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/.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Repost: As Curves clubs close, Opportunities Exist
Due to the large number of former and existing Curves owners who have contacted us recently about opening a non-franchise club, I am re-posting the following blog with some updates. Also see the latest post on our PACE program on the Unhappy Franchisee site at http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-can-indie-clubs-thrive-where-curves-failed/
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, the founder of Curves, 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 paying high monthly fees.
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.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-robert-lays-story/#comments or http://www.franchisepick.com/is-curves-for-women-a-good-franchise-investment/) who feel that Curves violated their franchise agreement by over saturating 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 50-100. Anyone in the fitness industry knows that in order for someone to continue to enjoy results, you must increase the resistance (load), intensity, duration or frequency as well as adding variety into a program.
Curves even tried adding workout progress tracking monitors on their equipment as a means of trying to retain members (and getting more profits from their franchises) claiming they invented the technology, calling it "CurvesSmart". In actuality, it is manufactured by a Canadian company called MyTrak and has been around for years. Although MyTrak is a great tracking tool, it does nothing to adjust the resistance level of the equipment. These Curves clubs who bought into this new technology soon found their members dropping out as well when they were bored of the flashing lights.
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. I have read and heard of many Curves members who were left high and dry when club owners who wanted to stay open, but could no longer afford the high franchise fees close down.
Also, 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, adjustable 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.
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, the founder of Curves, 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 paying high monthly fees.
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.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-robert-lays-story/#comments or http://www.franchisepick.com/is-curves-for-women-a-good-franchise-investment/) who feel that Curves violated their franchise agreement by over saturating 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 50-100. Anyone in the fitness industry knows that in order for someone to continue to enjoy results, you must increase the resistance (load), intensity, duration or frequency as well as adding variety into a program.
Curves even tried adding workout progress tracking monitors on their equipment as a means of trying to retain members (and getting more profits from their franchises) claiming they invented the technology, calling it "CurvesSmart". In actuality, it is manufactured by a Canadian company called MyTrak and has been around for years. Although MyTrak is a great tracking tool, it does nothing to adjust the resistance level of the equipment. These Curves clubs who bought into this new technology soon found their members dropping out as well when they were bored of the flashing lights.
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. I have read and heard of many Curves members who were left high and dry when club owners who wanted to stay open, but could no longer afford the high franchise fees close down.
Also, 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, adjustable 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.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Coed Circuit Training Clubs
It is no secret that women only circuit training clubs have swept the country in the last few years; almost to the point of over saturating some markets. This concept caught on for two important reasons: #1. The concept works. #2. It addressed a need. The PACE circuit training concept of combining cardiovascular and strength workouts in 30 minutes has proven to be a very effective method of exercise. The non-intimidating nature of hydraulic resistance and the time efficiency of this program combined to address the two major objections of women for not joining health clubs “Intimidation” and “No Time”.
But let’s face it, there are just as many out of shape men out there as there are women. An out of shape man, especially a senior, can be just as intimidated as a woman when faced with the prospect of working out alongside hardcore exercisers. The fitness goals of a 50-60 year old man are probably very different than those of a 20 year old with much less emphasis on muscle size and more emphasis on weight loss, cardiovascular and cardio respiratory conditioning. At 20, we are indestructible; at 50, our doctors are telling us to lower our blood pressure, reduce our cholesterol and lose fat.
In today’s fast paced society, lack of time may be more of a factor for men getting into a health club rather than intimidation. A busy executive may remember being in good shape when he was 25 and could spare an hour and a half to two hours a day to workout; but now, 25 years later, he cannot spare that much time. The US Government recently released its recommendation of 60-90 minutes a day for an overweight individual. Who has this much time? There is a solution- a 30 minute PACE workout has proven to burn more calories than 90 minutes of conventional cardiovascular exercise.
America is getting older- and fatter. With the aging baby boomers, more people are turning 50 everyday than are being born everyday and over 60 percent of America’s population is overweight. Studies show that less than 20% of the population is a member of a conventional health club. Why not offer a program that addresses the needs of the majority of the population? PACE meets these needs for both men and women.
It is true that the majority of women join a women only club because there are no men around. However, there are many women who would love to bring in their husbands- and many husbands who need it (there is a reason why Weight Watchers is coed). Since PACE is not a franchise, our customers are free to format their clubs anyway they like. Many customers (especially in smaller markets) are offering a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. In smaller towns, it makes sense to appeal to as much of the population as possible. PACE equipment is both safe enough for women’s clubs and durable enough for even the strongest of men.
