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    Fitness and Yoga Programs See Big Expansion at Upcoming Arnold Sports Festival

    “We are so pleased that the Arnold believes in our fitness and yoga classes so much,” says Pamela Conn owner of FitLife Columbus and co-coodinator of dance and yoga fitness events at the Arnold Sports Festival for 2020. “Everyone can come dance like no one is watching!”

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    Multiple yoga and dance fitness events will be held at the Arnold Sports Festival March 6th through 8th, 2020.  The event will see bona fide fitness celebrities from New York City to Los Angeles, as well as notable local instructors. All will lead fun group classes and hold certificate-granting programs in a variety of fitness disciplines, including Zumba Strong and Belly Dance Bootcamp.

    “We will have something for everyone!” notes co-coordinator, Julie Wilkes of Seven Studios.

    For the 2020 Arnold Sports Festival, the fitness and yoga classes have been granted extra stage space on the first floor across from the Main Expo Hall’s C Entrance. A variety of 20 to 60-minute demos will be held there, as well as in the Short North Ballroom.

    Some of the programs featured this year:
    • Masala Bhangra (Bollywood fitness dancing) with Sarina Jain
    • Pound Fitness
    • Beat Boxing
    • S.W.EA.T. with Sarah Placenia and
    • Fly Girl with Lisa Marie

    Lisa Marie founded a hip hop group in Chicago and created her dance fitness program based on Paula Abdul’s Fly Girls from In Living Color.  Pound Fitness is a growing phenomenon where you workout with weighted drumsticks.

    “It’s a semi-cardio class choreographed with moves like squats and really so much fun!” says Amanda Reynolds-Snavely who teaches Pound and other fitness classes around Columbus.

    There will also be multiple yoga events including a 5-hour YogaThon on Friday evening with multiple presenters, including Vinny Purtle of Heartfelt Yoga and a Saturday morning program titled Yoga for Athletes taught by Daniel Sernicola and Jake Hays of Danja Yoga.  There will also be time for a special yoga teacher training for working with the incarcerated. Release Forward, led by Wilkes, who leads yoga sessions regularly in a local jail.

    “Everyone is welcome. The yoga will be accessible,” says Wilkes, “and it can all be modified to any level.”

    Other yoga and fitness people at the 2020 Arnold include returning Zumba favorite Kelly Bullard, SWERK with Katy Morrow, and Adult Recess with Charles Gibson.  Most demos and fitness classes are free, but some have small fees.  Some ask for advanced sign up like Yoga for Athletes.

    Since its founding in 1989 as the Arnold Classic, this yearly event now called the Arnold Sports Festival has grown to now over 80 events with over 22,000 participants in Columbus. Competition and events from axe throwing to pickle ball to pole fitness to disc golf are held all over the central Ohio area in this nation’s largest multi-sport festival. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself has promised to check in on the yoga and fitness events as the Arnold celebrates its 31st year in Columbus.

    Advance tickets to The 2020 Arnold Sports Festival for general admission are $20. There are also a variety of fast-pass tickets and photo op tickets available. For more information and advance tickets visit arnoldsportsfestival.com/tickets.

    For more general information on yoga and fitness events, visit lifestylefitnessandyogaarnold.com

    Updated 11:21pm on March 4, 2020 to address the cancellation:

    There will be a dance party with Zumba celebrities Heidi Torres S Full and Armando at Columbus Fit Life Saturday at 5:30 PM. Those who have already signed up will receive an email with details. “I truly appreciate everyone who wanted to come this year,” said Pamela Conn of Columbus Fit Life.

    All yoga events at the Arnold 2020 will be rescheduled for a later date. Those who purchased slots will have the opportunity to move reservations over to the new date TBD, donate to a yoga prison outreach program, or receive a full refund.

    There are a considerable number of people in Columbus already to compete in or to support people competing in the Arnold competitions. Wanting to do something special for those people, Seven Studios, will offer three free meditation and yoga classes this weekend, and a 50% discount for Arnold goers for other classes this weekend. Go to the Seven Studios website or the MindBody app to sign up for a drop in using the code ‘Arnold.’

    Columbus has multiple other affordable yoga offerings for Arnold attendees. Both Modo Yoga and GIVE Yoga have free or $5 to $10 classes on their schedule this weekend.

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    Nancy Alkire
    Nancy Alkire
    Nancy Alkire has practiced yoga off and on since WOSU broadcast Lilias, Yoga and You in the 1970’s. She has attended classes with Charlotte Bell, Bryan Kest and Kino MacGregor. Since turning 50, she has become much more interested in fitness and often calls on the expertise of athletic trainer, Jennifer Schiff, and Daniel Snider (almost a) PhD in physical therapy. “I am open to polite suggestions for other yoga or fitness experiences. I love documenting and sharing.” Get in touch with her by email.
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