. Interested?Read the e-Letter online, orsubscribe to have it emaileddirectly to you each month.

INDUSTRY STATISTICS Read abreakdown of industry data.

NOVA7 FACILITY AWARDSDownload an entry form to win anaward for outstanding innovations.

NOVA7 SUPPLIER AWARDSVote for the best suppliers in sixcategories, as well as the bestproduct of the year!

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ADVERTISING Find out how toadvertise in Fitness Managementmagazine.

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The story of Albert Argibay being kicked out of a PlanetFitness gym, and his membership revoked, smells bad, ifyou ask me. Bad on the part of Argibay, who clearly isn’ttaking any responsibility for his actions, and is, instead, plac-

ing total blame on Planet Fitness’ written poli-cies and the actions of its manager. Bad for ourindustry’s facility operators who are workingever so hard to lower their member attritionlevels by seeking out as much advice as possi-ble about how to keep members coming backto their facilities. And bad for our industry’simage, as one facility’s policies are portrayednegatively by the media.

First of all, I don’t buy Argibay’s story of theevent that occurred. The discrepancies betweenhis account and Manager Carol Palazzolo’s are

too different to be believed. In case you don’t know thespecifics, here they are:

Argibay, a bodybuilder and state corrections officer, wasgrunting while lifting 500-pound weights. Because gruntingis against Planet Fitness’ policy, and because he was askedrepeatedly to stop and didn’t, Argibay was asked by the man-ager to leave the facility.Argibay states in the first article printedabout this incident (The New York Times, Nov. 18, 2006), thathis response to the request was merely, “I’m not grunting,I’m breathing heavy,”and that the reason he was asked to leavewas because the manager didn’t like to be “challenged.”

It’s possible that that’s what happened, but in this age ofcustomer-service-conscious facility management, it’s not veryprobable. Kudos goes to Planet Fitness for making an officialresponse to the Times article, which was one-sided towardArgibay. In the statement, Planet Fitness spokesman DaveLakhani gives this account: “Mr. Argibay was asked to stophis excessively loud grunting and screaming as he squattedweight.… Mr. Argibay’s response was,‘I’m a bodybuilder andI’ll grunt if I want to.” When asked again to stop the loudnoise, Mr. Argibay responded,‘You are a f****g b*tch. I’m not

going to stop.” Then, when told the authorities were going tobe called if he didn’t stop his intimidating behavior, he stated,“My f***g boss is the captain of the police force.”

Argibay is clearly a bully, and someone who misuses his“perceived” position of authority. I don’t believe for a minutethat most fitness facility managers would have acted too dif-ferently in Palazzolo’s shoes.

It’s bad enough that Argibay downplayed the account ofwhat happened, but the Times article should have beenmore impartial. The article’s author made a mockery outof Planet Fitness’ no grunting rule by stating that Argibay“had violated one of the club’s most sacred and strictlyenforced rules: He was grunting.” What’s wrong with facil-ities making rules to appeal to their target market? As PlanetFitness states, “over 80 percent of the … membership isderived from people who are coming back to the gym forthe first time.… Planet Fitness strives to make the environ-ment pleasant, non-threatening and supportive of thosepeople who often feel out of place in more aggressive work-out facilities.” Heck, I’m a veteran of fitness facilities, and Ifind grunting offensive; I can’t imagine being a newbie in afitness facility where members are constantly grunting.

Planet Fitness might be well-advised to be a bit more dis-creet in dealing with members who break their policies. Its“Lunk Alarm” (a siren with flashing blue lights and a publicscolding) goes a bit far, and I agree that it could definitelybe humiliating to some who possibly hadn’t meant to vio-late the rules. But rules are good, especially when they sup-port the culture the club is trying to create.

One last thing about the Times article and some others.The fact that Maria Sharapova and Monica Seles grunt onthe tennis court has little relation to the Planet Fitness issue.I seriously doubt that members who worked out with body-builder legends such as Joe Gold, Arnold Schwarzeneggerand Lou Ferrigno were offended by their grunting.

The fact that “nationwide the [Planet Fitness] chain expelsroughly two members a month for various reasons, mostcommonly grunting and dropping weights,” smacks of agood retention policy, in my opinion. At least they’ve iden-tified a method for lowering their attrition rates among thepopulation to whom they seek to cater. FM

Editor’s Note BY RONALE TUCKER RHODES, M.S., EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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Contributors

E D I T O R I A L

Editorial Director RONALE TUCKER RHODES(951) [email protected]

Senior Editor ANNE B. MCDONNELL(760) [email protected]

Associate Editor HEATHER PEAVEY (570) [email protected]

Contributing/Technical EditorsBARBARA A. BREHM, WAYNE WESTCOTT,

STEPHEN BLACK, JASON KARP

A R T

Art Director AARON [email protected]

Production Director BONNIE [email protected]

Electronic Production MARJORIE SCHULTZManager [email protected]

Production Assistant SCOTT [email protected]

A D V E R T I S I N G S A L E S

Advertising Sales ANDEE BELL (530) 661-7585Manager [email protected]

Account Executive APRIL DONALD (530) [email protected]

Sales Assistant JODI [email protected]

Classified Ads DONNA BUTERA (469) [email protected]

A T H L E T I C B U S I N E S SP U B L I C A T I O N S I N C .

4130 Lien Road • Madison, WI 53704(800) 722-8764 • (608) 249-0186

CEO GRETCHEN KELSEY BROWN

President PETER BROWN

Group Publisher BRAD ZAUGG

Administration Director SHARON SIEWERT& Controller

Circulation & DENISE R. THOMPSONDatabase Manager

Circulation Assistants COLLEEN WENOSLISA POPKE

Accounting Assistant GLORIA HAWKINSON

MIS Director STEVE WEAR

MIS Assistant SEAN RAY

Web Editor JILL NEBEKER

Online Content REBECCA BEARJARCoordinator

Web Programmer ALEX MALYUTIN

February 2007Volume 23, NO. 2

FITNESS MANAGEMENT (ISSN 0882-0481) is published monthly and is distributed

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is a trademark of Athletic Business Publications Inc.

RICHARD J. BLOOMER, PH.D., C.S.C.S.Exercise Physiologist andAssistant Professor,University of Memphis, Tenn.

Assessing for Retention

“While a change in body

weight/body fat may be most

important for many people, it is

certainly not the only variable on

which members should focus.”

AMY SCANLIN, M.S.Fitness Expert and Certified Instructor

Using Secret Shoppers toEnhance Customer Service

“Smart companies hire secret

shoppers before they think there

may be a customer service issue.”

STEPHEN A. BLACK, M.ED., PT, ATC/L, NSC-CPTCEO, Rocky MountainHuman Performance Center

Group Cycling Results

“To help members get results,

instructors should adhere to

some general principles of

sports conditioning.”

RYAN VOGTFitness Director, Tri-City Court Club

The Basics of a YouthWeight-Loss Program

“The focus of your program should

be the benefits of proper nutrition

and exercise for life.”

GUY BROWNManager, International Leisure and Hospitality

Optimal Cleanliness = Member Satisfaction

“Even in fitness facilities with a good cleaning

philosophy, some areas get overlooked.”


Letters

Industry Challenge

“I am trying to find information on corporationsthat have onsite, multi-purpose wellness centerswith pools. My company is trying to determine thevalue of building a lap swimming pool. [What are]the pros and cons?”

Sheila Sharemet

Health & Wellness Supervisor

BP Wellness Center

via email

In August we asked:

How does your fitness center make sure members are dressed appropriately?

Response:At our college facility, we implemented the

“T-shirts with sleeves required” when weopened. This wasn’t well received for the firstcouple of months, as there had been no dresscode in the past, but we simply explained thatwe were looking out for their health. By wearingT-shirts with sleeves, it means less skin contactwith all of the upholstery, as well as less sweatdripping onto the cardio machines. We have afew colorful shirts in our “forgotten” drawer forthose folks who come in tank tops. When theyare done with their workout, they drop the shirtinto the towel cart where it is washed and readyto use the next time.

Vicky Jaeger

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

I sent in a question recently for the e-Letter[Towels for Your Pool? October 2006]. Therewas a great response, with some very creativeideas, printed in the e-Letter. I also had sev-eral other readers contact me directly withmore great ideas. I’d like to encourage otherclub owners/managers/trainers to contact thee-Letter each month with questions andideas. I think the e-Letter has become a veryunique resource for people in the industry.

Rob BishopElevations Health Club

via email

The Editor replies:We encourage all of our readers to sign up for

the e-Letter at [email protected] open forum is a great way to share ideasand experiences that will help our industrygrow.

e-Letter Encouragement

By now everyone’s heard about Planet Fit-ness and its disgruntled grunter, and nodoubt managers are turning their attentionto balancing on the ever-thinning linebetween attracting novice exercisers andkeeping hard-core members happy. But havewe, as an industry, missed the point of thisunfortunate incident?

I had a different interpretation of thereported events than simply one man takinga stand for the right to grunt in public. Isaw Albert Argibay’s extreme, defensive-by-way-of-attack reaction to Planet FitnessManager Carol Palazzolo’s reprimands ashaving less to do with rules and more to dowith gender. Would he have gone to all thattrouble if a male manager asked him to stopgrunting? Or would he have just shruggedand toned it down a little?

Argibay’s behavior is eerily reminiscent ofthe misogynistic (and anti-semitic) tiradeunleashed by Mel Gibson when he wasarrested by a female police officer under sus-picion of driving while intoxicated. Gibsoncalled the officer “sugar tits,” while Argibaycalled Palazzolo a “f***ing b**ch.”

Planet Fitness hinted at its awareness ofthe underlying cause of the situation whenit released an official press release explainingits version of the events. While Planet Fitnesslimited its description of Argibay’s behaviorduring the event as “intimidating,” “threat-ening” and “aggressive,” the release did use

the words “inflammatory” and “misogynis-tic” to characterize Argibay’s behavior whilehe basked in his 15 minutes of fame. Oneexample is this insensitive remark, attributedto Argibay’s attorney, while a guest on theBob Rivers Radio Show: “They didn’t tellhim it was Free Tampon Tuesday and Curveswould not accept your membership, evenwith proof of zero testosterone levels.”

I think this incident will have negativeimplications for clubs struggling to get theattention of new exercisers (unless theysuccessfully market themselves as the“anti-Planet Fitness”). But even more, Ithink the event characterized perfectly thevery real (albeit unspoken) gender dividein our industry.

Thank goodness the days are over whenthe majority of women on the trade showfloor were oiled-up babes wearing bikinis —but women with power are still few and farbetween in the fitness industry. Show me thewoman in a powerful, prominent position ata large supplier. Show me the speaker at anindustry trade show who isn’t a Hall of Famefootball star. Perhaps if the industry as awhole recognized the considerable talents ofmore women, and allowed more of them toreach positions of power, it would be easierfor managers like Palazzolo to do their jobs.

Heather PeaveyAssociate Editor

Fitness Management

Is it really about grunting?


The Medical Wellness Association (MWA), SugarLand, Texas, announced its 2006 DistinguishedAward winners, and honored them at thenational Medical Wellness Summit and Expo inWashington, D.C., in December. MWA choseDennis Colacino, Ph.D., as the recipient of its2006 Distinguished Service Award for his morethan 40 years of outstanding leadership andservice to the corporate health and medical well-ness industries. The American University and Dr.Bob Karch were honored as the recipients of theBest University Wellness and Study Program.

The Medical Fitness Association (MFA), Rich-mond, Va., recognized the best in medical fit-ness center management during a ceremony inNovember 2006 in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Con-vention Center, which also served as the siteof MFA’s 12th Annual Conference. The awards,

in a variety of cate-gories, honored out-standing facilities,programs and pro-fessionals for theirachievements andcontributions to themedical wellnessindustry.

DistinguishedAchievement Awardswere presented tofacilities that serveas benchmarks forthe industry. The

award for a facility 50,000 square feet or largerwent to UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont,Chapel Hill, N.C. Cumberland Medical Center Well-ness Complex at Fairfield Glade, Crossville, Tenn.,won for facility 20,000 to 50,000 square feet. TheFitness Center at High Point Regional, High Point,N.C., won for medical fitness facility of less than20,000 square feet. And LifeStyleRx, Livermore,Calif., won for facility in operation for less thanthree years.

MFA’s Distinguished Service Awards recognizethose who have displayed significant leadershipin hospital administration and/or facility manage-ment. Recipients were the following: Director:Nancy Dostal-Hoyt, Mercy Medical Center, CedarRapids, Iowa; and Administrator: Neil Sol, Vall-eyCare Health System, Pleasanton, Calif. The DonSchneider Distinguished Service Awards werepresented for exceptional, long-term volunteerservice to MFA and the industry. They went toDouglas Ribley, Director of Wellness & Adminis-trative Services for Akron General Health System,Akron, Ohio, and William Baldwin. The Board ofDirectors Award goes to an organization or indi-vidual that has significantly advanced the med-ical fitness industry. This year, it went to PowerWellness Management, Arlington Heights, Ill.And, the Program Innovation Winner went toMeter Madness/North American Rowing Chal-lenge by Keweenaw Memorial Rehab & FitnessCenter, Houghton, Mich.

The International Council on Active Aging(ICAA), Vancouver, B.C., Canada, announced its

award winners in November at ICAA’s ActiveAging 2006 conference in Las Vegas. Its 2006ICAA Industry Innovators Award winners werechosen for their creativity and excellence of theirofferings, which promote health and quality oflife for adults ages 50 and older.

The winners were Advance to Wellness,SecureHorizons from United HealthCare, SantaAna, Calif.; Wellness Program, Inverness VillageWellness Center, Inverness Village, Tulsa, Okla.;Project Enhance, Senior Services, Seattle, Wash.;Get Fit on Route 66/Step Up to Better Health,AARP, Washington, D.C.; Travel by Leisure Care(TLC), Leisure Care, Seattle, Wash.; and Excellencefor Living/Passport to Wellness, Sunnyside, Har-risonburg, Va. In addition, ICAA recognized the

Life Fitness Circuit Series age-friendly strength lineas its 2006 Industry Equipment Innovator.

Colin Milner, ICAA founder and chief execu-tive officer, says, speaking about the ICAAawards, but really saying something about allfitness industry awards, “Through their persist-ent and committed efforts, these organizationsare supporting healthy, vibrant living at any age.This is something we must successfully promoteif we are to meet the challenges of our aging[and sedentary] population.” FM

Industry awards serve to honor recipients for outstanding programs, service

and more, but they also serve larger purposes: to promote the

organizations offering them, to promote the wellness/fitness industry to a

larger audience and to inspire other people to strive for their best. A few

medical/wellness associations offered their 2006 awards recently, and

honored those who help people live healthier lives.

NEWS • IDEAS • TRENDSulseWellness Awards Promote Facilities and Industry

The Medical Wellness Associa-tion chose Dennis Colacino as the recipient of its 2006 Distinguished Service Award.

Bob Forman, Director of The Fitness Center at High PointRegional (on the right), receives an award from an MFAboard member.


Colorado Leads in Fitness MembershipsTHE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA),Boston, Mass., revealed in October that Denver and Colorado have thehighest rates of fitness center memberships among cities and states inthe U.S. These findings were part of the 2005 IHRSA/American Sports DataHealth Club Trend Report, a national survey conducted each year for thelast 19 years by American Sports Data (ASD) and sponsored by IHRSA.

The national study found that a projected 21.8 percent of Coloradostate residents (over the age of six) belong to a fitness center. Utah res-idents follow closely with 20.8 percent and Massachusetts was nextwith 20.6 percent of residents who belong. Rounding out the top fiveare Arizona (20 percent) and Delaware (19 percent).

Denver ranks as the top city in the U.S. for fitness memberships,with 25.1 percent of its residents belonging to a fitness center. Colum-bus, Ohio, follows closely with 24.9 percent of its residents saying theyare members, and San Diego, Calif., is third, with 23 percent. Roundingout the top five cities is Miami, Fla. (21.7 percent), and Indianapolis,Ind. (21.2 percent). FM

People are burning nearly 1 billionmore gallons of gasoline eachyear than they did in1960 because ofweight gain. Moreweight in the carmeans lowergas mileage.-The Engineering

Economist, October-

December 2006

DID YOUKNOW?

Sport & Health Clubs donated $100,000 in sponsorship funds tolocal schools through Project Fit America.

Club Chain Donatesto Local SchoolsSPORT & HEALTH CLUBS, with clubs and day spas in 24locations in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., celebratedits partnership with Project Fit America (PFA) in October withkick-off activities and a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially ded-icating new fitness programs donated to area schools. PFA is anational nonprofit charity organized for the purpose of donat-ing cardiovascular health and fitness programming to schools.

Eight schools were offered the turnkey program, which pro-vides indoor and outdoor fitness equipment, teacher trainingand physical education curriculum. Sport & Health donated$100,000 in sponsorship funds. This donation will affect morethan 8,000 students and hundreds of teachers in schools basedin Northern Virginia. “It is our goal to help deliver well-designedfitness programs to encourage physical activity among students,teachers, parents and other community members,” says Sport& Health’s Senior Vice President of Fitness Mitch Batkin.

As part of the sponsored program, all day training sessionswere held at each school with a PFA PE Instructor. Teachers weretaught safety and procedure, as well as how to incorporate thePFA indoor and outdoor equipment with related games and chal-lenges into their daily school activities. The program designedby PFA addresses the deficient areas where children fail fitnesstests, and provides a boost to the minutes per week kids areactive. “Physical education and fitness-related activities con-tinue to be cut and/or poorly funded at a time when childhoodobesity and related illnesses are at epidemic levels,” says PFA’sExecutive Director Stacey Cook. “Our children’s health is tooimportant to sit idly by, which is why we applaud Sport & Healthfor taking this leadership role to bring programming to theD.C. metropolitan area.” FM

Pulse


Activity PyramidCreated for KidsLESS TV/COMPUTER TIME, and more play timeis the message in MyActivity Pyramid, a guideto physical activity for children ages six to 11,developed by University of Missouri-ColumbiaExtension health educators. “We really wantkids to be active up to several hours a day,”says Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercisephysiology and a state fitness specialist. “Reg-ular physical activity is important to overallhealth, and school-aged children need at least60 minutes every day.”

With a design similar to the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture’s MyPyramid food guide,MyActivity Pyramid features cartoon-like draw-ings and multiple activity levels. The pyramidshows children what kind of activity they needand how much.

Everyday activities — where children shouldaccumulate most of their physical activity time— are at the bottom of the pyramid. These activ-ities can include playing four square at recess,shooting hoops or riding a bike after school.

The next level describes more vigorous activ-ities, which children need at least three to fivetimes a week. These activities include sports,running, rollerblading and playground games.

Flexibility and strength activities fill the thirdlevel of MyActivity Pyramid. Two to three timesa week, children should be involved in activitiesthat promote muscle fitness and flexibility, suchas stretching, push-ups, martial arts or yoga.

The very top of MyActivity Pyramid representsinactive time. Watching TV or playing video andcomputer games should be limited to two hoursor less each day.

MyActivity Pyramid has an accompanyingactivity log to help children chart their own activ-ity on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. FM

HEALTH & FITNESS

Intense WorkoutsBetter for KidsWeight ControlSustained, vigorous exercise maybe more effective than lower-intensity activity in helping chil-dren avoid obesity and stay fit, a

new study shows.For the study, which was pub-

lished in the August 2006 issueof the American Journal of Clini-cal Nutrition, researchers lookedat 780, nine- and 10-year-olds,measuring their activity levelsover four consecutive days. Thechildren who engaged in vigor-

ous physical activity for morethan 40 minutes daily had lessbody fat than those who werethis active for just 10 to 18 min-utes a day. There was no associ-ation between the total amountof a child’s daily physical activ-ity and his or her levels of bodyfat, but children who were active

for a longer amount of time eachday did have greater cardiovas-cular fitness. “Our … results sug-gest that vigorous-intensityphysical activity may have agreater impact in preventing obe-sity in children than lower phys-ical activity intensity levels,”researchers say. FM

http://www.fitour.com


INDUSTRY

IHRSA Offers AsiaPacific Market ReportThe International Health,Racquet & Sportsclub Asso-ciation (IHRSA), Boston,Mass., together with Deloitte& Touche GmbH, compiled

an overview of the AsiaPacific health club market ina first-of-its-kind publication:The IHRSA Asia PacificMarket Report: The size andscope of the health clubindustry. The report wasreleased at the fifth annualIHRSA Asia Pacific Forum in

Beijing, which took place inOctober.

Key findings in the reportinclude the leaders in marketsize in millions (USD), withJapan first at US $3,556, fol-lowed by Korea (US $990) andAustralia (US $907). New

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KEEPING THEIR FRANCHISEES happy seemsto be the No. 1 new year’s resolution for fran-chises. CURVES INTERNATIONAL INC., Waco, Texas,announced the formation of the CURVES FRAN-

CHISEE ASSOCIATION INC. (CFA) in November, anorganization created by — and for — its fran-chisees. Curves claims to welcome the CFA withopen arms as a new way to facilitate communi-cation. “We are looking forward to a continuingdialogue with its executive board on ways tobuild our brand and our network,” says MikeRaymond, president of Curves International Inc.The CFA’s early emphasis will focus on the morethan 9,000 Curves fitness centers in North Amer-ica, but its ultimate goal is to meet the needs ofall 10,000 franchisees globally. The CFA held itsfirst annual meeting in October in Las Vegas,Nev., to coincide with Curves’ annual convention.

GOLD’S GYM INTERNATIONAL (GGI), Dallas, Texas,followed suit with the NATIONAL FRANCHISE COUN-

CIL (NFC), formed together with the GOLD’S GYM

FRANCHISEE ASSOCIATION (GGFA). The NFC is a six-member board of directors, with three representa-tives from the GGFA and three from GGI, that willfunction as a forum to resolve issues among Gold’sGym franchisees, such as the format of Gold’sGym’snational vendorprogram and the Gold’sGymnational Ad committee. “[The NFC] helps make aGold’s Gym an attractive franchise investment,”says Andrew Selden of Briggs and Morgan in Min-neapolis, Minn., GGFA’s franchise attorney.

Franchises have reason for being concerned.Many, like FIT ZONE FOR WOMEN in Kalamazoo,Mich., have been forced to make unpopularchanges thanks to feeling a financial pinch. FitZonefor Women increased its franchise fees 28 percentin January, from $19,500 to $25,000. “Certainexpenses — from utilities to office supplies to legaland accounting fees — keep costing more,” saysRick Romeo, director of franchising, in an email.“This makes it harder for us to stay ahead of thegame in terms of service and support.”

