Over at Athleisure Studio, we just dropped our latest episode of #TRIBEGOALS. In the NBA we're now midway the season which means All Star Weekend just took place. We’re excited to have the chance to discuss with Al Horford of the Boston Celtics a 6 x All Star to talk about his passion to play the game, mastering his position and who has inspired him in his tribe to be as successful as he has been.
When you think about it, as many people as there are on the planet, the world is very small and here in NYC with so many different people, there aren't that many degrees of separation between you and someone else - even if they are on a completely different coast or continent.
We respected Celebrity Fitness Trainer Lacey Stone's craft, hustle and approach to fitness and seeing her on E! Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian. Since have her in our feature, NEW YEAR, N3W YOU, our worlds collided again right before the holiday season to talk about her partnership with Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife, her approach to training her clients, the miracle that is the human body, owning our super hero and her new partnership with The Wall, which avid readers of Athleisure Mag will remember from our Athleisure List feature from a few years ago. For our Athleisure Studio podcast listeners, there are portions of this interview that were included in Lacey Stone's episode of #TRIBEGOALS, which was released earlier this month and there are conversations in this issue that were not part of the podcast as well.
As the Jan issue is focused on New You, we knew that we wanted to bring the necessary tools and resources to kick your year off right. As we analyze how we will be adding new things into our workout and areas we want to target for our physical goals, we also need to be aware that we have to replenish our bodies, which is where Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife comes into play. Recovery is an important tool to bring back nutrients and nourishments into your body so that you can optimize all of your efforts, the brand's release of this new product is available now with flavors that include Banana, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla. It is lactose free and has 26 grams of protein! With the first ingredient being filtered milk - there are no powders, artificial flavors or additives in it so you can enjoy a silky, smooth, and creamy taste while enjoying dairy protein with natural casein and whey, which is an essential to recover after a workout.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have interviewed a number of Olympians, celeb fitness trainers, athletes etc and we just launched one of our new podcasts, The Road to Tokyo 2020 where we talk to athletes that are working on their Olympic run from their training as well as recovery and other events taking place in their lives. We also have #TRIBEGOALS, which is all about changemakers sharing about their tribes and those that they are involved in, how they started and lead a variety of fields.
We find that in speaking to athletes and those who enjoy working out, our conversations tend to go into not only the work- out, but the pillars of recovery from those that are physical like foam rollers and pain management tools, to those that are consumables, so this is definitely a great topic to cover for our readers of Athleisure Mag, as well as those listeners who listen to our shows on our multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio! As we get older, you need to start implementing to replenish your system as your body will continue to do what you want it to do, but you also need to make sure you are giving it the proper nutrients as well. You feel the difference when you’re not properly nourished. When did you know that you wanted to be in the fitness industry?
LACEY STONE: I was an athlete my whole life and it was so organic to me. There is a basketball court near my hotel and I can’t even... I’ve been in NYC for three days on this tour and when I have downtime, I love going to some shoots. I can’t believe that all my shots were going in and I still had it! So I always played sports and then I moved to New York when I was a kid and I tried to work at MTV and I just kind of saw what it was like to not be able to wear sneakers anymore. As a production assistant, I saw how unhealthy people were so I got a side job to work as a trainer at Equinox and I saw what you could be in the fitness industry before it was anything. It was right at the beginning when they were starting to sponsor us as Nike athletes and I thought, this is it. I knew I could make an impact in this industry because it was so organic. A lot of what I saw at the time – there were no HIIT interval classes. I was one of the first HIIT interval classes. I couldn’t really go to the beat and everything was dance.
Coming out of dance, they were taught to look the part and I was never trained to look the part. I was taught to be the athlete so my body had to be a weapon, not pretty. I was like, the women in this industry need to understand that it’s not about how you look, but it’s about how you feel and how strong you are. That’s what I have stood by the whole time and that’s why this is so organic because women don’t realize how strong they are. So when I kick their butt and compliment them, they’re like, “am I?” And I’m like, girl, you’re waking up at 5am, putting on your superhero leggings, coming to me to let me kick your butt in a way that you didn’t even know that I would, and then you’re kicking butt in the office – especially here in New York or in Chicago, and then you’re going home and cooking dinner and making sure the family is taken care of, the husband – whatever and there’s kids as well. So you guys have to take care of yourself, you have to eat – women forget to take care of themselves. Not only with the food, but their heart.
AM: We loved seeing you on E! for Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian – you have a whole psychology element to how you train your clients. Do you find that draining as a trainer because you're fixing the body and then you're getting into the mind with that inter- play?
LS: Sometimes it can get really emotional and people have different issues. But it is really rewarding to watch someone’s eyes go from “I can’t” to “I can”. Not only in the gym, but outside of the gym, because I am trying to create superheroes. I am – in the sense of knowing how powerful you are. A lot of times when people are blocked in how hard they can run on the treadmill or how much they can lift weights because they don’t think that they are strong enough, I go back to what happened to you – who told you this? It doesn’t happen as much with men as they are like, “I used to be like this and I am going to go back to this” and when my clients cry – everyone cries who works out with me – everyone does. I have been through a lot and I can look at someone’s eyes and see that there is something there. So I will ask them what is going on to find that motivation that will help them through the rest of their life and finding that thing that is making you not believe in yourself.
It’s the moment that I feel like I have changed them when I can get to that point. Yes there is a lot of stuff that goes on with someone when you get there and there is a lot that happens after that point as well. Right now, I am dealing with someone that she is so scared of the release that she is having that it’s making her want to hide again with the pain that she has had. The more that you repeat a negative pattern, the more that it becomes a reality and you get addicted to the chaos and you don’t even know how to live without it. I majored in psychology in college and I believe that fitness starts in the mind before the gym. So the answer is, it is draining at times but there is draining in any job and I feel that my skill set is different than other trainers that I have been able to help people change their body and I have been fortunate to help people get through divorces, deaths, quitting jobs and making companies. We're finding that now in launching my virtual training platform that it is a competitive market. Everyone is launching one and if you want to write what’s the future of fitness? Virtual – beyond – beyond. People are coming up to me saying, "can we use your body and the way you speak and put it in AI and make you show up and walk around?”
