Health and Fitness Club Industry News: IHRSA
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Health and Fitness Organizations Send Letter to Congressional Leadership
Posted: July 8, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - On June 17, 2021, IHRSA sent a letter, cosigned by 15 other organizations, to congressional leadership. This letter highlights why the health and fitness industry still needs relief from the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re urging Congress to pass the GYMS Act (H.R.890/S.1613) and create a grant program for health and fitness businesses impacted by the pandemic. The letter builds on the GYMS Act's current momentum. Currently, 142 members in the House of Representatives and nine Senators have signed on, with more adding their names and supporting the GYMS Act each week. Read More...
Excitement Builds for IHRSA 2021: Full Program Now Available
Posted: July 7, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA’s 40th Anniversary International Convention & Trade Show (IHRSA 2021) website is now live and includes a registration portal, the complete three-day schedule and more. From October 13-15, 2021, the health and fitness industry will converge at IHRSA 2021 in Dallas, TX, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. The occasion marks the association’s 40th anniversary, and the first time the industry will physically gather after a two-year hiatus. Read More...
New IHRSA Board Members and Leadership Set to Revive the Industry
Posted: July 3, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - July marks a new fiscal year at IHRSA. It also marks the start of a four-year term for four newly elected board members. As previously announced, beginning on July 1, 2021, IHRSA welcomed the following fitness industry professionals who will serve on the IHRSA Board of Directors: Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength in Minneapolis, MN; Aaron Moore, Director of operations at VIDA Fitness & Aura Spa in Washington, D.C.; Jose Teixeira, Head of Customer Experience for SC Fitness in Lisbon, Portugal, and; Loni Wang, CEO of Catic Wellness Group, Ltd. in Shenzhen, China. Each of these individuals comes from diverse backgrounds and will bring new ways of thinking to the IHRSA Board. Read More...
Headlight 111: A Heartfelt Thank You From IHRSA’s Interim President & CEO, Brent Darden
Posted: June 30, 2021 in IHRSA
As members of a Headlight Team(s), each of you have been vital to an inclusive, integral, and effective strategy in the story of IHRSA’s revival! Quite simply, the reimagination of the trade association would not have been possible without all of you. The volunteer groups you were part of included in total, one hundred spectacularly talented and unstoppably optimistic industry leaders who, without a doubt, played a fundamental role in shaping a brighter future for all of us. It has been a blessing to work with all of you and I am indebted for your support of IHRSA, and by extension, the broad health and fitness community. Read More...
What to Expect at IHRSA 2021: Celebrate the Industry’s Revival
Posted: June 29, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - To put it mildly, it’s been a long and stressful two years since the global health and fitness industry gathered in-person. All of us at IHRSA eagerly await the day that we can all come together. If you haven’t started your countdown just yet, the Annual IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show (IHRSA 2021) is coming quick, October 13 - 15! Read More...
An Open Letter to the Health & Fitness Industry
Posted: June 18, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA 2021 in Dallas, October 13 - 15, is our time to relaunch the momentum of growth for our industry in a BIG way! We will be “Celebrating the Industry’s Revival,” and we need you there! Uniting for our common cause is arguably more urgent and vital than it has been for the last 16 months. Now is the time to pull together and get business flowing again for us all. With travel restrictions lifting and a flood of clubs already indicating they are coming, we are confident the turnout to this year’s convention and trade show will be strong! We will take every precaution to keep you safe and we will make a promise to deliver to you the ideas, the technology, equipment and customers that will help you to turn the world’s appetite for fitness into your business growth. Read More...
Fitness Industry Asks Congressional Leaders to Support GYMS Act
Posted: June 17, 2021 in IHRSA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sixteen organizations, led by IHRSA, the Global Health & Fitness Association, and Community Gyms Coalition (CGC), released a letter calling on Congress to include H.R. 890 and S. 1613, the Gym Mitigation and Survival Act (GYMS Act), as part of any future economic recovery legislation. In addition to IHRSA and CGC, signatories to the letter included... Read More...
IHRSA Names Elizabeth Clark President & Chief Executive Officer
Posted: June 10, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA, The Global Health & Fitness Association, has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Clark as the Association’s next President and CEO. Clark, a seasoned association executive, joins IHRSA at a critical time for the fitness industry and the association. IHRSA is the world's leading authority on the commercial health club industry. Clark previously led government relations and advocacy at the National Confectioners Association (NCA), the trade association for the $44 billion candy industry. Beginning August 16, she will be the first female chief executive in the association’s 40-year history. Clark's appointment concludes a five-month national search process completed by a six-member search committee chaired by Greta Wagner, Executive Director, Chelsea Piers Connecticut and IHRSA Board Member. Read More...
Hotel Rooms Now Available for IHRSA 2021
Posted: June 7, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA 2021 is headed to Dallas to rev up the fitness industry's revival. Registration for IHRSA 2021 will be open soon, but in the meantime, be sure to book your discounted room at one of the official IHRSA 2021 hotels and be at the center of all that downtown Dallas has to offer. Read More...
Congressional Champions Ask President Biden to Include GYMS Act in Next Relief Bill
Posted: June 7, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - On May 28, IHRSA's GYMS Act champions in the House of Representatives, Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), sent the following letter to President Biden, requesting that the GYMS Act be included in any future recovery or jobs act legislation. The letter highlights the devastation the industry has suffered as a result of COVID-19 related shutdowns, the importance of the industry to Americans recovering their health in the wake of this pandemic and broad bi-partisan support for the GYMS Act in the House of Representatives. Read More...