This new focus doesn’t seem to be a deterrentto new franchises, though, which are still poppingup with interesting approaches to success. KIDOKI-

NETICS, Weston, Fla., is hoping its all-around sportsfitnessapproach to kids’ fitnesswill be cute enoughto attractfranchisees— and keep them smiling. FM

Trend Watch: KeepingFranchisees Happy

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20052004 2006

http://www.bsdiweb.com

Pulse


Zealand leads membership penetration rates,with 10 percent of the population, followed byAustralia (9 percent) and Singapore (7.1 percent).

The report examines the size and scope of theAsia Pacific club industry, and contains country-spe-cificindustryinformation, including the number offit-ness centers, number of members and leading clubcompanies for 11 countries (Australia, China, India,Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sin-gapore, Taiwan and Thailand). For more information,go to www.ihrsastore.com, or call 617 951-0055. FM

FACILITY

Club Changes With the TimesEast Shore Athletic Club, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.,started out as a one-building racquetballcenter in 1983. Since then, the club haschanged a lot, according to Director of Mar-keting and Community Relations MaggieO’Rourke. The racquetball courts were

removed at one point, but, says O’Rourke,“We are now in the process of returning theracquetball courts, along with a completeexterior renovation, to return the history of thefirst location.”

Also, the facility has expanded to four loca-tions in Mt. Pleasant, with plans for six to eightmore facilities in the future. In addition, “Wehave adapted our business plan to fit morewith our members who are on-the-move, andstarted a ‘sister’ brand of East Shore AthleticClub called ES24, which stands for East Shore24 hours. These facilities are smaller, but areopen 24 hours a day,” O’Rourke says. “EastShore Athletic Club is continuously updating,and we want to continue to meet our members’needs,” she says. FM

FACILITY

Small Classes OfferPersonal AttentionIt’s not unusual to find crowds of peoplejammed into one group fitness class at manyfitness centers. With so many people in oneclass, it’s nearly impossible for one instructor tomake sure each person is performing everyexercise correctly, or if they should even bedoing the exercises to begin with.

At Absolute Fitness in Boynton Beach, Fla., theybelieve the only way to ensure a safe, effectiveclass is to set a maximum limit of four participantsin each class they offer, which includes Pilates,yoga, strength classes, golf conditioning classesand small group personal training. Class partici-

pants pay $25 per class, and their classes arescheduled at a time that is convenient for them.

“Participants pay more for the classes offeredat Absolute Fitness, but the personal attentionthey receive is priceless,” says Rob Jewett ofAbsolute Fitness. Instead of having a routinealready in place for the class, Absolute Fitnessinstructors design the class according to theparticipants’ fitness levels. They then design asafe, appropriate workout that progressivelygets harder as the participants improve their fit-ness levels, Jewett explains. FM

FACILITY

Fitness Center RaisesMoney for SPCAJulie Luther’s PurEnergy Fitness Center, Greens-boro, N.C., held its First Annual SpinningMarathon and Pet Adoption Fair in October,sponsored by PurEnergy and the Yankee Doodle

DID YOU KNOW?The anti-cancer effects of exerciseare due to increases in a proteinthat blocks cell growth and inducescell death. Among subjects whowere physically active, an increasein this protein was associated witha 48-percent reduction in coloncancer deaths.-Gut, May 2006

YogaFit NowOffers ACE CECsYOGAFIT TRAINING SYSTEMS Worldwide, Torrance, Calif., will now offer contin-uing education credits for yoga instructors through the American Council on Exer-cise (ACE), San Diego, Calif. Beth Shaw, president and founder of YogaFit, andACE entered into a partnership to enhance fitness professionals’ educational oppor-tunities and provide new ways to augment credentials, according to Shaw. Thisis the first time that ACE has entered into an alliance with a yoga organization.

As part of the partnership, ACE professionals receive a 20-percent discount onthe YogaFit Level 1 teacher training program. ACE professionals also receive a 15-percent discount on select YogaFit apparel and merchandise. YogaFit profession-als receive 20 percent off select ACE course materials.

Each of YogaFit’s more than 50,000 instructors worldwide are now encouragedto sit for either the ACE Group Fitness Instructor or ACE Personal Trainer examina-tion, in addition to their YogaFit instructor training. Says Shaw, “This effort will greatlyenhance the exercise science backgrounds of our members, and bring the prac-tice of yoga to all populations in a safe and user-friendly fitness format.” FM

East Shore Athletic Club has come a long way since itopened in 1983.

Absolute Fitness offers small group classes in order toprovide personalized attention.


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Pet Lodge. Twenty cyclists were spon-sored in a two-hour group cycling classto raise money for the Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)of the Triad. The event also included afree “Ask the Dog Trainer” booth, amicrochip clinic, Borders Books, andSPCA dogs and cats. Sponsors held araffle for five personal training sessionswith Julie Luther, or one week boardingat Yankee Doodle Pet Lodge. The eventraised more than $1,400 to benefitSPCA, a non-profit animal welfare groupthat rescues dogs and cats and provideslow-cost spay/neuter services. FM

Trend Watch: Aquatics Log OnWHO SAYS ELECTRONICS and water don’tmix? Aquatics professionals now have a hostof electronic options to help them do every-thing from getting a new job to earning certi-

fications and attending conference seminars— all through the Internet.

FITNESSJOBS.COM, Phoenix, Ariz., forged analliance with the AQUATIC EXERCISE ASSOCIA-

TION, Nokomis, Fla., to create a brandedcareer site specifically for the aquatics indus-try at WWW.AQUATICSCAREERS.COM. The siteaims to help management recruit quality per-sonnel and offer job seekers a free service tofind part- and full-time employment. Appli-cants can browse and search job postings freeof charge. Employers must register and pay topost ads, search resumés or create job alerts.

Aquatics professionals can further theireducation online, too, thanks to the NATIONAL

SWIMMING POOL FOUNDATION (NSPF), Col-orado Springs, Colo., which launched itseProAcademy Online Training Center atWWW.EPROACADEMY.ORG in January. Studentscan achieve a Certified Pool-Spa Operator cer-

tification using a blended format program thatuses narration, video, quizzes and other inter-active learning tools. This new format mayeven be a better option for aquatics students.

“Compelling scien-tific evidence showsthat blended learn-ing is more effectivethan either in-classor online trainingonly,” says AlexAntoniou, director ofeducational pro-grams at NSPF.“Having a portion ofthe training onlinealso makes thecourse more conven-ient and economicalfor students andemployers.” NSPF

will launch a total of 16 online eProAcademyclasses between Oct., 1, 2006, and March 31,2007, including compliance courses such asoccupational safety, employment law, health-care, environmental and hazardous wastemanagement, and DOT training for drivers ofhazmat shipments.

The Internet has also opened up a host ofways for aquatic professionals to save money.As reported in the December issue of FitnessManagement (p.16), the WORLD AQUATIC

HEALTH CONFERENCE posted its 2006 seminarson the web at WWW.EPROACADEMY.ORG. For$95, people can watch three of the 35 semi-nar choices. With no restrictions as to howmany viewers can watch an Internet-broad-casted seminar at a time, this option opensup a whole new way for facilities to educatetheir aquatics staff — at a fraction of the costof sending them to the actual conference. FM

PurEnergy Fitness Center held its First Annual SpinningMarathon to raise money for the Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Animals.

(Continued on page 22)

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DID YOU KNOW?Children andadolescents whoare overweight aremore likely thantheir normal-weightpeers to suffer bonefractures and havejoint and musclepains.-Pediatrics, June 2006


Pulse

NamesGold’s Gym International, Dallas,Texas, announced the resignationof GENE LAMOTT as chief executiveofficer. The company’s board ofdirectors appointed DAVID SCHN-

ABEL to serve as its new CEO. …JIM EVANS was named vice presi-dent/general manager of 7 FlagsFitness and Racquet Club in Clive,Iowa. … CONNIE SUE CENTRELLA,program director for the KeiserCollege eCampus, was recognizedas Instructor of Distinction byKeiser College, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

FacilitiesTCA HOLDINGS INC., Chicago, Ill.,renamed a network of its Chicago-area facilities to MIDTOWN ATHLETIC

CLUBS. It will spend as much as$30 million to expand the facili-ties and install cafés in each. …GLOBAL FITNESS HOLDINGS LLC,

Lexington, Ken., the largest Gold’sGym franchisee in the world, hiredANTHONY MUNOZ, a former Cincin-nati Bengals’ football player andHall of Fame inductee, as itsGold’s Gym spokesperson in theDayton, Cincinnati and northernKentucky markets. … MOUNTAIN-

SIDE FITNESS SURPRISE, Tempe,Ariz., opened its sixth club in Ari-zona and announced its nextthree locations: southeast Gilbert,northwest Peoria and the City ofMaricopa. Plans for growthinclude five more facilities in thePhoenix Metro area, and at leastsix clubs in Colorado within thenext 24 months. … YMCA OF THE

TREASURE COAST, Stuart, Fla., heldits Senior Health Fair in January.The event included guest speak-ers, community resource informa-tion booths and medicalscreenings.

AssociationsTHE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON

EXERCISE (ACE), San Diego,Calif., named LEN KRAVITZ,associate professor of exerciseat the University of New Mexicoand advisory board member forLife Fitness, Schiller Park, Ill.,Fitness Educator of the Year. …ACE board member WOJTEK

CHODZKO-ZAJKO was selected tothe President’s Council onPhysical Fitness and Sports Sci-ence Board. … THE INTERNA-

TIONAL COUNCIL ON ACTIVE

AGING, Vancouver, B.C., Canada,presented the 2006 IndustryEquipment Innovator award toLife Fitness, Schiller Park, Ill.,for its Circuit Series. The awardspotlights North America’smost inventive new fitnessequipment for active olderadults.

People and Places

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http://www.affiliated.org


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SuppliersCHECKFREE HEALTH & FITNESS, Atlanta,Ga., appointed Sean Jamesto businessdevelopmentmanager, Europe. He willjoin the Wokingham, U.K.-based oper-ation, which suppliesCheckFree’s clubmanagement and billing software andservicesto the European market. OtherCheckFree newsfrom across the pond:Its web-based management softwarewas chosen to support a large govern-ment fitness and leisure facility basedin Belgium. The site isa 1,000-membercomplex for staff that is managed byBladerunner, a provider of club man-agement services to the corporate,public sector and hospitality markets.… HEALTH FITNESS CORP., Minneapolis,Minn., formed a new executive struc-ture to include an office of the chair-man. The new executive managementteam iscomposed ofMarkW. Sheffert,chairman ofthe board; JerryNoyce, vicechairman; and Gregg O. Lehman, pres-identand CEO. Additionally, Tim Peters,

manager of health management forHealth Fitness Corp.’s Eastman Chem-ical Companyaccount, wasnamed oneof the Top 40 Professionals under 40by the Tri-Cities Business Journal. …SCIFIT, Tulsa, Okla., formed Scifit UK,headquartered in Kingsclere, England.This new division helps strengthen itslong-term goal ofEuropean expansion.Scifit UK manages warehouses in theUnited Kingdom and Germany. KenPearson was named European devel-opment director for the U.K. and Euro-pean offices. … Research by theUniversity of Pennsylvania, WhartonSchool of Business Administration,determined that GLOBALFIT, Philadel-phia, Pa., is one of the fastest growingprivately held companies in thePhiladelphia region for the fourth con-secutive year. Additionally, DavidGiampaolo succeeded GlobalFitFounder John Cassady as the com-pany’s chairman of the board. …ADVANTAGE FITNESS PRODUCTS, Culver

City, Calif., is now the official fitnessconsultant for University of SouthernCalifornia Recreational Sports, LosAngeles, Calif. … WATER TECH, EastBrunswick, N.J., employeesparticipatedin the American Cancer Society’s Daf-fodil Relay for Life 2006 event, whichraised more than $90,000.

WebsitesTaraflex Sports Flooring by Gerflor,Atlanta, Ga., re-launched its websiteatWWW.GERFLORTERAFLEX.COM withnew interactive optionsand animation.Visitors can design their own basket-ball or volleyball court online, as wellas sign up and take the AIA LearningCourse titled “The Fundamentals ofSports Flooring.” Architects can down-load technical information, includingspecifications for all Taraflex products.… Vitabot, location, announced a newset of features on its website atWWW.VITABOT.COM. In January,Vitabot released its new Goal Tracking

system. PT Link, a communicationsystem for clients and trainers, isscheduled for release this month. Alsoscheduled for launch in early 2007 isMealcasting, which allowshealth clubsto maintain contact with potentialmembers and corporate clients.

AcquisitionsMOTIONSOFT INC.’s health and fit-ness division, KI Software, SilverSpring, Md., acquired COMPUTER

OUTFITTERS, Tucson, Ariz. KI Soft-ware assumed support and develop-ment responsibilities for allComputer Outfitters’ customers. …PENTAIR WATER POOL AND SPA INC.,Sanford, N.C., acquired ACU-TROL

INC., Auburn, Calif.

CorrectionPower Systems is located inKnoxville, Tenn. Its location wasincorrect on p. 15 of the Novem-ber issue.

http://www.creativefitness.net


Pulse

INDUSTRY

Personal Trainer Web Directory CreatedPersonal Trainer Listing Service, Bethel, Conn.,created a “Yellow Pages” for personal train-ers at www.personaltrainer.cc. The site wascreated so that fitness centers, clients, uni-versities and others seeking qualified personaltrainers can have a single location to search,locate, compare and contact personal trainers.Dan Gaita, president of Personal Trainer List-ing Service, says that the site allows trainersto update their information and upload theirphoto, and provides a one- to five-star trainerrating system based on the trainers’ combinedcertifications, education and experience.People seeking trainers can locate, compareand contact trainers directly. FM

Send Us Your News!If you have news about your

fitness center, we want to publishit! This includes facility updates,renovations and new builds;anniversaries; events; donations;new programs or offerings; community outreach programs;and much more. Send your news,with photos (if available), to [email protected],and see your name in print! FM

Exercise Important for Those with DiabetesAMONG THE MANY health benefits of exercise that researchers have found in recent years, two newstudies deal with exercise and diabetes. The first study found that exercise can help people with largewaistlines reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place. The second study foundthat obese diabetics can benefit from low-intensity, low-impact exercises such as tai chi, stretchingand calisthenics.

In the first study, which was published recently in Diabetic Medicine, researchers found that peoplewith large waistlines who exercise were less likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes than their less-active counterparts. Researchers studied 1,812 normal and overweight people and found that physi-cally inactive people with large waistlines had a 5.5 times greater risk of suffering from diabetes thanactive people with small waists. Say researchers, “People who were obese were more likely to be diag-nosed with glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes; but, if they were physically active, their risk wassignificantly lower.”

In the second study (Diabetes Care, September 2006), researchers found that older obese type2 diabetics can benefit from low-intensity, low-impact tai chi exercises, regular stretching and cal-isthenics. In the study, 38 men and women with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to tai chiexercises, or seated calisthenics and stretching. The participants, who were about 65 years old, par-ticipated in 55-minute exercise sessions twice a week for 16 weeks. At the end of the study period,participants in both exercise groups experienced improvements in their balance and walking speed.Say researchers, “We need to further investigate an optimal modality of exercise(s) and dose forolder, obese and long-term sedentary adults with type 2 diabetes, so that they are able to … enjoyand adhere to an exercise program in order to retard the decline in physical function associatedwith diabetes.” FM

Weight Tied toMental FunctionOVERWEIGHT MIDDLE-AGED adultstend to score more poorly on testsof memory, attention and learningability than their thinner peers do,researchers have found. The find-ings, they say, suggest that a heav-ier weight in middle age may meana higher riskof dementia later in life.

Reporting in the Oct. 10, 2006,issue of Neurology, the researchersspeculate that higher rates of cardio-vascular disease or diabetes might help explain the link. But it’s also possible that substances pro-duced by fat cells, such as the hormone leptin, have direct effects on the brain.

The study included 2,223 healthy adults who were between the ages of 32 and 62 in 1996. Atthat time, they took standard cognitive tests, assessing abilities like memory, attention and speedof learning. Five years later, they took the tests again.

In general, the researchers found, people with a high body mass index (BMI) had lower test scoresthan those with a lower BMI. They also tended to show greater cognitive decline between the twotest periods. Factors such as age, education and general health did not seem to explain the link.

According to researchers, the tests used in the study were sensitive enough to detect “smallvariations” in cognition, and the weight-related differences seen among these healthy middle-agedadults would probably not be obvious in daily life. But, over time, the researcher explained, therecould be more apparent effects on the rate of mental decline.

It’s possible, say the researchers, that excess fat cells have some direct effect on brain func-tion. For example, some studies suggest that the “hunger” hormone leptin, which is produced byfat cells, plays a role in learning and memory.

Although study participants were in generally good health, disorders like elevated blood pres-sure and diabetes could act as a bridge between high BMI and poorer cognitive function. Thick-ening and hardening of the blood vessels supplying the brain can contribute to dementia. Similarly,diabetes may harm cognition by either leading to artery disease or because of the effects of thehormone insulin on brain cells. FM

DID YOUKNOW?Adults who carry most oftheir excess weight aroundthe middle may be atparticular risk of high bloodpressure. In a 10-yearstudy, researchers foundthat those whose waistlinesexpanded over the yearsshowed a similar increasein blood pressure.-American Journal of

Hypertension, August 2006


Fitness Q&A

In 2003, consumers spent nearly$121 billion in fast food restau-rants. It has been said that eachday, one out of every four peoplein the U.S. eats fast food.Although eating “on the road” isusually quick and convenient, thefood tends to be high in calories,fat and sodium. Nevertheless,there are healthy tactics that canbe employed when eating on theroad. Here are a few suggestions:

Drink responsibly. Two beveragesto avoid are milkshakes and sodas.Besides being high in sodium, milk-shakes are high in calories and fat;most sodas are high in sugar, whichhas virtually no nutritional value.Excellent choices for a beverage arelow-fat milk, juice and water.

Get substitutes. Just because ameal comes with a soda doesn’tmean consumers can’t ask for low-fat milk; just because a meal comes

with French friesdoesn’t meanthey can’t ask fora baked potato(plain, of course).

Control por-tions. Tell clientsto order thesmallest burger,not the largestone (and get itwithout cheese).They should getthe smallestorder of fries, notthe largest one. Inshort, it isn’t wiseto supersize.

Become knowl-edgeable. A food at one restaurantcan differ dramatically from thesame food at another. For example,researchers looked at 36 chickensandwiches from 16 fast food

chains. They found that a chickensandwich at one fast food restauranthad 360 calories, and a chickensandwich at another fast foodrestaurant had 950 calories.

BY MATT BRZYCKI

Is it possible to eat healthy at a fast food restaurant?

What’s meant by the term “significant”when it’s used in studies?In discussing research studies, a term that appears frequently is “signifi-cant” (or a derivative of the term, such as “significantly”). In normal dia-logue, “significant” means “important”; in statistical dialogue, “significant”means “probably true.” The term “significant” is used to describe theamount of change, as well as the difference between two or more groups.When the amount of change is said to be “significant,” it means that it’s“probably true” that the amount of change was the result of the treatmentsrather than pure chance. When the difference between two or more groupsis said to be “significant,” it means it’s “probably true” that the differencewas the result of the treatments rather than pure chance.

Consider, for example, a study in which subjects are randomly assignedto two different groups: One group receives Treatment A and the othergroup receives Treatment B. Both Treatment A and Treatment B could pro-duce a “significant” increase in some variable — such as muscular size orstrength — without there being a “significant” difference between thetwo treatments. So the group that did Treatment A might experience agreater amount of change than the group that did Treatment B, but the dif-ference might not be large enough to conclude that Treatment A is supe-rior to Treatment B. Rather, the difference may be due to “pure chance.”

Is there a difference between refurbished and reconditioned equipment?Many individuals elect to purchase fitness equipment that’s used ratherthan new. While this can allow a fitness center to acquire name-brandequipment without incurring significant costs, it’s important to be awareof the terminology that’s often employed.

The terms “refurbished” and “reconditioned” both refer to usedequipment, but they have different meanings. In general, equipmentthat is refurbished means that it’s repainted, repaired and rebuilt;equipment that’s reconditioned means that it’s only repaired asneeded. (Some vendors use the term “remanufactured.”) Different ven-dors may have different definitions of those terms, so it’s a good ideato determine exactly what they do to the equipment so you’re notsurprised at the time of delivery. As an added measure, you canrequest photographs of the equipment. Finally, it’s important to askabout warranties and to check references.

Matt Brzycki is coordinator of recreational fitness and wellness programs at Prince-ton University, Princeton, N.J. He has more than 22 years of experience at the col-legiate level and has authored, co-authored or edited 14 books.


Media

A premise of Mastering Cortisol isthat weight gain is partially due tohormonal imbalances. Author Mari-lyn Glenville makes a solid case forthe relationship between cortisol andexcess body fat. While this book isaimed at women, there is enoughstrategy to cross the gender line foruniversal practicality. This bookcovers the various sub-topics withenough depth, yet is alittle more aimed atthe consumer than thefitness professional.

According to theauthor, the body storesfat primarily on thewaist because ofrepeated bouts of thestress syndrome finallytaking their toll with

elevated cortisol levels, whichGlenville terms “the devil in dis-guise.” While stress is subjective,she makes the case that women aremore susceptible to mental stressthan men. The section on excess fatand its role in health problems isgood for consumers and fitness pro-fessionals alike because its power-ful facts and explanations are concise

and to the point. Theexercise section is good,but not progressive froma personal trainer’s per-spective. This is a goodbook if your clienteleconsists of women 40and older who arestruggling with weightdue to increased levelsof cortisol from stress.

BY NEIL WOLKODOFF, PH.D.

Workouts from Boxing’s Greatest ChampsAUTHOR: Gary ToddPUBLISHER: Ulysses Press, 800 377-2542, www.ulyssespress.comBoxing has gained exposure from cable television, yet you never really get a peek at what the ath-

letes do to prepare for their big fight. In Workouts from Boxing’s Great-est Champs, Gary Todd assembled knowledge and workouts fromtop-notch boxers into a format that is entertaining, informative and willhave you yelling at Rocky to give you one more.

If your facility has a boxing program, this is a must-read for trainingroutines and regimens that can really add some sizzle to boxing work-outs. From Norton to Ali to Bramble and everyone in between, youwill know what they ate, when they ate it, when they slept, how farthey ran, how many days a week they trained and even what they likedto watch on television. Even if you aren’t a boxer, you will be fascinatedby the answers each fighter gives to Todd. The style of the book makesyou feel like you are in a boxing gym, and has that feel of hours ofworking on being tough. Todd has a section on such topics as roadwork, gym work, the heavy bag, and other training methods to moti-

vate and direct. The book is as good for motivation as the techniques and tips.If you have a boxing program at your facility, this is a solid, entertaining bookwith tested training ideas.

