317: Elevating Health and Community in Private Athletic Clubs w/ Rob Barr & Aaron James

Speaker 1: 0:00

I laugh.

Speaker 2: 0:01

So I've been here and this is my 23rd season and I think we've spent 280 million in renovation since I've been here.

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hey everyone, welcome to Private Club Radio, where we go over any and all the topics Private Club related. You listened to the show before you know. It's all the clubs the country clubs, the city clubs, the yacht club, the golf clubs, the athletic clubs and this episode is about that one the athletic clubs, and one of the reasons why I love the Private Club world. Oh, before I go on, let me introduce myself. I'm your host, denny Corby, and, as you, I'm very excited for this episode, as you can tell, because I wanted to talk to somebody about a little bit more in depth. I want to start doing more on health and wellness. Spoiler alert there's going to be health and wellness Wednesdays coming up starting the first week of February, but I was talking to my friend, aaron James AJ, over at the country club at Asheville and I brought up to him I was looking for someone fun to talk to. And he goes. I got the person. So in this episode it's me, aj, and one of his really good friends, rob Barr, the athletic director over at the Detroit Athletic Club. So this is going to be a great episode. Rob's been there for over 22 years over 20 years. It's 22 in like four months based off LinkedIn, but that could be false. Linkedin's the new Wikipedia. You know what I'm saying. But we go over in this episode everything from investments in brand new cutting edge fitness and technology, staying at the front of that aspect. That's a super important, really hot topic. Right now Rob talks to us about how they were bringing in AI fitness machines, bonkers, the AI powered bio strength and bio circuit machines, and they offer like personalized workouts and track members. It's ridiculous, but we go over everything from the social integration aspects in the athletic spaces in clubs. Strategic wellness investments you know Rob was very open and sharing with us about how it's rather than just spending frivolously lavishly, there we go. You know the DAC's approach to wellness investment is very strategic and smart and they focus on really hiring knowledgeable staff and putting in people and processes that they know are going to be impactful to the overall wellness of the club and the membership. You know it's about the long game. It's about improving member retention in the experience, rather than just the immediate revenue spike and hit, which is, you know, the long term care, long term health, running for the long haul. And then we sort of wrap things up in our talk about trends toward, you know, outdoor and more functional movement again. So we have a really fun talk. I'm very excited, but let's welcome our pal Aaron James and our new friend Rob Barr, the athletic director of the DAC, in the building.

Speaker 3: 3:42

No, I spent $100,000 on eight pieces of equipment at Cherokee, so I know what you're doing.

Speaker 2: 3:47

Yeah, we did the bio strength.

Speaker 3: 3:50

Yeah, you did the bio circuits.

Speaker 2: 3:51

Yeah, so we did that, and that alone was, you know, 180 grain.

Speaker 3: 3:57

Yeah, that's not cheap. That's cool stuff, though. I love it.

Speaker 2: 4:01

Well, I assume that my name's Rob. I'm the athletic director at the Detroit Athletic Club, so this is.

Speaker 1: 4:08

I didn't realize it now. Is it only that expensive because it's commercial equipment, or is it the break? What's this cost? Is it worth it? How long?

Speaker 2: 4:17

Yeah, it's all AI driven. So it learns you, it understands you, and I mean the stuff has Ferrari leather, it is state of the art, everything I mean literally you get on it, you exercise on it. It learns your range of motion. You can then use your phone or a wellness wristband. It recognizes you when you walk up, it sets on your height and everything for you and then, at the end of the day, it learns to be progressive, so it will increase your weights for you. And the interesting thing is normal synchronized circuits. You know it's pull the pen and move the weight this you have. You can make it feel like water, you can make it feel like wage, you can make it feel like rubber bands, you can use a max resistance. So you know you have five or six training styles in one machine, whereas the old Suckter is equipment's plug and play. I mean I always got annoyed when personal trainers put people on Suckter as a piece of equipment. I always felt like they were cheating their clients. But now you know, I almost encourage the personal trainers to go out, because they can actually take, go in on the back side of the program and write an entire workout for their clients and send it to them and boom, it's ready to go the next time they're in. So it's pretty phenomenal stuff.

Speaker 1: 5:46

And one machine's how much.

Speaker 2: 5:50

Oh shoot, we got 12 pieces for 180 grand, so it's not too bad. You're probably yeah, you're only talking, you know probably $14,000.

Speaker 3: 5:59

$12,000, $15,000 each.

Speaker 1: 6:00

It's not too bad. I thought that was for one piece like 100, and some I was like oh no, this thing.

Speaker 2: 6:07

We're not. We're not that crazy.

Speaker 3: 6:10

It is DAC, but we, we you know I was, it was.

Speaker 2: 6:17

I laugh I so I've been here and this is my 23rd season and I think we've spent 280 million in renovation since I've been here.

Speaker 1: 6:28

She's pretty pretty half to chuck a change. See that one more time.

Speaker 2: 6:34

No, I'm not gonna quote this on anything. We've spent well closer to our an 80 million.

Speaker 1: 6:40

Wow, since I've been here, you know what, though, being the athletic club, I feel like that's not a bad like if you didn't spend a lot on athletic stuff, I feel like that would have been a bigger problem.

