Three hundred workshops and lectures, nearly 150 instructors on staff and thousands of fitness professionals in attendance - the IDEA World Fitness and Personal Trainer Convention is like a small city of health and exercise enthusiasts (the majority of whom also happen to make a living at their passion).

Every three years it comes to the Anaheim Convention Center, mere walking distance from Disneyland. Disneyland may be "the happiest place on earth," but for a few days in July, the Anaheim Convention Center was "the fittest place on earth." The attendees are not your typical cross section of America - even the plus-size conventioneers have muscle tone and vibrate with health. Everyone at the IDEA Convention, staff and attendees alike, are on a mission - to encourage all they encounter to embrace a lifestyle that will at the very least bring longevity, health, and lifelong strength and mobility, and at the most create award-winning athletic competitors. True to the convention's name, attendees were from all over the world, from Japan to Italy, and every style of fitness, from Pilates to Spinning to traditional sports training was discussed and practiced. There were also lectures on nutrition, lifestyle coaching and client assessment. There were even a couple of classes on Asian and vegetarian cooking. Then there were the exhibition booths where merchants were showing - and selling - all types of fitness equipment, accessories, fashion, software and meal replacement bars. Fitness trends and fads jockeyed for attention. All Spirit Fitness editor-in-chief Janiss Garza tried to suss it all out without suffering from too much DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - an affliction that comes from working out too hard... and working out for nearly four days straight made DOMS a definite possibility). Instead of making herself crazy by trying to cover everything, she decided to just write a diary of her experiences and impressions. If you want a better overview of the IDEA World Fitness Convention, you'll have to attend one yourself!

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