AM: Absolutely, if you have a trainer that you like, being able to have that access and their voice in your head while you workout without them being there is huge. It motivates you and encourages you to continue your process.
LS: Yes and there are sensitive suits with sensors so that when you wear it while working out, you can feel my hands on you. It’s all about algorithms which is why you’re able to open your phone with your face. There is an algorithm that senses your face for your nose, mouth and eyes. So these suits sense the algorithm of shoulder, it’ll be a process, but it will happen sooner than people think. My point of differen- tiation than other trainers is for me to get into this for this side of fitness. I believe that emotional health is the most not talked about thing in the world. You’re supposed to be tough, you’re supposed to handle your life, you’re not supposed to have feelings of insecurity or doubt and if people do – especially in New York if they sense it, they say, “I see the blood. You’re done.” I want to help people make themselves healthy. They can tell me and if I am out of my depth, we will go to a therapist, but tell me where your weakness is and let’s work on that and not have it get in the way of your fitness, your relationships and in the way of you.
AM: Wow. So for you, what are 3 routines that you do for yourself that you enjoy doing whether it's for your fitness or the entire mind/body balance that are your cornerstone for getting you from day to day?
LS: I have the 3 pillars of your life which is personal, professional and physical. Those are the 3 things that make a human being. What is personally happening? Who do you surround yourself with – the truth? Do you surround yourself with trends and all of that or people that don’t believe in your magic? Life is a superhero movie there are evils out there and they can take you to the darkness or you can be the superhero that continues to show up and be the light that doesn’t allow it to takeover you, which the more people that get taken over, the harder it will be for us to succeed. So personally, what’s going on with my relationships and my family? I am always working on bringing goodness to them so that I feel good with what’s going on.
When I wake up, I play, Sia’s The Greatest – that’s my alarm. “You’ve gotta have stamina – uh oh – I’ve got stamina,” you know that’s one of the lines in the song! Professionally, what are you doing? Is it lighting you up and a lot of people didn’t figure that out at a young age and that’s something that you have to be good at. You’ll have to find something else that lights you up in your life. Physically are you injured – do you take care of yourself? What are you putting inside of your body to make you succeed?
Everyday, I try to get an A to create balance in those categories. Somedays maybe I don’t do as well in one category, but at least I know that I am doing my best everyday. I train people to do that. When you do that for a week, you feel amazing and imagine if you did that every single day. Every time I fall down in my career, I remember the people that I have trained and how I have told them that they have to get up and it makes me do it or otherwise it would make me a phony – and I’m not a phony!
AM: Wait are you writing a book? The force that you are with the honesty –
LS: Let’s write a book!
AM: It’s just amazing because what you are saying is applicable to just life.
LS: That is my point of differentiation and that is what I am trying to communicate to people more. As you know, the landscape is changing very quickly and trying to figure out how to make it happen. No one reads anymore – maybe we do, but things are based on an image and a copy and it has to be short and powerful when it’s on Insta- gram. You have to hit people at their heart, which I am good at. Yes I want to make people feel like they can do it – I’m working on it! With the virtual platform I am working on it in terms of writing a book.
AM: In terms of recovery, what are all the things that people should be doing – especially women?
LS: It’s really important for them to think about taking care of themselves, and women don’t. If you’re kicking butt and many women are thinking of wanting to lose weight, you want to fuel your body so that it can be successful. If it’s operating at a deficit it’s going to break down mentally or physically. You know it! I see it over and over again. That’s why I suggest people use this and it sounds like a commercial and it’s not, but I wasn’t really sure. You know you get a product and you’re not really sure, but for me, I try it out for a while before I agree to work with it.
I started with the milk by Fairlife and I said, “I don’t know Alex” – who is my manager. I just threw it in my bag and I’m a busy human. So I’d drink it and I was worried because of every- thing that they say – milk will it bloat me? What will happen and it didn't - it gave me a surge of energy and you start believing the media as well, al- though I know know what’s right and what’s wrong and I would drink it and feel a goodness about my body and it brought me home to the truth of – I’m from Wisconsin and I was like, this is what it tastes like, it’s pure and not watered down. It’s good, silky, creamy and you need to fuel your muscles after working out and you just need to fuel yourself. So I suggest - which is scary for women to eat. What I deal with, is people that are so confused by everything out there, which is why I try to be truthful so that people believe me. Sleep – what are you doing guys? Sleep and water – the toxic environment of what your body is around means that you have to put the good things in balancing it out – the evil and the good.
AM: What does this partnership with you and Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife look like?
LS: Basically, it’s just me being a part of their team and doing events that we are working with them on. We want to get the product in people’s hands and introduce them to why it is important. We can’t go into details now as we’re still in the beginning stages, but if you think about it – we want to get to people’s Core Power which is what we have been talking about. It’s not just the physical, but the wholeness of the human being.
AM: What is the best approach for those that are going into the holiday season as you want to enjoy the parties and events taking place, but you also want to be in a good place to get back to hitting the gym after the season is over. How can we enjoy the season and place ourselves in the best place for meeting our goals without feeling like we have to miss the season?
LS: I think that women work so hard and don’t take care of themselves and during the holiday season, it’s a time to get connected and to reconnect with yourself, your spirit and the loved ones that you have. You need to think about going home and having sweet conversations and saying, “I’m sorry that I wasn’t here this year, but I’m here now and let’s make the most as well as to remind you how much I love you.” That’s the time to do that and you know you’re going to have to go back to war, but right now, we're at peace and let’s do that and remember how far we came. Whenever I go home, I like to drive to my highschool in Wisconsin where I was the star basketball player and just sit on the court and say that I took all of this and did something with it. If you didn’t do things with it then why – why did you stop the thing that made you feel special? Take the time to bring it back so that you have this fullness. People underestimate the human being which is made of neutrons, electrons and protons. We’re energy – we’re a miracle – how do we breathe? We’re all this special thing – our parents came together and created us and people need to take a moment and come back to that and fill up your energy and take the time to slow down and think. Don’t focus on what you need to lose weight – just focus on staying steady, go on those walks with your family, cook together healthfully…
AM: In terms of the methodology, you have some trainers that feel that if you are a certain body type, then there is a prescribed workout that you have to do or only do this over here. What’s your focus when you are working with people – is it set or individualized?