Speaker 2: 6:50

Well, this is all you know. When I say 280, it's, it's dining rooms, kitchens. You know we redid our bowling alley two years ago for the tune of nine million dollars. How many lanes? But we have nine. We have 900 bowlers. I mean, yeah, we are the largest private club bowling facility in the nation I have so you're talking to a fellow bowler? Oh, you would love it. I mean, we have the lanes that Are pristine. We run leagues Monday through Friday. We run at least three, if not four, leagues every day, and then on Saturdays we use it for junior bowling. And we do on On every other Saturday, mixed couples. Oh, and that's from mid-September through mid-eight.

Speaker 1: 7:40

Now have you gotten the AI arm for the bowlers that Gets you a strike every time? That's that should probably be on the knuckle.

Speaker 2: 7:48

No, but, but I will tell you that our oiling machine is a very favorable oil pattern so that we have more 300 games than any other a facility in the nation. I can tell you that. I can tell you that our members I won't state this, you know live, but I would tell you that when our members leave our facility, they're probably, I Don't know 20 or 30 pens less On a normal way.

Speaker 1: 8:13

So oh, Wow that bonkers. See, I'm like a really weird bowler. Either I'm really good and hot or I'm off. So my average was not 190. I was either like 200 and some, or I was like 150. There was no I'm.

Speaker 2: 8:31

I'm the extreme. I'm like 130 or 220 Depends on my. All my staff makes fun of me because I'm either really really good on a day or I just absolutely just quite the big one, yep.

Speaker 1: 8:45

Yep, that was the perks of bowling. It's either it's gonna be a really good night or, yeah, not a fun night. It's Great, and bowling's one of like the sports I always laugh to people where, if after the very first like Run, hit, whatever you want to call it, as soon as you start, if you don't get a strike, a Perfect game like. There's no other sport really where it's like, not like a perfect game like in bowling. If you just mess up the first one, the rest of the game can't be perfect. Oh, yeah now and nothing like a, like an open frame in the first. It really Is just such a buzzkill. It is especially when, like other people who are like worse on your team are doing like really well too, you know, like come on.

Speaker 2: 9:32

Pick it off.

Speaker 1: 9:33

Yeah, I know I'm with you then the handicaps come in. Oh, that's frustrating.

Speaker 2: 9:38

No, it is, it is but you know. Great social sport that everybody loves, really active. I I think our average, out of the nine hundred bowlers we have a 92% in show up every week. Wow, so you have an 8% variants of getting subs in which we have, I mean, shoot, we had a. I think we have over a hundred. So I mean that's never an issue but just a lot of fun. I mean it's, it's great engagement, people enjoy, it's a social aspect. That's what makes our club unique.

Speaker 1: 10:18

So I Don't mind phrases. I think bowling Should be like a mediation technique, especially when it comes like wars and battles, like I think heads of states and countries, whatever should have to go bowling, because everyone always has their own Weird style. That somewhat works and it in some of them are pretty embarrassing, but they still work. Almost like do you guys watch parks and rec? Yeah, it's like Tom Hoverford goes bowling, ron goes and tries it, but he goes like so you got a 300 gonna put your name up. He's like I was never here, let's get you like rolling between his legs.

Speaker 2: 11:02

It's a lot of fun, it's. I mean, we do, we do mix, we do youth, we do men's, we do women's, so it's it's good for him.

Speaker 1: 11:10

I didn't realize we're gonna talk this much about bowling. All right, let's uh yeah sorry. No, I know I love this. This is so cool and I would have never like to have a club that to have that. I don't want to say intense of a bullet, but that that's amazing, like that's such high for a very strange sport also.

Speaker 2: 11:30

Yeah, you know what I would say. Michigan is known for bowling, I mean, and we have more bowling alleys in Michigan than any other state. Stop, right you know so the the preference of bowling in Michigan, I guess because of the winners. Everybody loves to do it, but man, I tell you so we, the clubs, had bowling since the late 1800s. So it's, it's been around, been around for a while been around for quite a while actually, so, so let's get started.

Speaker 1: 12:02

I'll start the Richard at 832. That'll be the start, all right, so let's my. My thought for this is I want to break it up into like two sections. So next year, for oh so by the way, hey, I'm Denny, private club radio. You're automatically a good friend. What? Once we can start talking about bowling. But, so my my goal next year for private club radio is having an episode every single day. So I want to start doing like a like a health and wellness Wednesday. So to me, you know and thanks Aaron for hooking this up this is truly, this is gonna be a great conversation. So, you know, my kind of thought for today is I would love to kind of break it up into two parts, one part being you know we're starting 2024. So it's gonna be released next, next week or the week after. So hey, we know we're starting 2024 in terms of like athletic wellness, health, wellness programs. What can people do to kind of start the year off right or at least start the ball moving for them? So I want to do like a part of like how do like start a wellness program, how to get it going a little bit, and then the second part, how to take an existing program and enhance it. And I think that's sort of loose. You guys a little bit more froze in the, obviously in the athletic and wellness or health and wellness world. So I'll kind of bump it up to you a little bit, because that's your, your expertise. So that's kind of the route I want to go and I think we can have a really cool conversation from there. So, part one, starting you know just sort of how to start even implementing, which I think Aaron, you might probably speak a little bit more on that just in my sort of head, just because I, because you, you you're into the club, like you're new to the club, whereas Rob, you have been at the club for a while and you have an athletic club, whereas Aaron, you have just a regular private club, country club. So you know, I think that's also a really, really fun mix too. But, rob, what's your? Give us like the 30,000 foot view of who you are besides killing at the athletic club.

