Health Club News...."Urban Active Opens in Atlanta".....Health Club News

Urban Active CEO Royce Pulliam was joined at the Atlanta club's grand opening by many celebrity guests, including trainer Carlos Daniels and singer Jasmine Guy. Urban Active, Lexington, KY, attracted a star-studded crowd to the grand opening of its new Buckhead location in Atlanta last month. "Real Housewives of Atlanta" stars Sheree Whitfield, Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss were in attendance, as well as celebrity trainers Rahman Grayson, who trains Mary J. Blige, and Cliff Boyce, who works with Beyonce, Usher and Lil Wayne. Despite recently facing several lawsuits and receiving an "F" from the Better Business Bureau of Ohio for charging members after they canceled their memberships, the company continues to expand. CEO Royce Pulliam says the Buckhead club, the 36th for Urban Active, will likely be the first of several in the area. "We are very excited about the initial response to our first store and look forward to being the fitness choice for all of Atlanta in years to come,” says Pulliam. "We feel that our high energy product and service matches up with what Atlanta residents are looking for and expect in the ultimate fitness experience. We will focus the next 10 years in building out the market and are currently negotiating on three new sites in the city.”

Closed Gym's Members May Have Refund As Option

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- If you are a former ZX Fitness member, you may have more options available than you thought. When ZX Fitness closed three of its gyms in the Upstate, members were told they could work out the remainder of their contracts at another gym. However, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs says ZX Fitness members are not obligated to attend another gym and may be entitled to a refund. "Some members said they were told by ZX Fitness that they had to attend an alternative (gym). We want consumers to know that that is not correct," said Carri Grube Lybarker, acting administrator for the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. Last month, ZX Fitness closed its facilities in Greenville, Spartanburg and Taylors. The owner of Coop's Fitness announced ZX Fitness members could work out the remainder of their contracts at his facility. While the offer was welcomed by ZX Fitness members, some Coop's Fitness members complained about overcrowding and parking problems, resulting from the influx of new people. But now, ZX Fitness members can cancel their memberships altogether if they choose, and those who paid for their memberships in advance may be entitled to a refund. "It's basic contract law," Lybarker said. "When a consumer signs up for a membership with ZX Fitness, they signed up for that location, and not another location."Lybarker said ZX Fitness members who paid in full and are unable to obtain a refund should file a complaint with her office by calling 1-800-922-1594. Full Document: SCDCA Release On ZX Fitness Michael Cooper, Coop’s owner, told News 4 he did not buy out ZX Fitness. He says he made no money on memberships paid in full and on those with payments pending he'll get half the money with the rest going to ZX. Cooper said there is a lot of misinformation out there, which has even gotten his management threatened by customers. Cooper said no one is being forced to use his gym. He urged any ZX customers wanting to cancel to call that company's main office. But Cooper said he's already put in purchase orders for new equipment and for some of ZX's old equipment. News 4 has also learned that the Curves location in Taylors has decided to honor the ZX Fitness memberships, too.

