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Ken
Alan
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No wonder
he’s jet-lagged. Ken is past the 4 million
mile presenting workshops for the past two decades.
When home, he’s a lecturer in the Department
of Kinesiology at California State University in
Fullerton. He has written articles for Men's Journal,
Men’s Health, Shape, Oprah, American Fitness,
Weight Watchers, Longevity, and other magazines.
He is a spokesperson for the American Council on
Exercise and is a subject matter expert for their
Personal Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor
Certifications. His AeroBeat Music Company is proud
to have produced the first music CD designed for
exercise in 1986. He has also worked with Richard
Simmons, designing and choreographing a number of
his videos. Ken joined the NORDIC WALK NOW/LEKI
team in 2007 after his first 20-minute Nordic walking
experience got him hooked. He travels and teaches
Nordic walking at LEKI-sponsored conferences and
is a lead educator for NORDIC WALK NOW. Ken resides
in Los Angeles, CA.
www.kenfitness.com |
Robin Barnes
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The sun was shining at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in Northern California, and the winds relatively calm on May 2, 2008 for the last of a five-day, somewhat grueling, competition for one of 12 coveted spots on the Professional Ski Instructor of America's National Demonstration Team. Of 139 candidates, congratulations to Nordic Walk Now Team Trainer Robin Barnes from South Lake Tahoe, CA for being selected for a term of 2008-2012 on the prestigious PSIA Alpine Demonstration Team!
"Tryouts" for the 'D Team' are not for whimps! Imagine the nastiest, steepest, crudiest, icy conditions for skiing at Mammoth, and Robin made it look easy. Candidates had to contend with variable and challenging conditions, including frozen "coral heads" in the off piste reaches, along with high winds, and deep slush. Nonetheless, candidates for all four teams—alpine, snowboard, nordic, and the first-ever adaptive team—used the opportunity to showcase the top level of expertise that characterizes all of this year’s contenders as truly the best-of-the-best in snowsports instruction in the United States.
The other half of the tryouts, and equally as important as skiing skills at this top level, is an unmatchable ability to teach. Some of the best sports instructors in the world come from PSIA training backgrounds, and Nordic Walk Now is fortunate to have several PSIA instructors on the NWN teaching team.
"Nordic Walking is one of those activities that is just right for our bodies." says Barnes. "I spend a lot of time sitting on cold chairlifts in the wintertime and sitting on my bikes in the summertime. Both keep me hunched over for long periods of time. Nordic Walking is the perfect balance because it opens up and lengthens the muscles that the other sports tend to shorten and tighten. Anything that promotes good posture, and therefore good health, is something that I'm going to pay attention to; both for myself and for my students and clients."
We are honored that Robin shares her talent and expertise as a member of our 25 person Nordic Walk Now Team Trainer program--the trainer's trainer--which is dedicated to teaching and outdoor leadership excellence, and bringing Nordic walking safely to consumers, from grandmas to athletes.
You can contact Robin at her website: www.tahoeoutdoorfitness.com
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Kendra
Kaye Densmore
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Image by:
Randall Benton / rbenton@sacbee.com
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Kendra has spent her career providing wellness,
fitness and recreation programs to corporations
such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Applied Materials,
Johnson & Johnson, etc. She is currently a Fitness
& Wellness Manager at UC Davis and is a graduate
from Ohio State University with a degree in Recreation
& Fitness Management. With 25 years as a fitness
professional, she specializes in outdoor group exercise.
An outdoor athlete, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking
and is a certified inline skating instructor. Kendra
is a NORDIC WALK NOW and LEKI USA top-level Team
Trainer, traveling the United States to teach Nordic
walking to fitness professionals. But, she is as
busy in her own back yard spreading the healthful
word about Nordic walking, providing weekly classes
to a variety of populations. Her perspective is
that the outdoors is the healthiest place to exercise,
that fresh air renews the mind, and that Nordic
walking renews the nervous system to improve every
function of the human body!