Speaker 2: 14:09

Yeah, so exercise physiologists. But you know I'm graduating from Indiana University. I'm starting the private club business way back when. I've been in the private club world for over 28 years, Came to the DAC in 2001. I am the director of athletics and facilities at the club so oversee probably about a 125 step numbers throughout the building and you know we do a little bit of everything. You know I say Our goal is to improve the quality of life through fitness on the sports and fun. You know that's kind of what we say at the DAC and really, at the end of the day, my role as Kind of the overseer of athletes Is to provide cutting edge services with innovative facilities that are adaptable per the membership depending on who it is. So I mean it's really about progression and change and being with the times and trends, but understanding what trends are and why it shouldn't, shouldn't stay and and Really, at the end of the day, really wanting to provide Ability to live a longer, healthier, healthier lifestyle for our memberships.

Speaker 1: 15:27

Would you say that's why a lot of people join the club? I?

Speaker 2: 15:31

Think there's many reasons that the people join the club. I mean we are in the heart of Detroit so I mean it's yes, athletics is a very vibrant part of it, but we've got we have three different restrooms, tons of bank was, tons of sports, tons of opportunities. We do a lot of clubs within club and societies where people can get involved and stay engaged. So you know, I would say athletics is a. I wouldn't say athletics is the reason people join. I would say athletics is the reason people stay.

Speaker 1: 16:01

Oh, oh so, even so, even though it's, it's an athletic club, that's not always their reason for joining.

Speaker 2: 16:09

No, I mean you. You have a number of networking opportunities and social opportunities and that people want to be a part of, and and they happen to find themselves in the athletic arena and and they all become athletes. Right, I mean I'm, I treat everybody as an athlete, I'm no matter who you are, because that's that's how my brain thinks. And and we work with people to you know, in all stages and all athletics, whether it's hey, I want to play with my grandkids or I want to play a sport you know, and I want to be the best squash player, the best ball player, or whatever it may be it's, it's about providing those opportunities, personalizing and and really for us is engaging social aspect. Did, everything we do has a social so I want to start with.

Speaker 1: 16:58

This question is a question I want to start asking people, and we'll start with Aaron first and we'll go over to you, rob what is a private club?

Speaker 3: 17:07

A private club is a group of individuals who have come together for the sake of trying to better and enhance their lifestyle, trying to invent of their social, their social atmosphere, really trying to make those connections. Whether they had the same beliefs as the person sent an X to them or they got their own beliefs, it doesn't matter. It's about creating that social aspect, that social lifestyle, and really driving fun, as Rob just said, with the DAC.

Speaker 2: 17:34

What about you, rob? Can I just say ditto, that's fine, really, no, seriously. I mean, he hit the nail on the head. It's about providing a culture and an experience. It's a work cruise ship on land. We have the ability to create memorable experiences throughout. That overarching aspect of connecting people to people, engaging people, giving them more than what they can find in a big box club or anything else. It's about that social connection and engineering the ability for networking and moving people forward. Honestly, we're their home away from home. We're that second place that they want to be, that we give them the things. Quite frankly, most private clubs at least we are is a one-stop shop for many, many things, whether it's we do everything from recovery to physical therapy to making meals so you can take it home to whatever. But again, it's that social connection. Then it's about bringing the family into it. We do father, son, mother, daughter, father, daughter. We do all these special events for our families to get them engaged and growing up in an atmosphere that they're socially connected and that they love the ability to be around people that are like-minded. Quite frankly, in the private club, this isn't negative towards anything else. You're surrounding yourself with extremely successful people when you have like-minded individuals that are around everybody all the time, it's a great think tank.

Speaker 1: 19:21

I like that a lot. You're both very active in the athletic world and health wellness. We're starting 2024. What are some I don't want to say trends, because trends is always a weird thing in wellness. You always want to keep a consistent, the fad diets. None of that. We touched on it a little bit earlier with the AI and the programs and the new machines. What other trends are you seeing when it comes to 2024 and on now, when it comes to health and wellness and programming for private clubs? Let's start with you, aaron.

Speaker 3: 19:57

A lot of what I'm seeing is again. We've talked a lot about the taking it outside the four walls, trying to get people to back out in the nature. I tell people all the time golf was the first athletic component to the country club industry. Because you're out for a walk, people want to be able to get out and about and exercise in the way that suits them best. So it's not going to be just sit down on the machine anymore. It's going to be getting out, hiking, biking, rollerblading, whatever it is. People want to do it together. They want to be combining friendship fun with exercise. You're starting to see things like Beaver Fit come out with the mobile trailers for their outdoor fitness facilities. You're also starting to see AI being mobile through all the wearable tech and such. That's the big one, especially in Asheville, that I'm starting to see is people want to be outdoors.