CatalogsSPORTSMITH (800 713-2880, www.sportsmith.net), Tulsa, Okla., pub-lished its 156-page Fitness Parts and Products Superstore catalog, fea-turing a large selection of parts, and strength and personal trainingproducts with express, same-day shipping.PREPAK PRODUCTS INC. (800 544-7257, www.prepakproducts.com),Oceanside, Calif., released its catalog of professional rehab and fitnessproducts. Featured brands include Web-Slide exercise rail systems, Exer-Band tubes and accessories, and a Home Ranger shoulder pulley.

SPRI PRODUCTS INC. (800 222-7774, www.spriproducts.com), Libertyville,Ill., issued a catalog of professional fitness products, such as aquatics,balance, stability, sport conditioning and more.

ChartOPTP (800 367-7393, www.optp.com), Minneapolis, Minn., released theStretch Station, a 5-by-3-foot wall chart that graphically demonstrates100 flexibility exercises.

Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D., is the developer of Physical Golf and Zonal Training Technologies, based at the Greenwood Athletic Club in Englewood, Colo. He has served as an editor for ACE and ACSM, and is the author of four books.

Mastering CortisolAUTHOR: Marilyn GlenvillePUBLISHER: Ulysses Press, 800 377-2542, www.ulyssespress.com

Vegetarian Sports Nutrition isthoughtful and entertaining, yet, moreimportantly, makes a case for vege-tarian options as fuel for sports per-formance. From the start, this bookis about a vegetarian approach toachieve both health and sportsperformance advantage. Larson-Meyer points out that serious ath-letes can get enough calories froma vegetarian diet if they choosecarbohydrates and fats wisely. Theauthor challenges the idea thatyou can’t build muscle withoutmeat. Evidence from the authorasserts that the right blend of pro-teins and amino acids will fuel thebuild. The section on using vege-tarian nutrition to break free fromsupplements is thought-provoking,along with a section on the miner-

als likely to be at low levels in vege-tarian athletes, including zinc, iodineand copper. If you work with vegetar-ian athletes, this is packed withuseful information.

Vegetarian Sports NutritionAUTHOR: D. Enette Larson-MeyerPUBLISHER: Human Kinetics, 800 747-4457, www.humankinetics.com

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Best Ideas

Long hours of studying often mean lesstime for physical activity. And, whilemost colleges do have some physicalactivity requirement, it’s not enough tokeep those pounds from creeping on.Louann Davies, a wellness instructorand assistant at the Rochester Instituteof Technology’s new fitness center, rec-ognized this, and decided to do some-thing about it by creating the Certificateof Excellence in Fitness & Wellness.

Sponsored by the Center for Intercolle-giate Athletics & Recreation, students areencouraged to apply for the certificateprogram online, which is free. By partic-ipating, students are assigned a personalwellness coach to work with themthroughout the year, are given recogni-tion in the center and on campus, are

provided a one-year complimentaryalumni membership to all of the insti-tute’s facilities and a one-year pass to themen’s hockey games (RIT is Division I inmen’s hockey), and are invited as guestsat the end-of-the-year luncheon wherethey are given a certificate, as well asother gifts. Students participating in theprogram are required to complete doublethe graduation requirement for physicalactivity (four classesvs. two), maintainnormal progresstoward graduation,stay in good aca-demic/judicialstanding, maintaintheir one-on-onemeetings with the

wellness coach, and participate in com-munity service and/or attend wellness-related seminars.

This year, the Center for Intercolle-giate Athletics & Recreation has 22 stu-dents enrolled. While that’s a smallnumber compared to the 15,000-plusstudents on campus, Davies believesthe program has served as a role modelfor other students. “We are saying thatwe will provide the resources and themanpower … if you [students] will makea commitment to being active andmaking fitness an important part ofyour life,” says Davies. FM

Certified in Wellness Excellence CENTER FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS & RECREATION, ROCHESTER, N.Y.

Is the Freshman 15 — the amount of weight students can expect to gain

in their first year of college — a myth? It might be, but the truth is that

more than half of college students do gain weight during their first year.


WITH THE POPULA-TION of active adultsages 55 and older grow-ing faster than ever inthe U.S., so too is thenumber of injuriesrequiring physical ther-apy. The problem isthat, once patients arereleased from physicaltherapy, where do theygo? The Tennis and Fit-ness Center, whichcaters to this popula-tion, knows this prob-lem all too well. That iswhy the staff developedSuccessful Aging, a pro-gram that smooths thetransition from physicaltherapy to fitness.

“When physical therapy is over,the patient is given instructions as towhat exercises he or she can do,”says Cathy Presutti, tennis and fit-ness consultant manager. But whatthey really need is a program and

additional guidance. “We have a sep-arate corner just for Successful Aging,with a NuStep, bands and pulleys,”Presutti says. “We work closely withphysical therapists in creating anexercise program suited to the mem-

bers’ individual needs.”Members who enroll inthe program are eligiblefor a discount on mem-bership and receivethree half-hour per-sonal training sessions.A physical therapist andpersonal trainer reviewthose members’progress every twomonths, or on an as-needed basis.

While the programhas only been in exis-tence since August2006, as of this writing,it has brought in 30new members. And,

present members arealso taking advantage of

some of the new equipment. Otherfacilities could benefit by designingsimilar programs for this population.“The Successful Aging program issomething that can be used … byanyone,” says Presutti. FM

IT’S HARD TO resist Halloweencandy. There’s always an abundanceof it, and it’s seemingly everywhere.So, to encourage members to exer-cise and steer clear of Halloweentreats this past year, Megan Williamsand Stacey Hubbard from the SallieMae Metroplex Fitness Center at theNational Institute for Fitness andSport developed Trick or Trim.

The seven-day incentive program,which ran from October 23 through31, provided participants with dailyworkouts corresponding to candycalories. Each day, participantswould fictitiously trick or teat to adifferent house and, at each house,they would receive pretend candyand a corresponding workout to useup those calories. After each com-pleted workout, participants com-pleted a drawing slip to enter to wina prize at the end of the program.“The program came about as a wayto educate our corporate fitness sitemembers of exactly how sneakingyour children’s candy or eatingcandy leftovers add up,” says

Williams, fitness centermanager. “It was a fun,creative way to get themmotivated to exercise,and provide them withnew workouts todecrease boredom.”

Forty-nine membersparticipated in the pro-gram, expendingapproximately 1,561calories per person.Prizes included a one-year subscription to ahealth-related magazineof their choice, anAdidas gym bag and twoIndiana Repertory The-atre tickets. “Our mem-bers absolutely lovedthe incentive,” saysWilliams. “It increasedour membership, aswell as monthly visits.I’m seeing new faces on a regularbasis completing the Trick or Trimworkouts even though the incentiveis over. Best of all, members

informed me that they completelysteered clear of Halloween candy thisyear once they learned how long youhave to exercise to burn it off!” FM

Trick or Trim NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR FITNESS AND SPORT, INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

The Tennis and Fitness Center’s Successful Aging program creates programsspecifically for older adults who have been released from physical therapy.

The Trick or Trim inventive programhelped members steer clear of Halloweencandy and expend more calories at thesame time.

To be featured inour monthly BestIdeas column: WRITE A SHORT descriptionof a program you’ve imple-mented in your facility duringthe past year. Include infor-mation about how the pro-gram came about, how it isoperated, and how it hasbenefitted your facility andyour members.

If we choose your facility tobe featured in the column, we’llnotify you. You must be avail-able for a phone interview, andyou’ll be requested to providephotographs of your facility.

Send your best ideas

via email to Editorial

Director Ronale Rhodes at

[email protected].

Or for more information,

call 951 244-6498.

Successful Aging THE TENNIS AND FITNESS CENTER, ROCKY HILL, CONN.



ATTRITION IS THE No. 1 talked-about businesstopic in the fitness industry. The old adage thatsays it costs more to acquire a new memberthan to retain an existing one is a key concernamong fitness facility operators. Unfortunately,while this appears to be a main focus of con-cern, Ray O’Connor, owner of Wisconsin Ath-letic Clubs, states that,“More people have joinedand quit clubs today than are members today.”With less than 14 percent of the population cur-rently fitness facility members, you have towonder how many of that other 86 percent has“been there, done that.” And, if they have, is iteven possible to get them to come back?

While attrition is certainly a part of doingbusiness, it can be reduced. “There are alwaysgoing to be cancellations,” says Doug Ribley,director of administrative and wellness servicesat Akron General Health & Wellness Center,Akron, Ohio. “People’s lives change. It is a partof our business, part of what happens.” In fact,

the majority of those who quit fitness facilitiesdo so because of relocation, financial hardshipor illness. What we must identify is why indi-viduals drop their memberships due to dissat-isfaction, and then create ways to reduce thelikelihood of that continuing to happen.

Retention requires a programAt the Club Industry trade show and confer-

ence held in Chicago in October 2006, BobEsquerre, owner of Esquerre Fitness Group,Weston, Fla., in his seminar “Member Retention:17 Steps to Success and Profitability,”asked atten-dees how many of them had a retention programin place at their facility. Out of all the attendees,only three raised their hands. Since the seminarson retention at the major industry shows tendto be the most well-attended, it’s clearly not aquestion of whether attrition is important but,rather, confusion about what to do about it.

Esquerre believes that, for fitness centers tobe successful, they must be able to change andadapt. They must have a retention program inplace, which includes the following:

• implementing a new member “meet andgreet” program

• establishing an interactive/pro-active fitnessfloor management process

• creating a synergy between personal train-ing and group exercise programming

• developing a comprehensive staffing plan• positioning personal training to support

member retention• developing monthly special events to

expose members to programming options• developing a selective staff recruitment program• executing trainer performance expectation

agreements and contracts• developing a program design and training

progression process• identifying and correcting your trainers’

skillset weaknesses• increasing personal training sales at the

membership point-of-sale• enhancing staff professionalism and train-

ing competenciesWhile many facilities’ retention programs will

differ, depending on the market, these steps arearguably a good beginning. Many incorporategetting members involved in your facility. And,industry experts seem to agree that buildingmember-to-member and member-to-staff con-nections is what will develop the emotional

bond to the facility. As O’Connor explains,“People quit clubs; they don’t quit relationships.”

Give and show members resultsEqually important to relationship building is

showing members that the product — theirmembership investment — is working for them.But before you can show them it’s working, youhave to educate them about what results theyshould actually look for. In most cases, memberslook only at weight loss as a measure of suc-cess. Richard Bloomer, in his article, Assessing forRetention (p.30), states that “While a change inbody weight/body fat may be most importantfor many people, it is certainly not the only vari-able on which members should focus.” Bloomeroutlines nine other measurement variables thattrainers should educate members about. Thisway, he explains, “members have several oppor-tunities for success.”And fitness program successequals retention.

Ensure service strategies are workingRetention, according to Ribley, is a fitness

facility staff’s job. And, you accomplish that jobby offering a service to members that is greatenough to keep them coming back and stayinghealthy. Yet, while most fitness professionalswould claim that their members receive superiorservice, most members of fitness facilities don’tsee it that way. If you want to know how goodyour facility’s customer service is, you can follow

suit with many other operators by hiring secretshoppers. Amy Scanlin explains in her article,Use Secret Shoppers to Enhance Customer Ser-vice (p.32), that secret shopper companies willevaluate your business in any way you ask them,and on a schedule that you decide. What youfind out may surprise you, but the end result canonly help you to provide superior service, whichcan lower your attrition rate.

Establish a “clean” philosophyPart of providing superior service includes

maintaining a clean facility. In Guy Brown’s arti-cle, Optimal Cleanliness = Member Satisfaction(p.34), he quotes Mary Schrad, franchise supportmanager for Contours Express, as saying,“If onewas to poll its members, gym cleanliness wouldrank in the top three concerns.”Keeping the facil-ity clean shows members that you care about theirexperience and their health. If you think yourcleaning program is up to par, compare it to the

systems other facilities have in place. You may beoverlooking some areas that need attention.

Solutions to the attrition issueRetention equals money. And, to make

money, says Esquerre, fitness centers, and theindustry as a whole, need to evaluate them-selves and make change. “The fitness industryneeds self-evaluation,” he explains.“It is not thestrongest of the species who survive, but thosewho change.” While not quite a direct quotefrom Darwin, the parallel to the fitness indus-try is certainly well-made.

If you don’t have a retention program inplace, now is the time. Look past the facilityitself, and figure out how you’re going to getmembers involved. O’Connor explains how hedid this at his fitness centers during the rac-quetball boon: “What we learned when it wasjust racquetball was that they were just courts,and if [we] didn’t figure out a way to get them[members] to play, [we] didn’t get paid. So wecreated leagues, which created relationships.”

Once you get members involved, make surethat you treat them well and that they’re seeingresults. Establish a process that shows memberson a periodic basis what they’re gaining fromcontinuing to be a member at your facility. Ribleystates that, with every 1 percent improvement inretention, there is a 5 to 15 percent improvementin pre-tax profit. Your facility’s success dependson finding solutions to the attrition issue. FM


EACH NEW YEAR, thousands of individuals begin afitness program as part of their “resolution.” Unfor-tunately, the majority of these individuals fail to con-tinue with their program beyond the initial six toeight weeks. This may be due to lack of success inachieving their goals, which can be associated withnot having measurable variables to assess actualprogress. Most individuals focus exclusively on bodyweight/body fat as their indicators of success. Yet,while some members, indeed, experience a rapid andsignificant decrease in these variables, which can improve training inter-est and motivation, others do not. And these individuals are often frus-trated by their lack of progress and give up.

While a change in body weight/body fat may be most importantfor many people, it is certainly not the only variable on which mem-bers should focus. Trainers should educate members about otherimportant health and performance variables that can serve as indi-cators of program success, and should be included as part of anongoing assessment plan. These assessments should be performedon an individual basis, depending on member needs and desire forimprovement.

Member retention often depends on member success in achiev-ing their fitness goals. Having more than one measurable goalincreases the chance of overall success and compliance with any givenfitness program. Following are other ways that fitness and healthcan be measured to show clients and members that their programsare working.

Cardiovascular markersLowering resting heart rate and blood pressure, as well as the heart

rate and blood pressure in response to submaximal exercise, are favor-able adaptations to regular exercise training. However, many membersand trainers put little emphasis on these variables. Consider measuringa true resting heart rate and blood pressure (preferably with the memberin a seated position and rested for five to 10 minutes). In addition, meas-ure members’ heart rate and blood pressure at different submaximalworkloads during exercise. Lastly, measure their one-minute recoveryheart rate following a standard exercise challenge. A lower resting andexercise heart rate and blood pressure, and more rapid heart rate recov-ery following exercise, generally suggest an improvement in cardiovas-cular health.

Blood markers of healthBlood markers include fasting cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose.

For diabetic members, testing should include hemoglobin A1C (glyco-sylated Hb). It is well known that regular exercise can favorably alterthese important biomarkers. In addition, regular exercise can help toprevent the oxidation (damage) of cholesterol and glucose, which com-monly leads to promotion of atherosclerosis (arterial plaque formation).Members can be referred to their physicians or local clinical labs to con-duct these routine tests. Upon completion of testing, they can bring testresults to the fitness center for inclusion in their records. A certifiedand qualified trainer should know how to interpret these labs, as famil-iarity with this information is a requirement for all reputable certifyingorganizations. An alternative would be to use one of the automatedchemistry analyzers (e.g., Cholestek), which can be purchased relativelyinexpensively, with testing conducted by a trained staff member (onlya finger prick of blood is needed for full testing capabilities). Theseparameters provide important data related to overall health, and canbe easily included as a component of the assessment plan.

Sport-specific skillsSport-specific skills may include a wide variety of activities, such as

shooting baskets, rope skipping, rock climbing, kickboxing, running,swimming, etc. Having an athletic-skill-related goal rather than simplyfocusing on “getting fit” or “losing weight” certainly makes regular exer-cise more enjoyable and rewarding for both members and trainers. Italso allows members to develop a sense of mastery, which may beequally as rewarding as developing an aesthetically pleasing physique.

Balance and coordinationBalance and coordination are routinely overlooked when develop-

ing a fitness program, yet both are of vital importance. They may assist

Are your members’ fitness programs working? Youcan increase individuals’ program compliance by giving them more to measure than their weight.

And, if they are successful in their results, you’ll mostlikely be successful in retaining them as members.

By Richard J. Bloomer, Ph.D., CSCS

Assessing forRetention


in the improvement of many sport-specific skills and activities of dailyliving. Consider such tools as exercise balls, balance beams, wobbleboards and step boxes, while having members perform both bilateraland unilateral exercises, using both upper- and lower-body movements(with eyes open and eyes closed). Consider timing members in anattempt to measure their ability to perform these tasks. Also considerhaving them perform traditional weight-training exercises while incor-porating balance drills into the movement. Doing so can make exer-cise more enjoyable and challenging for members. In addition, considerusing agility and speed drills, which can easily be set up in any groupexercise studio using cones, step boxes, etc. Be creative and challengemembers with these tasks.

Range of motionMany members perform stretching exercises as a component of their

workout, but trainers should consider placing greater emphasis on thisaspect of members’ fitness plans, as almost all individuals can improvea good deal in this regard. This may be accomplished by getting mem-bers involved in a class targeted at improving flexibility (e.g., yoga,Pilates), or simply designing a detailed stretching program to performat the conclusion of their workouts. Set measurable goals for range ofmotion, as would be done for other variables. Range of motion in allmajor joints can be measured by a qualified fitness instructor with theaid of a goniometer.

Aerobic power and enduranceMaximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is the best measure of aerobic

power. Ideally, direct measurements of oxygen uptake are obtainedduring a maximal graded exercise test; however, you may also usesubmaximal tests to estimate members’ VO2max. This can be doneusing a variety of laboratory and “field” tests. Two of the easiest teststo administer are the Rockport 1-mile walk test and the 1.5-mile runtest. Various equations for estimated VO2max can be found onlinefor these tests, or you can simply record both the time taken to com-plete the tests and members’ heart rate at the conclusion of the test.These numbers can be compared upon serial assessment in order todetermine overall improvement. This is an excellent way to estimateaerobic capacity in situations where direct measurement of expiredgases is not feasible.

Muscular strength, endurance and powerTry the following assessments to determine members’ fitness levels

in these areas. Strength: Choose a variety of exercises and assess mem-bers’ one-repetition maximum. Endurance: Choose any exercise andhave members perform as many repetitions as possible until they reacha point of momentary muscular failure. Make certain they use properform, including a slow and controlled tempo (e.g., two seconds up,two seconds down). Power: Have members perform a standing verti-cal jump test and measure the height of their jump. Alternatively, or inaddition to the jump test, have members perform a sprint test on an

appropriate surface. Calculate their muscular power using this equation:Power = (Force x Distance)/TimeExample:Body Weight (force) = 60 kgDistance running = 100 metersTime = 15 secondsPower = (60 kg x 100 meters)/20 seconds = 400 kg-m/sec

Improved moodSeveral pencil and paper tests of psychological state and overall mood

can be used to determine the effect of members’ exercise programs ontheir overall mood (e.g., profile of mood states or POMS). These testsare easy to administer and provide information unrelated to physicalattributes gained from the exercise program. For many members,improvement in overall mood is as important as or more importantthan any other variable. Although these types of assessments are rou-tinely offered in exercise-related research studies, they are rarely con-sidered in fitness settings. Adopt such assessments with members whoyou believe would benefit from these measures.

Exercise complianceOnce a member commits to a certain training schedule (or dietary

intake), measure compliance. This may include a simplistic assessmentContinued on page 38


WHAT IS THE one thing that sets your facility apartfrom its competitors? The most frequent answer tothis question is customer service/attention to themember. But, how do you know your members andpotential members are actually receiving the serviceyou intend to give them? The Mystery ShoppingProviders Association (MSPA), Dallas, Texas, states that one unhappy cus-tomer will tell 10 others about their experience, and that person will tellanother 10. With that knowledge, can you afford not to know what yourcustomers’ experiences are like? Just like other retail and service indus-tries, fitness centers are turning to secret shoppers and professional sur-veyors to get a clearer picture of what their members truly experience.

“Businesses send us out to see what their customer’s experience islike, and they can then change things about their business based onwhat we find out,” says Larissa Gillotti of Shoppers Critique Interna-tional, Longwood, Fla. Secret shopper companies will evaluate your busi-ness in any way you ask them to, including in-person or phone visits;evaluating the ease of use and correctness of website information; web-based customer satisfaction surveys, where secret shoppers visit a web-site to rate your service on a particular day; and Interactive VoiceResponse surveys (IVR).

You and the secret shopping company work together to set up param-eters, such as what the shoppers will be looking for, how frequently yourbusiness should be “shopped” and how you would like their findingsreported back to you. Essentially, you combine your expertise of the fit-ness business with their expertise of determining customer satisfaction.

Brad Christian of Shop n’ Chek, Norcross, Ga., says, “there’s really ahand-in-hand benefit” to the relationship between the secret shopperprovider and the client. “Managers and owners typically develop oper-ations expectations that form the corporate culture.” As Christianexplains it, people gravitate toward places where they have a good expe-rience. Conversely, the MSPA states that 69 percent of customers leavea business due to poor service. A good experience includes being greetedpolitely upon entering, noticing a clean facility, interacting with employ-ees who are well-versed in their jobs — pretty much the very thingsfitness managers work hard to improve. Businesses that people choosenot to frequent have likely not met customers’ expectations in someway, whether it’s due to poor service or in other areas. Christian explainsthat these companies don’t strive to offer negative service; they are justfalling short of meeting the expectations of management. “People tendto be surprised by our findings,” he says. “Corporate expectations areoften higher than what is actually delivered.”

Tiffany Gleason, co-owner of Mystery Shoppers, Knoxville, Tenn.,suggests evaluating your customer service procedures. She says the

employees may be wonderful, but if the procedures in place for the busi-ness are not customer friendly, employees may choose not to use them.

The evaluationEach secret shopper is provided different focus areas to evaluate, or

different shops within the shop. All of these focus areas are predeter-mined by both the secret shopper provider and management of thefacility being evaluated. The first focus for a fitness center might be thefront desk. Shoppers will be looking for things such as the following:

• Was the customer greeted?• If so, what type? A quick “hello,”“Welcome to ABC Fitness Center,” etc.• Was check-in prompt, or did the shopper have to wait?• What was the appearance of the front desk employees? Were they

dressed neatly? Did they appear to have good hygiene? Were they wear-ing the proper uniform?

• What was the appearance of the front desk area?• What was the overall impression of the front desk?The second focus area might be the exercise room:• If the mystery shopper is considering joining, was he/she given a

tour of the facility or told to walk through on their own?• If the shopper is already a member, was the fitness staff able to

answer questions or be of assistance?Think of each area of your fitness center — group fitness, locker

rooms, cardio/weight areas, day care — as a focus area. “Every compo-nent or thing that is unique should have its own focus,” says Christian.“Every opportunity is an opportunity to deliver and generate strong loy-alty,” from your members.

