Where Your Career Goes From Great to EPIC

The IDEA World Convention means a lot of things to different people. For some, it’s primarily about updating their skill sets and knowledge to maintain a competitive edge. For others, the connections and relationships they build at the fitness event are priceless in advancing their careers and enriching their lives. Whatever stands out for each individual, one thing unites allIDEA World attendees: an intense desire to create a career that thrives.

Making Connections That Boost Career Success

Ami McMullen, master instructor for TRX®, first attended IDEA World in 2006. She had exactly $88 in her bank account, slept on her friend’s mom’s hotel room floor and subsisted on samples from the Fitness & Nutrition Expo.

“I was fresh out of school, new to the West Coast and trying to figure out my niche so I could determine where to focus my education and training,” she says.

McMullen networked with reps from companies like GRAVITY® and TRX, and that led her to take training courses that afforded her teaching opportunities at a handful of gyms in San Diego, where she lived at the time.

Thirteen years later, McMullen has built a prolific and multifaceted career as a personal trainer and group instructor, a master-level trainer who leads teacher-training courses, an international presenter, a writer, and more. That’s all thanks to the connections she’s made at IDEA World, she says.

Finding Inspiration and Motivation

“This is the best continuing education conference for a fitness professional,” says 35-year fitness consultant and personal trainer Cathy Smyers. “You get to learn from the best in the industry, and there’s something for every individual, whether it’s corrective exercises, nutrition, functional training, or mind and body. It’s a great place to learn new concepts and incorporate them into your own training business.”

Attending IDEA World has helped Smyers to become a better trainer, which translates to higher-level service for her clients. “It has given me the ability to stay abreast of cutting-edge trends, and it motivates me to strive to be the best for my patrons.”

She adds that the Opening Ceremonies are always a source of inspiration and excitement. “The keynote presentations are excellent,” she says. “They always make me reflect on what I’m doing at the time.”

Gaining Knowledge and Fulfilling Requirements

Kathy Gibbs has attended a remarkable 23 IDEA World fitness events.

“I think I became an assistant at my second IDEA World Convention, and I have been a Captain for more than 20 years,” she says. “It has impacted my life in a huge way, mostly because of the friends I’ve met through IDEA, the amazing presenters that it draws, and the fact that I can get all of my CECs for ACE in one 5-day conference.”

Gibbs works primarily with older adults and has found that IDEA World keeps her ahead of the curve.

“Pamela Peeke is probably the presenter who ‘spoke to me’ the most, and I have purchased most of her books,” says Gibbs. “I also love Wayne Westcott from the olden days of IDEA because he did so much awesome work with seniors (my client base).”

She adds, “My clients always tease me that they dread it when I return from the convention because I try out all the new and challenging things I learned on them!”

What will you gain from attending IDEA World?

Top Learning Opportunities For All

IDEA World really is a one-stop shop where you can immerse yourself in topics from all corners of the industry. Whether you want to understand the latest fitness research, add new revenue streams to your business, fine-tune your teaching ability or become a more effective leader, you’ll find what you need to build an epic career. Take a peak at a few of the hot topics that were carefully selected for this year’s fitness event:

Movement Mechanics

Derrick Price, MS, director of education for the Institute of Motion, believes it’s time to address momentum in client training sessions.

“We often call [using] momentum ‘cheating’ when we’re lifting weights,” he says. “This makes sense if we want to isolate force into our muscular tissue for muscular strength and growth. The problem is, from a movement perspective this is highly inefficient.”

Inefficiency leads to fatigue, more wear and tear, and a lackluster ability to integrate the whole body during movement tasks, says Price. He’ll tackle this topic in the session “Momentum-Based Strength Training.”

“Attendees will walk away with strategies [for incorporating] momentum-based training in a strength and conditioning program, along with exercises and coaching principles to maximize clients’ ability to harness momentum for functional gains (i.e., move better!),” Price promises.

Merging Mind-Body and Fitness

Sadie Nardini, founder of Yoga Shred™, says that more may not be better when it comes to exercise and that blending mind-body and fitness protocols has helped her get into tiptop shape. “I’m 46 years old, and I used to exercise strongly for 1–2 hours a day. Now I look and feel better than I did when I was 20 in just 90 minutes—total—each week!”

That concept forms the foundation for “Yoga Shred: Blending Yoga + HIIT Training.”

“In my session, yoga people will learn (from a yoga expert) why yoga movement is wonderful for many things but is not nearly enough to create holistic fitness, and how to add complementary (and fun!) moves into their existing classes in a way that fits in respectfully and seamlessly,” says Nardini. “Fitness people will learn fresh new HIIT moves, deeper and safer anatomy points, and new alignment tips they can use right away to attract more people to class and keep them safer.”

Group Dynamics

Longtime IDEA World presenter Eve Fleck, MS, wants to the flip the script on traditional strength-based group exercise classes by encouraging instructors to alter movement tempos.