Speaker 2: 20:56

Yeah, I would say 2024 is the year of you. When I say that it's about personalization, it's about what do I need? What do I need to live a healthier, happier life, to have that social component to do things with my friends? It's about body care. It's about recovery. It's about aesthetics. It's about the physical, digital and mental aspect of up health. You're going to see a lot more meditation retreats. You're going to see a digital detox. I think you're really going to see people weaning themselves off of social media and still having it, but limping into maybe an hour or two a day, as opposed to six or seven hours a day. You're going to see people getting rid of their phones at night and then the morning you're going to. It's about connection and engagement. I think that you're going to see fat diets go away. I think people are finally realizing that in this world it's about eating clean and healthy. Whether it's the 90, 10, the 80, 20, but I think you're going to start to see fat diets go away and they're going to be replaced for long, sustainable stuff that you can do all the time. You can also see that in fitness as well. As you talk about 75 hard, you can talk about all these other things. They're all good. I'm one of those that, hey, if that gets you off the couch and into the game and get you going, by all means I would support you in that mode. But hell, I like to say no to New Year's resolutions. Why do you have to have a resolution in 2024 when it's really it should be a lifetime of getting to where you want to be? I think you're going to see a more holistic approach. Even in Michigan, we're seeing all these different DOs pop up every place that it's about taking the proper supplements as opposed to popping a pill. It's about eating healthier and having a better lifestyle as opposed to buying processed foods. I see all those things and I agree with AJ's is you're going to see a lot more people outside. It's great for your mental health and it's great for the long-term effects of what it brings to you. Those are some of the things I see there coming down the pike that will make 2024 really interesting. I do see personal training on the rise because people are going to take a more active role in how can I be healthier so that I have a longer lifestyle with my family, with my friends, and that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1: 23:44

And having that accountability to me and my wife. We have a trainer three days a week and we're like we used to be big CrossFit people but we don't want to shove that down your throat. But as we got older we're like no, so now it's the same thing 80, 20, 90, 10. We work out three, three, four days a week. We eat fairly well five, six, seven days out of the week. We're not going to kill ourselves, we're going to enjoy life. But it's, hey, realizing most of the time we don't need butter. It's also like substituting a little bit. It's like, oh, it says butter, we don't need a stick of butter, you don't need full eggs, you can use egg whites. Just being a little bit more self-conscious and then having that accountability of a coach or a trainer or something to help kind of give that accountability, because there's so many times now, especially here in the I'm in Pennsylvania, so in the winter it's cold, but knowing that we have a trainer to go to, whereas you would still pay a lot for CrossFit, but it's like, hey, a little cold, we don't like the workout, I'm not going to go today. And now it's like we can't tell Tommy no, All right we're going to go.

Speaker 2: 24:51

Now I think you're right. I think it's an accountability. People want to be held accountable and that's what's going to get them over that threshold. Because, let's face it, anybody that's new, or even as you age you're always sore, Right. You have to get over that home to get the endorphins going and to learn to get your body into gear. I wake up 4.15 every single morning and I do that because I go work out at 4.45 or 5 o'clock. Sometimes I'll work out with my wife at 5.45, but it's a continual habit of getting up, doing what I need to do, processing things and then moving forward. It's that accountability piece that most people are miss.

Speaker 1: 25:40

So, aaron, with you at your club, what do you see, maybe changing a little bit for trends in 2024, being, as your, more of the country club, more of the private club? What differences do you might see compared to the athletic club?

Speaker 3: 25:57

We're going to be seeing a lot more walking. Because we have the golf course, our walking rounds were significantly higher this year than even our riding rounds. We actually had more walkers than riders. So we're going to start seeing a lot more walking. We're seeing a younger membership wanting to walk as well, not just the older guys who want to have the pure golf. So we're putting in more of the equipment to maintain balance and stability and endurance during those rounds. We're starting to see more of the partnership, where couples are starting to do more yoga together and they're doing more flexibility things. So some of our programming is starting to manage those relationships and kind of move in that direction. And we're still, at the end of the day, we may be a country club but we're still a golf club at heart and trying to push into more of that athletic realm is going to be always struggle for what we're trying to do here. We just don't have that in the facilities that Detroit has or those bigger clubs have, so we're going to try and utilize what we do have, which is 650 acres of space.

Speaker 1: 27:07

I forgot you guys had that much. It's a lot of space. Wow, a lot of walking.

Speaker 2: 27:13

I wish I had that, sorry but you have height at the athletic club. We do. You have height.

Speaker 1: 27:22

They have. I'm going to say girth, but that's a hate, that word. How big is your building?

Speaker 2: 27:30

Oh, she's 290,000 square feet, wow.

Speaker 1: 27:35

And how much of that. Do you have any like overnight rooms, or is it?

