The EXPO!

Checking out all of the new props and products! Love Escape Fitness’s new STEP!

I was thrilled to represent SoulBody at the NIRSA Annual Conference + Campus Rec & Wellness Expo in Boston this month. NIRSA used to stand for National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, but now simply considers themselves “Leaders in Collegiate Recreation”. SoulBody is now an Associate Member of NIRSA and is proud to be a part of an association that according to NIRSA “supports college and university student’s learning and growth by fostering lifelong habits of wellbeing. Leadership, teamwork, dedication, and respect are among the many skills exercised by inclusive competition, fitness, and recreation”. These students are our future leaders and instilling strong work and healthy lifestyle ethics are key!

SoulBody’s pre-choreographed BARRE + HIIT programs are currently in over 200 + larger clubs and gyms worldwide, but only in a few universities including American University and UC Riverside. After attending this conference and meeting so many young, energetic and forward thinking University Rec Center Group Fitness Directors across the U.S. and Canada, it was amazing to see and hear about the renovations these rec centers are going through and the innovative programming they are now offering to their students. Many came to our booth looking for new, progressive programming and wanted BARRE more than anything else! It was explosive and exciting to be a part of. Nothing like the youth of our nation, and to see their excitement and energy focused on fitness was truly inspiring, I wanted to bottle it!!

We came away with a stack full of business cards from big to small universities and colleges and are excited to re-connect, set up our SoulBody Teacher Trainings to train these future leaders to help us “Inspire Through Movement”.

One take-away from the weekend I want to mention was the subject of “Inclusivity”. The sessions were centered around this subject and the speakers were soulfully preaching about acceptance, empathy and conversation. The two impassioned key note speakers were Tim Shriver, the chairman of Special Olympics International and according to his bio “has been a part of an amazing team that has created exciting new Special Olympics programs in athlete leadership, cross-cultural research, health, education, and family support.  Among them, Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® has become the world’s largest public health examination and education program for people with intellectual disabilities, and Special Olympics Unified Schools has become a powerful program promoting school-based social inclusion and unified leadership”.
Ash Beckham was the closing speaker. She was the key note at the first-ever LEGTQ Conference at Harvard University and became a viral sensation with her TEDx talk “Coming Out of Your Closet” or her Boulder Ignite speech, “I am SO GAY”.  These speeches were inspiring and heartfelt on how to embrace diversity and create a sense of belonging and inclusion. What an important message to this specific group of young students as well as the professional staff and leaders of these Universities. It truly was awe-inspiring, full of hope and went way beyond the workout and sports field. Everyone felt the message and we at SoulBody are leaning in and ready to make great strides to build broader relationships and help create greater diversity with inclusivity!

In Good Health

Ann Marie

As I'm standing in a small room at 432 House (an innovative fitness concept) in midtown Manhattan getting strapped into a wet down compression suit and connected to an Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) machine ready to send surges of electricity throughout my body during my workout, I knew I entered the future of fitness!

It was exciting to see and experience what is happing within the fitness space and who's adopting the newest technology and techniques, bringing it to the forefront for all of us fitness fanatics to encounter. My "celebrity trainer" Josh Holland promised me (as I was doing jumping jacks and mountain climbers with electrodes attached to all of my major muscle groups) that this EMS Training System (through Systimfit) made my 20 minute workout equal more of a 6 hour workout as my muscles were contracting up to 36,000 times with those extra zaps of electricity!

After my slightly uncomfortable but exhilarating session with Josh, I wanted to research other workouts that include the EMS technology. One place I read about in Club Business International was a studio in Miami called IMPULSE that offers small group fitness classes with everyone suited up! Just 25 minutes of their group fitness session with the integration of EMS equals a 2 hour workout. As their tagline boasts - the future of fitness has arrived!

One thing we hinted upon in our grateful glance back, is the rise of classes and workouts that build bodies mindfully without a lot of impact. As HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes were the biggest trend in 2018 a lower intensity option is coming to the forefront. Think foam rollers, bands, low impact cardio, mindful movement, body weight training and STRETCHING. One leader in the "low impact training" space is (as the description fits) LIT Method with both studio and on-demand classes.