Also, make sure each question for the shopper to evaluate is formu-lated separately. If you are evaluating a person’s greeting, don’t com-bine whether they smiled, said hello, shook your hand, all into oneevaluation question. They may do some but not others, and it will bedifficult to evaluate in those instances. Include both open and closedquestions in your survey.

The experienceThe key to receiving great customer service is the feeling of being valued.

When members ask for help finding a machine for a particular workout,what are their experiences? If it’s bad, they won’t even be able to find a staff

Working with a secret shopping company will giveyou valuable insight into your members’ experiences,

and help you to improve your level of service.By Amy Scanlin, M.S.

Service Shoppers


member on the floor to ask. If it’s average, they’ll be pointed in the generaldirection of the machine. If it’s great, they’ll be walked to the machine andbe asked if they would like instructions on using it. Across the board, thebiggest issues with customer service are the levels of engagement betweenemployees and members — and that level of engagement as part of a cor-porate culture is often the hardest for managers to address.

If your employees know they are being shopped, one of two thingswill happen. They’ll be motivated to improve their interactions withcustomers for the long run, or only for the short term. Hopefully, themotivation takes hold and they’ll aspire to great service, whether theythink they are being watched or not. To get a true sense of what yourmembers’ experiences are like, it is not recommended to share withemployees any specifics of the secret shopping experience. “The wholepoint in keeping it a mystery is the mystery,” says Christian.

You’ll decide, with your secret shopper, various scenarios in which toshop. Perhaps you want the experience of a prospective member, or a cur-rent member with a billing question. You may even want a confrontationalsecret shopper to get an idea of how your employees react under stress.

You’ll also need to decide how often you’d like your business to beshopped. Most companies hire secret shoppers to visit on a monthly basis,others quarterly. But rarely do secret shoppers visit one time only. Allemployees have bad days. And, while you don’t want their bad day tobecome your customer’s, it isn’t necessarily fair to take that one snapshotas an overview of their customer service skills. However, if you have monthlyvisits with negative results, you’ve got something to take action on.

Gleason suggests tying the evaluation of your employees to some kind ofreward.Knowing that a certain number of evaluation points might win themmovie tickets, a shirt, etc., could be a great motivator for staff members.

Getting startedSmart companies hire secret shoppers before they think there may

be a customer service issue, but a fair number wait until they suspecta problem. Whenever you contact a secret shopping company, be pre-pared to provide as much information as possible about your businessso that the shoppers will know what they are looking for.

You may want to provide training manuals, snapshots of what uni-forms should look like, signage that should be displayed and even train-ing videos, if you have them. The more information for the shopper,the better. “If [fitness facilities] can tell us what [employees] are trainedto do, we can tell if they are doing it or not,” says Christian.

You’ll also need to explain your customer base so the shopper canbetter understand your environment and what your business is tryingto accomplish. A center that caters to those new to exercise will have adifferent set of parameters than a center dedicated bodybuilders.

The great thing about hiring a secret shopping company is access toa wide range of shoppers that can fit any scenario you may require.After all, it won’t be believable to have a muscle-bound person comein as a “new to exercise” shopper, and vice versa. Also, know that somestates require that secret shoppers be licensed.

Most fitness centers say that customer service sets them apart, but

does it really? Anyone can put fitness equipment in a building and com-petitively price their membership rates, but the care members receivefrom your employees is far more valuable than any bulletin board orprofit center. Look at your environment from their point of view, andsee if their needs are being met. FM

REFERENCE

Mystery Shopping Providers Association. Press release: Taking the mys-tery out of mystery shopping. www.mysteryshop.org. Jan. 1, 2004.

Amy Scanlin is a fitness expert, certified instructor and freelance writer.She has a master’s degree in health promotion management, certificationsthrough ACSM, ACE and the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, andshe has facilitated health promotion programs both at home and abroad.

Get More Information Online!If you found this article useful, you can read more about this topic on Fitness

Management’s website. Below is a list of related articles that you can find online:1. Customer Service 101. By Amy Scanlin (October 2004). In the cate-

gory “Service Quality” from the Library of Articles link in the left menu atwww.fitnessmanagement.com, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/service/frontdesk1004.html

2. Creating and Sustaining a Service Culture. By Stephen Tharrett and James A.Peterson (August 2006). In the category “Service Quality” from the Library of Arti-cles, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/0806-feat6.html

3. Teaching Employees Customer Service. By Teri O’Brien (May 2006). In the cate-gory “Service Quality” from the Library of Articles, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/mgtmemo/mgtmemo0505.html

Customer Service SurveysWHILE SECRET OR mystery shopping looks at the customer serviceyour employees provide, another type of survey gives you insight intohow your customers feel about that service, which can be an invaluabletool. Social science research, or custom mail surveys, provide data as tohow members feel about the service they receive, and what changes theywould make if they could.

“We have over 50 questions, two sides of a piece of paper,” says BillLazarus, CEO of SEER Analytics, Tampa, Fla. “You can ask more ques-tions via the mail than you can in an e-survey because people are will-ing to take more time.” He also says that mail surveys provide a moreaccurate view of your member’s thoughts because e-survey data sets areskewed to only those who use the Internet.

This member data can be used in a number of ways. For instance,based on the size of your city, its demographics, your location and otherfactors, how many members should you have? How far do your mem-bers travel to visit your center? Do they pass other centers in route toget to your facility? Would they be responsive if you opened a new centercloser to them?

Typically, response to mail surveys is about 2 to 3 percent. But,Lazarus finds that businesses who share their findings with their cus-tomers, and work to improve on the service they provide based on thefindings, have closer to 20 percent response. When people are vestedwith you, they want you to make them happy, which will, in turn, helpyour business succeed.


ALL FITNESS CENTERS are cleaned, to someextent. But the best fitness centers make clean-liness a top priority, and with good reason. “Iknow there is a big focus on sales, personaltraining and revenue-based items. But cleanli-ness is not to be overlooked,” says Jim Cianci,vice president, facilities management, for WOW!Work Out World, Brick, N.J. “The cleanliness team is one of the mostimportant in the club. You cannot have sales if you don’t have some-thing worthy of selling.” Frank Guengerich, executive vice president ofWTS International, Rockville, Md., says cleanliness, “speaks to mem-bers’ expectations.” The cleanliness expectations they have at home“translate to wherever they might shower [and] where personal hygienecomes into play.”

What can optimum cleanliness achieve? Fitness Management andConsulting, Flower Mound, Texas, works with a facility that has beenin business for 20 years. A competitor recently opened a fitness centernearby, leeching members away. But they have started to come back.“When asked why they were coming back, they said this club was muchcleaner,” says President Jim Thomas. “There are few things as impres-sive as a clean club, no matter what the age.”

Mary Schrad, franchise support manager for Contours Express,Nicholasville, Ky., agrees that members appreciate cleanliness. “If onewas to poll its members, gym cleanliness would rank in the top threeconcerns,” she says. “Gym cleanliness establishes a philosophy of thegym, and reflects how it feels about its members.”

The cleaning processEven in fitness facilities with a good cleaning philosophy, some

areas get overlooked. Schrad says the transaction counter at the frontdesk is one prime example. It is intensively used, so how do youkeep it clean? Besides a thorough clean twice a day, it would also bebeneficial to have a spray bottle and cloth behind the receptioncounter for the reception staff to wipe the surfaces down severaltimes a day.

Other areas that can get overlooked include door and toilet han-dles, stretching areas, designated floor exercise areas and closets.There are also hard to reach spaces in between and around themachines, and dust collecting on areas of the equipment, saysSchrad. Guengerich says the inside of lockers are often missed, andpeople don’t have rigorous consistency in cleaning drains. “I don’t

think people disinfect fitness equipment to the level and degree theyshould,” he says. This is the same for countertops and toilets, Guen-gerich adds.

Cleanliness needs to be monitored to ensure standards are upheld.“It starts with management being clear [about] what their expecta-tions are, having a system in place, training people and following up,”says Guengerich. “I am amazed at how often people do not have sys-tems in place.” WTS International has a checklist and standards docu-ment called Basics to Excellence, and fitness centers are inspectedaccording to those standards.

Inspection is also a key strategy at WOW! clubs. WOW! has twopeople who walk the fitness center: the housekeeping manager and asecret shopper. The chain uses a checklist of 150 items, and, once a week,both of these people go into the fitness centers and score them. Thehousekeeping manager of each club gets a bonus according to howmany points is scored per month.

Thomas also recommends incentives as part of compensationpackages. He further offers an organizational framework that canhelp with cleanliness. “Some clubs we work with have divided theclub up into ‘territories,’ with different people responsible for eachterritory,” he says. With the addition of management follow-up,fitness centers can establish a robust approach to cleaning. “Theclubs that we see doing the best job do the best job of followingup,” says Thomas.

DisinfectionCleaning is removing dust, spots and stains. Disinfecting involves

killing potentially harmful germs, and is essential in some areasof the facility to provide members and staff with a hygienic andsafe environment. “I tell people, anywhere their skin can come intocontact with something, the surface needs to be disinfected,” saysGuengerich.

In WOW! clubs, there are wipe-down stations consisting of papertowels and disinfectant, so members can wipe down machines after they

Clean fitness centers keep members — it’s as simple asthat. Paying close attention to cleanliness can raise

standards and eliminate hazards and wasteful practices.By Guy Brown

Optimal Cleanliness =Member Satisfaction


have used them. For the housekeeping department, key priorities fordisinfection (besides cardio equipment) are locker rooms and showers.Schrad says disinfection is a priority for Contours Express, too. “Any-where people place their hands — on machines, hand weights, jumpropes, stability balls, bikes, etc. — [is a priority],” she says. “It should beunderstood that whenever there is human contact, a disinfectant shouldalways be applied.”

Human contact is the main culprit when it comes to elevating aperson’s risk of infection. “It is recognized that 80 percent of all infec-tious disease is caused by contact,” Schrad says. “Human sweat is notreally a problem. It’s primarily the moisture from the sweat that causesproblems by helping germs grow. Keeping gyms clean and dry is theNo. 1 priority.”

Members can help. “Management can put responsibilities on itsmembers by providing clear direction as to where they should disposeof their used towels and used water cups,” says Schrad.“The more man-agement can communicate direction for this type of cleanliness, [themore it] will take a load off of the maintenance staff to pick up aftermembers.”

Similarly, Schrad says providing a hand sanitizer on top of the weightmachines invites members to protect themselves against germs. “Whenmembers use this, they feel better about their germ control, and it cutsdown on the maintenance cleaning schedule.”

Periodic cleaningSome tasks do not need daily cleaning, but are still vital on a peri-

odic basis. Periodic cleaning tasks can include things such as windowsand all high cleaning. WOW! does high-level dusting at least twice peryear. “Above eye-level areas, such as duct work and lighting, often getoverlooked,” says Cianci.

Guengerich says he often meets people who have never evenheard of high cleaning. “Most of our facilities close annually forcleaning windows inside and out. Then there are ongoing clean-ing tasks, such as moving cardio equipment around and cleaningunder it, and cleaning the mechanics of the equipment. If you failto do that, static electricity can build up and damage the electri-cal components.” He adds pest control and spraying for bugs asanother periodic requirement.

Contours Express says shampooing carpets and cleaning air ductsand air filters are carried out twice per year. “Depending on your ceil-ing type, if it is open, those heating and air duct passageways collectdust,” says Schrad. Similarly, ceiling fans should be dusted so they don’tcirculate dust.

Thomas adds other periodic cleaning tasks: “With heat of themost recent summer, many club owners were reminded of theimportance of regular checks on the air conditioner filters.” Steamcleaning carpets, sweeping parking lots and painting walls areother examples of periodic tasks. Further, cleaning grout in show-ers and washing down walls can be monthly, or perhaps annual,cleaning tasks.

When to cleanDetermining the best times of day to clean needs careful attention.

Guengerich says that there are two different philosophies. One is tonever get in the way of the customer. The second is to clean in aseamless way, cleaning around the customer as much as you can. Gen-erally, there are three key times to clean: after the morning rush, afterthe lunch rush and before the evening rush. And then a full clean inthe evening. He adds that busier facilities may want to constantly cleanaround their users.

“The slower times of day and ‘off’ hours will be best for heavy clean-ing, such as wet areas and the like,” says Thomas. “However, many ofour client clubs will want to bring attention to the fact [that] the clubis being cleaned, and have a porter on duty, in full uniform, cleaningthe club throughout the day. It creates great awareness and lets the mem-bers see the effort being made.”

Most Contours Express clubs use a maintenance log to assign clean-ing responsibilities; however, Schrad says cleaning is an ongoing respon-sibility throughout the day. Vacuuming the carpet is done after themembers leave. Because most Contours location are closed from 1 to


3 p.m. for community-based marketing, she says that this is the idealtime to complete this task. “Members appreciate seeing the obviouscleaning completed while they are getting their workout in,” Schrad says.“These areas would be the hand grips of each machine, bike handles,core stability balls, jump ropes and hand weights. Especially in thecold and flu seasons, members are consciously aware of the spread ofgerms and welcome the Contours staff [making] the extra effort fortheir protection.”

“One can never clean enough,” Schrad says. “It is safe to say thatkey areas should be cleaned minimally one time per day. These keyareas are stretching areas, floor exercise areas, etc. Restrooms should becleaned twice per day and periodically checked for any emergencies.General high traffic areas should be checked hourly.”

Eye on costsSelecting the wrong cleaning product or application technique, and

overdosing, can damage floors, fittings and equipment.“I’ve seen woodfloors ruined, carpets ruined, equipment upholstery ruined … evenwrong lubricants on the equipment,” says Thomas.

“An over-application of chemicals of any sort increases costs,” Schradsays. “For example, when wiping down the upholstery of machines, ifyou use a product that has alcohol in it, in time, this could weaken thematerial and [it can] begin to tear. The alcohol tends to dry this mate-rial.” She also warns against using polish on the upholstery, as it canmake the surface slippery and endanger a member. Slippery floor waxescan also increase injury risk.

Cleaning expenses can be reduced in other ways, too. WOW! has abudget handed down by the franchise owners. Supplies are purchasedfrom one company, and shipped to one central place. They are disbursedby the housekeeping manager, on the basis of orders placed by each house-keeping supervisor once per week. Centralized control can cut down onwaste, and centralized bulk purchasing can secure cheaper prices.

Measurement, rather than “guesstimation,” can have a surprisingimpact on the effectiveness of cleaning efforts, and dramatically cutcosts. Says Thomas, “Read the label. If you don’t know [how much touse], ask. Have a system of tracking.” Thomas says some fitness centersover-apply chemicals, needlessly increasing costs. “We had a client clubrecently discover they were using three times the necessary ingredientsto wash towels. Substantial savings have been realized since changingthe method of measuring.”

However, Guengerich warns not to cut corners in trying to reducecleaning costs: “Cleanliness is not an area we want to be scrimping in.”In the long run, you save time and money with thorough cleaning.For instance, not allowing mold to build up in shower areas can avoidthe process of stripping out and replacing the tile. Look at cleaning aspreventive maintenance.

Clean designA proportion of cleaning costs can be designed out. “Building mate-

rials should be used that show a clear expression of cleanliness, but are

low cost and easily maintained,” says Thomas.“We find the biggest mis-take is usually made in the locker rooms.”

Cianci sits in on the design of WOW! clubs and is project managerin building the clubs. WOW! uses rubber flooring instead of carpet, ascarpet has to be replaced every three years, gets dirty and harbors bac-teria. “We put in materials that are what we call ‘bulletproof,’” heexplains. “This includes sheet metal on walls, which always looks cleanand can be washed off. Ceramic [tile] is used in locker room areas and

Zone CleaningCMS International, Helena, Mont., teaches its clients a three-step

process — called Zone Cleaning — to keep their fitness centers cleanwhile keeping costs down.

Step 1: Divide your facility into zonesBegin by visualizing your fitness center as if you were looking down

at it through a grid. The number of departments and staff you have willdetermine the size and number of zones. Here is an example of how onefacility divided itself into cleaning zones:

Zone 1: Front desk manager (front desk, waiting and lobby area, tan-ning room, break room)

Zone 2: Daycare manager (daycare)Zone 3: Group fitness manager (group exercise areas, including main

group exercise room, group cycling room and swimming pool)Zone 4: General manager/front desk manager (men’s and women’s

locker rooms)Zone 5: Day spa manager (day spa)Zone 6: Fitness director (main fitness area)Zone 7: Education director (education room)Zone 8: Janitor (maintenance rooms)Zone 9: Administrative staff (administrative offices)Zone 10: Group fitness manager (group fitness office)

Step 2: Assign cleaning dutiesOnce you’ve decided on the zones, as well as the people responsible

for overseeing them, the next step is to have the responsible partiesmake a list of all cleaning duties required to keep that particular areaclean every day. Start by having each zone manager hold a meetingwith their staff. Staff members should be encouraged to contribute ideasand suggestions toward creating the list. This will help to create teamunity and buy-in.

Step 3: Provide checklistsThe final step is to create an entire list of all cleaning duties associ-

ated with that area, create checklists for the employees within eachdepartment and assign cleaning duties to people within the zone. Thelist should include the area to be cleaned, who is responsible, frequency,space for initialing once completed and which cleaning products to use.The general manager should walk through the facility every morning witha checklist for the entire fitness center. This way, the manager can holdthe appropriate staff person accountable on a daily basis before it getsout of hand.

http://www.keiser.com


of the percentage of program adherence. For example, if a memberdecides that they will exercise four days per week over the course ofthe next 10 weeks (40 sessions), and they actually complete 35 ses-sions, their overall compliance would be 87.5 percent. This is an excel-lent method to assess progress in many members who may have, inthe past, neglected their training for one reason or another.

Final thoughtsWhen putting together an assessment plan for members, it is impor-

tant to consider multiple variables. In this way, members have severalopportunities for success. While loss of body weight/body fat is certainlyimportant, and should be included as a component of the overall assess-ment plan, many members find extreme difficulty achieving success inthese areas. If so, retention to exercise training may be poor. Inclusionof several other health- and fitness-related endpoints may improvemember adherence and retention to training, and, hence, improve theoverall long-term benefits of regular exercise. FM

Richard Bloomer, Ph.D., is an exercise physiologist and assistant professorwithin the department of health and sport science at the University of Mem-phis, Tenn. He has offered individual exercise counseling and supervision formany years, and holds certifications from both the American College of SportsMedicine (HFI) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCS).

[are] a 12-by-12-inch size, which means less grout to cleanand maintain,” Cianci says. Another example of cuttingdown on cleaning requirements is WOW!’s shower units,which are constructed with one piece of fiberglass, therebyeliminating grout completely.

Schrad also offers some designed-in savings. “A goodclub design will have wide open doors entering bathroomsso people don’t have to open doors and have a chance tospread germs,” she says. “Restrooms will have hand dryersto take away paper towel issues that could increase papertowel costs and maintenance. Signage of proper tampondisposal will keep the plumber away.”

Guengerich says that some approaches to designing forcleanliness don’t create an aesthetically appealing environ-ment. “Design definitely affects the simplicity of cleaning afacility,” he says.“But there is an aesthetic balance to achieve.For instance, in a locker room, do you use carpet or not? Some saythey need to have carpet because it creates a home environment, butcarpet brings cleanliness issues, as opposed to tile, which is moredurable.”

Making cleanliness a priority can help raise standards in your fit-ness center. It can also eliminate waste. “Cleanliness, or lack of cleanli-ness, is the No. 1 complaint we hear in health clubs,” says Thomas. “So,we would be mindful to put it at the top of our to-do list.” FM

Guy Brown has been a manager in international leisure and hospitality forseveral years in private facilities and with international hotel chains. Healso writes for international business, and travel and medical magazines.

Continued from page 31


Management’s website. Below is a list of related articles that you can find online:1. Assessments for Older Adults. By Colin Milner (September 2004). In the cat-

egory “Exercise Prescription” from the Library of Articles link in the left menu atwww.fitnessmanagement.com, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/oldadults/ageassess0904.html

2. Pre-participation Health and Fitness Assessments. By Michael Nordvall,Ed.D., and Michelle Walters-Edwards (January 2006). In the category “Exercise Pre-scription” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/exprescribe/acsmguides0106.html

3. Assessing Your Assessments. By Shana McGough (July 2006). In the category “Exercise Prescription” from the Library of Articles link, or atwww.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/Information/articles/0706-feature4.html


Management’s website. Below is a list of related articles that you can find online:1. Poor Maintenance = Involuntary Manslaughter? By Doyice J. Cotten (May

2004). In the category “Maintenance” from the Library of Articles link in the leftmenu at www.fitnessmanagement.com, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/riskmgmt/riskmgmt0504.html

2. Keeping Your Facility Clean. By Kurt Broadhag (April 2006). In the category “FacilityMaintenance” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/0406-facility-maintenance.html

3. Keeping the Germs Away. By Kurt Broadhag (October 2005). In the category“Facilities” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/facmaint/facmaint1005.html

http://www.hoistfitness.com


WITH THE GROW-ING number of obesechildren, this is amarket the fitnessindustry should notbe missing out on.The key is under-standing what canyou do to get your overweight youth membersinvolved within your facilities. The answer isin your programming! Fitness centers areknown for developing programs and fusingthem with other programs to meet the grow-ing demands of their membership base. Thesame concept can be used to develop yourown youth weight-loss program. First, youmust determine your need for such a program.If your facility is family-oriented, the need isthere, and taking action is necessary. If yourfacility is not youth-oriented, you may considerexpanding your services.

Seven components to considerThe need for a youth program has been

determined, so who is going to design anddeliver this new results-driven and revenue-

generating program? Do you have the appro-priate time, space and equipment available? Doyou have the marketing dollars to drive theprogram? Will your membership be support-ive of the program? Do you have the rightpeople to implement it? Consider these sevenmain components of creating, developing andimplementing a youth weight-loss program.

1. Education. It is essential to have the rightpeople in place to implement a youth programwithin your facility. The staff involved musthave a desire to work with youth and beexcited about the process, as well as have a pro-fessional approach to and execution of the newprogram. It is also important to have certifiedfitness professionals with a solid educationalbackground. “Having a passion for workingwith kids is the most important aspect for the

instructor,” saysVeronica Whitish,personal trainer atthe Tri-City CourtClub in Kennewick,Wash. “The chal-lenges that you facewith the program are

much easier to handle when you have a gen-uine desire to help the youth.”

The other side of education involves theparticipants’ parents. They must be heldaccountable for supporting and encouragingtheir children through the program. Oneway to ensure this is accomplished isthrough weekly parent/youth education andexercise sessions.