LS: It’s individualized, but for everyone, it’s back to basics. The more you do something the more you repeat something the better you will get at it – negative or positive. So, I try to see what’s the thing that I can tell that they dig. I’m good at all the different kinds of modalities so I have yoga, dance, HIIT, cardio because I want cardio and to find the fit for each of my clients. Let’s say you’re sedentary, we’re going to walk before we run. I think the best workout for losing weight is that there is an intermediate, beginner, advanced level to all programs that I do in person or online. HIIT gets your endorphins up and energy – it raises your spirit which when you feel it you want to do it again and again and it becomes addictive.
AM: Who are 3 people that impacted you - maybe there were 3 moments in your life that were hard, but they really impacted you as a source of inspiration whether you knew them or didn’t know them?
LS: I’d say my college basketball career with my coach. She was incredibly charismatic and she had a great marketing mind. We were in Maine and a top 10 basketball team. How do you recruit people to go to a place where snow is up to your knees? She was so charismatic where she drew an audience. You wanted to play in front of a full crowd. She would say that she wanted to use this as a platform to help kids and to create basketball camps so she could be a millionaire and that people would come to participate. I was like, who are you and not that money is everything, but I thought it was amazing how you can think to be a businesswoman in sports. There weren’t that many successful female coaches at the time.
Equinox, when I started where fitness wasn’t where it is today. They were innovators and they created the boutique industry and the teachers there were inspiring. I have had so many different things there.
Then my ex-wife, being in LA and facing my fears. I had been in NY where I had created this amazing business that was dedicated to helping people, teamwork and creating a legacy – I was signed by Nike and leaving NY - I did it all for love – for what my core said to do. The she left me within a couple of months and my friend died, and not having Equinox anymore and losing everything and being like, “what do I want again?” and having the time to do that. Kind of starting to drink too much and starting to be depressed and I got a little suicidal. I lost everything and I thought that everything that defined me – I started my program of professional, personal and physical – don’t drink, workout hard, let’s see if I can save myself. I did – I created the 8 weeks to change program for others that were going through a similar need to have a comeback – it became successful. Khloe Kardashian noticed me – a new trainer coming from NY to LA – do you know how many trainers there are in LA? I stood out immediately and they picked me for the TV show and I said, “thank you ex-wife,” had it not been for you destroying my life that it catapulted me to a point in my life that I could create a virtual platform and got a manager that is amazing that has helped me to be able to speak and be here back in NY in my time – it’s full circle. Signing with brands that I can speak authentically about them and just being the light that if I can do it, you can do it!
AM: You were on the first 2 seasons of E!’s Revenge Body by Khloe Kardashian and we remember the moment when we saw you as we had been following you years prior to being on this show and as we had you in one of our NEW YEAR, N3W YOU segments a few years ago – we were so excited to see you there and sharing your brand on that network! Will you be on the 3rd sea- son as well?
LS: I’m not coming back for the 3rd season, but I will be back for the 4th season. It was an interesting series of seasons and I have a few things going on currently and I’m kind of happy the way it came about as I wouldn’t have had time. You get so caught up on being on a show and the time it takes to be on that show that you don’t have time to develop other things. Everything I do is what I tell you. It’s a stepping stone to where I want to be.
AM: We just saw that you have partnered with The Wall! Tell us about this studio, why you will be teaching classes there and what drew you to coming there?
LS: Jason Wimberly, the founder of THE WALL, and I have been friends from afar for years. I've watched his career blossom and I have so much respect for all he has done. THE WALL recently opened and he offered to partner with me and my Trans- formative Comeback Camps. These camps included heavy lifting, HIIT, and cardio/ dance drills 2x/ week. The other big part of camp is doing 3-4 spin classes/week. When Jason told me my camps could live at THE WALL and I could teach my own signature spin class called STONEcycle. It was a no brainer. I had been working at Flywheel and leading my camps at a gym called Lockbox. When this offer came about it was too good to be true. Now all my programs could live under one roof, his. I'm soooo excited to be a part of The Hive and Jason's vision. Keep an eye on us, there are big things on the horizon. AM: What are the classes offered that you will be teaching there? LS: I will be leading My Comeback Camps which include - 8 Weeks To Change, 1 Month Mission, Reboot (2 Week Training Camp), and STONEcycle.
AM: We could chat with you all day as you have so many words of empowerment and motivation!
LS: I love this stuff – if you got something out of it, then I love it. AM: It’s like, mental hydration listening to you. LS: Oooo ok or mental recovery …
AM: Haha yes. When you were talking about the fact that you could be a strong person, but even that person needs to be refueled. We have a respect for your career, the fact that what you say on your platforms and how you approach things is exactly like who and what you are now, it’s refreshing as there are a number of people who they are not the same as their brand and it’s a mess. It’s always great to see the authenticity and to see that from you.
LS: Same – same.
PHOTOS COURTESY | Lacey Stone
Make sure to follow our new multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio and specifically our show, #TRIBEGOALS. You can get the latest episodes when they drop by following and listening to us on your preferred listening platform (Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, etc.). You can hear the full interview with Lacey Stone now on #TRIBEGOALS.
Read more from the latest Athleisure Mag, Jan Issue and see Creating Superheroes with Lacey Stone in mag.
Read the Jan Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag..