Mark Fisher, the president and CEO of Sport&Health

By Tyler Montgomery Club Solutions:
Like many successful people, losing is not an option. Mark Fisher, the president and CEO of Sport&Health located in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, is no exception to the rule. “I’m fiercely competitive and I want to win,” Fisher explained in a quick switch toward a serious tone.Fisher has strived to be a winner his entire life. It’s that winning mentality that has made him so vital to Sport&Health, and why he was asked to continue as President, while also leading as CEO. Fisher, 51, discussed winning at least 10 times throughout the Club Solutions interview. Clearly, the concept is something he takes extremely serious. Winning is the main reason he has stuck with Sport&Health for so many years.In his mind, competition is on the club’s doorstep. “The competition is coming, and the time is now,” he said when discussing a need to constantly be working and advancing. Although, Fisher doesn’t have a lot of time to open a book, he has focused his life on three main literary sources: “The Art of War,” “The Power of Now” and “Rhinoceros Success.”
Each book is significant on its own; however, “The Power of Now” has been a driving force for Fisher. In his mind, there is always going to be tomorrow and yesterday, but today is the day that he is executing — today is the day that Sport&Health is growing.“Now, we have become incredibly focused on improving the member and employee experience,” he said. “That’s probably what I’m bringing to the table now. Creating a sense of community with our clubs, recognizing that our GMs are the key to our success and creating a sense of urgency within our company.”Sport&Health already has a vast membership of about 160,000, in 25 clubs spread throughout the Washington D.C. Metro, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia and the nation’s capital (one of the fittest cities in America, according to Men’s Health Magazine). Fisher said the first thing Sport&Health needed to do to improve the member and employee experience, was to realize the GMs’ importance in the company. “Regardless of the culture we think we have from a corporate perspective, the culture is really driven on the club level by the GMs that have ownership of each location,” he explained. “They are included in the decisions we make as a company — they help shape the direction of the company. We are opening our ears more than ever to their feedback as to what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong and policies we have in place that affect the member experience.”By empowering the GMs, a waterfall effect was created that has extended down to the member. “When the GM is engaged and feels appreciated, they communicate that to the member and they feel empowered when the member brings to our attention something that we could do better,” he explained. “The GMs feel like that’s not going to fall on deaf ears, they believe ‘I can be a voice for the member and share with the ownership group what needs to change.’”Working closer with GMs has given Sport&Health Corporate insight to the members. They can better understand what they are doing well and where they can improve. Although, Fisher understands for a company to improve it must be selfless enough to look at itself objectively.“Honestly, Sport&Health’s time is now,” Fisher expressed. “There has never been more urgency in this company to grow, provide opportunities for our employees and team members, and to make a difference in the member experience. When we roll out an initiative, I want it to be immediate, and because of the size of our company, we can be fairly nimble and quick to change.”
Desire to be Third Place
The above subtitle may appear that Fisher has a desire to be Third Place in the fitness industry. Don’t be so naive. Sport&Health has taken a quick look at Starbucks and its early success.“In the beginning, they did a great job of being that third place,” Fisher said. Starbucks developed themselves to be the third place in a person’s life — work, home and Starbucks. Sport&Health wants to take that third-place position in people’s lives — just another step in bettering the member experience.Sport&Health uses the city of Washington D.C. to entice members to use their facilities outside of fitness. They attempt to have facilities close to members that make it easy for them to utilize restaurants, cafés and other clubs. Fisher said they push members to come to the clubs for Redskin football games. “Members can bring in their own food or we can help them with catering,” Fisher said. “We serve some type of food, including smoothies and sandwiches in all the clubs. One club has a restaurant.”Employees are a major player in terms of improving and sustaining the member experience. For Fisher, the best way to continually improve the member experience is through the GMs — they are the best sources to reaching the third place.Since Fisher has accepted his new role as CEO, he has been devoted to the belief that the speed of the leader is the speed of the pack. He has spent time thinking about the long-term position of Sport&Health. “As it starts to trickle down to the GMs, it’s about avoiding paralysis through analysis. Helping them understand that they can impact the member experience immediately and help us shorten the distance from idea to implementation.”To help the GMs understand their power in the club, Fisher has them come once a month for corporate meetings where they share best practices with each other. “Typically, in a company our size, GMs will feel they are operating on an island,” Fisher said. “Because we are local, it’s fairly easy for us to have all our GMs in one room to discuss what’s working and what’s not working, and how we can improve.”In terms of growth, Sport&Health is engaging its members on the social front by creating social spaces for members to interact. “In our new-build design, we are implementing places where the members want to hang out, where they want to get connected and where they want to relax. We are hosting a lot of social events, parties and member outings. We are a meeting point for the members before they go on their bike rides, their outdoor walks or wine tasting events at our clubs.“You can have a space in your club where you can have a healthy cooking class, or where the members can come together and have a wine tasting party, or where they can all meet after their 5K run and watch the game on TV. And, we are integrating that now.”With all the commitments in people’s lives, with family, work and staying active, it’s important for them to have a place that can harbor all of those needs. Fisher believes that it’s the role of the club, especially Sport&Health, to be that harbor. “We want our clubs to be the third place in somebody’s life. They go to work, they go home and there needs to be this third place in their lives where they can get a number of their hierarchy needs met. Having those social spaces creates a space in our clubs, so that when people are pressed for time, and they only have one spot in their life for another place, their third place, we want it to be one of our clubs. We recognize that people have less and less time, and if they are going to come to our club to workout, we want them to feel a sense of community.”Right Here, Right Now Fisher said there isn’t a time frame for change at Sport&Health. Again, he said the time is now. “There has never been more urgency at this company to grow, provide opportunity for our employees and team members, and to make a difference in the member experience,” Fisher said. “When we roll out initiatives, I want them to be immediate. When we are rolling out something that is going to affect the member experience or the employee experience, I want it to happen today.”Being member focused has been Fisher’s goal since he began working in clubs in high school. Transforming his knowledge of the member experience to his own clubs, Exertech in Wichita, Kan. between 1986 and 1999, gave him the vast knowledge to engage the healthy-member market found in Washington D.C. “A lot of things have come together at the right time, now, for it to be Sport&Health’s time,” Fisher said. “I have a three and five year plan strategically, but everything I’m doing right now as the CEO of this company is about today. I want to impact people today.”Some of the major impacts in the foreseeable future include the addition of three more clubs and becoming a more regional player, all by impacting the member experience.“In 10 years, this company is going to be a very dominant regional player,” Fisher continued. “It’s going to be widely known as a company that cares for and nurtures its employees; it’s going to be known as a company that is an incredibly fierce competitor, and I hope from the population of D.C.’s perspective, as a company that really improves people’s lives.”Although Sport&Health is located in one of the healthiest markets in the U.S., it’s extremely important for Fisher to steer the club to be one of the main reasons for the Metro Area’s healthy success. “We’ve developed relationships with physical therapists, we have five locations with one physical therapist that we’ve developed a great relationship with, so we can be involved in injury prevention. He [the physical therapist] actually trains our personal trainers, and then we can be involved in injury rehab as a portal for people who are seeing an injury therapist for an injury — we are the next step.”By giving personal trainers the knowledge about injury therapy, it’s allowed members to come to Sport&Health as opposed to going home and continuing therapy on their own. “They don’t go home to do the exercises, they actually engage with a personal trainer at our clubs,” Fisher explained. “We’ve been fairly successful at bridging that gap on injury rehab.”The next step for Sport&Health is to build the relationship with hospitals and clinics to incorporate the wellness aspect for the club. Fisher said the need for a partnership between health and fitness has been brought to the attention of the clubs and medical community in the city, but it’s up to Sport&Health to nurture those relationships and assist in bringing them to fruition. Fisher, the leader, the president, the CEO, sees the need and believes the relationship will happen and transform Sport&Health from a fitness facility, to a complete wellness center. -CS
By Tyler Montgomery

