Club Insider

The Club Insider Archives: June 2019

FitLife Celebrates 40th Anniversary!
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesClub Insider is very pleased to present this Cover Story in honor of FitLife's 40th Anniversary that will be officially celebrated in July at the FitLife Summer Conference, to be held in Bend, Oregon. The following interview was conducted by yours truly with FitLife Executive Director, Neal Simpson, and long-time FitLife leaders and member club owners, Mark Eisenzimmer and Chuck Richards. Read More

Exercise IS Medicine!
By: Mike Alpert

Mike AlpertMike AlpertFor my article this month, I want to write about our Living Well After Cancer Program, and specifically, the medical research study being conducted by the City of Hope. As you will see, the results are pretty phenomenal and certainly support the title: Exercise IS Medicine. Cancer treatment is becoming more effective, and the number of cancer survivors is increasing exponentially each and every year. There are currently 16.9 million cancer survivors currently living in the United States, which constitutes 5% of our total population. This number is expected to increase to 21.7 million people by 2029 and to 26.1 million by 2040. Read More

Five Tips to Strengthen Your Social Media Marketing
By: Jon Butts

Jon ButtsJon ButtsWithout a strong social media presence, your fitness club or studio may as well be in the boondocks. Today's (perhaps overly) social-savvy world is all about scrolling and swiping, meaning your marketing must be powerful and persuasive. Not only do you need to keep your members engaged, but you want to gain new ones to keep your business growing. Showing these folks that you are dedicated to their wellbeing beyond the walls of your club or studio provides a personal connection they can continue to count on. Presence is just the start. A good one at that, but you will need to boost your social media initiatives in order to stand out from the pack. That pack is plentiful, but these five tips will take your social media marketing to the next level, giving your fans and followers something to have fun with. Read More

The Elements of a Negligence Claim
By: Paul R. Bedard, Esquire

Paul R. Bedard, EsquirePaul R. Bedard, EsquireThe types of legal claims that can be asserted against a health club are many and varied. There seems to be no limit to the kinds of incidents that can lead to the filing of a claim or lawsuit. A significant portion of these claims involves slip and falls, medical emergencies, injuries sustained on exercise equipment and employment claims. Despite the varied nature of claims filed against health clubs each year, most center on the legal theory of negligence, the failure to use reasonable care resulting in a person's injury or damages. In fact, allegations of negligence are involved in the bulk of all civil cases. Read More

Five Things Every Gym Owner Must Do
By: Jim Thomas

Jim ThomasJim ThomasIt doesn't seem to matter if it's a big box, studio, boutique, martial arts or yoga operation, the challenges are all similar. Whether you've recently opened your gym or you're a seasoned gym owner, now is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your operation by reviewing the first half of the year and making the necessary adjustments as you plan for the future. Independent gym owners are typically spread thin, and even the most diligent ones may find themselves behind on their planning. If this scenario sounds familiar, don't worry, it's not too late to tackle the important items. Here are the top five important to-dos for any gym owner to help ensure smooth sailing throughout the rest of the year. Read More

Pain + Reflection = Progress
By: Michael Gelfgot

Michael GelfgotMichael GelfgotRay Dalio, one of the most successful investors and entrepreneurs, wrote a book called, Principles. In his book, Ray shares unconventional principles that he's developed and used for forty years to run his business and work with people. Although there are many principles that I could talk about, this principle hits the mark in terms of the current state of the fitness business. Today, 20% of the population is a member of a gym, but gyms are opening at a faster rate than members are joining. More and more money is coming in from private equity groups. As a result of the fitness business maturing in the marketplace, there are a ton of gyms that aren't doing well and looking to close their doors. One of the reasons this might be happening is that these gyms aren't taking the time to reflect or there might be something more painful for that business than closing their doors. According to Ray, the only way you are going to progress is the threshold of pain needs to be high enough for you to take the time to reflect. Read More