2. Motivation. A program that focuses onencouraging participants to be physically activeevery day and eat a balanced diet of fruits, veg-etables and grains (while eliminating poorfood choices) sounds great. But, this alone willnot provide youth with the motivation theyneed to succeed. Get to know why the partic-ipants are in your program; remember, theirparents want them to lose weight, but the chil-

With childhood obesity increasing, fitness centersneed to be part of the solution. Offering a success-ful youth weight-loss program requires planning,commitment, a great staff and motivating ideas.

By Ryan Vogt


dren may just want to have fun. The trick isdelivering fun activities that motivate. Theweight loss will follow.

3. Preparation. Homework? Yes. Ask yourstudents to do what it takes to be successful.A results-oriented youth weight-loss programrequires students to complete a series of activ-ities outside of class that keep them focused onthe true goal: life-long weight management.Examples of homework assignments includekeeping food journals and exercise logs, goalsetting, self-esteem assignments and learningto read nutrition labels.

4. Opportunity. A weight-loss programshould be so much more than weight loss. Youhave the opportunity to be the catalyst thatallows youth to see physical movement as anexciting experience. Provided you have thefacility to explore multiple fitness options,include as many exercise modalities as possi-ble (i.e., fitness stations at the park, exer-tain-ment options, rock climbing, indoor cycling,swimming, dodgeball and fitness obstaclecourses). Give each individual the opportunityto explore as many modes of movement aspossible; you may just be training the next gen-eration of fitness center members.

5. Weight management. The focus of yourprogram should be the benefits of propernutrition and exercise for life, not the typicalquick weight-loss program. Placing youth onrestrictive diets and vigorous exercise routineswill only lead them to a negative perceptionof both healthy eating and exercise. Equippingthem with the appropriate education and pro-gramming will lead to a life-long positive expe-rience with weight management.

Evan Rippley, a participant in the youthweight-loss program at the Tri-City CourtClub, says, “I accomplished many things as faras weight loss, not to mention the boost in self-esteem. When I began the program, I weighed193 pounds … I now weigh 170 pounds. Mybody fat percentage decreased by 12 percent.All of this was accomplished with minoradjustments to my diet and four workouts aweek for 12 weeks.”

6. Exercise. It is important to have a desig-nated space within your facility, such as agroup exercise studio, with easy access to freeweights, Bosus, exercise balls, agility laddersand medicine balls. Remember, however, thatyou are not limited to this space alone. Doesyour facility have a basketball court, rock wall,teen fitness room or indoor cycling studio? Allof these areas are great places to implementexercise while having fun.

7. Respect. A weight-loss program should

focus on program-ming that makes eachindividual feel goodabout themselves.Most people enjoycompetition if theplaying field is level. Itis important to besupportive; youryouth will work hardas long as they haveyour support. “Goingto school was hardbecause I felt badabout my weight, butnow I am able to goto school withoutbeing embarrassed,”says Rippley. “Now, with 23 less pounds, play-ing sports is much easier and a lot more fun.I loved the program, I love being 20 poundslighter, and I have never felt better (oh, yeah —the girls swarm around me now).”

Marketing your programOnce your program is designed, it must be

marketed within your facility, as well as to thecommunity. This can be done through your in-house newsletter, and at health fairs, hospitalsand schools. The local newspaper is anotherway to market new programs within your facil-ity. It is much easier to market your programonce you have positive results. As positiveresults are established, contacting the localmedia to run a story on the unique features ofyour program is a great way to springboard tothe next level. Word of mouth is a great mar-keting tool, so always be positive about changesand/or growth within your facility.

What challenges can you expect?Any time a new program is implemented,

obstacles will arise. Keeping people motivatedis a challenge in any fitness facility, let alone ayouth weight-loss program. There are manygroups of people toconsider with thisprogram, such as theinstructors, the par-ents and the youth.Interestingly, thebiggest challenge ofthe three groups isthe parents. They areresponsible for bring-ing youth to yourfacility, as well asmaking sure they

follow through outside of class. Parents areresponsible for providing healthy meals and anenvironment where youth are able to be suc-cessful (i.e., arriving to class on time).

Other challenges you will face may just comefrom within your own organization. Often,events will compete with each other. Seasonalevents and/or classes can cause difficulty in theexclusive use of an exercise studio or gymna-sium. The use of a free weight room or circuittraining studio may cause conflict with the gen-eral membership. Communication is the key tosuccess in any environment. It is also impor-tant to have complete support from all staffmembers in your facility; a program can onlygo so far unless it is fully supported. FM

Ryan Vogt has a B.S. in sports and fitness man-agement, and is an NASM-certified personaltrainer, a freelance writer and presenter. He isthe fitness director at the Tri-City Court Club, aprivate fitness center in Kennewick, Wash.(www.tricitycourtclub.com). For more informationon Tri-City Court Club’s youth weight-loss pro-gram, contact him at [email protected] 509 783-5465.

EMPOWER Your Fitness Center’s Youth

The Tri-City Court Club, Kennewick, Wash., developed its own youth weight-loss program titled EMPOWER.

Basics. The program is 12 weeks long, and each session has eight to 10participants. The class is open to youth ages six through 15. Each 12-weeksession generates $2,500 in revenue, and has a 60-percent profit margin.The average weight loss per participant is 10 pounds. The most weight lostby a participant to date is 25 pounds.

Program components.The program consists of weekly group meetings involv-ing parents and youth, as well as three group workouts with a personal trainer.Each week, the program is divided into a fitness topic and activities. Topics focusmainly on nutrition, but also fitness, and range from smart goal setting, to exchang-ing food in your menu, serving sizes, nutrition labels, weight lifting, heart ratetraining and more. Activities include strength training and cardio drills, fitnessactivities such as indoor cycling and cardio equipment training, and sports activ-ities such as rock climbing, racquetball, dodgeball, basketball and swimming.

Challenges. One challenge the program faces is a lack of space. For the pro-gram to grow any further, scheduling and space availability must be considered.


Management’s website. Below is a list of related articles that you can find online:1. Preventing Obesity in Children. By Barbara A. Brehm (May 1997). In the

category “Children” from the Library of Articles link in the left menu atwww.fitnessmanagement.com, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/clip/clip0597.html

2. Child’s Play: Fitness Programs for Children. By Debra Atkinson (May 2006).In the category “Children” from the Library of Articles link, or atwww.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/0506-childs-play.html

3. After-School Fitness. By Julie Anne Eason (May 2006). In the category “Chil-dren” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/0506-kid-camp.htm


A PHYSICALLY ACTIVE lifestyle offers signif-icant health benefits, and is now recognizedas one of the most important behaviors forhealth and well-being. Regular physical activ-ity helps individuals of all ages to build andmaintain healthy bones, muscles and joints,control body weight, reduce fat, and developefficient functioning of the heart and lungs.Physical inactivity is recognized as a criticalhealth issue, and is related to many prevent-able diseases.

While these health benefits are long term,your members want results now. Their goalsare related to weight loss, greater cardiovascu-lar efficiency, stronger muscles and bones,more energy and less stress. They are lookingfor encouragement, direction, a varied work-out and feedback from a knowledgeableinstructor. What better environment thangroup indoor cycling to provide members withall they want, and more?

Be mindful that it is not safe or physiolog-ically sound to perform activities on a groupcycling bike that do not customarily take place

on a road or mountain bike. Cyclists wouldnot ride without a seat, use rubber bands ordumbbells, or ride without hands. Sticking tothe basic principles of biomechanics, bike fit,nomenclature and conditioning will allow fora fun and safe environment, with minimal riskof injury and attrition.

To help members get results, instructorsshould adhere to some general principles ofsports conditioning to allow participants to getthe most from their activity.

The principle of individual differenceEach individual’s response to exercise will

vary. A proper program should be modified totake individual differences into account. Gen-erally consider these known facts:

• Fast or explosive movements require morerecovery time than slow movements.

• Fast-twitch muscle fibers recover quickerthan slow-twitch muscle fibers.

• Women generally need more recovery timethan men (due to heart size, stroke volumeand muscle size).

• Older individuals generally need morerecovery time than younger individuals.

• The greater the load/intensity, the longerit will take muscles to recover.

A good instructor will be able to conduct aclass, maintain everyone’s attention and giveeach participant the ride they came for.Remember, it is not the instructors’ ride; theyare there to provide encouragement, entertain-ment, instruction and fun for the participants.Teaching off the bike is a good way to pro-vide individual attention, and an opportunityfor the instructor to interact with each partic-ipant in a meaningful way.

The principle of overloadThe principle of overload states that a

greater than normal stress or load on thebody is required for training adaptation totake place. The body will adapt to this stim-ulus. Once the body has adapted, a differentstimulus is required to continue the change.For a muscle (including the heart) to gainstrength, it must be gradually stressed by


working against a load greater than it isaccustomed. To increase endurance, musclesmust work for a longer period of time thanthey are used to.

With this in mind, instructors should selectmusic that reflects the type of training theyare offering. Music selection is critical tomotivate members to gain the level of per-formance outlined in the class structure.Instructors are encouraged to put togethertheir own playlists to accomplish the goals ofthe ride. With the increased popularity ofMP3 players and music websites, this processis simple and will motivate the participantsto be more engaged in the ride. Personalizedmusic, a heart rate monitor and knowledgeof individualize heart rate intensities willensure the “perfect” ride.

The principle of progressionThe principle of progression implies that

there is an optimal level of overload, and anoptimal time frame for this overload to occur.Overload should not be increased too slowly,or improvement is unlikely. Overload that isincreased too rapidly will result in injury ormuscle damage. Exercising above the targetzone is counterproductive and can be danger-ous. This fact alone should encourage allinstructors to familiarize themselves with thelatest technology related to physiological test-

ing and heart rate training.One product that is interesting, engaging

and motivational and that will provide

intrigue, safety and fitness enhancement intogroup cycling classes is the Suunto Team POD.The POD allows instructors to monitor theheart rate and physiology of up to 30 partici-pants simultaneously. It wirelessly gathers per-formance information from participants’ heartrate belts and displays it in real time on a com-puter screen.

The principle of progression also indicatesthe need for proper rest and recovery. Con-tinual stress on the body and constant over-load will result in exhaustion and injury.Instructors should caution class participantsagainst repetitive intense sessions. Providingvariety in the class schedule will keep mem-bers motivated and injury-free.

The principle of adaptationAdaptation is the way the body “programs”

muscles to remember particular activities,movements or skills. By repeating a skill oractivity, the body adapts to the stress, and theskill becomes easier to perform. Adaptationexplains why beginning cyclists are sore afterthe first session, but, after a few classes, theyhave accommodated to the ride and the seatpressure. Proper bike fit and appropriate cloth-ing will enhance enjoyment and keep partici-pants coming back, as well.

Bike fit is a critical factor. Seat heightshould allow for a 15-degree flex in therider’s knee when the foot is at the bottom(dead center). A good rule of thumb is toalign the bottom of the seat with the greatertrochanter of the hip (bump at the top ofthe outside of the thigh). Then have therider “mount up” and look for the appropri-ate flex in the knee.

With the seat appropriately adjusted, havethe rider get on the bike, clip in (or get intotoe cages) and assume the 9 o’clock/3 o’clockposition with the feet. With the feet horizon-tal to the floor, adjust the seat fore/aft posi-tion so that the knee aligns just behind thebig toe of the foot at 9 o’clock.

With the rider seated in the saddle and thehands resting on the tops of the handle bars,adjust the handle bar fore/aft position so that

The SuuntoTeam POD


the rider’s back is flat, the elbows are flexedabout 15 degrees and the neck is in a neu-tral position.

The handle bar and seat height are usuallythe same to start off, but seasoned riders willlower the handle bars, and those withneck/back issues will raise the handle bars, asa general observation. Also, these basic adjust-

ments are subject torevision based onindividual anatomy,prior injury or per-sonal preference. Anappropriate “bike fit”should be performedfor each individualrider to ensure theirenjoyment, optimalperformance andsafety.

Clothing is equallyimportant. Cyclingshorts make the ridemore comfortable,protect the anatomy,prevent chaffing andprovide safety (looseclothing will getcaught in the pedals,cranks, seat andhandle bars, resultingin serious injury).Cycling shorts withsynthetic or realchamois is a “bestfit.” A cycling jerseyor snug fitting topwith “wicking” mate-rial will add addi-tional comfort to theride. Cycling shoes

with clips give optimal performance. If sneak-ers are worn, they should have a stiff side wallto minimize “toe squeeze” when secured in thetoe baskets with toe straps. Be sure all lacesare tucked in to avoid getting caught in thecrank or pedal.

Don’t forget the water bottle and towel.Encourage class participants to drink early andoften for optimal hydration, which will allowmaintenance of the desired heart rate, mini-mize cardiac drift, decrease dehydration andenhance enjoyment.

These recommendations are open to inter-pretation, but safety, comfort and performanceare the desired outcome.

The principle of use/disuseThe principle of use/disuse implies “use it

or lose it.” Simply stated, muscles hypertro-phy (grow) with use, and atrophy (shrink)with disuse. It is important to find a balancebetween stress and rest. There must be peri-ods of low intensity between periods of highintensity to allow for recovery. The periodsof lower-intensity riding, or the rest phase,

are a prime time for education, concentra-tion on pedal cadence/contact and pearls ofinstructor wisdom. A good instructor will setup an annual plan of periodization for classparticipants.

Some additional tools will enhance thedelivery of the workout, and give the instruc-tor additional information about each rider.A heart rate monitor is basic, essential gearfor group cycling. If participants know theirheart rate levels, this will allow for optimal per-formance, efficiency, safety and enjoyment.Knowing anaerobic threshold (AT) will allowthe rider the appropriate numbers to achievesuccess in a safe environment. There is no needto go to the max or theorize what max is. ATis the magic number, and class structure canfollow this scale:

AT–20 = Warm-up and recoveryAT–10 = Optimal “fat” use and fitness

improvementAT= Optimal in overall aerobic (cardiovas-

cular) improvementAT+10 = Anaerobic endurance

improvementAT+15 to 20 = High-intensity intervals used

to improve anaerobic metabolism and sprintperformance, and raise VO2max

This is a simplified chart. For more detailand explanation, see Figure 1 (Heart RateRationale Chart).

There are several commercially availabledevices to monitor heart rate and cadence.Polar offers several monitors for heart rateand other variables. Caloric expenditure isthe hot item these days, and everyone is onthe march to accurately calculate caloricexpenditure. Other options include the Star

Figure 1. Polar’s Heart Rate Chart provides guidelines for different age groups.

CycleOps offers an indoor cycle that has position variability and ability to measure power and heart rate.

Polar offers several monitors for heart rateand other variables.


Trac Spinning computer, which providescadence, heart rate and elapsed time, and theLeMond Rev Master cycling computer,among others.

The principle of specificityThe specificity principle simply states that

training must go from highly general tohighly specific. The principle of specificityalso implies that, to become better at a par-ticular exercise or skill, that exercise or skillmust be performed. To be a good cyclist, aperson must cycle. Therefore, just becauseinstructors are good at instructing yoga,dance or strength training doesn’t mean theycan teach group cycling. There are manyvalid and credible cycling certifications avail-able, but there are also a lot of poor/anec-dotal offerings in the industry. Some credibleprograms include Mad Dogg Athletics,Schwinn, Rev Master and Body Cycle, toname a few. Programs based in the scienceof cycling and sound physiology will be cred-ible and worth study.

Specificity of training in cycling should

incorporate the principle of power. As cyclistsbecome more efficient and look to improvetheir performance, measuring power is imper-ative. Power is the measure of force producedover time, and is expressed in watts. Powertells riders how they are responding to a givenload (intensity). By measuring both powerand heart rate, the individual and the instruc-tor have a clear picture of intensity vs.response. Measuring these variables providesa solid foundation for cycling performanceand enjoyment.

Indoor cycles that measure power are lim-

ited in the fitness market. CycleOps offers anindoor cycle that has position variability andability to measure power and heart rate.

Variety is contagiousProviding variety in the cycling studio will

cultivate participation, from beginners to pro-ficient cyclists. A varied offering of program-ming will keep participants engaged andmotivated, and allow for progression as theyadvance in fitness level and proficiency. Onceput together, the most logical cycling programinvolves a periodized approach that varies theintensity and training objectives. The pro-gram must be specific not only to cycling, butto each individual’s abilities (tolerance totraining stress, recoverability, outside influ-ences, etc.). The training load must increaseover time (allowing some workouts to be lessintense than others), and members must cycleoften enough to keep a detraining effect fromhappening and to force a positive trainingadaptation.

Group cycling is contagious! With theright environment, instructor and equip-

ment, the program will grow in members,popularity and profitability. If you are con-sidering starting a group cycling program,talk to manufacturers and attend tradeshows where there are a variety of groupcycle vendors and instructional programs.Try the bikes, talk to the professionals, makeyour selection, get certified, practice andlaunch the program.

Cycling is a fun, low-impact, easy-to-doactivity that can be done at any level. Chil-dren can ride, as well. The Jr. Cycle by Millen-nium Fitness is designed for youth cyclists.Don’t wait! Initiate or enhance your cyclingofferings today. FM

Stephen A. Black, M.Ed, PT, ATC/L, NSCA-CPT,has taught group cycling, and has conductedcycling clinics and workshops for more than 10years. He has honed his skills since his firsttriathlon in 1985. He resides in Boulder, Colo.,where he runs a human performance facilityproviding testing, exercise prescription andresearch in the fitness/performance industries.He can be reached at www.clubcoach.net.

Group Cycling Stands the Test of TimeBy John BaudhuinDespite the growing number of group exercise programs, group cycling is still among the mostpopular. This is no surprise to Master Spinning Instructor Sherri Crilly of Elements Health Cluband Wellness Center in Toms River, N.J. Crilly, who has taught Spinning since 1999, believes theprogram has longevity and is not just another trend because, among its benefits, it offers amind/body connection. In fact, she credits the mental component of this particular group exercisefor changing her life.

One of the advantages of group cycling is that beginners and pros can be in the same classand not even know it. This creates a comfortable environment for students because they neverfeel embarrassed, since they go at their own pace. “It’s not about pedaling as fast as you can, it’sabout going at your own pace and creating a workout that’s ideal for you,” says Crilly.

As many fitness instructors know, keeping students motivated is one of their biggest challenges.When students don’t feel inspired, they fail to meet their goals and ultimately drop out of exer-cise classes. Crilly says she feels it’s important for herself and each of her five Spinning instruc-tors to keep up with their continuing education classes. “Maintaining credentials keeps instructorson top of new trends,” she says, “and also gives them the coaching skills that helps them makethat connection with their students.”

John Baudhuin is president and CEO of Mad Dogg Athletics, an international fitness educationand equipment company based in Venice, Calif.

Get More Information Online!If you found this article useful, you can read more about this topic on Fitness Management’s website. Below

is a list of related articles that you can find online:1. Launching an Indoor Cycling Program. By Tatiana Kolovou (May 2000). In the category “Group Exercise”

from the Library of Articles link in the left menu at www.fitnessmanagement.com, or atwww.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/groupex/cycle0500.html

2. A Safety Checklist for Group Cycling Classes. By Richard P. Borkowski (February 2005). In the category“Group Exercise” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/groupex/groupsafe0205.html

3. Group Cycling: Unique, Powerful and Profitable. By Steven Renata (December 2005). In the category“Group Exercise” from the Library of Articles link, or at www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/articles/library/groupex/groupcycle1205.html

The Star Trac Spinningcomputer providescadence, heart rate andelapsed time.


This March, the second annualBash for Augie’s Quest will beheld to raise funds for researchto find a cure for ALS. The role thatthe fitness industry plays is crucial formany reasons. Here’s how you can help.

By Ronale Tucker Rhodes, M.S., Editorial Director


IT’S IMPORTANT THAT fitness professionalsunderstand the role they play in society. Whilethe perception by many may be that the indus-try strives to make people beautiful, the truthis that the main goal is to make people healthy.Fitness is merely one small piece of the health-care puzzle, but, according to research duringthe past decade and more, it is a crucial pieceof that puzzle.

Fitness is part of a healthy lifestyle that actsas preventive medicine. But, sometimes pre-ventive measures can take a different form —different than what we’re normally used to pre-scribing. Our facilities and staff can providesome of the best products, programs and pre-scriptions available to help people become andstay healthy. But those things don’t help whenit comes to some forms of disease, such as ALS(better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Yet, justbecause we can’t help with such a disease withour ‘standard’ methods doesn’t mean that wecan’t help at all. We can, and we should.

The Henry Ford of the exercise industryPerhaps the main reason we should help is

for Augie Nieto — a pioneer of our industrywho, two years ago, was diagnosed with ALS.Whereas men like Norm Cates and JohnMcCarthy pioneered the industry by buildingfitness facilities and setting standards, Nietopioneered what would be the staple of thosefacilities: equipment. That’s why Cates, afounder of IHRSA and publisher of ClubInsider News, has dubbed Nieto the “HenryFord of the exercise industry.” In an articlepublished in the Orange County Register (Oct.28, 2005), Cates is quoted as saying, “Titan isa good word. Legend is a good word. Andfriend to the industry are the best words. With-out Augie Nieto’s work on [the] Lifecycle, 25,30 years ago, the health club industry clearly

wouldn’t be what it’s like today.”Nieto began his career in the fitness indus-

try while he was in college, where he did a classproject on starting a strength-training gym,which he opened. He then sold his gym to pur-chase the marketing rights to Family FitnessCenters founder Ray Wilson’s Lifecycle, andafter a lot of hard work, determination and astrong belief in the product, he eventually suc-ceeded in making the Lifecycle a staple in fit-ness centers across the U.S. Adding other piecesof equipment to his company’s line, Life Fit-ness became one of the world’s largest fitnessequipment makers. In 1997, he sold Life Fit-ness for $310 million. Nieto is now the chair-man of Octane Fitness, based in Minnesota,which designs and distributes elliptical trainers.

But his life as an active leader in the fitnessindustry is perilously coming to a close. Thereis no known cure for ALS, and most individ-uals diagnosed with the disease die withinthree to five years. According to the ALS Asso-ciation’s website, ALS “is a progressive neu-rodegenerative disease that affects nerve cellsin the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neu-rons reach from the brain to the spinal cordand from the spinal cord to the musclesthroughout the body. … When the motorneurons die, the ability of the brain to initi-ate and control muscle movement is lost. Withvoluntary muscle action progressively affected,patients in the later stages of the disease maybecome totally paralyzed. Yet, through it all,for the vast majority of people, their mindsremain unaffected.”

As of this printing, Nieto is losing musclecontrol, and his speech is slurred. "The ironyof it all is that I’ve spent my whole life tryingto preach the benefits of fitness,” says Nieto.

But, now, while the disease is taking all of thosebenefits away, it has also given him a wholenew strength and determination.

