Life Fitness Launches Search for the World's Best Personal Trainers to Watch

Source: Life Fitness

SCHILLER PARK, Ill., April 24, 2013 - Life Fitness, a global leader in fitness equipment manufacturing, today announces its search for the world's best Personal Trainers to Watch in partnership with the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs), an international partnership between exercise professional registration bodies around the world. Now in its third year, the Personal Trainers to Watch program recognizes and rewards trainers around the world that embody the same passion and commitment to healthy lifestyles on which Life Fitness prides itself. Nominations will be collected throughout the month of June and the top 10 finalists will compete during a live global competition this fall to determine the winner.

"Worldwide, the personal training profession is booming as new audiences recognize that professional fitness expertise will help people maintain motivation and achieve their goals," said Chris Clawson, Life Fitness president. "The first ever Personal Trainers to Watch workshop event will bring the world's top trainers together on a global stage to learn new tips and techniques from each other as we celebrate their accomplishments."

Beginning June 1, exercisers, personal trainers and gym owners alike can visit www.LifeFitness.com/PersonalTrainers to nominate a personal trainer who supports a powerful vision, exemplary commitment to enhancing client experiences, and pursues continuing education for mastery of the profession. Nominees also will be judged on awards received, tenure and number of clients served. Ten finalists will be invited for a final round of judging where they will design and conduct a training class on Life Fitness' state of the art functional training system, Synrgy360.

"ICREPs is dedicated to ensuring that fitness industry professionals have the required skills and training needed so their clients receive the highest quality workout and fitness guidance available," said ICREPs Chair, Richard Beddie. "We're excited to partner with Life Fitness this year to honor the top personal trainers worldwide. Our partnership will give these fitness professionals an opportunity to further build their global recognition."

The grand prize winner will receive:• $5,000 USD toward his or her personal training business• International media recognition as the global 2013 Personal Trainer to Watch• Continuing education course credit from workshop attendance from the Life Fitness Academy• Personalized award plaque• A one-year membership from world-renowned educational resource PTontheNet and MyGroupFit.com

All finalists will receive an expenses-paid trip for final evaluation, a continuing education course credit from Life Fitness Academy, international recognition and a personalized award plaque.

The Personal Trainers to Watch program will be judged by seven esteemed fitness industry experts:• Joanne Blackerby - 2012 Personal Trainer to Watch winner and owner of Spirit Fitness Training in Austin, Texas • Chris Clawson - president of Life Fitness• Richard Beddie - chair of ICREPs and CEO of Fitness New Zealand• Pete McCall, M.S., C.S. - an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise® (ACE®), the world's largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization• Nicole Nichols - 2011 Personal Trainer to Watch and editor-in-chief of SparkPeople.com, a leading healthy lifestyle website reaching millions online• Keith Smith - global master trainer at Life Fitness Academy, the education arm of Life Fitness• Thomas Rieger - chairman of the Standards Council of the European Health & Fitness Association

Nominations for the 2013 Personal Trainers to Watch program can be made from June 1-30, 2013. Finalists will be announced in August 2013, and the top Personal Trainer to Watch will be announced globally following the live workshop this fall. To nominate a personal trainer and to view official program rules, visit www.LifeFitness.com/PersonalTrainers. Nominations are limited to one entry per person; however, trainers can be nominated by multiple people.

About Life FitnessLife Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment manufacturing. The company manufactures and sells strength and cardiovascular equipment under the brand names Life Fitness and Hammer Strength and distributes its equipment in more than 120 countries. Headquartered outside Chicago, in Schiller Park, Ill., Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC).

About ICREPsThe International Confederation of Registers of Exercise Professionals (ICREPs) is an international partnership between registration bodies around the world that register exercise professionals. ICREPs members operate over four continents, in seven countries, and collectively register over 60,000 individual exercise professionals.