Still Feeling Turbo Kick
Yesterday morning, Pam and I attended the early morning workout at the Palmer House Hilton. The name of the game was Turbo Kick, and the good people from Lincoln Park Athletic Club definitely kicked our you-know-whats. After a 45-minute sweat fest of kicks, jabs, jacks and wheels (an odd, yet highly effective core move that involves a lot of twisting and crunching), we were definitely in need of a shower and a good breakfast.
Next on the agenda was the session, “Get the Scoop — Sports Supplements Promises and Pitfalls,” led by Anthony Almada, president and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition. Our art director, Jennifer Ray, accompanied me during the presentation, and I think it’s safe to say that we learned quite a bit. She even commented she’d have information to take back to the personal trainer that she works with. Almada debunked a number of myths that many in the industry believe, including “Muscle weighs more than fat.” (In fact, a pound of muscle does weigh as much as a pound of fat because a pound is a pound. Fitness professionals really need to say that muscle is more dense than fat and takes up less room on the body, thereby making a person smaller.)
Almada also gave advice on how to evaluate sports supplements and shared market research. Unfortunately, Jennifer and I had to duck out of the presentation about 20 minutes early to help set up for Laila Ali’s keynote and the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Alan Schwartz, but we still learned a lot. (Look for more about the keynotes from Stuart and Pam later.)
Yesterday, I also had the chance to stop by a number of manufacturer booths, including Life Fitness, SCIFIT and Star Trac. All of these companies are doing amazing new things from iPod connectivity and user-friendly design to virtual personal trainers and equipment that uses less energy. This year, the show floor really is full of great new ideas, and it’s really exciting to watch. –Jennipher
Related Topics: Club Industry 2007
