Health Club News....Tax Payers Still Paying For Weiner's Workouts....Unbelievable!

Rep. Anthony Weiner can still get his demons out at the House Health Club, though he resigned from Congress a week ago in the wake of a lurid Twitter scandal. As an ex-member of Congress, the New York Democrat will enjoy certain perks in the nation's capital for the rest of his life -- in addition to a pension that could easily be worth $1 million over the next several decades. On the list of facilities he'll have access to is the House Health Club, the location where several photos of Weiner in various states of disrobe may have been taken. He'll also be allowed to use the Library of Congress, eat in House restaurant facilities and park on the House side of the Capitol -- space permitting. And in case he has a hankering to deliver a thunderous speech, former members typically are afforded floor privileges while Congress is in session. For the time being, Weiner is working on honing his mental state more than his abs. The New York Post reports that Weiner is about to enter an "intensive" rehab program, as he and wife Huma Abedin try to salvage their marriage.Abedin is pregnant, and Weiner has said they have no intention of splitting up. A former colleague told the Post the ex-congressman is "headed next" to the rehab program.Weiner resigned after admitting to sending lewd photos over the Internet to several women.Health Club

ZX Fitness Closes Three Clubs in South Carolina

Coop’s Health and Fitness has acquired three ZX Fitness clubs in South Carolina, according to local media reports.

Beginning Friday, Coop’s clubs in Spartanburg, Greenville and Anderson, SC, will take on an estimated 8,000 memberships from the ZX Fitness clubs in Spartanburg, Greenville and Taylors, SC, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal reported.

“I’m absolutely over the moon about this,” Michael Cooper, founder and CEO of Coop’s, told the newspaper. “This is a very exciting time for Coop’s. It is one of the largest fitness mergers in the Upstate’s history. It’s a way for us to become stronger and better serve the fitness needs of the community.”

ZX Fitness spokesman David Buzo told the newspaper that ZX Fitness’ decision to close the three South Carolina clubs was due to its inability to negotiate a long-term lease at each location.

“We wanted to provide an equal health and fitness provider, and as a result of Coop’s reputation, amenities and locations, it was an easy and logical partnership,” Buzo told the Herald-Journal.

On June 18, an employee of the ZX Fitness club in Spartanburg told local authorities that someone had broken into the club, damaged several items and stole fitness equipment, the newspaper reported.

ZX Fitness, Charlotte, NC, entered the low-price/high-volume arena with its $10-per-month memberships after taking over the troubled Peak Fitness clubs, which filed for bankruptcy. The closures leave ZX Fitness with eight clubs in North Carolina. Buzo told the newspaper that the company plans to focus its attention on the North Carolina clubs with hopes of expansion on the West Coast.
By Club Industry staff

Health Club News.....Gold’s Gym in Talks to Buy Bally! Breaking news on the industry, people on the move, mergers and acquisitions and much more. Delivered weekly.

In what would be a blockbuster deal, Gold’s Gym International (GGI) is in discussions to acquire Bally Total Fitness, multiple sources tell Club Industry. The talks have been going on for about a month, and they are intensifying, according to sources. One source described the acquisition discussions as “hot and heavy and real.”
Bally CEO Michael Sheehan says he first heard rumors about the acquisition last week. “Our general approach is to not respond to rumors,” Sheehan told Club Industry. JP Morgan Chase Bank, the primary owner of Bally, Chicago, declined comment for this story. So, too, did a high-ranking official at GGI, Irving, TX.
The lack of public comments from Bally and Gold’s has not stopped speculation about an acquisition, when it would take place and what it would mean for the industry. One source says a deal could get done in the next month, around the time of GGI’s franchise convention July 18-20 in Las Vegas. Another industry observer says a deal might not be announced for another 60 to 90 days. If a deal materializes, the two companies would need to get landlord consents to close the transaction. GGI is owned by private equity firm TRT Holdings, whose assets include the Omni Hotel chain. TRT bought Gold’s from Brockway Moran and Partners in 2004 for $158 million. JP Morgan shares ownership of Bally with Anchorage Advisors LLC. In 2009, after Bally’s second bankruptcy in 17 months, JP Morgan received 50.5 percent of Bally’s equity, and Anchorage Advisors received 33.7 percent in a reorganization plan approved in bankruptcy court. Bally had been a public company prior to emerging from its first bankruptcy in 2007. Under its current ownership, GGI has not traditionally disclosed financial information about the company to Club Industry for the magazine’s annual Top 100 Clubs list. GGI did report this year that it had 700 clubs (63 corporate clubs and 637 clubs run by franchisees) at the end of 2010. Bally, after declining to submit financial information last year, reported $550 million in revenue for 2010, placing the company fifth on this year’s Top 100 Clubs list, which will be released next month. By comparison, Bally reported $1.059 billion in 2006 prior to its first bankruptcy. Sources have speculated about the asking price for Bally. One source says that if it sells for $1 million per club, then the total acquisition could be about $270 million. (Bally reported to Club Industry that it operated 278 clubs at the end of 2010.)“Where else can you buy 270 clubs for $270 million? You can’t,” the source says. But the source adds that a company buying Bally likely would have to invest an additional $100 million for upgrades and/or a possible re-brand. “Gold’s might get some religion when they figure out how much it’s actually going to cost,” the source says. If this deal goes through, there are other issues to consider, sources say. Would Gold’s keep the Bally brand or convert them all to Gold’s Gyms? And how would that sit with current Gold’s franchisees who might have to compete with other company-owned clubs in their territory?
“If they were to operate Bally as a separate entity, then maybe that allows them to run the two concepts, and where there’s overlap with the franchisee, they’d just keep the Bally name,” one source says. Another source says that if GGI were to acquire Bally, GGI would turn those clubs into corporate clubs, and the Bally brand would disappear. “As far as position in the marketplace, it certainly enhances GGI’s positioning immediately,” the source says. Officials at the Gold’s Gym Franchisee Association declined to comment about the speculation of a possible Gold’s acquisition. In addition to enhancing GGI’s position in the industry, the speculated acquisition also might result in “mass confusion and litigation,” as one source put it. Another source says the acquisition would set in motion an entire consolidation phase of clubs in the industry. Sheehan, who took over as Bally CEO in 2008 after serving as an executive at 24 Hour Fitness, San Ramon, CA, says he has heard rumors of a Bally sale in the past, even after joining Bally and not long after Bally re-emerged from bankruptcy. “In our industry, somebody’s buying and selling somebody probably every week,” Sheehan says. “This industry is certainly rife with rumors.” This time, the speculated Gold’s acquisition of Bally, according to sources, may be more than just a rumor.

