Fitness Reads: Farewell, Joe Weider, and hello, Augie Nieto

What did the SNEWS team read this week that other industry insiders might find interesting? Read on to find out.

• A fitness industry pioneer and the man who made Arnold Schwarzenegger a superstar died of heart failure last weekend in Los Angeles at age 93. Club Industry reports that Joe Weider got his love of the fitness industry from reading magazines, which inspired him to make himself a few pieces of equipment and start his weightlifting career. He moved on to create a fitness magazine empire, and later his own barbell company.

• At IHRSA, we saw the mobile applications utilized in manufacturers’ networked fitness systems firsthand. This Mobile Health News story talks about MyFitnessPal and Map My Fitness’ partnerships with NetPulse, a technology partner that provides networked fitness applications for companies like Matrix and Octane Fitness. We have a networked fitness update story in the works, so stay tuned to SNEWS.

• We reported last week that Nielsen Holdings plans to sell the section of its company that’s responsible for the Health and Fitness Business Expo and Interbike Trade Shows, along with the Outdoor Retailer markets both winter and summer. Check out this Bloomberg story in addition to our SNEWS story.

• Cramming a whole week’s worth of exercise into the two-day weekend is the only option some busy people have, but according to this Florida Today story, it’s not the best idea. That mentality can lead to injuries and fatigue. 

• The opening line of this Stir story resonated with us: “Love summer, hate the thought of summer clothes.” Like this woman, who wrote “Confessions of a Curvy Mom” we love the idea of warmer weather but a few extra, lingering holiday pounds have us dreading the thought of summer clothes. Check out her tips to exercise at work while your coworkers are none the wiser.

• If your customers aren’t healthy, and they go to a physically fit doctor, chances are that doctor might prescribe exercise, according to this U.S. News story. The story reported the findings of a study that discovered fit doctors are more likely than their inactive counterparts to advise unhealthy patients get moving. Forge connections with those fit doctors, retailers! Maybe they’ll prescribe a treadmill from your store.

• The fitness industry always rallies around Life Fitness founder Augie Nieto, and it’s not often that people get to witness a near-miracle. Club Industry Editor Pamela Kufahl, along with a small crowd, saw Nieto, whose condition prevents him from speaking and requires he use a wheelchair and breathing machine, was able to use an Octane xRide seated elliptical. The joy on his face, Kufahl writes, was enough to make her high the rest of the day. 

• Protein bars and shakes have been a hit in the fitness and outdoor industries for years. Now it seems the ingredient is booming at the mainstream level. “When the box says ‘protein,’ shoppers say ‘I’ll take it,’” claims the Wall Street Journal in this article.

• We’ve read study after study touting the benefits of exercise for people who are in remission from cancer. According to this Daily Journal story, people who are disease-free are only at the beginning of recovery, which is why one Palo Alto, Calif.-based YMCA developed a 12-week free program for cancer survivors. The program has had 1,700 participants so far and developers are hoping to spread the word

• Speaking of benefits of exercise, this U.S. News report lists the top “mind-blowing benefits of exercise,” which aren’t all about weight loss. Some of the effects include alleviating the negative effects of stress and depression.

–Compiled by Ana Trujillo