#powhowlive

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Powhow Live: Ryan Shanahan's Home Workout Essentials

When the kettlebell king, Ryan Shanahan, isn't training movie stars, cage fighting, playing hockey, or competing as a bodybuilder, he can be found in his live online studio, transforming bodies with his muscle sculpting, fat burning workouts! Powhow's editors got the dish on what keeps Ryan motivated. Read his diet and fitness tips below, then workout with him here: www.powhow.com/classes/ryan-raw Powhow: Ryan, tell us about cage fighting. How do you prepare yourself mentally for that? Ryan Shanahan: I've recently finished writing a book detailing my journey into MMA, which covers what attracted me to fighting and all the perpetration aspects, it's a revealing and inspiring read. Many of the mental lessons I've learned from MMA training have carried over to everyday life. For example overdue bills, bully co-workers, and rush hour traffic have all become very easy to deal with after experiencing the chaos of a cage fight.

Powhow: That's a must read. How do you keep yourself motivated to train? Ryan Shanahan: Exercise is like brushing your teeth, it has to be done. Otherwise your teeth turn brown and you get too fat to fit into your favorite jeans. Avoiding that look is a good workout motivator for me. Powhow: As a natural body builder, do you recommend any diet tips or supplements? Ryan Shanahan: The most important diet action I would recommend is daily food planning. Wake up and know exactly what you're going to eat that day. Even better, prepare it and pack it. As for supplements, most people are deficient in iron and B12 because drinking coffee prevents absorption of these important nutrients. The side effects of an iron deficiency is low energy and dizzy spells. Now I'm not saying to stop drinking coffee, but I do highly recommend supplementing with iron and B12. More than likely, your body will feel 100% better. Powhow: You've shared before about the challenges early parenthood can take on a workout schedule. What do you recommend for fitness buffs with little ones? Ryan Shanahan: My wife and I tried using our gym's day care. That lasted about five minutes until we heard our son crying from three floors below us! We canceled our gym memberships and started training at home. It works because babies take a lot of naps, which allows you time to get a workout in. Once kids hit age two they really like to watch their parents workout. I have several couples that do my live classes together every Saturday and I can see their kids playing happily beside them. You're teaching your kids healthy habits that they will carry on in their lives. Powhow: What workout equipment is essential in a home gym? Ryan Shanahan: A kettlebell, a Swiss ball, a punching bag, a foam roller and a great fitness instructor. Powhow: A great fitness instructor, indeed- you recently worked out with a middle school in America without ever leaving your home in Canada! How was that experience? Ryan Shanahan: The experience was absolutely amazing! The entire concept was groundbreaking and, without powhow, this historic event simply would have not happened. The live event was so popular that the school wants me to do a special monthly gym class for the students. Again, this would not be possible without powhow. Powhow: Why was it important to you to open an online studio? Ryan Shanahan: I'm very well aware that I've been blessed with an extraordinary ability to teach fitness. My online studio is important because it allows me to directly share this gift with others all over the world. Plus, I'm having fun! Powhow: We're having fun with you! Will you share a sneak preview of the workouts we can look forward to in the live classes at ryanraw.com? Ryan Shanahan: Every Saturday you will get a new live workout. This week is 'The Wolverine Core Workout'. Last week, we did a 'Just Back & Butt Blast'. Even I was sore for a few days afterwards! If your 2013 resolution is to get fit, then my eight week 'New Year, New You' body transformation program starting in January is a must do. Get your first workout with Ryan Shanahan for 50% off with the code first-ryan-class. Sign up here: http://www.powhow.com/classes/ryan-raw

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Powhow Live: Riverdance Star, Nicole McKeever's Advice and Insight for Aspiring Dancers

