FACTS & FIGURES.

• Author: Olson, Adam
• Position: Health and fitness clubs - Brief Article

No Prize: In Utah, about 13 percent of people aged 18 to 54 belong to a health club -- a number too low to rank Utah among the top 10 states in terms of club membership. California and Nevada top the list with 16.7 percent.

Big Bucks: The health club business constituted a $10.6 billion industry in 1999 nationwide.

Raise the Bar: The state's largest public, multipurpose health club is the $13 million, 96,000 square foot West Valley City Family Fitness Center that opened last October.

Fitness Revolution: During the 1990s, the fitness industry moved toward workout machines and personal trainers, and away from free weights and high impact aerobics.

Fitness Resolution? January is the most productive month of the year for membership sales. The average membership growth in January is 11 percent, compared to the 7.7 percent average during other months.

Boomers vs. Gen X: Over the last decade, membership has grown up. Previously, 62 percent of all members were under the age of 35. Now, 55 percent of fitness club members are over age 35.

Gender Gap? The gap between the genders in terms of club membership slim 4 percent nationally, with 52 percent of memberships belonging to women, compared to 48 percent for the men.

Bulk Up: Club memberships nationally have grown from 20,682 in 1990, to 30,557 in 1999.

What's Regular: Utah clubs consistently list spinning, yoga, aerobics with light weights and Tae-Bo as their most popular classes.

The Business Crowd: Almost every health club in Utah caters to business people by opening early and closing late. Usually, a full slate of classes is offered early, at lunch and in the evening.

Fit in Business: The three most important reasons business people need to stay fit, according to club owners and trainers, are:

Exercise relieves stress

Exercise increases alertness and productivity

Fitness decreases days lost to illness

Finding the Right Health Club

Location, Location, Location

The location of the club can determine the demographics of its membership. Clubs in commercial areas, for example, lend themselves to the business crowd. There's usually more networking and less "scoping."

Distance is important. Ranea Poumb, owner of Jordan Valley Athletic Club, says, "If it's more than 10 miles away from where you live or work, you probably won't use it."

Contract Considerations

Consider a contract's length, flexibility and price. Month-by-month memberships are more flexible than typical one- to three-year contracts, but...