Last week, the industry was buzzing about IHRSA’s 32nd Annual International Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas. Hundreds of suppliers, club professionals and industry experts gathered to attend the show, including yours truly.
This year’s trade show was my first ever, and it left quite an impression. I interviewed respected industry veterans such as Donna Cyrus, the senior vice president of programming for Crunch Fitness, and up-and-comers such as Bobby Hines, an Anytime Fitness franchisee who sits on Anytime Fitness’ franchisee advisory board. Additionally, I walked away from the show with some insight on products creating buzz within the industry.
Here are some vendors and products that peaked my interest as I perused the trade show.
SURFSET® Fitness
The visionaries behind The SURFSET® workout were putting on quite a show for trade show attendees. Every time I walked by the SURFSET booth, people were gathered around to watch the SURFSET group fitness demonstrations, carried out on the RipSurferX. Retailing at around $450, the board proved to provide quite a challenge, as demonstrators were sweating after just a few minutes. Now in Chelsea Piers New York, Western Athletic Clubs in California and other clubs, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more facilities offering SURFSET® Fitness after this year’s trade show.
Zumba® Fitness
Zumba® Fitness’ booth gathered a lot of attention — the company had its own store, stage and a dance floor on which to showcase its famous Latin moves. People of all shapes, ages and sizes participated in flash Zumba workouts, and purchased products such as pants, shoes and bags branded by the world-famous company.
Indoorwalking
The first day of the tradeshow, CS Editor Tyler Montgomery and I came across Indoorwalking, a group fitness class conducted on specialized cross trainers called Indoorwalkers. Founded in 2004 by Eric Bonilla, the group fitness class has gained traction outside the U.S. Around 600 clubs in Europe offer the class, including 180 clubs in Spain. After speaking with Herman Walker, an Indoorwalking group fitness instructor, we discovered that the company is looking to break into the U.S. market.
Besides intriguing products, the people within our industry are what truly peaked my interest. Almost everyone I spoke with was passionate about health and fitness, whether they were a club owner, vendor or a member.
Be sure to keep an eye on Club Solutions’ website in the coming weeks for the stories Tyler and I gathered during the trade show. And, if you couldn’t make it to the show yourself, look for the “Cool Products of IHRSA” section that will appear in the April 2013 issue of Club Solutions Magazine.
Rachel Zabonick is the assistant editor for Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.
