Snap Fitness held its 3rd annual convention last week in Las Vegas and our PACE program was on display as a preferred vendor. In his opening statements, Snap Fitness CEO Peter Taunton shared his vision of the addition of women's only rooms with PACE equipment as one of the keys to the future success of Snap Fitness. He cited the 100% success of the first 6 Snap Fitness clubs to feature PACE in separate women's rooms with one club signing up over 270 new women's members! (That's enough members to support a small stand-alone women's club!) These members will not have to say "Now What?" as many Curves members do when they hit a plateau because of nonadjustable equipment. Once they see fast results with PACE and overcome their intimidation, they can easily be transitioned into the general population of the club.
Hundreds of Snap Fitness club owners from all over the world stopped by our PACE booth and had very positive things to say about our equipment and program. Watch for the PACE program in a Snap Fitness 24/7 Club near you soon!
Showing posts with label curves for women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curves for women. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Adding PACE to an Existing Health Club
Why add a PACE circuit training program to an existing club? According to IHRSA (International Health & Racquet Sports Association), less than 20% of the US popular are members of a coed health club. Intimidation and no time are the top two reasons cited by nonmembers; especially for seniors, the overweight and those with busy lifestyles.
These factors contributed to the vast spread of women’s only clubs across the country in the last 10 years. However, Curves for Women, the largest chain of franchise women’s clubs had an inherent flaw in its program- built in obsolescence with their nonadjustable equipment resulting in members eventually hitting a plateau, getting bored and saying “now what?” This is one of the factors that contributed to thousands of Curves clubs closing in the last few years leaving hundreds of thousands of former and potential new members with nowhere to go.
Some wise fitness professionals are using our non-intimidating PACE circuit as a
means of attracting this deconditioned and intimidated market and transitioning them into the general population. Here are a few:
Fit n Fast Australia (http://www.fitnfast.com.au/). Founder Tony DeLeede is a long-time customer, first featuring PACE in his Australian Body Works chain in Atlanta back in the 1980’s. Tony and his team now use PACE as their “Quickie”
busy lifestyle circuit workout as well as a non-intimidating introductory workout into their clubs.
Gold Star Fitness (http://www.goldstarfitness.com). A 5 club chain in Tennessee, uses PACE as a part of a women’s weight loss program which has become both a stand-alone profit center as well as a “feeder” member program into their full service clubs.
Snap Fitness (http://www.snapfitness.com). One of the nation’s largest 24/7 chains, recently completed a test of a separate women’s only room featuring a PACE circuit in their club in Springtown, TX. Watch for more Snap Fitness clubs with PACE coming soon! UPDATE!!! Just returned from conducting a PACE Training Workshop with the staff of Snap Fitness in New Caney, TX. Had a great time and they learned a lot about what PACE will do for their members and club.
These factors contributed to the vast spread of women’s only clubs across the country in the last 10 years. However, Curves for Women, the largest chain of franchise women’s clubs had an inherent flaw in its program- built in obsolescence with their nonadjustable equipment resulting in members eventually hitting a plateau, getting bored and saying “now what?” This is one of the factors that contributed to thousands of Curves clubs closing in the last few years leaving hundreds of thousands of former and potential new members with nowhere to go.
Some wise fitness professionals are using our non-intimidating PACE circuit as a
means of attracting this deconditioned and intimidated market and transitioning them into the general population. Here are a few:
Fit n Fast Australia (http://www.fitnfast.com.au/). Founder Tony DeLeede is a long-time customer, first featuring PACE in his Australian Body Works chain in Atlanta back in the 1980’s. Tony and his team now use PACE as their “Quickie”
busy lifestyle circuit workout as well as a non-intimidating introductory workout into their clubs.
Gold Star Fitness (http://www.goldstarfitness.com). A 5 club chain in Tennessee, uses PACE as a part of a women’s weight loss program which has become both a stand-alone profit center as well as a “feeder” member program into their full service clubs.
Snap Fitness (http://www.snapfitness.com). One of the nation’s largest 24/7 chains, recently completed a test of a separate women’s only room featuring a PACE circuit in their club in Springtown, TX. Watch for more Snap Fitness clubs with PACE coming soon! UPDATE!!! Just returned from conducting a PACE Training Workshop with the staff of Snap Fitness in New Caney, TX. Had a great time and they learned a lot about what PACE will do for their members and club.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
PACE: The Ideal Circuit for 24/7 Clubs
24 hour access clubs are opening all over the world like wildfire with franchises like Snap Fitness and Anytime Fitness leading the trend. Many independent clubs are following suit to be able to expand their membership base without a great deal of additional costs (the utilities cost may go up a bit, but there are no additional personnel or rent costs).
What seems to be a roadblock for many club owners considering a 24/7 format is the potential liability of someone hurting themselves without supervision. We suggest adding a PACE circuit training program- Since there is no fixed load or eccentric resistance "negative", it is virtually impossible to hurt yourself with PACE hydraulic equipment. Instead, PACE features double concentric "positive" resistance which works opposing muscle groups for an intense, full body workout. And since PACE's work/rest circuit format combines strength and cardio workouts into a time efficient 30 minute program, it can fit into the busiest of lifestyles.
A 24/7 PACE program will not only increase your potential membership base and profits, it will also help set your club apart for the competition. Curves clubs have been forbidden from offering 24 hour access. Although some Curves clubs have gone ahead and implemented a 24/7 format, they are in violation of their franchise agreements and have been told the cease and desist.
For more information, email pacefitness@att.net or call 888-604.2244.
