Fitness Industry Roundup: Gyms Support Veterans, Hurricane Victims

    Stone Creek Club & Spa’s Support Our Troops campaign will be promoted at this year’s AB Show, O2 Fitness helps those affected by Hurricane Florence, and more fitness news.

    NHL leaders underline the benefits the PHIT Act could bring to the U.S. amid rising obesity rates, according to the latest data from the CDC. London’s boutique studio scene keeps impressing, and new resources shine a light into the industry.

    IHRSA Club Launches Campaign to Honor U.S. Troops

    Stone Creek Club & Spa in Covington, LA, has launched its 6th annual Support Our Soldiers campaign. Each year the campaign raises between $18,000 and $30,000, which goes to Operation Homefront, Wounded Warrior Project, and Wounded War Heroes, said the club’s president and general manager Larry Conner, who is also an IHRSA board member. During the campaign, 700-plus flags will be on display from November 5-18 along Covington’s Ochsner Boulevard, as a dedication to U.S. soldiers. The showing aligns with Veterans Day on November 11. A fundraiser for the campaign will take place during this year’s AB Show on November 8 in New Orleans, where attendees can buy a Salute Our Soldiers hat, give a donation to enter a raffle for a Fitbench, and participate in a pushup challenge. The challenge is to do 22 pushups every 22 minutes, 22 times during the day, serving as a reminder that every day 22 military personnel take their lives.

    Report: CEOs Show High Confidence in European Club Industry

    CEO confidence in the European health club industry is high, according to The 2018 IHRSA European CEO Study Report. The report, which was based on a survey of more than 2,600 European facilities, provides an outlook of the European health club industry from the perspective of CEOs from leading companies. “CEOs are very confident about the current economic and marketplace conditions for the industry, as well as how those conditions impact their own club businesses,” IHRSA Europe Director Florian Cartoux said in a release. The report features a European CEO Conviction Index, which serves as a barometer for the current and future business conditions affecting the club industry in Europe. Overall, the CEO Conviction Index of 86 shows that leaders are extremely confident about the current economic and marketplace conditions for the industry, as well as how those play out for their own business. A high level of confidence also exists for the future of the health club industry in Europe. The report is free for IHRSA members and $39.95 for non-members.

    Industry News Ihrsa European Ceo Industry Confidence Report Column

    Source: The 2018 IHRSA European CEO Study Report

    Learn more about the IHRSA European CEO Study Report.

    Health Club Responds to Hurricane Florence

    O2 Fitness in Wilmington, NC, sponsored the #OverFlo benefit concert on October 20 to help those affected by Hurricane Florence. The event featured family activities, merchandise tents, and music for all ages and tastes. As a sponsor, O2 Fitness pledged to donate $25 each time a new member joins one of their five Wilmington locations, and CEO Michael Olander Jr. will match all donations, up to $7,500, between October 15-28. “We are honored to serve Wilmington’s health and wellness needs and we hope this event will help pull the community together for fun and healing while also raising money for organizations that are helping storm victims,” said Justin Mascho, the Wilmington area director.

    Read more about O2 Fitness’ work.

    NHL Shows Support for PHIT Act

    U.S. lawmakers and National Hockey League leaders met earlier this month for a Capitol Hill Policy Briefing to discuss how diversity is transforming and reinvigorating hockey's demographic landscape. During the meeting, a Brookings Institute demographer highlighted the need for the NHL to reach all demographics as the U.S. becomes more diverse. The PHIT Act could serve as a mean to accomplish that goal. NHL hall-of-famer Pat LaFontaine threw his support behind the measure, writing in The Hill that it “would move us closer to removing economic barriers for rural and urban Americans alike and for all age brackets,” and help combat the obesity epidemic. He added, “Through a national commitment to youth sports, we can break the cycle,” of inactivity.

    Read LaFontaine’s article and all about PHIT.

    London Studios Go Beyond the Basics

    Rachel Hosie, a writer with the Independent went on a mission to try London’s most popular boutique studios to see what the fuss was about. Beyond cycling, hot yoga, and Barre, Hosie took up boxing gloves to attend FlyKick. At this new “innovative” workout class, HIIT moves are combined with kickboxing for an absolute “blast” led by expert instructors. Although another studio, Kobox, also features boxing moves, it is served with a side of cardio that will “leave you literally gasping for air after just 45 minutes,” Hosie wrote. For an empowering experience, Seen on the Screen dance draws out your inner diva by rehearsing routines by Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez. Metabolic London combines rowing with HIIT and a touch of competition, while at Reach Fitness, the workout is “unfussy” and promotes camaraderie. Another new workout on the list is F45, which is all about functional fitness.

    Read more about London’s trendiest workouts.

    New Resource Helps Fitness Entrepreneurs

    Opening up a new gym can be a tall order. To aid in the process, Atwood Consulting Group published their “Ultimate Guide on How to Open a Gym.” The article breaks down the process into 65 tasks that are grouped into ten sections: feasibility and planning; legal; financial; location/site selection; insurance; design and build-out; staffing; marketing; sales; program and services; and operations. The guide goes into great detail—from developing a business plan with an appendix to marketing tips—on what needs to happen to successfully open a gym. The Atwood Consulting Group helps new owners reach their goals and works to make “career dreams come true.”

    Read more on how to open a gym.

    CDC Releases Obesity Rankings by State

    According to recent data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every state in the U.S. has an obesity rate of at least 20% in 2017, a stark figure when compared to 1990 figures showing that no state had a rate higher than 15%. Colorado (22.6%), Washington, D.C., (23%), Hawaii (23.8%), California (25.1%), Montana (25.3%), Utah (25.3%), and Massachusetts (25.9%) have the lowest obesity rate in the U.S. Meanwhile, seven states have rates over 35%. Those states include West Virginia (39.1%), Mississippi (37.3%), Oklahoma (36.5%), Iowa (36.4%), Alabama (36.3%), Louisiana (36.2%), and Arkansas (35%). The rate increased between 2016 and 2017 for Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

    See how your state ranks.

    IHRSA Names European Club Leadership Award Recipient

    Industry News 18 Ec Henrik Gockel Column

    Henrik Gockel speaks after receiving the IHRSA 2018 European Club Leadership Award.

    Henrik Gockel, founder and managing director of PRIME TIME fitness in Germany, was named the winner of IHRSA’s 2018 European Club Leadership Award. Gockel was presented the award during a ceremony on October 16 in Lisbon, Portugal during the 18th Annual IHRSA European Congress. “With over 30 years in the industry, Henrik started his company eight years ago and now has eight clubs plus one franchise operating in city centers such as Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg,” said Anastasia Yusina, member of the IHRSA board of directors.

    Read more about this year’s winner.

    Author avatar

    Rachel Valerio

    Rachel Valerio previously served as IHRSA's Digital Content Editor—a position focused on collecting and reporting on fitness industry news, staying on top of IHRSA's social media accounts and website, and hatching new plans to expand the association's digital footprint.