Club Insider

The Club Insider Archives: September 2022

Landon Burningham's Physiq Fitness
From the Ground Up

By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesFolks, at my ripe old age of 76, and with almost 49 years of experience as a Club Owner, Operator and Publisher in our great industry under my belt, just when I had started to think that, by now, I've seen and heard everything, someone comes along and has me shaking my head in total wonderment. His name is Landon Burningham, and he is the Founder, President and CEO of Physiq Fitness, based in Mid-Valley Oregon, just outside of Portland. The subheadline of this month's cover story is "From the Ground Up," because as you will soon learn, that is literally how Landon did it. In fact, to be more accurate, the headline should read, "From One Resistance Band Up" (you'll see what I mean soon). But, seriously, to say I am truly amazed by this young man would be an understatement, and I believe you will feel the same when you read his story! Read More

Exercise IS Medicine
By: Mike Alpert

Mike AlpertMike AlpertIn past issues, I have written quite a lot about the powerful effect that exercise has on the overall quality of life and the reduction in secondary complications for people going through cancer treatment. In addition to all of the scientific and medical data to support this, I have seen it firsthand during the many years that we ran exercise and nutrition-based programs with the help of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center at The Claremont Club. Our programs were focused on breast cancer and with women who had completed their cancer treatment and not during intervention. Read More

Get Ready to Rumble!
An Interview With an Industry Marketing Expert

By: Gary Polic

Gary PolicGary PolicIn the last year, I have recently had the opportunity to work side-by-side with Lee Oberg of Oberg Consulting. At Polic Consultants Group, LLC, we are honored to have him on board with some of the industry's best of the best group of consultants. One of the special highlights I have experienced firsthand regarding Lee, and that sets him apart from other traditional marketers, is his experience and ability to collaborate with sales teams to create marketing that truly produces results. Read More

How to Dramatically Reduce Rising Construction Costs for New Clubs and Renovations
By: Bruce Carter

Bruce CarterBruce CarterMoving forward in a post-COVID economy, one of the profound effects is rising prices. Obviously, there are other contributing factors, but the end result for new clubs or renovations of any kind or size is that it is going to cost approximately 20 - 30% more than it did a couple of years ago. Not surprisingly, many experts predict this will continue, so making a planned effort to reduce costs is a must. Read More

Have You Ever Thought About Speaking at a Conference?
By: Chris Stevenson

Chris StevensonChris StevensonIHRSA 2022 is in the books and IHRSA 2023 is already on the horizon! Now, thinking back, presenting at conferences has been an incredible experience for me. I have literally had the opportunity to speak all over the country and all over the world. People often ask me if speaking is a natural ability or if it is something that can be learned. The truth is, while it is helpful to have some natural ability, it is a skill that can be learned with a little time and effort. If you are good at what you do, and passionate about sharing that with others, you can be a presenter. While there is a lot that goes into it, I want to share five important aspects that will help you get started... Read More

Have I Ever Thought About Being an Instructor? No. But Also, Yes.
By: Jeffrey Pinkerton

Jeffrey PinkertonJeffrey PinkertonIn 2005, a friend invited me to do a sprint triathlon with a few other guys. Thanks to busy jobs, young families and the traffic of the Atlanta suburbs, part of our training was to meet at the gym for a 5:30AM indoor cycling workout a few times a week. I loved the energy of the group, the accountability of getting the workout done early, the motivation of the music and the friendly competitiveness of it all. After a few months and a few triathlons, I was totally hooked on both. Indoor cycling was solidly built into my life schedule... until we got some bad news. Read More

Four Strategies to Make Your Fitness Facility Recession Proof
By: Donna Krech

Donna KrechDonna KrechIf you're paying attention to your financials, you may already be seeing members/clients start to drop off. I don't need to tell you that inflation is the highest it's been in more than 40+ years. But, what does that inflation mean? Could a recession lie ahead? And, what would a recession mean for your fitness business? According to economists and financial experts, there are indications signaling a recession is on the way. Many believe it's already upon us. An article in Bloomberg stated, "Often, it takes a recession to break inflation. Economist, Lawrence Summers, observed that this has been the case every other time inflation was this high and the labor market was this tight." Read More

Crunch Fitness Announces Franchisee of the Year, The Undefeated Tribe
AMELIA ISLAND, FL - Crunch Fitness announced The Undefeated Tribe as its "Franchisee of the Year" at this year's annual Crunch Franchise Convention, held at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Held from July 31 to August 4, the annual convention united Crunch Franchise owners, club managers and teams, and vendors to share best practices, network and learn from one another. The 2022 event was attended by more than 45 franchise groups and 600 people. Read More

Workout Anytime Signs 20-Unit Deal to Bring New Clubs to Four States
ATLANTA, GA - Workout Anytime, a 180-plus-unit leader in the fitness industry, has signed an agreement to bring 20 new locations to markets in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida. This multi-unit development deal, which was signed in partnership with Phenomenal Gyms, LLC, comes as the fast-growing fitness franchise is outpacing its ambitious goal to sign 40 units by the end of the year. In the first quarter of the year alone, Workout Anytime signed deals for 27 clubs. Read More

2022 IHRSA Global Report Recognizes Fitness Industry Resilience
BOSTON, MA - More than two years after the landscape of the health and fitness industry was forever altered, IHRSA sees reassuring signs of recovery. The 2022 IHRSA Global Report focuses on how various regions are renormalizing through ongoing disruptions, highlights several landmark achievements, including increasing influence of the Global Health and Fitness Alliance (GHFA), and notes numerous mergers and acquisitions that shook up the industry. Read More

Norm's Notes for September 2022
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 345th monthly edition! Folks, I hope this finds you and your family finishing up a very healthy and great Summer! And, that means the GOOD NEWS is college football season is here! YAHOO! Read More

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