Health and Fitness Club Industry News
Wednesday, August 12th, 2026
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 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...
World Gym Houston and Texas City to Open in 2021
Posted: September 24, 2020 in Chains
NEWPORT BEACH, CA - World Gym International, the iconic global fitness brand, will open its first gym in Houston early next year, a new franchised location owned by entrepreneur Jerome Karam and his son Jacob Karam, a local attorney. World Gym Houston will be a brand new 40,000 square foot flagship fitness facility spread across five floors with state-of-the-art equipment and amenities and free parking for members. The new World Gym Texas City will also open in early 2021. At 100,000 square feet, the facility will have even more amenities, like World Gym Athletics, yoga, hot yoga, cycling, a full basketball court, physical therapy, a Barbell Café smoothie bar, a pro-shop and even a jumbotron. Both gyms will offer reciprocal memberships. Read More...
EGYM and Kolter Homes Partner to Bring Innovative Smart Fitness Technology to Cresswind 55+ Communities
Posted: September 24, 2020 in Suppliers
BOULDER, CO - EGYM, a global fitness technology leader, and Kolter Homes, a leader in developing next-generation, highly-amenitized, master-planned active adult communities, have announced a strategic partnership to integrate EGYM's intelligent hardware and software solutions throughout Kolter's upcoming Cresswind 55+ communities. Built to make fitness more accessible for all, EGYM's Smart Strength training equipment and digital platform will allow Cresswind residents to take control of their fitness, and ultimately, improve their overall wellbeing. 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...