When it comes to lip care brands, Sara Happ finds a way to tackle the need for smooth and supple lips while having fun packaging! Sara Happ’s line sells on QVC, in Sephora and partners with other brands that showcase it’s fun lifestyle side. Fans of Sara Happ and her brand are drawn to her fun pastels that have covetable flavors. On today’s #TribeGoals, we find out how she grew this brand, gained loyal followers that have included an array of celebs and how she has grown her tribe. In addition, we’ll find out how she has gained inspirations from other tribes as she continues to elevate the brand to the next level!
Read more from the Dec Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
Read more from the Nov Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TribeGoals in mag.
Read more from the Oct Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
Read more from the Sept Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
On the first day of NYFW, our second show brought us the Australian brand, nANA jUDY (photos courtesy of nANA jUDY) which brought athleisure looks for men and women to the next level! Each look rocked a number of athleisure oriented looks that were perfect for prior to the studio, at the studio and of course outside as well. We even loved the Dalmation tie in to the show. Models such as Winnie Harlow looked phenomenal throughout the show.
We will also include an update to this post with our backstage conversation with IGK who was the hair sponsor of this show. Their Co-Founder Aaron talked about creating this look and gives us a how to. This update will be here AND In a future episode of our podcast network Athleisure Studio under #TribeGoals as we all know the cult status of this brand.
Above are our 3 favorite looks of the show courtesy of E!
Check out our latest issue of Athleisure Mag here.
We're pretty excited to announce that our sister brand, Athleisure Studio is launching an array of podcasts via our multimedia network! We launched the first episode of 4LBUM which includes 4 tracks within an artist theme. Our first one, includes Biggie! Next month, we will roll out 3 podcasts that are extensions of features that we have run or regularly run here at Athleisure Mag. The Road to Tokyo 2020 will follow Olympic hopefuls on their journey to compete at the 2020 Summer Games. #TRIBEGOALS focuses on the power of building, creating, identifying and maintaining tribes. We will have interviews of celebrity fitness trainers, designers, recording artists and those that have a following that we enjoy being apart of as we all know your vibe is our tribe. Finally, Athleisure Kitchen focuses on interviews of food personalities, celebrity chefs and food notables.
Read the July Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #Tribegoals in mag.
A day in the life of Team Athleisure Mag can be in the studio for a session, on set for a shoot, and checking out new brands/products coming to market. Earlier this month we spent the day at Propel Co:Labs Fitness Festival here in NYC at the Seaport District (the next stop is Chicago on Aug. 11th) for an entire day of workouts, sessions and we took some time to chat with celebrity fitness trainers and personalities in between workouts.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve enjoyed seeing you over the past two seasons on E! Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian – how did you get involved in that show?
HARLEY PASTERNAK: I have been good friends with Kanye for about 15 years. So I’m inherited into the family. I’m good friends with Kim and Kanye, and with Kris, Khloe and the whole family. So when they were doing the show, Khloe reached out – I said let’s go!
AM: How long have you been with Propel and what was it that made you want to connect with the brand?
HP: That’s a good question. My background was originally in performance nutrition so I ran the performance lab/nutrition lab for the military for a number of years and most of the information on performance – a lot of it came from years ago from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. That was the go to place for us as scientists to get our information to use with the soldiers. So the importance of functional foods and functional beverages has always been a big part of what I do and I really have had an issue with sometimes the sugar content of some of these beverages, and I met the Propel team through some mutual friends and I learned more about what Propel was doing. It reminded me so much of what Gatorade did back in the day and establishing itself as the definitive sports performance information source. Propel has really done the same with fitness and it’s not about the beverage, it’s about the lifestyle, the networking, the fitness community sharing with one another and celebrating together. Then they started explaining to me about Propel Co:Labs and it was really about the future and the present. I got so excited that I became a terrible negotiator because I said, “I’m in”.
The Co:Labs have been really great. As a fitness professional, it's often very individual and almost a very lonely experience. Everyone is so competitive with one another – so competitive but they have created these environments where people are sharing ideas and thoughts and celebrating moving together. They're bringing in pop stars and giving the due and professional attention to the fitness industry that most brands haven’t even come close to.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Gunnar, can you tell us about your background?
GUNNAR PETERSON: I’ve been a personal trainer in Beverly Hills for 29 years. I started working with the LA Lakers last year as the Director of Strength and Endurance and am reprising my role this year – should be a new challenge and a lot of fun. And I’ve been working with Propel for a number of years because I think that they do it better than anybody in bringing fitness and sports together by collaborating versus all the people that kind of horde information and don’t share and feel that their way is better. I think that Propel opens it up and makes it the way that it should be.
AM: What’s your method or the way that you like to work and train people?
GP: I do different workouts with people because everyone is different as they have different goals, perceptions weaknesses, injury histories, likes and dislikes – although that doesn’t play that much of a part. I'm strength based and I do a lot of cardio intervals to it, movement, mobility etc it’s pretty comprehensive. The one group that we don’t cater to or get asked to do something is body builders or those that are looking to put mass on – that’s not what we do.
AM: A lot of our readers loved seeing you in Khloe Kardashian’s Revenge Body on E! and wanted to know how you got involved in that!
GP: Well I’ve known Kris and the clan – I’ve known those guys for 20 years. I worked with Kris and Kim so when Khloe came to me to make a big change in her life, we got after it. She puts the work in like any athlete that I have worked with and she had her moment. She made huge changes into her body and I wrote the passage on fitness in her book and she created the show and asked me to be on it and there was no way that I was going to miss out on that opportunity to share a small part of what she did with other people and to put it out there for everyone to see. I mean I have had text messages from a lot of people that have had huge takeaways from this.
AM: So how excited are you to be here today for this event?
GP: This is terrific. I have done a number of these with Propel and they have exceeded expectations and they keep going above and beyond. I mean, every venue is great and this one with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background and this giant rooftop with no space constraints – this is going to be a great day today!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Rachel aka Yoga Girl, tell us about what you're doing at the Propel Co:Labs Fitness Festival.
