Enlarge this document in a new window
Self Publishing with YUDU

Despite experiencing solid growth during the past decade (with the exception of the past two years), the market has not yet reached saturation. As a result, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry is expected to remain in a growth phase, with revenue expected to rise at an average annual rate of 2.6% to $28.2 billion in the five years to 2016, according to IBISWorld, the nation’s largest publisher of industry research. During this period, demand is expected to improve as the US economy stabilizes and unemployment declines. According to IBISWorld’s latest report, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has benefited greatly from the vast array of marketing campaigns and ensuing consumer trends for fighting obesity and improving health. Gym membership numbers have increased considerably over the past 10 years, rising from 36.3 million in 2002 to more than 42.8 million by 2011. This trend has resulted in soaring demand for fitness activities, and industry operators have capitalized on this growth by expanding establishments in both size and number.However, the industry has not been recession-proof. In 2008 and 2009, demand for gyms and health clubs weakened as consumers cut back on discretionary spending. But compared with other industries, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has remained remarkably resilient, as increased leisure time and boosts in health and morale from exercise have kept the industry highly competitive. Gyms and health clubs have broadened their markets and are offering value to gym-goers in a bid to retain membership numbers throughout the recession’s aftermath. The downturn has also favored the growth of small-budget gyms with fewer amenities over more expensive, all-inclusive clubs. In fact, many smaller operators have expanded over the past two years despite the economic climate. Overall, industry revenue is expected to grow at an average annualized rate of 1.7% to $24.8 billion over the five years to 2011, including growth of 2.3% in 2011.According to IBISWorld analyst, Mary Gotaas, over the next five years, the industry will benefit from increased youth and baby boomer memberships. “Revenue will expand at an average annualized rate of 2.6% to $28.2 billion over the five years to 2016,” says Gotaas. “Firms will profit from growing interest in staying fit, and the industry will transition toward larger and all-inclusive clubs.” With total health club memberships expected to reach 47.5 million in 2016, players will capitalize on this growth and provide members with additional services in a bid to increase registration and retention rates.Due to the fragmented nature of the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry, no players hold a market share larger than 5.0%. IBISWorld’s latest report findings discusses major players like 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Inc., Life Time Fitness, Bally Total Fitness Holding Corporation, Curves International Inc., Town Sports International Holdings Inc., and Gold’s Gym International Inc., a chain with more than 600 facilities in 40 US states and 30 countries.

Survival of the fittest

Even in the midst of the economic downturn, the industry has maintained steady growth, with membership rates growing consistently and profit remaining solid. Demand for gyms and health and fitness clubs will continue to rise over the next five years, as the general public becomes more health-conscious and the aging population places a greater emphasis on staying fit. Additionally, the amount of leisure time and growth in household incomes will positively affect businesses, leading operators to expand into larger facilities.In-depth industry market research presented in a logical and consistent format. Including pages of insights covering industry conditions, key statistics, competitor analysis and market share, product and customer segmentation and a 5 year forecast. Gym membership numbers have increased considerably over the past 10 years, rising from 36.3 million in 2002 to more than 42.8 million by 2011

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld

Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

Health Club News: …. Brought to you by courtesy of http://fitnesslifemarketing.com/

Despite experiencing solid growth during the past decade (with the exception of the past two years), the market has not yet reached saturation. As a result, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry is expected to remain in a growth phase, with revenue expected to rise at an average annual rate of 2.6% to $28.2 billion in the five years to 2016, according to IBISWorld, the nation’s largest publisher of industry research. During this period, demand is expected to improve as the US economy stabilizes and unemployment declines. According to IBISWorld’s latest report, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has benefited greatly from the vast array of marketing campaigns and ensuing consumer trends for fighting obesity and improving health. Gym membership numbers have increased considerably over the past 10 years, rising from 36.3 million in 2002 to more than 42.8 million by 2011. This trend has resulted in soaring demand for fitness activities, and industry operators have capitalized on this growth by expanding establishments in both size and number.However, the industry has not been recession-proof. In 2008 and 2009, demand for gyms and health clubs weakened as consumers cut back on discretionary spending. But compared with other industries, the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has remained remarkably resilient, as increased leisure time and boosts in health and morale from exercise have kept the industry highly competitive. Gyms and health clubs have broadened their markets and are offering value to gym-goers in a bid to retain membership numbers throughout the recession’s aftermath. The downturn has also favored the growth of small-budget gyms with fewer amenities over more expensive, all-inclusive clubs. In fact, many smaller operators have expanded over the past two years despite the economic climate. Overall, industry revenue is expected to grow at an average annualized rate of 1.7% to $24.8 billion over the five years to 2011, including growth of 2.3% in 2011.According to IBISWorld analyst, Mary Gotaas, over the next five years, the industry will benefit from increased youth and baby boomer memberships. “Revenue will expand at an average annualized rate of 2.6% to $28.2 billion over the five years to 2016,” says Gotaas. “Firms will profit from growing interest in staying fit, and the industry will transition toward larger and all-inclusive clubs.” With total health club memberships expected to reach 47.5 million in 2016, players will capitalize on this growth and provide members with additional services in a bid to increase registration and retention rates.Due to the fragmented nature of the Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry, no players hold a market share larger than 5.0%. IBISWorld’s latest report findings discusses major players like 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Inc., Life Time Fitness, Bally Total Fitness Holding Corporation, Curves International Inc., Town Sports International Holdings Inc., and Gold’s Gym International Inc., a chain with more than 600 facilities in 40 US states and 30 countries.