Tighter belts shape health club industry

The nearly $70-billion-dollar global health club industry is rolling with the punches of a tough economy while seizing the opportunities of globalization, a new report shows.Big health club chains tackled far-flung markets, and value clubs drew budget-minded consumers in 2009, according to the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) 2010 Global Report on the state of the health club industry."Clubs doing well in Europe and the United States are either high end or budget clubs, because people want to cut back while still keeping gym memberships," said IHRSA spokesperson Alison O'Kane. "It's squeezing the middle market a lot."In the United States health club chains made more money in 2009 but the number of clubs fell slightly. Club membership in Europe, led by the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands, increased by four percent."Europe and the United States are the most advanced markets, so the trends will start there," O'Kane said. "There are more clubs open in Europe but America has more club members on average."Over 128,000 health clubs served 119 million members around the world in 2009. And despite the weak economy, giant chains were keen to extend their global reach.The Curves franchise of women's gyms is already in 76 countries and expects to enter Russia, China and India by the fall of 2010. O'Kane added that Gold's Gym has several facilities in Egypt.And Anytime Fitness, a coed chain with 1300 gyms worldwide, has recently come to a franchise agreement with Japan, which had been among the most insular of markets."Very few foreign brands have tried to enter the Japanese market," said O'Kane. "And Japanese chains have stayed in Japan."O'Kane said that while globalization has lessened the industry differences among countries, some remain."There are a lot more community centers in Europe, where they'll have a pool, soccer, workout equipment," she said. "The big box model is unique to America."She added that it is one-stop fitness, which is very big in Midwestern suburbs."The whole family membership price is great, and there's daycare. Huge clubs exist in Europe but the price point is way up there."O'Kane said the 40-year-old global industry evolved from regional activities."Every country has some sort of physical activity origin that the health club industry grew out of. It's cultural thing," she said."The Japanese market developed through swimming pools. That was the center. Then they added a gym. The Netherlands' health clubs developed out of martial arts, the U.S. clubs out of tennis and racquet ball."She added that in Asia, the spa is very big and something that they've shared with the rest the world.So what's on the horizon? O'Kane forsees a shift toward wellness."The industry is trying to reposition itself as a solution to the global obesity problem," she said. "Countries like Canada are leading in tax incentives for joining a health club. Switzerland and South Africa are also doing well."O'Kane said it is happening in America, but much more slowly."We need to find a way to leverage health promotion, working with governments, insurance companies, and doctors. Without branching out to these partnerships we'll grow at a much smaller pace," she explained.

The Myth of the Health-Club Feeder System...Once the $10-per-month virus has entered a member’s system, our experience shows that it can never be cured.

Everyone in the health club industry has heard the idea that low-priced clubs are a “feeder system” to full-service health clubs. The low-priced guys themselves like to trot out this idea when they are trying to deflect the hatred spewed their way from owners of full-service clubs. Their argument is basically, “Don’t hate us, because at some point our members might want more than we can offer, and they’ll come look at your facility.”Except they won’t.Once the $10-per-month virus has entered a member’s system, our experience shows that it can never be cured. There seem to be two causes for this. One, most people really don’t want what our industry is selling, so if they can get it, whatever “it” is, for $10 per month, they are thrilled. Two, most consumers assume that every health club is the same, so why would they ever pay more? Once someone has been a member of a low-priced club, there’s not even an intellectual acknowledgement about why different health clubs might have different prices. They’ll say, “Oh, so you have a pool and classes and childcare and towel service and trainers who can answer my questions? That’s great. But my last club charged me $10 a month.”We’ve been seeing this as people move to our area and call for pricing. They are obviously gym-goers because these are the type of people who look for a new club immediately upon arriving in a new home. Yet, all they care about is price, and they even like to lecture us about how we’d get more members if we charged less. (The part of that suggestion that would cause us to go out of business doesn’t seem to interest them.)Another group that isn’t out there shopping for full-service health clubs is the large population of former members of low-priced clubs who got what they paid for at $10 per month, canceled their memberships, and now will never enter a gym again. With the $10-per-month virus having infected them and the ongoing assumption that all health clubs are the same, we aren’t counting on seeing a lot of these folks.So, let’s stop with the myth that a significant number of people will “graduate” from a low-priced club to a full-service club. They won’t. The key for full-service providers is to win the initial sales battle when a consumer is first shopping for a gym. How to win that battle is a topic for another day, but make no mistake that you have to get these new members first, before the $10-per-month virus infects the patient.

Health Club News.... Miss Texas Pole Dance Competition Heats up Dallas

DALLAS—
The first-ever "Miss Texas Pole Dance" heated up north Texas over the weekend. The competitors say, they're not dancers, they're athletes.It takes a lot of strength, and a lot of control, to be able to do what the women were doing."It's a cardio workout, it's strength, endurance, it's flexibility, it's technique. So, it's a total body workout," said Toy Laster of Choice Training. Laster, along with Rashida Hobbs of Pole'iticians, put the event together."They're not really considered 'pole dancers.' People need to know there's a difference between an exotic dancer and a pole dancer. they are truly athletes," said Hobbs.Sensuality is important. So is performance. "Pole can be, not just fitness, but you can also make it very artistic," said Laster.What it all comes down to is athleticism."I'm looking for lines. I'm looking for flexed feet. I'm looking for someone who can bring more of a fitness and an athletic side to the sport," said judge Nicki Shaw, Miss Georgia. The competition was split into two categories: amateur and professional.Brynn Route competed in the pro competition, because she teaches pole fitness in Austin. She says, before pole dancing, she struggled to find a workout she could stick to. "I hated going to the gym. I hated running. I just could not get behind any form of exercise until I found pole dancing, and I just fell in love," said Route.Sunday, Route was one of the nearly two dozen women in the competition. Each was expected to perform stunts on two poles: one stationary and one rotating.Each competitor we spoke with agreed on one thing: you've got to be fit to perform on the pole. "It is becoming more and more mainstream," said Hobbs.Hobbs and Laster put the event together to draw more respect for the sport."I wanted to give women an opportunity to showcase their skills, agility, and training in pole fitness. To really display that this is an art as well as a sport, so people can recognize it as a legit fitness," said Hobbs.
Doug Magditch doug.magditch@the33tv.com
http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-miss-texas-pole-dance-competition-heats-up-dallas-20110626,0,735755.story

