The FitExpo Los Angeles

The FitExpo LA has come and gone. March brings exciting new events in the fitness industry including the Arnold Classic, IHRSA, and SCW Mania. While we won’t make it to the Arnold due to a crazy schedule in the next two months, we will be going to the other two. (They are geared heavily toward facility managers, operators, and professional instructors. The Arnold is focused on competitions.) Still, let’s take a minute to recognize some of Hungry & Fit’s standout moments from this year’s FitExpo, in no particular order.

1. Evolution Fitness Conference – There were some great workshops and training seminars available and we took full advantage of them. NASM brought some stellar material in the form of lectures while new(er) workout programs were presented to hundreds of professionals trainers and instructors. Plus, it’s a great way of earning some cec’s or ceu’s!

2. Fabio Comana – NASM’s Director of Continuing Education showed us that the more we learn, the less we know. His lectures were outstanding and he is the model educator in the industry. There is no reason why every trainer, coach, instructor, etc, should continue to learn and grow in order to actually be able to help people properly. If we were getting lazy, Fabio showed us to get back on that horse and work!

3. Endless Samples – This was a double-edged sword. While Fit loves samples and Hungry loves saving money through free food, you really need to be careful at an event like this. You never know how many scoops of “preworkout” you accidentally consumed. For the most part it was successful, although there might have been one time that Fit picked the wrong protein bar.

 

4. Real Athletes – I got to see or meet Renzo Gracie, Victor Ortiz, Robbie Lawler, Brian Shaw, and many more. Brian Shaw was down to earth, despite being as tall as a mountain, and initiated a handshake with me after I praised him for what he does for the fitness industry. It really is an amazing place where all sorts of amazing athletes appear.

 

5. Crazy Competitions – Forget the endless, boring pull-up and dip contests! The Battle of the Bars always amazes me and the Odd Haugen classic had Fit scratching her head. Arm-wrestling, powerlifting, and children’s grappling, there are tons of competitive athletes really going at it here!

6. Unknown Products – Never heard of R.E.D. Warrior? Now you have and love the workout. Never knew what a Beast Metals Hammer was? It’s hard to miss that massive chunk of steel. There are tons of booths of well-known supplement companies but there are also new apparel brands and exercise programs that you never knew until you walked the whole floor and looked into every single exhibit. 

 

7. YouTubers/IG – Pick and choose, you know your favorites. Some have lines, some don’t and I won’t judge. Everyone has their own reason and it was a pleasure to see Marc Lobliner again, meet Big J in person, and have a chat with the insanely strong Brad Castleberry.

 

8. True Fitness Models – There are tons of “models” that get a lot of attention but there are also those that truly can inspire anyone with their work ethic, drive for success, and insane physiques. Nicole Wilkins was incredibly kind and sweet, Larissa Reis is a real person who looks just like her pictures, and Steve Cook is that damn good-looking in person.

 

9. Meeting the People – The conference was great, the exhibitors were awesome, but working a booth for a day and meeting the people in the expo was the best part. I probably talked to/entertained over 500 people, easily. It’s fun to find out what brought them here and where they were from. Since most people there weren’t from LA, it was fun to find out how far people traveled to be there!

HAH! Wouldn’t it make sense for their to be a tenth? Oh well, sometimes you need to be unpredictable because being able to be resourceful and make everything work out is an essential skill to staying hungry & fit!