Survival of the fittest

Even in the midst of the economic downturn, the industry has maintained steady growth, with membership rates growing consistently and profit remaining solid. Demand for gyms and health and fitness clubs will continue to rise over the next five years, as the general public becomes more health-conscious and the aging population places a greater emphasis on staying fit. Additionally, the amount of leisure time and growth in household incomes will positively affect businesses, leading operators to expand into larger facilities.In-depth industry market research presented in a logical and consistent format. Including pages of insights covering industry conditions, key statistics, competitor analysis and market share, product and customer segmentation and a 5 year forecast. Gym membership numbers have increased considerably over the past 10 years, rising from 36.3 million in 2002 to more than 42.8 million by 2011

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld

Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

Health Club News: …. Brought to you by courtesy of http://fitnesslifemarketing.com/

Gym Operator to Invest $20M in San Diego Fitness Clubs

24 Hour Fitness will make an investment of more than $20 million in its facilities in San Diego, Calif. within the next 24 months. This will be one of the most substantial market investments the firm has made over the past five years. 24 Hour Fitness operates more than 30 clubs in out of 420 clubs nationwide.

The investment program will involve relocations and upgrades to the clubs in Balboa, at University Towne Center and at Westfield Plaza Camino Real.

The Balboa club will relocate from its current location at 7620 Balboa Avenue into a former Albertson’s space at Vista Balboa Center in Kearny Mesa. The new club will feature more than 65,000 square feet of workout space, a full-sized basketball court and an indoor lap pool, among other amenities. The club at 4405 La Jolla Village Drive will move to a new space within Westfield University Towne Center. It will contain more than 45,000 square feet and feature a full-sized basketball court. The club in Carlsbad will relocate from 2213 South El Camino Real to a former Robinsons May space in Oceanside. The club will contain more than 56,000 square feet of space and will feature a full-sized basketball court, a four-lane lap pool, a whirlpool and an extensive outdoor aquatic area, among other things.

“Expansion is always exciting for our company, but even more so today because we have such deep ties to the residents of San Diego, many of whom have been members for more than 20 years,” said Jim McPhail, executive vice president of real estate and chief development officer with 24 Hour Fitness in a statement. “We’re confident these relocations and upgrades will greatly improve our members’ club experience, while also continuing to provide them with the access, convenience and value they’ve come to expect from 24 Hour Fitness.”

Gym Operator to Invest $20M in San Diego Fitness Clubs

24 Hour Fitness will make an investment of more than $20 million in its facilities in San Diego, Calif. within the next 24 months. This will be one of the most substantial market investments the firm has made over the past five years. 24 Hour Fitness operates more than 30 clubs in out of 420 clubs nationwide.

The investment program will involve relocations and upgrades to the clubs in Balboa, at University Towne Center and at Westfield Plaza Camino Real.

The Balboa club will relocate from its current location at 7620 Balboa Avenue into a former Albertson’s space at Vista Balboa Center in Kearny Mesa. The new club will feature more than 65,000 square feet of workout space, a full-sized basketball court and an indoor lap pool, among other amenities. The club at 4405 La Jolla Village Drive will move to a new space within Westfield University Towne Center. It will contain more than 45,000 square feet and feature a full-sized basketball court. The club in Carlsbad will relocate from 2213 South El Camino Real to a former Robinsons May space in Oceanside. The club will contain more than 56,000 square feet of space and will feature a full-sized basketball court, a four-lane lap pool, a whirlpool and an extensive outdoor aquatic area, among other things.

