AMERICAN SPECIALTY HEALTH AND THE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SPORTS MEDICINE UNVEIL
INNOVATIVE FITNESSCOACH® PROGRAM
New Online Health and Fitness Resource Provides
First-of-its-Kind Programming Tools and Revenue Opportunities
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (March 28, 2008) –American Specialty Health (ASH) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) today announced the launch of FitnessCoach®, an innovative Web-based health and fitness resource for both professionals and consumers.
Developed by ASH and NASM, FitnessCoach is comprised of two Web sites: FitnessCoachPro.com for health and fitness professionals (facilities and individuals) seeking greater education and revenue opportunities; and FitnessCoach.com for consumers seeking resources to help improve their health.
“We believe FitnessCoach.com is a ‘best in class’ personal health improvement Web site for consumers. And FitnessCoachPro.com provides a unique opportunity for fitness clubs and their professionals to link with their customers and have access to industry-leading information and educational opportunities,” said George DeVries, chairman and CEO of American Specialty Health.
"FitnessCoach is not only good for bodies, it's good for business," said Dr. Micheal Clark, NASM President and CEO. "Fitness facility owners and managers will be excited to learn how the FitnessCoach business model will help them better serve their clients, grow their business, educate their staff, and generate more revenue."
Value to Professionals
For professionals, FitnessCoachPro allows them to expand their knowledge with access to in-depth health and fitness educational resources, as well as free continuing education courses and exclusive pricing on the NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) and Corrective Exercises Specialist (CES) advanced specializations. Furthermore, the platform allows professionals to:
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Create customized resistance, cardio, and nutrition programs for clients.
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Design easy-to-follow, individualized meal plans based on clients’ goals, such as weight loss, weight gain, or moving to specialized dietary needs.
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Monitor their clients’ progress and manage all of their activities and progress in a centralized, automated environment
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The site also provides an array of features, including expert bylined articles, an exercise library, up-to-date glossary and research reviews.
The information and programming tools available through FitnessCoach are based on expertise developed by ASH in its health coaching and fitness programs and in clinically-tested studies conducted by the NASM Research Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
FitnessCoachPro also offers new revenue streams for facilities and individual professionals with access to new business opportunities and new clients via a professional registry database. Professionals are able to increase their earning potential by securing new referrals through the FitnessCoach Professional Network.
“FitnessCoachPro serves as a tremendous resource for fitness facilities, allowing access for the entire staff of a member organization,” said Ben Tucker, NASM Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “It allows the facility to better manage their clients, monitor their staff’s educational path, and earn more revenue by referring consumers to join FitnessCoach.com.”
Fitness facilities, individual professionals, and media seeking more information about FitnessCoach can visit: www.nasm.org/FitnessCoach.aspx.
Value to Consumers
For the consumer, FitnessCoach.com allows users to take an overall health assessment; input their health and fitness goals; create individualized exercise and meal plans; monitor their progress with health trackers; view their daily plans on their personal health calendar; and find the nearest health and fitness professional through a national directory. The program conveniently helps users execute the most effective fitness solutions on their terms and schedules – either online or in-person – through the professional directory and a forthcoming phone coaching application.
Consumers can receive a free seven-day trial to FitnessCoach.com with a promotional code from a participating FitnessCoachPro professional. Upon completion of the trial offer, paid memberships are available in monthly and annual increments.
** FitnessCoach.com is only available to NASM members within the United States.
About ASH:
American Specialty Health Incorporated is one of the nation’s premier personal health improvement organizations, providing specialty network administration, fitness programs and wellness programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide. Based in San Diego, ASH has over 600 employees and covers more than 13 million members. For more information, call (800) 848-3555 or visit ASH online at www.ASHCompanies.com. FitnessCoach is a federally registered trademark of American Specialty Health Incorporated.
About NASM:
Since 1987, the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has been the recognized global authority in certification, continuing education, solutions and tools for health, fitness, sports performance and sports medicine programs for professional trainers. Today, NASM serves more than 100,000 members in 80 countries. In addition to its evidence-based NCCA-accredited fitness certification program, Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT), NASM also offers a progressive career track with access to Advanced Specializations, Continuing Education courses, and accredited Bachelor and Master Degree programs. The NASM educational continuum is designed to help today’s health and fitness professional enhance their career while empowering their clients to live healthier lives. For more information, call (800) 460-NASM or visit www.nasm.org.
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