Aprioriathletics.com
OVERVIEW
Chicago-based Apriori, Inc. is a privately-held fitness publishing and fitness information services company that specializes in personal fitness training, personal technology interface and management, and human factors (ergonomics) in work, daily living and recreation. Apriori, Inc. publishes online physical training information, exercise instructions and exercise recordkeeping for professionals and consumers. Internet and Intranet services are provided via the Aprioriathletics.com Fitness Information Services Network. Services also include personal fitness management and fitness information kiosks for fitness centers at corporate, hospital, park district and private locations -- such as private health clubs or residential home gyms.
Personal fitness services have been supplemented with Personal Technology Consulting since 1988. Personal Technology Consulting provides business professionals and home users with information on "how to buy" and "how to use" microcomputers, netpliances and software. The personal match (or fitness) of an individual to an interface is increasingly important for productivity and satisfaction with any investment in technology. State of the art Macintosh and Windows operating systems have created many opportunities for use of specific software applications to improve productivity and enhance life with a digital lifestyle products for photo, music and video archives. Personal Technology Consulting was the company's main growth vehicle from 1988-1991 providing exclusive services for Citibank, which was expanding its National Marketing Division. Personal Technology Consulting also provides manufacturers with human factors advice on products that are in beta testing or being considered for re-design. Apriori, Inc. has intensified its efforts in personal training while utilitizing its experience in technology.
The combination of fitness, human factors and technology has developed naturally as ergonomics has become more important in industry and sports. Rapidly changing global competition and downsizing has created a demand for rapid training of staff. The information age promises to increase the productivity of each worker, but that worker is increasingly stressed to learn new skill sets. Learning and attaining the proper attitude for company values is an added challenge for personnel training. Twentieth century information technology also brought a biomechanical downside as well: Cumulative Trauma Disorders or Repetitive Stress Injuries -- such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Neck Pain and Low Back Pain. Rising medical costs, expedites the need for a cross-sectional look at humans at work and recreation. Apriori, Inc. strives for the support of human factors, fitness training and technology training with a promising outlook as demand for services increase.
HISTORY ... 1985 to Present
The precursor to Apriori, Inc. began in 1985 when Mark Bostrom, a paramedic turned exercise physiologist, joined a medical practice of four orthopedic surgeons to lead a project to help the doctors discover and understand the local sports medicine market, the needs of exercising consumers, and the local market demographics. The aerobics and fitness movement was gaining momentum and the physician practice was seeking to diversify to a more complete circle of services -- including physical therapy. In 1986, Mark D. Bostrom developed a Back School which provided physical training for individuals who suffered back injuries. The Back School was modeled after the successful training that San Francisco 49er Quarterback Joe Montana received preceding and following his back surgery. In 1988 the Back School methods were combined with physical therapy treatments and services. Preventive programs were offered to industrial, labor-intensive companies. Apriori, Inc. founder Mark Bostrom observed the need for effective communications to help health-conscious individuals prevent injuries and illnesses while they strived for productive, active lifestyles. Mark set a goal to add modern communication services to the health promotion industry to help people achieve their goals.
1986
In January 1986, Apple Computer hallmarked a new era in publishing with the introduction of its Macintosh Plus and LaserWriter printer. Newer generations of typesetting equipment eventually changed the world of publishing. Mark Bostrom reserved the "Apriori" name in 1986 and formed Apriori, Inc. in 1987 (incorporated May, 1987). The word a priori is defined as knowledge of something to be true without any prior experience. Knowledge from what comes before.
Get ready -- this is deep!
A priori truths are regarded as expressions of definitional relationships among ideas and concepts. Practically applied, these ideas and concepts improve human performance by reducing human error, encouraging proper stress and adaptation, and creating successful attitudes for health promotion, lifestyle goals, athleticism and business success. A priori has meaning regarding the definitive relationships that initiate a good design for a Graphic User Interface or what is now called a Common User Interface for computers and everyday items that are consumed and used by human beings, such as automobiles, exercise equipment and just about any functioning device. Also, the definitive relationships of anatomy and biomechanics form a structure and function basis for successful physical training by promoting proper interaction of the human body with the physical environment. Physical training methods also draw upon knowledge from physiology, nutrition, ergonomics, physics, psychology and cognitive psychology, etc. A priori knowledge is the original mind framework of knowledge that helps knowledge from experience become more efficient ... coming from a stable and true foundation. For more on the meaning of a priori, see The Definition Behind Apriori, Inc.1987
In 1987, Mark converted the sports medicine service into a full-fledged fitness information and publishing service -- providing newsletters and patient instruction forms for physicians, hospitals and fitness centers while still providing Personal Fitness Consulting for exercising consumers and athletes. As president of the company, Mark pushed for a more proactive approach to work and sports performance, using the disciplines of biomechanics, ergonomics and exercise physiology. Since a picture is worth a thousand words and new inexpensive graphics technology became available, the publishing services effectively used graphics and stylish typesetting to get the point across. Among other works, Apriori, Inc. published Steroid Warning Booklets to high school coaches, students and parents. Over the next decade, several informative booklets, newsletters and fliers were published. Topics included Shoulder Injuries, Knee Surgery, Hip Surgery, Sports Medicine Information, Mall Walkers Newsletters, In-House Hospital Newsletters, and a Hospital MRI Quick Reference for physicians. Hypertext publishing was an anticipated technology, ready to accept a world-wide-web browser that would be invented a few years later.