YOGA GIRL: I just taught a class on a rooftop overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s kind of insane. We have 300-400 people here, and it’s been super, super fun. I taught a class [at Propel Co:Labs Fitness Festival] in L.A. and then taught a class here, and it’s been so community building and so great.
AM: What is the best way to get started in yoga practice?
YG: I always give the recommendation to go find a studio and go take an actual class. There’s so many things you can do online. There’s YouTube and there’s online yoga. But, having a teacher who you can ask questions to, especially if you’re a beginner, is great so you can learn the poses correctly and have someone to align you if you need help. It’s good to start off with a teacher and then transition a little bit more to home.
AM: What are several yoga postures you would recommend for stress relief?
YG: Anything forward folding or forward bending, especially seated, is really nurturing. Legs up the wall pose is a super distressing pose. A forward bend, legs up the wall, child’s pose and reclined bound angle are good poses.
AM: How do you maintain balance with your busy schedule?
YG: I try to find pockets of rest in my day. If I have a really busy day full of meetings and things, I’ll make sure that I have a whole hour to eat lunch and not do multiple things at the same time all day. I’ll take a bath with my baby in the morning, always. I keep that a super serious thing, and I rest in between all the hectic stuff. And then I find it’s easy to keep the energy up all day.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell us what Akin’s Army is?
AKIN AKMAN: Well Akin’s Army is a mindset really. I like to say that it’s a higher standard with everyone that trains with me. The mindset is constant process. It’s a workout obviously but intended initially to tap into the athletes that didn’t have kind of training anymore. But then eventually it became more of a mindset.
AM: Can you tell us a little more about your fitness background?
AA: I grew up playing tennis and I went to IMG Academy which was known as Bollettieri when I went there at age 7. It was everyday except for Sundays which I had off haha. But now I train all day everyday – 7 days a week. So I started there and I got hurt around 16/17 and I was already coaching tennis at the time there too and was looking at playing pro and then when I got injured, I was out for a year and then in that time, I decided to go to college instead of trying to play tournaments. I thought that I would just go back to that when I fully healed. And then, it was tough to heal and when I came back and I was coaching at IMG, at 18, but I got hurt on my right wrist with bruising of the bone – so I moved on from playing tennis as much and started coaching. But it took me awhile before I started making coaching my everything.
I started coaching at Crunch Fitness in South Beach first in 2009. I was already teaching tennis at Flamingo Park in South Beach as well. Then I moved to NYC at the end of 2009/2010 and started teaching at Crunch here and then went onto SoulCycle in 2012 and then I really made it my everything and started teaching 40 classes a week.
AM: We have a number of friends who swear by your SoulCycle classes. How did you get connected with Propel and how did you get connected to Propel Co:Labs?
AA: Now you have to come! For Propel, I did a bootcamp with them awhile back through my sister who had a connection.
We did a roofdeck bootcamp around Chelsea – I don’t even remember the building! I met some of the head people that were putting this kind of a thing together – it was amazing and so much fun! Then we didn’t do anything until this year when they asked me to come back and we did LA and this – it’s been incredible!
AM: What are you doing today as we know you’re on the schedule of events?
AA: My class today is again, it’s a full body workout. The way that I teach, it’s tough but you do as much as you can and it’s more about the perspective and the approach that you come to with it. Staying positive and being in that mindset. I try to keep the people hyped up and just full of energy and to do whatever they can and to give everything that they have got! That’s the point of what today is about!
ATHLEISURE MAG: You train a number of celebs and have been on a number of tours! Can you give us a quick rundown on your background?
NICOLE WINHOFFER: I studied Kinesiology, Alexander Technique, collusive body, Eastern Philosophy of well being and after that, I went on tour with Madonna and started training her dancers. She had an audition after I met her at that, she asked me to be her trainer full time and I worked with her for 5 years and I was the head trainer on her MDNA World Tour and her Sticky and Sweet World Tour, and then after those tours, I started teaching underground classes in NY in the basement of my apartment building in 2013 and we moved to the Standard Hotel on the 3rd floor of the Highline and I started to train trainers under me. I signed with Adidas by Stella McCartney as the first Global Brand Ambassador in 2014 and I partnered with Propel for the first time in 2016 when they did their first festival. Now we’re on our 3rd year and it has been such a great partnership!
and actresses, fashion designers and wealthy/affluent men and women) to bring my knowledge to people across all demographics across America and to be able to give them results and to instill in them that they have the power in them to achieve what they want. I really liked that process of being able to work with people in that way with those that didn’t really think that it was possible and were never felt to believe that way.
AM: How cool was it to be able to do your session at Propel Co:Labs in LA with Ludacris performing on stage with you?
NW: It was amazing! I call myself a Fitness Artist because I believe in self expression and music and moving your body as there is no correct way. And when Propel told me that the artist that I was going to share the stage with was going to be Ludacris, I thought – wow! It was so exciting and amazing. We worked with the Ludacris team for 6 weeks to figure out the playlist, timing, and they were so great and we had a soundcheck and the Propel team was so supportive. There were a lot of fun moments – there was one moment on stage where I grabbed the Propel bottle and like landed on a split in the floor and Ludacris looked around like, “what is happening” and I was like “yeah that’s right – this is happening right now”. The crowd loved it because they were all sweating and they didn’t feel like a work out because it was so much fun!
AM: So what is the NW Method?
NW: The NW Method is a 55 minute experience that I take you through in order to free your spirit and to move deeper into your body and accentuate your curves. It’s a type of somatic training – there’s breath work, kundalini and it’s a bit more physical exertion like physical meditation – 20 songs that I match up the BPMs and I play songs that wake up your internal organs. Then it moves people past their brains to their bodies
AM: We saw you on Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian – what was the process like for you being on that show and what have you gotten from being a part of it?
NW: They found me on Instagram! The casting director told me that my moves were cool and different and how I encompass eastern movement and dance. So I flew to LA for the audition and got the job. I loved that the show took my message (which I train a lot of A-List actors so they can feel themselves and move into their personal truth.