The Lou Gehrig of the 21st centuryAt 48 years old, Nieto is battling ALS on all

fronts. He and his wife, Lynne, teamed up withthe Muscular Dystrophy Association, whichprovides research, medical services and edu-cation for more than 40 neuromuscular dis-eases, including ALS. They formed “Augie’sQuest,” an ALS foundation to raise researchfunds for the disease, and they currently serveas co-chairs of the Muscular Dystrophy Asso-ciation’s ALS Division.

He then looked to Translation GenomicsResearch Institute (TGen), a nonprofit groupin Phoenix, Ariz., that uses gene screening toseek targets for various diseases. In March 2006,his ALS foundation partnered with TGen, eachoffering matching funds of $650,000 forresearch to find ALS-related genes. Their hopeis that, if they can find the genes that causethe disease, maybe they can find a cure. By lateSeptember 2006, the team had identified 50genes with some association to ALS, and theynarrowed that down to about 25 that appearto play a bigger role in the disease.

Today, Nieto has made the search for anALS cure his job. “Because there are very fewpeople who actually understand the disease,Lou Gehrig’s disease is sort of forgotten,” saysRon Hamelgarn, Nieto’s long-time friend andowner of 21st Century Super Fitness in Toledo,Ohio. “When Augie got sick, [he] wanted tomake a difference. To me, he has become theLou Gehrig of the 21st Century.”

Nieto compares his vision for the fitnessindustry with his work today for ALS research.

Augie Nieto, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s dis-ease two years ago, and his wife, Lynne, have made ittheir quest to raise funds for research to find a cure forALS. The first annual Bash for Augie’s Quest, held inMarch 2006 at the IHRSA Convention and Trade Show,Las Vegas, Nev., raised $2.8 million for ALS research.

How to Attend the BashIndividuals can attend the Bash for Augie’s Quest on Friday, March 30, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.,by purchasing sponsorships and/or tickets. Tickets are $300 each. Sponsorships include Ambas-sador for $3,000, Bronze for $10,000, Silver for $20,000, Gold for $30,000 and Platinum $50,000.All sponsorships include reserved tables for 10 people in assigned seating sections.

To purchase sponsorships and/or tickets for the Bash for Augie’s Quest, contact the MDA OrangeCounty office at 714 550-0161 or visit www.augiesquest.com.


His determination to spread the word of whatthe Lifecycle could do for the industry “wastruly a passion of spreading the word andleveraging technology that was available toallow people to exercise, where in the past, theycouldn’t,” he explains. “The tools for genomicsand stem cells that weren’t available two yearsago are available today.”And, any research find-ings related to ALS “will have implications fora lot of neuromuscular diseases.”

Your role in Augie’s BashIn March 2006, the first annual Bash for

Augie’s Quest was held at the IHRSA Con-vention and Trade Show in Las Vegas. TheBash raised $2.8 million dollars, all of whichwent to research a cure for ALS. But mostpeople could never fathom the cost of con-ducting that research. Every minute of ALSresearch costs $65. Translated: A full day (24hours) of research for ALS costs $31,200. Themoney raised at the first Bash may seem likea lot, but it only resulted in 90 days of research.Much more needs to be done.

Next month, the second annual Bash forAugie’s Quest will be held at the IHRSA Con-vention and Trade Show on March 30 in SanFrancisco. Attendees can participate by pur-chasing sponsorships and/or tickets. Sponsor-ships range from $3,000 to $50,000, and ticketprices are $300 each. During the event, therewill also be silent and live auctions, as well asa research-minute auction. The event will sellout at 1,500 guests.

All fitness professionals, attendees at theconvention or not, are urged to attend theBash to help raise funds for ALS research. It’sa good cause, but it’s also a good party. Theevent will be emceed by Olympic GoldMedalist Summer Sanders, and there will besome outstanding auction items, which, asof this printing, cannot yet be released. How-ever, the caliber of auction items is said tobe equal to last year’s, or better. For those whodidn’t attend last year, the biggest sellers werea one-on-one basketball game with MagicJohnson, and a signed Lance Armstrong bike.There will also be comedic performances(one of whom is rumored to be RobinWilliams), but names are not confirmed atthis point due to filming schedules. And, toround out the evening, one of Nieto’s favoritebands is scheduled to play.

Our industry can make a differenceWhether it’s through a program of fitness

or of rallying our colleagues and members toget behind a cause to help people become and

stay healthy, our industry can make a differ-ence. We should get involved for Augie Nieto,as well as for all of the other people affectedby ALS, many of whom, no doubt, have comethrough our fitness facilities’ doors. ALS is notpicky. As Nieto says of his own diagnosis, “Itcan happen to anybody at any time.”

The early returns on the Bash, according toNieto, are unbelievable. “The people who gave$15,000 [last year,] are giving $50,000,” he says.“It’s almost like we proved to the industry

[last] March that we could all come together.”And, that’s what our industry is doing. AsLance Armstrong said, “I think it says a lotabout Augie — the fact that everybody cametogether regardless of whether they are fromcompeting gyms or competing companies thatmake equipment. They all say, ‘This is one ofour own. This is a guy who has committedhis life to our industry, and who has been dealta serious blow. We’re going to be there for him.We’re part of the ‘Quest.’” FM

Augie’s Quest Can Be Every Club’s QuestEvery fitness facility can make a difference for a cause. In this case, one facility owner is showingothers how grassroots fundraising has helped to raise funds for Augie’s Quest, while at the sametime garnering respect and awe from its members. Ron Hamelgarn, a long-time friend of AugieNieto’s, had ties to the Muscular Dystrophy Association prior to Nieto being diagnosed with ALS(Lou Gehrig’s disease). As owner of 21st Century Super Fitness, Toledo, Ohio, Hamelgarn knowshis facility and its members can make a difference.

The Club QuestThe club’s first fundraiser was simple, yet

effective. “We had these round mobiles withAugie’s picture on one side, and, on the otherside, [there were] pictures of others withALS,” Hamelgarn says. The mobiles weresold to members for any amount of money.“The trainers [who train on Life Fitness equip-ment] would explain to the members aboutAugie’s Quest and how Augie was behind theLife Fitness Products,” says Hamelgarn. It wasup to the members what to donate. “We hadsome people give $1, some gave $10, some gave $100,” says Hamelgarn. “We actually coveredour walls with these circles, so, when you first walked into the fitness center, all the walls werecovered with these Augie’s Quest circles with the people’s names who donated on them.” Theresult was $3,600 for ALS research.

With such a success, Hamelgarn knew they could do more. Last November, he decided on afootball fundraiser. “In November each year, when the University of Michigan and Ohio State playeach other, it’s almost like a Super Bowl,” says Hamelgarn. So, they put the club’s trainers intheir favorite colors — red for Ohio and blue for Michigan — as a promotion to sell the shirts toraise funds. Members bought their favorite color shirt for a total of $1,100 raised for ALS research.

Giving back to societyHamelgarn’s commitment to help Augie’s Quest is about friendship, but it’s also about soci-

ety. “His [Nieto’s] quest to bring this to the forefront has become a quest of mine … becausewe’ve been friends for 25 years,” says Hamelgarn. “If I can help in any way, if I can come up withideas, I’ll do that, because I think he would do the same for me if the tables were turned.”

But, as Hamelgarn explains, “There’s a personal commitment, but there’s also a commitmentto our members to give back to society and show our community involvement.” Diseases such asALS touch many people. “It’s quite amazing to me how many people come up to me and say ‘Ihave a sister-in-law [or other relative/friend] who has this disease,’” says Hamelgarn. “What wehave found is that members love to be charitable. Members have a very positive opinion of youif you’re giving back to society and if your company is giving back to the community.”

Hamelgarn’s examples of grassroots fundraising can be done at any fitness facility. All youhave to do, explains Hamelgarn, is have a theme and something to rally around. Augie’s Quest isdefinitely something to rally around. “I wonder, if every health club in the country [did this], howmuch that would bring in,” asks Hamelgarn. “If you figure 29,000 health clubs could do some-thing like that, we’re taking major [money].” Indeed. If you multiply $4,700 by 29,000 clubs, that’s$136,300,000. Now, that could fund some ALS research!

Ron Hamelgarn, owner of 21st Century Super Fitness,also owns his own racing team, Hamelgarn Racing.Hamelgarn’s quest is to help raise funds for Augie’sQuest — complete with a slogan printed on his race car.

http://www.motususa.com


THE 1998 publication Why PeopleQuit, published by the Interna-tional Health, Racquet andSportsclub Association (IHRSA),Boston, Mass., highlighted the fit-ness industry’s understanding ofwhy people quit their member-ships, and the steps facilities needto take to reduce this exodus. Twoyears later, IHRSA released asecond publication, Why PeopleStay: Health Club Member Reten-tion Research and Best Practices.This resource provided furtherevidence about the variables influ-encing an individual’s desire toremain a member of a fitnesscenter, and shared some strategiesused by several of the top cluboperators to enhance retention.

In 2001, just one year later, theFitness Industry Association in theUnited Kingdom released Winningthe Retention Battle, a six-partreport on the forces driving attri-tion and retention in the U.K. fit-ness industry. It not only identifiedthe reasons why people maintainand/or drop their membership,but it also identified strategies thatfacility operators could execute tohelp win the retention battle.

These publications representthe tip of the iceberg when itcomes to articles, presentationsand reports written and espousedby industry experts that addressthe topic of membership attritionand retention. As a result of thesepublications, and the continueddissemination of information onthe topics, retention has becomeone of the hottest areas of con-cern in our industry. For exam-ple, just last year, IHRSA adoptedFace to Face, a program devel-oped by Paul Brown of Australia,as its official member retentionprogram. In a similar vein,Duncan Green, CEO of Momen-

tum Business Devel-opment in the U.K.,introduced adynamic member-ship retention pro-gram for the U.K.market. Collectively,these efforts (writtenand programmatic)offer a meaningfulsignal that the fitnessindustry needs toaddress and solve theattrition puzzle.

Why attrition is soimportant

An old saying states, “a pennysaved is a penny earned.” By thesame token, for the fitness indus-try,“a member saved is a member

sold.” Such a point is particularlyrelevant because commonwisdom states that the cost to savea membership is far less expensivethan the cost to sell one. Doingwhatever you can to retain mem-bers can be a more profitablestrategy than selling more mem-berships if you want to experiencecontinuous business growth.

The value of this strategy is illus-trated in statistics contained inIHRSA’s 2005 Profiles of Success,which show that the averageIHRSA club of 60,000 square feetor greater has the following profile:

• Average memberships: 4,670• Average membership fees at

joining: $249

• Average annual dues: $882• Average non-dues revenue: $545• Average length of membership:

3.2 years (based on retention level)• Average number of members

who drop their membership eachyear: 1,225

Based on this data, a typicalfacility member is worth approx-imately $5,364 to the facility, anamount that does not include thevalue of their referrals. As such,the average 60,000-plus square-foot IHRSA facility has approxi-mately $7,713,202 worth ofmembers who quit each year. Inother words, facilities have to sellan incredible number of newmemberships to turn the faucetoff, let alone let the sink fill up.As this example indicates, the fit-ness industry has become all tooadept at throwing money away —an attribute that reinforces whymembership retention is soimportant. Obviously, facilitiesthat are able to win the “retentionbattle” are in a better position togenerate long-term revenue andsustain profit growth. FM

Editor’s Note: For a different per-spective on this issue, read the Inde-pendent Issues column on page 51.

Operations BY STEPHEN THARRETT, M.S., AND JAMES A. PETERSON, PH.D., F.A.C.S.M.

Retention plays

a significant role

in your fitness

center’s operations.

Membership Attrition and Club Profitability, Part 1

STEPHEN THARRETT is pres-ident of Club Industry Con-sulting, a fitness and sportsindustry consulting com-pany. He has spent almostthree decades in various

roles in the industry, ranging from servingas a director of athletics to being a seniorvice president with ClubCorp, Dallas, Texas.He is a past president of IHRSA and co-editor of the second and third editions ofthe ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Stan-dards and Guidelines. Recently, he wroteand produced a comprehensive textbookand DVD series for the industry, both enti-tled Fitness Management, both of whichcan be purchased from Healthy Learningonline at www.healthylearning.com or bycalling 888 229-5745.

JAMES PETERSON, Ph.D.,FACSM, is a sports medicineconsultant, fellow of theAmerican College of SportsMedicine, a former facultymember at the United

States Military Academy and a former direc-tor of sports medicine for StairMasterSports/Medical Products Inc.

Facilities that are able

to win the ‘retention

battle’ are in a better

position to generate

long-term revenue.

Management Matters


EVERY YEAR, as facility owners doall over the world, my businesspartner and I craft a marketingand advertising budget. We thenrefine our spending throughoutthe year and, before you know it,it’s time to start all over again. Eachtime we go through this exercise, Ihear these often-said words in myhead: “Selling a new membershipis more expensive than keeping anexisting one.” Sometimes, I hearthe actual number in my head: Isit five times more expensive? Tentimes? I’m never quite sure, butthat message keeps popping up,like an annoying tune you justheard on the radio. And, this littlefact is just as annoying.

I understand the spirit of themessage. It is, after all, quiteexpensive to run advertisements,receive visits by prospects, assignthem to sales people, provide anorientation, follow up, etc. Sales,marketing and advertising can bea huge percentage of a fitnesscenter’s expenses. Keeping cus-tomers, on the other hand, has animmediate payoff. Every memberprovides monthly dues, and canalso provide health bar and proshop sales, personal training andtanning revenue, referrals of othermembers, etc. But when messageslike this are repeated oftenenough, they tend to be taken asunquestioned truths. And severalaspects of this message bother me.

Which is more worthy?One thing that bothers me

about this statement is the impli-cation that retention efforts aresomehow more worthy than salesefforts. Now, if you’ve read this far(and thank you for that!), I’d likeyou to guess — is my small cluba sales- or retention-focused oper-ation? You may be surprised to

learn that we are retention- andservice-focused. We don’t evenhave sales people. Our trainersand front desk people do our salesand, I must admit, I typically hatewalking into a sales-based fitnesscenter. The rows of cubicles withsales people seem more appropri-ate for a car dealer than a fitnessfacility. However, if such sales-focused facilities weren’t success-ful financially, they wouldn’tcontinue to exist and thrive. Manyof these fitness centers are someof the most widely known and

respected businesses in our indus-try. I certainly believe that if therewere a less expensive way for themto be as successful as they are,they’d take it.

Which is less expensive?Which brings me to the second

thing that bothers me about thismessage: I don’t believe it. I maynot like the particular businessmodel of a sales-driven facility, andtheir clubs might not be for me,but I certainly respect them. And,sometimes I envy them. That’sbecause retaining members is hardwork and it’s expensive — moreexpensive than most people realize.Almost every dollar we spend onour business goes to customerservice and keeping our membersas satisfied as possible in order tokeep their business for another day.

If our daycare gets too crowded,we bring in the emergency babysit-ter. If we fill up our group cycling

classes, we add more. If we canmake a case for new equipmentthat will be popular with members,we buy it. If we have valuable staffmembers, we reward them. If amember hasn’t been to the facilityfor a few weeks, we contact them.And yes, we have member appre-ciation events, seminars, newslet-ters and many other things that fallunder the formal banner of “reten-tion.” But, it’s the daily operation ofour business that is our singlebiggest retention effort.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s allworth it. Our experience, which isconsistent with industry data, isthat approximately 30 percent ofmembers quit each year due tofactors beyond the our control —relocation, changes in work sched-ules, family crises and other lifefactors. So, while we are trackingevery member’s attendance, con-tacting them when they are notshowing up, and helping them tostay motivated and successful,we’re going to lose a whole bunchof them anyway.

I know that our efforts to serveand retain members are, in fact,worth it for us, and our businessmodel has proven successful overthe years. We have proactivelychosen not to pursue aggressivesales techniques because (amongother reasons) we want the rightkind of members who will, hope-fully, respond to and appreciatethe services we provide. We havefound that when we “talked”people into a membership, andthey really weren’t ready to join,they didn’t stick with it.

So, our model is right for us.But, all of those costs make mewonder just who is doing themath that says finding a new cus-tomer is more expensive thankeeping an existing one. FM

Independent Issues BY ROB BISHOP

Everybody says keeping

members is less expensive

than finding new ones.

But, is it really?

Retention vs. Sales Costs: A Re-Examination

Rob Bishop is the ownerof Elevations Health Club, Scotrun, Pa.(www.elevationshealthclub.com). He can bereached at [email protected] at 570 620-1990.

When messages are

repeated often

enough, they tend

to be taken as

unquestioned truths.


IT’S SCARY, but true. Some liabil-ity insurance available for healthand fitness facilities will not pro-vide either a defense or indemni-fication from certain bodily injurylawsuits against those facilities.

In one case [York InsuranceCompany v. Houston WellnessCenter Inc. (2003) 261 Ga.App.854], a lawsuit was filed by a fit-ness center member (Vandalinda)against the defendant facility. Van-dalinda alleged that she was giveninstructions by one of Houston’semployees on the use of variousexercise machines. At the time ofher injury, Vandalinda was usingan exercise machine that developsthe triceps. Vandalinda tried torelease the machine using herarms, as she had been instructedto do by Houston’s employee.However, the complaint allegedthat the machine “improperlyreleased from Vandalinda’s control‘due to improper instructions’given by the employee and, as aresult, Vandalinda experiencedpain in her left arm, for whichsurgery was later required.”

A language barrierHouston Wellness Center appar-

ently turned the matter over to itsinsurance carrier to defend the suit.But York Insurance Company, acommercial general liability insurer,sought a court ruling that it had noduty to defend the facility, based onthe explicit language of the insur-ance policy it issued. The policy con-tained the following exclusion fromcoverage: “This insurance does notapply to ‘bodily injury,’ ‘propertydamage’or ‘personal and advertisinginjury’ arising out of the renderingof or failure to render any service,treatment, advice or instructionrelating to physical fitness, includ-ing services or advice in connection

with diet, cardiovascu-lar fitness, body build-ing or physical trainingprograms.”

Though the trialcourt ruled in favorof the facility, theinsurance companyappealed — andwon. The case file bythe member againstthe facility was deter-mined not to bewithin the coverageof its liability insur-ance policy with theinsurer. The facilitywas not provided with an insur-ance-paid defense or payment ofany judgment that could be ren-dered in the case.

Review policies nowIn support of this ruling, the

appellate court noted that “aninsurance policy is governed by

the ordinary rules of contract con-struction. The hallmark of con-struct construction is to ascertainthe intention of the parties(OCGA §3-2-3). However, whenthe terms of a written contract areclear and unambiguous, the courtis to look to the contract alone tofind the parties’ intent. UnderGeorgia law, an insurance com-pany is free to fix the terms of itspolicies as it sees fit, so long as suchterms are not contrary to law, andit is equally free to insure againstcertain risks while excluding others.An insurers’ duty to defend is

determined by comparing the alle-gations of the complaint with theprovisions of the policy.”

Exclusions from insurance cov-erage similar to those identified inthe Georgia case may sometimesbe contained within manyhealth/fitness facility liabilityinsurance policies. While it maycome as a surprise to some thatcertain services normally carriedout in such facilities may not becovered, once such gaps in cover-age are identified, steps can thenbe taken to correct the deficiency.These steps might include secur-ing additional and different insur-ance coverage, limiting service,employing alternative outsideservice providers that have theapplicable insurance coverage, andusage of a waiver and/or expressassumption of risk documents orother similar risk-managementstrategies. In any case, facilitiesneed to review their insurancepolicy coverage terms beforeclaims ever arise. FM

REFERENCE

Herbert, D.L. Picking the right lia-bility insurance. Fitness Man-agement 12(9):48, 1996.

Risk Management BY DAVID L. HERBERT, J.D.

When a member sued one

Georgia fitness facility, an

appeals court determined

its insurance company

didn’t have to pay.

When Your Insurance Company Won’t Pay

Facilities need to review

their insurance policy

coverage terms before

claims ever arise.

DAVID L. HERBERT, J.D., issenior partner at Herbert & Benson, Attorneysat Law, Canton, Ohio.

Management Matters


GREAT RESULTS! Wow! See foryourself! These are terms we oftenhear in reference to promotions,advertisements and program-ming. When it comes to the fourwalls of your facility, your mem-bers and guests can also experi-ence the “wow” factor (likewell-kept mahogany and marble),or experience nothing (as in clean,uncluttered space, which is a goodthing). You may not have thebudget to get the “wow” ofmahogany and marble, but youcan certainly strive for “nothing.”I’m talking about focusing onsimple things that may make a bigdifference to your members andguests.

All too often your memberfeedback box is full of complaints.About one out of every 10 com-

ments is positive. Wouldn’t it begreat to cut that ratio down bygetting less negative feedback andmaybe an extra compliment ortwo? Here are some tips on somelittle things that can go a long waytoward member satisfaction.

Shower curtainsThis is an easy one that is often

overlooked: Look at the inside ofyour shower curtains. If they’retorn or scummy, toss them. That’sone of the last things your mem-bers will see before they leave yourfacility. Have them leave with theright impression. One thing youcan do to increase the longevity ofshower curtains and cut down onbuildup is to draw them closed

during your regularchecklist walk-throughs and at theend of the day.

Move cardioequipment around

Members tend touse the treadmill,cycle or ellipticaltrainer that isdirectly in front of atelevision. Mostcardio pieces comeequipped to keeptrack of usage(miles, hours, etc.).Check your usagetrackers and you’llfind a trend. Moveyour equipmentaround to even outthe usage and mini-mize the potentialfor breakdowns.

Use your facilityThe far left bench press at a fit-

ness center I frequent is the per-fect example of employees nottaking in their facility from amember’s perspective. When I laydown on that bench and look atthe underside of the bar rack, I seea big wad of gum stuck there. Notexactly the “wow” moment youwant members to have. Facilitymembers may not report all thatis wrong with your facility or theequipment. If you and your staffare using your facility and takingit in from a different point of view,you can correct an issue before itbecomes one. By the way, I haven’tput a complaint in the feedbackbox yet about the gum. I’m goingto wait until they pry that prehis-toric wad off of the bench andthen write a kind thank you notefor taking care of it.

Make a great last impressionWhen members and guests

enter your facility (depending onfront desk layout and design), theyshould be greeted by a well-kept,neat, uncluttered front desk. Andwhat about when they leave? Theymay be approaching the frontdesk from the back. Does it lookas good leaving as it does enter-ing? The front desk is your gate-way in and out. Send the samemessage both ways.

Clean your equipment (go bythe manufacturers’ guidelines —often soapy water is recom-mended and disinfectant cleansersare noted to be harmful). Every-one loves clean, shiny equipment.