Health Club News.... Miss Texas Pole Dance Competition Heats up Dallas

DALLAS—
The first-ever "Miss Texas Pole Dance" heated up north Texas over the weekend. The competitors say, they're not dancers, they're athletes.It takes a lot of strength, and a lot of control, to be able to do what the women were doing."It's a cardio workout, it's strength, endurance, it's flexibility, it's technique. So, it's a total body workout," said Toy Laster of Choice Training. Laster, along with Rashida Hobbs of Pole'iticians, put the event together."They're not really considered 'pole dancers.' People need to know there's a difference between an exotic dancer and a pole dancer. they are truly athletes," said Hobbs.Sensuality is important. So is performance. "Pole can be, not just fitness, but you can also make it very artistic," said Laster.What it all comes down to is athleticism."I'm looking for lines. I'm looking for flexed feet. I'm looking for someone who can bring more of a fitness and an athletic side to the sport," said judge Nicki Shaw, Miss Georgia. The competition was split into two categories: amateur and professional.Brynn Route competed in the pro competition, because she teaches pole fitness in Austin. She says, before pole dancing, she struggled to find a workout she could stick to. "I hated going to the gym. I hated running. I just could not get behind any form of exercise until I found pole dancing, and I just fell in love," said Route.Sunday, Route was one of the nearly two dozen women in the competition. Each was expected to perform stunts on two poles: one stationary and one rotating.Each competitor we spoke with agreed on one thing: you've got to be fit to perform on the pole. "It is becoming more and more mainstream," said Hobbs.Hobbs and Laster put the event together to draw more respect for the sport."I wanted to give women an opportunity to showcase their skills, agility, and training in pole fitness. To really display that this is an art as well as a sport, so people can recognize it as a legit fitness," said Hobbs.
Doug Magditch doug.magditch@the33tv.com
http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-miss-texas-pole-dance-competition-heats-up-dallas-20110626,0,735755.story

Jon Wright has seen his affordable health club operator Xercise4less expand quickly

THE ALDI phenomenon has seen Britain’s squeezed middle class shoppers abandon their preconceptions and flock to budget supermarkets.
Jon Wright has seen his affordable gym operator Xercise4less expand quickly as people realise it is not necessary to spend £40 or £50 a month to say fit.
The firm has 10,000 members at its Wakefield and Castleford sites and will turn over £2.5m for the year to July, although it wants to increase this tenfold by 2015 as business models change, Mr Wright said.
“Typically 15 per cent of adults use health clubs but that is moving towards 20 per cent. It is opening up our market.”
The growth of Xercise has been based on a low subscription rate, of £14.99 a month, flexibility, with members on monthly, discounted 12 month rates or ongoing contracts, rather than the rigid long-term agreements with high penalty clauses used by some operators, and a focus on costs which means several instructors are self-employed personal trainers rather than on the firm’s payroll.
“The key for us is to be flexible and to meet the members’ requirements,” said Mr Wright, a former Leeds rugby union player.
“We let you freeze fees if you get injured or go on holiday. It is just so much cheaper to run – (changing and freezing memberships) was a longer process but now it is done at the click of a button.”
This model, of lower costs and lower fees, is why Mr Wright describes his firm as the Aldi of the fitness sector, in honour of the German supermarket.
Last month Xercise reached another significant landmark when it appointed business angel Neil Ewin as a non-executive director.
For the firm to keep growing in the long-term, however, it may need a capital injection. The credit crisis which has driven customers to Xercise also means it remains difficult for small businesses to get a loan and owner Mr Wright said it was this, as well as the challenge of finding suitable sites, that could limit its growth.
So would he be willing to sell a stake in the business? “It is a possibility. The way that banks are is that they are not falling over themselves to lend you money. That is just the nature of the climate we are in.
“If the banks are not willing to do it your only alternative is to go to private equity. Clearly, we want to get to a lot bigger before that.”
In the meantime, Xercise, which is profitable, will open a new site in a 32,000 sq ft former retail warehouse in Stockton in September, creating 40 jobs. It also plans to extend its Wakefield site, a former Allied Carpets store, by adding a 2,000 sq ft ladies only extension, although Mr Wright said the firm will not be opening a full size single sex gym.
Instead it will continue to drive up its customer base and find new sites. It wants to have 15 gyms and 150,000 members by 2015 which Mr Wright is confident he can achieve, based on a low rate of churn (the number of members leaving and joining).
Mr Ewin will play a key part in this after joining last month. The SME investor and consultant, from Leeds, is an experienced business angel who sold his legal software group, Visualfiles, to a US company for a multi-million pound sum in 2006.
“It is an advantage to bring somebody on board of that calibre,” Mr Wright said.
“He comes in with that level of insight – (helping improve) customer services ideas and repeat business. The health club industry is a very sales driven industry.”
Mr Ewin will bring the experience of running a business to Xercise, which has been built on Mr Wright’s knowledge of the gym industry. He has been involved with health clubs for 18 years after injury forced him to stop playing rugby union.
He played for Headingley in the early 1990s and in the first year after its merger with Roundhay, when the new club was known as Leeds Tykes (now Leeds Carnegie). He went on to play for Harlequins, before injury cut short his career aged 23.
By Peter Edwards
peter.edwards@ypn.co.uk

YMCA health club to close after struggling to remain financially viable.