Speaker 2: 27:43

Yeah, we've got 26 overnight rooms which are going under renovation in January, and then you have three different restaurants, ballroom, you know there's a lot of big space, athletic facilities. It's kind of I said this before it's kind of like that cruise ship off land. The amount of things that we can do with the different areas, or ability and provide things, is just incredible.

Speaker 1: 28:14

And I would assume you have basketball court. You have, like, all the facilities.

Speaker 2: 28:17

Well, yeah, we have basketball, pickleball, we've got squash, racquetball, handball, we got golf simulators, we do soccer, we do hockey, we do golf. Obviously we have relationships throughout the city that we have reciprocity for golf. So we try to do a little bit of everything. We do hiking, biking, kayaking, we do cycling and running at clubs, so as active as we can get. We have a triathlon group that we go out and we've done couple iron minutes together. So I mean it's again it's about engaging. I always tell everybody as I walk through my office and I meet new members, it's hey, if there's something you're interested in, let us know. We either probably do it or we would think about doing it. I mean we have a group of people that go rock climbing which is probably a mile and a half from our facility downtown. So again, it's engaging those people and giving them what they want. I'm totally on board with the AJ set is think outside of the four walls, because you know, in a private club sector it's not necessarily about being within here and doing the things within your four walls. It's about creating that social engagement outside of the four walls that keep your mother's come.

Speaker 1: 29:37

Or just using the wall in different capacities, like climbing them. So besides, I know we I think we can all agree on you know the trends of declining of, you know the fads of diets and things. What other trends do you see, either declining or, you hope, decline or not. That just aren't bad. But what are some things you might see? Certain maybe I don't want to say clubs or just people doing that just needs to stop in terms of health and wellness.

Speaker 2: 30:10

Hey, Jay, I'll let you take this one.

Speaker 3: 30:15

Oh, I think that people need to stop. There's such a variety when people talk about personal trainers. The big thing is, you got to. You got to find something that fits your style and find something who's actually educated and qualified. Everybody in their grandmother can get a certification overnight. I know I spoke to you and spoke about this previously. But find somebody who's educated by somebody who fits with you but, at the end of the day, understand body and how it moves and and you want to find some, and you want to find somebody who is a kinesiologist, because those are the people that are really going to teach you how to get better. Find an educator. Don't just find a doctor. Find an educator. Find somebody who's is going to be that partner in whatever you do. That's, that's my biggest thing.

Speaker 1: 31:04

No, I was just going to bring that up from our conversation and it's one of those when it's just put like we all know the things, when you put it into like different compartments, so when you were, oh, you know they might save three bucks an hour or whatever it is on a different person, but if that one, if they injure somebody or not injure somebody, but they have somebody do something, they get injured that member now it's not going to cost them, just whatever you know of not coming, it's them not eat, it's the trickle down effect. You know it's not costing you three bucks an hour extra, it's, you know, the potential thousands of that member not being able to come for three months because they're injured or whatever. And you know they're not blaming the club or anything. But it's just that, like that, that trickle effect that was still one of my my favorite moments from our talk is just that, that little bit of like, hey, spend a little extra time, a little extra money, a little extra care, find that better person.

Speaker 2: 31:54

Yeah, we actually make personal trainers do a live session with one of our team members. So they, you know, AJ said it's best is can read book, take really it's about the practical application and make sure that they understand and make numbers with. So I think he's right on that.

Speaker 1: 32:15

So you know I know I'm oh no, I was just gonna say so. You know how do you like what? Our steps to enhancing? So you Right, as we were coming on, you were both talking about, yeah, I think you're both starting brand new renovations or programs coming up in this January. What are some easy enhancements that let's just say health and wellness isn't a priority at a specific club right now? What are? Or maybe members just aren't about it? How do you start that Engage? How do you start that hype? How do you get people a little bit more excited about it?

Speaker 2: 32:50

Well, I'll tell you, this is there's not a facility in the country that does have wellness? They just may not reckon it's about. It could be as easy as putting a Pre-noted thing on your menu says this is our healthy, or whatever we're calling Could be, you know, running yoga retreats. It could be doing a move, that playability class. It could be, you know, hiring some stretch coaches. I mean you, you can start as simplistic as you want, but it's about starting. It's about putting something in place and then building that foundation. It, you know, moving up. You know now we have a, we have an entire wellness recovery suite. We have four certified athletic trainers that have D1 backgrounds. We have a whole list of orthopedic surgeons. We do physical therapy. We, we do. We're getting ready to start IV therapy. We're doing these. I could have this we're doing, we're bringing in docs for holistic aspects of stuff. So I mean, like I said, you can, starting is Laying the groundwork in the foundation, about building, and then you know, and then you can go from there. Is, you know, with AJ's facility, I mean, grab a Theragun, grab some compression boots, grab a, grab a trainer that will stretch people, put a true stretch in. I mean you can stir. You know you don't have to spend millions and millions of dollars to start a wellness and our health of wellness division, whether you're at a country cover in athletic club. It's. It's about hiring somebody that has the knowledge and allowing them to start implementing things, whether that's what the menu or or whatever it could be is, is you just start.

