Looking at the challenges that health club, gym, and studio owners and operators worldwide face today, you might think they would have a dire outlook on the future of their facilities. Those challenges are plenty: lingering effects of the pandemic, supply chain issues, proposed value-added tax rate increases, higher energy costs, higher interest rates, inflation,…
In the Occupational Safety and Health world, there is, unfortunately, always a new example to point at that shows a mistake. The consequences of safety and health violations are often dire and, in every case I’ve seen, completely avoidable. Each year, OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) reveals which regulations have been violated most…
As we begin another year, it’s helpful to remember how different things are now than they were at the start of 2022. Last January began with masks, social distancing, and widespread illness as the Omicron COVID-19 variant surged around the world. However, 2022 ended as the most normal holiday season in three years, with travel,…
Paul Hackett, a chartered safety & health practitioner and OSHCR registered consultant, and Mike Mesmer, director of property management at Kodiak Realty, contributed to this article. Energy costs are rising around the world. However, there is good news: you can reduce energy costs! The simplest way to reduce energy expenses is to manage usage. These best…
Rudy Fabiano, design principal and founder at Fabiano Designs, contributed to this article. The design of your health club or fitness facility is the first thing a consumer will notice when visiting your location. Making your facility a comfortable place and a motivating environment for consumers and your members can help build brand equity and…
Want to know the latest advocacy news and information on key national and state issues impacting gyms, studios, and the fitness industry as a whole? Make sure you check your inbox for IHRSA’s Legislative Alerts or find it here in one streamlined location. Check back regularly for the latest updates, announcements, and more. [STATE] August…
Sandra Dunne, managing director of Gym Plus Ireland, and Aida Johnson-Rapp, founder and CEO of Aspire to Harmony, contributed to this article. Exercise classes are a favorite of many health club and fitness studio members. A good group exercise class can attract new customers to your facility, increase retention, and drive referrals. When properly managed,…
More than two years after the landscape of the health and fitness industry was forever altered, we see 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…
Jari Ristola, president of ThermaSol, and Paul Hackett, a chartered safety & health practitioner, OSHCR registered consultant, and a member of the IHRSA-led experts group who developed the key considerations and risk assessment tools to help clubs reopen and stay open, contributed to this article. Adding a sauna or steam room to your fitness facility…
The next generation of health, fitness, and wellness consumers is already here. Gen Z includes today’s tweens, teens, and young adults, with the oldest just getting into the swing of adult life at age 25. This age group is a large cohort, and they are diverse, highly educated, and highly connected. Because so much of…
Chris Murphy, former director of sales at Performance Food Centers, contributed to this article. Food and beverage service can be an important source of revenue for health clubs, gyms, and studios. In fact, it was the fourth-ranked profit center for multi-purpose health clubs and the third-ranked profit center for fitness-only clubs in IHRSA’s 2019 Profiles…
Arthritis is a common ailment, and many fitness professionals are undereducated on how they can help. As a fitness professional, it’s paramount that you properly educate yourself by enrolling in an arthritis or chronic disease specialist course and learn how to best serve the arthritic population. Debunking the Myths There seems to be a great…