What seems to be a roadblock for many club owners considering a 24/7 format is the potential liability of someone hurting themselves without supervision. We suggest adding a PACE circuit training program- Since there is no fixed load or eccentric resistance "negative", it is virtually impossible to hurt yourself with PACE hydraulic equipment. Instead, PACE features double concentric "positive" resistance which works opposing muscle groups for an intense, full body workout. And since PACE's work/rest circuit format combines strength and cardio workouts into a time efficient 30 minute program, it can fit into the busiest of lifestyles.
A 24/7 PACE program will not only increase your potential membership base and profits, it will also help set your club apart for the competition. Curves clubs have been forbidden from offering 24 hour access. Although some Curves clubs have gone ahead and implemented a 24/7 format, they are in violation of their franchise agreements and have been told the cease and desist.
For more information, email pacefitness@att.net or call 888-604.2244.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Snap Fitness adds PACE Equipment
We are proud to announce that Snap Fitness (www.snapfitness.com) is adding PACE equipment to their larger clubs. Here is what Peter Taunton, the CEO of Snap Fitness has to say about PACE:
"We at Snap Fitness are proud to be the first national 24 hour access fitness company to feature hydraulic circuit training equipment in our clubs. We researched equipment suppliers thoroughly and decided to go with PACE, the best hydraulic equipment in the industry. We will be featuring the PACE circuit in women's only areas of our larger clubs to provide a superior alternative to the women's franchise clubs out there. Our members will not hit plateaus with PACE as they do with their current non-adjustable women's club equipment- also, once they feel comfortable, they have access to the rest of the club and a wide variety of equipment."
Want to get a huge edge over Curves? Consider a 24 hour access club with PACE equipment.
"We at Snap Fitness are proud to be the first national 24 hour access fitness company to feature hydraulic circuit training equipment in our clubs. We researched equipment suppliers thoroughly and decided to go with PACE, the best hydraulic equipment in the industry. We will be featuring the PACE circuit in women's only areas of our larger clubs to provide a superior alternative to the women's franchise clubs out there. Our members will not hit plateaus with PACE as they do with their current non-adjustable women's club equipment- also, once they feel comfortable, they have access to the rest of the club and a wide variety of equipment."
Want to get a huge edge over Curves? Consider a 24 hour access club with PACE equipment.
Monday, August 29, 2011
PACE Fitness Announces New Website
We at PACE Fitness are happy to announce our new updated website at www.pacecircuittraining.com. With the growing number of sales in to senior fitness facilities, 24 hour access clubs, weight loss centers as well as rehab centers and sports conditioning facilities; we wanted our website to more closely reflect the wide range of fitness levels and applications our PACE circuit training program can accommodate.
We still enjoy a nice business selling in to towns where a Curves for Women club has just closed, but it seems our customer base is expanding as more and more 24 hour access clubs, senior fitness centers and weight loss/exercise studios are spreading across the country.
Please check out our new website to see if PACE circuit training can work for your facility.
We still enjoy a nice business selling in to towns where a Curves for Women club has just closed, but it seems our customer base is expanding as more and more 24 hour access clubs, senior fitness centers and weight loss/exercise studios are spreading across the country.
Please check out our new website to see if PACE circuit training can work for your facility.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Why is the Curves Franchise in Such Bad Shape?
This was the topic of a recent Wall Street Journal Online article (see http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303365804576432062058517684.html?mod=googlenews_wsj). Curves CEO Gary Heavin blames it on the franchisees, "Unfortunately, not every independent business owner is willing to do the hard work that owning a business requires,". He also say that Curves "attracted a lot of the wrong people—investors who wanted to make a buck or get rich quick." (How dare those greedy club owners want to make money!)
Quite frankly, if I were a Curves franchisee, I would be very insulted. Instead of admitting that they over-saturated territories, charged exorbitantly high fees, forced inferior, non-adjustable equipment on franchisees and gave very little support, they put the blame on the club owners. Yeah, right; it's the fault of the club owners that they went from over 10,000 clubs to less than 4,000 in a few years.
He now says that he is going to "re-invent" Curves with a new weight loss program. Read: He is going to shove more products down the throat of the franchisees.
The failure of Curves comes as no surprise to fitness industry experts; this was predicted years ago when they first appeared on the scene with non-adjustable equipment and a one-size-fits-all program.
If you have ever known anyone who has worked for or worked out at Curves, the most common thing you hear members say is that they hit a plateau. Anyone in the fitness industry will tell you that progressive resistance and variety are the keys to long-term results and member retention. Here is a quote from a former Curves club owner who closed her club and lost everything, “Members hit a plateau, stopped getting results, got bored and dropped out- membership fell off dramatically”.
To see what other former (and existing) Curves owners have to say about the corporate office, visit http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-robert-lays-story/
Quite frankly, if I were a Curves franchisee, I would be very insulted. Instead of admitting that they over-saturated territories, charged exorbitantly high fees, forced inferior, non-adjustable equipment on franchisees and gave very little support, they put the blame on the club owners. Yeah, right; it's the fault of the club owners that they went from over 10,000 clubs to less than 4,000 in a few years.
He now says that he is going to "re-invent" Curves with a new weight loss program. Read: He is going to shove more products down the throat of the franchisees.
The failure of Curves comes as no surprise to fitness industry experts; this was predicted years ago when they first appeared on the scene with non-adjustable equipment and a one-size-fits-all program.