“Expansion is always exciting for our company, but even more so today because we have such deep ties to the residents of San Diego, many of whom have been members for more than 20 years,” said Jim McPhail, executive vice president of real estate and chief development officer with 24 Hour Fitness in a statement. “We’re confident these relocations and upgrades will greatly improve our members’ club experience, while also continuing to provide them with the access, convenience and value they’ve come to expect from 24 Hour Fitness.”

By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – It has been three months since a new fitness club opened its doors in Knoxville. 6 News first told you about the business back in May.What makes this club unusual is the patrons use poles to exercise on. Recently, the club’s owner says she has been harassed because some feel it is a strip club.On Saturday, we were invited to a beginner’s class at Pole LaRotic Fitness located on Broadway Avenue. Many of the new members were excited that this type of fitness could be found in Knoxville. They do not consider it stripping.”It is more of a workout, and dance class,” said Camelia Mulhall, a first time participant, “It doesn’t have that I’m in a strip club feel to it. It is just a bunch of women getting together acting silly, and getting fit at the same time.”When Nastassia Ligon, the club’s owner, opened the gym, she never thought she would have problems with the community.She was wrong. “We have had several harassments,” said Ligon. “They have been throwing trash in front of the building. They have cut our phone wires, and been calling harassing us, and filing complaints with the city and saying that this was a strip club.”
Ligon showed us a rusty nail that had been driven through their outside phone wire this week. She filed a police report, and more patrols are going to be done in the area for the next few weeks.Ligon just wants people to know that this is not a strip club.”Basically, this is a place, a new fun and way to get fit, instead using the treadmills and the same old exercises,” said Ligon. “The women come here to build their confidence, and have fun.”Ligon is planning an open house in September, so the entire family can come by and see what pole fitness is all about.Those who have already signed up hope others can see the benefits of this vertical exercise.”Lighten up, get over it,” said Bridgette O’Dell, who completed her first class Saturday. “It is not bad. It really isn’t. I think it is more about is making women aware of their bodies and making them appreciate their bodies, and it is just a different way to get fit. I like it.”Ligon says because of all the complaints to the city, building permit officials have raised concerns about having a gym in this part of town.She says they will be making a final decision about if they get to stay here in August.Pole LaRotic Fitness already has more than 800 members.

By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – It has been three months since a new fitness club opened its doors in Knoxville. 6 News first told you about the business back in May.What makes this club unusual is the patrons use poles to exercise on. Recently, the club’s owner says she has been harassed because some feel it is a strip club.On Saturday, we were invited to a beginner’s class at Pole LaRotic Fitness located on Broadway Avenue. Many of the new members were excited that this type of fitness could be found in Knoxville. They do not consider it stripping.”It is more of a workout, and dance class,” said Camelia Mulhall, a first time participant, “It doesn’t have that I’m in a strip club feel to it. It is just a bunch of women getting together acting silly, and getting fit at the same time.”When Nastassia Ligon, the club’s owner, opened the gym, she never thought she would have problems with the community.She was wrong. “We have had several harassments,” said Ligon. “They have been throwing trash in front of the building. They have cut our phone wires, and been calling harassing us, and filing complaints with the city and saying that this was a strip club.”
Ligon showed us a rusty nail that had been driven through their outside phone wire this week. She filed a police report, and more patrols are going to be done in the area for the next few weeks.Ligon just wants people to know that this is not a strip club.”Basically, this is a place, a new fun and way to get fit, instead using the treadmills and the same old exercises,” said Ligon. “The women come here to build their confidence, and have fun.”Ligon is planning an open house in September, so the entire family can come by and see what pole fitness is all about.Those who have already signed up hope others can see the benefits of this vertical exercise.”Lighten up, get over it,” said Bridgette O’Dell, who completed her first class Saturday. “It is not bad. It really isn’t. I think it is more about is making women aware of their bodies and making them appreciate their bodies, and it is just a different way to get fit. I like it.”Ligon says because of all the complaints to the city, building permit officials have raised concerns about having a gym in this part of town.She says they will be making a final decision about if they get to stay here in August.Pole LaRotic Fitness already has more than 800 members.

Fitness club managers dish about their members’ most obnoxious habits.

Please add your “Gym Sin” to the list

Send a good “Gym Sin Comment” and we will add it to the post .

