Updated May 25, 2021 This list gives the known status of health clubs and fitness facilities by continent and country. It will be regularly updated. Since the October/November spikes in COVID-19 cases across most of Europe, the Russian Federation, U.S., Canada, and Latin America, a third wave (fourth wave in some countries) with new strains…
Part of IHRSA’s mission is to provide its members with benefits that will help them be more successful. To expand on this mission, we have tailored our resources to meet the needs of studios, small gyms, and boutique fitness facilities. Jump to the resources you need by topic: Fitness Programming & Facilities Group Purchasing [PROGRAMS FOR…
The timely innovations of five of Taiwan’s industry-leading fitness companies—Johnson Health Technology, Makalot Industrial Co., Ltd., Strength Master Fitness Tech Co., Ltd, Netown Corp., and Gee Hoo Industrial Corp.—took centerstage on April 28 at the 2021 Smart Fitness Online Product Launch livestream. As fitness enthusiasts seek to adapt and improve their gym and at-home exercise…
Perhaps no piece of cardio equipment has had a more storied—or diverse—history than the treadmill. In fact, before anyone ever got on one to improve cardiac performance or endurance, animals and prisoners were the machine’s chief users. Ancient Roots and Animal Power The origins of the treadmill are not in exercise, but in engineering and…
According to IHRSA’s20 Million by 2030 report, corporate wellness offers a great target for club operators seeking to push revenues and member retention. When you consider that 56% of health insurance coverage in the U.S. is employer-based, the target makes great sense. Currently, approximately 70% of companies have some form of a wellness program, while 90% to…
After posting record numbers in 2019, the U.S. health club industry was off to a promising start last year. No one would have imagined that by spring, virtually all gyms and studios would be closed. The pandemic took a harsh toll on fitness club operators, employees, and consumers. And it may take years for the…
Up until very recently, it wasn’t that hard to find specs for sizing a group fitness room. The late club industry icon Michael Scott Scudder put them as follows: First, establish your Maximum Room Capacity (MRC). Take that number less 100, divide it by 35, and you get the maximum number of participants per group…
Updated February 12, 2021. As the COVID-19 pandemic—including new, more transmissible variants—continues to spread, health authorities emphasize the importance of wearing masks or cloth face coverings in indoor settings, and even crowded outdoor settings. This is because masks can be an important strategy to reduce the spread of the virus in the community, given the…
The author of this article, Paul Hackett, is a chartered safety & health practitioner and OSHCR registered consultant with extensive international experience and a former sports, fitness, and aquatics facilities operator. He is also a member of the IHRSA-led experts group who developed the key considerations and risk assessment tools to help clubs reopen and stay…
We’re testing a new feature. Click the play button above to listen to this article! Updated January 5, 2021 Note: Important further updates have been made to this article as more research and data becomes available around COVID-19, including the latest statement and infographic from the World Health Organization (WHO), which reiterates that swimming pools…
We know that ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures practiced forms of body-weight and yoga-based exercises. The ancient Greeks developed among the first free weights, hand-held weights with a hole for gripping rather than a handle, called “halteres.” As history goes, fitness and the tools we use to achieve it have been somewhat of a…
This is an IHRSA featured article, brought to you by Matrix Fitness. Throughout the travails of the last year, two certainties have emerged: the future of the health club industry is closely tied to increasing inclusivity, and clubs need to strengthen their alliance with wellness and healthcare. These are not new concepts. In fact, earlier…