Workouts Still A Priority For Cash-Strapped Area Residents

"They'll give up road trips, dining out or even (gasp!) upgraded cell phone plans. But one thing folks are not willing to sacrifice is their health and well-being. At least not locally.With gas prices continuing to soar as the stock market swoons, not only have area gyms and health clubs not felt the pinch, several have reported an increase in memberships and overall daily traffic. ‘This used to be the time of year that I went on vacation because it was so slow,’ said John Lankford, owner of Nautilus Fitness Center in downtown Spartanburg, who chose the Fourth of July week last year to close his business for renovations for that reason. ‘But it seems like we've been very busy this year.’ Lankford's business is up 67 percent over this time last year - a combination of one-half new memberships and one-half renewals. Lankford believes people turn to therapeutic measures to get through tough economic times, much like the number of bar patrons increased during the Great Depression. But as Hoffmann said, ‘(Exercise) is better than anything you can get out of a bottle. I may go (to the gym) dragging, but I come out feeling like a new person.’”

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080714/NEWS/807140304/1083/news01&title=Workouts_still_a_priority_for_cash_strapped_area_residents