But let’s face it, there are just as many out of shape men out there as there are women. An out of shape man, especially a senior, can be just as intimidated as a woman when faced with the prospect of working out alongside hardcore exercisers. The fitness goals of a 50-60 year old man are probably very different than those of a 20 year old with much less emphasis on muscle size and more emphasis on weight loss, cardiovascular and cardio respiratory conditioning. At 20, we are indestructible; at 50, our doctors are telling us to lower our blood pressure, reduce our cholesterol and lose fat.
In today’s fast paced society, lack of time may be more of a factor for men getting into a health club rather than intimidation. A busy executive may remember being in good shape when he was 25 and could spare an hour and a half to two hours a day to workout; but now, 25 years later, he cannot spare that much time. The US Government recently released its recommendation of 60-90 minutes a day for an overweight individual. Who has this much time? There is a solution- a 30 minute PACE workout has proven to burn more calories than 90 minutes of conventional cardiovascular exercise.
America is getting older- and fatter. With the aging baby boomers, more people are turning 50 everyday than are being born everyday and over 60 percent of America’s population is overweight. Studies show that less than 20% of the population is a member of a conventional health club. Why not offer a program that addresses the needs of the majority of the population? PACE meets these needs for both men and women.
It is true that the majority of women join a women only club because there are no men around. However, there are many women who would love to bring in their husbands- and many husbands who need it (there is a reason why Weight Watchers is coed). Since PACE is not a franchise, our customers are free to format their clubs anyway they like. Many customers (especially in smaller markets) are offering a combination of women only hours during the day, then coed hours in the evening. In smaller towns, it makes sense to appeal to as much of the population as possible. PACE equipment is both safe enough for women’s clubs and durable enough for even the strongest of men.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Implementing a Senior’s Circuit Training Program in Your Club
America is getting older. With the Baby boomers reaching middle age, more people are turning 50 everyday than are being born everyday. It is estimated that over 100 million Americans are over the age of 45 (US Census Bureau). Although there has been a significant increase in senior memberships in health clubs in the last few years (IHRSA estimates 6.9 million people over the age 55 belonged to health clubs in 2002 vs. 1.5 million in 1987), the vast majority of today’s seniors are shying away from clubs. These seniors are perhaps those in the most need to exercise regularly. Their doctors are telling them to exercise to lower their cholesterol, lower their blood pressure, help offset osteoporosis, etc. The question must be asked “What is keeping them from joining?”
Intimidation of conventional exercise equipment and programs is undoubtedly a major factor. Fear of intimidating weight stack machines and lack of coordination to perform aerobic movements are often sited as reasons for not joining large coed clubs. Yet the fitness industry has seen a huge growth of women’s circuit training clubs featuring hydraulic resistance equipment in the last five years with the majority of members over 40 years old. These types of clubs have proven to be popular with older people for three important reasons, lack of intimidation, time efficiency and camaraderie.
Seniors do not want to compete with younger, hardcore members for the use of equipment, nor do them want to display how weak or uncoordinated they are. Seniors do not want to be sore for two or three days after a workout. Seniors enjoy working out with those in their own age group and fitness level.
Many YMCA’s and larger clubs with pools have tried to address these issues and offer senior aquatic programs. These programs are very safe and effective since there is no fixed load as with weight stack equipment which can cause injury and muscle soreness. However, there still exists the intimidation factor of many seniors not wanting to be seen in swimsuits. Hydraulic circuit training programs can be the answer. Hydraulic circuit training is very much like aquatics since the user is pushing against fluid which accommodates to the individual’s fitness level and there is very little if any muscle soreness. Hydraulic circuit training is very time efficient since it combines both strength and cardiovascular workouts in 30 minutes.
Some progressive large clubs are offering senior hydraulic circuit training classes with instructors to provide motivation and inspiration. These classes often serve as a non-intimidating way to get seniors into the front door of club, to produce results for them quickly and to help introduce them into the general population of the club. The following are guidelines in the successful implementation of such a program:
Location. A separate designated area outside of the weight area is important. An empty racquetball court is an ideal location and size for this type of program; a 24 station circuit fits nicely into 800 square feet. A multi-purpose room or aerobic studio also works well since hydraulic machines are lightweight and easily moved to the outside perimeter of the room during down times.
