Fitness Industry Roundup: Exercise Brings People Together

What comes with being physically active is more than just strength—it’s learning how to commit, build your immunity, be part of a community, fight off diseases, keep your mental health in check, and so much more.

The following stories show the real power of exercise and the gains you wouldn’t think existed.

Study Reveals Exercise Boosts Antibodies After Receiving a Vaccine

The World Economic Forum recently reported on a Glasgow Caledonian University study that found that active people are 50% more likely to have higher antibody levels after receiving a vaccine than those who are inactive. One of the study’s authors and a professor at Ghent University and Glasgow Caledonian University, Sebastien Chastin, said, “[Physical activity] should be used more urgently and effectively in fighting the current COVID-19 outbreak, but also as a long term investment to prevent the devastating social and economic impacts this pandemic has had on society.” Findings from the study also show that 30 minutes of exercise five days a week results in a 37% decrease in the risk of falling ill and dying from an infectious disease.

Read Chastin's full article.

Gold’s Gym Protects & Reassures Members With New Hygienic Ecosystem

Gold’s Gym SoCal, an IHRSA member, is set to become the first U.S. large fitness facility to implement HeiQ V-Block Ecosystem for hygiene reassurance. According to the press release listed on Club Industry’s website, Angel Baños Jr., president and CEO of Gold’s Gym SoCal, said, “We want to take [consumer fear] away, so we are implementing HeiQ V-Block Ecosystem to show to our members how clean and safe we are, giving them the [confidence] to come back and get the best workout in the safest facility in the planet.” The HeiQ V-Block Ecosystem provides a holistic approach to disinfect and sanitize the air, things you touch, and surfaces.

Learn more about the HeiQ V-Block Ecosystem.

Elderly Man Credits Exercise in Overcoming COVID

James Ray, an 81-year-old Troy, NC, resident, was featured in The Pilot detailing his bout with COVID-19 earlier this year. Ray, a frequent visitor and member of FirstHealth Fitness-Troy since 2001, believes that being physically active at the facility and good healthcare helped him recover from the coronavirus. Ray said, “This idea of fitness is really important to me and being active is helping me get over COVID faster. My primary care doctor told me the quicker I return to exercise, the better.” Taressa Bryan, FNP, worked with Ray during his recovery. She said, “Regular physical activity does improve immune function, cardiovascular and muscle function, as well as greater lung capacity, all of which can lessen the impacts of COVID-19. Exercise is medicine, basically.”

Read more about Ray.

Army Participates in Online Exercise Challenges to Stay Fit & Interact

In the article featured on the U.S. Army’s website, Col. Mario Washington, U.S. Army Garrison commander, said, “The Fitness Center is probably the most impactful place on post, (and) when it shut down (due to the COVID-19 response), we felt the loss throughout the community.” To deal with the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center’s forced closure, fitness instructors and staff created virtual monthly fitness challenges for everyone on base to stay active and social. Now, all challenges and workouts are available on the Wiesbaden Sports and Everything Fitness Facebook group, which is open to “Anyone who wants to be challenged,” according to Maria Diaz, Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center installation fitness coordinator. The group has amassed more than 1,000 members since its inception.

Request to join the Facebook group.

Parkinson’s Patients Manage the Disease With Rock Steady Boxing

To help stimulate hand/eye coordination and cognitive function in those with Parkinson’s, Pacific Island Fitness in Kona, HI, in partnership with the Hawaiian Parkinson’s Association, offers Rock Steady Boxing classes. Gretchen Westgaard, a certified Rock Steady Boxing coach, told Big Island Now that the boxing classes help balance and dexterity, use voice activation, and offer camaraderie for the students and caregivers. The program hits close to home for Pacific Island Fitness Owner Chris Bisnow, whose father passed away from Parkinson’s a year and a half ago. He said, “[Rock Steady Boxing is] one of those cool things where the community comes together and everyone does their little part, and the sum of those parts is greater than what you expected, and you end up with a really nice situation like this.”

Learn more about Rock Steady Boxing.

Has your health or fitness-related business been featured in the news recently? We want to know! Send a link to any news article or video that highlighted your business to pr@ihrsa.org, and we may include it in a future issue of the Fitness Industry Roundup.