Health and Fitness Club Industry News: HFA
Friday, October 16th, 2026
Reps. Quigley & Fitzpatrick File Health & Fitness Recovery Act
Posted: October 2, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Since previous government programs have not been sufficient for all the health and fitness facilities affected by COVID-19, U.S. Reps. Michael Quigley (D-IL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) have filed the Health & Fitness Recovery Act of 2020. IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, and IHRSA Board Ex-officio, Jim Worthington, of the Newtown Athletic Club worked with Fitzpatrick to draft the bill. Then, Gale Landers of Fitness Formula Clubs was brought on board to gain Quigley’s endorsement so that the bill would have both Republican and Democratic representation. Read More...
CDC: Close Contact, Dining Out (Not Clubs) Linked to COVID-19
Posted: September 25, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Data on exactly how COVID-19 is transmitted, and which places of public accommodation present the highest risk for transmitting COVID-19, are still emerging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a new study examining which places people testing positive and negative for COVID-19 most likely visited. The study found that people who tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely to have dined at a restaurant and to have a close contact who was positive for COVID-19 compared to people who tested negative. The authors note that situations in which adhering to mask-wearing and social distancing are difficult appear to create higher risk environments for COVID-19 transmission. Fitness centers providing ample social distancing and implementing (and enforcing) mask policies would not create such an environment. Read More...
IHRSA’s Lobbying for the Fitness Industry Continues
Posted: September 24, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Although health and fitness clubs are open, to some degree, in every state, things are still bad for the fitness industry. Restrictions, maximum capacities, member cancellations and cleaning protocols, for example, are making it tough for many businesses to stay afloat. This is an update of IHRSA’s lobbying activity. Read More...
IHRSA Foundation, ACE Obtains Funding to Improve Exercise Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Posted: September 23, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - The IHRSA Foundation and the American Council on Exercise (ACE), supported by the UNESCO Chair in Inclusive Fitness, Sport & Recreation, PE, have had a first joint project approved by Special Olympics with funding through their Inclusive Health Innovation Grant. The grant, supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aims to support organizations in making practices more inclusive and tip the balance toward a fully inclusive world where people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are fully and intentionally included in mainstream fitness programs and services. Read More...
IHRSA Releases Toolkit for Clubs on Forming a State Alliance
Posted: September 17, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, worked with industry leaders in states across the country providing them with tools and resources to strengthen their voices and expand their reach at the state level. IHRSA has worked diligently to pull these valuable assets together in a toolkit to share with the entire industry. To lobby individual governors and local lawmakers more directly, many IHRSA members are forming regional alliances of operators within their state. IHRSA’s newest toolkit, How to Run a Fitness Industry Alliance in Your State, is a compilation of resources to help club owners and operators create, manage, and run a state or regional alliance. Read More...
Medical Experts Speak Out to Show Gyms Are Safe and Essential
Posted: September 14, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - As negative public perceptions persist, the fitness industry is looking to further prove that health clubs are safe and vital for overall health. To do so, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, is engaging with medical experts to get their professional opinion on the safety and efficacy of clubs. Fitness facilities have been ramping up their cleaning guidelines and safety procedures since the beginning of the pandemic, and data shows that clubs are not guilty of spreading COVID-19. Now, even doctors are perplexed as to why lawmakers aren’t seeing the positive impact that fitness facilities bring to the public—especially in a time when physical activity can help mitigate the worst of COVID-19 symptoms and cases. It’s profoundly clear that those with pre-existing conditions, such as obesity, are at high-risk of contracting severe coronavirus and have the most to gain from health clubs. Read More...
Brent Darden Sets a New Course for IHRSA as Interim CEO
Posted: September 3, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Over the past several months, the world as we knew it has undergone changes many of us could never have imagined. The fitness industry was especially hard hit by the pandemic that the world has struggled to contain, resulting in an economic downturn, government restrictions on clubs and shaky consumer confidence. These challenges were also deeply felt at IHRSA, and the Board of Directors deemed that a new tact was needed to best serve the industry during this time. On August 21, they announced the appointment of Brent Darden as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Darden replaced Joe Moore, who served as IHRSA’s President & CEO since 2006. The IHRSA Board of Directors chose Darden for this role in large part due to his extensive leadership experience in the industry. Under Darden’s leadership, the IHRSA staff, working closely with the Board, will revisit "virtually everything." Read More...
National Study Confirms It’s Safe To Work Out At The Gym: Current Data Shows No Evidence of COVID-19 Spread in Gyms
Posted: September 2, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - After analyzing millions of member's check-in data across 2,873 gyms, sports clubs and boutique fitness centers over the course of three months, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and MXM, a technology and knowledge transfer company specializing in member tracking within the fitness industry, conclusively found that fitness facilities are safe and are not contributing to the spread of COVID-19. Read More...
The Fitness Industry Demands Deal to Protect Workers
Posted: September 2, 2020 in HFA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On September 2, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, while testifying before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, pledged to call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to ask her to restart talks on a new COVID-19 relief package. In response, Brent Darden of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) released the following statement... Read More...
IHRSA Introduces Interim President & CEO Brent Darden
Posted: September 1, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - On August 21, the IHRSA Board of Directors announced the appointment of Brent Darden as interim president and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Darden is a well-known advocate and leader in the fitness industry and has a vast background of experience. Although the role was not taken lightly, Darden has made it clear that he does not intend to serve as IHRSA president & CEO on a permanent basis. Speaking on behalf of IHRSA’s future, Darden feels confident that evolution is necessary for the association to achieve sustainable success. Read More...
