Snap Fitness Partners with Online Companies
CHANHASSEN, MN -- Snap Fitness, a franchisor of small 24-hour fitness clubs, has entered partnerships with three companies that expands the club’s online offerings to members. The partnerships with Bioceutica, Health Solutions Ltd. and HyperStrike give club members access to a package of customizable, Web-based health and wellness planning tools that supplement the traditional, in-club workout experience, the company says....
Florida Y and Equipment Manufacturer Sued Over Exercise Ball
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A Jacksonville, FL, man recently filed a lawsuit against the YMCA of Florida's First Coast and TKO Sports Group. The man claims that he was injured after an exercise ball that he was using exploded, breaking both of his wrists and his forearm, and injuring both shoulders, according to local Jacksonville media reports....
Health Club, Community College Reach Agreement
SARANAC LAKE, NY -- North Country (NY) Community College (NCCC) and the Lake Placid (NY) Health and Fitness club have reached a mutual agreement in which the club’s trainers will help train NCCC’s athletes while NCCC will offer Lake Placid members access to its facilities, according to the Adirondack (NY) Daily Enterprise....
President’s Council Challenges All Americans to Get Fit
WASHINGTON, DC -- The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is launching the first-ever National President’s Challenge in March. The six-week fitness challenge will encourage all Americans to be active 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This is the first time in the council’s 50-year history that the challenge is calling on the nation—not just children—to get fit and adopt healthier lifestyles. ...
Navy Running Group Helps Sailors Prepare for Marathon
OAK HARBOR, WA -- The Whidbey Island Marathon may still be months away, but Navy Fitness professionals at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) are getting active duty, dependents and retirees ready now for the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile race. ...
Suspected Locker Thieves Caught at Y
GLENS FALLS, NY -- Two men suspected of carrying out 16 robberies at the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area (NY) were recently arrested. Since April, thieves had stolen cash, car keys and credit cards from both locked and unlocked lockers, and had broken into cars parked outside the Y. ...
Mastrov Resigns as 24 Hour Chairman
By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor
SAN RAMON, CA -- Mark Mastrov, the founder of 24 Hour Fitness, has resigned as the company’s chairman of the board, effective Jan. 31, according to a company statement sent to Club Industry’s Fitness Business Pro....
TSI’s COO Resigns
NEW YORK -- Randall Stephen, chief operating officer at Town Sports International (TSI) resigned today, according to a brief statement from the company. The statement did not give a reason for his resignation or any details on who would replace him....
New Personal Training Franchise Launches
By: By Pamela Kufahl, editor
ANAHEIM, CA -- After 12 years in business, Mike Salerno is launching a franchise version of his personal training studio, Precision Fitness, Anaheim, CA. Salerno had three facilities, but he recently sold two of them to franchisees so that he could concentrate on franchising the business. He plans to have 10 franchises open by the end of this year, focusing initially on California. ...
Florida First Coast Y Receives $16 Million Donation
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Starting Feb. 1, current Florida First Coast YMCA members in Jacksonville, FL, will have another Y where they can work out. Earlier this month, Brooks Rehabilitation, a provider of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia, donated its 60,000-square-foot Brooks Health and Fitness Center to the Y. The donation is estimated to be worth more than $16 million and is the largest donation ever made to the First Coast Y. ...
North Carolina Y Begins Wellness Pilot Program
SHELBY, NC -- The Cleveland County Family YMCA in North Carolina has started a wellness pilot program to designated North Carolina state employees, according to The Shelby (NC) Star. The program is in partnership with the State Health Plan of North Carolina, which provides health care coverage to more than 644,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, state hospital staff, and their dependents. ...
Naval Base Kitsap Spins into Shape
SILVERDALE, WA -- Navy Region Northwest sailors and their families participated in the fourth annual “Spinvivor Spin-a-Thon” captain's cup event at Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, Fitness and Aquatic Center in mid-December. ...
Idaho State Plans Addition to Rec Center
POCATELLO, ID – Idaho State University will take construction bids next month for a proposed $6.3 million addition to the school’s student recreation center....
Better Business Bureau Receiving More Fitness-Club Complaints
ARLINGTON, VA -- The number of complaints received by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for fitness clubs has increased more than 90 percent in the last five years, according to a recent BBB study....
ACE Predicts Fun for 2008
SAN DIEGO -- This year promises to be filled with water aerobics, boxing clubs and spicy Latin dancing....
Nonprofits, Private Studios More Appealing Than Club Chains, Survey Says
By: By Stuart Goldman, managing editor
YONKERS, NY -- Readers of Consumer Reports gave higher marks to private studios, nonprofit organizations, local community centers and office fitness facilities over most national health-club chains other than Life Time Fitness in Consumer Reports National Research Center’s first health club survey....
Man Wanted in Connection With Assault on Fitness Trainer Turns Himself In
Sherborne Controls Nautilus
VANCOUVER, WA -- Nautilus Inc.’s board is now controlled by its largest shareholder, Sherborne Investors, Nautilus confirmed on Monday. At the company’s Dec. 18 shareholder meeting, shareholders voted four Sherborne Investor nominees onto the seven-member board....
Food Pyramid Changes for Seniors
BOSTON -- The food pyramid for people older than 70 looks a bit different from that of younger adults these days. Researchers at Tufts University in Boston recently revamped the food pyramid for older adults that they developed in 1999....
Gold’s Gym Announces Year-End Results
DALLAS -- Gold’s Gym International announced that it is ending 2007 with a company-record number of club openings and new franchises. During the 12-month period, the company unveiled more than 60 new Gold’s Gyms around the world and signed more than 75 new franchise agreements. ...
Celebrity Fitness Trainer in Coma After Assault
ATLANTA -- A celebrity fitness trainer remained in a coma Thursday after he was severely beaten in a downtown Atlanta parking lot, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ...
Schwarzenegger Launches Second Annual Governor’s Challenge Competition
SACRAMENTO, CA -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the second annual Governor’s Challenge Competition on Dec. 18 at Culver City (CA) Middle School. Joining Schwarzenegger at the event was Jake Steinfeld, chairman of the governor’s council on physical fitness and sports. ...
YMCA Introduces New Strategic Plan
CHICAGO -- Because of the current health challenges facing families and individuals, Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of the YMCA of the USA, issued a New Year's resolution for the organization: continue to get Americans healthy. To do that, the YMCA is implementing a new strategic plan focused on the holistic development of children and youth, family strengthening, and health and well-being for all. ...
Yokosuka Fitness Program Encourages Staying Fit During Holidays
YOKOSUKA, JAPAN -- Sailors and their family members stationed in Yokosuka, Japan have a new way to burn calories and stay fit during the holiday season. The 12 Cardio Days Before Christmas fitness program was developed by Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) and is designed to motivate sailors to embrace the Navy's Culture of Fitness—even during the holidays....
Wisconsin YWCA Fitness Center Closes
RACINE, WI-- In order to focus more on the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women, the YWCA in Racine, WI, was closed earlier this month. The move takes the organization out of the health and fitness arena, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ...