YMCA health club will close its doors at the end of the month after struggling to remain financially viable.
Club members expressed anger after receiving the news last week in a letter from club manager Lissa McIldowney, while Hepburn Shire has promised to investigate new options for a heath club.Ballarat YMCA chief executive Malcolm Healey said the Smith Street facility was not financially viable in its current location in the grounds of Daylesford Secondary College and would close on June 30. "We have explored several alternatives for the health club's continuation, but unfortunately we have not been able to achieve a positive outcome," Mr Healey said.He said the site's location and limited day-time access, as well as issues of amenity, had restricted the health club's ability to attract sustainable membership.Patrons with term memberships or membership passes will have the balance of their payments refunded. Mr Healey said the six casual YMCA staff affected by the closure would be supported to find alternative employment. Club member Kathleen Murray said Daylesford was being "geographically discriminated against" by the closure. ".This is a sudden and hugely disappointing announcement which leaves the local residents without any access to a gymnasium before and after work."It also makes it incredibly difficult for locals to try and keep fit during the colder months," Mrs Murray said. She said many members were angry and the decision to close the gym made the promotion of health and wellbeing in the area laughable.Daylesford Secondary College acting principal Tiffany Holt said the decision by the YMCA came as a shock to the school."The college has been in ongoing lengthy discussions with the shire regarding ways to maximise the use and availability of the health club, and we will continue to nvestigate ways to maintain this great facility for the benefit of both our school community and the wider community," she said.Hepburn Shire mayor Rod May said the decision was regrettable but unavoidable."According to the YMCA, the ongoing operation of the club was clearly not financially sustainable and they were left with no other choice."Council is committed to working with both the YMCA and the Daylesford Secondary College to explore other options so our community can continue to enjoy the benefits such a club and facility provides," he said.Club members who contacted The Advocate paid tribute to Ms McIldowney for her leadership of the club and expressed sadness they would no longer be able to exercise together at the facility.
http://www.hepburnadvocate.com
The Advocate

International Health Club News...... Ruling to free health club members from long contracts

Anyone tied into a gym contract of more than a year should be able to cancel it more easily and without cost, following a landmark ruling last month. Working up a sweat: The ruling could mean that other gyms will not be able to tie customers into contracts for more than 12 months. In May, the Office of Fair Trading won a ruling at the High Court against Ashbourne Management Services, which draws up contracts and collects payments from independent gyms. This Friday the High Court is set to make an enforcement order on the ruling which could mean that anyone who is signed up to a gym contract that is longer than 12 months will be able to cancel it for free. During the case the judge looked at 13 Ashbourne contracts, ruling that in 10 of them the lengthy minimum membership periods (usually 12, 24 or 36 months) were unfair when Ashbourne knew that many consumers stop attending the gym after two or three months. He also ruled that three other contracts were still unfair because they tied members in for more than 12 months. The ruling, although not yet legally binding, could see other gyms follow suit. Current contracts for 12 months or longer do not need to be cancelled, but gyms will not be able to enforce penalties or insist that members pay for the whole amount outstanding if members decide to leave.It also means that gym-goers can cancel their memberships without cost, even if it is within 12 months, if they raise genuine issues about the quality of the gym. The OFT said that the ruling should give other businesses in the sector which use similar terms an 'understanding of how a court would rule' if its terms or contracts were unfair.Jason Freeman, Director in the OFT Goods and Consumer Group, said: 'Unfair terms that unreasonably bind consumers into long contracts they cannot leave, and heavy-handed collection techniques, have no place in businesses' dealings with consumers. 'This ruling should help traders to understand where the boundaries lie, and sends a warning that if they cross the line, the OFT and local trading standards services can take action.'

World Gym Shuts Doors After Dispute Between Owner, Landlord

World Gym Shuts Doors After Dispute Between Owner, Landlord
Sign in window calls closure 'temporary' but at least one member is not so sure.

By Karen Sorensen
http://plainfield.patch.com

World Gym members in Plainfield are learning the hard way their workout facility has "temporarily" closed -- when they are greeted by a sign on the front window telling them to use the World Gym in Montgomery.The fitness center shut its doors late last week, the result of a dispute between the building owner and the owner of the Plainfield World Gym franchise, said Esther Colima, a staff member for the Montgomery World Gym.Colima said she did not know the nature of the dispute or if the gym, at 12337 S. Route 59, would reopen. In the meantime, she said, they're seeing as many as a dozen Plainfield members using their facility daily because of the closure.At least one member said in an e-mail Tuesday that he feared that gym may be closed permanently, and that people who had paid in advance would not be reimbursed."I know people, me included, prepaid for the summer and others have an automatic debit [for] which we will probably never see a refund," Kurt Corrigan wrote. "All everyone wants is their money back and to move on, but it does not seem they are going to honor that."The owner of the gym could not be reached for comment. Building owner Joe Ardovich, whose strip mall includes several other businesses, including Limestone Brewing Company, did not return phone calls.Calls to the World Gym corporate offices in Downers Grove also were not returned.If the Plainfield facility does not reopen, it would follow on the heels of the World Gym in Elgin, which is owned by the same franchise holder and shut its doors in May. Customers there, too, are being told to use their memberships at the Montgomery facility or file a claim for a reimbursement.According to the World Gym Web site, annual memberships cost $29.99 and members pay for each month in advance. For singles, that amount is $23.85, for couples it's $33.85 and for families it's $43.85 ($25 additional for every family member beyond the first three).So far, the village has not received any complaints about the fitness center's closure, said village spokeswoman Amy De Boni.