Wearable technology is back on top again as one of the biggest fitness trends moving into 2019. Why? A wide variety of wearables in all different price points are now offering more accurate data and the playing field is starting to level. As we've blogged before, these fitness trackers are now the new normal, becoming an integral part of not only our workouts but our lives! We want and crave the data to track our workout progressions, give us reminders, measure our heart rate and sleep patterns, as well as gamify our workouts. It's now fun and easy to track effort and compete with our fellow warriors in class or in small group trainings. This friendly competition not only motivates us, but also helps creates community!

Speaking of community! Group Fitness is the number two fitness trend of 2019 (according to a poll taken by the Washington Post). I spoke in detail about the POWER of Group Fitness in a recent podcast. Being part of a motivational tribe with a world-class instructor at the helm who leads with heart-pounding motivation and passion is a powerful place to be! One of the biggest drivers for the uptick in Group Fitness and the higher level of programming and instruction is the rise of the boutique studio space. Larger health clubs and gyms are now seeing the need to level up and offer more high caliber classes and experiences. We at SoulBody saw this trend years ago and created our SoulBody "boutique style" programming for these larger clubs to help them not only compete with the studio concepts, but win! Click HERE to listen to my podcast with Chantal Broderick of the Fitness Business Podcast to hear more about the moment Group Fitness is having and the rise of the rockstar instructor.

Older adult and kid fitness programs are also seeing a surge. We are seeing innovative and specific programming, classes and training systems to meet people where they are. Fitness is getting smarter by the minute not only with technology but with inventive and creative movements, props, and a mix of modalities to not only strengthen bodies of all ages, but motivate people to move, change and live longer, healthier and more functional lives.

Any other trends you are seeing or have experienced? Send us a note!! We'd love to hear from you!

In Good Health,

Ann Marie

Avocados

Adding this creamy fruit with other veggies helps your body better absorb all the nutrients and vitamins from those foods! Packed with Omega 3 Fatty Acids it fights inflammation and boosts the brain!

We’ve all heard and read the stats, weight loss or keeping a healthy weight is based on 80% diet and 20% exercise. Now, we at SoulBody are in the biz of fitness and movement BUT we are 100% into nutrition! Without going into more math it’s hard to burn calories through exercise and easier to control your calorie intake through your diet. If you keep the 80/20 rule, the combination of mindful eating and moderate exercise will equal masterful results.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) for ACTIVE females age 19-30 is 2400 calories per day and 2200 per day for ACTIVE females age 31-50+. For ACTIVE males in those two categories the EER is about 3,000 calories per day. So how do we create the perfect formula?

For a smart workout week, we at SoulBody recommend grabbing a strength training session at least 2-3 times per week, a “HIIT” of cardio 2-3 times per week (lace up your sneakers and run or hike in nature to clear your mind and soak in a little vitamin D) and yes REST days in between. Don’t forget to SLEEP! According to the Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center the average adult needs between 7.5 and 8 hours of sleep per night. They also say many can function on as little as 6 hours (my co-founder Stacey) and need as much as 9 hours (me)!

Now on to the EATing part of the equation! Think how the there are different grades of gas to fuel a car, we need to find the proper fuel to run our bodies at the highest, optimal level of performance. We want our bodies to be a sports car, not a beaten down clunker, but we need the right fuel to create that.

Whole foods from the earth are “performance food”. It’s actually a very simple concept: eat whole fruits, vegetables and grains because they are loaded with vitamins, nutrients and minerals to keep your immune system in full throttle and protect you from diseases. Processed foods have “trace-amounts” of whole foods and are usually loaded with salt, sugar and fat. With processed foods we have little control of really knowing what’s in the ingredients and the food we are putting in our body, but in the end we are in control. Know what you’re eating, where it’s sourced and demand only the highest quality because as they say “your body is your temple”, and we need to start treating it like that. We often do with exercise, but seem to make a wrong turn when it comes to proper nutrition.