If you have ever known anyone who has worked for or worked out at Curves, the most common thing you hear members say is that they hit a plateau. Anyone in the fitness industry will tell you that progressive resistance and variety are the keys to long-term results and member retention. Here is a quote from a former Curves club owner who closed her club and lost everything, “Members hit a plateau, stopped getting results, got bored and dropped out- membership fell off dramatically”.
To see what other former (and existing) Curves owners have to say about the corporate office, visit http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-robert-lays-story/
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Still Thinking of a Curves Franchise?
I just saw this post on UnHappyFranchisee.com from a Curves owner:
Author: n
Comment:
Ive managed and owned a Curves for 13 years I love my job but Curves over sold territory (5 clubs in a 25 mile radius) around me taking my membership from 800 to 300 in two years.one club opened 2 miles from me on my border her territory town was ten miles away. Shes closer to my town border than her own.They never enforced dues transfers, now the very contracts I sold my members saying their dues will never go up as long as they are a Curves member..is now up to the transferred to clubs to honor or not... I get no protection no non compete from Curves.. Now with the economy cannibalizing my membership, I will not be renewing my agreement. Love the concept of Curves (by the way I was at the training when Gary swore he would never increase the cost of a Curves franchise...) Tired of being lied to, and not supported by corporate
No comments necessary....
Author: n
Comment:
Ive managed and owned a Curves for 13 years I love my job but Curves over sold territory (5 clubs in a 25 mile radius) around me taking my membership from 800 to 300 in two years.one club opened 2 miles from me on my border her territory town was ten miles away. Shes closer to my town border than her own.They never enforced dues transfers, now the very contracts I sold my members saying their dues will never go up as long as they are a Curves member..is now up to the transferred to clubs to honor or not... I get no protection no non compete from Curves.. Now with the economy cannibalizing my membership, I will not be renewing my agreement. Love the concept of Curves (by the way I was at the training when Gary swore he would never increase the cost of a Curves franchise...) Tired of being lied to, and not supported by corporate
No comments necessary....
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Large Club Owners- Consider a Sattelite Studio
It is no secret that women-only circuit training clubs saturated the country a few years ago. The Curves for Women franchise at one time boasted over 10,000 locations. Although thousands of Curves clubs have closed in the last few years (for a number of reasons; over-saturation of markets, unqualified owners, lack of support, high franchise fees, inferior equipment, tight franchise restrictions, etc.), they still are a significant factor in the fitness industry across the country. There is no doubt that they are still a thorn in the side of larger coed facilities by taking away thousands of potential members. With their message of “no intimidation” and the time efficiency of a 30 minute workout, these clubs appeal to the needs of today’s deconditioned, busy Baby Boomers.
Some large clubs have attempted to counter these circuit training clubs by offering their own “express” type of circuits within their facilities using conventional weight stack machines borrowed from their main workout area. However, the problem of getting the intimidated person in the front door still remains. Some progressive club owners have opened their own satellite circuit training/weight loss studios to attract the out-of-shape and intimidated market and act as “feeder” clubs into the main club. With satellite clubs, when a member reaches a certain level of fitness and gets over the initial intimidation, it can be an easy upgrade into the “mother” club. One of the biggest problems that Curves clubs face is a high drop-out rate when members hit a plateau because of their non-adjustable equipment. They have nothing to offer when a members says "now what?".
Low overhead is a major key to the success of these circuit training studios. Rents and personnel costs for 1,200- 2,000 square feet facilities are obviously much less than those of 20,000+ square foot clubs. For example, if you assume the rent for a small facility to be about $2,500.00 per month and if you have four part time people working 20 hours per week each at a rate of $10.00 per hour, your overhead would be approximately $6,000.00 per month. Typically, a small women’s circuit training club will charge $39.00- $49.00 a month for memberships; the average club needs 125-150 members to break even. Much higher fees can be charged if a weight loss program is incorporated into memberships. Fees of $499.00- $599.00 are not unusual for 8-12 weeks of a weight loss program- with no exercise component.
Granted, small studios will not generate the profit dollars made by larger clubs, but percentage-wise, these small clubs can be much more profitable (and much less expensive to set up and staff). Besides enjoying new profit, the key factor to remember is that members of these small clubs can be transitioned into the main club when they are ready- a feeder system for those people who would normally not join a large club. Members of Curves have no where to go when they reach a plateau.
Some large clubs have attempted to counter these circuit training clubs by offering their own “express” type of circuits within their facilities using conventional weight stack machines borrowed from their main workout area. However, the problem of getting the intimidated person in the front door still remains. Some progressive club owners have opened their own satellite circuit training/weight loss studios to attract the out-of-shape and intimidated market and act as “feeder” clubs into the main club. With satellite clubs, when a member reaches a certain level of fitness and gets over the initial intimidation, it can be an easy upgrade into the “mother” club. One of the biggest problems that Curves clubs face is a high drop-out rate when members hit a plateau because of their non-adjustable equipment. They have nothing to offer when a members says "now what?".
Low overhead is a major key to the success of these circuit training studios. Rents and personnel costs for 1,200- 2,000 square feet facilities are obviously much less than those of 20,000+ square foot clubs. For example, if you assume the rent for a small facility to be about $2,500.00 per month and if you have four part time people working 20 hours per week each at a rate of $10.00 per hour, your overhead would be approximately $6,000.00 per month. Typically, a small women’s circuit training club will charge $39.00- $49.00 a month for memberships; the average club needs 125-150 members to break even. Much higher fees can be charged if a weight loss program is incorporated into memberships. Fees of $499.00- $599.00 are not unusual for 8-12 weeks of a weight loss program- with no exercise component.
