Item 7C The Exercise Coach Narrative
Case Num. ZA18-0024
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The Exercise Coach
Narrative for Zoning Change Request at 1500 N. Kimball Avenue
Background:
The Exercise Coach® (TEC) www.exercisecoach.com is a wellness training franchise that is
headquartered in Lake Zurich, Illinois. Currently about 45 TEC gyms are operating in the US and
in Japan in upscale locations such as the River Oaks area of Houston, Highland Park in Dallas,
Germantown, Tennessee and Scottsdale, Arizona. Additionally, approximately 30 gyms are
anticipated to open over the 6 months.
A growing body of research is demonstrating the importance of remaining physically strong for
our entire life. TEC focuses on strength training. TEC has shown that individuals can
maintain/increase their physical strength engaging in two 20 minutes workout sessions per
week using TEC exercise protocol and equipment.
Gym Equipment:
The fitness equipment in a TEC gym is unlike equipment found in standard gym settings. There
are no free weights or traditional cardio machines such as treadmills or step mills. Instead, a
typical TEC gym is equipped with approximately 9 to 11 exercise machines. The exercise
machines are similar to what would be found in well-equipped physical therapy settings. The
machines control, record, and display the user’s exertion level, thus providing an ongoing
benchmark for strength performance. The fact that the machines control the user’s exertion
level relative to prior recorded performances allows the user to fully exert during the exercise
session without concern for injury. The equipment makes no noise and does not emit heat.
TEC Clients:
Typical TEC clients include individuals who 1) are intimidated by, or don’t want to go to, large
gyms, and/or 2) don’t have the time to spend training per more traditional strength training
regimens, and/or 3) due to age, health, and/or injury are unable to participate in traditional
strength training, and/or 4) have been failed by traditional strength training regimens.
TEC Gym Operating Environment:
1. Operating hours are 6 am-8 pm (M-Th), 6 am-6 pm (F), 7 am-1 pm (Sa)
2. TEC gyms are quiet. There are no clanging weights, loud music, etc.
3. The optimal gym size is relatively small: Approximately 900 to 1,100 square feet.
4. Each TEC client exercise session will be led by a trainer. Most exercise sessions will be one-
on-one in nature (one trainer to one client). There may be certain limited occasions where
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the ratio of trainer to clients could be as high as 4:1 (e.g. two couples are interested in going
through a training session at the same time). A trainer to client ratio of greater than one
trainer to two clients will be the exception.
5. A maximum of six TEC clients might possibly be trained at the same time in the TEC gym.
However, for a majority of the gym’s operating hours, one trainer will be leading a single
client through an exercise session.
6. Exercise sessions will be booked by appointment only. There are no walk-in clients.
7. TEC believes that a proper diet is an important complement to its strength training regimen,
and offers nutritional supplements to its clients to assist them in this respect. The proceeds
from the sale of those supplements will not exceed 10% of total gym revenue.