Health and Fitness Club Industry News: Other News
Friday, June 5th, 2026
AB Show 2020 Has Been Canceled
Posted: August 3, 2020 in Other News
MADISON, WI - Athletic Business Media has made the difficult decision to cancel AB Show 2020. This decision was made in consultation with key stakeholders and our partners, the Medical Fitness Association, the National Alliance for Youth Sports and the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. Read More...
Virtually Anywhere: The New Role of Digital Fitness
Posted: August 3, 2020 in Suppliers
CHANHASSEN, MN - We could be forgiven for thinking the major upheaval seen all across the club and fitness landscape is mostly over. Gyms were closed due to COVID-19 precautions, and now, in many areas, they’re open with a return to some form of normal underway. The truth is very different, and we’re actually experiencing a sea-change evolution in how clubs will operate and members will engage with fitness. Read More...
An Open Letter to Lawmakers and American Citizens From Bahram Akradi
Posted: July 29, 2020 in Chains
Dear Lawmakers and American Citizens: With the review of the next federal stimulus package now underway, I urge you to consider the following fair and equitable approach for all businesses that have been harmed directly from the impact of COVID-19 and the related government-mandated business shutdowns... Read More...
Gym Floor Cleaning & Maintenance Resource Page Now Available from Ecore
Posted: July 29, 2020 in Suppliers
LANCASTER, PA - Ecore, a manufacturer of safety, ergonomic and acoustic performance surfaces, announces that it has created a dedicated landing page that addresses gyms’ cleaning and maintenance needs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This cleaning resources page can be accessed via the banner at the top of each Ecore website... Read More...
Planet Fitness to Require Face Masks in All Locations Effective August 1
Posted: July 27, 2020 in Chains
HAMPTON, N.H. - Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT), one of the largest and fastest-growing global franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, has announced that members and guests will be required to wear a mask at all times while inside all open stores, beginning August 1. Currently, all Planet Fitness employees are required to wear masks. To date, the company has approximately 1,450 locations open across 46 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Australia. Read More...
Life Time to Require Masks in All Athletic Clubs Beginning July 27
Posted: July 23, 2020 in Chains
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - As state and local mandates about mask-wearing evolve based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the team at Life Time, one of the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brands with more than 150 high-end athletic club destinations across the U.S. and Canada, has made the decision to require wearing of masks in all of its clubs that have reopened. Read More...
IHRSA Teams Up with MXM for ‘Visit-to-Virus’ Ratio Tracker
Posted: July 23, 2020 in HFA, Suppliers
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and MXM have formed a research team in the hopes of gathering “visit-to-virus” ratio data from health and fitness clubs across the U.S. and Canada. The goal of the tracker is to challenge the idea that health and fitness facilities are guilty of assisting in the transmission of coronavirus. Read More...
Majority of Members Make Good on Plans to Return to Clubs
Posted: July 22, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - After a long layoff from accessing health clubs, surveys show a vast number of members have already returned or plan to return to their health club, gym or studio. Data from four markets also indicate that physical activity decreased among users while clubs were closed. Read More...
IHRSA to Governors: “Gyms Aren’t Responsible for Spread”
Posted: July 7, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - In the continued fight to open health and fitness facilities across the country, IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, sent a letter to all 50 U.S. governors to show that the fitness industry is not part of transmitting COVID-19. To show a united fitness industry, the letter was signed by many industry leaders, representing thousands of gyms, fitness clubs and studios. Read More...
California Fitness Alliance Supports Governor Newsom’s Call to Protect Public Safety
Posted: July 1, 2020 in Suppliers
SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Fitness Alliance has issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s efforts to protect public safety: The California Fitness Alliance strongly supports Governor Gavin Newsom’s efforts to protect public safety and calls on all fitness providers to join with the Alliance to practice appropriate social distancing and hygienic practices. Specifically, the 4-W plan to protect and prevent the spread of COVID-19... Read More...
Gyms Ramp Up Safety and Cleaning Protocols to Welcome Back Members
Posted: June 25, 2020 in HFA
BOSTON, MA - Most of the nearly 50,000 U.S. health clubs were mandated to close in mid-March. Fitness professionals have spent this time increasing their cleaning and safety protocols and creating safety plans to share with their regional authorities to receive permission to reopen. Clubs are using a four-pronged framework to plan safe and thoughtful reopening protocols while working with local health boards. IHRSA developed this framework to help clubs mitigate risk and provide a safe and supportive place for physical activity. Read More...