It was perhaps the most extreme case of gym rage—ever. While taking a Manhattan spin class last August, Christopher Carter became so annoyed by the unrelenting grunts and shouts of a fellow spinner that he tipped the other guy right off his bike and into a wall. The grunter was hospitalized for two weeks after the incident. Carter was acquitted of assault charges in June. Hopefully, the acquittal won’t inspire a rash of altercations, as other exercisers decide that they too have had it with obnoxious gym behavior. Because any gym rat can tell you, grunting isn’t the most irritating thing people do in fitness clubs. From making lunch in the sauna to sporting unsavory yoga attire, club managers report that some of their patrons are clueless when it comes to gym etiquette, or general decency. Here are nine of the most outrageous fitness club offenses.


1. The Sauna Stovetop:  A manager at a New York Sports Club was walking through the women’s locker room a few years ago when she smelled cheese. Puzzled, she opened the door to the sauna, where a woman had placed bread and cheese on the hot rocks to make a postworkout grilled cheese sandwich. “Not only was it a health code violation, it was not really respectful to the other people in the sauna,” says NYSC PR director Linda Hufcut. “She said, ‘I do this all the time.’ That was, obviously, the last time she ever did it.'”
2. Nude Fitness?  A couple of visitors to a Gold’s Gym in Paramus, N.J., decided to get naked and weigh themselves before they started working out. The two men didn’t seem daunted by the fact that the scale was outside the locker room. They hung out by the scale, in full view of the other, clothed patrons, until a manager asked them to put some clothes on. They told Mike Epstein, the gym’s owner, that they did that sort of thing all the time at their home gym. Perhaps they meant “home gym” as in the one in their basement.
 
3. Creative Blow-Drying A man in a California Crunch gym decided that the best way to dry out his sweaty shoes was to stick a hair dryer in each of them while he took his after-workout shower. He was shocked when managers asked him to cease and desist. “He said, ‘I didn’t even realize I shouldn’t be doing this’,” says Keith Worts, chief operating officer of Crunch, a national fitness chain.
4. Downward Dog?  At another Crunch location a man had a habit of taking a yoga class while wearing shorts without underwear. He was more than happy to correct his faux pas as soon as managers made him aware that other members were uncomfortable with the view they were getting.
 
5. Work Out, Sleep In:   Some people get a little too relaxed at the gym. Gold’s Gym managers have reported finding customers who fell asleep in the tanning facility and didn’t wake up until the gym was closed, as well as customers who fell asleep on the bench press in between sets.
6. Killer Karaoke:  It’s common and profoundly annoying: gymgoers get carried away listening to their music players. Before they know it they’ve treated everyone in the room to an off-key rendition of “…Baby One More Time.” “I call it karaoke gone bad, because there is no background music and they’re singing at the top of their lungs,” says Harry Reo, a regional vice president for 24 Hour Fitness.
 
7. Talking (Too Much of) the Talk:  Fed up with people gabbing on their cell phones as they used the elliptical, many gyms have banned cell phones around workout equipment and designated areas for patrons to make calls. Still, people forget. “There’s nothing worse than running on the treadmill and having someone next to you conducting an extremely loud conversation,” says Hufcut, who’s seen some people use walkie-talkies while on the treadmill.
8. Sweat Sins:  It seems basic, but enough people forget to wipe down their equipment after using it that this was one of the four deadly gym sins included on an informational video NYSC taped a few years ago. During the segment a careless gymgoer didn’t dry off his machine; when he stood up, the entire machine was covered in dripping goo.
 
9. Scrimmage to Scuffle:  It’s only logical that testosterone can run high at the gym, and sometimes managers need to break up altercations on the basketball court, says Nancy Pattee Francini, co-founder and president of the Sports Club/LA, which has 10 locations around the country. “Those guys, when they’re playing basketball, can get into fights,” she says. “They’re not terrible fights—we’re a high-end club.”
These are, of course, the worst offenses, not the norm. Obnoxious behavior can usually be curbed with a little etiquette education, say gym owners. “Most of the time it’s really an awareness issue with members,” says Worts of Crunch. “We have to remind them that they’re in a shared public space.” Nonetheless, it might not be a bad idea to look over the list and make sure you’re not committing any gym sins.
 
