Ask Dane

Corporate Wellness

2010-07-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

Did you know?

The annual per capita increase in medical expenditures and absenteeism associated with obesity ranges from $450 to $2,500 per obese employee. The estimated cost of obesity in employees due to medical expenditures and absenteeism is about $285,000 per year at a firm with 1,000 employees. Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, January 2006.
Employees who increased their activity levels from 0-1 times per week to more than 3 times per week reduced their medical claims by an average of $2,202 per year. Source: Managed Care, 2004.
Employers who invest in worksite health promotion programs can see a return of $3-$6 for every dollar invested over a 2-5 year period. Source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, December 2005.

Dane Burks and Co. Fitness can help your company reduce the pain of rising health care costs by designing a corporate wellness program. These programs help alleviate the negative impacts of unhealthy employee behavior, such as obesity and smoking, on health care costs. It is estimated that seventy percent of all illnesses are due to lifestyle-related causes such as obesity and physical inactivity.

Dane Burks and Co. Fitness will design a wellness program custom-fitted for your company’s size and type--and budget. Dane has years of experience developing fitness programs, teaching classes, and motivating people to get fit in fun and engaging ways.

What does a corporate wellness program look like?

Programs can range from awareness and incentive programs, which encourage employees to eat right, increase physical activity, and get medical screenings, to in-house fitness facilities that maximize an employee’s fitness opportunities as well as add to employee satisfaction.

What Dane Burks and Co. Fitness offers

*Corporate wellness programs designed for your company's size and budget

*Fitness facility design for existing space or new space.

*Incentive programs and employee events, such as health fairs and walks

To find out more about starting a corporate wellness program at your company,

contact Jeff Wilson at 615-681-6983. Or by email.

Dane Eats Humble Pie!

2010-06-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Dane Burks took on his Facebook fans and dared anyone to outwalk him during the month of May. And he lost. But not because he sat on the couch. In his daily work selling, servicing, installing and moving fitness equipment, he walks a lot. During the month of May, he averaged three miles of walking per day, well over 200,000 steps total for the month. Not good enough, though.

Dane was bested by Christopher McClintock of Brentwood, TN. Christopher averaged five miles of walking every day. His monthly total was an astounding 351,000 steps--that means in a year at this pace he would top four million steps. Christopher’s dominating performance won him the grand prize of a refurbished commercial treadmill valued at around $7K.

Second place was taken by Jerry Swehla who averaged 13K+ steps a day. And congrats to Sandy Crain who came in 3rd with an average of 9K+ steps a day.

The truth is, says Dane’s wife, Deanna, the contest was designed to get as many people enjoying the benefits of walking as possible. “If you look at it that way,” says Deanna, “everyone who participated won. Incuding Dane!”

Dane Burks & Co. Fitness plans to sponsor the contest again next year. Deanna says they have no choice. “We have to for two reasons. We want to get people going again. And Dane wants a rematch.”

Reconditioned Commercial Fitness Equipment vs. Big Box Retail Products

2010-04-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

Why buy used or reconditioned commercial fitness equipment?
1. The quality is much higher then anything you will see in a big box store.
2. The design of the units are made to be more stable and secure feeling.
3. Replacement parts are more readily available for them.
4. There tend to be more service technicians for commercial equipment.
5. The price is equal to or slightly more then a high end big box item.
6. In some cases, you can pick out or buy the exact unit you use on a daily basis at your local Y or gym.
7. You get to support the environment by recycling materials that still have plenty of life left in them.
Please post any questions or experiences with either product line.

Dane Burks & Co. Fitness Relocates, Adds Inventory

2010-02-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hendersonville, TN – Dane Burks & Co. Fitness has moved to 760 East Main Street, Suite 2, previously occupied by the Stone Angel. The move was prompted by the company’s expanding sales effort and the recent acquisition of more than 500 pieces of used strength and cardio equipment purchased from the YMCA of Middle TN. The company handles the equipment removal and logistics for the YMCA each year when they purchase new equipment.

“We are growing our new and refurbished sales division and this purchase was a great opportunity for us. The new store allows us to display more of our product in a retail environment versus our current refurbishment workshop in Hendersonville and our warehouse in Gallatin. ” says Dane Burks, president of Dane Burks & Co. Fitness.

The company offers new commercial fitness equipment by AbSolo, BH Fitness, Bowflex, 1st Degree, FreeMotion, Legend Fitness, Matrix, Stairmaster, Schwinn, Paramount, Polar, SPRI, and Star Trac as well as a full inventory of refurbished fitness equipment by Precor, Cybex, Star Trac, True, Nautilus and Technogym. They also offer personal training services at the store located at the Shoppes at 760 East Main, behind Hendersonville Produce and Myra Godby Photography. For a complete listing of available products and services, visit them online at www.daneburksandco.com.

For More Information, contact Jeff Wilson.

