Health and Fitness Club Industry News
Sunday, August 16th, 2026
Upcoming IHRSA Board Chair, Jim Worthington, Instrumental in Passage of the Right to Try Bill
Posted: May 23, 2018 in Independents, Other News
NEWTOWN, PA - On May 22, 2018, the Right to Try Bill was passed by the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. This bill was first passed in the Senate (S 204) in August 2017. It finally passed the House and will now proceed to the President’s desk for signature, which he has indicated he will sign. Jim Worthington has put all his resources and connections behind supporting this bill because of his connection to Matt Bellina, who suffers from ALS, a terminal illness giving him 2 – 5 years to live. Jim first met Matt in 2015 when he joined the Newtown Athletic Club, and they began raising money for Matt’s Mission to support Augie’s Quest and ALS TDI research. Read More...
Alberta Company Acquires World Health Edmonton
Posted: May 23, 2018 in Chains
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA - The owners of World Health Calgary, Spa Lady (Edmonton and Calgary) and Bankers Hall Club have completed a transaction to acquire the assets of World Health Edmonton, Fresh Fit Foods and Tru Ride Cycle Studio. The alignment between the companies brings 24 Alberta fitness clubs under one ownership group. This provides a platform to increase convenience for members and deliver new and unique health and fitness offerings. Read More...
First Large Scale Expanded Access Program in ALS Announced
Posted: May 23, 2018 in Other News
CAMBRIDGE, MA - Biohaven Pharmaceuticals announced the initiation of an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in ALS for their orally dissolving tablet of riluzole. This program is thought to be the first EAP approved by the FDA in ALS which aims to offer broad access to an experimental medication outside of a traditional clinical trial, while the company prepares to submit an application for full marketing approval to the FDA later this year. Read More...
Blink Fitness Promotes Two Key Players; Names Todd Magazine CEO
Posted: May 22, 2018 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Blink Fitness, a premium-quality, value-based gym that has challenged industry norms by celebrating how exercise makes you feel, not just how it makes you look, has announced the promotion of former president Todd Magazine to Chief Executive Officer and former Vice President of Operations David Collignon to Senior Vice President of Operations. Read More...
Equinox Unveils Study Linking Behavioral Sleep Coaching to Exercise Performance Benefits
Posted: May 22, 2018 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Equinox, a high-performance lifestyle leader, unveiled a study led with researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA linking behavioral sleep coaching to wide-ranging exercise performance benefits. A first in clinical research, the findings indicate that sleep coaching has the power to impact athletic performance, and specifically, suggest that guided sessions enable subjects to increase aerobic performance, decrease body fat percentage and increase endurance. Read More...
EverybodyFights Partners with Aaptiv to Bring Its In-Gym Boxing Fitness Experience to Everyone, Everywhere
Posted: May 21, 2018 in Chains
NEW YORK, N.Y. - EverybodyFights, an award-winning boxing gym, announced a partnership with Aaptiv, a leading provider of premium digital health and wellness content. As part of the partnership, EverybodyFights, which was founded by George Foreman III, son of the two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman Sr., has created audio-guided classes exclusively for Aaptiv that are modeled after its in-gym experience and based on a real fighter's training camp. Read More...
In-Shape Health Clubs Partners With TRX On Education Program For Trainers
Posted: May 17, 2018 in Chains
STOCKTON, CA - In-Shape Health Clubs, California’s top destination for fitness and recreation, announced a partnership with the global leaders in functional training equipment, TRX, to deliver a custom-made education program for all In-Shape personal trainers. In-Shape’s MOVE7 training system, developed in partnership with TRX, will enable In-Shape trainers to design personalized programs for their clients with hundreds of exercises that will build strength, mobility, flexibility, power and stamina, all based on a simple and effective set of seven foundational movements. Read More...
Crunch Franchise Announces Its Newest Locations in Killeen, Texas and Dearborn, Michigan
Posted: May 15, 2018 in Chains
KILLEEN, TX and DEARBORN, MI - Crunch Franchise, the fitness chain with more to offer than any other low-cost gym, announced the May 14 opening of a state-of-the-art, 30,000-square foot gym in the vibrant and diverse community of Dearborn, Michigan. They also announced the planned opening of a new 26,000-square foot, 24/7 gym with state-of-the-art equipment and amenities in Killeen, Texas. The modern, expansive club will begin pre-selling memberships at a discount on July 14, 2018, in advance of an early September opening. Read More...
Annual American Fitness Index Expands to Rank 100 Cities Arlington, Virginia is New #1 ‘Fit City’
Posted: May 15, 2018 in Suppliers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Arlington, Virginia edged out Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the coveted “most fit city in America” title by only half a point in the annual ACSM American Fitness Index Ranking (Fitness Index). Arlington’s neighbor, Washington, D.C., came in third, 3.7 points behind. Read More...
USPTA Partners with RacquetFit to Introduce the Body-Tennis Certification to the Tennis Industry
Posted: May 14, 2018 in Suppliers
LAKE NONA, FL - The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) has partnered with RacquetFit to introduce a new certification for tennis-teaching professionals, fitness coaches and medical providers. RacquetFit, an educational organization dedicated to the study of how the human body functions in relation to tennis, will be offering seminars throughout the United States for these providers who wish to earn the RacquetFit Certification. Read More...