AM: Why do you like working with Propel?
NW: They are a collaborative brand, they listen to my ideas, they support my ideas and they are always looking to stand behind myself and the other artists that they have. Their innovation and willingness to try something new is amazing. The first Propel festival was 3 years ago in LA and it was really different because it was the first time that different fitness people came together and they provided this great experience. The last thing is music – they did a song with Jessie J. last year and the first year they did this song that incorporated a music festival and I built my brand around music. They just really support music in general and it makes it really easy for me to work with them.
AM: We love the bodysuits and the cool legwear that you have – what are your favorite fitness items that you love wearing?
NW: Oooo I’m a dancer so I love wearing Capezio and Danskin. I have friends that are seamstresses and they make me personal outfits so that’s always fun. I love my unitards and wearing bathing suits and anything that’s just not too fitnessy.
AM: You had this really cool look on your Instagram that was like chaps and a bikini bottom and embellished but it looked very cool!
NW: Yeah, yeah, yeah – that was from Patricia Field for the Propel festival. My friend who is a stylist came over and he sent them over for me to try, but they were way too heavy for me to dance in them haha!
AM: How do you give of your time?
NW: I am part of Girls Inc. which supports young girls in urban markets that don't have access to dance so I teach with them on tour and locally. I work with this group called Core Energetics which is a type of cognitive therapy and I work with some mental patients that don’t have things that healthy humans have through dance and time. I also volunteer once a week at an elderly hospital jut spending time, delivering food and playing games.
AM: Since music is so important to you and is so integral to your brand. What’s on your playlist right now?
NW: Well J Cole for sure – he’s my favorite he has a song called, Kevin’s Heart, I just downloaded the Carter’s album and I went ape shit! I love Rihanna – Needed Me, Ciara – Overdose, Disclosure's Latch featuring Sam Smith, those are my faves right now!
ATHLEISURE MAG: We're fans of Icona Pop as it's on a few of our playlists. You guys have a new album that you are working on – is there anything that you can tell us about that would be amazing!
CAROLINE HJELT: We’ve been writing on this album for quite a long time and we were just talking about it the other day saying, “how could it have taken us this long?” It’s just because we’re so bad at saying no to stuff! Like we love what we do and when we get fun things – we’re like, let’s squeeze it in and then we begin to go touring again. So it’s been taking a long time but we’re almost there and it feels amazing. I would say that I’m just as excited about this album as I am on the first one. It feels like when you're born. We've been working on it for so long and sharing situations and we’re very proud of it.
AM: That’s so exciting and your faces really show how much you’re pumped for this. Is there a drop date.
AINO JAWO: We don’t have a date, but the album will be done at the end of this year. It will be out earlier next year.
AM: So are you guys doing festivals right now?
AJ: Yes we’re doing a lot of festivals in Europe and a couple of shows as well here in the states. I think this is the last one here right?
CH: Yeah and then we move onto Europe.
AM: Did the Coppenhagen festival already happen – Soleima who is also on Big Beat was telling us about it.
CH: Oh yes, you're talking about Roskilde.
AM: Yes!
AJ: Yes Rosklide, we did that last year it was so AMAZING! We have big shows all over the place.
CH: It’s a lot of traveling but we love that!
AJ: We also just got a house in LA where we will have our studio in there as well.
AM: Do you guys also live together?
ICONA POP: YES!!!
AM: How cute is that?
AJ: It’s a big house so you get your space and we’re going to build everything – from a fitness center to a studio.
CH: So we’ll never have to leave and you’ll never see us again! But we’ll have everything that we’ll need haha.
AM: It’s like a glam compound – love it. So what workouts do you guys typically do or what are you building into your home to do?
CH: Well we bought our first thing – the Assault Bike, the first one an all retro one! It’s great for us to have all of those things. I think we’re also planning on putting in a mat so we can do different kinds of workouts.
AJ: Yeah like yoga and my boyfriend is our personal trainer – so he is taking care of all the lifting weights stuff there.
CH: We also love working outside so this gym will be outside. We spend so much time in our studios so it’s great to get that fresh air and to hang out with your friends outside. Meanwhile, we’re working out. We also love working out together and like sometimes you have a longer time and other times your schedule is crazy so it’s important to get it in when you can.
AJ: I like circuit training and that’s a good way to get strong with different types. We always say lift weights with cardio as a lot of women don’t lift weights and that’s stupid.
CH: Yeah and also you realize that it’s a thing that you slowly and slowly get better and that’s when you feel your body start to change. Your posture, you have so much more in your muscles.
AM: So how excited are you guys to be here today with Propel Co:Labs – how did that happen?
CH: I think that they reached out to us and we got super excited because we do work out so much and that’s a huge part of who we are and for us it’s important for us to jump on stage for 1.5 – 2 hours and not gasp for breath! We want to deliver to our fans and be in really good shape and that’s why we were so happy to be a part of this.
AJ: I think that a lot of times, we do a lot of parties and people see us do shots on stage, but that's just a portion of what we do. There is another part!
CH: Yes, it’s just a part as we’re healthy and a lot of our fans say that they work out to our music. It lets them get over the hump and take their workout to the next level.
AJ: When you’re at the gym it just gives you that energy to say – yes! Sometimes I’m at the gym and I’m like “oh my gosh” this is us and I get a little embarrassed and then I sing along haha.
AM: What keeps you guys inspired when you’re making your music?
CH: I think traveling, hanging out with our friends which is so important to us but also what we’re trying to do right now is that every place we go to, we say what can we do here – what can we see? We really want to work on what we can see and to enjoy, experiencing etc. You can travel all over the world and just see a hotel room. But when you can go and taste the food that is special to that place or to meet the people from that region – that is really inspiring.
AJ: Then I feel like sometimes you need to get bored to like let things sink in. So take a little pause, get bored and then say hmm this is what I want to write. It works very well for us.
AM: Love that, it’s kind of like our belief in disconnecting to connect. So when you guys aren’t working, how do you relax and take time for yourself.
