My first thoughts about being in Chicago for fitness were excited to say the least. Never walked the Magnificent Mile. Never seen the Bean at Millennium Park. And I never had a Chicago style Hot Dog. These were some of the many things that I was able to accomplish plus much more in just a day with the cornerstone being primarily on fitness.
What’s the reason for me being in Chicago you ask?..
Simple, discovering new exercise techniques & fitness strategies. Things of which I would like to share so that it may help someone else out who’s struggling in any similar type of situation
Creative Ideas
Before arriving to Chicago, I was in a bit of a bind mentally. My mental clarity was a bit off (lack of concentration, loss of memory, creativity declining, etc..) due to being uninspired to say the least. Having the same schedule everyday wasn't bad in a sense, I knew what the day would consist of Monday - Sunday. However, it became very easy to let my creative juices fall to the way side. I think everyone at one time or the other has been in the same situation. Stuck doing the same thing over and over, and not attempting to switch things up.
Realizing this predicament, my eyes where set on becoming more creative. Turns out, a couple weeks later I received a letter in the mail regarding my current American College of Sports Medicine certification. Inside read a brochure titled "ACSM International Health & Fitness Summit - March 21-24, 2019 - Hilton Chicago - Chicago, Illinois". For the first time in awhile, I felt intrigued and curious about the event. Questions soon arrived in my head surrounding the potential
"Who would I meet in Chicago?"
"What would I learn from my first fitness summit?"
"What is the city like?"
"What could I take from this experience and provide value to my current occupation?"
These questions are the questions that lead me to ultimately deciding on attending the fitness summit. And I'm truly excited that I did because it allowed me to pop the lid on my jar of creative ideas.
Learn & Re-Learn
Summits are programs designed to provide an immersive learning experience in a particular subject or trend, taking an attendee through a progression of learning with multiple speakers and subtopics. All throughout the summit, I got chance to learn from various opportunities. Workouts were given on a first come first serve basis (which proved to be intense!) allowing attendees to get a chance of having the roles reversed. Instead of always leading a group exercises class, now we were the class. Led by a top instructor, it proved to be an eye-opening experience. Learning from the best is and should always be fun & insightful.
Workshops were another valuable tool that was presented in Chicago. These sessions provided in-depth instruction to attendees on a various fitness topics & trends. One of the sessions I attended below consisted of a Coaching & Cueing Workshop. Throughout the 90-min session, it game me valuable tools that I may have at one point forgot about. hands-on participation was very helpful by allowing us to not only see the cues, but also fell the cues. Always being the instructor, it's fairly easy to not look at things from an attendees point of view. Things such as rest periods, transitions, & exercise selection often get overlooked. Learning and Re-learning were powerful tools that were encouraged through out the summit with the aid of interactive tutorials, hands-on participation, and audience activities. A concept that most people could very well use from day-to-day.
Having Fun & Meeting New People
Throughout the weekend in Chicago, I came in contact with many people from different parts of the United States. Ranging from Alaska to Arizona, these individuals came to the Windy City with a common interest to better excel as a fitness professional. Laughs were heard aloud, stories from home were told, & sweat was definitely burned! Meeting other fitness professionals not only gave me the confidence to achieve higher in my profession, but to have fun with people who look nothing like myself.
Also, walking around Chicago is a workout in itself! In one day my Apple Watch recorded over 27,000 step which equaled out to around 13.5 miles. Seeing all of the historic monuments made walking in the cold worth while. Places such as the Navy Pier, United Center, Magnificent Mile, and Millennium Park with The Bean.
Next time on your vacation in some part of this vast world, try to commit to at least one day of fitness. It may seem challenging at first, but it'll be worth it in the long run.