Health and Fitness Club Industry News: Chains
Tuesday, August 4th, 2026
Ray Wilson Passes Away at Age 94
Posted: August 23, 2022 in Chains
The health and fitness industry world lost a true LEGEND on August 22, 2022 when RAY WILSON, a man who had a very prolific career in the world of health, racquet and sports club development, building and operations, passed away. When he passed away at age 94 at his beachside home in Mexico, Ray Wilson left two sons who were in the industry with him... the late Perry Wilson and Packy Wilson. He is also survived by his children Randi, Everett, Rhonda Yarro, Sue Mckinely and Ray Wilson, Jr. During the latter portion of Ray Wilson’s 75+ year career in the health club industry, he evolved his approach to the industry, shifting his staff’s previous direction from a high pressure membership sales approach to operations to a more subtle approach to membership marketing and sales. That evolution of Ray’s approach actually began at IRSA’s first Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas in 1981 and not only benefitted Ray Wilson, it benefitted the entire industry worldwide. Read More...
TG The Gym’s First Deadlift Challenge Benefits the Mitchell Thorp Foundation
Posted: August 23, 2022 in Chains
SAN DIEGO, CA - TG The Gym has partnered with the Mitchell Thorp Foundation for over 10 years, helping directly and indirectly raise over $1M to assist children suffering from life threatening diseases and disorders. TG partners in 5K run/walks, annual youth baseball tournament, and on August 20, 2022, the first TG The Gym Deadlift Challenge - "Every Rep Matters." Read More...
Sportime Clubs to Take Over Port Washington Tennis Academy
Posted: August 18, 2022 in Chains
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. - The famed Port Washington Tennis Academy (PWTA) on Long Island will soon be under new ownership and is being managed by Sportime. Hornig Capital Partners (HCP) has an agreement to purchase the iconic PWTA, with Sportime Clubs, LLC set to run the day-to-day operations of the club, as Sportime Port Washington, for a minimum of 25 years. Read More...
Crunch Franchise Announces Newest Location in Laredo, Texas
Posted: August 17, 2022 in Chains
LAREDO, TX - Crunch Franchise announces the expansion in Texas with the Grand Opening of Crunch Laredo, a $5 million, 40,000-square-foot fitness facility in the heart of Laredo. Crunch Fitness Laredo is owned by Fitness Ventures, LLC, the fastest growing franchisee in the Crunch system, and owns locations throughout the U.S. Read More...
Blink Fitness to Offer Free Hypnosis
Posted: August 17, 2022 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Launching on September 12th, Blink Fitness is introducing Gymnosis, a series of complimentary in-gym and virtual hypnosis sessions to help people get, and stay, motivated to workout. Anyone, regardless of whether they are a current Blink member or not can try a Gymnosis session to overcome exercise aversions and see how changing their mindset may help change their life. Read More...
Crunch Fitness Announces Franchisee of the Year
Posted: August 16, 2022 in Chains
AMELIA ISLAND, FL - Crunch Fitness announced The Undefeated Tribe as its "Franchisee of the Year" at this year's annual Crunch Franchise Convention held at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Held from July 31 to August 4, the annual Convention unites Crunch Franchise owners, club managers and teams, and vendors to share best practices, network and learn from one another. The 2022 event was attended by more than 45 franchise groups and 600 people. Read More...
9Round Fitness Announces 2022 – 2023 Franchise Advisory Council Members
Posted: August 15, 2022 in Chains
GREENVILLE, S.C. - 9Round, the world’s largest kickboxing franchise, announces the franchisees selected to serve on the company’s 2022 - 2023 Franchise Advisory Council (“FAC”). The council facilitates constructive, open and two-way communication between the management of 9Round Franchising, LLC and 9Round’s North American network of franchise owners. Members of the 2022-2023 FAC include... Read More...
Life Time Opens Rooftop Beach Club, Full-Service Spa and Cafe in Downtown Palm Beach Gardens
Posted: August 11, 2022 in Chains
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL - Shopping at Downtown Palm Beach Gardens takes on a new spin as Life Time (NYSE: LTH), one of the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brands, opens its four-story, 136,000 square-foot Life Time Palm Beach Gardens athletic country club. The new location marks the company's fourth in South Florida as it continues its expansion and will be followed by the opening of Life Time Miami at The Falls in early 2023. Read More...
VASA Fitness Earns 2022 Great Place to Work Certification
Posted: August 10, 2022 in Chains
DENVER, CO - VASA Fitness is proud to be Certified by Great Place to Work. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at VASA. This year, 81% of employees said it’s a great place to work, 24% points higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place to Work is a global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. Read More...
Orangetheory Fitness Launches Personalized MaxHR Technology at Studios Nationwide
Posted: August 10, 2022 in Chains
BOCA RATON, FL - Orangetheory Fitness announces the launch of the brand's proprietary Orangetheory Personalized Maximum Heart Rate (Personalized MaxHR) algorithm. With the introduction of MaxHR, Orangetheory tracks members' peak heart rates in classes over a period of time and uses that number to generate a member's personal maximum heart rate, ensuring the data literally doesn't miss a beat. This allows coaches to estimate exercise intensity, helping further guide members on when to push further or pull back, ultimately leading to a more customized and impactful workout. Read More...
