Club Insider

About Bruce Carter

Bruce CarterBruce Carter

Bruce Carter is the president of Optimal Design Systems International. He has 43 years of successful experience in the fitness industry. In addition to starting Optimal Design Systems, Bruce also was the founder of Optimal Fitness Systems International.

Phone: (954) 888 - 5960
Email: bruce@optimaldsi.com


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How to Dramatically Reduce Rising Construction Costs for New Clubs and Renovations
September 2022 - Moving forward in a post-COVID economy, one of the profound effects is rising prices. Obviously, there are other contributing factors, but the end result for new clubs or renovations of any kind or size is that it is going to cost approximately 20 - 30% more than it did a couple of years ago. Not surprisingly, many experts predict this will continue, so making a planned effort to reduce costs is a must. Read Article...

New Lessons in Design Learned From the Pandemic
January 2021 - COVID-19 has affected every aspect of club operations and planning. The initial reaction of Governments related to clubs was understandable: Close everything, ensuring that no one could get COVID in a club. Many other types of businesses faced the same fate. Then, clubs quickly became proactive with better cleaning practices, social distancing with equipment and individuals, masks, temperature scanning and better filters for HVAC systems. COVID has been a dramatic "game changer," one that, up until this time, has never been experienced by the industry. Read Article...

Profit Designing
Designing the New Club Model for Maximizing Profits

September 2016 - There are substantial changes evolving with clubs, and this is affecting design significantly. The old standard model was primarily dues-based, where clubs offered everything for one price, and the goal was to get as many members as possible. This model usually involved some variation of cardio, free weights, machines, group exercise, and possibly, spinning. The new model is to get as many members as possible, but equally importantly, is to maximize revenue per member through results-based, tiered memberships and fee-based personal training programs, thereby maximizing the average amount of dues per member. To achieve this goal, a new design model is necessary where a club has the optimal space and programs enabling it to charge extra for a variety of different offerings. Read Article...

Renovating a Legend
June 2012 - After winning a Super Bowl and having a perfect season, Coach Don Shula, along with his partners, the Graham Companies, opened a spectacular club in Miami Lakes, Florida in 1982. They hired a General Manager, Bill Higgs, whose objective was to achieve the success with the club that would live up to its namesake heritage. The 45,000 square-foot Shula's Athletic Club opened with beautiful facilities, including fitness, racquetball, basketball and tennis. Read Article...

The Future of Health and Fitness Club Design
April 2023 - In planning any size new club or renovation, taking the time to contemplate what the future holds for club design is a valuable step. Often, past trends can help to provide some insight into the future. However, the club industry's most recent past was totally dominated with COVID, causing clubs to close (25% of clubs closed permanently according to a recent IHRSA study), then clubs were allowed to reopen with abnormal spacing requirements. So, will COVID have a strong impact on the future of club design? The primary answer is no, but the effect on the economy from COVID will continue to have an effect on club design now and in the future. Read Article...

The Golden Age of Health Clubs
September 2020 - The beginning of 2020 was a positive time for health clubs. According to the IHRSA 2020 Global Report - The State of the Health Club Industry, the industry's future looked bright. The industry was excelling in its sincere desire to help people improve their lives, and the number of clubs, memberships and health club visits were at an all-time high. Then, early in 2020, COVID-19 hits. Like nothing before, people's lives are turned upside down. People cannot get together, affecting most businesses in a dramatically negative fashion. Clubs close, and then, here and there, they are allowed to open with a variety of restrictions. Read Article...

The Great Untold Secret About Exercise
February 2009 - Why is it that there are more health clubs than ever yet more overweight people than ever? With all the focus on exercise and all the efforts clubs have put on retention, why is it still one of the main problems in the fitness industry? Why is it that 9 out of 10 people know it is better to take the stairs instead of the escalator, yet only 1 out of 10 actually take the stairs when given the choice? Read Article...

The New World of Lighting for Health Clubs
March 2017 - As you are aware, the club industry has been going through major changes in the past few years. What you might not be aware of is that the lighting industry has also been going through major changes, and if the right choices are made, this can have a powerful effect on achieving a motivating and energy saving environment for any type of club. New lighting standards created by Congress and the Department of Energy have been phasing in since 2012. These require that any bulbs sold need to use a minimum of 25% less energy, and certain types of incandescents can no longer be sold in the United States. Read Article...

The Power of Design in Making a Club More Successful
July 2007 - Read Article...

The Surprising Link Between Environment, Mood and Club Success
August 2021 - On a recent powerful IHRSA Webinar ("United We Rise"), the main takeaway from the speakers was that things have to be done for people to get a positive experience from a club visit, something that improves a person's mood while they are in the club. One of the main reasons that the majority of people, about 80%, do not belong to clubs or participate in regular exercise is that they do not get a benefit right away. The promise of some long-term weight loss, health improvement or disease prevention does not sell most memberships or get people to start and stick with exercise. People need to feel something right away and with each visit. Read Article...

The Top 10 Keys For A Successful Club Design
October 2015 - Successful club design is the creative process of combining layout, facilities, mechanicals, materials, finishes, lighting and colors. There are key things you should and should not do to better insure success with design, whether it is a new design or renovation. What is described here can be looked at as a checklist to keep things on track for an optimal end result... Read Article...

Top Ten Mistakes for New Health Club Design and Renovations
March 2024 - Interior design plays a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere and functionality of health clubs. From fostering motivation to enhancing relaxation, the design of these spaces can significantly impact the overall experience of members. However, in the process of designing or renovating health clubs, certain mistakes can detract from the intended ambiance and functionality. Here are the top ten interior mistakes to avoid when undertaking health club design and renovations. Read Article...

What Is The Relationship Between Club Design And The Prices It Can Charge?
January 2015 - There's a purchase psychology saying that the "Eye Buys." In other words, what someone "sees" strongly determines what he buys. Relating to clubs, things like facilities, programs and price are all key. Yet, what a club looks like plays heavily in someone's decision to join or not. Read Article...

Why COVID Has Made Fitness Center Design More Important Than Ever
May 2021 - COVID closed clubs. People stayed at home to exercise. Virtual fitness became the new normal. Outdoor fitness, weather permitting, gained in popularity. Now, clubs are getting back to normal operating conditions, but this will vary according to the state in which the clubs are operating. Studies show that a certain percentage of people will not come back, preferring to continue their in-home or outdoor routine. Has COVID made exercising at home a main competitor of clubs? Sure, many fit people will do both, but what about the rest? Most people will be choosing one over the other. Read Article...

Why The Right Health Club Interior Sells More Memberships
October 2008 - Having given seminars in the fitness industry over the years, a question I commonly ask is, "Do most people love or hate exercise?" The answer is always the same. Most people hate exercise. It is also accepted that some people love exercise, but most don't. Read Article...

Why You Need to Redesign Your Workout Space
April 2012 - Recently, an individual who moved to a new area went shopping for a new club. At her previous club, this individual had been introduced to newer types of training, so she was looking for certain specific things in a club. Off she went from club to club visiting national chains and local clubs. Read Article...

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