A few good cook books we at SoulBody have in our kitchens that will help you on your journey to complete wellness: Now go grab a green juice and get cooking!

• Clean Eats: Alejandro Junger

• The Clean Plate - Eat Rest Heal: Gwyneth Paltrow

• Body Love: Kelly Leveque

• Clean Food: Terry Walters

• The Blender Girl: Tess Masters

Best in Health and Fitness,

Ann Marie

We are hearing about and participating in "virtual" fitness classes at our gyms and on-demand classes in our homes, offices and hotels. We are even working out with a trainer on our mobile apps in the park or on the beach! YES, it's easy, convenient and more important, high quality with rock star instruction - what's not to LOVE!

SoulBody has even jumped on this bandwagon with WEXER, allowing members to virtually take our Soulbody Barre, Unhitched and Power classes at health clubs worldwide, as well as BURNALONG, where our fans can take SoulBody classes at home or on the go. They can even invite friends to join  them on their TV or computer screen, creating even more of an online community fashioned around fitness. We also just signed on with a cool new player called NEO U that also allow fitness fanatics to work out on their own, streaming classes on their TV, tablet or computer. NEO U is on trend with a Fitness Hub in NYC where they host top fitness experts and creative workout concepts from around the world.

There is an absolute  "virtual fitness community"! We have all experienced it, appreciate it and benefit from it! This platform is becoming our new normal, but let's go back to basics for a minute. Let's go back to the root of where it all began - in the "Group Ex" room! Where if you glance in, you see all of  the motivated "Groupers" working out in unison. Now we see more "Mind/Body" studios within larger clubs with ballet barres, blocks, balls, straps, and mats for BARRE , YOGA  and PILATES - evolution! But what's at the crux of it all is COMMUNITY. Saving a mat, high fiving after a HIIT round or making funny faces with your neighbor (like you did in grade school) when the burn at the barre is getting a little unbearable! Then grabbing a coffee or tea after class to catch up and commiserate about how hard class was - that's a tribe! The beauty of the Group Fitness Community is it's surrounded around health and wellness, doing something vital for your body to ensure longevity and functionality for years to come as well as releasing a few endorphins!

The camaraderie of the Group Fitness Community not only comes from the connection and motivation of their "classmates", but from the "LIVE" rock star instructors. They are the "boots on the ground" at clubs and studios driving the tribe - motivating, welcoming, teaching, correcting, connecting, following-up...

We at SoulBody know and understand the power of our instructors who we call our "SQUAD". Although we deliver new choreography and music every quarter, they are the ones in front of the class, on the stage, walking around the room breathing true life into what we've created. They frame the "touch-points" for those experiencing our classes. The goal of our SoulBody Teacher Trainings is to instill confidence in our SQUAD to be able to create true connection through touch, voice, and demonstration as well as mastering the exercises and cueing proper form so they can join our mission of "inspiring through movement".

Bottom line is whether your online or side by side with a "motivational pack", you're hanging around the right crowd, doing something vital for your mind, body and soul! As the old adage says, "there's strength in numbers" not to mention accountability and upping your game! Invest in yourself, find your tribe and THRIVE!

For more information on joining our SoulBody SQUAD, visit www.soulbody.fitness

Best In Health and Fitness,

Ann Marie

Having already had an extremely successful SoulBody Teacher Training and launch of Soulbody Barre and Unhitched programs at Gold's Gym Egypt last year, we happily accepted MeFitPro's invitation to join their MeFit Summit last week to present a few SoulBody Master Classes and meet the team!

We also hosted a post-conference SoulBody Teacher Training for managers and instructors from Gold's Gym Saudi and UAE at the beautiful Talise Fitness Health Club (along with other reputable instructors around the region). Growing our SoulBody GLOBAL SQUAD!

Quick recap of the MEFIT Summit and the "thought leaders" we got to meet and know better! 

• Wonderful to hear HE Saeed Mohammed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council (DSC) during the opening ceremony! The DSC is the official sports governing body of the Government of Dubai. Their goal and task at hand is to develop a holistic sports culture for the Emerite. 

