Breaking Health Club News: Personal Trainer Sues Life Time Fitness for Sexual Harassment

A former Life Time Fitness trainer is suing the Chanhassen, MN-based company on the grounds of sexual harassment and retaliation.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lisa Ryan Flores of Cypress, TX, on May 19 in Harris County (TX) District Court against Life Time and Todd Buckland, a Life Time employee who was Flores’s team leader. Flores accuses Buckland of inappropriate and unwanted sexual behavior.In July 2009, Flores was transferred from Life Time’s Cinco Ranch location to its Houston City Centre location, where the alleged behavior took place, according to the complaint. Among other accusations, Flores claims Buckland put his hand down her pants and would send her unwanted text messages outside of work late at night.After reporting the alleged sexual advances around Sept. 1, 2009, Flores claims Life Time led a campaign of retaliation against her, and that led to her wrongful termination. The tactics, Flores claims, included demoting her, which reduced her income. She claims Life Time’s corporate human resources department scolded her because she asked club managers about Buckland’s status at the club.On Oct. 21, 2009, Flores filed claims of harassment and subsequent retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission. During mediation, Flores was fired by Leslie Simoneau, general counsel for Life Time Fitness, according to the complaint.In addition to sexual harassment and retaliation, Flores is suing on the grounds of assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking damages that include back pay, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.Fife Time says it does not comment on legal matters.

Breaking Health Club News: Personal Trainer Sues Life Time Fitness for Sexual Harassment

A former Life Time Fitness trainer is suing the Chanhassen, MN-based company on the grounds of sexual harassment and retaliation.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lisa Ryan Flores of Cypress, TX, on May 19 in Harris County (TX) District Court against Life Time and Todd Buckland, a Life Time employee who was Flores’s team leader. Flores accuses Buckland of inappropriate and unwanted sexual behavior.In July 2009, Flores was transferred from Life Time’s Cinco Ranch location to its Houston City Centre location, where the alleged behavior took place, according to the complaint. Among other accusations, Flores claims Buckland put his hand down her pants and would send her unwanted text messages outside of work late at night.After reporting the alleged sexual advances around Sept. 1, 2009, Flores claims Life Time led a campaign of retaliation against her, and that led to her wrongful termination. The tactics, Flores claims, included demoting her, which reduced her income. She claims Life Time’s corporate human resources department scolded her because she asked club managers about Buckland’s status at the club.On Oct. 21, 2009, Flores filed claims of harassment and subsequent retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission. During mediation, Flores was fired by Leslie Simoneau, general counsel for Life Time Fitness, according to the complaint.In addition to sexual harassment and retaliation, Flores is suing on the grounds of assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking damages that include back pay, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.Fife Time says it does not comment on legal matters.

Are Weight-Loss TV Shows Too Extreme?

On the heels of “The Biggest Loser” season finale, a new weight-loss reality TV show premiered Monday night: “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.”
The new show (10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central on ABC) chronicles eight morbidly obese people as they lose weight over the span of a year. The star of the show is trainer Chris Powell, who guides one individual per show through his or her struggles, both physically and emotionally.We touched on the topic of weight-loss reality TV shows last month in our praise of the fitness industry’s ties to TV, which included Anytime Fitness’ work on A&E’s “Heavy” as well as a note on one of Anytime’s trainers, Kelli Calabrese, who auditioned to replace Jillian Michaels as the head trainer on “The Biggest Loser.” (As you may know by now, that job went to Anna Kournikova, a curious choice given that her fame came as a tennis player.)
We were planning to address the recent wave of weight-loss reality shows until we saw this story written by Sandy Cohen of the Associated Press, which blew our idea out of the water. Cohen successfully lists all of the weight-loss reality shows currently on TV and presents a case study of the pros and cons of the genre.
This article and this topic raise a ton of questions: Do these shows paint the fitness industry in a positive light? Is this the best way to represent what personal trainers can do? Are these shows focusing too much on the morbidly obese? Are those individuals losing too much weight in too short of time? In short, are these shows too extreme?

Are Weight-Loss TV Shows Too Extreme?

On the heels of “The Biggest Loser” season finale, a new weight-loss reality TV show premiered Monday night: “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.”
The new show (10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central on ABC) chronicles eight morbidly obese people as they lose weight over the span of a year. The star of the show is trainer Chris Powell, who guides one individual per show through his or her struggles, both physically and emotionally.We touched on the topic of weight-loss reality TV shows last month in our praise of the fitness industry’s ties to TV, which included Anytime Fitness’ work on A&E’s “Heavy” as well as a note on one of Anytime’s trainers, Kelli Calabrese, who auditioned to replace Jillian Michaels as the head trainer on “The Biggest Loser.” (As you may know by now, that job went to Anna Kournikova, a curious choice given that her fame came as a tennis player.)
We were planning to address the recent wave of weight-loss reality shows until we saw this story written by Sandy Cohen of the Associated Press, which blew our idea out of the water. Cohen successfully lists all of the weight-loss reality shows currently on TV and presents a case study of the pros and cons of the genre.
This article and this topic raise a ton of questions: Do these shows paint the fitness industry in a positive light? Is this the best way to represent what personal trainers can do? Are these shows focusing too much on the morbidly obese? Are those individuals losing too much weight in too short of time? In short, are these shows too extreme?

