Invest In You At the 2014 IDEA World Fitness Convention™, August 13-17, in Anaheim, California

If you want to know just how valuable the IDEA World Fitness Convention experience is to creating a powerful career, all you have to do is ask some of the most successful people in the industry.

“Following a session at an IDEA World Fitness Convention, I was approached by an attendee who invited me to be part of a think tank group of professionals,” says Fabio Comana, MA, MS, director of continuing education for the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and a faculty member in exercise science and nutrition at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. “That networking opportunity expanded my professional channels into what became several books moving toward publication, and more speaking engagements as a keynote speaker. Without the opportunity to meet a peer in that IDEA World session, this may have never occurred!”

Fraser Quelch, head of training and development for TRX®, and creator and lead educator of the TRX Suspension Training® Course, recalls that attending an IDEA World Fitness Convention changed his career as well. “My relationship with TRX began at the IDEA World Fitness Convention in 2004. From that one meeting, my career took a tremendous turn, and I’ve had the opportunity to experience and help shape some incredible things! There is simply no better way to boost your knowledge, grow your career, and network with the best in the industry. IDEA attracts the brightest in the business and the best thought leaders in the world. Even if you tried, you would not be able to leave an IDEA event without a raft of fresh ideas that will redefine you as a fitness professional.”

Sherri McMillan, MSc, who has earned both the IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year and the IDEA Program Director of the Year awards, agrees. “I started attending IDEA fitness conferences within my first year of becoming a fitness instructor almost 25 years ago, and it was the most instrumental decision for the growth and direction of my career. It introduced me to different ways of thinking, presented me with role models, and provided me with various networking opportunities that created lasting business relationships and friendships. Any fitness instructor or trainer who wants to progress his or her career needs to be at an international conference like this. It will blow your mind!”

The 2014 IDEA World Fitness Convention, August 13–17, in Anaheim, California, will be packed with powerful opportunities to get a high return on your investment, including networking connections to help you open doors; expert strategies to expand your income; and 5 eye-opening days of new research, programs and products to set you apart from competitors back home.

It is the largest fitness event of its kind in the industry, hosting a global community of over 12,000 personal trainers, group fitness instructors, mind-body professionals, owners and managers from more than 60 countries. The industry’s biggest names will present over 360 educational sessions on the widest range of fitness, business, nutrition and wellness topics available anywhere.

Only at IDEA

Although there are a variety of other conventions aimed at fitness pros, the IDEA World Fitness Convention is known for one-of-a-kind attendee experiences that are unique in the industry. Here are a few planned for this year:

The IDEA World Showcase Room

With rock-concert energy and excitement, the IDEA World Showcase Room is the place to see the biggest names in fitness in unforgettable performances. There will be prizes, surprises and giveaways. This year, Jillian Michaels will present her newest fitness regimen, BODYSHRED™. Other attractions in the Showcase Room:

• Four Top Guns and Four Top Chicks Elite Challenge
• The Ultimate Boot Camp Battle: “The EX Games”
• Todd Durkin’s Boot Camp 2014
• Showcase Sanctuary Featuring Tara Stiles, powered by Reebok
• MMX—Straight Out of P90X3! Featuring Tony Horton

IDEA Inspiration Medals

This fun challenge has been a huge favorite with attendees, who compete during sessions and at the Expo Hall for individual or team medals in these three categories: (1) Inspirational, (2) Physical and (3) Mental. This year’s Inspiration Medal recipients will be entered into a special drawing to win valuable prizes, including a Schwinn® AC Performance Plus bike with the third-generation MPowerTM Console and a week for two at the world-famous spa and resort, Rancho La Puerta.

IDEA Summer Games

In the first-ever IDEA Summer Games, brought to you by Les Mills, attendees will compete with fellow pros in a rousing outdoor athletic battle on the Grand Plaza for a chance to win Gold, Silver or Bronze medals. Look for these challenges:

• Runner’s Revenge, Powered by GRITTM Cardio
• Strength and Conditioning Match-Up, Powered by GRIT Strength
• Speed, Agility and Quickness Challenge, Powered by GRIT Plyo
• Les Mills GRIT Games Competition, Sponsored by Les Mills and Reebok

Club Spotlight

This is your chance to find out what’s trending in top fitness clubs around the world and to meet the personalities behind the hottest new programs. Featured this year:

• Crunch® presents Powerwave Battle Roping
• Equinox® presents Hang Tight and Move Free
• Total Woman presents Where Science Meets Action to Ignite Female Power . . . Decade by Decade
• 24 Hour Fitness® presents U-Jam Fitness®

Special Programming for Your Career Interests

The convention has the broadest educational program in the industry, with special offerings to fit your career needs if you’re a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, business owner, program director or manager.

Personal trainers. Get what you need to reach out to new markets, refine your business practices and boost client satisfaction. Choose from these topics:

• Boomers/older adults
• training athletes
• small-group and partner training
• suspension exercise
• boot camps and circuits
• metabolic training
• technology

Group exercise instructors. Get inspired to start a new class, change up an existing one, or create a group program for a new target market. Choose from these topics:

• barre
• group strength
• kickboxing and martial arts
• circuit and interval training
• dance-inspired programs
• step training

Owners, program directors and managers. Find out how to invest in the ideas and strategies that will bring you the strongest and fastest return—from marketing and sales to team building and raising profits in your operation. Choose from these topics

• hiring and employee retention
• group exercise and group training for profit
• new revenue strategies
• marketing and sales
• team building and culture
• leadership
• technology

This year’s convention also offers powerful research, information, trends and training in the areas of working with specialized equipment, nutrition, mind-body health, personal growth, and career and business development.

Specialized equipment. Get the specialized training you need to offer your clients all the advantages of the latest equipment training. Sessions will cover indoor cycling, Kranking® TRX Suspension Training and TRX RIPTM Training.

Nutrition. Get up-to-the-minute information on the rapidly changing world of nutrition, healthy eating and weight management. Topics will include recovery, metabolism, weight loss, sports nutrition, healthy eating strategies and cooking demonstrations.

Mind-body. Learn the newest developments, and get insights that can add new dimension and power to your mind-body training. Sessions will cover fusion, barre, Pilates, yoga and meditation.

Personal growth. Take this opportunity to grow your own health, awareness and vitality. Topics will include stress-free living, transformation, wellness strategies, success principles and life-changing tools.

Business and career development. Attend these highly focused sessions and learn to navigate new routes to success that can translate directly into new revenue. Sessions will cover new client strategies, new revenue avenues, client retention tools, technology integration and social media.