About FF
About Fitness Forward and Debbie
Fitness Forward is a private studio offering the newest and latest concept in the fitness industry… TRX Suspension Training, Rip Training and metabolic interval training to create the “All in One” fitness workout! Debbie has created a complete workout: the attention as in personal training in an organized interval style workout. Timed intervals for a 45-50 minute complete total body changing workout.
Each week we all know we need ideally to find time to…
* Regular cardiovascular exercise for our health and fitness.
* Interval training to improve fitness levels and to mobilize fat metabolism.
* Functional strength training for daily movements.
* Sport specific training to improve our performance and competitiveness.
* Yoga practice for more muscle balance, open joints, clarity, cleanse the body and to quiet the mind.
* Pilates to improve the core strength, restore the natural curves of the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle stabilization and alignment.
How do we find enough hours in the week to accomplish all of these workouts? Especially if you are a triathlete then you add swim, bike and run workouts each week to your schedule! OR if you have a full time job and a family to spend time with each day!
Debbie Smith-Potts has combined over twenty years of experience in the fitness industry and almost fifteen years as a competitive age-group triathlete, to create FF group training classes! The classes vary to combine the popular and amazing TRX Suspension system with other strength exercises, metabolic cardio intervals, ViPR, Medicine Ball, Sandbag training, STOTT Pilates mat and a little Vinyasa Power Yoga flow. The classes are your “ALL IN ONE” in one 50 minute class offered at various times and days during the week by certified and very experienced top trainers in the Northwest.
Check out our class schedule, descriptions and price list on our link. Updated fitness schedules and class registration are available on www.fitnessforward.net
Debbie Smith-Potts ongoing education:
Debbie has been involved in the fitness industry for seventeen years. She is a personal trainer, yoga fit instructor, group fitness, and Pilates mat instructor as well as a USAT certified level one triathlete coach. Debbie was listed as one of the “Top 100 personal trainers in America” by Men’s Journal, December 2004 and 2005. Debbie was the first ambassador for Lululemon clothing (www.lululemon.com) in Bellevue. She has been a team member of the Mark Allen Online Triathlon team since 2003. Debbie started working at the Bellevue Club since 1995 in various roles: fitness coordinator, program coordinator, personal trainer, spin instructor, yoga fit and Pilates mat instructor. Debbie started studying STOTT PILATES in September 2009, starting with the Intensive Mat and Advanced Mat training program. In January 2010, Debbie became certified as a TRX suspension instructor and leading the first group TRX suspension circuit training on the Eastside!
Currently Debbie teaches spin and yoga at the Bellevue Club, she has also worked in a private personal training studio in Bellevue since 2006 and since has opened her own Fitness Forward Studio on January 1st, 2001. Debbie occasionally leads fitness seminars, fitness retreats and a successful run/triathlon training group in Bellevue. Fitness Forward offers personal training for one to three people in a private studio, various types of circuit training, semi-private yoga stretch and Pilates mat classes. Debbie leads a monthly running and triathlon coaching program that includes Wednesday night track workouts, Friday morning hills/trail workout at Kelsey Creek Park and Sunday long run workouts. The monthly coaching program includes personalized training schedules Training Peaks web program. Debbie offers various destination race get-away weekends throughout the year (January- Carlsbad, April- Boston, May-Vancouver and October- Portland or Victoria).
In February 2010, Debbie expanded her fitness business by moving into a larger 3325 square foot fitness studio to offer personal training, larger circuit training and group TRX classes for all ages with a blend of STOTT PILATES Mat and Vinyasa Yoga! A unique offering in the Northwest! She even has a body treatment room for private appointments and an area for children to play while their parents are fitting in a well needed exercise session!
