WASHINGTON DC – You may not know it, but an exclusive health club in DC is subsidized by your money. But, taxpayers aren’t welcome. Only members of Congress are.Photos of Anthony Weiner in the House gym recently brought attention to this popular Congressional perk.
http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/national/wellness-provides-plush-gym-for-house-members
WASHINGTON DC – You may not know it, but an exclusive health club in DC is subsidized by your money. But, taxpayers aren’t welcome. Only members of Congress are.Photos of Anthony Weiner in the House gym recently brought attention to this popular Congressional perk.
http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/national/wellness-provides-plush-gym-for-house-members
Bills in Georgia and Texas are the latest legislation that have been introduced relating to personal trainer licensing. Another bill introduced in Massachusetts does not have the licensure requirement.Introduced in March, Georgia Senate Bill 204 would impose professional and continuing education requirements of personal trainers and require them to pass an exam to obtain a license to practice in that state. The bill also would establish an 11-member Georgia Board of Fitness Trainers, which would determine the specific requirements for licensing. If passed, the bill would go into effect March 31, 2012. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) says similar legislation in Georgia was defeated in 2010.Also in March, Texas introduced House Bill 3800, which relates to the licensing and regulation of professional fitness trainers administered by the Department of State Health Services. If passed, that bill would go into effect Sept. 1, 2011.Earlier this year, Massachusetts introduced House Bill 1005 in which personal trainers would be required to have either a current certification by a national independent organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or a credential or certification in either personal training, exercise science or a similar field from an educational institution recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.
Minus a licensure requirement, House Bill 1005, according to IHRSA, is the most industry-friendly personal trainer bill proposed in the country. Legislation that did include a licensure requirement was defeated during the 2009-2010 Massachusetts legislative session.
Bills in Georgia and Texas are the latest legislation that have been introduced relating to personal trainer licensing. Another bill introduced in Massachusetts does not have the licensure requirement.Introduced in March, Georgia Senate Bill 204 would impose professional and continuing education requirements of personal trainers and require them to pass an exam to obtain a license to practice in that state. The bill also would establish an 11-member Georgia Board of Fitness Trainers, which would determine the specific requirements for licensing. If passed, the bill would go into effect March 31, 2012. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) says similar legislation in Georgia was defeated in 2010.Also in March, Texas introduced House Bill 3800, which relates to the licensing and regulation of professional fitness trainers administered by the Department of State Health Services. If passed, that bill would go into effect Sept. 1, 2011.Earlier this year, Massachusetts introduced House Bill 1005 in which personal trainers would be required to have either a current certification by a national independent organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or a credential or certification in either personal training, exercise science or a similar field from an educational institution recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.
Minus a licensure requirement, House Bill 1005, according to IHRSA, is the most industry-friendly personal trainer bill proposed in the country. Legislation that did include a licensure requirement was defeated during the 2009-2010 Massachusetts legislative session.
After Anytime Fitness clubs closed unexpectedly in India, the Hastings, MN-based company cut ties with the master franchisee in that country.
The decision to end the agreement with Chandan Lunawat, chairman and managing director of Anytime India Fitness Private Limited, was made at the beginning of May, according to Anytime Fitness President and Co-Founder Dave Mortensen.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn of the recent closings of Anytime Fitness clubs in India,” Mortensen said in a statement. “This is an unfortunate development for the Indian fitness industry and for Anytime Fitness.”
All four Anytime Fitness clubs in India have closed, but the company considers them temporarily closed as it seeks alternatives to reopen them. Those alternatives include an acquisition by another club company or the assumption of the leases by a new master franchisee, says Mark Daly, company spokesperson.
According to an article from an Indian website, Lunawat closed his club in Kalyaninagar, India, on May 1. A notice posted at the club said the club would be closed for a week due to maintenance, but it has not reopened.
Lunawat announced his franchisee agreement with Anytime Fitness in December 2009. Since that time, however, Lunawat took liberties with the Anytime Fitness model and deviated from the company’s systems despite Anytime’s warnings, Mortensen said.
“As a result of these breaches, we delivered a notice of termination of our agreement to our master franchisee,” Mortensen said. “Regrettably, we were unable to apply resources from overseas to protect the numerous individuals that have been affected by this problem, including club members, staff, landlords, vendors, respected financial institutions and a prominent Bollywood celebrity.”
Any new Anytime Fitness clubs that open in India will be jointly owned and operated by Anytime Fitness and the new master franchisee, Daly says.
“We’re operating very successfully in 10 different countries currently using the standard master franchisee agreement,” Daly says. “This is the first time anything like this has ever happened where a master franchisee has not used the Anytime Fitness business model. We’re convinced that the Anytime Fitness business model can work in India.”
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