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Too often, the fitness and health club industry is viewed strictly by the bottom line or interpreted from company or industrywide trends. But there are plenty of other stories and trends to be found inside the four walls of almost any type of fitness club.

What better way to find those stories than to take a tip from the late John Belushi and the rest of his Delta House brothers and go on a road trip?

The editorial staff of Club Industry traveled by planes, trains and automobiles to visit various clubs from different regions around the country. Occasionally, they got lost along the way or found an empty club waiting for them and maybe found a toga party or two as well.

Those visits - without the toga party stories - continues, ripped out of each staff member's own travel log.

This month, managing editor Dawn Hightower, begins Part 2 of the journey with her travels from the Midwest.

Day One

Touching down at the Minneapolis airport ends my short and uneventful flight from Kansas City as I begin the first leg of my Midwest club visits. Collecting my bags I head to the Hertz pickup counter where the clerk hands me the car keys and directions to the hotel.

After checking in at the hotel I decide to drive downtown to scope out the location of my first visit. (I have never been to the Twin Cities.) Feeling confident about where I'm supposed to go in the morning, I meet a friend for a walk around one of the lakes and then enjoy a leisurely dinner before heading back to the hotel. As I settle into bed, I realize I am excited about tomorrow and the first of what I hope to be enlightening club visits.

Day Two

Life Time Athletic Club, Minneapolis, MN

My first appointment is about an hour away. I leave the hotel in plenty of time to allow for rush hour traffic. As I navigate the city's one-way streets in my rental car, I find the parking garage and make my way to the Life Time Athletic Club in the historic Grand Hotel. Chris Fazi, the general manager, dressed in a suit, meets me outside his office where he begins to tell me more about this plush facility set in a turn-of-the-century hotel.

According to Fazi, this club is set apart from its suburban clubs because it is in the heart of the financial district and caters to people who live in the suburbs but work downtown. Members are in their mid-30s to mid-40s and are up and coming executives making about $80,000 a year.

Because Life Time Athletic Club is also a business club, it needs to be well rounded to suit members' business needs. "You need to have that business and social aspect along with the athletic programs and the group fitness," says Fazi.

On the fitness side, the club tries to stay a step ahead of other clubs. "I think our athletic programs are fantastic," says Fazi. "Our squash program is one of the best in the country - we have national and international tournaments on some of the best courts in the country." The Life Time Fitness triathlon is a big deal for the club and was broadcast on NBC in August.

In addition to the sports component, Fazi says members enjoy group exercise and its varying trends. Classes thatdevelop core muscles are popular. "Five to 10 years ago, nobody knew what core was," comments Fazi. "Once we get members in, I think we blow them away with our offerings."

As we walk around the busy workout floor, Fazi points out the arangement of the machines, what type of equipment is offered, and goes into detail about the remodeling. In the background a personal trainer is taking a woman through the paces on one of the Pilates Reformers.

Walking down the hall toward the locker rooms, we detour through the pool area, which looks like it was modeled after something at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Fazi waits outside while I check out the locker rooms, which are beautifully appointed and have all the amenities, as well as a separate sitting room with television, couches, phone and coffee tables. After members workout they can relax in the locker rooms (which are better equipped than my hotel bathroom!) or head to the LifeSpa for massages, pedicures and haircuts. Members can also wind down at the juice bar or sweat it out in the sauna and steam room or eat sushi at the swanky Martini Blu, where I had the opportunity to enjoy lunch.

Even though the club opened in 2000 after about 13 months of extensive renovation, the club has maintained the old world charm of the historic hotel through its cherry woodwork and updated art deco-style lighting, while offering the latest in equipment and top-of-the-line amenities and services.

For the more than 2,000 members that come to work out and do business at the club, service is number one, says Fazi. "Because if you come in all stressed out from a hard day's work, the last thing you want is somebody grumpy behind the sales desk."

# posted by Medical Information : 2:15 AM