Health and Fitness Club Industry News: HFA
Thursday, May 14th, 2026
Latest IHRSA Data: Over 6 Billion Visits to 39,570 Health Clubs Last Year
Posted: March 27, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - More than 71.5 million consumers utilized U.S. health clubs in 2018, a record-high since IHRSA began tracking health club utilization in 1987. The number of individual members totaled 62.5 million, up 2.6% from 60.9 million in 2017. In all, consumers frequented their health clubs for more than six billion visits in 2018. Read More...
More Than 12,000 Convene in San Diego for IHRSA 2019
Posted: March 21, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Fitness industry professionals from nearly 80 countries were in San Diego, CA for IHRSA 2019, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s 38th Annual International Convention & Trade Show, held March 13 - 16, 2019. IHRSA attendees experienced the cutting edge of fitness industry equipment and technology during the two-day Trade Show and early morning workouts, attended education sessions given by industry experts, worked out and power walked, networked and socialized. Read More...
IHRSA Applauds Newly Introduced Legislation to Support Hard-working Americans in their Efforts to Exercise and Lead Healthy Lifestyles
Posted: March 12, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA announced its support for the Personal Health Investment Today Act (PHIT), just newly introduced into the 116th Congress. The legislation champions Americans in their efforts to live healthier lifestyles by making it easier to cover exercise expenses with pre-tax dollars. IHRSA’s pivotal role in promoting this bill is part of its broader leadership stance in advancing physically active lifestyles in the battle against chronic disease and out-of-control health care costs. Read More...
New IHRSA Report Details Advocacy’s Impact on Health Club Operations
Posted: February 18, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - While there are a multitude of reasons to belong to an industry trade association, such as education, networking and research, often, the most overlooked benefit is advocacy. Perhaps, advocacy is overlooked because it’s not as tangible as a research report or convention registration. That doesn’t mean it’s not vital to your business. Read More...
IHRSA Releases Resource to help Clubs Navigate Music Copyright Issues
Posted: February 12, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - The U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 makes it illegal to play copyrighted material in businesses, like health clubs, without the consent of the copyright owner. Music copyright laws can be confusing. Simply buying a CD or purchasing a streaming music subscription may not be enough to protect a health club or fitness business from inaccurate interpretations or unfair enforcement of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. To help clubs navigate the murky waters surrounding music copyright law, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has released a legal briefing paper on the topic. Read More...
IHRSA Announces 2019 Industry Award Recipients
Posted: February 1, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association has announced that three award recipients will be honored during IHRSA 2019, the association’s 38th Annual International Convention & Trade Show in San Diego, California, March 13 - 16, 2019: The Associate Member of the Year Award will be presented on Wednesday, March 13 to MINDBODY. The Woman Leader Award in honor of Julie Main will be presented on Thursday, March 14 to Francesca Schuler, CEO, In-Shape Health Clubs. The Outstanding Community Service Award will be presented on Friday, March 15 to Midtown Sanctuaire of Montreal, Canada. Read More...
IHRSA and the Industry Leadership Council Gear Up for 2019
Posted: January 31, 2019 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - The country’s health is at stake. Many citizens and communities are suffering from sedentary lifestyles that fuel epidemic levels of lifestyle-related illnesses. Chronic diseases now cost the U.S. an estimated $2 trillion annually in medical costs and another $794 billion in lost worker productivity. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and the fitness club industry believe that lawmakers should actively support, or at least stay out of the way of, their constituents efforts to incorporate regular physical activity. Instead, fitness businesses are continuously threatened by legislation that would make running and/or joining a health club more costly and difficult. Read More...
IHRSA Announces New Board Nominees
Posted: December 18, 2018 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, has announced four nominees for the IHRSA Board of Directors. The four nominees are: Frank Lawrence, CEO - Little Rock Athletic Centers, LLC; Chris Smith, CEO and President - SNFW Fitness BC Ltd.; Chris Stevenson, Owner - Stevenson Fitness; Greta Wagner, Executive Director, EVP - Chelsea Piers. All four will stand for election during IHRSA’s annual meeting in March at the IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show in San Diego, CA. If elected, each will serve a four-year term from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023, joining the distinguished company of the current IHRSA Board... Read More...
How PHIT and Emerging Tech Could Change Policies and Your Gym
Posted: October 25, 2018 in HFA
BOSTON, MA (by IHRSA's Jeff Perkins) - PHIT has passed the House, but it remains in the Senate. With the midterm elections just days away and senators returning to their districts to campaign, work in the Senate is at a standstill. That means PHIT’s best chance of passing during this Congress is after the midterm elections (also known as the lame duck session). Procedural rules in the Senate make it harder to pass legislation in the Senate than in the House. In the Senate, a bill only needs a simple majority --51 votes-- to pass, but to guarantee you get to a vote, at least 60 votes are required for what is called cloture. Assuming 51 Republicans will vote yes, we need at least nine Democrats. Now is the time to get your Senator onboard with PHIT before the lame duck session in November. Read More...
IHRSA Introduces Mobile App for Passport Program
Posted: October 4, 2018 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - The IHRSA Passport Program is getting a mobile makeover with the launch of a new app in 2019. The user-friendly app will allow gyms and gym-goers to conveniently access the program on any mobile device. IHRSA has chosen TrainAway, based in Copenhagen, to digitalize the IHRSA Passport Program, capitalizing on the company’s innovative technology and user interface to give members of participating IHRSA facilities access to a worldwide network of health clubs when they travel. In 2018, more than 1,500 health clubs worldwide participated in the IHRSA Passport Program. Read More...