This is just a short list of somesimple things that you can do thatcan really make an impact bygoing unnoticed. The operational“wow” factor is like camouflage— if members don’t see it, you’redoing a good job. FM

Facility Maintenance BY BRIAN SAMUEL

Here are some quick tips on

how to increase the “wow”

factor in your facility.

Make A Difference With the Basics

BRIAN SAMUEL is a director of operationswith L&T Health and Fitness, a companyfocused on fitness facility management,health promotion services, wellness programdesign and delivery, and facility design andconsulting services to organizations aroundthe country. He can be reached at 703 204-1355, ext. 26, or [email protected].

Facility users may not

report all that is wrong

with your facility or

the equipment.


“THE OTHER day my exercise stu-dents were asking about the healthrisks of obesity, and how it con-tributes to heart disease and otherhealth problems. I have alwaysheard that excess body fat ‘strainsthe heart,’ but I realized that I don’treally know what that means. Ineeded to learn more about whyobesity causes health problems soI could discuss this topic moreknowledgeably with my clients.”

Everyone knows by now thatmost countries are experiencing dra-matic increases in obesity ratesamong adults and children. In theUnited States, the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention,Atlanta,Ga.,states that approximately 30 percentof adults are obese, as measured bybody mass index.Another one-thirdof the adult population is over-weight, but not yet obese, and about16 percent of kids ages six to 19 areoverweight or obese.

Most people also know thatpublic health officials have expressedalarm concerning the predicted risein obesity-associated health prob-lems that may develop over the nextdecade.What are these health prob-lems, and how does obesity con-tribute to their development?

The physiology of fatnessBody fat is a good thing, in mod-

eration. Fat cushions and protectsthe organs. Fat under the skin helpskeep us warm, and storage fat helpsus through future food shortages.Our ability to make and store fatcould have contributed to the sur-vival of our species, as people whowere adept at storing fat survivedlean times and maintained their fer-tility enough to populate the planet.

When you consume more calo-ries than you expend, a majority ofthese excess calories are convertedto triglyceride molecules, the body’sprimary form of fat storage. Fat

cells, or adipocytes, dedicate a greatpart of their volume to triglyceridestorage. Adipose tissue is comprisedof many adipocytes, along withother structural elements such asblood vessels and connective tissue.

Scientists used to regard adiposetissues as fairly inert storage depotsthat took in or released triglyceridedepending on energy balance in thebody. Excess calorie consumptionwas thought to lead to increased fatstorage, while a calorie deficit wouldsignal the adipocytes to releasetriglyceride for the body to use asfuel. Fat cells still do these things, butscientists are beginning to unravelsome of the cellular biochemistryinvolved in fat storage and metabo-lism, and some of the physiologicalprocesses that occur when triglyc-eride supply overwhelms the body’simmediate storage capacities.

Adipose tissue joins theendocrine and immune systems

Researchers have identified anumber of chemical messengersthat allow adipose tissue to helpregulate fat storage, and allow itto communicate with other organsand systems in the body. Some ofthese messengers act as hormones,sending signals to other parts ofthe body. Leptin, for example, is amessenger produced by adiposetissue. Leptin concentration in theblood is thought to inform thebrain about triglyceride storagelevels. Researchers have hypothe-sized that when the brain finds outthat storage levels are getting low(lower leptin levels), the brainturns on the hunger signal thattells you to go look for some food.Tissues that produce hormonesqualify for inclusion in the body’sendocrine system, a collection ofhormone-producing organs thathelp to regulate body functions.

Adipose tissue appears to be the

site of a great deal of immunesystem activity, as well. Large num-bers of a type of white blood cellknown as macrophages have beenobserved in adipose tissue, especiallyin the fat of people who are obese.Macrophages engulf foreigninvaders such as bacteria and viruses,and the body’s own dead cells.

The macrophages found in adi-pose tissue appear to be respondingto damaged adipocytes. Adipocytescan grow larger, as more fat isstored, but they cannot expandindefinitely. It is possible that, withobesity, adipocytes cannot keep upwith the body’s demand to storetriglyceride. Cells may leak orbecome damaged, signalingmacrophages to move in to cleanup the mess. Macrophages, in turn,release chemical messengers calledcytokines, such as interleukins, thatsummon more white blood cellsand lead to more inflammation.Some of these cytokines appear tointerfere with normal blood sugarregulation and to contribute to thedevelopment of type 2 diabetes.

Scientists still have a great dealto learn about the biochemistry ofobesity, and how obesity con-tributes to many health problems.The more they learn, the more evi-dence we have about the benefitsof a healthful lifestyle, as regularphysical activity and good eatinghabits help to reverse the negativehealth effects of obesity. FM

REFERENCESBliss, R.M. Inflammatory news about fat

cells: Molecules that sequester dyingfat cells also spread inflammation.Agricultural Research 54 (3): 4-7,March 2006.

Centers for Disease Control. Overweightand obesity. www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/.Accessed December 2006.

Tilg, H., and H.R. Moschen. Adipocy-tokines: Mediators linking adiposetissue, inflammation and immu-nity. Nature Reviews Immunology 6:772-783, October 2006.

Instructor Training BY BARBARA A. BREHM, ED.D.

New research is

unraveling the science

behind the health risks

associated with obesity.

Obesity 101: The Physiology of Fatness

Barbara A. Brehm, Ed.D., isprofessor of exercise andsport studies at Smith Col-lege, Northampton, Mass.

Member Handout: You may make photocopiesfor free distribution to your members.

(Customize by placing your company logo in the lower right corner.)

Management Matters

BODY FAT is a good thing, in moderation.But too much body fat interferes with goodhealth in a number of ways. Understand-ing the effect of obesity on your healthhelps you understand why it’s importantto develop a healthful lifestyle: good eatinghabits and plenty of physical activity. Hereare some of the ways obesity interferes withmaintaining good health.

Metabolic interferenceObesity results when people eat more

calories than they use. When you eat extracalories, your body wants to store the extracalories for a rainy day, just in case starva-tion conditions arise. What is the body’sfavorite way to store extra calories? Fat, ofcourse. It converts extra calories into mol-ecules called triglycerides, and packs thetriglyceride into fat cells. Fat cells can growlarger as more fat is stored, but they cannotexpand indefinitely. Weight gain and toomuch body fat interfere with normal meta-bolic processes in many ways that con-tribute to the chronic health problems likelyto arise with obesity.

Researchers believe that when people aregaining weight and their bodies are makingextra triglycerides, expanding fat cells maybecome damaged, or simply reach the endof their life expectancies when they get toofull of fat. When this happens, immune cellscalled macrophages come in to help disposeof damaged and dead fat cells. The job ofmacrophages is to disarm potential attackers,like bacteria and viruses, by engulfing anddigesting them. They try to attack triglyc-erides and dead fat cells in this manner, butare often overwhelmed by the challenge.They call in more immune cells to help. Asmore immune cells congregate to deal withthe damage, inflammation is the result.

While inflammation is helpful for heal-ing a wound, chronic inflammation caninterfere with a number of important bio-chemical processes. Several of obesity’s neg-

ative health effects are thought to be theresult of inflammation in the fat tissue.

Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Dia-betes may result when some of the chemicalsproduced by the macrophages interfere withblood sugar regulation. These chemical mes-sengers prevent the body’s cells fromresponding appropriately to the hormoneinsulin, which signals cells to take up sugar(glucose) from the blood. High blood sugarlevels, in turn, cause more damage, includ-ing accelerated aging of the arteries, thus con-tributing to artery disease, the leading causeof heart disease. High blood sugar also causesdamage to the eyes, kidneys and nerves.

High blood pressure. High insulin levelscreate a stress response in the body, acti-vating the fight or flight response. This cancontribute to high blood pressure.

Risky blood lipid levels and heart dis-ease. Excess triglyceride production (fromexcess calories) raises levels of blood fats,

including blood triglycerides and low-den-sity lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These lipidscontribute to the formation of arterial plaqueand more inflammation, as macrophagesattempt to deal with damaged arteries.

Other inflammatory disorders. Theinflammation caused by obesity may con-tribute to other disorders associated withinflammation, such as liver disease, pancre-atitis, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.Obesity increases risk for Alzheimer’s dis-ease, perhaps through accelerated aging ofthe arteries.

Body fat packed around the internalorgans (visceral fat) appears to be mostdamaging to health. Researchers also believethat inflammation results not only fromhaving a lot of fat, but from getting fatter.Inflammation is more likely to occur whenyou are in energy storage mode, and yourbody is dealing with caloric overload.

Cancer promotionObesity is associated with increased risk

of many types of cancers. Researchers havesuggested that fat tissue may secrete chem-icals that make people more susceptible tocancer. Health professionals emphasize,however, that this research is preliminary,and advise that cancer patients not loseweight, as extra weight can be protectiveonce cancer has already developed.

Physical strainThe physical strain of excess weight can

overload weight-bearing joints such as thehips, knees and feet, and accelerate devel-opment of the joint degeneration and painassociated with osteoarthritis.

Lifestyle solutionsSwitching your body from energy stor-

age mode to energy usage mode producesmany health benefits. As fat cells stop grow-ing, inflammatory processes slow. A rela-tively small weight loss (5 to 10 percent ofbody weight) has enormous health benefits,as fat tissue’s secretion of disruptive chem-icals declines. Consume a heart-healthy dietwith plenty of fish, fruits and vegetables,and increase energy output with regularphysical activity. FM

Obesity can lead to serious

health problems.

Obesity is associated

with increased risk of

many types of cancers.

&YourHEALTH FITNESS

Understanding Obesity Health Risks BY BARBARA A. BREHM, ED.D.

Compliments of:

fitnessmanagement.com


www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI).Scott Logan, director of marketing at SportsArtFitness, Woodinville, Wash., says that the tread-mill’s popularity is no mystery: “Walking is themost natural of cardio movements and requiresno learning curve.”

Yesterday, today and tomorrowManufacturers aren’t taking lightly their

position as an industry leader. They’veimproved and adapted their product to meetconsumers’ ever-changing needs. “The qualityand technology [of treadmills] are light yearsahead of where they were even 10 years ago,”says Logan. “Significant improvements includeenhanced durability, speed response (consis-tency of power delivery), user interface andfeedback, and heart rate [monitoring].”

And, there is something out there for everyfitness center’s needs. “Most treadmills fromleading manufacturers offer good durabilityand performance, and can be had in choicesof simple displays, [or with] eye-catching dotmatrix/LED combinations with integratedscreens and entertainment-ready,” Logan says.“When you consider all of this, you can see thatthe bar is already set very high.”

Fitness facilities looking to serve older orobese members, or to create a more environ-ment-friendly facility, will soon find moretreadmills to meet their needs, as well.Machines with very low start speeds, ergonomicdesigns and more cushioning are hitting themarket for older and obese exercisers. Tread-

mills that use less electricity are also availablefor facilities that aim to “go green.”

Worth the investmentA treadmill is a big-ticket item in any fitness

center, and it’s in your best interest to make itworth the investment. There are atleast two variables that help todetermine how long your newtreadmill will last: amount of useand maintenance. “Preventivemaintenance is really the magicbullet, since a clean and well-serv-iced treadmill can last two to threetimes longer (or more) than anon-serviced unit,” says Logan.“The drive system on a well-serv-iced machine can last for 10 years,even in a high-use setting. But takeaway the regular service and thatcan easily drop to three years. …The other big wear items, bed andbelt, also have variable life spansthat depend on maintenance andother factors, such as [if] the deck[is] reversible. That said, even awell-maintained bed and beltsystem may need to be replacedevery three to four years in a mid-to high-use setting.”

When purchasing treadmills foryour fitness facility, consider thecost of operation, as well as poten-tial service issues inherent with the

machine’s design and drive system. “Beyondthat, club owners should consider the aesthet-ics of the treadmills — will it be inviting tomembers — as well as the interface — will itbe easy for members to use while also offeringcompelling visual feedback,” Logan says.

Innovation is the lifeblood of our industry,but, so far, it seems likely treadmills will remainthe beeping, whirring heart of most fitnessfloors. Treadmills don’t seem in danger oflosing their spot at the top of the cardio heapany time soon, and manufacturers’ focus onimproving their product is good news for fit-ness facilities. FM

Treadmills Lead the Cardio PackTreadmills are as popular as ever. They take up the most cardio space on

the fitness floor, have time limits, sign-up sheets and waiting lines, and

were even featured as the lone prop in a music video (check it out at

Purchasing Guide BY HEATHER PEAVEY, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Marketplace


Cybex International774 324-8000; www.cybexintl.com

Cybex’ CX 445T has the same compact footprint,streamlined user oper-ation and design of theCybex LCX 425T tread-mill, but built to thecommercial level. Itfeatures heart ratemonitoring and asafety lanyard, withspeeds from 0.5 to 11mph. The CX 445T

maximizes the useable running area, but with asmall footprint.

FreeMotion Fitness877 363-8449; www.freemotionfitness.com

The FreeMotion Incline Trainer is like twomachines in one, with speeds from 0 to 12 mph,

and incline from –3 to30 percent. Themachine can accom-modate marathoners,someone out for astroll or a memberlooking for a hike. It ispowered by the DRVSDirect Rear VelocitySystem, a rear-drive

motor system that, combined with urethane deckisolators, provides additional cushioning to createa softer running surface to reduce impact on joints.The Trainer features the optional Workout TV con-sole: a flat-panel LCD screen integrated into theconsole to offer a bright, clear picture at a com-fortable viewing angle.

Life Fitness800 634-8637; www.lifefitness.com

Life Fitness offers seven models to choose fromand a wide range of user features, including the

DX3 belt and decksystem, heart ratemonitoring, ZoneTraining for workoutvariety and an intu-itive console. TheActivity Zone on theErgo bar makes iteasy for users to get

started, and adjust speed and incline settings. AutoAlert diagnostics inform you of service needs andpermanently record and date-stamp maintenanceperformed. The FlexDeck Shock Absorption System

reduces knee and joint stress by up to 30 percentmore than non-cushioned surfaces, and eight Life-spring shock absorbers, guaranteed for life neverto wear out or lose absorption capability, deliversmooth cushioning throughout the deck, regard-less of user weight or running stride.

Motus USA866 668-8766; www.motususa.com

Motus USA developed a line of commercial tread-mills that feature com-ponents from leadingmanufacturers, suchas Samsung TV Enter-tainment, HyundaiElectronics and Mit-subishi Motors. Tread-mills include Motus’

patented triple-shock absorption system; anti-microbial handlebars; fully integrated LCD TV enter-tainment with up to 125 channels; Polar heart ratemonitors; smooth and quiet running with minimalvibration; and large, touch-sensitive keys for easyviewing.

Nautilus877 657-7762; www.nautilus.com

The TreadClimber TC916s provides the cardioand calorie-expending benefits of running, but

at a walking pace,and minimizes thestress and impact onthe user’s ankles,knees and hips.Studies have shownthat walking at 3miles per hour on the

TreadClimber uses the same number of caloriesas running at 6 mph on a treadmill. Its dual-motion design combines low-impact walking withgradual hill climbing, and the TreadClimber fea-tures eight programs and a user capacity of 400pounds.

Noramco Fitness800 827-2017; www.noramcofitness.com

All models of Noramco Fitness treadmills fea-ture a 600-pound user capacity, all-steel frame,

patented flywheelsystem for smooth-ness and motor life,no-maintenancedeck and beltsystem, and flip-upgrips for runners and

power walkers. Its treadmills run on 110-voltpower. Programmable models have up to 11 pro-files, including three user-customizable and twoheart-rate-controlled programs.

Precor800 786-8404; www.precor.com

Precor’s C966i low-impact treadmill features a“wrap around" console with an easy-to-use dis-

play, “cantilevered”handrails and anoptional Cardio The-ater screen. Tap Con-trol buttons confirmcommands with asensory “click.” Thenew IFT Drive deliversspeed changes and

cuts power consumption. Ground Effects and Inte-grated Footplant decrease impact and deliver aresponsive feel at speeds of 0.5 to 15 mph, at a–3 to +15 degree incline. The 21 courses avail-able include pace, personal profile and segmenttime. Precor treadmills have an efficientroller/drive and a self-lubricated bed/belt.

Promaxima Strength and Conditioning800 231-6652; www.promaximamfg.com

Promaxima Strength and Conditioning distrib-utes Stex treadmills featuring a 5.5 Hyundai AC

motor, Mitsubishi/Toshiba DriveInverter and morethan 30 differentprograms. It alsooffers an automaticdrive belt tensionsystem and optional17-inch LCD flat

screen Samsung TV. The speed ranges from 0.5to 15.5 mph, and 0 to 20 percent elevation witha 500-pound user weight.

SportsArt Fitness800 709-1400; www.sportsartfitness.com

The SportsArt Fitness 680 Xtreme treadmillfeatures the new ECO-Powr (Extreme Conversation

and Output) System,and a maintenance-free, self-regulating,brushless drivesystem that uses upto 32 percent lesselectricity than stan-dard DC-powered

units. The My-Flex cushioning system automati-

Cybex CX 445T

FreeMotion Incline Trainer

Life Fitness 97Te

Motus M990TL

Nautilus TreadClimber TC916

NF 4600

Precor C966i

Stex 8025TL

SportsArt Fitness 680 Xtreme

cally adjusts the firmness of the treadmill deckbased on the user’s weight, while the commandcenter features the proprietary CardioAdvisorheart rate training system and an entertainment-ready, 10.2-inch LCD screen capable of display-ing full-screen workout data, full-screen video ora split-screen combo.

Star Trac800 228-6635; www.startrac.com

Star Trac offers the Elite, Pro and Pro S tread-mills. Each treadmill is based on the same look

and feel, and incorpo-rates an intuitive dis-play, 1/4-mile trackand SoftTrac decksystem. Star Tractreadmills are built oncorrosion-resistantaluminum framesdesigned to maximize

running area while minimizing product footprint.The Elite and Pro models also feature built-in per-sonal cooling fans and 5 hp motors.

Technogym USA800 804-0952; www.technogymusa.com

The Run Excite treadmill combines Technogym’sdesign with durability and energy savings. Run Exciteoffers an integrated and ergonomically positioned

15-inch touch screenTV, Breezer fan andFastTrack controls. Thedisplay visually tracksprogress based onQuickStart or one ofsix program options.Safety features includean extra-wide console,

flat motor cover, rear roller protection and emergencystop functions. The treadmill microprocessor systemmonitors the user’s speed and weight to determinenecessary amperage draw, resulting in an averageconsumption of 30 percent less energy.

True Fitness800 426-6570; www.truefitness.com

True Fitness offers treadmills designed for

vertical markets, as well as traditional fitnessfacilities. True engineers manufacture the Per-

formance Seriestreadmill by startingwith a commercial-grade frame andbuilding their wayup, adding a stylizedpedestal, powerfulmotor, rugged treadbelt and advancedcomputer console

calibrated to help maximize users’ workouts.

Vision Fitness800 335-4348; www.visionfitness.com

Vision Fitness’ T9700 and T9800 Seriestreadmills provide users with 16 different work-out programs, including four heart rate pro-

grams, five userprograms, six presetprograms (includingits Sprint 8 work-out), and a manualoption. Contact heartrate bars and con-stant feedback dis-plays let users seetheir progress. TheT9700 Series tread-

mills offer a 60-by-20-inch running surface,while the T9800 Series treadmills offer aneven larger 63-by-22-inch running surface,plus a 3.0 hp AC drive system with matchingmotor and controller.

Woodway800 woodway; www.woodway.com

Woodway treadmills feature an internation-ally-patented design — the running surface is

a relatively stationaryhard-wood deck overwhich the belt trav-els. Design specifica-tions for theWidepath treadmillinclude a patentedslat-belt transporta-tion system, 110-voltpower supply (dedi-

cated circuit and NEMA 5-20R outlet receptaclerequired) and unitized steel frame with inte-grated black powder-coated side handrails. TheWidepath has a contact heart rate handlebar,0.1 mph resolution, 0 to 11 mph speed and 0to 15 percent elevation.


Purchasing Guide

1/3 square

True PS700

Vision Fitness T9700 Series

Woodway Widepath

Star Trac Pro

Run Excite 900

Fitness Assessmentis our life

• Fitness & Wellness Assessment Software

• Computer Controlled Assessment Equipment

• Portable AssessmentEquipment

• Excellent Support andTraining

Health & Fitness SystemsFor a free trial CD call:

800-822-0405www.MicroFit.com

http://www.microfit.com

November 29-December 1Orange County Convention Center

� Orlando �

3 SHOWS IN ONE!

SAVETHEDATE!

Athletic Business Conference & Expo

(Including Fitness Managementmagazine seminar track).

