Les Mills Kia Kaha : BODYSTEP®

Make More Freaks

lmadmin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:01:00 GMT

This month we’re feeling really inspired by all the instructors around the world who truly go the extra mile to make sure participants enjoy their LES MILLS™ classes.
We asked instructors to tell us how they go about creating great experiences for their members and their ideas impressed us so much we couldn’t keep them to ourselves, so here’s a sample of their responses.

Tanya Heller, RPM™ instructor at The Clubs at River City, Peoria, Illinois, offers her Monday night RPM™ class an extra incentive for joining her workout – it comes with a healthy dinner too. Tanya, a former Family Nutrition Coordinator, prepares a convenient, inexpensive, healthy meal for her class to sample after they ride for what she calls “Club Fed”.
“I love breaking bread with other RPMers,” says Tanya. “We not only eat but we feed off each other’s ideas for other healthy meals and snacks. Reservations fill up fast.”

Heather Stauffer, BODYPUMP™ and RPM™ instructor with Lifestyle Family Fitness in Charlotte, North Carolina, treated everyone in her class to a “Smoochathon” on Valentine’s Day and handed out lip balm to each participant as a reward for keeping all that Valentine’s chocolate from becoming extra love on their hips, thighs and booty.

Michael Daniels, State Trooper with the Michigan State Police, and his girlfriend Toni Lentini-VanderPloeg from Swat Fitness Club in Kalamazoo, Michigan, are helping people fall in love with more than just fitness – they team teach a "couples" class and encourage members to bring in their significant other. Afterwards, members are encouraged to join them at the energy bar for "happy hour" or a continued date night with discounts on protein shakes.
We’ve heard some great stories about what class members have done to thank instructors too. DeDe Cox, Group Fitness Manager at West Forsyth Family YMCA, Clemmons, North Carolina, says members actually took the time to hand write thank-you notes to the team of BODYPUMP™ instructors, when they celebrated the anniversary of the program arriving at their club. After teaching to a packed class of 60 at the birthday class, members and staff then surprised DeDe in the studio with a large cake, balloons and banner all singing Happy Birthday to BODYPUMP™!

And finally, we all know about BFF’s (Best Friends Forever) but Emily Oswald, Les Mills Instructor at Gold’s Gym, James Island, South Carolina, has EFF’s otherwise known as “Emily's Fitness Freaks”. What started out as a few class members who kept in touch by email has turned into a dedicated group of participants. “They are the enthusiastic group who will do the crazy finales and go wild over the fitness magic moments in new releases,” says Emily. “They meet each other at the gym and hold each other accountable if they don't show up - quite simply they are an amazing group of people who inspire me to be the best fitness instructor, role model and coach I can be!”

Latest Filming Round Hits Town

lmadmin — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:14:00 GMT

Can you believe filming for 3/2008 is already under way? Seems like only yesterday the Global Summit team were doing their best to bring down the roof at Auckland’s Sky City!

Glen and Sarah Ostergaard, and Dan McDonogh got things rolling on Friday, recording RPM™40 in Les Mills Auckland’s awesome new purpose-built studio for the first time. Apparently the atmosphere was amped and it’s no wonder - it can hold an amazing 62 bikes (when there aren’t any cameras in the way!)

Over in Studio 1, Gandalf, Carla Fitzsimons and Chris Richardson funked it up for BODYJAM™46 while Lisa Osborne, Bevan James Eyles and Nathan Jones led the BODYATTACK™62 charge. BODYVIVE™08 had a huge turnout up front with Susan Trainor, Maureen Baker, Mark Nu’u, Pete Manual and Australia’s Dione Ware looking fine.

Can’t wait for Monday when BODYSTEP™73 , BODYPUMP™67, BODYBALANCE™42 and BODYCOMBAT™37 - featuring our favourite newly-weds Dan and Rachael Cohen - get their turn!

Download the LES MILLS™ BODCAST Today!

rachaelcohen — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Listen up!

We’re always trying to think of new, improved ways to communicate all things Les Mills to our dedicated community. So, a few of us creative types got together and thought;

“Mate, wouldn’t it be really cool if we could put together some wicked behind the scenes stuff that captures what goes on that no one ever sees?”

So, after many meetings (we like meetings here) we sorted ourselves out and got on with the job and created the Les Mills BODCAST. As it’s our first podcast it may be rough in patches but hey, like a fine wine, we will get better with time.

And who is us, we hear you ask?

It’s Pete Manuel, Dan Cohen, Dan McDonough, Gandalf Archer, Emma Barry, Bridget Armstrong, Vaughn Schwass and yours truly! There’s so much to talk about and we can’t keep quiet any longer.

Because it’s a pilot podcast, we’re keen to receive feedback so make sure you fill in the survey and tell us what you think!

Remember to be honest: tell it like it is, how it could be, how it was and of course how it should be! (man that rhymes well)

We want to bring you another Les Mills BODCAST as soon as we can and we want it to be filled with content you’re interested in.

So tell your mum, your mate, your neighbour, your fellow gym buddies – it’s for everybody to listen to!

Download the very first Les Mills BODCAST for FREE and tell us what you think.

KIA KAHA

Steve Renata — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 15:59:00 GMT

Kia Ora Tatou (Hallo everyone)

Seeing these tattoo (moko) designs starting to appear in different countries inspires much pride and passion in everyone at Les Mills - especially those of us with a Maori heritage.

We started drawing on our indigenous culture when we first took BODYPUMP out into the world in 1997, scaring the locals with the haka (warrior dance) and sealing new friendships with the hongi (pressing noses) and other greetings like “Kia Ora! (how is your wellbeing?) ” and “Kia Kaha! (stand strong!)”

It was a privilege for people like Mike, Pete, Emma and myself to introduce the Maori dimension into the global Les Mills culture and it’s great to have a new way of expressing it, thanks to these designs by Inia Taylor.

The journey to receive a tattoo can follow many different roads.

Tattoo, or tatau, has deeps roots among the indigenous peoples of Polynesia. As the tradition spread through the sea-faring cultures, each island brought its own style to this physical art form. The sophisticated body art form which had developed over thousands of years has come full circle.

The Les Mills tattoos are taonga (or gifts) to be enjoyed by everyone in the Les Mills family. While each of them has a specific program significance they also provide a broader symbolic connection to the wider purpose of creating life changing fitness experiences.

For more on the meaning of Maori tattoos check out http://history-nz.org/maori3.html

Whatever road you take to receive tattoos enjoy the journey and prepare to pass the gift on in the spirit of friendship

Ka kite ano (see you again)

Steven