IDEA Health and Fitness Association has come a long way in
25 years. In 1982, there were few, if any, professional tools
and resources available for fitness instructors. For example,
to provide music for a class, instructors frequently played
a stack of 45 rpm records on a turntable. And classes were
often taught in stocking feet, since the importance of proper
footwear was not yet understood and shoes for high-impact
aerobics did not exist. Personal training was mostly reserved
for sports teams and competitive athletes; it had not yet
arrived for the general consumer.
That same year, having just graduated from San Diego State
University and working from our spare bedroom, we created
IDEA as a way to help fitness instructors gain access to reliable
professional information. We started by sending the first
IDEA Letter to a membership of 300, and later we created the
IDEA Foundation (now the American Council on Exercise, or
ACE) to offer the industry’s first certification. In
addition, IDEA introduced the industry’s first Code
of Ethics and the first awards to recognize professional excellence
in the fitness field.
25 years later, IDEA Health & Fitness Association has
more than 21,000 members in over 80 countries. Our original
newsletter has grown into IDEA Fitness Journal, the
most respected publication for fitness professionals. Attendance
at IDEA’s annual World Fitness Convention has grown
from the original 600 to over 5,000, making it the world’s
largest educational event for health and fitness professionals.
And another 2,500 professionals attend our IDEA Fitness Fusion®
and IDEA Personal Trainer® education conferences.
In fact, IDEA’s transformation closely parallels that
of the fitness industry as a whole. In 1982, there was no
talk of personal training, indoor cycling, mind-body fitness,
core training, step or many other forms of exercise. Today,
when it comes to fitness, we have dozens of choices; consumers
can join a fitness facility, sign up for a yoga or Pilates
class or work out on their own. The fitness industry is light
years away from where it was 25 years ago and, for our part,
we want to thank all of IDEA’s members and other fitness
leaders who have helped us anticipate the needs of our growing
profession and respond by providing innovative solutions.
Peter and Kathie Davis
Founders
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