CBI July 2021

Irina Kutina, founder and CEO of Encore Fitness, tells us the philosophy behind her unique design concepts and why even the pandemic couldn't slow Encore's growth trajectory.

“It is now considered cool to be a healthy, conscious person. As a fitness enthusiast and a health professional, I am beyond excited about that and cannot wait to see where the future takes us.”

Irina Kutina, Founder and CEO

Encore Fitness

Welcome

  • It Feels Good to Be Back: The multiple initiatives and organizations founded under interim president and CEO Brent Darden stress the connection of exercise to mental and physical health. People aren’t just waking up to their need to improve their fitness after more than a year of on-and-off quarantines—they need the ritual, the release of visiting an environment dedicated to health and vitality.

Features

  • Refining the Premium Brand: Irina Kutina, founder and CEO of Encore Fitness, has developed a luxury club chain that has become the toast of Russia. She tells us the philosophy behind her unique design concepts and why even the pandemic couldn’t slow Encore’s growth trajectory, as she plans to open multiple locations in the next few years.
  • New Rules of Staff Management: Learn how to navigate the post-pandemic workplace after more than a year of employee upheaval.
  • Making a Connection: Connected cardio can be key to helping you bring back—and retain—members.
  • Meeting the Needs of Novice Exercisers: Senior and deconditioned populations present a growth opportunity. Here’s an onboarding plan to make them feel comfortable.

News & Know How

  • News: The GYMS Act reaches a new threshold: the U.S. Senate. Also, IHRSA’s new agreement with MedFit, and the latest triumphs of state alliances in Colorado and Illinois.
  • International News: IHRSA and ChinaFit sign a new partnership agreement.
  • IHRSA Medical, Science, and Health Advisory Council: Dr. David L. Katz sounds the alarm on the nutrition crisis in our midst.
  • Research Roundup: New surveys point to an explosion in consumer demand for fitness services.
  • REX Roundtables: Italian entrepreneur Fausto Di Giulio introduces the concept of “carefrontation.”

Innovations

IHRSA Report

  • Leadership: New Chair Alan Leach tells us why the industry is poised for explosive growth.
  • Best Practices: Bill McBride lays out a price optimization strategy for a post-pandemic market.
  • Advocacy: How the Global Health & Fitness Alliance protects and grows the industry.
  • Legacy: Sara Kooperman, CEO of SCW Fitness Business Education, talks about her 36 years as a leader in the industry.