Fitness conferences are a great way to learn new skills, get inspired by successful fitness entrepreneurs and master trainers and build a great network of fellow professionals.
In 2019 there is a multitude of different types of fitness conferences covering a whole range of fitness disciplines taking place across the United States. For the purpose of this article, we have put together a comprehensive list of 10 fitness conferences that will give you the most value as an entrepreneur.
Before attending a fitness conference you should think about what value you want to get out of it. Do you want to attend a more focused conference that matches your area of fitness like Pilates on Tour or The Yoga Conference? Or do you want to go to a more generalized conference like the IDEA World Convention where you will get a wide selection of different fitness information? You may only to able afford one to two conferences a year so choose wisely.
When you have chosen the particular conference you want to attend keep this checklist in mind:
- Make a “must attend” list of the speakers or booths that will give the most value.
- Reach out to those who have attended before to get any necessary background information on the event.
- Schedule adequate rest and meal times in between speakers.
- Attend a good cross section of fitness techniques and business skills workshops.
- Step outside of your general comfort zone and attend a speaker you have never heard of speaking on a topic you are unfamiliar with. This may inspire you to think outside the box about your business
- If the conference has an app, download it to keep up to date with events in general and get more information on what’s going on.
Finally one of the big draws for a fitness professional in attending a conference is the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Credits(CECs). CECs are required by accredited organizations to maintain a persons competency and certification in their chosen area of fitness. In this article, we will call out the conferences that offer CECs.
So let’s take a look at the top 10 fitness conferences that are happening in the United States this year.
IDEA World Convention
June 26th – 30th – Anaheim California.
The IDEA World Convention is a conference for fitness, nutrition and wellness professionals. The tagline on the website for 2019 is “Ignite Your Passion” which gives you some idea of what to expect from this fitness conference.
It is run by IDEA Health and Fitness which is an organization of over 275,000 health and fitness professionals who are “on a mission to inspire the world to fitness.” The organization connects fitness professionals from around the world and runs several different conferences throughout the year.
Over 14,000 health and fitness professionals attend over 4 action-packed days attending over 350 strategic workshops, lectures, and workouts. As well as that there are 225 world-renowned speakers in attendance lecturing on a wide range of topics like fitness, business, sports nutrition, and self-motivation.
This conference provides the opportunity to up to 24 CECs to satisfy your education and certification requirements. These are recognized by the following agencies: ACE, ACSM, AFAA, BOC, NASM, NFPT, NSCA, W.I.T.S., Cooper Institute, NETA, NESTA, and NFPT.
Register your interest for the conference here.
IHRSA Convention
March 13th to 16th – San Diego, California
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association holds a yearly conference that is ideal for every type of fitness entrepreneur and professional. IHRSA is a global community of health and fitness professionals with over 8,000 member clubs in 70+ countries. Their mission is to grow, protect, and promote the health and fitness industry through comprehensive fitness education.
Their annual conference brings expertise from this vast network together over three days. There are over 100 education sessions taught by some of the most successful entrepreneurs and master trainers in the health club industry. There is also a trade show that runs as part of the conference with more than 400 exhibitors from around the globe who will be showcasing their products and services in a vibrant, high-energy environment. With such a wealth of knowledge, this convention is a goldmine for networking, and there is a variety of interactive events taking place during the three days.
You can register for the 2019 edition of the IHRSA Convention here.
The Boutique Fitness Summit
April 26th – New York
August 1st – Washington DC
November 1st – Chicago
The Boutique Fitness Summit (BTS) is a dedicated conference for fitness professional in the boutique space. The BTS bills itself as a day immersive experience for the boutique fitness community
BTS is relatively new in the fitness conference scene and its establishment reflects the enormous growth of the sector in recent years. It was first launched last year in 2018 with events in New York and Washington DC.
This conference is attended by over 500 attendees each year and is sponsored by a lot of the major players in the boutique space. The keynote speaker at the New York conference is Annabeth Eschbach who is the founder of Exhale, a successful boutique studio franchise that offers both fitness classes and spa treatments.
The Boutique Fitness Summit is holding 3 events across 2019. The first will be in New York City with the next summit taking place in Washington DC before they round the year off in Chicago on November 1st.
The New York event takes place in the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel and you can register for it here.
The FitExpo
June 1st to 2nd – Anaheim
July 27th to 28th – San Diego
Oct 12th to 13th – San Jose
Jan 25th to 26th – Los Angeles
The FitExpo is a family friendly conference that caters to both fitness professionals and casual fitness enthusiasts alike. It aims to unite thousands of fitness fanatics ranging from bodybuilders and powerlifters to martial arts participants, personal trainers, group exercise instructors, and the weekend warrior.
As FitExpo welcomes attendees from a diverse range of fitness backgrounds there is a more carnival atmosphere to this conference. There is a brilliant range of guest speakers including Billy Banks, CT Fletcher, Cassandra Martin, and Jay Cutler. FitExpo puts on a great selection of fun and challenging events and you can try your hand at dodgeball, Muay Thai, powerlifting, group training, and arm wrestling.
