IDEA Health & Fitness Association, the world’s leading organization of fitness and wellness professionals, announced the recipients of its annual IDEA World Fitness Awards, recognizing individuals who strive for excellence, show an outstanding commitment to their clients and communities, and spread their passion for fitness across the globe. The awards for fitness leader, personal trainer, emerging trailblazer and fitness instructor of the year, as well as the IDEA Fitness Inspiration Award and prestigious IDEA Jack LaLanne Award, were presented at the opening ceremonies of the 2022 IDEA® World Convention on Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Las Vegas.
The successful event drew 5,500 people and reunited the fitness industry’s top educators, organizations, brands, and professionals, reinforcing the “Limitless” theme and creating substantial momentum for the future of fitness.
The 2022 Award Recipients Are:
2022 IDEA Jack LaLanne Award, Billy Blanks: Billy Blanks was born with an anomaly in his hip joints that left him clumsy and subject to taunts, and he also had severe dyslexia. He found strength—both physically and of character—in karate, and he went on to a successful career as a martial arts champion, bodyguard and movie star. His true legacy, however, was born out of his desire to create something that could help others learn to love fitness in a whole new way by creating Tae Bo®, which inspired millions of people to movement.
2022 IDEA Inspiration Award, Amy Purdy: At age 19, Purdy, an athlete and massage therapist, contracted meningococcal meningitis. She was given less than a 2% chance of survival, put on life support and placed into a coma. She lost her spleen, a kidney and both of her legs below her knees. Purdy beat the odds, coming back to become a world-champion, Paralympic Medalist adaptive snowboarder and an activist and guiding light for others.
2022 IDEA Fitness Leader of the Year, Pete Holman, MSPT: Holman has approached his career with hard work, creativity and an unwavering commitment to industry leadership. Every step of the way—as a physical therapist, personal trainer, inventor, two-time U.S. national Taekwondo champion, presenter, volunteer, author and mentor—he has “walked the walk,” reaching out to help others and creating the positive impact at the core of his personal mission. Today, as president of Aspen Integrative Kinetics, Holman focuses on sports performance, corrective exercise, physical rehabilitation and innovations such as the GOLFFOREVER™ Swing Trainer and Nautilus® Glute Drive.
2022 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, Rick Richey, DHS, MS, LMT: Since he began his career as a certified personal trainer in 2002, Richey has shown incredible growth. He has become a licensed massage therapist; group instructor; college and university adjunct professor; NASM faculty instructor; author; subject-matter expert; international presenter; and contributor for educational videos, books and web-based content. He now owns four facilities in New York City, including a recovery studio. He travels around the world teaching, hosts the NASM CPT podcast, and holds a doctorate in health science.
2022 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, Kia Williams, MBA, MS: Williams is a master educator for numerous trusted brands and has managed several fitness and wellness programs and facilities. She sites her role as health and wellness chairwoman for the NAACP Fort Worth-Tarrant Chapter as one of her proudest accomplishments. “Having the opportunity to deliver fitness programming, research benefits and make fitness a community priority are efforts that will live on longer than I.” Williams also serves on the IDEA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, volunteers in her community, and, of course, leads fitness classes.
2022 IDEA Emerging Trailblazer of the Year, Lacee Green: Green made it her mission to help women feel that “there is a place for them to be their own version of healthy and fit.” Through her fitness programs, classes and social media platforms, her message is to learn to love yourself enough to want to be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself. “I hope to help raise self-confidence, self-love and generational health for women and girls internationally,” says Green.
“Our IDEA World Fitness Award recipients truly represent the heart, soul and passion in our industry,” says Amy Boone Thompson, CEO and owner, IDEA Health & Fitness Association. “We are proud to celebrate them, and all the finalists, and support them in their ongoing efforts to Inspire the World to Fitness.”
Next year’s IDEA® World Convention will take place in Los Angeles, California, July 12-15, 2023. For more information, visit ideafit.com.