Granted, small studios will not generate the profit dollars made by larger clubs, but percentage-wise, these small clubs can be much more profitable (and much less expensive to set up and staff). Besides enjoying new profit, the key factor to remember is that members of these small clubs can be transitioned into the main club when they are ready- a feeder system for those people who would normally not join a large club. Members of Curves have no where to go when they reach a plateau.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Another PACE Club Opens Where a Curves for Women has Closed
As previously mentioned, a large part of our business in the last year or so has come from people who want to open their own non-franchise club in towns where a Curves for Women has recently closed. Many of these people have been members of the Curves that closed leaving them without a local club to workout. All of them have been pleasantly surprised with the superior quality of our PACE equipment.
Here is a news article on one of our latest customers to do this: http://www.journalstandard.com/entertainment/x1254713099/Working-Out-Frenchy-s-Fitness-Center-in-Durand-is-getting-people-healthier.
Some of these customers are offering a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. They are very happy to be free to format their clubs anyway they like without being locked into a long-term franchise with restrictions and high fees.
Want information on how you can open your own fitness center? Call toll free 888.604.2244.
Here is a news article on one of our latest customers to do this: http://www.journalstandard.com/entertainment/x1254713099/Working-Out-Frenchy-s-Fitness-Center-in-Durand-is-getting-people-healthier.
Some of these customers are offering a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. They are very happy to be free to format their clubs anyway they like without being locked into a long-term franchise with restrictions and high fees.
Want information on how you can open your own fitness center? Call toll free 888.604.2244.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Has Curves Become "The Trailer Park of Gyms?"
Well-known and respected webmaster, Unhappy Franchisee, has just posted a new site: http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/has-curves-become-the-%E2%80%9Ctrailer-park-of-gyms%E2%80%9D/
I love this! After hearing horror stories from Curves for Women franchise owners for over 10 years, it's about time the public knows the truth about the corporate office. I am however, disappointed to see that nothing was mentioned of their inferior, non-adjustable equipment. Those of us in the fitness industry knew the bottom would eventually fall out of their membership base as members would hit a plateau, get bored and drop out. It was only a matter of time. It now appears that their time is up as the greed from the corporate office, lack of franchisee support, over-saturation of the markets and inferior equipment have come together in a perfect storm.
I love this! After hearing horror stories from Curves for Women franchise owners for over 10 years, it's about time the public knows the truth about the corporate office. I am however, disappointed to see that nothing was mentioned of their inferior, non-adjustable equipment. Those of us in the fitness industry knew the bottom would eventually fall out of their membership base as members would hit a plateau, get bored and drop out. It was only a matter of time. It now appears that their time is up as the greed from the corporate office, lack of franchisee support, over-saturation of the markets and inferior equipment have come together in a perfect storm.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
PACE & Kids PACE YouTube videos
What will a PACE or Kids PACE Express circuit do for your club and members? I finally figured out how to copy the PACE and Kids PE Promo DVD's to my computer and upload to YouTube. I hope you enjoy:
PACE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fMuKV2g4Ao
Kids PACE Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZgPU371Lwk&feature=channel
PACE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fMuKV2g4Ao
Kids PACE Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZgPU371Lwk&feature=channel
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Interview with FranBest.com
The following is a recent interview I gave to FranBest.com, a leading source of information on the franchise industry.
PACE Express Circuit Training Equipment
January 15, 2010
An alternative to franchised fitness clubs, PACE provides equipment, training and support to individuals seeking to own and operate circuit training programs without the fees and restrictions of a franchise.
Rande LaDue is owner of Hydraulic Fitness Products, the worldwide exclusive distributor for the PACE and Kids PACE Express Circuit Training programs. PACE, originally called Hydra Fitness and dating back to the 1970’s, is the world’s first hydraulic exercise equipment. Some fitness franchises have used PACE equipment (the first Curves club in Harlingen, TX used PACE equipment) over the years, but PACE also provides equipment, training & support to those seeking to open or maintain independent, non-franchised clubs.
As the recession has created increased pressure on club owners, Rande is seeing increased interest from people wanting to open independent fitness programs in markets that could not support franchised express fitness clubs like Curves. For information and pricing on PACE and PACE for Kids, email paceequipment@gmail.com.
FranBest: Tell us about Hydraulic Fitness Products? How long have you been in business?
Rande: I’ve been in the fitness industry 30 years opening my first health club in Upstate New York in 1980. I started selling PACE equipment in the early 90’s when I was hired by Henley Healthcare (the medical company that bought Hydra Fitness) to head up its fitness division. I started distributing PACE myself about 10 years ago as Henley got out of the fitness business.
FranBest: What types of customers does Hydraulic Fitness Products serve? At what point do they begin working with you?
Rande: Over the years, we have sold PACE to thousands of facilities ranging from women’s clubs, coed clubs, weight loss centers, senior facilities, schools, colleges, physical therapy/rehab centers, community centers, the US military, and even professional sports teams. PACE was originally marketed to larger coed clubs as a means of attracting those people who were too intimidated to join (seniors, women, the overweight, etc.) and as a fun, new program for existing members.
The very first Curves club based in Harlingen, TX had our PACE equipment. As the Curves phenomena grew in the late 90’s, our market shifted to independent mom & pop startups who wanted to open a small studio but did not want to get locked into a franchise. There are many happy people out there who did their homework before jumping into a franchise and saw that not only did we offer superior quality adjustable equipment, but we provided the marketing and training tools necessary to be successful without any franchise fees. As Curves saturated the country, more coed clubs added our program as a means of competing against them. Since we are not a franchise, our customers were free to add additional profit centers, services or equipment to offer their members much more than the competition.