In terms of certifications, there is a wealth of opportunity for a fitness professional to earn CECs in both personal training and group exercise. Certification bodies NASM and AFAA are on site to advise on fitness education opportunities. As well as that there is a range of business development boot camps and workshops running throughout each conference
Register your interest in the location that suits you here.
AAAI/ISMA “One World” Fitness Certification and Educational Conferences
May 31st to June 2nd – Atlantic City
August 16th to 18th – Cape Cod
September 27th to 29th – Baltimore
The One World Fitness Certification and Educational Conferences run by AAAI/ISMA are the ultimate places to earn your fitness certifications. While most of the fitness conferences on this list will have some type of accreditation events, this is the entire focus of this conference.
AAAI/ISMA is a globally recognized fitness certification body that has over 180,000 members worldwide and had been educating fitness instructors for nearly 37 years. The main reason for attending this conference would purely be for education and certification purposes. Over the course of the three-day event, you will have access to organizations Global Fitness Faculty which comprises of over 50 Exercise Physiologists who are educated at Masters Ph.D. or M.D level at least.
This conference is not for everyone but essential for serious about their fitness certification. For more information on registering for this event check out their website.
The Yoga Conference
March 28th To 31st – Toronto
The Yoga Conference is ideal for yoga professionals and yoga enthusiasts alike. This is the only Canada based conference on the list, taking place in Metro Toronto Convention Center.
The event takes place over 3 days and is split into two sections – the Conference area and the Show/Marketplace area. The Conference area is where you can participate in a range of different classes depending on your level. It also hosts different business boot camps and workshops that aim to develop your entrepreneurial and business skills. In the Show/Marketplace area vendors displays health and wellness products related to yoga.
An essential conference to learn the current trends in yoga teaching and business, you can register for the event through their website.
Mania Fitness Education Conference
March 29th to 31st – California Mania
April 12th to 14th – Florida Mania
July 26th to 28th – Atlanta Mania
August 23rd to 25th – Dallas Mania
September 6th to 8th – Philadelphia Mania
October 4th to 6th – Midwest Mania
SCW Fitness Education has been in business for 35 years and is the largest provider continuing education conferences in the world focusing on Group Fitness and Personal Training with an emphasis on execution, leadership, and management. Their Mania conferences feature world-renowned fitness educators leading over 250 sessions on different fitness disciplines, including group exercise, personal training, HIIT programming, cycle, aerobics, yoga, barre, Pilates, and sports nutrition.
Mania is held in various American cities throughout the year, including Orlando, Dallas, Boston, and New York. The event offers a range of different fitness education talks on the most cutting edge innovations in the industry.
As well as that each conference offers certification courses where fitness professionals can earn Continuing Education Credits (CECs) to help maintain their certifications. The Club Industry Business Summit runs co-currently to the conference which consists of more focused business workshops and sessions.
You can register for the location that suits you on their website
Pilates On Tour
April 5th to 7th – Phoenix
July 13th to 14th – Pittsburgh
July 19th to 21st – Boston
October 18th to 20th – Chicago
Pilates on Tour is a continuing education conference for Pilates and movement professionals. It is a traveling conference that visits several US cities over the course of the year. It also travels further afield to the likes of London, Seoul, and Sydney.
The conference is run by a company called Balanced Body who manufacture and supply premium pilates equipment and offer education on to pilates and health and wellness professionals. Their Pilates On Tour Conference is part of this education effort. The content of the conference differs slightly as it travels from location to location but the core of what is on offer includes teaching new exercises, improving teaching skills and going through business growth strategies.
This conference offers the opportunity to earn CECs by offering over 500 PMA and 70 ACE approved credits. For more information on Pilates on Tour, take a look at their website.
ACSM International Health & Fitness Summit
21st to 24th of March – Chicago
The American College of Sports Medicines (ACSM) is definitely the fitness conference for those looking for quality science-based information on health and fitness. The roster of Ph.D. educated speakers means you will be hearing the most up to date and scientifically accurate information at the conference.
ACSM is well known in the fitness industry for publishing it’s Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for the past 13 years. This survey details the top 20 trends for the coming year and makes ACSM is an important authority in the industry as a whole. Therefore it’s no surprise the organization also runs one of the leading fitness conferences in the US.
The International Health & Fitness Summit takes place over 4 days and according to the website “you’ll be given the tools you need to sculpt the life and career you desire and to be a trusted source of health fitness information.” The summit offers a number of opportunities to earn CECs
For more information on what’s coming up for International Health & Fit Summit 2019 check out their website.
The Club Industry Show
October 9th to 11th – Chicago
The Club Industry Show is very much focused on helping attendees build their fitness business and they want them to commit to three days that they hope will change the course of their fitness business. This conference is a must if you are looking for education, networking opportunities and the tools you need to set yourself apart from the competition.
The organizers of the conference are Club Industry who are a vital online resource of news, trends, and education for the fitness industry. The conference offers business owners valuable insights about industry trends, best practices, management, leadership and networking opportunities. Throughout three days, different speakers give key insights on various aspects acquisition, retention, and fitness business management.
As with most conferences on this list, The Club Industry offers fitness professionals to earn CECs.
Take a look at The Club Industry website for more information and to register your interest.
