"Life Fitness has the largest network of sales, support and service of any fitness company serving the four branches of the U.S. military, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and

U.S. government agencies, such as the Pentagon and CIA," said Pat O’Dell, Life Fitness director of government and military sales. "Our soldiers have to be fit for duty and often spend their off-duty time working out. Life Fitness is happy to provide equipment to help them stay in shape."

As a provider of cardiovascular, strength-training, flexibility and group exercise equipment, Life Fitness serves as a one-stop shop for the military’s fitness solutions. Military facility managers can secure full lines of equipment from Life Fitness, eliminating the profusion of paperwork they often face when buying equipment from multiple vendors.

Life Fitness’ military sales staff is dedicated solely to the armed forces and has extensive experience working with the military’s civilian and enlisted corps. The company has strengthened its military relationships in part by relaying each branch’s or department’s training requirements to the Life Fitness’ product development team, which in turn develops programming to meet those needs.

For instance, the 95Ci upright Lifecycle exercise bike features the U.S. Air Force Training Protocol, and the new 97Ti treadmill incorporates the unique and popular military training protocols: Army PFT, Marine Corps PFT and Navy PRT. "These programs are specifically designed to help military personnel prepare and pass their standard fitness tests," noted O’Dell.

Additionally, all of Life Fitness’ Lifecycle exercise bikes, total-body elliptical cross- trainers and stairclimbers are self-powered, allowing them to be used wherever the military sets up operations – at sea or on a base – without requiring electrical outlets.

Life Fitness’ commitment to the military goes beyond simply providing equipment, however. "Once the pieces have been selected, our facility layout planning department will help custom configure a layout for the new and existing equipment," O’Dell said. "We also assist base fitness facilities with marketing support for their grand openings. We even provide GSA pricing on our Web site to make it easy and convenient for military facility managers to make product selections that stay within their budgets."

One of Life Fitness’ recent military installations was in May 2003 at the 57,800 square-foot Physical Activities Center at Virginia’s Quantico Marine Corps Base, which serves more than 6,500 military personnel, 6,200 civilians and 3,600 family members. The company’s relationship with Quantico began in 2000 when Life Fitness chose it as a test facility for its new treadmill line. A year later, the base bought a line of Hammer Strength equipment, and this year it added more than 130 pieces of Life Fitness equipment – including cardiovascular units, Pro Series selectorized strength machines, Hammer Strength equipment and Lifecircuit strength pieces plus Iron Grip dumbbells, barbells, plates and bars – to a state-of-the-art facility.

Life Fitness also recently outfitted two centers at the Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, the Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. Opened in May 2003, the revamped 35,000-square-foot Health and Activity Center has been averaging approximately 7,000 more patrons a month, while the $11.5 million Operations Fitness Center spans 10,000 square feet and has only Life Fitness equipment. Both facilities are equipped with Life Fitness cardiovascular equipment and units from the Pro Series strength and the Hammer Strength Motion Technology Selectorized (MTS) and plate-loaded lines.

"Year after year, military personnel name fitness equipment as the single most important amenity offered wherever they are stationed." - Pat O’Dell, Life Fitness Director of Military and Government Sales

" Year after year, military personnel name fitness equipment as the single most important amenity offered wherever they are stationed," O’Dell said. "We are proud to serve the fitness needs of such an elite group of dedicated men and women, wherever they are around the world, defending the freedoms and liberties we cherish."