In researching this year’s “Top 20 Global Franchise” rankings, Melissa Rodriguez, market research advisor at the Health & Fitness Association, found some surprising data. For example, Curves, at one time a powerhouse in the U.S., growing to 7,877 locations in 2005, now has just 367 outlets domestically. In terms of the big-name players, it’s nearly…
CBI: You were just named to the HFA board a couple of months ago. What does it mean to serve on the board, especially as somebody representing your region of the world? AHMAR AZAM: Being on the board of HFA is both an honor and a responsibility. I joined the fitness industry early 2014, and almost…
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,…
Alan Leach, CEO of West Wood Clubs, and Chair of the IHRSA Board of Directors, and Cheryl Ward Barnett, chief growth officer of ROR Partners, contributed to this article. In today’s world, marketing is an evolving and ever-changing discipline. It is the key driver of new members and guests as well as part of your…
There’s a lot of good things happening in the fitness industry. Women are making their presence known, IHRSA members are teaming up to provide management and customer relations solutions, virtual fitness offers real marathon races, and researchers say exercise may be able to combat cancer. Although there’s so much good to share, the COVID-19 pandemic…
We are in the midst of a world-historical event, a global disruption that has affected nearly all aspects of daily life. Now, in a number of countries people under “shelter in place” orders, non-essential businesses are closed, and all regions are directing people to practice social distancing and self-isolation. This means the temporary closure of…
Overall, 2019 was a year of abundance for the fitness industry. In May, The IHRSA Global Report found that the global industry revenue totaled $94 billion and, as a result, health clubs are on pace to reach 230 million members by 2030. But revenue and membership numbers aren’t where the story ends. At the start of each year,…
The Olympic Athletic Club (OAC) in Seattle, WA, first opened in 1979 and has been an IHRSA member for over 35 years. In this time, OAC has grown to be a favorite among the active residents of WalletHub’s No. 2 healthiest U.S. city of 2019. Once a prohibition-era speakeasy, OAC’s building offers a unique aesthetic for members. So, how…
There’s an almost limitless number of things standing in the way of effective workplace communication. We all know people who type away on their phones during meetings, or those whose attention spans are so short they never quite read to the end of an email. And there’s more than modern-day distractions to contend with in…
Shawn Perine, the editor-in-chief of Muscle & Fitness magazine, died December 11 from complications due to lung cancer. While also overseeing other titles as Vice President, Fitness Group at American Media, Inc., Perine was a leading voice in the fitness industry, and was himself dedicated to bodybuilding and healthy living. A vegetarian who had never smoked in his…
The fitness industry has produced—and benefited from—many strong, pioneering women. These women have started and grown their businesses, mentored the next generation of women leaders, taken leadership roles in the industry, and embraced innovation and change as the industry grew. Here are four of our favorite trailblazing women in the fitness industry. Julie Main’s family…