Can a Health Club Fire It’s Members?

The thought of actually asking a member or client to leave your business spits right in the face of retention. However, a happy, productive membership base is more valuable than the problem members you face everyday.

Every business has one, the dreaded problem member. They spend more time complaining about the facility then they do working out and are constantly taking you and your staff’s time away from providing service to your core clients. This type of member represents somewhere around 2 percent of your membership base, and assuming you have done everything reasonably possible to satisfy these members needs inherently — there are always a few that just cannot be satisfied. Word of mouth marketing is the leading driver of small business growth and in the case of your membership base; one bad apple can really spoil the bunch.

Did you know that a patron who feels they are under serviced will tell eight times more people than someone who feels they are well serviced? Now, just think of all the times these “bad apples” in your club have felt under serviced and how many different people they would have told. When you identify a member whose demands cannot be reasonably satisfied by your service, then your service is not for that member. In most cases, you will be able to transfer that member to another facility close by to make sure their fitness goals are still met, but taking a stand and protecting your business and staff from these “bad apples” will benefit you in the long run.

Can a Health Club Fire It’s Members?

The thought of actually asking a member or client to leave your business spits right in the face of retention. However, a happy, productive membership base is more valuable than the problem members you face everyday.

Every business has one, the dreaded problem member. They spend more time complaining about the facility then they do working out and are constantly taking you and your staff’s time away from providing service to your core clients. This type of member represents somewhere around 2 percent of your membership base, and assuming you have done everything reasonably possible to satisfy these members needs inherently — there are always a few that just cannot be satisfied. Word of mouth marketing is the leading driver of small business growth and in the case of your membership base; one bad apple can really spoil the bunch.

Did you know that a patron who feels they are under serviced will tell eight times more people than someone who feels they are well serviced? Now, just think of all the times these “bad apples” in your club have felt under serviced and how many different people they would have told. When you identify a member whose demands cannot be reasonably satisfied by your service, then your service is not for that member. In most cases, you will be able to transfer that member to another facility close by to make sure their fitness goals are still met, but taking a stand and protecting your business and staff from these “bad apples” will benefit you in the long run.

Health Clubs Join Forces to Celebrate Memorial Day!

In the most general sense, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. citizens who died at war—the servicemen and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may maintain the quality of life we have today. Let’s take the time to remember them this weekend and celebrate their lives and what they’ve contributed to ours.

But let’s also remember our servicemen and women every day. Those who return from war have needs that extend beyond the comforts of home and family. They need a place to belong. For some returning from war, their health is all they have. Now, club owners have a chance to make a difference in the lives of active military and their families through the IHRSA Joining Forces Network.

As part of the national initiative, Joining Forces—which mobilizes all sectors of society to aid military men, women, and families—IHRSA has issued a nationwide call to action to health club operators. By joining the IHRSA Joining Forces Network, your health club will aid military families by opening the door to a healthy lifestyle.

CALL TO ACTION:

On June 1st, the program will be available to military personnel and their families through www.healthclubs.com, where they can search for participating clubs in their area. IHRSA members in the IHRSA Joining Forces Network will offer free memberships to immediate family members (ages 13 and older, where applicable) of actively deployed reservists and National Guard members.

If you’re looking to give back to your community in a way that makes a difference in the lives of military families, what better way than to give them the gift of health?

Will these families be able to find your club on the list?

Health Clubs Join Forces to Celebrate Memorial Day!

In the most general sense, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. citizens who died at war—the servicemen and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may maintain the quality of life we have today. Let’s take the time to remember them this weekend and celebrate their lives and what they’ve contributed to ours.

But let’s also remember our servicemen and women every day. Those who return from war have needs that extend beyond the comforts of home and family. They need a place to belong. For some returning from war, their health is all they have. Now, club owners have a chance to make a difference in the lives of active military and their families through the IHRSA Joining Forces Network.

As part of the national initiative, Joining Forces—which mobilizes all sectors of society to aid military men, women, and families—IHRSA has issued a nationwide call to action to health club operators. By joining the IHRSA Joining Forces Network, your health club will aid military families by opening the door to a healthy lifestyle.

CALL TO ACTION:

On June 1st, the program will be available to military personnel and their families through www.healthclubs.com, where they can search for participating clubs in their area. IHRSA members in the IHRSA Joining Forces Network will offer free memberships to immediate family members (ages 13 and older, where applicable) of actively deployed reservists and National Guard members.