Speaker 1: 34:46

And and I would say, and this is, and then we'll get to you, aj, but I'm just thinking too, it probably makes it easier For like a health and wellness type program to start or get better. If you know You're at a even like a not even so much a golf club but a yacht club, like a lawn and tennis club, because now it's people are there to play like tennis, pickleball stuff, that's a certain body movements, like that's a easy thing, like hey, here's workouts that help these functions a part of like a yacht club. Hey, you're gonna be sailing other stuff, hey, you might want to work on this because you're gonna be. You know you used to doing these certain movements getting on and off boats.

Speaker 2: 35:21

You know Stability because you're gonna be on water, so working the core, like I think there's so easy ways to start that, that, that program, that excitement in ways to get people going, yeah where we lose it in our industry is the general managers of those facilities have to be intelligent enough to hire somebody that has a good background and help implement those things and those little steps that will enhance the program. I mean, we can talk about revenues all day long. It's not about the revenues. I mean, let's face it, there's Are typically what pay for everything, and you have to have those annually in order to have any type of success. So when we start getting out of the aspect of well, you know you're gonna have to spend an X amount of money to hire somebody You're thinking of it as an investment to keep them there, and that's the that's the shift in mindset is is it's investing in, investing in the future and making them want to stick around and stay in your facilities.

Speaker 3: 36:34

By investing in somebody not just, not just a facility or something like that You're really investing in the future of the club. You're, you're for lack of a better term a gracious organizer You're. You're, you're, by investing in somebody who can organize and run programming and really engage the membership, you're. You're, you're putting in the club's future first Over anything else, over revenues. Revenues will always come Do's, but do's are part of the experience. So you need to create that experience. You need to find an experienced driver and the in the fitness and wellness industry to really drive what's coming down the pipe and when to get people engaged. If people aren't engaged and knock, you're never gonna get whatever programming you want off the ground. So you got to find somebody who is excited, engaging and wants to what's best for the club.

Speaker 2: 37:26

Yeah, and give me a great example, if you have time, for a story is in 2019, I did a town hall meeting with a couple hundred members in attendance and I pitched this whole Theory about wellness recovery in the future, of where we need to go as a facility. We bought a Theragon, a pair of compression boots. In 2021, we spend six or seven hundred thousand and renovating a very small space, created a wellness recovery suite, hired a couple athletic trainers and now they see almost 500 people in my In that facility. So I mean, you're in and when you look at unique User types, I think they see 1500 people over the course of the year. So that's a large portion of your membership that it it took very amenable. Yes, there is, there is an expense to hiring staff, getting some stuff, but at the end of the day, the value that we've gotten out of that is tremendous. So what's?

Speaker 1: 38:32

what are some easy, first-step things that should be done first, like what should be upgraded first. You know what may. I don't want to say upgrade at first or last, but what do you see tends to be quicker, better payoff upgrades. You know some people they you know, they get told so. So much in information. So you know a club might go all we want to updo our you know facilities and what the members want versus what the Company might be selling them to put in. You know what are just some. I don't know if I'm asking this question properly, but hopefully you can pick up what I'm putting down, but, like you know, so, looking at a facility, what are some things to start with that are always like I Got an old clubhouse, built in 74, and the first thing I would tell people is look through the equipment, look through the benches, the dumbbells and all that stuff and just look at the space.

Speaker 3: 39:26

Space has become the biggest trend over the last 10, 15 years. Functional movement has taken over the, the training world as as the number one thing that people want to do. So they're talking about more Moving way around, using your body properly, using your body to, to adjust to the proprioceptive environments that were we live it. So what is? What is space? How can you create space out of almost nothing? This year's renovation one goal from 10 pieces of cardio equipment down to seven, I'm creating another 25 square feet of useful space Because we need it. You need, we need to find a way to get people in the room and moving and connecting and Using their bodies properly, as opposed to sitting on our, our Nautilus equipment from 1989. So we're going to continue to push that direction and then, when it comes time to to upgrade our equipment, our strength equipment, we're gonna look at condensing and combining some of those older pieces strength pieces to to create more space and more space over time, really trying to find a way to at the end of this space to get people together.

Speaker 1: 40:40

Dumb question. So you just mentioned 25 square feet. That's not a lot of space, but it is for what you need. What do you envision, like what can 25 square feet do for a facility in terms of their Health and wellness, in their athletics and stuff like that? So it's like to me, you know what was that? A five by five piece of like area. Right, I was horrible at math in school, so Making sure I was gonna say that, right, but like, so what does that mean? What does that mean? Like so to me, like I'm just trying to visualize what in your, in your world, what can a five by five, you know? What can that extra?

Speaker 3: 41:15

thing do it can. It can either be stretching. It can be a place for people to rest, but they're take a load off their feet. It can be a space for abs. It can be a space where couples can lay down next to each other and do partner ab movements, or or Partner stretching movements can be a spot that can just Give breath to the room so that people don't feel like they're on top of each other.

Speaker 1: 41:42

Mmm, that's good.

Speaker 3: 41:44

It can do a lot. It can do a lot as, just from a perception, how do we, how do we feel? And that the room, the energy within the room is, it's flowing If we cram everything into the room and there's no quote-unquote air in the room? We got a look at that as well. So by adding a five by five Quote-unquote empty space, you really add breath to that room. I, yeah, I would agree, when we did our, when it, when we did our renovation?

