Snap Fitness selects PACE for Women's Rooms

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.