FranBest: Explain the nature of the Pace Fitness Equipment product line. How does hydraulic equipment differ from typical exercise machines?
Rande: Hydraulic resistance basically accommodates to the effort of the user; the faster/harder one pushes, the more resistance they encounter. PACE hydraulic machines provide concentric only resistance; there is no eccentric (or negative) resistance which allows each hydraulic machine to work opposing muscle groups in a “double-positive” fashion. The fact that there is no “fixed load” with hydraulic resistance allows for safe “fast anaerobic” exercising.
Note that every weight stack company recommends to use their equipment in a “smooth, controlled manner” while we recommend to use our machines as quickly as you can at your own “pace”. This type of fast exercising cannot be done safely with typical weight stack machines; you will either tear a muscle if the weight is too heavy or if it is too light, you will be throwing the weight in the air and catching it on the way down. Hydraulic resistance provides a combination of a safe muscle toning workout with a high calorie burn cardiovascular workout in a time efficient 30 minute program.
How does Pace Hydraulic Fitness Equipment differ from other hydraulic machines? What are the advantages to the fitness club member? How about to the owner?
Rande: What sets PACE equipment apart from its franchise competition is the fact that our hydraulic cylinders are adjustable and feature a dial that controls the amount of hydraulic fluid to be able to increase or decrease the resistance as needed. This allows our equipment to accommodate a wide range of fitness levels at the same time and also prevents members from hitting a plateau. These are huge advantages to the club owner as well as their members.
Member retention is one of the biggest problems club owners face. If a member hits a plateau and has stopped enjoying results, she will get frustrated, bored and eventually drop out. With PACE equipment, once a member has maxed out on setting #1, they just click the dial to #2 and it takes them to a whole new fitness level. Small clubs are successful long-term only if their members continue to get results and become walking testimonials- and bring in their friends.
Another huge advantage for the club owner of using adjustable PACE equipment is to be able to attract new members. Some of our customers offer a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. Let’s face it, there are just as many out of shape men out there as women and many of them are just as intimidated to go into a hardcore club. It makes sense, especially in a small town, to try to appeal to as much of the population as possible. Again, since we are not a franchise, our customers are not locked into a cookie-cutter formula only; they have a huge advantage of being free to appeal to their unique markets by offering additional services, products, equipment, etc.
We provide a preferred vendor list as part of our marketing package to help customers find key suppliers (without getting any kick-backs).
FranBest: What are some of the fitness clubs that are using Pace Fitness Equipment products in their clubs?
Rande: One of our biggest areas of growth right now is selling into markets where a Curves club has just gone out of business. There may have been 50-60 loyal members who loved working out but have been left high and dry; maybe this was not enough members cover the high franchise fees, but usually more than enough to cover basic expenses.
One such customer, Kimberly Ellingsen, from New Image Fitness in WI had over 50 former Curves members signed up before she opened her PACE club, then recently had her grand opening and signed up dozens of new people. As a former Curves member, what she values most about our equipment is the superior quality over what she was used to. She told me “There is a difference of night and day in the quality of PACE equipment over Curves. Every one of my members who was a former Curves member loves it! Showing them how they can change the resistance quickly and easily is one of our best selling points”.
FranBest: Tell me about the service philosophy of Hydraulic Fitness Products. What kind of service and support do you provide? Do you provide value other than supplying equipment?
Rande: My philosophy in business is borrowed from Zig Zigler, who said “You can get anything you want in life if you help others achieve their goals”. If I help my customers become successful, then I will ultimately become successful. They will buy from me again when they open their 2nd and 3rd clubs and they will tell others about PACE.
I used this same philosophy in my own clubs- if I help a member achieve their fitness goals, then I will keep them as a member and they will bring their friends in. I encourage my customers to adapt the same philosophy in their clubs.
Another one of my favorite sayings is that “there is no monopoly on brains.” Running a successful club is not rocket science, but there are industry-proven tools and steps that should be taken to ensure success. My job is to provide these tools and training to my customers; their job is to utilize the tools that they feel will work best for their markets.
I also encourage my customers to network together on our PACE Facebook Group page to share ideas, success stories, etc. I can’t see paying a high franchise fee for years when we provide the same type of fitness industry tools. Kimberly from New Image Fitness also said “The marketing tools in the PACE package gave me everything I needed for a successful grand opening.”
She also appreciates the personal attention she received. “Being able to call the owner of the company if I have any questions is incredible customer service!”
FranBest: What differentiates your company from other equipment suppliers in the industry?
Rande: Quite frankly, there have been several knock-off companies who jumped on the hydraulic equipment bandwagon in the last few years to try to capture some of the Curves business; some of these companies did not even exist 2-3 years ago but they profess to be experts in this industry.
What separates PACE from these suppliers is our track record, knowledge, quality and personal-touch customer service. The personal touch is one of the key factors that separates small circuit clubs from large health clubs; I’ve tried to apply the same philosophy in my business. We may be a few hundred dollars more in cost, but there are no hidden surprises with PACE (no assembly needed on machines, cylinders that work, etc). And whenever one of the club owners has a problem or a question, they can feel free to call me, the President, directly. How many of the big franchise chains can make that claim?
FranBest: How can club owners and prospective club owners find out more about Hydraulic Fitness Products and PACE equipment and support programs.
