Fitness on Demand group fitness programs. What are your thoughts?
I am curious what both group fitness instructors and club managers think about Fitness on Demand group fitness classes in a gym setting. It allows members to watch group fitness classes on a TV at the gym without an instructor on site. basically- it’s fitness videos on demand at the gym. I have seen them at 24 hour gyms, and am now getting suggestions from a vendor to add them to my gym (not a 24 hour gym with lots of -i think- great group fitness programming with real, live instructors!).
Hi Joanne. I hear what you’re saying, but I think that there is a stark difference (from a possible liability point of view) from a gym showing regular/general television programming, and that same gym showing a specific ‘fitness on demand’ DVDs or video. In my opinion, the viewing public may have an expectation that by showing an exercise video (particularly since the gym is in the ‘exercise business’) that the gym is either explicitly or implicitly endorsing that program or exercises. Whether right or wrong, since the gym is ‘in the business of exercise’ it could be argued that it was in a position to ‘select’ what exercise programming it decided to show, and as a result was therefore endorsing the program. It’s similar to lets say a physician purchasing and showing a particular health/medical program in their office versus their simply showing regularly programmed television. If you’re in ‘the business’ you could be held to a higher standard for the things your say or do that relate to that business. Just my personal opinion – NOT a legal one.
LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
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