Expo helps fitness pros stay on top of their game

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KABC) -- Fitness instructor Angela Ledyard is at the annual IDEA World Convention.

She and 14,000 others look at it as a place to renew.

"You get ideas, you get motivated, you get energized. You can take it back to your class, your clients," said Ledyard, a San Diego fitness instructor.

"This is what replenishes my teaching energy. You go back and your classes are brand new again. Your members notice it," said Oz Folb of Malibu.

The convention is home to trainers, group exercise instructors, gym owners and those with new products - like Jens Derwinger from Sweden.

"I'm here for presenting our exercise product, the Procedos platform nine. We are meeting some awesome people. Getting presentation of our concept and Group X training," said Derwinger, co-founder of Procedos.

In the old days they used to come for choreography. There's certainly a lot of that but many of the instructors say it's now about the science, innovation and technology.

"It really showcases how the field is growing and evolving. Not only from the physical perspective but to take into account emotional, mental, spiritual well-being as well," said Jessica Matthews, senior advisor for the American Council on Exercise.

"Balance is very huge. Brain training. We're looking at the incidence of Alzheimer's and it's staggering. Balance is all part of it when you think of the neuro-muscular connection," said Amy Dixon of Equinox.

Over 350 lectures and workshops help fitness pros understand why they do what they do in an in-depth fashion.

The expo features a plethora of tools, toys and technology to keep inspiring others.

And the opening ceremony recognizes fitness notables, like 92-year-old Elaine LaLanne and Chris and Heidi Powell of ABC's "Extreme Weight Loss." The couple received the Jack LaLanne award.

"Change doesn't start with what you eat and how you move. Change actually happens by what's going in your brain and your heart, and once you attack that part of it, the physical transformation's going happen," said Heidi Powell.