Health Club News....Bally Total Fitness opens spacious gym 46,000-square-foot health club

Amy Rosen and many other Bally Total Fitness employees eschewed sleep to work through the night on July 1 and put the finishing touches on a 46,000-square-foot health club scheduled to make its debut in Lansdowne Friday.At 5 a.m., 30 minutes before the club officially opened to the public, Rosen said a man knocked on the front door.Rosen, a spokeswoman for the company who lives in Chicago, said she greeted the man and congratulated him for being the first person to work out at the facility, which has been under construction for about 10 weeks.
The Bally Sport club in the Lansdowne Station shopping center on Washington Boulevard features several workout studios, a three-lane pool, a whirlpool, saunas, a child-care facility, more than 200 pieces of cardio equipment, a large weight lifting area and interactive equipment that tells the schedule of classes and can suggest workouts."This is the first club of its kind. This is our flagship space right here," Rosen said. "We have Bally Sport clubs that are older, but they are nothing like this.
"It's the new generation of our Bally clubs."Rosen estimated on the eve of the opening that nearly 1,000 people had already signed up."The premise of this entire club was built on understanding (consumers)," Rosen said. "The thought was, 'Let's build it around getting people to get the results they actually want to get.' "
To facilitate people getting these results, the club has a childcare center that is free with a Bally Sport Elite Sport Membership, which costs $19.99 bi-weekly.
A Bally Single Sport Membership, which grants the user access to only one club, costs $15.99 bi-weekly."We realize that a lot of parents, the reason they don't work out is that they don't find the time and don't know what to do with the kids," Rosen said.She said the center will have attendants, toys and games for the young charges while their parents take advantage of the weights, pool, cardio equipment and studios in the club.Along the perimeter of the club are areas specifically designed for martial arts,yoga andpilates, personal training and racquetball, as well as a group exercise space that measures nearly 2,000 square feet.Rosen said on June 30 that exercise classes at the gym will be running within a week.The club also has Wi-Fi access and three dozen televisions scattered around the workout areas.The club will employ about 50 full- and part-time employees and Rosen said the company will hire locally.According to the release, Bally Total Fitness has nearly 300 fitness clubs in the United States and more than 2 million members.Prior to the opening of this facility, the two closest Bally Total Fitness clubs to Arbutus were in Catonsville and Glen Burnie.Just before 9 a.m. on opening day, only a handful of people worked out as workers swung hammers and finished working on what appeared to be the aesthetic features of the club.Halethorpe resident Joseph Mildner walked out of the club at 8:30 a.m. after completing a cardio work out."It's close by to work. It's nice. I could work out and don't have to be to work until 11 o'clock," said Mildner, a member at Bally Total Fitness since 2008.

