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BOSTON -- Revenue and membership numbers in the U.S. health
club industry remained about the same in 2009 as they were in 2008 while
the number of clubs decreased slightly, according to statistics released
by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association
(IHRSA).
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SILVER SPRING, MD -- Participation in many fitness activities
has grown during the past 10 years, but none more so than Pilates
training and the use of elliptical machines, according to the “Sports,
Fitness, and Recreation Participation Overview” (2010 edition),
recently released by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association
(SGMA).
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OAKLAND, CA -- 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov is
interested in buying the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
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HATFIELD, PA -- The attorney for the owner of a
Philadelphia-area health club said his client expects to plead guilty to
charges of health care fraud.
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GOODYEAR, AZ -- A Life Time Fitness club in Arizona has
reopened after a chlorine gas leak caused an evacuation of the
club.
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LOS ANGELES -- The Sports Club Co. reported losses in revenue
in its fourth quarter 2009 and year-end results, which were announced
this week.
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NEW YORK -- A move to license yogis was nipped in the bud
last week when New York Gov. David Paterson signed two bills into law
that exempted yoga teacher training programs from state regulations
overseeing vocational training.
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MIAMI -- More than 1,000 people gathered Monday in U.S.
Century Bank Arena at Florida International University (FIU) to
celebrate the life of football player Kendall Berry, who was stabbed to
death outside the front doors of the campus recreation center last
Thursday. Berry, 22, was a junior from Haines City, FL, who played
running back on the school’s football team.
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HAMPTON, VA -- The Navy offered a sneak peek of its new Navy
Operational Fitness and Fueling Series (NOFFS) program last week at the
Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Conference in Hampton, VA.
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FAIRLESS HILLS, PA -- The Lower Bucks County YMCA, Fairless
Hills, PA, celebrated the grand opening Monday of its new Verizon
Interactive Zone, an active gaming center designed to attract teens and
children to the Y.
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WOODINVILLE, WA -- Precor held the official grand opening of
its new manufacturing plant in Whitsett, NC. The facility recently
received a Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design (LEED) Commercial
Interiors (CI) Gold Certification for the office space area of the
plant.
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Don’t be left out of this year’s Top 100 clubs list. If
you are a club owner, CEO, CFO or general manager, fill out the annual
Top 100 clubs entry form online and submit it to see how your club
stacks up against other club companies. You could be featured in our Top
100 clubs story in the July issue.
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Jane Fonda will host the first World Fitness Day on May 1 at
the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Fonda, Richard Simmons, Billy Blanks and
Denise Austin will lead participants for one hour in exercise sessions
catered to the participants’ fitness levels. More than 3,000
participants are expected at the Georgia Dome. People in other cities
and countries can participate through a live Web stream on UStream.tv. To register, go to the Web site of the Georgia Campaign
for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention nonprofit organization, which serves
as the beneficiary of the event.
The owner of the Athletic Club of Madison (WI) was ordered to pay
more than $74,000 after settling a lawsuit with the Wisconsin Department
of Justice that was filed in September 2009. Club owner Mario Chmiel
must pay almost $33,000 in restitution to members and fines of more than
$38,000. He also must reimburse the state $3,000 to cover the expenses
in bringing the action. The Athletic Club of Madison began operations in
late 2008 but abruptly closed in July 2009. Many members who had prepaid
memberships initially received no refund. The club also did not obtain a
$25,000 security bond as required by state law.
The owner and members of Club Yuma (AZ) Fitness Center
recently saved the life of a 71-year-old man after he collapsed while
playing racquetball. The members, including a paramedic from a local
fire department, revived the man with the use of an automated external
defibrillator (AED). The man was seen walking around and talking after
he was administered the AED. Once paramedics arrived, he was taken to a
local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
The Sporting Club, San
Diego, announced discounted rates for area companies interested in
corporate memberships. “We will custom fit a program to our client’s
company needs and offer different options based on the company’s
desired participation,” says Teri Pickett, general manager of The
Sporting Club. “By creating individualized wellness programs,
companies of all shapes and sizes can improve their own well-being and
reduce their health risks.”
Brian Evans, president of American Family Fitness, Richmond,
VA, received the Virginia H. Foster Winning Spirit Award from Special Olympics Virginia.
Evans, a member of the Special Olympics Virginia’s board of directors,
donates his club company’s facilities as practice venues for the
nonprofit organization’s local programs and initiatives. Evans also
provides membership benefits to Special Olympics Virginia staff members
and their families, according to Special Olympics Virginia President
Rick Jeffrey.
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Cybex International
Inc., Medway, MA,
announced a partnership with the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund on the
Miles4Kay initiative. Using custom-made pink Cybex treadmills, the
national program will raise funds for scientific research focused on
women’s cancers. The program is slated to officially launch at the
2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four and Women’s Basketball Coaches
Association National Convention, which begins Friday and continues
through next Tuesday in San Antonio. Cybex committed to donate $500 to
the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation, for
each pink treadmill purchased by members of the women’s basketball
community.
Go Figure Inc., makers of iGo
Figure Member & Business Management Software, has received Gold
Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program. Gold
Certified Partner status is the highest level of Microsoft’s Partner
Certification program. To become a Gold Certified Partner, Microsoft
requires companies to meet rigorous standards and demonstrate expertise
in their field and with Microsoft products. “Go Figure has reached the
status of Gold Certified Partner by demonstrating increased levels of
software testing and certification, extensive real-world experience and
proven ongoing customer satisfaction independently verified by
Microsoft,” says Go Figure CEO Kyle Zagrodzky.
Motionsoft Inc., Silver
Spring, MD, announced that Urban
Active, Lexington, KY, has chosen the software company as its club
management and payment processing technology provider. Urban Active,
which expects to be located in more than 30 communities in six states by
the end of this year, will integrate Motionsoft’s fitness software
across its full-service clubs.
Zogics, which manufactures
pre-moistened gym wipes and hand sanitizers, is now offering Philips
automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The Philips HeartStart OnSite
AED has a list price of $1,504, but Zogics, based in Richmond, MA, is
offering the product for $1,267.99. Additional discounts are available
for existing Zogics customers.
My Gym Children’s Fitness
Center, Sherman Oaks, CA, and Mogreet Inc., Venice, CA, are helping
to combat childhood obesity and promote kids fitness with the launch of
a customized mobile phone video content campaign featuring The Activators, a new
children’s entertainment group whose mission is to make fitness fun.
To experience the campaign, text “MyGym” or “Activators” to
21534.
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Have you ever wanted to know what the CEO of a health club
company makes? Well, when you’re the CEO of a publicly traded company
like Life Time Fitness’ Bahram Akradi is, those figures are made
public.
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I got a press release from the mommy blog site Mom Logic that
poked fun at this yoga instruction video for kids by Yogi Oki Doki.
Granted, he’s an easy target. Oki Doki is teaching yoga on a farm with
a Rastafarian Rooster.
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