AJ: Mmmm Nature
CH: Yeah! It’s one of those things that’s so easy and sometimes you need a couple of days to say ok I can now breath and I’m not thinking about work too much. But when you come to nature, it happens instantly. Because you can look at water for hours and not feel stressed. You can look at the forest and animals and not feel stressed. This way you can connect with your body immediately as opposed to waiting to 5 days to come down.
AJ: I feel like a lot of times you don’t have that many days off. So we try to do mindfulness – just a couple of minutes a day and that usually helps a lot. It’s also about eating good food.
CH: Yeah just enjoying and appreciating eating really good food with people that you like. That’s also a luxury for me.
AJ: And exercise again. I mean you get so much endorphins from doing that. I don’t even see the workout as work as it’s just part of my routine. When I have a day off, I can do it longer and not be stressed about going someplace else. The worst thing is to be stressed in the gym as it breaks my heart.
AM: How do guys prepare before you hit the stage?
AJ: We drink coffee and listen to music.
CH: We usually, put on great music and get ready together as we have to be in sync. We talk about what we are going to focus on during the performance ….
AJ: Andwho we’re going to be on stage.
CH: Yeah like different personalities
AJ: Sometimes it’s David Bowie, sometimes it’s Prince, Michael Jackson – you name it and sometimes it’s just me haha!
PHOTOS COURTESY | Katie June Burton + Stephanie Noritz
Read more from the July Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Fit Set in magazine.
Read more from the June Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TribeGoals in mag.
Read more from the May Issue and see #TribeGoals in mag.
Read more from the April Issue and see #TribeGoals in mag.
Read more from the Mar Issue and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
We've walked by a number of Orangetheory Fitness studios here in NYC, as well as other locations across the country. Known for their interval training and having the data accessible for accountability as well as to create positive competition, we were thrilled to have an opportunity to talk to its founder Ellen Latham. We wanted to find out more about her motivation behind the creation of the studio, empowering others and how she gives back.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and were you always interested in being an entrepreneur?
ELLEN LATHAM: Before Orangetheory, I owned a pilates studio and my members were very frustrated. Pilates was giving them some fantastic core strength, but was not hitting their metabolism, so I opened a studio with a solution I called ‘Ellen’s Ultimate Workout’ that included cardio and strength training. A year later I was approached to franchise it and that’s how Orangetheory developed.
AM: What was the aha moment that made you realize that Orangetheory Fitness was something you wanted to create and what was the process like in realizing that this was something that should become a national chain?
EL: The members at my pilates studio were complaining it wasn’t affecting their metabolism. They were taking cycling classes, boot camps and working out at the gym and nothing was working. I wanted to find the best way to coach people in fitness. That’s why I committed to growing Orangetheory into something everyone can experience and enjoy.
AM: Tell us about HIIT and why you feel it is beneficial for everyone?
EL: Interval training is the most efficient way to increase calorie burn. At Orangetheory, we’ve made it very simple with our endurance, strength and power routines that push members to work harder in bite-size intervals to produce afterburn. Our members burn up to 20 percent more calories the first 24 hours after a workout.
AM: How important is it to motivate whether you're in the gym or outside of it?
EL: The coaches at Orangetheory focus on being inspiring and coaching with language that encourages people and makes them successful. This positive reinforcement, inside and outside
the gym, is the key to success at Orangetheory.
AM: What recent successes have taken place at Orangetheory and what should we keep our eye out for?
EL: 2017 was amazing for Orangetheory Fitness. We opened our first studio in Tokyo, Japan, which was a tremendous success for our international endeavors. We’ve also taken our technology to the next level and passed the 800-mark for the number of open studios.
Our primary goals for 2018 are to continue to open 5 to 6 studios a week and to continue bringing our fitness professionals to the next level. We’ve hired a clinical exercise physiologist
and have plans to build a lab at the corporate office to prove Orangetheory not only gives you more daily energy, but can extend your life. As always, I plan to continue to be an intentional
learner and work on being a better version of myself.
AM: When did you realize that in addition to giving people the keys to a great body, that you also wanted to empower others through motivational speaking and what do you enjoy about this portion of your work?
EL: I’ve always tried to connect with members beyond the physical benefits of a workout by speaking to the mind and spirit. I enjoy the motivational opportunities that public speaking provides.
AM: Are there charities/philanthropies that you give your time to?
EL: Orangetheory has raised more than $2 million dollars for Augie's Quest (ALS). We hope to raise this amount to $3 million dollars in 2018. Personally, I’ve been involved with Women in Distress and children's hospital fundraisers.
Read more from the Feb Issue and see In the Orange with Ellen Latham in mag.
Sometimes the highlight of the day is Lunch! We have some must have items to jazz up your lunch as well as tasty treats that you should keep an eye on for a pick me up or for when you're relaxing.
Read more from the Feb Issue and see #TribeGoals in Mag
SHOT IN BROOKLYN | PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Farkas | STYLIST Kimmie Smith | MUA David Stella | HAIR STYLIST Lea DeLoy |
If you don't know Brandi Rhodes, you're missing out on this stunner who embodies #GirlPower and #CoupleGoals. While you get to know more about her through her social, you can catch her wrestling with Women of Honor alongside her hubby Cody Rhodes (as she is apart of wrestling royalty)! You can also catch her this month in the debut season of E! WAGS Atlanta, where she is one of the breakout stars.
In addition to shooting her fabulous editorial for our anniversary issue, we talked with her about how she got into the industry from modeling, her start in the WWE, being in ROH/WOH, her busy schedule and how she maintains her site, Not a Basic B for her fans to get to know her more!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us how you got into wrestling and what your journey was into the sport?
BRANDI RHODES: I was scouted by WWE as I was modeling in Miami, FL. They contacted my modeling agency and expressed interest. From there I had meetings and then a try out to assess my athleticism. Then I was offered a contract to come to Florida Championship Wrestling and begin training. The rest is history!