Since 2001, Debbie has participated in ten Ironman Triathlons, qualifying for the Hawaiian Ironman World Championship in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Debbie placed first in her age group and fifth female overall in the Lake Stevens 70.3 Half Ironman Triathlon 2007 and qualified for the 70.3 World Championships in 2007 and 2009. Debbie was second in her age group and fourth overall age group female in Ironman Canada, 2007. In 2005 and 2008, Debbie was in the top ten overall female in the Coeur d’Alene Ironman and first overall female in Troika Half Ironman (2005, 2004). She has finished over 25 marathons and has qualified for the Boston Marathon the past eight years with her most recent 2009 performance with a top ten WA state finishing PR time of 3:12 and 3:17 in 2010. Debbie continues to participate in many local cycling, triathlon, duathlon and running events in the Northwest with her “wing man” husband, Neal, as she has for the more than ten years. Debbie to loves to train for events, yoga, Pilates, as well as racing, but also loves to recruit and motivate others to participate as well!
As the owner and creator of Fitness Forward, Debbie has made a commitment to continue her education in the fitness industry each year.
* TRX Suspension Training
* Continuing Education Anatomy series and workshops for Stott Pilates Mat.
* Four day IDEA World Fitness Convention
* Mark Allen Online Triathlon team member (elite team since 2003)
* Stott Pilates reformer certification program (future)
* USA Triathlon certified level one coach, continuing educations (annual)
Debbie Smith-Potts: Contining Education
Race history: Competitive Age group triathlete, marathoner and cyclist.
www.athlinks.com for race history
http://www.athlinks.com/racer.aspx?rid=41680626
Member of the Mark Allen Online triathlon team since 2002. www.Markallenonline.com
Team Member of Mark Allen Online
Twelve Ironman’s since 2001 including Ironman Canada, Ironman Coeur d’Alene and World Championships
Qualifier for Ironman Hawaii World Championship, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010
Boston Marathon qualifier: 2001-2011
Yoga certification and education:
Yoga Fit, Level 1, spring 2001
Yoga Fit, Level 2, fall 2001
Anna Forrest workshop: 2003, 2007
Yoga Journal Annual Conference, 2003
Barron Baptiste Weekend Personal Revolution: October 2007
Shiva Rae workshop, 2008
SHAKTI Vinyasa Yoga Teacher training, spring 2008
SHAKTI Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Assistant Training, fall 2008
SHAKTI Vinyasa Yoga Advanced Assistant training, Jan 2009
Pilates Mat education and certification:
“Initiation 101: The Method Pilates”, Pilates Mat certification by Physical Mind Institute, February 2003
Body Center Studios, Shoulder workshop, April 2009
STOTT PILATES Intensive Mat certification course, fall 2009 (60 hour course plus 10 observation and 20 hours practice teaching)
STOTT PILATES Advanced Mat certification course, December 2009
Postural Assessment and Pilates, December 2009
STOTT Pilates workshops at the Can-Fit Pro and IDEA Fitness Conventions
Summary of past experience and courses since 1993 years:
Corporate Recreation/Exercise Science, Western Washington University, 1989-1994
Highline Fitness and Membership Director, 1994
Bellevue Club: Fitness Coordinator, Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer
Certified Fitness Instructor by Northwest Instructor Training, November 1994
Certified Health Fitness Instructor by American College of Sports Medicine, 1994
Certified Principles of YMCA Health and Fitness, July 1995
Certified Strength Trainer Director by the YMCA, August 1995
Certified Advanced Exercise Instructor by the YMCA, August 1995
Certified Healthy Back Instructor by the YMCA, October 1995
Certified Fitness Specialist by the YMCA, March 1996
Heart Zone Training certification by Sally Edwards and presenter, 1995-
Certified Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist by AAHFP, May 1998
Special Population Certification by Cooper Institute, February, 2000
IDEA World Personal Training Summit, 2002
The Business of Personal Training, June 2005
New Leaf Fitness Metabolic Testing certification course, 2003 and 2006
Can-Fit Pro Fitness Conference, April 2006
IDEA World Fitness Conference, August 2009- annually
USA Triathlon Level One certified coach:
USA Triathlon Level One certification course, September 2009