Health Club Newsweek….This article has been brought to you by courtesy of www.fitnesslifemarketing.com
amerishape, ameri shape, amerishape,ameri shape, anytime fitness, club solutions, contours express, Find Local Gyms, Health Clubs & Fitness Centers , Get a Gym Membership, fitness center closing, fitness center opening, Fitness Life Marketing, Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers, golds gym, golds gym new york city, golds gym hackettstown, golds gym equipment, golds gym membership, GOLDS GYM, powerhouse gym, anytime fitness, snap fitness, curves for women, contours express, ladies workout express,lady of america,  Guilty plea in gym scam , health club scam, fitness center rip off, health club scam, health club rip off, gym, gym locator, gym equipment, gymboree, my gym,  Gym Locator, Health Club Directory, gymmarketing,Vitality Marketing Group,curtis mock,Premier Fitness Marketing,Creative Fitness Marketing,GymSuccess.com,FitCommerce.com,health club success,healthclubsuccess.com,Club Industry’s, Fitness Business Pro, Club Industry’s Fitness Business Pro 
 health club, health club closing, health club newsweek, health club opening, HEALTH CLUB, gym, fitness center, fitness club, athletic club, JUST FITNESS 4 U, FITNESS, LA Fitness, ladies fitness, ladies workout fitness, ladies, fitness boot camp, lady fitness gym, ladies fitness wellness, ladies workout express, lady of america, new fitness center, Planet Fitness, snap fitness, snap fitness, anytime fitness, retro fitness, snap fitness reviews, 24 hour fitness,
When it comes to retention, too many clubs aren't concerned enough with the person When it comes to retention, too many clubs aren’t concerned enough with the person who just signed up. Instead, they are still keeping all eyes on the next person walking through the door; after all, membership sales are most important, right?  Just sell, sell, sell!

Frankly, I’ve never believed in that approach, and now more than ever it may be time to reevaluate your club’s strategy. It’s like a degenerative disease; too often, people don’t worry about doing the right things nutritionally until they become sick. Once they wind up in a critical situation, they finally begin eating the right things to try and get better – the very things they should have been eating all along. If we listen, it almost seems like our bodies are trying to tell us to start doing the right thing… or else! Similarly, our economic woes are much like a degenerative disease – they are an illness that is affecting us all. Perhaps it is time to reevaluate.

Ask Yourself
Why do members stick around?  There are many reasons, but they all are interconnected. Here are some of the big ones:

• Achieving performance goals

• State-of-the-art equipment

• Relationships

• Habit

• Ancillary services like personal training, group fitness, youth programs and juice bars.

Believe it or not, you are in control of most of the points mentioned. For example, when it comes to building relationships, cultivating good habits and helping members to achieve performance goals, including a juice bar in your facility can have a strong positive impact. I have been giving nutritional seminars for a decade, and there is always one common denominator that seems to be present everywhere I go; from Aberdeen, S.D. to Miami, people are confused about diet and continue to make poor food choices that either slow or completely halt the progress of performance goals. The lesson: Nutrition is indeed up to 80 percent of the battle.

Juice Bars in Transition
Juice bars have come a long way since the 70s. The stigma that was attached to juice bars back then was present largely because gyms primarily catered to individuals who wanted one thing – to be like Arnold. So, they willingly bellied up to the bar to drink synthetic, scientifically engineered protein drinks. Taste didn’t matter because results were what they were looking for – that is, until their bodies began to reject all of those chemicals.

Today, many clubs still offer the synthetic drinks made from a pouch or automated blender system, but more and more clubs are also making healthier versions out of ingredients that you can recognize and, more importantly, your body can recognize. If you are considering a juice bar, don’t take the easy route; do some research. Know that this is just like any other business and it is necessary to do a business plan and ROI.

Follow These Simple Guidelines:

• Do not try to circumvent the Health Department. Clubs with a “build it and they will come” attitude often wind up having to rip out some of all the work they’ve done in order to make necessary adjustments.

• Use the healthiest products available.

• Develop a simplistic approach to preparing and serving the drinks.

• Make the product in front of the customer; it shouldn’t be a secret what’s going in his or her beverage.

• Educate members about nutrition.

Benefits

• People are gregarious by nature; they want places to hang out and socialize. The more this happens in your club, the more they will buy and the more others will join in.

• Profit – if done correctly, juice bars can increase your bottom line.

• Members can achieve their performance goals more quickly by adopting a healthier diet.

As the demographics of health clubs continue to become more diverse, with whole families joining and folks becoming increasingly more educated about health and fitness, choosing to offer a healthy nutrition option can help clubs retain more members by supporting one of the most important aspects of fitness.

Dan young is president of Performance Food Centers Corp. 

 Page 1 of 2  1  2 »