Fitness Movin' & Shakin': Money magazine recommendations, kettlebells/GoFit, Health magazine awards, Matt Chalek/AccuFitness, SGMA board, Playboy Mansion

For Dec. 18- 31

The year-end, new-year fitness equipment write-ups have begun: Money magazine in its January 2008 issue focused on less-expensive equipment with the title “Burn Calories, Not Cash.” It recommended limiting “bells and whistles” to cut price. In one “ouch” to retail, the author also stated you could try equipment in a store, pick a model and then shop online. Among stationary bikes, its pick was the Epic 420R Recumbent ($499); for ellipticals, its pick was the NordicTrack AudioStrider 800 ($799); for treadmills, the magazine chose the Diamondback 400TM ($1,299); and for rowers, it called out the Integrity Air Rowing Machine 3000 ($180)…. Kettlebells by GoFit with their trainer Sarah Lurie have hit the small screen again with a segment on E! News that aired multiple times the end of December. Look for another mention in early December on the TV Guide Channel, we were told….

The deadline for Health magazine’s “Best of Fitness” award program is nearly upon us — Jan. 11. If you haven’t checked it out yet or looked for an application, go here to see more: www.health.com/bof2008. The equipment category includes sub-categories of treadmill, weight system, ellipticals, stationary bike and most innovative. Other categories are apparel, footwear, gear (including heart rate monitors, pedometers, mats, etc.) and videos/DVDs…. Matt Chalek, president of AccuFitness for the last nine years, has left the Colorado company as of Dec. 31. He told SNEWS® he will be a marketing consultant in the Denver area for companies involved in outdoor, fitness, music, golf and media. He can be reached at Matt_Chalek@yahoo.com….

The SGMA has elected three new members for the 2008-2011 term. Lindsay Stewart (special advisor to the chairman/CEO — Nike) has been elected to a full term, while Jim Tompkins (president and COO — New Balance Athletic Shoe) and Jim Lillie (president and COO — The Jarden Corp.) were named to fulfill terms of executives who previously represented their companies on the board. Those re-elected for full terms were Carl Ferraro (president — Regent Sports Corp.), Larry Franklin (president — Franklin Sports), Carol Hochman (president — Triumph Apparel), Kerry Kligerman (president — Vital Apparel Group), and George Napier (president — Prince Sports). They join previously named directors who include Jim Baugh (founder — PE4life), Rich Bourne (president/CEO — Asics America), Dan Bower (president — Century), Chris Considine (president — Wilson Sporting Goods Company), Paul Ehrlich (vice president/business affairs & general counsel — adidas), Doug Kelly (president — Russell Athletic), Kevin Lamar (vice president/general manager — Star Trac, consumer division), Mitchell Modell (CEO — Modell’s Sporting Goods), Kevin Plank (CEO — Under Armour Performance Apparel), Bob Puccini (president — Mizuno USA), Robert Whip (president — Horizon Fitness), Richard Kazmaier (chairman — SR Industries), Steve Furniss (executive vice president — TYR Sport, Inc.), Tom Cove (president/CEO — SGMA). The current chairman, Tom Rogge (president/CEO — Cramer Products, Inc.) was re-elected by the full SGMA membership to serve as SGMA chairman for the next year….

Pronto Installation in Southern California had a fun gig in late 2007 — installing a full home health club at the Playboy Mansion of Life Fitness equipment. The installation (well, 30 seconds or so of three days of work actually) appeared on E-Entertainment TV’s “Girls Next Door” program which features, per the program’s website “Hugh Hefner and his three lovely ladies — Holly, Bridget and Kendra.” Click here to check out the Dec. 16 airing….

Got any news or tips about somebody, some product, or some company doing some moving or shaking? Let us know so we can slip it into our occasional Movin’ & Shakin’ updates. Just email snewsbox@snewsnet.com.