Speaker 2: 42:10

we Well, no, but but when we did our renovation here recently, yeah, we did take out pieces of the cardio equipment. Increase our functional square foot space, just for AJ said I mean I is providing more availability and space for people to move. You know, motion is lotion and move as medicine and and that's what people want. I mean you don't have to have 50 pieces of cardio equipment. I mean there's plenty of ways to get your cardio in and at the end of the day it's it's about the functional movement that's going to make you feel better. I mean so if somebody was new and they wanted to start a space, go on, gets medicine balls go out and gets some dumbbells, go on just benches, do I'm just some stretch sticks and the golf forever stuff. I mean you do that stuff and you're creating a space now that you know you get momentum and you get people going and then that leaves two more capital dollars, because now people are saying they are one more and then and then that that grows and and you see that movement. So people, people are starting and I would agree with AJ. I mean that five by five space it's, it's a ton of space. I mean you know you don't think of 25 square feet is a ton of space. By the end of the day it's. You know there's. There's multiple things you can do it and quite frankly it's. It's just about that ability to not have that piece of equipment there gives the opportunity or the the depth of somebody looking at it and saying, oh, this is a group space.

Speaker 1: 43:49

Speaking of equipment, is there, is there? Are there any pieces that a lot of clubs or facilities tend to have but don't really need? Or, since you know you at the athletic club, you know you've, that is your, you know that's your jam, are there pieces that you have stopped either you know getting or using? That's just either phased out or people just don't use as much that. But everyone thinks, oh, we got to have you know 10 of these and I think you may have a lot of them. Oh, we got to have you know 10 of the. I think you mentioned like more like cardio stuff. But are there like just older types of machines that people tend to just have to buy and use but they don't really use them because no one Use them?

Speaker 2: 44:26

I usually tend to give those things to members that complain about. Here you can have this one. No, there are pieces of equipment that you look and I did do that recently, by the way. I Think, at the end of the day, we can all look and there's always, you know, a piece of equipment here in there. I mean, great example is we got rid of some of our dumb, took a lot of space and, quite frankly, what our staff didn't I it was great to see it is is they made posters and and put stuff up on the wall for the first, you know, 60 days of different have movements so they that people could whether that's on the floor, on a ball, whatever it is, so that they could get better workout than they would have gotten on a piece of equipment. So I think you got to look at, you know, back extension. Do you really need it? You know, probably not. I mean, there's plenty of ways to. You know, look at Strictly your lower back, I think. I think the challenge is a Private club members, do you? I love Jane. I think he J would agree about is. Is they like their normal stuff? However, as you begin to introduce things and change things and get rid of things. They start to understand that you know that functional movement is probably better than what they were to, and whether it's starting a ski program or a rowing program or whatever it is, I I think there are pieces of equipment that exists that that don't need to be there. And again I go back ab machines, back extensions, things. They, they take up a ton of space. They Really probably if for being truthful not as effective as they could be. If you're doing something else. Yeah, I'm a big believer in bands, balls and dumbbells. You know I always laugh. Members challenge me. I said I could probably give you an entire body weight Program. Probably can't do it as much as you think you can. And that's the great thing about the industry is is it's reverting back to where we were, back in the, you know, 70s and 80s, and it's more effect. So, and you know, we decrease the amount of cardio. Why? Well, excuse, you know you don't belt the church for Christmas. You, you, you. And the same thing applies for the cardio is do you really need 47 pieces of cardio equipment? Or do you need need twine Because you gotta look at prime times? But you know. So I think that's an interesting aspect. I think that you know in our minds and I know with AJ's, when you have limited space, you want the space so you can do more with it. That's kind of a philosophy here is is Now. I would say this day I Like the gaddity stuff, I like new stuff, I like, I like the the fun stuff. I mean, I'm not I, I am like the geek I heard that that wants to see some of the new stuff that comes out and play with it and find some stuff for it. But you know, at least makes it fun and entertaining.

Speaker 3: 47:50

Well, that that's. That's the joys of being in this industry. Yeah, we can do it all with with just the body weight or whatever. I think at the end of the day, we all love the technology, we all love what's coming around the pipe. I mean, you look at techno, jim's curved treadmill and that came out, the skill mill. Everybody's like, oh my gosh, this is awesome, or the or anything like that. We all love it. We say, hey, condense, condense, condense. But like Rob said, we want that techy stuff as much as everybody else does.

Speaker 2: 48:20

Come on, our treadmill is now. I mean they tell me what percentage of weight is on each foot when you're taking us and how far your stride length is, and all that. I mean you can get as geeky as you want, uh, but that's the fun part of it is is is being able to use that technology to help people. Uh, you know feel better, rob.

Speaker 3: 48:40

Rob just mentioned the fun part, and I think that's the key to building any program we do is you got to make it fun. All too often you hear people go how's your workout? Oh, you know it's over. That's the best part. If you're not having fun doing it, you're doing something wrong. Um, you got to stop, reset and go again. But you got to. That's why there's all the other. Tech is so much fun.