“Tempo training is a consistently overlooked training variable,” says the California State University, Northridge, lecturer. “One exercise can be profoundly changed by simply adjusting the tempo. “This will have an effect on fiber-type recruitment, force production, stabilizer recruitment and power production capabilities.”

Fleck will provide solid, science-based techniques for safely incorporating this type of training into program design during the session “Time for Tempo.”

Powerful Program Design

“HIIT and athletic-inspired training programs have grown rapidly within the industry, but many of them lack the structure and training principles needed to keep clients safe, engaged and progressing long term,” says Joe Drake, MS, co-owner of Gravity + Oxygen Fitness in Boca Raton, Florida.

Drake is concerned that, without a solid foundation, programs miss the mark and push clients into risky situations. In the session “Performance Training Meets Group Fitness–Variables of Power, Speed, Stamina and Skill,” he plans to arm attendees with training options that are safe and effective.

“The Technogym® Skillathletic format is not only an amazing killer workout,” he says. “It will inspire and empower coaches to take their use of athletic-inspired training in small and large groups to the next level.”

IDEA World Fitness & Nutrition Expo

More than 300 brands will set up shop in the IDEA World Fitness & Nutrition Expo, offering the latest in equipment, technology, nutrition, apparel, continuing education, and everything else you need to support your career and business. Plus, this year’s expo will feature plenty of pulse-pounding action and special events.

Experience Thrilling Showcase Sessions

Your favorite presenters and fitness celebrities will take the stage to lead signature sessions that are equal parts inspiration and perspiration.

• TD’s EPIC Workout Experience with Todd Durkin, MA,
• POP Pilates® Party—LIVE with Cassey Ho
• 22 Minute Hard Corps™ Workout with Tony Horton on
  the USS Midway.
• KaisaFit Signature—High-Intensity Body-Weight Training with Kaisa Keranen, MS

NEW! IDEA World Studio Spotlight

Join professional fitness blogger Gina Harney as she emcees this brand-new experience highlighting the latest and greatest in barre, dance, high-intensity training and more.

“I’m excited to get a preview of some of the new and exciting formats in the industry,” says Harney, who runs The Fitnessista™ blog. “It’s the perfect chance to check out some of the up-and-coming and popular fitness classes that may not be offered in your area.”

Explore New Equipment at the IDEA World MEGA Circuit

This is your chance to try some of the hottest tools during workouts led by high-energy coaches and trainers. You’ll also get fresh ideas on how to build your own engaging and effective circuits.

Nutrition Pavilion

An IDEA exclusive, the Nutrition Pavilion hosts leading nutrition and supplement companies and experts. You get to sample new products, experience healthy-cooking demos by top chefs, and get insights on how to help clients choose foods that will support their goals.

Unopposed Expo Hours

Sessions go dark during Afternoon Power Hours so that you can participate in revitalizing workouts, try new equipment, chat with vendors and explore the expo.

LeadHER Preconference

A special extended learning opportunity for women by women, this preconference session furnishes attendees with know-how to overcome the unique challenges they face.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in your fitness career; this is such a great way to get inspired about a future vision for yourself,” says Lisa Druxman, MA, founder of FIT4MOM® and one of the session presenters. “All women can benefit from the motivation and inspiration that will be shared from some of the top professionals in our industry. Everyone can benefit from learning how to be a leader in [one’s] life.”

Fellow presenter Shannon Fable, fitness business and programming consultant, adds, “I’m most excited about the group of women we have assembled to lead this day: Lisa Druxman, Petra Kolber, Trina Gray and Tatiana Kolovou. Each has walked such a different path to arrive at the same place: success both in this industry and in life! I know their passion will inspire each and every attendee, but the concrete tools, tips and tricks they will articulate will provide a platform for each woman to find even more success in the back half of the year and beyond.”

Excitement At Every Turn

There’s so much to absorb that you’ll never have a dull moment. Here’s a snapshot of some of the invaluable experiences available only at IDEA World:

• Opening Ceremonies. It all starts with the Opening Ceremonies, sponsored by Technogym, with inspiring stories from remarkable individuals who have risen to the top of the industry.
• IDEA World Club & Studio Summit. The industry’s best share what they did to increase sales, implement effective operations systems, build world-class company cultures and create businesses that thrive.
• IDEA World Nutrition & Behavior Change Summit. Back for its third year, this IDEA-exclusive 2-day fitness event-within-the-event puts you at the forefront of the freshest nutrition and behavior change research and gives you the skills to guide clients to their healthiest lives.
• Les Mills LIVE. Some of the hottest instructors take you through your favorite Les Mills workouts.
• ACE Mover Academy. You discover the latest research and practical knowledge from ACE experts and develop the skills to make a positive impact in the community you serve.
• 22 Minute Hard Corp™ Workout With Tony Horton on the USS Midway. Set aboard the world-famous USS Midway aircraft carrier, this session—led by fitness superstar Tony Horton—puts you through your paces in a boot camp–style workout made up of cardio, strength and functional exercises.

For more information, see ideafit.com/world.