Health Club News?????...Why Rooster from True Grit didn't worry about the gym

By Nuala McKeever
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
I watched True Grit last week. That's True Grit, the remake, with Jeff Bridges as the hard drinkin', big hearted but tough bounty hunter, Rooster Cogburn.
I had only seen the original film with John Wayne in the role, a couple of weeks before that. Much as I never really liked John Wayne and much as I love the work of Jeff Bridges, I ended up preferring the original movie. Anyway, so what, that's not really the point here. The point is that I now keep asking myself, in moments of indecision: "What would Rooster Cogburn do?" There was a time when I'd ask myself, in moments of moral dilemma: "What would Jesus Christ do?" Not to sound too pious, but I still think there's usually a clear way to approach things, we just don't want to take the consequences sometimes, preferring to indulge in justification and 'whataboutery' instead. I mean, would Jesus Christ, faced with the customer-before-him having left their change in the self-service checkout and walked away without realising, say to himself "Ach sure, that's their look out. I don't know who it belongs to. If I hand it in, it'll probably just go to boost the already huge profits of this supermarket, therefore my taking it would actually be a victory for the little guy?" Yes, that did happen to me and I did hand it in. And yes it quite possibly has gone to boost the store's profits by £5.18, but, hey, I can sleep easy in my bed at night. Or rather, I can't. That's the problem. See now I've got things to lie awake and worry about that the likes of Jesus Christ and Rooster Cogburn never had to concern themselves with. The latest is exercise and weight loss. As I joined a new gym last week I laughed to myself imagining Rooster suckin' on a bottle of blue coloured energy drink and announcing to his riding companions that he'd managed to lose four pounds the week before and half-an-inch off his waist, while showing them his before and after photos, laminated and attached to his 'World's Best Bounty Hunter' heart-shaped key fob.And as I woke up the other morning to discover my mobile phone battery had died overnight despite being fully charged the evening before, I realised that the reason people in Rooster's day didn't need to join gyms was because in order to communicate with others, they actually had to move physically either to talk, ride, write and post or run after the person in question. And if they had a few extra pounds on, nobody cared anyway, cos they weren't gonna have to show it off in skimpy outfits the minute the sun came out.
They had occasional baths, no phones and shorter life expectancy. We have daily showers, the pressure of always being contactable and longer life expectancy.
But, because we live longer, we now have to work longer and pay more and get back less to live on.
Our beds are more comfortable and we don't have to worry about snakes, but still we lie awake at night anyway 'cos the serpent of progress keeps biting us on the ass.
Oh for the days when all y'had to worry about was ridin' out for weeks on end, sleepin' rough, not washin', eatin' beans, trackin' down a known criminal and possibly losing your life in the process.

Simple.

Silverstein Properties and Clay Health Club and Spa Announce New Partnership

Silverstein Properties is pleased to announce a new partnership with Clay Health Club and Spa at Silver Towers, a residential complex on West 42nd Street. Clay will operate the luxury rental towers' fitness and wellness facility, Club 7 by Clay, which includes a fitness center, salon, spa, indoor pool and roof deck. Industry veteran Steve Light will be the on-site manager for the new facility.

Clay is a luxury boutique health club brand based in Union Square, NYC, and is known for its commitment to helping clients achieve their personal wellness goals through customized fitness plans. Clay was determined to be an ideal operator for Silver Towers' Club 7 facility due to the firm's dedication to personalized, client-centric service. This philosophy suits the needs of Silver Towers' tenants, who currently enjoy the building's concierge-level of service and amenities.

Clay will offer Silver Towers' residents:

An attentive, experienced staff
Full spa and salon services
Knowledgeable personal trainers
A new group exercise and Pilates reformer program
A new café and juice bar and enhanced locker room amenities
New guest pass options and increased evening roof deck access
"Clay's ‘client-first' philosophy is completely in sync with Silver Towers' highly-serviced, resort lifestyle," said Lisa Silverstein, Project Director of Silver Towers. "Our residents are accustomed to the best, and the new Club 7 by Clay facility allows tenants to experience a new level of personalized attention, top-notch exercise equipment and programs, as well as a friendly and knowledgeable staff."

Located at 610-620 W. 42nd Street, Silver Towers has elevated the design standard for today's rental buildings. The illuminated pinnacles of the project's 60-story towers are an iconic presence on the West Side of Manhattan. Its 1,254 residences offer spacious, well designed floor plans, and often, stunning views of the city and the Hudson River. Additionally, Silver Towers has helped spur development along the West 42nd Street corridor, an area now well on its way toward becoming a world-class residential neighborhood.

Health Club News....Silverstein Properties and Clay Health Club and Spa Announce New Partnership

Silverstein Properties is pleased to announce a new partnership with Clay Health Club and Spa at Silver Towers, a residential complex on West 42nd Street. Clay will operate the luxury rental towers' fitness and wellness facility, Club 7 by Clay, which includes a fitness center, salon, spa, indoor pool and roof deck. Industry veteran Steve Light will be the on-site manager for the new facility.

Clay is a luxury boutique health club brand based in Union Square, NYC, and is known for its commitment to helping clients achieve their personal wellness goals through customized fitness plans. Clay was determined to be an ideal operator for Silver Towers' Club 7 facility due to the firm's dedication to personalized, client-centric service. This philosophy suits the needs of Silver Towers' tenants, who currently enjoy the building's concierge-level of service and amenities.

Clay will offer Silver Towers' residents:

An attentive, experienced staff
Full spa and salon services
Knowledgeable personal trainers
A new group exercise and Pilates reformer program
A new café and juice bar and enhanced locker room amenities
New guest pass options and increased evening roof deck access
"Clay's ‘client-first' philosophy is completely in sync with Silver Towers' highly-serviced, resort lifestyle," said Lisa Silverstein, Project Director of Silver Towers. "Our residents are accustomed to the best, and the new Club 7 by Clay facility allows tenants to experience a new level of personalized attention, top-notch exercise equipment and programs, as well as a friendly and knowledgeable staff."

Located at 610-620 W. 42nd Street, Silver Towers has elevated the design standard for today's rental buildings. The illuminated pinnacles of the project's 60-story towers are an iconic presence on the West Side of Manhattan. Its 1,254 residences offer spacious, well designed floor plans, and often, stunning views of the city and the Hudson River. Additionally, Silver Towers has helped spur development along the West 42nd Street corridor, an area now well on its way toward becoming a world-class residential neighborhood.

Health Club News....Silverstein Properties and Clay Health Club and Spa Announce New Partnership

Silverstein Properties is pleased to announce a new partnership with Clay Health Club and Spa at Silver Towers, a residential complex on West 42nd Street. Clay will operate the luxury rental towers' fitness and wellness facility, Club 7 by Clay, which includes a fitness center, salon, spa, indoor pool and roof deck. Industry veteran Steve Light will be the on-site manager for the new facility.