Health Club News.....Happy 4th of July!

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more. Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.
Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, the Fifth President of the United States, died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, the Thirtieth President, was born on July 4, 1872, and thus was the only President to be born on Independence Day.

Can you believe it.... Fitness First to open mixed health club for men and women at Oasis Centre....better watch out for those men!

Health Club News......This sounds so outdated but here it is.
Fitness First Middle East's new club at the Oasis Centre for both men and women will be officially inaugurated on 27 June. The opening will mark the 19th club in the Middle East and is the first of many to come in 2011, announced the world's leading health and fitness club chain and a member of the Landmark Group.
The Oasis Centre mixed club is part of a bigger strategic expansion plan for Fitness First in the Middle East. The facility offers first-rate amenities including 1,350 sq. ft. floor area, state-of-the-art exercise machines by Technogym, as well as audio and visual entertainment throughout the club.

Top-of-the-line free weights, a group exercise studio with daily exercise classes, personal training and members' lounge with complimentary drinks and free wireless internet access are some of the other offerings that define the new mixed club. The branch will also feature a new 'freestyle area', which is the latest innovation in training. Following its roll out at the Oasis Centre mixed club, the dedicated area will be introduced across all other Fitness First clubs in the UAE.

George Flooks, Chief Operating Officer, Fitness First Middle East, said: "Fitness First was envisioned to help the community embrace a healthy and holistic lifestyle. The inauguration of the mixed club reaffirms our commitment in this direction. Through our increased presence in the region, we at Fitness First continue to extend the opportunity for individuals to get fit and stay healthy. This is just the first of many new club openings that we have in the pipeline."

The official opening of the mixed club at Oasis Centre will be marked by an array of activities, including an opportunity to win a one-year free membership to Fitness First and a host of other prizes in a grand raffle.

With more clubs opening up as part of its expansion strategy across the UAE offering state-of-the-art equipment, fully qualified personal trainers and the latest group exercise classes, Fitness First is dedicated to 'making the world a fitter place'.
.

Anytime Fitness to Reopen as Sky Club Fitness 24/7

With the same location, equipment, schedule and even the same staff, the fitness club formerly known as Anytime Fitness is hoping to attract back the almost 800 members who originally signed on to the club.What attracted these members was the opportunity to exercise on state of the art equipment anytime during the day or night, hence the 24/7 schedule. What the members did not foresee was the club going bankrupt."It left a bad taste in people's mouths," said Dawn DiMasi, Anytime Fitness's Group Fitness Director who has now signed on to be the General Manager of Sky Club Fitness 24/7."The new owner is a good guy. He wants the club run right. He cleaned up the mess and is opening debt free," DiMasi added.
According to DiMasi and Sky Club Fitness Sales Manager Andre Lopez, while the new owner had tried to work out an agreement to operate as an Anytime Fitness franchise, corporate headquarters tacked on additional fees that made this option cost prohibitive.
The club will operate as an independent club. However, members will receive access to a sister Sky Club in Hoboken, NJ. This club offers a pool and rooftop deck.To lure original and new members, the Sky Club in West Caldwell will offer discount memberships in July and August. The club plans to open its doors either this Friday, July 1 or after the holiday weekend on Tuesday, July 5. DiMasi explains the equipment has been serviced and a cleaning crew swept through the club on Wednesday. A group fitness schedule will be running by Aug. 1, and the club is planning a grand opening in September. Lopez, who has worked as a personal trainer, is hoping to bring back the "family atmosphere" the original gym achieved. Both Lopez and DiMasi say Sky Club is hoping to become involved in community service and volunteer events similar to the Cycle for Survival fundraising Spin event held at Anytime Fitness in 2010. "Everyone in town loved the gym. We want the gym to be run like it was originally planned," Lopez said, but without the financial meltdown.As for former members, DiMasi said people she has spoken to are willing to come back. One former member, Julianne Maguire, who took full advantage of Anytime Fitness's off peak hours, did tell Patch she is currently happy exercising at home with a pair of fitness DVD's and her treadmill, but if the "price is right", Maguire would consider rejoining the new club.
By Ellen Coughlin, The Patch

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.