24 Hour Fitness personal trainers share their Beijing experience

Fitness Ambassadors from 24 Hour Fitness will be blogging live from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Read about their experience working with US Olympic athletes at the High Performance Training Center and their travel adventures across China. The team, comprised of 30 team members from throughout the United States, has undergone extensive training in preparation for this once-in-a-lifetime international assignment.

24 Hour Fitness and the media

People are talking about 24 hour Fitness and the 2008 US Olympic Team. Check out our press coverage and find out how weʼre staying involved.
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final reflections

08/11/08 — Derek Gallup

As I flew back on the 12-hour flight from Beijing to SFO, I had time to reflect on my trip to Beijing. My first thoughts were that we work for such an amazing company! We are so serious about Fitness Done Right that we are able to have our trainers work with coaches and Olympic athletes to ensure that they have safe and effective workouts in the High Performance Training Center (HPTC) during the critical last days leading up to their Olympic events. No other corporate partner of the US Olympic Committee has ever been as close to the athletes as the team members of 24 Hour Fitness were. It was truly amazing!

Everything we did was about supporting the athletes in their quest for gold. The work was not always glamorous. We stocked the coolers to provide the drinks and water the athletes needed. We swept and mopped the floors to ensure that the footing in the HPTC was safe. We cleaned and even repaired equipment. We mopped up pools of sweat - especially for the wrestlers and boxers who had to "make weight". We all worked with the "Whatever it takes to help bring home the gold" mentality. The athletes were so happy with how clean the club was that they wanted to clean up after themselves because they did not want to make a mess.

We had the opportunity to meet and support so many athletes from an amazing array of sports: basketball, indoor and beach volleyball, water polo, track and field, boxing, freestyle and Greco-roman wrestling, field hockey, tae kwon do, judo, fencing, triathlon, pentathlon, swimming, tennis and weightlifting. On the morning of the Opening Ceremony, we had over 30 athletes from eight different sports all working out in the HPTC at the same time. It was incredible to witness and assist the coaches and athletes. We also had the privilege of meeting President Bush, Sr. He was charming and introduced himself to everyone in the HPTC.

The trainers and Fitness Managers who were fortunate enough to go on this trip of a lifetime were awarded it because of their high levels of education, their service and dedication to 24 Hour Fitness and because of how they changed their members' lives. Finally, in expressing their desire to be a brand ambassador they understood how filling this role was not about them, but allowing them to be part something much bigger than themselves. We found this to be true as we cheered on and supported our own trainer Adam Wheeler who took home the bronze medal in Greco-Roman wrestling. We were fortunate enough to fly back home with Adam on our flight.

Congratulations to our Athletes and Brand Ambassadors on a successful adventure in Beijing. Now it's time to focus on our members and delivering to them the same gold medal service we were part of at the Olympics.

See you in the clubs!

message from our CEO

08/21/08 — Carl Liebert, CEO - 24 Hour Fitness

Last week I had the opportunity to meet former President George Bush, who is the honorary U.S. Olympic team captain. The highlight of the event was watching 24 Hour Fitness team member - and team captain of the U.S. Olympic Judo Team - Brian Olson present the President with his own 24 Hour Fitness Olympic pin. I couldn't have been more proud of everyone on the 24 Hour Fitness team.

Over the past several days, I have spent a lot of time at the High Performance Training Center (HPTC) at Beijing Normal University. It has been a huge hit with the athletes, coaches, and USOC staff. Our first wave of Fitness Ambassadors did a tremendous job at getting the facility ready for the athletes and coaches. Everyone has commented on the high level of professionalism of our Fitness Ambassadors and their willingness to do whatever is needed to support Team USA.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the HPTC was held on August 6 - and was flawless! It was attended by four of our Olympic athletes, Coach K, Jerry Colangelo (national director for USA Basketball) and a number of media outlets. What a great way for us to share with the world the power of the 24 Hour Fitness brand and the passion of our team members!

Go Team USA!

initial impressions

07/31/08 — David Mann

Our initial experience at the High Performance Training Center (HPTC) has been incredible! The facility looks phenomenal and we have received a ton of compliments from both the athletes and the USOC staff. So far, women’s soccer, men’s boxing, and women’s weight lifting have used it. Every athlete we have encountered has been very friendly and engaging.

Just the other day we watched 24 Hour Fitness team member and Olympic weightlifter Carissa Gump squat and clean & press today...crazy! She was pressing 260 pounds overhead without a problem. Our team is having a lot of fun working together and soaking in the experience each day.

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