Clay is a luxury boutique health club brand based in Union Square, NYC, and is known for its commitment to helping clients achieve their personal wellness goals through customized fitness plans. Clay was determined to be an ideal operator for Silver Towers' Club 7 facility due to the firm's dedication to personalized, client-centric service. This philosophy suits the needs of Silver Towers' tenants, who currently enjoy the building's concierge-level of service and amenities.

Clay will offer Silver Towers' residents:

An attentive, experienced staff
Full spa and salon services
Knowledgeable personal trainers
A new group exercise and Pilates reformer program
A new café and juice bar and enhanced locker room amenities
New guest pass options and increased evening roof deck access
"Clay's ‘client-first' philosophy is completely in sync with Silver Towers' highly-serviced, resort lifestyle," said Lisa Silverstein, Project Director of Silver Towers. "Our residents are accustomed to the best, and the new Club 7 by Clay facility allows tenants to experience a new level of personalized attention, top-notch exercise equipment and programs, as well as a friendly and knowledgeable staff."

Located at 610-620 W. 42nd Street, Silver Towers has elevated the design standard for today's rental buildings. The illuminated pinnacles of the project's 60-story towers are an iconic presence on the West Side of Manhattan. Its 1,254 residences offer spacious, well designed floor plans, and often, stunning views of the city and the Hudson River. Additionally, Silver Towers has helped spur development along the West 42nd Street corridor, an area now well on its way toward becoming a world-class residential neighborhood.

Tornadoes Destroy Health Clubs in Joplin, MO, Tuscaloosa, AL

Tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast this past spring killed hundreds and ravaged thousands of homes and buildings. Some fitness clubs in communities hit hardest by the storms were not spared.

Olympic Fitness Center, which had been in operation for years in Joplin, MO, was destroyed by an EF5 tornado on May 22. One report said that members hunkered down in a closet inside the club while the tornado roared over them.

Powerhouse Gym CEO Henry Dabish spent many anxious hours making calls and sending texts to his Joplin club’s owners and managers before he finally heard that they were OK. Powerhouse Gym opened its doors to displaced homeowners to use its shower facilities, Dabish says.

A Curves club in Joplin and its owner survived the tornado. The club, however, has been closed indefinitely, and the equipment has been removed to deter looters, according to a Curves spokesperson.

Maccaroo Gyms, a kids’ fitness facility in Joplin, did not sustain any detrimental damage, says operator Ken Scheuerman. The gym was used for the American Red Cross and Americorps after the tornado and re-opened for business on June 1, Scheuerman says.

“Things are a little hectic, but we feel it is important to promote a sense of normalcy as the community moves forward,” he says.

The three YMCA facilities in Joplin also are back to normal operating hours, but membership usage has dropped dramatically, and most of the usual programming has been suspended, according to Amy York, associate executive at the Joplin Family YMCA.

As of June 6, the tornado had killed 141 people, and all of the missing persons had been accounted for.

“You simply cannot imagine the devastation here,” Kevin Rhinehart, owner of Rhino Fitness Center that was unharmed in the Joplin tornado, said last month. “Nuclear war couldn’t be much worse.”

The description of the aftermath was eerily similar to what an EF4 tornado did to Tuscaloosa, AL, earlier this spring. The April 27 tornado there destroyed both a Planet Fitness and a World Gym. A few members at Planet Fitness took shelter in the locker room and were unharmed while the storm pummeled their club.

“The city in general is absolutely devastated,” David Leverett, owner of Fitness South in Tuscaloosa, said after the tornado killed 40 in his hometown. “It’s indescribable. It’s like a bomb went off right where Planet Fitness and World Gym were. It’s hard to fathom.”

Universities in both communities came to the aid of survivors. An athletic center at Missouri Southern State University became an American Red Cross shelter. The University of Alabama’s student rec center housed students whose off-campus housing had been damaged.

NFL.....Dolphins Swarming Health Clubs and Gyms Gyms During Lockout

Be nice to the guy asking for a spot at the gym, he could be a member of the Dolphins.Next time you go to your local gym, be on the lookout for Miami Dolphins. With the NFL's ongoing lockout nearly a month old, football players who might have otherwise worked out at team facilities during the offseason have found new workout spots, including an LA Fitness in Plantation.
A number of Dolphins, including WRs Davone Bess and Roberto Wallace, have been using the gym franchise to hold unofficial workouts with their teammates, the Miami Herald reported.After a glimmer of hope, the on-again, off-again National Football League lockout went back on again last week, much to the dismay of NFL fans, players and coaches. Instead of training in their team’s facility, players resumed working out wherever they could—perhaps even at your club.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen Jacksonville Jaguars at a Lifestyle Family Fitness, Philadelphia Eagles at a local aquatic and fitness center, St. Louis Rams at Emerge Fitness and a New Orleans Saints free agent at Elmwood Fitness Center.
Miami Dolphins have worked out at an LA Fitness in Miami, and an assortment of players from other teams, including New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, are working out with a personal trainer amongst senior citizens at a Miami-area JCC.
“Everyone here is really, really friendly,” one NFL player says in this video shot at the JCC. “Besides them looking at us like we’re giants, that’s about it.”
Have your members rubbed elbows with locked-out NFL players who are now locked in at your club? If so, how do they interact with them?
Autographs probably aren’t the best way to go. Too much sweat would smear the ink.
(UPDATE: Several members of the Denver Broncos are working out at Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club, Greenwood Village, CO. Pictured above with group exercise instructor Sherri Weaver-Fast are Broncos Manny Ramirez, Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton, who had just completed Sherri’s Bosu Complete class. Not pictured, but who also works out at Greenwood: Tim Tebow.)A Herald reporter shot video of one of these public workouts and posted it to YouTube (see below). "If you stay ready you ain't gotta get ready," Bess said at a workout.Springtime is usually when NFL players are getting geared up for Organized Team Activities (OTAs), the offseason workouts and minicamps where players work out with their team and new acquisitions get up to speed on their team's schemes and systems. Public workouts are not quite as structured as OTAs, but they do give players a chance to stay in game shape during the labor dispute.
However, running unofficial workouts carries its own risk. The Sun-Sentinel spoke to superagent Drew Rosenhaus, who noted that players injured in unofficial workouts during the lockout could be released by their teams. "It's not a sanctioned activity," he told the Sentinel, "so if a guy goes out there and blows his knee, the team can say they've decided not to pay your contract this year. It's very risky."
For that reason, Rosenhaus and other agents advise their clients to work out at professional facilities where they have access to trainers and medical staff. The Herald reported that Brandon Marshall, for instance, has been working out at Fit Speed Sports Performance in Fort Lauderdale.Regardless, this phenomenon of pro football players hitting the same gym as us regular people does give locals an extra incentive to wipe down the bench after finishing some presses. You would hate to inadvertently give Jake Long ringworm.