Speaker 1: 49:02

Yeah, everything's starting to be getting fired.

Speaker 2: 49:06

Yeah, well, you know what then that's for your treat? You look back at the expressive bikes and some of the other stuff that, hey, you're riding the rim trying to knock stuff off Corny, probably. Um, engaging, yes, did it keep you pulling the bikes? Yes, um. So you know, I see some of that stuff. I mean, you look at the knockout box that you put up now and they have as music and you do all that stuff. Again, I would say this is if it's something that's going to engage somebody, they're going to do it and they're going to do it consistently. I'm all in. Uh, you know, it's not that I believe in air. Don't believe in it, it's. It's is if people are moving, they start to feel better. Uh, and let's face it, the people who sit on the couch all the time, they're the ones that's costing our healthcare industry millions and millions and billions of dollars because they're not Um. So whatever we can do to provide the, the atmosphere and the fun, uh, for our members, you know we'll do it, whether that's strobing lights or red light Therapy or whatever it is, uh, let's be all in and do what it takes to let people enjoy.

Speaker 1: 50:16

I'm still not on board with red light therapy. There's something about just having a light on me that's like oh, this is working, okay. Oh, kidding, I mean, we have a full red light therapy bed.

Speaker 2: 50:29

I I you know I, I would tell you I use it and you know I, you have to use it consistently. Uh, you know, red light therapy is completely different from cryotherapy. You're getting a red light therapy ban. It's like a tanning bed and you come out and you don't really feel different, Whereas a cryo chamber you get in and and you freeze yourself to death and then all of a sudden you walk out and you're like, oh my God, this is you know, this is awesome and your adrenaline is going. So I mean there's a difference. It's again. You gotta look at it. Yeah, longevity and where we want to go, and uh, some things I'm in on and some things I'm not.

Speaker 3: 51:12

Yeah. So I once posed the question to Rob a couple of years back. He was talking about a KT tape and rock tape and I said is that like a placebo effect or is that something real? And that that statement he just made about red light therapy, Uh, that's the same statement he gave me about KT tape. It's about longevity, it's about doing it because you're not, but probably not going to feel it right away. But, uh, it takes time. You got to make sure you're doing it and that's engaging and, excuse me, creating those overreturnings. Uh, that's, that's the key to being wealthy, healthy, wealthy and wise.

Speaker 1: 51:49

That's very true. I know, uh, I used to go to a chiropractor and he's like oh, try the red light therapy. And after I came in I was like what do you think? I was like oh great. Like I didn't know what to say. I was like, uh, thanks, like, like.

Speaker 2: 52:03

I would tell you this is I've used it for a year and my eyesight did change. Uh, it got better. Uh, what I'm not saying, I'm not saying that that's you know. I can't sit and say that's the reason, but I would tell you this is is you know, I, when we, when we introduce people to red light therapy, you've got to do it four, five, six times over the course of six weeks, um, and then you can get on a monthly maintenance program and we've seen great things come from people and you know, uh, doing certain last this happened, that happened. It's great recovery, I mean. So there, there, I can give you different examples of of the way it works. But, going back to it, you don't feel anything. You don't feel like there's a chain, um, where you know if you use compression boots or use a Theragun or use, uh, kinesio tapes a great one, because if you do it right, you usually feel something or it feels more supported. You just don't know what it's doing in your body, right? So I mean, so you know again, I think it's one of those things that works for some people and it doesn't work for others. I mean kind of like I'd be therapy. You know, we're getting ready to introduce. That is, some people believe that. Some people are like oh, why am I spending this much money to have a bag of water in my body?

Speaker 1: 53:29

Go to the hospital and ask them to. Gentlemen, I want to thank you so much for coming on. I want to have you guys on more um in the future. I just this is Aaron. Thank you so much for hooking, hooking us up Um, this is so good. This is so good. Um. And the last things you want to add say get on, get on, uh, get on your pedestal about.

Speaker 2: 53:57

I think in 2024, make it about you and and believe in Spire, compete, believe in yourself, inspire others and compete every day. And I lens what it's all about in 2024.

Speaker 3: 54:06

So have a lot of fun doing it.

Speaker 1: 54:09

We're green. Hope you all enjoyed that episode. I know I did. If you want to stay up to date on more of the episodes and get into the know when we start health and wellness Wednesdays, sign up at four hour newsletter. Hit on over to private club radiocom, you'll see it right there. Give us your email, there's no spam, but our weekly newsletter putting in all the new content we have coming out, daily content going to summarize everything. It's going to become nice and organized in there so you can see what's coming out, because we have all different topics from, obviously, this health and wellness to board governance, the political aspect side, food and beverage, marketing communications. If you want 31 flavors, basket Robin still open.

Speaker 2: 55:00

I don't know.

Speaker 1: 55:01

Hope you all enjoy that episode. Aj Rob, thanks again. Really appreciate it If you did like it. You know always love a like, share, subscribe. Anything you can do to help move our channel, our show in the industry forward means the world. I'm your host, danny Corby, until next time. Until next time, catch on the flippity flip.