The Club Insider Archives: August 2022
Help Us, Help You.
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesClub Insider: Telling It Like It Is Since 1993... The Pulse of the Health and Fitness Club Industry... Celebrating X (X = currently 29, soon to be 30!) Years of Trust... MAKE IT FUN!!! These are a few of our taglines over the years, and they tell our story. They are quick, memorable and true. This month, we announce a new one you will be seeing, and it is: Help Us, Help You.
In 1993, this publication was created to be a voice in the wilderness. Our goal was to say and share things others would not. Over the years, this has included telling the stories of those in the industry you might never have heard about elsewhere (Cover Stories), sharing various news and happenings from coast to coast (Norm's Notes), and when needed, taking strong stances on industry issues and sharing special topics ("Insider Speaks"). All of this has been anchored with fantastic, in-depth content across a myriad of subjects by our hundreds of Contributing Authors over the years. And, of course, all of that has been brought to you by our esteemed Advertisers.
Across almost 30 Years of Trust, we have Told It Like It Is, sought to be the Pulse of the Health and Fitness Club Industry and have Made It Fun! But, now, we ask you to: Help Us, Help You.
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Exercise IS Medicine
By: Mike Alpert
Mike AlpertAs I sit down to write this article for the August Edition of Club Insider, I wish to express my thanks to Norm Cates and Justin Cates for giving me the opportunity to have this platform that enables me to reach out to the health club community every month about the irrefutable medicinal benefits of exercise and the powerful effect that it has on overall health. IHRSA 2022 in Miami, Florida was my 30th IHRSA Convention, and much of the focus seemed to finally be on Exercise IS Medicine.
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Doing Well by Doing Good
How Positive Changes Can Impact Your Gym Business/Work Culture
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasPositive gym business culture is characterized by a sense of caring, comfort and collaborative effort. This type of work environment fosters an atmosphere where employees feel like they can bring their whole selves to work and know that they will be accepted for who they are. It also helps establish clear boundaries between personal and professional life, which allows people to take care of themselves outside of work without feeling guilty or anxious about the consequences at the gym. The Result: Happier employees, more focused workers, higher levels of productivity and better results in general. This is how positive changes impact business.
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California Liability Waiver Upheld by Court and
Lessons to Take from Case
By: Paul R. Bedard, Esquire
Paul R. Bedard, EsquireHealth clubs must regularly defend against various types of legal claims. A well-designed risk management strategy can greatly reduce a club's legal exposure. One of the most fundamental and effective tools within the risk management toolbox is a well-drafted liability waiver. Although the enforceability of these waivers varies across jurisdictions, a California Court recently upheld a health club liability waiver. The court's written opinion provides takeaways for other health clubs in this regard.
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The Next Big Thing In Fitness
Your Team
By: Cathy Spencer Browning
Cathy Spencer BrowningLet me cut through some noise and cut to the chase: I get a wee bit fatigued from the many articles, webinars and "expert" opinions that speculate about the next big thing in fitness. Is it going to be virtual? Is it going to be gadgets and trackers? Is it HIIT or mind/body? Is it the biggest thing ever? No, no, the smallest ever! Is it the lightest? No, wait, heaviest! During my 30+ years in this industry, I have seen many a thing come and go. Slide anybody? Ab Roller? Tai Bo? The list goes on. But, here's the thing: People, and their basic needs, have not changed. We desire social connection because we are social beings. That said... no noun, no "thing" is going to be a magic bullet in this industry.
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Life Time Celebrates 30 Years of Inspiring Health and Happiness
CHANHASSEN, MN - Life Time (NYSE: LTH), the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brand, opened its first club in a Brooklyn Park, Minnesota strip mall 30 years ago. Much has occurred over three decades, including extraordinary growth of the company, which now offers nearly 160 athletic country clubs encompassing 16 million square feet across 41 major markets in the U.S. and Canada, and the development of a complete omnichannel Healthy Way of Life ecosystem. Over this time, Life Time has served millions of people and more than one billion visits, been part of incredible stories of personal achievement and life-altering events and grown an amazing community of like-minded people seeking health and happiness.
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Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Welcomes New COO, Josh Hettiger
MANHATTAN, IL - After a successful football career at Saint Xavier University and a short run in the NFL, Josh Hettiger met with Jason Markowicz, CEO of Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs, and Rick King, VP of the brand, to discuss life after football. Hettiger saw how the two had transitioned from college athletics to business owners, and he became an owner/operator of Fitness Premier Cedar Lake while also working on franchise development efforts. Through this process, Hettiger received the mentorship and support he needed to learn how to run a business, manage day-to-day tasks and really grow into his role as a franchisee and operator.
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The Arena Debuts at Wembley Club
The spectacular Arena debuted at The Wembley Club in Chagrin Falls, Ohio in early June 2022. The Arena is over 15,000 square feet, including a beautiful room for yoga, state-of-the-art cycle theatre, group fitness room, a large fitness floor featuring a huge selection of new equipment, and two side-by-side pickleball courts. The Arena has a schedule of over 60 group fitness classes per week and is known for the excellence of its instructors.
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Norm's Notes for August 2022
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 344th monthly edition! I hope this finds you and your family having a really Super-Duper-Summer! The GOOD NEWS is college football is about a month away! YAHOO!
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