Military Mom, Health Club Executive Lends a Helping Hand to Servicepeople

The mother of a naval serviceman and General Manager of Sports, Fitness & Fun health club, Roberta Kruse-Fordham is doing what she can to help the United States' service people. Her health club is offering free memberships to active military personnel and their immediate families.The IHRSA Joining Forces Network urges health clubs to offer free memberships to the families of active reservists and National Guard members. Kruse-Fordham has met IHRSA's call, and gone above and beyond by offering free six month memberships to all branches of the US military."I am so proud and thankful to be a part of [The IHRSA Joining Forces Network]," Kruse-Fordham wrote to IHRSA in an email. "I operate a health club in Florida, New York and am the mom of a deployed Navy man." She attached a photo of her son, T.J. (pictured above), whose wife and daughter remain at home in Jacksonville, Florida while he serves overseas."It's a great stress reliever to be able to work out, take yoga, do Pilates, especially for the people left at home, and certainly those who are about to be deployed," Kruse-Fordham told her local newspaper, the Times Herald-Record.She added:"When I heard of this program, I joined the cause immediately because it spoke to my heart, and I believe it will do the same for others in our community. Our staff is so proud to be able to give back to the families of these courageous Americans in such a unique and beneficial way."
To find out more about the IHRSA Joining Forces Network, or to get involved, please visit IHRSA.org/joining-forces-network.

Should Insurance Reimburse Health Clubs For Exercise Programs?.

It’s often been said that if exercise were a pill, it’d be a mega-blockbuster, given the positive health effects — from lower cholesterol to improved cognition to longer lifetimes — to which it’s been tied.An editorial just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says research supports consideration of a wider policy of reimbursing for structured exercise programs, particularly in high-risk groups, such as diabetics. Currently, health-insurance plans don’t treat exercise as medicine; only some plans offer a fitness benefit, usually a partial reimbursement for gym membership.Marco Pahor, author of the editorial and a University of Florida professor and chair of the school’s department of aging and geriatric research, isn’t saying that every commercial insurer should suddenly start paying for everyone’s Saturday-afternoon Zumba class.
But he points to a review of published data published in the same issue of JAMA that found aerobic exercise, strength training or both can help control blood-sugar levels in diabetics. And, he notes that “cost analyses have shown that use of a health plan–sponsored health club benefit by the general older population and by older adults with diabetes was associated with slower increases in total health care costs over 2 years.” Older adults going to a health club two or more times a week incurred $1,252 less in health-care costs in the second year than those who went less than once a week, he writes.
“The type of supported program and the target population eligible ought to be carefully assessed,” he writes. For example, it may be more cost-effective to pay for exercise programs for people with existing diabetes, not as a preventive measure. More data on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a structured exercise program on different health conditions and outcomes need to be analyzed, he says.
That said, there is “solid evidence for public policy makers to consider structured exercise and physical activity programs as worthy of insurance reimbursement to promote health, especially in high-risk populations,” he writes.
What do you think, readers? Should Medicare or private insurers reimburse for exercise programs just like they do for statins or antidepressants
By Katherine Hobson

What a crying shame! Anthony Weiner takes full advantage of House Health Club that is paid for by the taxpayers and could care less!

WASHINGTON DC - You may not know it, but an exclusive health club in DC is subsidized by your money. But, taxpayers aren’t welcome. Only members of Congress are.Photos of Anthony Weiner in the House gym recently brought attention to this popular Congressional perk.

http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/national/wellness-provides-plush-gym-for-house-members

Breaking Health Club News: Georgia and Texas Introduce Latest Personal Trainer Licensing Bills

Bills in Georgia and Texas are the latest legislation that have been introduced relating to personal trainer licensing. Another bill introduced in Massachusetts does not have the licensure requirement.Introduced in March, Georgia Senate Bill 204 would impose professional and continuing education requirements of personal trainers and require them to pass an exam to obtain a license to practice in that state. The bill also would establish an 11-member Georgia Board of Fitness Trainers, which would determine the specific requirements for licensing. If passed, the bill would go into effect March 31, 2012. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) says similar legislation in Georgia was defeated in 2010.Also in March, Texas introduced House Bill 3800, which relates to the licensing and regulation of professional fitness trainers administered by the Department of State Health Services. If passed, that bill would go into effect Sept. 1, 2011.Earlier this year, Massachusetts introduced House Bill 1005 in which personal trainers would be required to have either a current certification by a national independent organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or a credential or certification in either personal training, exercise science or a similar field from an educational institution recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.
Minus a licensure requirement, House Bill 1005, according to IHRSA, is the most industry-friendly personal trainer bill proposed in the country. Legislation that did include a licensure requirement was defeated during the 2009-2010 Massachusetts legislative session.