1988-1989
In 1988 health information was reaching the news daily and brought the need to track conflicting health information. Work began toward a useful group of databases to file volumes of health, fitness and sports medicine information. Apriori, Inc. also expanded Personal Fitness Consulting to include Personal Technology Consulting. In 1989, with the information age gaining speed, Apriori, Inc. began to expand the use of microcomputers and became a member of Apple Computer's Solutions Provider Program.
1990-1991
The introduction of computers was supposed to lead to the paperless office and reduce workload -- freeing up time for leisure. Actually more paper was printed, and people did more work in the same amount of time. Experts argued that productivity did not improve because people spent more time learning the technology that was supposed to help them save time. Apriori, Inc. expanded to offer solutions to the technology dilemma. By providing user support and training, customers were able to focus on their profession while learning on the fly. Concurrently, computer hardware and software companies designed their products to minimize non-productive technical work by users. Apriori, Inc. was instrumental in helping clients understand what was needed in an information interface and how to promote human factors regarding the use of computers. By 1990 health problems associated with using a computer became headlines when wrist, neck and back injuries were reported as epidemic. Newspaper and data entry employees commonly claimed disability from pain in their wrists. Computer companies scrambled to design new keyboards and provide information about normal workload and how physical fitness and common sense are important for avoiding repetitive stress injuries. Apriori, Inc. continued to strive for the fitness, human factors and productivity connection by providing information to consumers, vendors and manufacturers.
1992
In 1992, Apriori, Inc. expanded to offer fitness center management support and information design -- including databases to provide customer service information, personal trainer expert knowledge & support, a muscle & joint anatomy database and exercise equipment maintenance information. Also in 1992, Apple computer began to show a steady decline in corporate business influence. By April 1992, Microsoft introduced an improved version of Windows (3.11) to begin encroaching on the Apple Macintosh reputation as a superior Graphic User Interface/Operating System. In August 1992, Apriori, Inc. began a serious effort to support both platforms -- Macintosh and Windows -- so that communications and publishing would not be limited. The effort to attain an understanding of both platforms would soon become profitable for Apriori, Inc.1993-1994
In 1993 and 1994 Apriori, Inc. became heavily committed to network support, publishing, and technical support at the Citibank Center in Chicago. Apriori, Inc. accepted a large work order to help Citibank combine their Macintosh and Windows PC's over Local and Wide Area Networks. Services provided included: remote dial-in, telecommuter's home office setup, modem installation, router maintenance, notebook computer setup and training, desktop support and training, and E-Mail server maintenance. In July 1994, the services were converted to a nationwide provider, DataServ, a division of BellSouth. DataServ was assisted by Apriori, Inc. and MDG Computer Services as it attained its nationwide contract with Citibank -- an arrangement that was controlled at Citbank's headquarters in New York City.1995-1997
From 1995 to 1997 while Windows 95 became widely successful as a graphical user interface, the focus of Apriori, Inc. shifted to apply the network, graphics and computer technologies to the fitness industry. The occupation of Personal Trainer started to become a household word and its mention was no longer exclusively associated with celebrities and professional athletes. Over 15 wellness centers or fitness centers have risen in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, each boasting of floor space in the area of 60,000 square feet or more. Long-time, existing fitness centers are changing their marketing and services to include wellness and health promotion (if they didn't already provide services). Older populations are also becoming a significant part of the fitness market, compared to the traditional singles-meeting-singles market. Health promotion, fitness, and wellness are becoming big business, especially as hospitals seek ways to cut medical cost and consumers seek to avoid getting sick or injured. Apriori, Inc. is poised to succeed as health promotion and information age industries develop.1998-2001
Aprioriathletics.com, the blue web site, was created on August 17, 1998 to enhance human performance information available on the Internet. Aprioriathletics.com continues to serve information related to personal technology, fitness and health promotion. The a priori influence on web site design is available for physician offices, health clubs, hospital wellness centers, company wellness centers, dental offices and other health-related sites. Aprioriathletics.com has a fitness bookstore which serves as a reference guide and provides income to Apriori, Inc. as an Amazon affiliate.
Arlingtoncards.com, the red web site, was created on June 19, 1999 as a local community directory for Arlington Heights, Illinois, a suburb 26 miles northwest of Chicago. Arlingtoncards.com is designed for people who live, work and play in Arlington Heights who can benefit from local and global internet information from a single organized web site. Over 90 categories of information are presented in a table of contents form for viewer convenience. The site also has a bookstore and has Amazon products placed in context-related topic areas. Banner adverstising is also available for local businesses.2002-2003
Consumer fitness sites are being developed to meet the mission of Aprioriathletics.com. Several domain names are being registered to help with image and control of information delivery. The Arlingtoncardinal.net news site was upgraded (in beta) to include breaking news in Arlington Heights. Most stories are published within two hours of incidents.
2004-2005
Arlingtoncards.com has continuously flourished. Individual visitors are increasing by almost 1000 visitors per month. Exercise-Reports.com introduced in beta during first quarter of 2005.CLIENTS
Clients and customers of Apriori, Inc. are highly goal-oriented and highly interested in active, efficient and productive work and lifestyles. Business clients of Apriori, Inc. are also highly motivated to provide excellence in customer service.Apriori, Inc. also strives to promote education and career information for young students as well as prospective career-minded fitness professionals.
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