Patricia Ryan's Articles

You’re passionate about the value of fitness in a wellness lifestyle. You’ve educated yourself on exercise science and leadership. Perhaps your training is in yoga...

The people who seek the services of fitness businesses approach with a variety of goals and physical capabilities. A person can fulfill multiple “types” by bei...

The number of participants in group exercise and in Pilates or y...

By Patricia Ryan, MS What's more important: the effectiveness of a strength training protocol or the aching back of a new client? If you're the client, it's the aching back--...

IDEA Survey By Patricia Ryan, MS Personal Training When it comes to the number of trainers you have and the quantity of sessions they conduct, how does your facility stack up...

Trainer Survey By Patricia Ryan, MS IDEA Data Show Business Is Booming New data reveal the expansion of training into new skills and new opportunities. PERSONAL TRAINING GRO...

By Patricia Ryan, MS PROGRAMS AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE LEADING THE INDUSTRY Highlights from the 2005 IDEA FITNESS PROGRAMS & EQUIPMENT SURVEY. T The population's diver...

money Education Pays, But Do You? A QUICK TAKE-AWAY FROM THE IDEA FITNESS INDUSTRY SALARY SURVEY 2004. By Patricia Ryan, MS S uccessful fitness owners usually say that they...

As fitness businesses hire qualified staff to handle current customers and new exercisers, the good news is that 81% of fitness staff stay with the same business for 1...

people Staffing Levels A SNAPSHOT OF HUMAN RESOURCES FROM THE IDEA FITNESS INDUSTRY SALARY SURVEY 2004. By Patricia Ryan, MS H ow many staff positions do fitness businesses...

Public-health officials and the press talk about good health and weight loss, but dedicated fitness professionals are doing the work of inspiring people to exercise. Using cre...

Personal training continues to grow, despite the political and economic turmoil of the past few years. Responding to the 2004 IDEA Programs & Equipment Survey, IDE...

If you are a consumer interested in starting an exercise program, where do you go?

Fee-for-service models are preferred by 57% of IDEA members who responded to the 2003 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Survey. Even those who use a membership dues model ...

profit center by Patricia Ryan Profile of Personal Training Insights from the 2003 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Survey Personal Training Climbs 87 90 A comparison...

The IDEA mission to Inspire the World to FitnessTM begins with each of you. Your expertise in integrating equipment and fitness activities is the key to attracting and retaini...

As you read earlier this year in IDEA Health & Fitness Source, wages/ salaries for most fitness staff increased over the past 2 years. A similar comparison for revenues an...

Personal training is a popular activity because it helps clients achieve their goals. Although a new membership package may include several personal training sessions, over t...

At the heart of fitness are the programs and leadership that inspire people to exercise. With powerful programs, you can change people’s lives while doing what you love.

Do you charge for specialty classes? A few years ago when specialty classes requiring specific equipment or more highly trained—and hence, more expensive instructors&m...

Strategically developing your fitness business is like planning a garden. A gardener has many elements to consider—location, climate, space—and the elements can go...

Managers and staff in the fitness industry are very resourceful. The quality and quantity of activities they produce show a flair for innovating an apparently unending blend o...

W Revenues and Expenses How you budget and monitor results greatly impacts net revenue. riting the operating budget is an annual chore. Chore? Your accurate budget is a bluep...

Personal Training Trendwatch 2001 exist to service customers. By Kathie Davis and Patricia Ryan Stay on top of the current needs of clients and businesses. Successf...