Clubindustry

We found so many good stories this week that it would take us forever to put them all together in a reasonable amount of time. With that in mind, here are links to a few of those stories: more

Some people will do anything to work out in a luxurious gym.

Take the case of one unemployed man in Hong Kong who used his dead wife’s identity to enter the gym. more

If you didn’t attend the Club Industry 2009 conference (or even if you did and want to relive those wonderful memories!), then you can get a feel for the show by going to our photo gallery. We’ve posted photos of Jack LaLanne and Mark Mastrov, plus the Best of the Best winners and some of the exhibitors who were on hand for the show. Click on each image to make it larger and to read the caption.

Before the Jack LaLanne keynote at the Club Industry show two weeks ago, the editors went in the back room (a so unglamorous little kitchen area with dirty red tile floors, a sink, several large trash cans and some plastic chairs on which Jack LaLanne sat, waiting to be called on stage) to meet and say hi to Mr. LaLanne. We’d had dinner with him and his wife the evening before, but we hadn’t taken any pictures. (No one remembered to bring a camera!) So, the show photographer kindly took a few images. I debated whether to ever let this photo see the light of day, but I thought is was fun, so why not? Here, the editors (me on the left, Stephanie in the middle and Stuart on the right) flex our muscles with Jack LaLanne!

Hula hooping, or hooping as it’s come to be known, appears to be the next hip fitness trend, especially after First Lady Michelle Obama recently was seen hooping on the White House lawn for the Healthier U.S. School Challenge. The trend is trickling down to college campuses, too. West Virginia University hosted a hooping class at its rec center last Sunday, and the University of Maine is reportedly following suit. Not only are you working your core muscles when you’re hooping, but the weighted hoops make it easier for adults to get into the swing and keep it moving—plus it’s fun!

I wanted to let you know about an accomplishment that one of the friends of our magazine, Brett Collins, had last month. Brett is sales and marketing manager with VersaClimber. He placed first in the 194-pound weight class in the American National Jiu Jitsu Championships Sept. 12-13 at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA. Brett has a purple belt. You have to admire anyone who goes that far in martial arts, as it seems like a discipline that takes a lot of discipline! Congrats, Brett!

With all that was taking place at the Club Industry show this year, I didn’t get a chance to attend as many sessions as I have in the past. The three I attended last week were quite good, and they all stressed the importance of planning ahead. more

Big VanillaIt’s always rewarding to see the winners of our Best of the Best awards in person at Club Industry. My colleagues Pam Kufahl and Stephanie Bloyd presented the plaques Friday to our six winners before Mark Mastrov’s keynote address. more

Mark Mastrov’s keynote address, titled “How to Deliver Record-Breaking Performance in Today’s Economy,” probably should have been “How to Deliver a Keynote Address at Record-Breaking Speed.” Mastrov delivered a lot of key advice to a packed audience at a fast-break pace. more

Yesterday, attendees at the town hall meeting “How Will You React in a Crisis?” received some valuable tips about preparing for a crisis. The most important tip, offered by both panelists, was to meet with and be familiar with your local emergency professionals before any crisis occurs. more