Rande: The best way is to email me, in confidence, at PaceEquipment@gmail.com. Include your phone number and a little bit about your plans, such as whether you’re looking to start a new club or add on to an existing program. I’ll email you information confidentially and with no obligation.
FranBest: Thanks, Rande
Rande: Thank you.
To learn more about PACE and PACE For Kids exercise equipment, email Rande at Pace@cox.net. Also, visit the PACE website at http://www.pacegroupexercise.com/.
PACE Express Circuit Training Equipment
January 15, 2010
An alternative to franchised fitness clubs, PACE provides equipment, training and support to individuals seeking to own and operate circuit training programs without the fees and restrictions of a franchise.
Rande LaDue is owner of Hydraulic Fitness Products, the worldwide exclusive distributor for the PACE and Kids PACE Express Circuit Training programs. PACE, originally called Hydra Fitness and dating back to the 1970’s, is the world’s first hydraulic exercise equipment. Some fitness franchises have used PACE equipment (the first Curves club in Harlingen, TX used PACE equipment) over the years, but PACE also provides equipment, training & support to those seeking to open or maintain independent, non-franchised clubs.
As the recession has created increased pressure on club owners, Rande is seeing increased interest from people wanting to open independent fitness programs in markets that could not support franchised express fitness clubs like Curves. For information and pricing on PACE and PACE for Kids, email paceequipment@gmail.com.
FranBest: Tell us about Hydraulic Fitness Products? How long have you been in business?
Rande: I’ve been in the fitness industry 30 years opening my first health club in Upstate New York in 1980. I started selling PACE equipment in the early 90’s when I was hired by Henley Healthcare (the medical company that bought Hydra Fitness) to head up its fitness division. I started distributing PACE myself about 10 years ago as Henley got out of the fitness business.
FranBest: What types of customers does Hydraulic Fitness Products serve? At what point do they begin working with you?
Rande: Over the years, we have sold PACE to thousands of facilities ranging from women’s clubs, coed clubs, weight loss centers, senior facilities, schools, colleges, physical therapy/rehab centers, community centers, the US military, and even professional sports teams. PACE was originally marketed to larger coed clubs as a means of attracting those people who were too intimidated to join (seniors, women, the overweight, etc.) and as a fun, new program for existing members.
The very first Curves club based in Harlingen, TX had our PACE equipment. As the Curves phenomena grew in the late 90’s, our market shifted to independent mom & pop startups who wanted to open a small studio but did not want to get locked into a franchise. There are many happy people out there who did their homework before jumping into a franchise and saw that not only did we offer superior quality adjustable equipment, but we provided the marketing and training tools necessary to be successful without any franchise fees. As Curves saturated the country, more coed clubs added our program as a means of competing against them. Since we are not a franchise, our customers were free to add additional profit centers, services or equipment to offer their members much more than the competition.
FranBest: Explain the nature of the Pace Fitness Equipment product line. How does hydraulic equipment differ from typical exercise machines?
Rande: Hydraulic resistance basically accommodates to the effort of the user; the faster/harder one pushes, the more resistance they encounter. PACE hydraulic machines provide concentric only resistance; there is no eccentric (or negative) resistance which allows each hydraulic machine to work opposing muscle groups in a “double-positive” fashion. The fact that there is no “fixed load” with hydraulic resistance allows for safe “fast anaerobic” exercising.
Note that every weight stack company recommends to use their equipment in a “smooth, controlled manner” while we recommend to use our machines as quickly as you can at your own “pace”. This type of fast exercising cannot be done safely with typical weight stack machines; you will either tear a muscle if the weight is too heavy or if it is too light, you will be throwing the weight in the air and catching it on the way down. Hydraulic resistance provides a combination of a safe muscle toning workout with a high calorie burn cardiovascular workout in a time efficient 30 minute program.
How does Pace Hydraulic Fitness Equipment differ from other hydraulic machines? What are the advantages to the fitness club member? How about to the owner?
Rande: What sets PACE equipment apart from its franchise competition is the fact that our hydraulic cylinders are adjustable and feature a dial that controls the amount of hydraulic fluid to be able to increase or decrease the resistance as needed. This allows our equipment to accommodate a wide range of fitness levels at the same time and also prevents members from hitting a plateau. These are huge advantages to the club owner as well as their members.
Member retention is one of the biggest problems club owners face. If a member hits a plateau and has stopped enjoying results, she will get frustrated, bored and eventually drop out. With PACE equipment, once a member has maxed out on setting #1, they just click the dial to #2 and it takes them to a whole new fitness level. Small clubs are successful long-term only if their members continue to get results and become walking testimonials- and bring in their friends.
Another huge advantage for the club owner of using adjustable PACE equipment is to be able to attract new members. Some of our customers offer a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. Let’s face it, there are just as many out of shape men out there as women and many of them are just as intimidated to go into a hardcore club. It makes sense, especially in a small town, to try to appeal to as much of the population as possible. Again, since we are not a franchise, our customers are not locked into a cookie-cutter formula only; they have a huge advantage of being free to appeal to their unique markets by offering additional services, products, equipment, etc.
We provide a preferred vendor list as part of our marketing package to help customers find key suppliers (without getting any kick-backs).
FranBest: What are some of the fitness clubs that are using Pace Fitness Equipment products in their clubs?
Rande: One of our biggest areas of growth right now is selling into markets where a Curves club has just gone out of business. There may have been 50-60 loyal members who loved working out but have been left high and dry; maybe this was not enough members cover the high franchise fees, but usually more than enough to cover basic expenses.