Equipment. Adjustable hydraulic equipment is suggested to accommodate a broad range of fitness levels when conducting coed classes. The adjustments on the equipment should be easily accessible by both the member and instructor.
Staffing. This type of program typically falls under the aerobic program umbrella since these instructors are familiar with running classes with large groups. However, this program can also be very successful when led by personal trainers under the format of “Group Personal Training”.
Class Schedule. Seniors have flexible schedules, so early afternoon classes can work well. Conducting classes during this normally slower time of day will also decrease the intimidation factor and help ease the burden during peak times. Half hour to 45 minute classes are suggested.
Class Format. It is suggested to begin classes with a low intensity 5 minute warmup, 20-30 minutes of target heart rate work and 5-10 minutes of cool-down & stretching. The standard hydraulic circuit training workout alternates 30-45 second intervals on the hydraulic exercise machines and aerobic recovery stations in a work/rest format. Variations such as repeating stations, changing directions, increasing resistance and bringing props such as exercise balls, stretch bands, etc. can be introduced anytime to keep the program fresh.
Pricing. These senior circuit training programs can be priced very low ($19.00- $29.00 per month) to be used as an introductory membership or can be used as part of tiered membership to be included at no charge with “Platinum” membership.
Senior hydraulic circuit training programs will produce results for members and will increase the club’s bottom line by increasing new memberships and member retention.
For more details on senior fitness or our PACE hydraulic circuit training, please visit www.pacegroupexercise.com or call 888-604-2244.
Intimidation of conventional exercise equipment and programs is undoubtedly a major factor. Fear of intimidating weight stack machines and lack of coordination to perform aerobic movements are often sited as reasons for not joining large coed clubs. Yet the fitness industry has seen a huge growth of women’s circuit training clubs featuring hydraulic resistance equipment in the last five years with the majority of members over 40 years old. These types of clubs have proven to be popular with older people for three important reasons, lack of intimidation, time efficiency and camaraderie.
Seniors do not want to compete with younger, hardcore members for the use of equipment, nor do them want to display how weak or uncoordinated they are. Seniors do not want to be sore for two or three days after a workout. Seniors enjoy working out with those in their own age group and fitness level.
Many YMCA’s and larger clubs with pools have tried to address these issues and offer senior aquatic programs. These programs are very safe and effective since there is no fixed load as with weight stack equipment which can cause injury and muscle soreness. However, there still exists the intimidation factor of many seniors not wanting to be seen in swimsuits. Hydraulic circuit training programs can be the answer. Hydraulic circuit training is very much like aquatics since the user is pushing against fluid which accommodates to the individual’s fitness level and there is very little if any muscle soreness. Hydraulic circuit training is very time efficient since it combines both strength and cardiovascular workouts in 30 minutes.
Some progressive large clubs are offering senior hydraulic circuit training classes with instructors to provide motivation and inspiration. These classes often serve as a non-intimidating way to get seniors into the front door of club, to produce results for them quickly and to help introduce them into the general population of the club. The following are guidelines in the successful implementation of such a program:
Location. A separate designated area outside of the weight area is important. An empty racquetball court is an ideal location and size for this type of program; a 24 station circuit fits nicely into 800 square feet. A multi-purpose room or aerobic studio also works well since hydraulic machines are lightweight and easily moved to the outside perimeter of the room during down times.
Equipment. Adjustable hydraulic equipment is suggested to accommodate a broad range of fitness levels when conducting coed classes. The adjustments on the equipment should be easily accessible by both the member and instructor.
Staffing. This type of program typically falls under the aerobic program umbrella since these instructors are familiar with running classes with large groups. However, this program can also be very successful when led by personal trainers under the format of “Group Personal Training”.
Class Schedule. Seniors have flexible schedules, so early afternoon classes can work well. Conducting classes during this normally slower time of day will also decrease the intimidation factor and help ease the burden during peak times. Half hour to 45 minute classes are suggested.
Class Format. It is suggested to begin classes with a low intensity 5 minute warmup, 20-30 minutes of target heart rate work and 5-10 minutes of cool-down & stretching. The standard hydraulic circuit training workout alternates 30-45 second intervals on the hydraulic exercise machines and aerobic recovery stations in a work/rest format. Variations such as repeating stations, changing directions, increasing resistance and bringing props such as exercise balls, stretch bands, etc. can be introduced anytime to keep the program fresh.