Anytime Fitness Terminates India Franchisee Agreement

After Anytime Fitness clubs closed unexpectedly in India, the Hastings, MN-based company cut ties with the master franchisee in that country.
The decision to end the agreement with Chandan Lunawat, chairman and managing director of Anytime India Fitness Private Limited, was made at the beginning of May, according to Anytime Fitness President and Co-Founder Dave Mortensen.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn of the recent closings of Anytime Fitness clubs in India,” Mortensen said in a statement. “This is an unfortunate development for the Indian fitness industry and for Anytime Fitness.”
All four Anytime Fitness clubs in India have closed, but the company considers them temporarily closed as it seeks alternatives to reopen them. Those alternatives include an acquisition by another club company or the assumption of the leases by a new master franchisee, says Mark Daly, company spokesperson.
According to an article from an Indian website, Lunawat closed his club in Kalyaninagar, India, on May 1. A notice posted at the club said the club would be closed for a week due to maintenance, but it has not reopened.
Lunawat announced his franchisee agreement with Anytime Fitness in December 2009. Since that time, however, Lunawat took liberties with the Anytime Fitness model and deviated from the company’s systems despite Anytime’s warnings, Mortensen said.
“As a result of these breaches, we delivered a notice of termination of our agreement to our master franchisee,” Mortensen said. “Regrettably, we were unable to apply resources from overseas to protect the numerous individuals that have been affected by this problem, including club members, staff, landlords, vendors, respected financial institutions and a prominent Bollywood celebrity.”
Any new Anytime Fitness clubs that open in India will be jointly owned and operated by Anytime Fitness and the new master franchisee, Daly says.
“We’re operating very successfully in 10 different countries currently using the standard master franchisee agreement,” Daly says. “This is the first time anything like this has ever happened where a master franchisee has not used the Anytime Fitness business model. We’re convinced that the Anytime Fitness business model can work in India.”

Health Club News: Synergy Fitness Clubs Owner Convicted of Two Murders

Christian Tarantino, co-owner of Synergy Fitness Clubs, New York, has been convicted by a federal jury of two 1994 murders.
The verdict, announced May 23, followed eight weeks of trial. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a third murder charge in the case, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York. Tarantino, who was arrested Sept. 24, 2008, after an FBI raid at his mansion in Dix Hills, NY, faces a mandatory life imprisonment sentence on each of the murder convictions.“We hope that [the] convictions bring a measure of closure to the family and friends of the victims,” U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement. “As this case clearly demonstrates, we will not rest until those who engage in such murderous violence are brought to justice.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office, citing trial evidence, said that on June 23, 1994, Tarantino and co-conspirators, including a man named Louis Dorval, carried out an armed robbery of a Mid-Island Check Cashing armored van in Syosset, NY. During the robbery, Dorval shot and killed Julius Baumgardt, one of the van guards.
After the Baumgardt murder, Tarantino learned that Dorval told at least one other person that he and Tarantino had committed the armored van robbery and murder. On Aug. 10, 1994, Dorval and others were charged in New Jersey with various racketeering offenses unrelated to the armored van robbery. Two days later, after Dorval stated that he would flee rather than face incarceration, Tarantino and others murdered Dorval, put his body in a plastic tool trunk and dumped the trunk into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Long Island, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Dorval’s body was found four days later by U.S. Coast Guard personnel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Tarantino murdered Dorval to prevent him from disclosing to federal authorities information relating to various crimes, including Tarantino’s role in the armored van robbery and Baumgardt murder.
The jury did not return a verdict on two charges stemming from the Aug. 18, 2003, murder of Vincent Gargiulo, the brother-in-law of Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider. Tarantino will be re-tried on those charges on Aug. 1.
Some of Tarantino’s friends have created a blog in his support.
Tarantino is part-owner of five Synergy Fitness Clubs in Long Island, NY, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. However, in 2008, an employee at the Synergy Fitness Club in Farmingdale, NY, told Club Industry that another part-owner took over the club after Tarantino’s arrest. A recent request for more information about the current ownership structure of Synergy Fitness Clubs was denied by the company’s corporate office.
Synergy Fitness has 16 locations in the New York City metro area, according to the company’s website. In 2010, one of the Synergy Fitness Clubs in Manhattan filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Breaking Health Club News: Personal Trainer Sues Life Time Fitness for Sexual Harassment

A former Life Time Fitness trainer is suing the Chanhassen, MN-based company on the grounds of sexual harassment and retaliation.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lisa Ryan Flores of Cypress, TX, on May 19 in Harris County (TX) District Court against Life Time and Todd Buckland, a Life Time employee who was Flores’s team leader. Flores accuses Buckland of inappropriate and unwanted sexual behavior.In July 2009, Flores was transferred from Life Time’s Cinco Ranch location to its Houston City Centre location, where the alleged behavior took place, according to the complaint. Among other accusations, Flores claims Buckland put his hand down her pants and would send her unwanted text messages outside of work late at night.After reporting the alleged sexual advances around Sept. 1, 2009, Flores claims Life Time led a campaign of retaliation against her, and that led to her wrongful termination. The tactics, Flores claims, included demoting her, which reduced her income. She claims Life Time’s corporate human resources department scolded her because she asked club managers about Buckland’s status at the club.On Oct. 21, 2009, Flores filed claims of harassment and subsequent retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission. During mediation, Flores was fired by Leslie Simoneau, general counsel for Life Time Fitness, according to the complaint.In addition to sexual harassment and retaliation, Flores is suing on the grounds of assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking damages that include back pay, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.Fife Time says it does not comment on legal matters.

Are Weight-Loss TV Shows Too Extreme?

On the heels of “The Biggest Loser” season finale, a new weight-loss reality TV show premiered Monday night: “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.”
The new show (10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central on ABC) chronicles eight morbidly obese people as they lose weight over the span of a year. The star of the show is trainer Chris Powell, who guides one individual per show through his or her struggles, both physically and emotionally.We touched on the topic of weight-loss reality TV shows last month in our praise of the fitness industry’s ties to TV, which included Anytime Fitness’ work on A&E’s “Heavy” as well as a note on one of Anytime’s trainers, Kelli Calabrese, who auditioned to replace Jillian Michaels as the head trainer on “The Biggest Loser.” (As you may know by now, that job went to Anna Kournikova, a curious choice given that her fame came as a tennis player.)
We were planning to address the recent wave of weight-loss reality shows until we saw this story written by Sandy Cohen of the Associated Press, which blew our idea out of the water. Cohen successfully lists all of the weight-loss reality shows currently on TV and presents a case study of the pros and cons of the genre.
This article and this topic raise a ton of questions: Do these shows paint the fitness industry in a positive light? Is this the best way to represent what personal trainers can do? Are these shows focusing too much on the morbidly obese? Are those individuals losing too much weight in too short of time? In short, are these shows too extreme?