One such customer, Kimberly Ellingsen, from New Image Fitness in WI had over 50 former Curves members signed up before she opened her PACE club, then recently had her grand opening and signed up dozens of new people. As a former Curves member, what she values most about our equipment is the superior quality over what she was used to. She told me “There is a difference of night and day in the quality of PACE equipment over Curves. Every one of my members who was a former Curves member loves it! Showing them how they can change the resistance quickly and easily is one of our best selling points”.
FranBest: Tell me about the service philosophy of Hydraulic Fitness Products. What kind of service and support do you provide? Do you provide value other than supplying equipment?
Rande: My philosophy in business is borrowed from Zig Zigler, who said “You can get anything you want in life if you help others achieve their goals”. If I help my customers become successful, then I will ultimately become successful. They will buy from me again when they open their 2nd and 3rd clubs and they will tell others about PACE.
I used this same philosophy in my own clubs- if I help a member achieve their fitness goals, then I will keep them as a member and they will bring their friends in. I encourage my customers to adapt the same philosophy in their clubs.
Another one of my favorite sayings is that “there is no monopoly on brains.” Running a successful club is not rocket science, but there are industry-proven tools and steps that should be taken to ensure success. My job is to provide these tools and training to my customers; their job is to utilize the tools that they feel will work best for their markets.
I also encourage my customers to network together on our PACE Facebook Group page to share ideas, success stories, etc. I can’t see paying a high franchise fee for years when we provide the same type of fitness industry tools. Kimberly from New Image Fitness also said “The marketing tools in the PACE package gave me everything I needed for a successful grand opening.”
She also appreciates the personal attention she received. “Being able to call the owner of the company if I have any questions is incredible customer service!”
FranBest: What differentiates your company from other equipment suppliers in the industry?
Rande: Quite frankly, there have been several knock-off companies who jumped on the hydraulic equipment bandwagon in the last few years to try to capture some of the Curves business; some of these companies did not even exist 2-3 years ago but they profess to be experts in this industry.
What separates PACE from these suppliers is our track record, knowledge, quality and personal-touch customer service. The personal touch is one of the key factors that separates small circuit clubs from large health clubs; I’ve tried to apply the same philosophy in my business. We may be a few hundred dollars more in cost, but there are no hidden surprises with PACE (no assembly needed on machines, cylinders that work, etc). And whenever one of the club owners has a problem or a question, they can feel free to call me, the President, directly. How many of the big franchise chains can make that claim?
FranBest: How can club owners and prospective club owners find out more about Hydraulic Fitness Products and PACE equipment and support programs.
Rande: The best way is to email me, in confidence, at PaceEquipment@gmail.com. Include your phone number and a little bit about your plans, such as whether you’re looking to start a new club or add on to an existing program. I’ll email you information confidentially and with no obligation.
FranBest: Thanks, Rande
Rande: Thank you.
To learn more about PACE and PACE For Kids exercise equipment, email Rande at Pace@cox.net. Also, visit the PACE website at http://www.pacegroupexercise.com/.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Do's and Don'ts of Buying Used Fitness Equipment
Buying used commercial fitness equipment as opposed to new can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. And let's face it; with the current economy, anytime you can save even a few dollars, it is wise to check it out. However, buying used equipment can sometimes lead to more headaches and even greater expense than anticipated and is not necessarily the best value for money spent. I myself have purchased used cardio equipment from a reconditioning company for a women's club I owned in Southern California a few years ago. The two treadmills and two elliptical machines I purchased were fully refurbished and cost me about 50% of what I would have paid for new commercial equipment (and my members could not tell the difference). However, when looking for a deal on hydraulic equipment, I strongly suggest you do your homework first.
Because of the over saturation of franchised women's clubs across the country a few years ago, there have been many women's clubs that have gone out of business and their equipment has ended up on websites like eBay or Craigslist for a fraction of the original purchase price. Unlike weight stack machines that might just need some touch-up paint to be ready to put into a new club, hydraulic resistance machines are much different story. Our PACE hydraulic cylinders are self-lubricating; which means they are meant to be used to ensure the inner seals do not get dry and crack. Equipment that has been stored for an extended period often has problems of leaking cylinders or no resistance for the new owner (just like if you were to put a car in storage and do not start it for months, you would probably have oil leaks once you started it). I cannot count the number of phone calls I have received in the last few years from people who have purhcased used equipment with problems. They are very disappointed to learn that we are not in the cylinder business; we do not keep a large inventory of extra cylinders on hand to sell (we keep some back up stock to service our new equipment customers, but since our cylinder failure rate is less than 1 in 2,000, we do not need a large inventory). In some cases, we have sold spare cylinders to those in desperate situations; they might have bought 8 used machines and found they needed 5-6 new cylinders- only to find out that the new cylinders cost more than they paid for their entire used circuit. Unlike some of our competitors' cheap cylinders that can be purchased from an auto parts supply company, our PACE cylinders are made in-house only by our factory and are very labor intensive and expensive to make. Another reason for disappointment for used equipment buyers is that there are no rights to use our trademarked logos or copyrighted materials and unfortunately, we cannot provide ongoing customer support. I have had some people become very upset with me when we decline to provide them with our marketing package or on-site certification when they buy used equipment.
With the economy the way it is, the buyer is in a strong position to negotiate better pricing for new equipment. I strongly suggest anyone looking at used equipment to also contact new equipment companies for their best deal before making a decision they will regret later.