Pricing. These senior circuit training programs can be priced very low ($19.00- $29.00 per month) to be used as an introductory membership or can be used as part of tiered membership to be included at no charge with “Platinum” membership.
Senior hydraulic circuit training programs will produce results for members and will increase the club’s bottom line by increasing new memberships and member retention.
For more details on senior fitness or our PACE hydraulic circuit training, please visit www.pacegroupexercise.com or call 888-604-2244.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Family Express Clubs: the Convenient Fitness Centers of the Future
Look at all of the convenience stores out there. The industry leader 7-Eleven alone boasts over 30,000 locations worldwide. Why so many? Obviously there is a need; they would not stay open if there was not a demand. What attracts someone to shop at such a store? Certainly not their great prices or vast selection of goods; rather, it is a matter of “convenience”. A consumer can literally pull up to within a few feet of the door, run in, quickly purchase their much needed item and be back in their car before the radio commercial ends. To go into a large chain grocery store for the same item would an entirely different matter. First, you would need
to find a parking spot, take the long trek into the store, search the aisles for the item, try to find the “10 items or less” line without someone sneaking in 12 items, explain why you don’t have their store’s discount keytag and why you don’t want one, then trek back to your car (which now has 2 shopping carts resting against it).
Today’s large chain health clubs are much like these large grocery stores in terms of inconvenience, time consuming and intimidation. Perhaps this is why less than 20% of the US population belongs to such clubs? Perhaps this is why more and more family “express” fitness are appearing on the scene. These facilities overcome the “no time”, “intimidation” and “inconvenient” barriers that keep most people out of the large clubs. Many of these facilities offer hydraulic circuit training programs for both adults and kids. Hydraulic resistance equipment does not cause muscle soreness, requires no skill or coordination, yet produces lean muscle toning and provides a high calorie burn cardiovascular workout in a time efficient 30
minutes. There are no intimidating weight stacks, seat settings, belts, pulleys, electricity required or air hoses with hydraulic resistance equipment; just lots of movement (and sweat).
Let’s face it, with today’s fast paced society and hectic schedules, families have little time to spend together- much less work out together. Our PACE and Kids PACE Express programs are the answer. Our adult PACE program is self-administered with cues indicating when it is time to “change stations”; while our Kids PACE Express program is designed to be conducted in a class format with instructors (kids do not have the attention span to listen to a CD tell them what to do next). Both programs are designed to provide strength and cardiovascular workouts in 30 minutes. 2-3 workouts a week are all you need to see results quickly. These programs can fit into the busiest of schedules allowing you time for important things- enjoying your family!
to find a parking spot, take the long trek into the store, search the aisles for the item, try to find the “10 items or less” line without someone sneaking in 12 items, explain why you don’t have their store’s discount keytag and why you don’t want one, then trek back to your car (which now has 2 shopping carts resting against it).
Today’s large chain health clubs are much like these large grocery stores in terms of inconvenience, time consuming and intimidation. Perhaps this is why less than 20% of the US population belongs to such clubs? Perhaps this is why more and more family “express” fitness are appearing on the scene. These facilities overcome the “no time”, “intimidation” and “inconvenient” barriers that keep most people out of the large clubs. Many of these facilities offer hydraulic circuit training programs for both adults and kids. Hydraulic resistance equipment does not cause muscle soreness, requires no skill or coordination, yet produces lean muscle toning and provides a high calorie burn cardiovascular workout in a time efficient 30
minutes. There are no intimidating weight stacks, seat settings, belts, pulleys, electricity required or air hoses with hydraulic resistance equipment; just lots of movement (and sweat).
Let’s face it, with today’s fast paced society and hectic schedules, families have little time to spend together- much less work out together. Our PACE and Kids PACE Express programs are the answer. Our adult PACE program is self-administered with cues indicating when it is time to “change stations”; while our Kids PACE Express program is designed to be conducted in a class format with instructors (kids do not have the attention span to listen to a CD tell them what to do next). Both programs are designed to provide strength and cardiovascular workouts in 30 minutes. 2-3 workouts a week are all you need to see results quickly. These programs can fit into the busiest of schedules allowing you time for important things- enjoying your family!
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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