AM: We know you were with the WWE and are currently with WOH - can you tell us about your experiences with both and what you're looking forward to within this league?
BR: With WWE I was an announcer, and unable to wrestle (which is what I wanted to do all along, but once it was discovered that I was good on the mic, I was placed in that position and
unable to transition away from it). In WOH I am of course a wrestler and am able to spread my wings and grow and learn so much! I also am able to work with my husband in ROH which is so
much fun. ROH/WOH allow me to do everything in the realm of wrestling, which is very challenging and fun.
AM: What's it like being married to Cody, who is also a wrestler and is in ROH?
BR: I’m the luckiest woman in the world to be married to Cody. He is incredibly smart, ambitious, handsome and has such a big heart. It’s inspirational to get to work with him in ROH. I learn a lot from him, and I have a front row seat to this time, being the most successful of his career. In Wrestling, many times wives have to stay home and watch their spouses compete from afar. I’m grateful to be on the road with him and able to see some of his most important
matches.
AM: How do you balance your schedules as we interviewed WWE Superstar Natalya Neidhart last year and Danielle Moinet/Summer Rae last year and know that as an athlete, you guys travel a lot to global matches? When your husband is also doing these, how do you connect
and find balance?
BR: We are big on having our fun. We plan our downtime just like anyone else. This month we are looking forward to a long awaited ski trip after heading to Japan for WrestleKingdom, one of the biggest wrestling events of the entire year! But sometimes it’s a trip to Disney or Universal Studios to recharge and connect, others it’s a trip to our favorite movie theater, and other times, we have to find time to have dates on the road! Last week we had to see The Last Jedi, in New Jersey because we were working, but refused to miss out on seeing the movie right when it came out. No matter how busy our schedules are, we can always find time to do things we love together. We make it if we have to!
AM: When we looked through your blog, Not Another Basic B - we were obsessed with your accessories and style - tell us more about your blog, why you created it, and how important is it to you as a creative outlet?
BR: Initially I created Not Another Basic B as a way to express my creativity. I was very bored and just not satisfied in my previous career. I couldn’t control that at the time, but I could challenge myself by creating the blog and the content that I put into it. I loved fashion and often would have people tweeting me trying to find out what brands I was wearing on TV, and this blog made it easier to connect with these folks and get them that information! From there, the blog took off to become more than fashion. I started sharing my travels, things about my
family and my marriage and personal stories as well. Now people look to the blog as a place for everyone. From the fashionista to the wrestling fan, to the traveler! I’m so proud of what it has
become!
AM: How did you become apart of the cast of WAGS Atlanta?
BR: I was living in LA working on another TV project and Casting reached out to my management asking if I would be willing to do a Skype interview to get to know me. I did the interview and a week later was sent over a contract to do the show! It was really fast! I later
found out that I was the last member cast. They were looking for someone who had an existing fan base and presence, and thankfully I have the most loyal fan base and following from the
wrestling world and they are really excited to see me on the show!
AM: We know that the season just started, but would you come back for another season, and/or be open to future reality shows?
BR: There are a lot of factors that come into play when determining what happens next and when. But I am happy to have this opportunity to be a part of the E! family, and for viewers and our existing fans to have the opportunity to get to know us a little better!
AM: How do you stay in great shape?
BR: I train very hard daily! My workouts are 6 days a week and incorporate weight training, interval exercises and plenty of cardio. I’ve found a balance with training, it’s something that challenges me, but also that I enjoy greatly.
AM: What do your workouts look for a match versus just maintaining when you may be in a few days of downtime?
BR: I really don’t deviate from routine when I have a match coming up. I compete pretty frequently, sometimes multiple times in one week, so for me it’s important to stay consistent at all times. In the summer, however, I do tend to add runs into my workouts simply because I love running outside!
AM: What are 3 go-to power foods when you're working out versus 3 splurges when you're treating yourself?
BR: When I’m working out I love a good protein shake, my favorite is from a place called Kale Me Crazy. I’m also very big on tuna packets, because I can take them anywhere and they do the trick! Then I love almond butter. Put it on my toast every morning. Splurge foods: pizza, burgers and any kind of cake. I have a ridiculous sweet tooth!
AM: You travel frequently what are 3 beauty products that you swear by that keep your skin fresh and vibrant?
BR: I always travel with Foreo. It’s a face cleansing device (similar to Clarisonic) but they come in Travel sizes and are so easy to use and keep clean! I also need my Dermologica face lotion
which is lightweight and SPF50! Lastly, I always have a good mask with me, I tend to go back and forth between charcoal and mud masks.
AM: How do you take time for yourself?
BR: Honestly... I watch the Hallmark Channel and HGTV and grab a glass of wine in my big moments of relaxation ha! I’ll take a bubble bath if I’m feeling REALLY edgy :)
AM: What do you wear when you go out for brunch, versus when you're running errands?
BR: I definitely dress up for brunch! A sundress with jewelry and heels in always up my alley. For errands, however, most of the time I am dressed “gym fab” because I’ve either just
come from the gym, or I’m on the way to the gym! Often time that’s head to toe Lululemon or Lorna Jane!
AM: What are your goals this year in wrestling, business, the site, family etc?
BR: This year I’m hoping to chase the dream of becoming WOH Champion! I’m looking forward to taking the blog to new heights this year with some upcoming partnerships! There are a few exciting things underway so just keep your eyes and ears open for me!
AM: What charities/philanthropies do you give your time to?
BR: I’ve always had an interest anything that helps with cancer research. Over the past few years my family has known too many families that have lost kids to childhood cancer. I’m always passionate in that research and spreading the word about ways to help.
AM: Anything else you'd like to share?
BR: The best ways to connect and interact with me! Those are my social pages: @TheBrandiRhodes - Twitter and IG and of course NotAnotherBasicB.com! Aside from that I’d like to wish everyone an amazing 2018! It’s going to be as great as we make it!
Read more from the Jan Issue and see The Knockout with Brandi Rhodes in mag.
