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Learning, Growing and Thriving for 35 Years

For nearly a decade, Robyn Krueger, MS, owner of Core Synergy Fitness in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, has traveled to the IDEA World Convention in pursuit of personal and professional advancement.

"Attending IDEA World has provided me the opportunity to network with some of the best in the business and to learn from them," she says. "Through various sessions, presenters give you some of the things that have worked and haven't in their personal journeys. The conference has also [offered] me the opportunity to work on my teaching/training skills in order to provide the best learning atmosphere for my classes/clients."

Krueger, who pulls double duty as an IDEA World assistant, is especially eager for this year's event, which promises to up the ante on experiences and excitement as IDEA celebrates its 35th anniversary.

"This year's IDEA World is in Las Vegas!" she says. "Who could ask for more? Thirty-five years of bringing the best from all around the world to help inspire and educate fitness professionals to really get out there and make a difference across the globe—this is truly what it is all about, and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Krueger, and over 10,000 fitness and wellness professionals, will head to Las Vegas July 19–23 to absorb the best in fitness education; to attend events-within-the-event, like the IDEA World Club & Studio Summit, the IDEA World Nutrition & Behavior Change Summit and the IDEA Success Academy; to network with like-minded colleagues; and, of course, to help IDEA ring in 35 years of industry leadership.

Party Like a Rock Star at the Viva IDEA World Party

When packing for IDEA World, don't forget to include your dancing shoes, because this year's attendee party will be one for the books. In true Vegas style, IDEA's 35th anniversary celebration will be big, bold and glamorous. Glitzy showgirls will greet you at the door, setting the mood for a night of fun and excitement. Once inside the ballroom, you'll make unforgettable memories with your fellow revelers at the Vegas-themed photo booth. Celebrity impersonators like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley will wander among you, waiting to snap photos with attendees. And be sure to bring a healthy appetite—generous food and drink stations will provide plenty of sustenance before you dance the night away to your favorite hits.

The Hub of Fitness Industry Products and Trends

The IDEA World Fitness & Nutrition Expo is a one-stop shop featuring all the latest in food and fitness trends, education and programming. And that's just the beginning. The expo is also home to the IDEA World Showcase Arena—with signature workouts led by Tony Horton and other fitness celebrities—as well as the brand-new IDEA World Mega Circuit.

"Integrating 20 innovative products, the IDEA World Mega Circuit is an exclusive special event, led by top-notch educators, that will push your limits and educate you on how to put together never-before-thought-of and highly effective circuit training sessions," explains Kellie Kaseburg, IDEA's senior director of events. "This is the future of circuit training."

Continuing its expansion, the expo's Nutrition Pavilion is expected to showcase snacks and food options from more than 100 companies—up from 75 last year. Plus, the pavilion includes live cooking demos from expert chefs, the opportunity to learn about the latest innovations from top brands, and more.

Make sure you bring an extra empty duffel bag to stock up on all the nutrition, apparel, tech and equipment goodies set to fill this year's hall.

Unparalleled Education

IDEA World is known for its parties, networking opportunities and inspiring events—however, no other fitness convention offers such variety of high-quality education led by so many of the very best in the business. Whether you're a new group exercise instructor, a veteran personal trainer, or a nutrition expert, gym manager or wellness coach, there will be plenty of career-expanding educational sessions for your needs.

Idea World Club & Studio Summit

Do you want to learn what it takes to build a club or studio that is head and shoulders above the rest? Look no further than the IDEA World Club & Studio Summit, back for a second year. This is your chance to hear some of the most successful owners and managers in the business share their knowledge of what it takes to create a rock-solid team, implement bulletproof operating systems, enhance sales and much more.

"My experience at the Club & Studio Summit was one of the best I have had in the industry," says Leigh Henderson Pozas, owner of Total Woman FitZone in Bakersfield, California. "I was in the midst of rebranding my flagship club and entering the second year of a new club and concept. The speakers touched on things that I had thought of but had not put into action. After the event, I went home with an action plan and actually put it into place immediately."

Pozas plans to return this year to learn more ways to help her studios thrive.

"As owner and trainer/instructor, it is my job to constantly motivate, inspire and service our members and staff. It is great to go to a place where I can be motivated, inspired and serviced! I wouldn't miss it for anything."

Check out www.ideafit.com/fitness–conferences/idea–world–club–studio–summit for a detailed look at this year's stellar lineup.

Idea World Nutrition & Behavior Change Summit

If last year's inaugural IDEA World Nutrition & Behavior Change Summit was any indication, fitness and wellness professionals are hungry for ways to boost client success through food and behavior change. This year, the summit is serving up a double helping, with 2 days of eye-opening workshops on subjects like nutrition research, motivational interviewing, food addiction and what it really takes to help clients adopt healthy behaviors for the long-term.

Natalie Kerr, MPH, a San Diego-based wellness coach, attended last year's summit. She says the information and skills she gathered there have helped her level-up her ability to affect real and lasting change in her clients.

"Oftentimes I hear from clients that they do not have enough willpower to achieve their goals," she notes. "In one of last year's workshops, Stacy Nelson, MEd, EdD, stated that willpower is an unsustainable trap. I now promote the four principles of change with my clients, including engaging all sources of influence and turning bad days into good data."

This year boasts a fresh selection of experts ready to provide even more health improvement tools, plus thrilling live cooking demonstrations from world-renowned chefs.

To learn more about what top researchers, behavior experts and chefs will share at this year's event, visit www.ideafit.com/fitness–conferences/idea–world–fitness–convention/nutrition–behavior–change–summit.

