Health and Fitness Club Industry News
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
IHRSA Introduces the National Health & Fitness Alliance
Posted: October 13, 2020 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - To ensure the industry has a seat at the table when policymakers are meeting on issues that impact the health of the nation, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, and the IHRSA Board of Directors introduce the National Health & Fitness Alliance. Before the coronavirus crisis, health and fitness businesses across the U.S. were already facing an onslaught of anti-business regulation and litigation, on top of the perennial issues that handcuff club operators from serving their members. Now, with lengthy lockdowns, untenable capacity restrictions, and threats of reclosures, the need for a stronger, more politically powerful fitness industry in Washington, D.C., and state capitals across the country has never been greater. Read More...
New York City Department of Education Receives $1 Million Grant from Life Time Foundation
Posted: October 13, 2020 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - At a time when boosting health and immunity are at the forefront of conversations, the more than 1.1 million students served by the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) will benefit from a recent $1 million grant to accelerate healthier menus in schools, free of seven categories of undesirable ingredients, called "The Harmful 7." The five-year grant is funded by the Life Time Foundation and will be facilitated by the Fund for Public Schools, the NYC DOE's non-profit partner focused on scaling outcome-driven initiatives and responding to emerging needs. Read More...
ACE Welcomes Dr. Laurie Whitsel and Dr. Antonio Williams to its Board of Directors
Posted: October 9, 2020 in Suppliers
SAN DIEGO, CA - Laurie Whitsel, Ph.D., FAHA, Vice President of Policy Research and Translation for the American Heart Association (AHA) and senior advisor to the Physical Activity Alliance, and Antonio Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Associate Department Chair at Indiana University School of Public Health, have joined the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as members of its Board of Directors effective October 9, 2020. Read More...
Curves Celebrates 28 Years of Ingenuity and Innovation in the Women’s Fitness Industry
Posted: October 7, 2020 in Chains
WACO, TX - This year, Curves celebrates 28 years of delivering a fitness solution designed specifically for women and 28 years of creating entrepreneurial opportunities for women who want to own their own business, provide for the financial needs of their families and be a health resource in their communities. Read More...
IHRSA Announces New Dates and Location for IHRSA 2021
Posted: October 6, 2020 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has announced that the Annual IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show (IHRSA 2021) will now take place September 20 - 22, 2021, in Los Angeles, CA. IHRSA 2021 marks the association’s 40th anniversary. In fact, IHRSA 2021 will take place exactly 40 years to the month of IHRSA’s founding in September of 1981. Read More...
USTA and Genesis Health Clubs Partner to Grow Tennis Participation
Posted: October 6, 2020 in Chains, Suppliers
ORLANDO, FL - USTA and Genesis Health Clubs has announced a strategic partnership that brings together the national governing body for tennis in the United States with one of the largest health and tennis club companies in the country. Through this relationship, both parties will combine resources to continue growing the sport of tennis, with a particular focus on attracting new youth and adult players. Read More...
Crunch Franchising Named One of The 2020 Top Growth Franchises By Entrepreneur Magazine; Expands Footprint In New York With A New Signature Location In Midtown East
Posted: October 5, 2020 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Crunch Fitness, the health club brand known for making serious fitness fun through innovative programming and an inclusive atmosphere, was named one of the top-ranking growth franchises by Entrepreneur magazine. Crunch also announces its continuing commitment to bringing back New York City better than ever and will swing open the doors to selling memberships at its brand-new, long-awaited Signature outpost in the heart of Midtown with a target opening in Fall 2020. Read More...
Subject Line Tips for Health Club Email Marketing
Posted: October 4, 2020 in Suppliers
Even the most well-crafted email is worthless to you if it never gets opened. That’s why your email subject line should never be an afterthought. The goal of the subject line is to capture your audience’s attention and leave them wanting more. In this article, we’ll go over a few tips for writing engaging subject lines that will make your health club email marketing campaign a success. Read More...
Reps. Quigley & Fitzpatrick File Health & Fitness Recovery Act
Posted: October 2, 2020 in IHRSA
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...
Blink Fitness Launches Virtual Training Program
Posted: October 2, 2020 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Blink Fitness announces the launch of a new virtual training program through a platform powered by FlexIt technology. The platform allows Blink to continue to put its community first by providing current and prospective members with a simple way to schedule personalized, one-on-one virtual personal training sessions. Read More...