The Illogical Logic of the Fitness Business
By: Thomas Plummer

Thomas PlummerThomas PlummerThere is little logic in the fitness industry. We endlessly repeat the past, building exact replicas of 1995 over and over again; we scream the market is jammed and there is no way another gym could squeeze into this town, yet here comes one more pretender; and we hire the same tired leaders to get us the same dated results, hoping we can find a hotel guy or Starbucks person who will finally understand fitness has little to do with room bookings or coffee. We talk about a national fitness revival in industry conferences, then drop our prices so we stay trapped in the equipment rental business where $10 will get you a gym with no service, but you do get to walk slowly on a treadmill seven days a week. Read More

You Won't Get Too Far Without the Gas
The Top Three Types of Staff Buy-In Needed to Drive More Paid Group Training

By: Ron Alterio

Ron AlterioRon AlterioImagine that it's time to go shopping for a new car and you have done all of your research. You have decided on the exact make and model. You know the exact color you want and have made an extensive list of the "must-have" safety features. Most importantly, you have determined the bottom-line price you are willing to pay. After an exhaustive search spanning several weeks and a number of visits to multiple dealerships, you finally find the perfect vehicle and at the right price. There's just one problem. As you make your way out of the dealership and into your brand-new vehicle, it quickly dawns on you that you won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Upon one quick and unsettling turn of the key, you realize the gas gauge is on empty! All the features in the world, the best "deal" on the planet and the perfect color won't get you anywhere if you don't have what matters most: the gas to get from point A to B. Read More

Warren Wertheimer Passes Away After Tragic Fall
December 6, 1933 - April 20, 2019

Warren Wertheimer, 85, of San Rafael California, passed away on April 20, 2019. He lived a full and active life until his very last two days when he suffered a tragic fall and died peacefully after being wished farewell by many of his friends and family. Warren described himself as a father of two, grandfather of four, student of A Course In Miracles, Harvard Lawyer, millionaire former owner of a multisport family club business, psychic, firewalker, motivational speaker and consultant. Read More

Robert "Bob" Fitzgerald Passes Away
Robert W. Fitzgerald, Age 77, passed away on May 7, 2019. He was preceded in death by his amazing wife, Jane L. Fitzgerald. He was the father of John (Agnese) Fitzgerald, Kevin Fitzgerald, Robert (Kathy) Fitzgerald and Julie (John) Nimesheim. He was the grandfather of ten. Services and interment private. Read More

IHRSA Report: Worldwide Health Club Membership Now 183 Million Strong!
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) released The 2019 IHRSA Global Report. According to the publication, global health club industry revenue totaled $94 billion (USD) in 2018, as more than 210,000 clubs served 183 million members. A perennial IHRSA bestseller, The IHRSA Global Report provides a comprehensive overview of the health club industry. Read More

How IHRSA Can Help Your Club Stop a Proposed Sales Tax
BOSTON, MA - What do lawmakers do when they want to discourage smoking or drinking too much sugar? They tax those products. So, why would these lawmakers do the same to healthy lifestyles when the country, actually most of the developed world, is dealing with: Chronic Illness, Lack of access to places to exercise, and Rampant Obesity. Instead, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association believes policy makers should encourage or increase access to physical activity, which improves health, helps bring down the cost of healthcare, and bolsters our national and local economies. Read More

IHRSA Passport Program Grows to Over 1,000 Clubs in 35 Countries
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) recently announced that the IHRSA Passport Program has enrolled more than 1,000 health club locations worldwide. The Passport Program offers members of participating IHRSA clubs discounted guest access to a global network of health clubs when they travel, using the free TrainAway mobile app. Read More

Stone Creek Club & Spa Brings Crawfish Boil to Chicago and Raises $50,000 for ALS Research
COVINGTON, LA - It's not unusual to hear rave reviews from tourists who visit South Louisiana. Each year, countless visitors fall in love with New Orleans and the surrounding areas... the history, the culture, the people, and of course, the food! What is unusual is the story of a Chicago-area business owner who was so inspired at a Covington fundraiser that he decided to bring some of Louisiana back home with him to begin an entirely new tradition. Read More

Norm's Notes for June 2019
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader since 1993 checking in with our 306th monthly edition of Club Insider! Yahoo! Read More

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