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…
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…
Even though there are roughly 22% fewer gyms and studios due to the pandemic, Americans still have many choices when selecting a gym. At Murphy Research, we have been tracking fitness attitudes and behaviors in the U.S. since 2018 through the State of Our Health (SOOH) syndicated tracker. Based on the numbers, here are the…
We can all agree that 2020 was an awful year that devastated nearly every industry. The fitness industry was no exception. From early on in the crisis, gyms and fitness facilities were closing at higher rates than almost any other industry, including restaurants and bars. Yet, unlike restaurants and live event venues, gyms have not…
With the second quarter drawing to a close, many of us would like to forget 2020 altogether. Fitness consumers are returning to their health clubs and accessing club content digitally. Early reports from some clubs indicate 2021 is off to a promising start. However, not all fitness business owners and operators feel or have fared…
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…
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 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…
Selling gift certificates can be a great way to introduce fitness newcomers to the services your club provides. They also allow friends and family to support their loved one’s gym habits—since they don’t necessarily need another Christmas sweater or a fancy birthday dinner. However, before you make the decision to sell gift certificates, you should…
What happens when health clubs do not make every reasonable effort to avoid accidents in their club? What happens when U.S. law does not incentivize preventing injuries? New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Barry T. Albin said, “Not only do the victims of a health club’s negligence suffer, but society bears the cost.” Ouch. Albin said…
How best to structure and manage staff compensation is a key issue for club operators. How you structure staff compensation ties directly into your management style and how you incentivize and reward performance. When it comes to group exercise instructor compensation in California, Janine Williams, former vice president of human resources for Leisure Sports Hospitality is…
For more than 30 years, IHRSA’s annual Industry Data Survey (IDS) has gathered key performance indicators (KPIs) among leading health club companies. The resulting report, Profiles of Success, compiles and analyzes key metrics as well as common club practices such as club reinvestment and pricing. Whether your club company is among industry leaders or you’re…