December 12, 2013 - Hope College, in Holland, MI, received the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA)’s Outdoor Tennis Court of the Year Award in December. The college’s Vande Poel-Heeringa Stadium Courts were selected out of 14 tennis facilities in the United States that earlier this year were recognized by ASBA for their excellence in design, construction, and renovation. Jorge Capestany, a manager of Hope College’s tennis center, said the courts, which opened in 2012, have had a noticeable impact on the college. “The state-of-the-art Vande-Poel Heeringa Stadium Courts have already made a difference in recruiting, lesson programs, and enjoyment for the Hope tennis community,” he said. Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Woodbury, NY,…

November 25, 2013 - In the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACMS) annual list of fitness trends, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) took the top spot for fitness trends for 2014, knocking out of place educated and experienced fitness professionals, the trend that has topped the list for seven years. This is the first time that HIIT has appeared on ACMS’s list. “When a trend shoots to the top during its debut year, you’ve got to stop what you’re doing and pay attention,” says Emily Wilensky, Marketing Manager of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury, NY. “Fitness facilities that haven’t yet incorporated HIIT programming into their offerings should use this news as a prod and start strategizing ways…

October 31, 2013 - Chuze Fitness, a California-based health club, today announced the opening of a new facility in Garden Grove, CA. An expansion of the usual Chuze model, the new location offers the company’s typical slate of classes, including yoga, barre, pilates, zumba, kickboxing, and toning, among others, in addition to personal training, indoor cycling, a lap pool, and a Jacuzzi. The facility also features massage, tanning, a childcare center, and a cardio court. With 12 locations throughout California and Arizona, Chuze operates on a graded pricing model, offering membership rates as low as $9.99 for month, up to $19.99 per month. The Garden Grove facility opens on Mondays at 4:30 a.m. and remains open twenty-four hours a day…

October 31, 2013 - Crunch Fitness recently launched Crunch Live, an online fitness portal that provides users with access to virtual workouts for a monthly fee. According to the company, the new program marks the first time a national gym brand is delivering online videos of actual class formats offered in the gym. The available videos range across types of classes, with labels that match those offered in the company’s bricks-and-mortar facilities, including Barre Assets, Rear Attitude, Gospel House Aerobics, Diesel, Yoga Body Sculpt, Fat-Burning Pilates, and Aerobics with an Attitude. Instructors are high-profile experts, such as Irini Res Eckes, a former prima ballerina; Deborah Sweets, a former Crunch member turned instructor; and Craig Smith, a well-known choreographer and dancer.…

October 28, 2013 - A study released recently by the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) shows that a proposed tax credit for adults who exercise could result in $2.5 billion in health care savings. The study counters opponents’ argument that the new credit could cost Canada up to $50 million a year in losses in tax revenue. The proposal would allow citizens to claim up to $500 on gym memberships, classes, skiing, and similar activities. On tax forms, the credit would be $75. In addition to cutting Canada’s health care costs, the credit would encourage one million more Canadians to become active, according to the FIC study. “It will be interesting to watch how our neighbors to the north…

Bethpage, NY (Oct. 10, 2013) – EZFacility, a global leader in Cloud-Based scheduling, management, membership, billing and financial solutions for health and fitness clubs and sports and recreation facilities, announced the launch of an Android version of its popular MemberMe mobile app. MemberMe promotes communication and interaction between gyms, health clubs, sports facilities and their members by providing a useful platform designed to keep customers informed and engaged. The app allows customers to view and book classes, trainings, and sessions right from their smartphones. With MemberMe’s “Push Notifications” feature, facilities can immediately update their members about any changes or news, as well as customize what type of information their members have access to from their smartphones. “MemberMe is a valued resource…

October 4, 2013 - This fall, Spike TV will start production on a new show geared toward the fitness industry. Gym Rescue, a reality television series created to help document and fix the problems of failing gyms, will feature former Ultimate Fighting Championship winner and owner of Xtreme Couture, Randy Couture. Couture will locate struggling gyms, assess their core problems, and design solutions aimed at making them successful. “Gyms [for the show] can be of any type: fighting or fitness, climbing, gymnastics or yoga,” Scott Hiller, the casting producer working with the show, told FightLine.com. The problems [can be] of any kind and combination too, such as failing marketing strategies, equipment in disrepair, staffing issues, poor management.” Emily Wilensky, Marketing…

October 1, 2013 - Auburn University, Auburn, AL, reopened this fall with a new addition to its campus: a 240,000 square-foot Recreation and Wellness Center. The new $72 million facility features a five-story rock climbing wall, a PGA golf simulator, a one-third mile indoor track, and a tiger-paw shaped hot tub — a tribute to the school’s mascot — designed to hold up to 45 people. Other amenities include a multipurpose court; group fitness studios for yoga, cycling, and other classes; equipment for outdoor recreation, such as canoes and kayaks; cardio training areas; locker rooms; a game room; six regulation-size basketball courts; racquetball courts; and a pool. “Auburn University’s new facility sounds like a state-of-the-art building that has all the…

August 29, 2013 - In-Shape Health Clubs recently opened its sixty-fifth — and largest branch — in its hometown of Stockton, CA. The new facility positions itself as the company’s flagship location, with a focus on providing services for entire families, including a “Kids Club” facility and an indoor swimming pool. Other amenities include group exercise studios, a 29-minute workout circuit, a cardio theater, exercise machines, a free-weight room, two racquetball courts, sauna and steam baths, and tanning beds. “We’re just trying to cover all the… aspects for the community,” Rob Farrens, In-Shape’s executive vice president, told online news outlet Recordnet.com. Other In-Shape clubs also have top-quality offerings, he said, but not to the caliber, extent, and size of the…

August 14, 2013 - California Ripped Fitness, a low-cost, full-service health club chain based in Lincoln, California, is opening a new location in San Jose this fall. A relative newcomer to the competitive California health club scene, the company signed a 22,000-square-foot lease and aims for an early October launch. Membership pre-sales begin this month. “We’re looking to come in pretty aggressively and are actively looking for spots in other locations,” Nicholas Trosko, director of operations at California Ripped Fitness, told the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Competitors nearby include City Sports, which is owned by LA Fitness and operates several branches in the area; 24 Hour Fitness, another company with multiple locations near San Jose; Retro Fitness; and Total Woman.…