Solider Family Fitness

2010-02-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

If you could be transported instantly to one of the family housing fitness centers at Ft. Campbell, bypassing the sentries at the security gates, the Cobra attack helicopters on display, and the memorials dedicated to the Screaming Eagles who paid the ultimate price, you might have a hard time figuring out where you were.

You would see people dressed in workout gear on well-maintained commercial fitness equipment. You’d see toddlers playing in a supervised area within view of their parents running on a treadmill or using a stepper. And there, a few steps from the fitness center—a Starbucks! It would seem so familiar to you—but not what you’d expect on an army base.

These centers serve the soldier families living at Ft. Campbell. The neighborhoods are run byFt. Campbell Family Housing, a private contractor with a 50-year lease on the buildings and property. Of four community centers planned for Ft. Campbell, two are built and operational and two more are under construction, to be opened in Late Summer 2010. Each community center serves approximately 1000 households. In all, Ft. Campbell Family Housing houses 16,790 family members, including the soldiers.

Debra Cash, director of On Post Family Housing at Ft. Campbell, talked with Dane Burks & Co. about the nature of their service and the facilities they provide.

“These families have loved ones serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, in Europe, and even in places we aren’t allowed to know about, and we want them to feel good about being there,” she says. She says the soldier families’ needs are just like other families, and they try to make daily life as normal as possible for them.

“We try to make it so all the families have to worry about is whether their soldier is coming home safe.”

The neighborhoods are within the protected perimeter of Ft. Campbell. “We don’t like to use the term ‘safe and secure,’ because no place can guarantee that, but we refer to our neighborhoods as ‘gated communities,’ because that is the closest comparison to what these are like.”

They want families to feel at home. Because Debra and most of the people who work for her have been in military families or served in the military themselves, they understand the struggles of the military families. They have lived in Army-run housing. They have learned what works as well as what can be improved.

Read the Whole Article

New Crossfit trainee

2009-11-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

I started doing Crossfit about 2 months ago, on and off. I have to say that it has been a humbling experience for several reasons. One, I have gotten out of shape and 2 because most of the exercises I have never done before or have not done since I went to basic training 18 years ago.

I own a company that sells and services exercise equipment and thought about putting together a Crossfit starter kit. Please let me know your experiences and challenges with your fitness routines.

This is a local link I use for Crossfit.

Have a question for our staff...

2009-08-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

Need a pro to help you strategize your club's place in the market?

Ask Dane

Have a question about purchasing the right piece of equipment for your facility?

Ask Jeff

Have a question about service and your fitness equipment?

Ask Garrett

Dane Burks and Co. Signs On Jeff Wilson

2009-08-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

When Jeff Wilson landed at Miami University in Ohio on a football scholarship, his coach was none other than Jim Tressel. Coach Tressel is now famous for coaching the Ohio State Buckeyes to five Big Ten titles and a national championship. As an impressionable freshman at Miami U., Jeff saw firsthand the key to Coach Tressel's success.

"I learned from Coach Tressel's example how to treat other people," says Jeff. "He always treated people with respect."

That influence is still strong two decades later. If you ask Dane Burks why he decided to team up with Jeff, the first thing he will say is that Jeff is really easy to get along with. "I've known Jeff for 10 years and he has always been easy to work with."

Jeff Wilson joined up with Dane this summer to carry out Dane Burks and Company's mission to help fitness centers perform at the top of their game. Jeff provides Dane with a strong sales background and the loyalty of customers across several states. The company now has a sales program to match their reputation for service.

"I had done some sales and a few calls," says Dane, "but what Jeff brings is his experience in structured sales. . . . In the dozen years or so he was with StairMaster and Nautilus, he never missed a quota, which is really saying something."

So what's in it for Jeff to team up with Dane? He says his early years with StairMaster and Nautilus were enjoyable because the companies were relatively small and close-knit. I've always had a good relationship with Dane, and when the opportunity presented itself, it appealed to me. I feel part of a team again to be with Dane and get his sales going. He had a real strong service business going, and what I could bring was the sales side with my experience and customer knowledge."

Adds Deanna, Dane's wife and VP of Dane Burks and Co.,"When the idea came up that Jeff wanted to transition out of the corporate world into something more family-like, it seemed the natural thing to do to team up."

Team sports in the blood

Jeff was born in Kent, Ohio. He played linebacker for a high school 30 miles from the Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Although strong and fast, he wasn't as big as many linebackers, especially at the college level. He overcame this deficit in the weight room and by playing over the top. His hard work and abilities paid off with a full scholarship to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He eventually transferred to Western Kentucky, where he met his future wife, Ellisha Jaggers.

If you're familiar at all with Kentucky football, that name sounds familiar. Elissha’s father, Joe Jaggers, is the winningest high school coach in Kentucky. Her brother, Marty, also has high school championships under his belt.