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Alexandra Jurasin
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Alexandra has been in the health, fitness, and wellness field for over 14 years. She received a BS degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of San Francisco, and an MS degree in Kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton and holds multiple health and fitness certifications including recognition as an ACE Approved Course Instructor for Nordic Walk Now. Alexandra has designed and managed fitness and wellness programs for over 50 corporations, police, and fire departments throughout California, and has been a guest speaker at national and international conferences. She recently served on the faculty in the Health Science and Kinesiology departments at California State University, Fullerton and Santa Ana College in Southern California, and currently is the General Manager of the Google G-Fit Fitness Centers in Mountain View, CA.
We are fortunate Alex loves to Nordic walk! As a national Team Trainer for higher education, she travels the US for Nordic Walk Now teaching a variety of instructor training and leadership courses. She is our ‘resident’ exercise physiologist and inspires us to participate with knowledge as the power to make Nordic walking a life long fitness activity!
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Courtney
McElvain
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I
became passionate about movement through gymnastics
at the age of four. I danced and cheered my way
through junior high and high school. I transitioned
into leading group fitness classes at 16. I'm a
N.E.S.T.A. certified personal trainer, but received
my BA in English and Religion from Concordia University,
Irvine. 2000-2001 I lived in Macau, China and started
a dual career in academics and fitness, instructing
Chinese, Portuguese, and Brazilian adults in English
as a Foreign Language and fitness classes. I joined
the US Army after re-entering the US in September
2001. I received my AA in Korean from the Defense
Language Institute in Monterey, CA and served as
a Korean Linguist for 2 1/2 years.
My prize achievement while serving?
I earned the title of Iron Soldier in February 2004
at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX.
Finally, my chance to do fitness
full-time! In July 2004 I opened Torty's Fitness
Resort in San Antonio, TX.
I'm a certified Biomechanics Specialist,
a Sport Yoga and Spencer Pilates certified instructor,
and a Turbokick, PiYo and Precision Cycling group
fitness instructor. In March 2005, I achieved my
license as a Shiatsu and Reflexology Practitioner
from the National College of Holistic Medicine in
England. My Pre/Postnatal yoga certification is
through AURA. In June 2006 I became a LEKI Nordic
Walking Instructor and in April 2007 became a LEKI
Team Trainer.
http://www.holistic-health-and-wellness.com/index.html
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Christine
Rose Schnitzer
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Christine
represents the new face of active aging. As a sports
model and fitness educator, her 50-something year
young body is proof that activity works to help
people age gracefully and healthfully. With a Bachelor
of Science degree in Health and Physical Education
from Slippery Rock State College, Pennsylvania,
she is a top-level Team Trainer for NORDIC WALK
NOW and LEKI USA. As a spokesperson on behalf of
Nordic walking education, she is a popular guest
and expert locally, regionally and nationally on
television, in magazines and newspapers, and at
conferences throughout the world. Her gracious,
relaxed and caring teaching style has earned her
the nickname, Christine “the Queen”,
as the matriarch of our 25-person team of high end
educators fitness educators!
www.ChristineRoseEnterprises.com |
Rose
Zahnn
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Rose
is the Founder of Healthy Habits Fitness, Yoga and
Pilates Studios in Sacramento, California. A UCLA
graduate and full-time fitness professional for
over 20 years, Rose holds a variety of certifications
including ACE and is a STOTT-trained Pilates instructor.
As a top-level Team Trainer and program developer
for NORDIC WALK NOW and LEKI USA, she travels North
America spreading her contagious teaching style
to promote Nordic walking fitness and empower fitness
professionals to take the next positive step. Rose
comes to us as a Senior Master Trainer for YogaFit
International, and is the creator of PilatesFit
and Dance-X. Look for her new Nordic walking workshop
at a conference near you! Polates is a popular new
indoor/outdoor hybrid that combines Nordic walking
poles and Pilates, and it’s taking the industry
by storm!
www.healthyhabitsstudio.com
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