Clubindustry

Since I’m new to this blog and blogging in general, I’d like to introduce myself and our staff to you. We’re the folks that produce the Club Industry trade shows twice a year. Our partners at Club Industry magazine have been gracious enough to share this blog space with us so we can bring you behind-the-scenes information on our upcoming shows. more

This article, When Chocolate and Chakras Collide, in The New York Times about the Exhale Spa’s Yoga for Foodies class spawned some interesting comments. Some yoga purists were appalled at the thought of combining food and yoga, but I thought the person quoted in the article who compared the art of cooking with doing yoga was right on. Both activities can bring you to a Zen-like state that’s purely in the moment–though like one commenter implied, what is it about human nature that fosters intolerance and makes us want to impart our belief systems on others, then look down our noses at them when they don’t adopt our ways? Personally, if a yoga studio in Kansas City offered a yoga for foodies class, I’d be all over it.

Add this American Profile article to the many Jack LaLanne features we’ve seen over the last several weeks. (Thanks to Stephanie’s aunt for sending her the print version!) This feature was not unlike many profiles of LaLanne. We definitely took a decidedly fitness club focus with our feature in our October issue, but all in all, his story checks out. more

On Monday, I received an e-mail from Hannah Kempski, marketing manager at Healthworks Fitness Centers for Women, Boston, talking about how the club was helping Haiti after the earthquake last week. On Jan. 14, the company announced it would donate all enrollment fees for the remainder of January as well as match all contributions made by members to make a total matching donation of $20,000 to Boston-based Partners in Health.

Just three days later, Healthworks members had already donated more than $30,000 to the organization, making the total contribution by Healthworks and its community more than $50,000. Currently, Healthworks is seeking local partners to match anything above the $20,000 they will match.

Is your club doing something to help Haiti? If so, let us know!

Apparently, anyone can learn to stay fit with pole dancing if domestic diva Martha Stewart can do it! On Tuesday’s episode of “The Martha Stewart Show,” Sheila Kelley from S Factor gave Martha the lowdown on shaking her hips and swirling around the pole. Don’t say I didn’t give you a pre-warn if the video above gives you bad dreams.

I love a good feel-good story, and this one sure qualifies. Roberta Kruse-Fordham, general manager at Sports Fitness & Fun, Florida, NY, contacted me the other day to let me know about how her team pulled together to save a life on Dec. 2. more

The writer of this recent New York Times column contacted Club Industry a couple of weeks ago to get some scoop, or background, about Bally. more

ESPN’s Chris Berman will be one of the featured speakers at the IHRSA show in March in San Diego, or as Berman will call it, the “Hotel California.” more

Do you have an enthusiastic indoor cycling group at your club? Do you want to help the men and women who are serving our company in the military? If you can say yes to both of those questions, then you should check out this year’s Spinning Nation charity event, which is set for Feb. 27. The proceeds from this year’s event will go to Ride 2 Recovery, a charity that benefits mental and physical rehabilitation of people in the armed forces. more

It’s January, and you know that this is the biggest month for health club owners. The media seem to know this as well, and they’ll often ask us for our views of the industry. more