It was the high school weight room that ignited Jeff's passion for fitness equipment. He headed to college to be a strength coach, but his people skills led him into fitness club management. For a dozen years, he managed fitness clubs, including eight years as manager of the 4000-member E-Town Swim and Fitness Center in Elizabethtown. His years running fitness clubs gave him in insider's view of the headaches of the fitness club owner or operator. Dane and I both came from the operations side of fitness centers. We lived with equipment and the daily issues of running a fitness center. So we take care of the customer the way we wanted to be taken care of when we ran fitness centers.”

He knows how to make fitness centers perform. At each fitness center he managed, Jeff increased profitability. How? By improving the basics: expanding fitness areas, training staff, and improving programming. These steps led to an influx of new members, higher member retention, and a better-run facility.

Fitness as a hobby

He didn't turn into a couch potato once his college football days were over. He still loves to work out nearly every day. And when he's on the road, he likes to visit other fitness centers and try out different pieces of equipment.

"Learning about fitness equipment has been a hobby of mine," he says.

Even today, in his late 40s, Jeff looks fit. But his laid-back ways put everyone at ease.

"He is so laid back, oh my goodness," says Deanna with a laugh.

In fact, Jeff defies the stereotype of the successful salesman. He's not aggressive. He speaks gently. It may surprise some that he was regional sales manager for Nautilus, consistently exceeding his $12 million sales target in his 12-state region. But there's a simple explanation for his success. He treats people like they are all on the same team, pulling in the same direction. It's another lesson he learned from football.

"From football, I learned to work with others as a team member. I work with people for a common good, not competing against them."

Hands-on support

Dane is quick to point out that Jeff's not afraid to get his hands dirty when there's work to be done.

"Jeff can also do service. I didn't need someone who comes in with a white shirt and expects others to do the hard work. I get my hands dirty. I do service, I do installations, and I expect everyone I work with to work the same way, and Jeff's very much willing to do that."

Jeff sees this as the start of a long-term relationship. He says his immediate objective is to develop and increase sales of new and used equipment in Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. "My long-term vision is to continue to expand the coverage of sales and service into a 12-state regional base, if not further." His motivation is his two daughters in college, and a 12-year-old son who hopes to go one day (Jeff hopes a full scholarship is waiting on him, as well).

But he is motivated by his customers’ needs, too. He wants to help them make their fitness centers successful.

When he was with Nautilus, he came up with a customer referral program which added a half-million dollars in annual sales. That's Jeff's way--rather than increasing sales by berating his sales crew into pushing equipment out the door, he came up with a way that his customers could spread the word about Nautilus' equipment. He knew the sales would come if people talked about how good the equipment is. Jeff doesn't believe in making sales, he believes in getting his customers what they need. That's more than being a good salesman--that's just plain great service.

------------------------------------------

For more information about how Jeff and Dane can improve your facility's performance, contact Jeff at 615 681 6983. Or visit us online to have Jeff contact you.

Connect with Jeff

Getting "Marathon" Ready

2009-08-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

Marathon Training! The words seem to scream crazy. Who wants to drive 26.2 miles much less run that far? Well, it is an evolution of sorts for most people. Fitness enthusiasts want a goal to train towards and one that is ever evolving. So most runners start out as walkers who started due a different goal, i.e. health, weight loss, stress reduction, or spousal time. So if you have been toying around with the idea of training for some type of event, then here are some pointers on how to get started.

Believe it or not the marathon is not the pinnacle of races. There are actual events that are further in distance and much more extreme, but for most humans the marathon is the pinnacle of events. Lets start at the beginning in terms of running experience. If you have never run before and are only walking then always remember never increase your mileage or intensity more than 10% a week. This will allow your body to adapt to all of the physiological changes needed to handle running. Also, do not start trying to run continuously or accomplish the same distance you are walking. If you walk two miles and have a course mapped out then follow the same course but walk 4 minutes and run 1 minute. You would continue to do this until your distance goal is completed. Do this for 2 weeks then walk 3 minutes run 2 minutes until your distance goal is completed. You would follow this program until you can continuously run for your desired distance.

You are now a runner so next comes the continued pursuit of your goal. Choose a local 5k race, that is well known and well organized. There may be a question buzzing at the back of your mind. How am I going to run 3.1 miles when I am only running 2 miles 3 to 5 days a week. Well, believe or not you will finish because your total volume would allow you to do so just take a few days off before the event. You will experience a sense of accomplishment when you finish the race that you have never experienced before in your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.

The problem will now be that after a few 5ks you will want to advance to the next goal which would be a 10k, 15k, half marathon, and marathon. The sky will be the limit but remember do not increase your weekly volume by more then 10%. It also might be a good idea once you reach the marathon level to get the advice of a good coach. Once you complete your desired goal then you can start working on improving your times or personal records, but that is a different topic all together.

So, spice up your routine and train for a local run. You will have fun and meet people with similar interests.