IHRSA, ChinaFit Announce Strategic Membership Licensing Agreement
Posted: June 7, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA and BEIJING, CHINA - Following an effective and mutually beneficial 11-year partnership, IHRSA, The Global Health & Fitness Association, and ChinaFit have announced a Strategic Membership Licensing Agreement to expand IHRSA knowledge and membership services through China. Read More...
A New Era of Growth and Leadership at IHRSA
Posted: May 19, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - The worldwide pandemic has presented unmatched challenges for the health and fitness industry. As it ebbs, we are all critically focused on reopening, rebuilding, and reimagining our businesses and IHRSA. But Covid-19 has laid bare our strengths and weaknesses. On the club level, we now recognize the shortcomings in our business, leases, vendor contracts and membership retention. On the national level, the pandemic allowed the IHRSA Board to reflect on our past successes and reassess our future. As a result, we decided to make significant changes in our operations and goals and recruit new leadership to steer us into the future. Read More...
IHRSA Announces New Partnership With Fitness & Allied Healthcare Professionals Organization, MedFit Education Foundation and MedFit Network
Posted: May 17, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA and COSTA MESA, CA— - IHRSA, a world-leading authority on the commercial health club industry, with the mission to grow, promote and protect the health and fitness industry, has formed a strategic partnership with the MedFit Education Foundation, dedicated to facilitating education and empowering professionals to work with those with medical conditions, chronic disease, disabilities and women’s health issues. Read More...
Community Gyms Coalition and IHRSA Commend Bipartisan Senate Introduction of Bill to Rebuild Devastated Fitness Industry
Posted: May 13, 2021 in IHRSA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Community Gyms Coalition (CGC) and IHRSA, the global health and fitness association, groups representing more than 40,000 gyms and fitness studios across the U.S., applaud the bipartisan introduction of the GYMS Act in the Senate by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). The GYMS Act would provide direct support to rebuild the devastated fitness industry and save small gyms, fitness studios and fitness facilities from bankruptcy. Read More...
SCW Fitness Education and IHRSA Announce Strategic Partnership
Posted: May 11, 2021 in IHRSA, Suppliers
DEERFIELD, IL and BOSTON, MA - CW Fitness Education, a leading provider of continuing education for fitness professionals, and IHRSA, the global health and fitness association, announce a strategic partnership for 2021. Through this strategic partnership, SCW Fitness aims to expand the business, leadership, and management skill sets of business owners and managers through educational offerings at the Health and Fitness Business Summits (HFBS) at the upcoming 2021 Midwest MANIA, Dallas MANIA and Boston MANIA Fitness Conventions. Read More...
IHRSA Restructures Membership Options
Posted: April 30, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA, The Global Health and Fitness Association, is modifying its current membership structure and broadening membership opportunities to unite and assist the health and fitness industry post-COVID. To offer its members more opportunity to engage and take advantage of the benefits that best suit their needs, IHRSA will shift to a tiered benefit structure for health clubs. Developed in conjunction with a team of industry leaders, membership options for clubs will include... Read More...
Over 100 Members of Congress Now Support the GYMS Act
Posted: April 29, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - After a year of working tirelessly to demonstrate to Congress the health and fitness industry is in dire need of financial relief, our efforts are paying off. We have reached the impressive milestone of 103 co-sponsors for the Gym Mitigation & Survival (GYMS) Act (H.R. 890). U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) filed the GYMS Act to bring dire financial assistance to health and fitness clubs, gyms and studios impacted by the pandemic. Read More...
Your Guide to All Things Dallas for IHRSA 2021
Posted: April 22, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA has officially announced that the 40th Annual IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show (IHRSA 2021) is moving from Los Angeles, CA, to Dallas, TX, and from September to October 13 - 15. Deciding on Dallas for IHRSA 2021 seemed like a no-brainer as this Texas city, and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the U.S., is filled with delicious dining, plenty of outdoor activities, and fun attractions. If you plan on joining us for IHRSA 2021, here’s a guide with plenty to do during your stay with recommendations from locals: our very own IHRSA interim President & CEO Brent Darden, and Brad Wilkins, president of Cooper Health and Fitness in Dallas, TX and member of IHRSA’s board of directors. Read More...
IHRSA 2021 Moves to Dallas in October
Posted: April 20, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has announced that the 40th Annual IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show (IHRSA 2021) is moving from Los Angeles, California to Dallas, Texas, October 13-15, 2021. The shift from Los Angeles to Dallas is to ensure that IHRSA members, industry partners, federations and attendees from around the world will be able to safely gather to celebrate the fitness industry’s revival at IHRSA 2021. Read More...
Study Finds Inactivity a Key Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19
Posted: April 14, 2021 in IHRSA
BOSTON, MA - Physical activity has beneficial effects on several physiological systems associated with COVID-19 and can also benefit immune health, metabolic health and mental health. Evidence over the past year has found associations between physical inactivity and other lifestyle factors and the odds of severe COVID-19. Specifically, there’s a link between physical activity and COVID-19 outcomes. Read More...
