With over 16 million workout videos sold since 1980, Kathy Smith has become a household name in fitness. A mother of two, Kathy also serves on the board of the USC School of Gerontology, the Women's Sports Foundation and is a recipient of the IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award from IDEA Health & Fitness, the world's largest professional fitness organization.
What
On Wednesday, I drove to Anaheim for the IDEA Convention with my good friend and associate, Jackie Mendes. Even though it’s been a while, Jackie and I fell right into our very comfortable, familiar groove - and we had a blast. It’s such a great feeling to see the faces of old friends like Douglas Brooks, Candice Copeland, Josie Gardiner, Jay Blahnik, and of course, the creators of the whole thing, Kathie & Peter Davis. I visited Tony Horton (Mr. P90-X himself) at his booth, and he challenged me to a push-up contest. Since I knew I wouldn’t beat him in that arena, I decided to change the rules and try out my handstand. (That’s Tony holding up my legs - thanks, Tony!)
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I had the honor of MC-ing the Opening Ceremonies after Milo Levell warmed up the crowd with some hip-hop moves and a solo dance (a beautiful tribute to Michael Jackson). I presented awards to Cynthia Norton (Personal Trainer Of The Year), June Kahn (Fitness Instructor Of The Year), Debi Pillarella (Program Director Of The Year). The most touching moment of the day was when Fitness Inspiration Award Winner, Scout, had her mother Susi Bassett accept on her behalf, because Scout was in London representing the USA in an effort to include the Paralympic Gampes in the 2012 Olympics.
I got to jump into Josh Crosby’s Indo-Row class with Jay Blahnik and Douglass Brooks, using a new rower that you’ll start seeing in clubs around the country. Wow! The energy in the room was through the roof and the workout was unbelievable.
Two other products that really caught my attention: M.E.L.T. - a revolutionary approach to pain-free living, developed by Sue Hitzmann to help erase joint compression and stiffness before strength training or cardio. You can find out more at meltmethod.com. Another great find: Something called “BeamFit” - David Mesirow gave me a great demonstration of how to do pilates, yoga, and strength training on one soft beam.