• Happy to have met and gotten to know Greg and Rania Boucher from MeFitPro (and their AMAZING TEAM) who are truly passionate leaders in the Middle East, not only running the Mefit Summit for 15 years, but working as a stand-alone Fitness Institute who works with partner companies in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon to help expand Education and Training. The end of summit "celebration" they hosted on a private boat (from the Dubai Marina) to take in the sights of modern Dubai was quite spectacular and much appreciated!

• Had almost too much fun with the MOVE U "YouTube" sensations Dr. Mike Wasilisin and Andrew Dettelbach as they presented quite a few workshops on how to FIX YO SH*T with their "Forever Fix" online program. 

• Always humbled and honored to sit around a table with Farel Hruska, personal trainer, group fitness instructor and pre- and post-natal fitness expert. Her workshops #rocked!

• Got our "networking on" with Alexandra Maia from House of Social, the Middle East's go-to social media know-how platform! She definitely lit up the room!

• Learned A LOT about RockTape who sponsored the event. This is the perfect example of how EDUCATION and support along with product catapults a company. 

• Also got to meet the team and experience a workshop for Stick Mobility (training system with a flexible Mobility Stick to improve range of motion, muscle activation and coordination). This was fun for us as we use the weighted training bar for our SoulBody Unhitched Program and use many of the same foundations and fundamentals. 

• Last but not least a shout out to other companies whose founders and teams we got to meet and enjoy amazing food and conversation with! Woodway, Styku, SKLZ, MYZONE, TRX, Trigger Point, THERAGUN, Nuzest Nutrition, Animal Flow, as well as club owners and operators from Gold's Gym UAE, Gold's Gym Saudi Arabia, Fitness First UAE, Talise Fitness and more!

Happy to be back in the states to ramp up for our next big conference...FIBO USA in Orlando, FL from December 5-8. 

SoulBody will be presenting and holding a post-conference Teacher Training so be sure to find us if you plan to attend. We are also looking forward to seeing our friends from WIFA at their event on December 7!

Best in Health and Fitness,
Ann Marie

Help Us Inspire Through Movement…

Hello!! Welcome to SoulBody's Blog - SoulBody Thrive! Stacey Vandiver and I are the co-founders of SoulBody and the creators of SoulBody Barre, SoulBody Barre Unhitched and SoulBody Power group fitness programs.

We offer progressive, unique, "Boutique-Style" programming to large Health Clubs, Gyms, as well as University, Corporate and Recreation Fitness Centers. We train instructors in a one-day comprehensive SoulBody Teacher Training, then go one step further offering them exclusive choreographed classes, set to amazing music every three months! We keep classes fresh, instructors vested and inspired and clubs ahead of the curve and competing by offering innovative programming with #rockstar instruction!

Here's the deal!! Stacey and I have been in the group fitness space for over 15 years. We have seen the growth of the boutique studio concepts offering unique, one of a kind, specialized experiences to their "tribes". We saw a need for these larger clubs and gyms to compete in this market to not only retain their members but bring in new sets and sub-sets with innovative programming. We saw the rise and popularity of BARRE so created SoulBody Barre, using the ballet barre, then SoulBody Barre Unhitched using the weighted bar for those clubs that didn't have a mind-body room - no installation required! Then saw not only the effectiveness but pure explosion of HIIT, so we put our mind-body twist on this concept and created SoulBody Power, our version of 30 min HIIT meets Strength - no props!

We are on a mission to "inspire through movement" GLOBALLY! We've created an amazing SQUAD of vested instructors helping to lead the charge and have a family of clubs across the globe feeling the SoulBody LOVE and offering their members the SoulBody "boutique" BARRE and HIIT experience.

We will continue to sift through the trends. Pick the programs that are safe, effective and body-changing - always progressive and unique, pre-choreographed and set to AMAZING music by current, original artists!

Our mission is to stay relevant, listen to the needs of our squad and clubs, and continue to rise with those innovators and trailblazers within this critically IMPORTANT world of health and fitness.

Be the Movement!

Best in Health and Fitness,

Ann Marie