The sports, fitness and recreation industry’s finestseminars and workshops,

networking events and a trade show packed with the latest products

and services.www.athleticbusiness

conference.com

Active Aging 2007 Be inspired by an irresistiblemix of seminars, unique venuesfor networking and some of thefinest presenters in the field of active aging.www.icaa.cc/convention.htm

Setting the Pace for Success:Medical Fitness Strategies

Exciting seminars for thegrowing hospital wellness

and fitness center industry,roundtables, special events

and face-to-face meetings with professionals in

your region.www.medicalfitness.org

THREESEMINARPROGRAMS, ONE GREATTRADE SHOW

Come to Orlando for the best deal in conferences around. Register for eitherthe Athletic Business (ABC), International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) orMedical Fitness Association (MFA) Conference and you’ll be able to attendseminars from all three conferences – at no extra charge. No matter whatsegment of the industry you serve, there are more than 150 educationalsessions to choose from -- the widest selection in the industry today.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com


New ProductsProduct of the MonthBootcamp programPower Systems’ Sports Performance Boot Camp is a program kit for fit-ness centers and group instructors that helps to create a fun, dynamicand intense circuit workout. The workout incorporates aspects of sportsperformance such as strength, agility, plyometrics and core condition-ing. The class combines bootcamp training with sports performance fora workout that can be tailored to any setting, including group fitnesscircuit training. The Sports Performance Boot Camp DVD and manualoffer a step-by-step plan to organize, set up and conduct a bootcampclass. Numerous athletic drills are demonstrated using the equipmentthat comes in the kit, including agility ladders, Power Med Balls, StepHurdles, Resist-A-Balls, Reflex Balls and more. The Sport PerformanceBoot Camp program is available in two kits. The Group Kit is designedfor personal trainers or small group classes of up to 20, and the ClassKit can accommodate up to 36 participants. Both kits come with train-ing equipment, a training DVD and a manual.Power Systems: 800 321-6975; www.power-systems.com

CyclesSportsArt Fitness’ new commercial grade XtremeCardio Series includes the 500 Series uprightand recumbent cycles. The cycles come with twoscreen options: a dot matrix and LED, or anentertainment-ready 10.2-inch Liquid Crystal Dis-play (LCD) screen capable of displaying full-screen workout data, full-screen video or asplit-screen combo. Machines also have contactheart rate points and are HR telemetry compat-ible. Upright cycles offer a large seat with a one-touch adjustment system and oversized pedals.Recumbent cycles feature a step-throughdesign, an adjustable Comfort-Dri seatback,oversized pedals and a one-touch adjustmentsystem.SportsArt Fitness: 800 709-1400; www.sportsartfitness.com

Exercise barBody Bar Systems’ Body Bar Flex Power offersdouble the resistance of the original. A 4-poundweighted version offers further training optionsfor athletes and extremely fit individuals. TheBody Bar Flex Power is a flexible fiberglass com-posite rod with easy-grip rubber casing and endcaps. Weighing approximately 2 pounds, the4-foot Body Bar Flex Power can be used for bal-ance and stretching when straight, but offersresistance ranging from 0 to 40 pounds whenbent into an arc. It has ergonomically tailoredflexibility to allow full joint range of motion andworks the entire body in simple or compoundmovements to develop strength, flexibility, coor-dination and balance.Body Bar Systems: 800 500-2030;www.bodybars.com

BikesFreeMotion’s Cardio Line now includes recum-bent and upright cycles. The bikes feature aQuickTouch function to change resistance andchoose programs, water bottle and accessoryholder, a wider pedal platform, and a drivesystem that uses a self-tensioning Flexonic beltdesigned to provide fluid motion and require lessmaintenance. A low profile, step-through designallows for easy entry/exit of the machine, Quick-Lift seats rise with the lift of a lever, and moldedarm rests with dual pulse grips are offered. Cyclescan come with the optional Workout TV console,which includes a 12.1-inch flat panel LCD screenthat offers users their own entertainment options(with coaxial cable). Integrated directly into theconsole, the screen is positioned to offer a brightpicture and comfortable viewing angle.FreeMotion Fitness: 877 363-8449;www.freemotionfitness.com


Yoga matsWai Lana Yoga now offers its EnviroMat yogamat, which is 100-percent biodegradable; recy-clable; free from toxins, allergens, syntheticmaterials and chemical dyes; and PVC- andLatex-free. Its closed-cell design offers tractionand resists water and sweat. Mats are availablein 24 by 68 inches, and either 3 millimeters or5 millimeters thick. Colors include iris, lilac, deepocean and summer sky.Wai Lana Yoga: 800 624-9163;www.wailana.com

Coordination trainerOPTP’s Quick Hands BOLA Trainer consists oftwo balls on an elastic cord. It is designed toimprove neurological function, including reac-tion time, quickness and coordination. It is alsodesigned for athletes and others to helpimprove sports skills such as hand/eye coordi-nation, spatial awareness and balance. It comeswith a DVD that features dozens of demonstra-tions at various skill levels.OPTP: 800 367-7393; www.optp.com

Steam room pumpThe Nano Steam Room Aroma Pump by Spa Part-ners is an automatic steam room pump. Aromaswill last for up to three months. It installs in about45 minutes, and features adjustable aromalevels. Aromas include eucalyptus, mentholyp-tus, menthol, mint, alpine, cherry, citrus, laven-der, Caribbean breeze and tropical coconut. Twoversions are available: 110 volt and 230 volt.Spa Partners: 800 243-6772; www.spapartners.com

http://www.dri-dek.com

http://www.achbilling.com


New Products

Strength machinesBody-Solid’s new commercial line includes the modular Pro-Dual linedesigned to accommodate commercial facilities with limited workoutspace. The line includes 10 function-specific dual machines that can standalone or be combined with a three-stack or four-stack weight tower tobuild a single multi-function gym. This allows facilities to create a cus-tomized series of workout stations. Machines feature continuous welded,factory assembled connections; impact resistant, fiberglass-reinforcednylon pulleys; electrostatically applied metallic powdercoat finish withclear coat; DuraFirm upholstery with 2-inch-high density foam that isdouble stitched; high-density rubber foam grips and handles; and weightshrouds and covers.Body-Solid: 800 833-1227; www.bodysolid.com

Resistance machineHoggan’s new Sprint Trainer is an ADA-compliant resistance trainingmachine, suited for use in active aging centers and in physical therapyapplications. Designed for use by people of all abilities, the Sprint Traineruses an adjustable exercise position system that allows the user to per-form countless exercises on the same machine, while situated in a wheel-chair, standing or seated. By using Hoggan’s wireless therapy cordsystem, the Trainer provides feedback to the user, such as force andtotal repetitions, and the ability to set force thresholds. Exercises includethose for the core, upper body and lower body.Hoggan Health Industries Inc.: 800 678-7888; www.hogganhealth.com

A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.www.cup.edu

E A R N Y O U R D E G R E E O NT H E I N T E R N E T

BS Program in Wellness and Fitness –100% Online- Transfer credits accepted- 2-Year completion program if you have an

Associate’s Degree- NASM Certifications in CPT & PES

MS Program in Exercise Science & Health Promotion–100% Online• Four degree tracks:

- Performance Enhancement & Injury Prevention- Rehabilitation Science- Wellness & Fitness- Sport Psychology

• NASM certifications in PES, CES, and/or CPT• Network with health & fitness professionals worldwide

Phone: 1-866-595-6348 or visit: www.cup.edu/go

ENERGIZE YOUR CAREER

http://www.gymwipes.com

http://www.cup.edu/go


Pool photometerThe Pooltest 25 Professional from Palintest is a poolphotometer that can store up to 500 test results andcan be integrated with a PC via its USB port. It alsofloatsand is fullywaterproof. Itoffersa range ofswim-ming pool water tests, including more specializedtestssuch asphosphate and sulfate. Itschemical test-ing useslightto measure color changesin water sam-ples treated with a reagent. The sample is placed inthe cell holder and a button is pressed to get results.A backlit LCD screen allows access to programmedtests. The standard kit comes in a portable case withtest tubes and a starter supply of reagents. The Pro-fessional Minilab kit contains a TDS sensor, a rangeof test reagents and a bench-top tray.Palintest USA: 800 835 9629; www.palintestusa.com

Facility cleanerAthletix Odor Neutralizer Spray from Contec is forcleaning equipment, showers, restrooms, lockersand more. The spray does not maskone odor withanother, but uses a nanopolymer technology to laydown a microscopically thin protective barrier. Thissurface barrier prevents the odor-causing elementsfrom clinging to the surface, multiplying and even-tually causing smelly mildew. The spray penetratessmall nooks and crannies to help prevent odorfrom developing, and prevents odor from develop-ing on mats, floors, shower and restroom surfaces,and lockers. It is safe for use on tile and grout.Comes in a 5-liter container that includes a sprayer.Contec Inc.: 800 289-5762; www.athletixproducts.com

Gym toteThe Fitness Caddy islike a small gym bagthat holds bottles (upto 1.5 liters), andincludes a waterbottle cooler sleeve. Adeep pleated frontpocket with a flappedVelcro closure holdsmoney, driver’slicense, membershipcard, etc. An addi-tional hideaway inte-

rior pocket is also included, plus a metal clip tohold keys and a metal ring to hold a towel. Thepleated pouch in back is roomy enough to holdboth a cell phone and glasses. The FitnessCaddy body is made from microfiber with PVCbacking, and the pouch is 420 denier nylon. Itmeasures 4 inches in diameter and 10 inchestall, with a 54-inch adjustable strap.BVT Products: 727 834-8944; www.fitnesscaddy.com

RELAX! You have the safety and power of BTC-50 in every towelette.

KM-1Citrus Scented

KMAS-1Plasma Display Safe

KM-FD2 SetCustom Dispenser

“ORIGINAL” “ALL SURFACE”

• No harsh fumes to offend the senses.

• Ease of use.

• User friendly dispensing options.Wall, counter, floor. We’ve got you covered!

Work out...Wipe off...it’s just that simple!!

• No delays waiting for THIS product to dry. You’ve got patrons circuit training. They need a product for rapid on and off performance.

• The strongest towelette in the game!! Won’t tear, shred or leave particles behind.Use one towelette on machine after machine. Don’t be swayed by other products’

larger roll counts. Quality trumps quantity..................

Benches • Hand Grips • Displays • Pads

www.kleen-machine.com888-449-9147

http://www.spermies.net

http://www.kleen-machine.com


Classifieds

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

MMC® is looking for Independent Contractors torun protected territories throughout the US, Canada,

Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.MMC® specializes in raising immediate CASH

and MONTHLY RECEIVABLES for health clubs.We have a proven success track record for morethan fifteen (15) years. Our programs are no risk

to the health club owners because they completelypay for themselves. If you love Sales and Marketing,

want to be your own boss, work fromyour home office and have the

potential to earn more than $100,000.00per year then you want to contact us at1-877-620-8135 or visit our websiteat www.healthclubconsultant.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

GLOBALFITNESS

HOLDINGS

Send resume to [email protected] fax to 859-977-3091

Visit our website, www.ggtko.comCall 1-866-GO-GGTKO

Global Fitness Holdings

the largest and fastest growing

fitness company in

OHIO,, KENTUCKYY && TENNESSEE

has immediate openings for

• DISTRICT & GENERAL MANAGERS• OPERATING PARTNERS • FITNESS

CONSULTANTS • TRAINING DIRECTORS• PERSONAL TRAINERS

• GROUP FITNESS DIRECTORS

We currently have 8 clubs thatwill open within the next 7 months.

Would you like to be part of that growth?We offer salary, commission & bonus.

Medical, dental, life & retirement.

This opportunity is only for the committed,

hard-working fitness professional.

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ

Successful co-ed gym for sale

in upscale area w/room for

expansion, includes all equipment.

Qualified buyers only.

Call Kim 973-769-7845

AUDIO EQUIPMENT

PRINT SERVICES

®

Al l Ca t egor i e s :$160.00 per column inch

(Frequency discounts available)

Call (469) 362-9953 or [email protected]

FLOORING

GENERAL MANAGERA fantastic opportunity to work in a corporateenvironment in the San Francisco Bay area.

Fitness W.e.s.t. Sports Club is seeking an enthusiasticand motivated General Manager to work at it newest

corporate facility, Club Genentech in South San Francisco.The facility is 25,000 sq ft with a corporate full court

basketball gym. The club has been open for 3 months.The club is very active and sports a wonderful positiveatmosphere. A Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science

or a related field with a minimum of 5 years experience.All applicants must have 2 years of corporate

experience or equivalency. Current CPR and First Aidcertifications plus one or more from the followingorganizations are required, ACSM, ACE or NSCA. A

thorough knowledge of exercise principles, exerciseevaluation and fitness programming is important.

Please contact Bob McLennan at [email protected] fax your resume to 650-994-1125.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE



2XL Corp. 62 (888) 977-3726 www.gymwipes.com

Affiliated Acceptance Corp. 20 (800) 233-8483 www.affiliated.org

ASF International 4-5 (800) 227-3859 www.asfinternational.com

Balanced Body Inc. 71 (800) 745-2837 www.pilates.com

BSDI 17 (888) 273-4348 www.bsdiweb.com

California University of PA 62 (866) 595-6348 www.cup.edu/go

Creative Fitness Marketing 21 (800) 383-4427 www.creativefitness.net

Dri-Dek 61 (800) 847-9341 www.dri-dek.com

Electronic Billing and Collecting Services 61 (800) 766-1918 www.achbilling.com

Exerflex 19 (800) 428-5306 www.exerflex.com

Fitness Management Magazine 66 (800) 722-8764 www.fitnessmanagement.com

FiTour 16 (281) 494-0380 www.fitour.com

Hoist Fitness Systems 39 (800) 548-5438 www.hoistfitness.com

International Council on Active Aging 25 (866) 335-9777 www.icaa.cc

Iron Grip Barbell Co. 9 (800) 664-4766 www.irongrip.com

Keiser Corp. 37 (800) 888-7009 www.keiser.com

Kleen-Machine 63 (888) 449-9147 www.kleen-machine.com

MicroFit Inc. 58 (800) 822-0405 www.microfit.com

Motus USA 49 (866) 668-8766 www.motususa.com

Power Plate 6 (877) 87-PLATE www.powerplate.com

Spermies 63 (800) 578-1470 www.spermies.net

SportsArt Fitness 11 (800) 709-1400 www.sportsartfitness.com

Star Trac 72 (800) 228-6635 www.startrac.com

True Fitness Technology 2 (800) 426-6570 www.truefitness.com

Vitabot 3 (301) 864-3886 www.vitabot.com


Supplier IndexCompany Page Phone Website


What’s Next

• The Role of Certification in StaffingCertifications are important for the health and

fitness industry for a variety of reasons: They setindustry standards, regulate professional growth,curb liability and ensure staff competency. Whenhiring, you need to ensure that your staff mem-bers have appropriate entry-level and advancedskills, depending on the jobs they will perform. Thislist of qualifications, from competent to expert, aswell as an explanation of the types of certifications,will help your facility staff for success.

• Retaining Staff for Member RetentionPaying attention to retaining great staff will have

a commensurate effect on retaining members. Findout what some fitness facility operators are doing tokeep their best people — from recruitment, to remu-neration and benefits, to inspirational management— as well as how they identify when employees areflight risks and how they win them back.

• Educating Staff About Insuranceand Risk Management

What do your staff members need to knowabout insurance and risk management to helpthem keep your facility out of trouble? Neverassume that staff members understand the rolethey must play when it comes to issues of liabil-ity. Educate them about what insurance coversand how it applies to various situations, as wellas proper risk-management procedures.

• Core Training forAthletic Performance

Industry experts share how fitness profession-als can turn conceptual knowledge about coretraining into practical exercise programs thatresult in performance enhancement for members.The five key types of core movement will bedescribed, including examples of exercises foreach category.

• The Reality of Vibration TechnologyIn the past few years, a number of vibration

technology products have been introduced. But,what exactly is vibration technology and whatare its applications? Fitness professionals havetested various brands and will share how theyapply to specific populations (rehabilitation, gen-eral fitness and sports performance), what theircontraindications are and how some facilities haveused this technology.

• Locker Rooms: FabulousUpgrades and Renovations

Fitness centers offer tips on what worked forthem (and what didn’t) when they renovated theirlocker rooms. Find out how to deal with lockerroom closures and how to keep your members up-to-date during the renovation process.

Special Report: STAFFING & EDUCATION

WHAT’S COMING IN FM IN MARCH?



Events

February3New Orleans, LAResist-A-BallC.O.R.E. Instructor – Level I800 321-6975www.resistaball.com

12-14La Quinta, CAFitness Industry Supplier’sAssociation N.A.4th Annual FitnessSupplier Invitational858 509-0034www.fisana.org

15-18Washington, DCAquatic Therapy& Rehab InstituteSpecialty Institute866 462-2874www.atri.org

16Atlanta, GABody Training SystemsBusiness of BTS800 729-7837, ext. 2943www.bodytrainingsystems.com

16-18College Park, MDUniversity of Maryland13th Annual SoutheastCollegiate Fitness Expo301 226-4418www.crs.umd.edu/fitexpo

17-18Dallas, TXPhiPilatesReformer Foundations II877 716-4879www.phipilates.com

21-23Las Vegas, NVDay Spa Association2nd Annual Day Spa Expo & Business Forum800 859-9247www.dayspaexpo.com

Mar 2-4Columbus, OHGNCArnold Classic614 431-3600www.arnoldclassic.com

Mar 3Morgantown, WVAquatic Therapy& Rehab InstituteProfessional Development Day866 462-2874www.atri.org

Mar 13-17Baltimore, MDAmerican Alliance forHealth, Physical Education,Recreation & DanceNational Convention & Exposition800 213-7193www.aahperd.org

Mar 21-24Dallas, TXAmerican College of Sports Medicine11th Annual Health and Fitness Summit & Exposition317 637-9200, ext. 138www.acsm.org

Mar 28-31San Francisco, CAInternational Health, Racquet& Sportsclub Association26th Annual Convention & Trade Show800 228-4772www.ihrsa.org

Mar 28-31San Francisco, CAAmerican Journal of HealthPromotion17th Annual Art and Science ofHealth Promotion Conference248 682-0707www.healthpromotionconference.org

Apr 12-15Tempe, AZWaterworks On Wheels Inc.

FitnessFest480 461-3888www.waterworksonwheels.com

Apr 19-22Chicago, ILIDEA Health & Fitness AssociationFitness Fusion800 999-4332, ext. 7www.ideafit.com/fusion/index.asp

Apr 23-29NationalMedical Fitness AssociationMedical Fitness Week804 327-0330www.medicalfitness.org

May 14-16San Diego, CAFitness Industry Supplier’sAssociation N.A.Program Director Forum858 509-0034www.fisana.org

May 16-17Washington, DCInternational Health, Racquet& Sportsclub Association5th Annual Legislative Summit800 228-4772www.ihrsa.org

May 17-19Hartford, CTBody Training SystemsBusiness of BTS& Hartford Summit800 729-7837, ext. 294www.bodytrainingsystems.com

May 30-Jun 2New Orleans, LA

American College ofSports Medicine54th Annual Meeting317 637-9200, ext. 138www.acsm.org

Jun 6-9Orlando, FLClub IndustryEast800 927-5007www.clubindustryshow.com/east/

Jun 11-13Las Vegas, NVSporting GoodsManufacturers AssociationSpring Market781 535-5117www.sgmamarkets.com/

Jul 5-9San Diego, CAIDEA Health & Fitness AssociationWorld Fitness Convention800 999-4332, ext. 7www.ideafit.com/world/index.asp

Aug 6-10Wellesley, MAInternational Health, Racquet& Sportsclub Association19th Annual Institute forProfessional Club Management800 228-4772www.ihrsa.org

UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS

Events listed on this page are national annual meetings and majormonthly industry events. For a complete listing of year-round and recur-ring events, refer to our online calendar on the FitnessManagement.comwebsite (www.fitnessmanagement.com/FM/information/calendar/).

• To be listed on this page and in the online events calendar, send thename, date and city of the event, and contact name, telephone, email andweb address to: Fitness Management Events Calendar, P.O. Box 409,Danville, PA 17821; [email protected]; or to 570 271-1201.

• For additional information: [email protected]; 570 271-9001.


Facility Spotlight BY ANNE B. MCDONNELL, SENIOR EDITOR

MOST FITNESS centers will neverface the type of challenge thatTiger Recreation – Fitness &Sports (TigeRec) did several yearsback. Students at the 230-year-oldcollege wanted a change: Theywanted an updated fitness facility.Says Director of Tiger RecreationSteven W. Harrell, “The fitnesscenter was a project that began in2002 when graduating students

said that having atrue fitness facilitywould have madetheir college experi-ence more fulfilling.”

TigeRec is locatedat one of the tworemaining all-maleliberal arts colleges inthe U.S., Hampden-Sydney College,which is one hoursouthwest of Rich-mond, Va. The col-

lege does not offer a curriculum inhealth, fitness, wellness or sports,so TigeRec provides just that, saysHarrell. The renovation projectwas pushed through, and the newcenter was placed in the old KirbyFieldhouse. Says Harrell, “The $3million, 10,000-square-foot reno-vation paved the way to a high-tech and modern facility that isnestled in a 230-year-old campus,and it still maintains the history ofthe college.”

Where there once was a lockerroom, storage, squash/racquetballcourts, a few athletic offices andan athletic training room nowstands a facility that has seenmore than 100,000 visitors sinceMarch 2004. The three remainingracquetball courts received mapleflooring and Plexi-Glass walls.Two locker rooms received a com-plete overhaul. An old racquetballcourt is now a multi-use and

strength area. Abovethat a floor was cre-ated to include agroup exercise roomwith wood flooring,wireless microphoneand audio technol-ogy, and a storageroom. The renova-tion was such as suc-cess that theequipment suppliernow uses TigeRec asa showcase, “evenafter so much use,”Harrell says.

The existing 25-meter pool with six lanes anddiving board remained untouchedexcept for interior wall painting.However, with the fitness center’srenovation, the pool has seen “adefinitive increase in usage,” saysHarrell. It is used so extensively,hours of operation had to beincreased. The college’s swimmingclub has grown to more than 60members since 2004.

Technology in the fitness centeralso reflects the times. The campuscomputing center and TigeRecworked together to develop twointeractive programs. First, aninteractive access point tracks par-ticipation, attendance, lockerrentals, membership access andmessage boards. The second pro-gram allows participants to trackworkouts, sign up for events,receive emails on workoutprogress, print out specific orgeneric workouts, request anappointment with a fitness special-ist, view workout progress, andtally results on incentive programslike cardio challenges and races.

To keep things runningsmoothly at TigeRec, one full-timedirector and 50 students areemployed. However, since there

are no sports or fitness classes inthe curriculum at Hampden-Sydney College, TigeRec has hadto search for a new way to gainpersonal trainers and employees.One way is its Student EmployeeContract: If students want tobecome certified in personal train-ing, TigeRec will pay for a percent-age of the costs in exchange forone year of employment.

Students at Hampden-SydneyCollege finally have a central loca-tion for fitness, aquatics, intramu-rals and informal recreation. Thecommunity also uses the fitnesscenter, and TigeRec boasts a 90-percent retention rate with itscommunity memberships, accord-ing to Harrell. Other good news:The HR department of the collegereports that insurance premiumshave declined since TigeRec Fit-ness Center opened. And, thedining hall recently adjusted itsmenu to offer more healthy cui-sine. What’s the biggest benefit ofthe new fitness center? Says Har-rell, “More students, faculty, staffand their families are finding timeto devote to themselves, and arenow more in tune with healthylifestyle habits.” FM

The renovated fitness

center at an all-male

college increased usage

and improved the health

of the students and

faculty/staff.

Renovation Increases Usage

TigeRecFitnessCenterHampden-Sydney CollegeHampden-Sydney, Va.www.hsc.edu/fitnessDate fitnessfacilityopened: March 2004Fitness facility size: 10,217 square feet(first floor and group exercise room);8,250-square-foot aquatics areaNumber of members: 1,100 stu-dents, 500 faculty/staff, 1,000-plus spouse/dependents, 125community membershipsUnique features/offerings: Body Toneand yoga group classes, seven 32-inch televisionswith BroadcastVision

To have your fitness center featured,

send an email describing your facility

to [email protected]

http://www.pilates.com

Introducing HumanSport™. Star Trac’s 2-in-1 functional training system.

The fastest growing company in commercial fitness equipment is pushing

performance even further with best-in-class functional training

equipment. HumanSport’s attractive and smooth operating machines

offer 12 intuitive workout stations. That means the most efficient

use of floor space for you and unlimited exercise and training

options for your members and trainers. For more on this rock solid

6 pack, call 800 228 6635 Dept. 1009 or visit www.startrac.com.

©2007 Star Trac. All rights reserved. HumanSport, the HumanSport logo and Designed to Inspire are trademarks of Star Trac.

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Documents

Fitness Management 02-2007