If you’re looking to give back to your community in a way that makes a difference in the lives of military families, what better way than to give them the gift of health?

Will these families be able to find your club on the list?

Millions of Americans Are Too Lazy To Go To Their Local Health Club!

Close to 65 million people in the United States are inactive, according to a recent survey by the Physical Activity Council (PAC). Of this group, 34 percent are between the ages of 6 and 34. The study also shows that in the past three years, the number of inactive kids, ages 6-12, has doubled.

The PAC’s study analyzed overall participation in sports, fitness and recreational activities.

This year’s study also asked respondents to state which activities they would like to participate in but currently do not. These ranged from fishing and bird watching to ice hockey and kickboxing.

“The whole concept of measuring people’s aspirations when it comes to sports participation has previously not been done in this sort of research environment,” said Keith Storey, vice president of Sports Marketing Surveys USA, which coordinated the survey. “The answers to these questions show there is a clear desire by Americans to participate in a number of fitness, sports and outdoor activities, but they just don’t know where to start. It is this pent-up demand that presents both an opportunity and a challenge to our seven organizations. The survey results prove that people want to ‘get off the sidelines’ and participate but might need a bit of a push to get going.”

The member organizations of PAC are the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, the National Golf Foundation, Snowsports Industries America, The Outdoor Foundation, the Tennis Industry Association, the United States Tennis Association and the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

The survey found that innovative equipment designs in elliptical, treadmills and stationary bikes have all increased in sales in the last year. So, too, have aerobics classes and participants in free weights.

The popularity of running also has increased. This is perhaps due to its low cost and the flexibility in time and location it offers participants. Other inexpensive sports also have increased in popularity. In the past 11 years, tennis participation has increased 42 percent, while golf participation has decreased. With its membership fees and cost of equipment, golf remains the No. 1 solitary physical activity but is decreasing, partly due to the older age of participants. Traditional team sports are becoming less popular due to families cutting back on budgets.

Children often receive training in a variety of sports at school, but when schools cut back on physical activity time and requirements, children become more inactive. Inactive youths are three times more likely to live sedentary lifestyles as adults, according to the PAC.

“Everyone knows that daily physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, yet a dangerously large portion of our society is totally sedentary,” said Tom Cove, president and CEO of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. “It’s obvious our country cannot sustain these trends of inactivity, especially for people under 35. The good news is the data shows many people want to be more active. This is a clarion call for our society–industry, communities, government and the non-profit sector–to be more committed and creative in providing sports, fitness and recreation opportunities for every American.”

Millions of Americans Are Too Lazy To Go To Their Local Health Club!

Close to 65 million people in the United States are inactive, according to a recent survey by the Physical Activity Council (PAC). Of this group, 34 percent are between the ages of 6 and 34. The study also shows that in the past three years, the number of inactive kids, ages 6-12, has doubled.

The PAC’s study analyzed overall participation in sports, fitness and recreational activities.

This year’s study also asked respondents to state which activities they would like to participate in but currently do not. These ranged from fishing and bird watching to ice hockey and kickboxing.

“The whole concept of measuring people’s aspirations when it comes to sports participation has previously not been done in this sort of research environment,” said Keith Storey, vice president of Sports Marketing Surveys USA, which coordinated the survey. “The answers to these questions show there is a clear desire by Americans to participate in a number of fitness, sports and outdoor activities, but they just don’t know where to start. It is this pent-up demand that presents both an opportunity and a challenge to our seven organizations. The survey results prove that people want to ‘get off the sidelines’ and participate but might need a bit of a push to get going.”

The member organizations of PAC are the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, the National Golf Foundation, Snowsports Industries America, The Outdoor Foundation, the Tennis Industry Association, the United States Tennis Association and the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

The survey found that innovative equipment designs in elliptical, treadmills and stationary bikes have all increased in sales in the last year. So, too, have aerobics classes and participants in free weights.

The popularity of running also has increased. This is perhaps due to its low cost and the flexibility in time and location it offers participants. Other inexpensive sports also have increased in popularity. In the past 11 years, tennis participation has increased 42 percent, while golf participation has decreased. With its membership fees and cost of equipment, golf remains the No. 1 solitary physical activity but is decreasing, partly due to the older age of participants. Traditional team sports are becoming less popular due to families cutting back on budgets.

Children often receive training in a variety of sports at school, but when schools cut back on physical activity time and requirements, children become more inactive. Inactive youths are three times more likely to live sedentary lifestyles as adults, according to the PAC.

“Everyone knows that daily physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, yet a dangerously large portion of our society is totally sedentary,” said Tom Cove, president and CEO of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. “It’s obvious our country cannot sustain these trends of inactivity, especially for people under 35. The good news is the data shows many people want to be more active. This is a clarion call for our society–industry, communities, government and the non-profit sector–to be more committed and creative in providing sports, fitness and recreation opportunities for every American.”

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