Specialty Education

Becoming an expert in a specific niche—like kids' fitness, female training or athlete conditioning—is a sure-fire way to stand out from the crowd and increase demand for your services. And as consumer needs become more varied, it's a good idea to possess knowledge of specific populations. IDEA World can satisfy the needs of all fitness professionals who want to learn more about targeted topic areas. Here's a sampling of sessions that will focus on specific populations:

  • Functional Circuits for Older Adults with Cody Sipe, PhD
  • Smarter Exercise for Smarter, Fitter Kids! with Brett Klika
  • Complete Program Design for the Obese/Overweight Client with Brian Richey
  • Water Training for Athletes with Tatiana Kolovou, MBA
  • Fat–Loss Programming for Your Female Clients, by Perform Better® with Rachel Cosgrove
  • NASM®: Challenges and Training Solutions for Gen–X Clients with Fabio Comana, MA, MS
  • Safe Nutrition and Training Guidance for Your Diabetic Clients with Sally Hara, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDE

Skill Development Leads To Career Advancements

Leaders of the fitness and wellness pack know that advanced knowledge is necessary for a lasting, fulfilling career. With more than 335 sessions on every topic imaginable, there's enough education for all fitness pros to walk away from IDEA World feeling inspired, motivated and—most of all—better equipped to guide clients toward higher-quality lives.

Communication is key. All the program design techniques, assessment tools and teaching formats in the world won't make a difference unless you're able to communicate effectively with clients and students.

"I think one of the greatest areas of opportunity for fitness professionals to enhance their teaching/coaching is to thoughtfully identify and consistently utilize positive and inclusive language, as the words that we speak have the power to transform a 'workout' into a memorable, purposeful and enjoyable movement experience," explains Jessica Matthews, MS, yoga educator and adjunct professor of kinesiology at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Matthews plans to offer attendees a greater understanding of how to communicate better with others during her session, "NamaSTAY Here—Teaching Techniques for Maximum Impact!"

"This session goes beyond the basics of cuing and offers practical guidance and proven strategies that will truly elevate your work as a fitness professional," she says.

These are some other sessions aimed at improving coaching and communication skills:

  • Connect for Effect—Sharpen Your Teaching Skills for GX Success!
  • Communicating With Your Female Clients for Breakthrough Results, by Perform Better®
  • The Art of Coaching, Powered by EXOS®
  • Promote Behavior Change With Better Coaching

Indoor cycling. Indoor cycling remains one of the most sought-after group training formats in gyms and clubs. To keep each bike seat full, it's important for instructors to continually seek new, exciting formats, says Krista Popowych, 2014 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year and Keiser® global director of group education.

"Putting together cycling classes that keep students engaged and challenged can be difficult for most instructors," she explains. "But knowing a few tricks can help you organize and execute a memorable ride."

Her session, "Keiser Cycling: Music, Games and Drills That Thrill," will include some of her favorite tricks for organizing can't-miss classes.

"Beginning with a playlist selection that connects music with energy demands [and then providing] the correct balance of drills and games creates the perfect formula for cycling success," she says. "If you are ready to play, we are ready to deliver in this idea-packed session."

Check out this sampling from the robust selection of indoor cycling sessions:

  • Schwinn® Cycling: Unapologetically Authentic
  • ICG®: Are You Ready to Bring the HEAT?
  • Stages™ Cycling: The Power of the "Dork" Side
  • RealRyder® Cycling: Ride and Release

Movement techniques. Possessing an extensive movement vocabulary allows personal trainers to create more individualized, purposeful training programs. For example, "Loaded Movement Training" has gained popularity over the years as fitness pros have recognized the need to help clients navigate life more successfully outside the gym.

"Loaded Movement Training is multiplanar, whole-body integrated exercise that involves moving or resisting an external mass (load)," explains Derrick Price, MS, programming officer at the Institute of Motion. His session is called "Fundamentals of Loaded Movement Training." "The LMT rules for programming and coaching movement, especially while under load, are much different than our typical isolated, muscle-centric approach to exercise. It's critical we understand these rules if we are at all concerned with enhancing our clients' movement for life or sport performance."

Here are some of the other sessions on improving movement techniques:

  • Olympic Lifting—The Mechanics and Progressions
  • Insights Into Functional Training and Corrective Movement
  • If We Are Going to Call It "Functional …"
  • ZUU—Liberating Human Movement

Equipment mastery. Fitness equipment continues to evolve and expand as innovators find new ways to use tools for safe and effective training solutions. San Diego-based fitness educator Pete McCall, MS, will show attendees how to wield one of the most recent arrivals on the equipment landscape­—the ActivMotion Bar™.

"ActivMotion Bar is the first weighted bar that contains a solid, shifting mass," he says. "Approximately 30% of the mass of each ActivMotion Bar [consists of] ball bearings that move as the bar moves; this creates two unique training
stimuli that work on both the contractile component (actin-myosin proteins) and the elastic element (fascia and connective tissue)."

McCall believes that using dynamic mass with multiplanar movements in all directions can strengthen connective tissues, improve overall strength and reduce injury potential.
IDEA World is loaded with cutting-edge, equipment-based sessions, such as these:

  • Deep–Core Activation With io–Ball®
  • Three–Dimensional Kettlebell Training, by Functional Training Institute
  • Surge™: Pyramid Power
  • TRX®: Power and Explosiveness
  • SandBells for Small-Group Training, by Hyperwear®

The entire selection of sessions can be found at www.ideafit.com/world.

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