ABC Fitness Solutions Unveils Rebranding
Posted: October 1, 2020 in Suppliers
SHERWOOD, AR - ABC Fitness Solutions, formerly known as ABC Financial Services, has unveiled a corporate rebranding that reaffirms the company’s commitment to the health and fitness industry, supported by powerful, new club management and member engagement capabilities atop the market-leading billing and payment services that ABC is known for. Read More...
Intelivideo Names Adam Zeitsiff President and CEO
Posted: October 1, 2020 in Suppliers
BROOMFIELD, CO - Intelivideo, a video on demand (VOD) and digital technology platform for gyms and health clubs, has announced the appointment of Adam Zeitsiff as the company's new President and CEO, effective immediately. Zeitsiff, who most recently served as President and CEO of global fitness icon Gold's Gym, is stepping into this new role as Matt Given, exiting CEO of Intelivideo, transitions to serve as chairman of Intelivideo's Board of Directors. Read More...
Jon Canarick and Alison Minter Named Managing Partners of North Castle Partners, LLC
Posted: October 1, 2020 in Suppliers
GREENWICH, CT - North Castle Partners has announced that Jon Canarick and Alison Minter have both been promoted from Partners to Managing Partners of the firm. Together with founder and Managing Partner, Chip Baird, Canarick and Minter now comprise North Castle's Management Committee. North Castle is a leading private equity firm focused on consumer businesses that promote healthy, active and sustainable living. Read More...
Athletes Across the Nation Give More Than $320,000 to School Food Programs After COVID-19 Forces Race Cancellations
Posted: September 30, 2020 in Chains
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - With endurance events across the world cancelled due to COVID-19, Life Time, which owns and produces more than thirty premier marathons, triathlons and cycling races, worked with athletes to create unique and impactful philanthropic opportunities to benefit children and their families in need. To date, these opportunities total more than $320,000, which will be provided to seven school districts across the country through the Life Time Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit and charitable arm of Life Time that works with school districts across the country to inspire and impact the removal of "The Harmful 7." Read More...
Contec Broadens Its ‘Heroes for Zero’ Campaign, Adds Two Sponsees
Posted: September 30, 2020 in Suppliers
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Contec, Inc., a global manufacturer of critical cleaning and contamination control products, is announcing it has expanded its ‘Heroes for Zero’ sponsorship campaign, which began the 2020 calendar year featuring NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeffrey Earnhardt. Contec is adding two new sponsees, Sloane Stephens and Oliver Crawford, from the tennis world to the mix for the balance of the year and into 2021. Read More...
How to Advance ALS TDI’s Latest Discovery in the Lab
Posted: September 30, 2020 in Other News
CAMBRIDGE, MA - The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) recently announced the discovery of a new drug target, Type I PRMTs, for ALS caused by the C9orf72 mutation. We were excited to share those recent findings with the broader ALS research community and with you. We remain in the early days with this discovery, but we are optimistic as we take steps to further advance our findings. Because we can’t complete all of these steps alone, we are developing partnerships to make progress against each of these objectives. However, that progress won’t be possible without the continued support from the ALS community. Read More...
The Future of the Health and Fitness Club Industry
Posted: September 29, 2020 in Suppliers
We are faced with a perplexing time for the health and fitness club industry. Many gyms remain closed while others are trying to proceed with reopening and boost fitness memberships and sales. With limited access to the gym, people are changing how and where they are exercising. So what exactly does the future of fitness look like, and what marketing strategies for gyms will dominate in 2021 and beyond? Read More...
Crunch Franchise Announces Its Newest Location In Orange Park, Florida
Posted: September 25, 2020 in Chains
ORANGE PARK, FL - Crunch Franchise has announced the opening of a 40,000 square-foot gym with state-of-the-art equipment and amenities in Orange Park, Florida. Crunch is known for its innovative group fitness programming and will offer a wide range of classes every week including BodyWeb with TRX, Zumba, Cardio Tai Box, Yoga Body Sculpt and Fat Burning Pilates. Members looking for additional guidance can utilize the HIITZone, a proprietary high-intensity interval group training program. Read More...
CDC: Close Contact, Dining Out (Not Clubs) Linked to COVID-19
Posted: September 25, 2020 in IHRSA
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 IHRSA
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...