Just thinking.......
Because of the over saturation of franchised women's clubs across the country a few years ago, there have been many women's clubs that have gone out of business and their equipment has ended up on websites like eBay or Craigslist for a fraction of the original purchase price. Unlike weight stack machines that might just need some touch-up paint to be ready to put into a new club, hydraulic resistance machines are much different story. Our PACE hydraulic cylinders are self-lubricating; which means they are meant to be used to ensure the inner seals do not get dry and crack. Equipment that has been stored for an extended period often has problems of leaking cylinders or no resistance for the new owner (just like if you were to put a car in storage and do not start it for months, you would probably have oil leaks once you started it). I cannot count the number of phone calls I have received in the last few years from people who have purhcased used equipment with problems. They are very disappointed to learn that we are not in the cylinder business; we do not keep a large inventory of extra cylinders on hand to sell (we keep some back up stock to service our new equipment customers, but since our cylinder failure rate is less than 1 in 2,000, we do not need a large inventory). In some cases, we have sold spare cylinders to those in desperate situations; they might have bought 8 used machines and found they needed 5-6 new cylinders- only to find out that the new cylinders cost more than they paid for their entire used circuit. Unlike some of our competitors' cheap cylinders that can be purchased from an auto parts supply company, our PACE cylinders are made in-house only by our factory and are very labor intensive and expensive to make. Another reason for disappointment for used equipment buyers is that there are no rights to use our trademarked logos or copyrighted materials and unfortunately, we cannot provide ongoing customer support. I have had some people become very upset with me when we decline to provide them with our marketing package or on-site certification when they buy used equipment.
With the economy the way it is, the buyer is in a strong position to negotiate better pricing for new equipment. I strongly suggest anyone looking at used equipment to also contact new equipment companies for their best deal before making a decision they will regret later.
Just thinking.......
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
As Curves for Women clubs close, Opportunities Open
As the manufacturers of the PACE non-franchise hydraulic exercise program (www.pacegroupexercise.com), we enjoyed a great deal of success in helping thousands of women open their own independent non-franchise clubs back in the late 90's and early 2000's as the Curves for Women phenomenon swept the country. What most of these Curves franchisees did not know is that the original Curves club in Harlingen, TX, had our PACE equipment and that Gary Heavin once sold PACE equipment. They bought into the claim that Curves invented hydraulic exercise equipment and developed the concept of circuit training. Those wise independents who did their homework found out differently and did not get locked into a franchise cookie-cutter formula.
We are now enjoying renewed success as hundreds of Curves clubs are closing across the country leaving employees and members in the lurch. We have recently had a surge of former Curves employees and members buy our PACE circuit training program instead of buying the club closing. There are apparently MANY disgruntled Curves franchisees out there (see http://www.franchisepick.com/is-curves-for-women-a-good-franchise-investment/) who feel that Curves violated their franchise agreement by oversaturating the market and their lack of support.
We who have been around the fitness industry for awhile see the downfall of Curves as inevitable given their nonadjustable equipment. Members are told to "push faster", but let's face it; a 50-60 year old woman can only push so fast in 30 seconds. Eventually, virtually 100% of Curves members will hit a plateau- that is when they get frustrated and bored- and start dropping out. I have heard many stories of how a Curves club once had 300-400 members when they first opened, then they dropped down to 50. Anyone in the fitness industry knows that in order for someone to continue to enjoy results, you must increase the resistance, intensity, duration or frequency as well as adding variety into a program.
Does the fact that Curves close are closing at an alarming rate indicate there is no need for these types of clubs any longer? Hardly. There will always be out of shape ladies who are too intimidated with the larger coed clubs; especially as the baby boomers age. Those 300-400 ladies who were once members of a Curves may still be looking for a club- one that will offer superior equipment and a variety of equipment and services.
The entrepreneurs who invest in a business that fills a need during tough times are those that will be leaders of the pack as the economy improves. We invite anyone interested in more information to call our toll free number 888-604-2244 or visit www.pacegroupexercise.com.
We are now enjoying renewed success as hundreds of Curves clubs are closing across the country leaving employees and members in the lurch. We have recently had a surge of former Curves employees and members buy our PACE circuit training program instead of buying the club closing. There are apparently MANY disgruntled Curves franchisees out there (see http://www.franchisepick.com/is-curves-for-women-a-good-franchise-investment/) who feel that Curves violated their franchise agreement by oversaturating the market and their lack of support.
We who have been around the fitness industry for awhile see the downfall of Curves as inevitable given their nonadjustable equipment. Members are told to "push faster", but let's face it; a 50-60 year old woman can only push so fast in 30 seconds. Eventually, virtually 100% of Curves members will hit a plateau- that is when they get frustrated and bored- and start dropping out. I have heard many stories of how a Curves club once had 300-400 members when they first opened, then they dropped down to 50. Anyone in the fitness industry knows that in order for someone to continue to enjoy results, you must increase the resistance, intensity, duration or frequency as well as adding variety into a program.
Does the fact that Curves close are closing at an alarming rate indicate there is no need for these types of clubs any longer? Hardly. There will always be out of shape ladies who are too intimidated with the larger coed clubs; especially as the baby boomers age. Those 300-400 ladies who were once members of a Curves may still be looking for a club- one that will offer superior equipment and a variety of equipment and services.
The entrepreneurs who invest in a business that fills a need during tough times are those that will be leaders of the pack as the economy improves. We invite anyone interested in more information to call our toll free number 888-604-2244 or visit www.pacegroupexercise.com.
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