by Hans MuenchDirector of IHRSA EuropePublished: February 2013Author Page   Introduction: Europe has more fitness clubs now than does USA, though USA still has more members. Reasons for this is generally smaller clubs in Europe, and higher number of members per club in USA. Plus, Europe has caught up with America in many ways, in fact has surpassed the motherland of fitness in some areas. This article will show some examples of this with insights that provide food for thought for Italian clubs, inspiration and perspectives that can help operators improve their performance. Facts...

by Jeff Russo President - Pro Fitness Program Published: February 2013 Author Page There are significant differences in club culture, operations and vision between fitness facilities in the United States and Canada. Having worked both sides of the border for the past 13 years as a fitness business consultant, I’ve acquired some interesting observations. In the US fitness industry, there is a strong sense of desire and expectation in excellence toward becoming a better fitness professional. To that end, US fitness organizations typically set aside more money...

by Greg LawlorChief Customer Officer of STAK Fitness Int’l Inc..Published: February 2013Author Page   Have you noticed the shift? The shift in fitness is similar to the shift other industries have experienced recently. Photography, book retailers, music distribution are all examples of industries that have experienced massive changes in the last 5-10 years. What worked 10 years ago in these industries, is not working today. Just ask Kodak, or Chapters, or anyone in music. A similar shift is going on in fitness, have you thought about this? What is the shift? Offering...

Leading health clubs demonstrated balancing revenue improvements with expense management in 2011, according to The 2012 Profiles of Success, which was recently published by IHRSA. After two consecutive years of increased revenue, clubs showed a willingness to invest in staff and reward loyal employees, indicated by a slight increase in payroll cost as a percent of total revenue. In 2011, payroll consisted of 43.5% of total revenue, while this figure stood at 42.2% in 2010. However, staffing levels decreased slightly for sample clubs. The typical club reported employing about 43 part-time staff...