The Powhow community now has the amazing opportunity to learn Irish dance from a Riverdancer! Nicole McKeever has danced across four continents. Now, where ever she is, you can dance with her in her online studio! We asked her all about life on the road. Powhow: What is one thing we wouldn't know about Irish dance? Nicole McKeever: I think a lot of people are familiar with Irish dancing from their exposure to shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. But before these shows existed Irish dancing was and still exists primarily as a competitive dance form. It has evolved so much in the last hundred years and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the next hundred. In the past, dancers often competed on the backs of wooden flatbed trucks during competitions, and the percussive element on their leather shoes was made from tacks or nails. These days dancers compete on huge stages often in arenas and concert halls and their shoes are made with fiberglass tips and plastic heels. Powhow: Have you taken lessons in other types of dance?
 Nicole McKeever: Yes as a child I took some lessons in other dance forms but nothing as intensive as when I started taking Irish dance. Also during my Masters Degree at the University of Limerick I was exposed to many styles of Irish dance like Sean Nos, as well as several International styles of Folk dance, Tap, Contemporary, Ballet and even Lindy Jive! Powhow: What advice do you have for a dancer headed to his or her first audition?
 Nicole McKeever: Show dancing is very different than competition dancing. Stage presence is almost as equal to technique during an audition so think of how your posture and facial expressions might either make you look tense and unsure or relaxed and confident. Always warm up enough beforehand so you can be at your peak performance and rehearse your mental performance as well. Be in control of your mind so that you don’t get nervous or blank out. I do this by telling myself I am confident in my abilities, maintaining my focus and positive thinking, and if for some reason you make a mistake ALWAYS keep going! Powhow: What is it really like behind the scenes at Riverdance? 
 Nicole McKeever: It sometimes is harder than it looks when you are constantly on the move. In fact, the last American tour I did our company traveled around 29,000 miles on the bus (around the circumference of the globe) during the day in 5 and a half months. That’s a lot of traveling. However you become like a small family with inside jokes and close friendships that last for years after the tour ends. It becomes very hard to leave tour and possibly not see your fellow dancers for many years, but thankfully the internet helps to bridge that gap. Powhow: From all your travels, have you narrowed down the most interesting venues you've played?
 Nicole McKeever: The first time I ever performed on stage with Riverdance was in the INEC in Killarney, Ireland and that stage was also where I danced at my first World Championships and recalled earning an award. That was very poetic for me. Sometimes it’s the venues that are have historical significance that stick in my mind like The Detroit Fox Theater where the walls are covered in signatures of great entertainers. Or the Kremlin Palace in Moscow Russia! Even performing in Joplin, Missouri always stays in my memory because soon after we performed there the town was devastated by a tornado. It’s hard to forget your audience members around the world after you see how much they love your performance. Powhow: Wow, those are amazing memories! And from such different cities. How do you stay healthy on the road?
 Nicole McKeever: I have learned much of this through trail and error, but the main thing is to always keep your body fueled and to eat healthy food. When I eat at places that might have too many preservatives it effects my health. I try to eat clean food with lots of vitamins and I really focus on keeping hydrated. Sometimes during the rush and stress of travel you might not be able to find food. Some towns in different places can be closed right when you need to eat before the show. This gets difficult for us as performers sometimes but it's all part of the adventure. Powhow:  In addition to dancing, you're also a fabulous artist! What inspires you to paint and illustrate?
 Nicole McKeever: Thank you! I love painting what I’m obsessed with so often it’s an image of a dancer or maybe an interesting face or person. When I want to enjoy painting and not worry about whether my technique is perfect, I like to do more expressive abstractions and just worry about how the colors and shapes are relating to each other. Powhow: We have a lot to learn from you. Why is launching an online studio important to you? Nicole McKeever: Launching an online studio is an opportunity for me as a teacher to reach people all over the world and share my knowledge at a personal level. I think it’s amazing that now people can experience Irish dance and take lessons no matter where they live. As we witness new countries being reached by touring Irish dance shows we start to see more and more people becoming interested in this unique dance form but having very little access to instruction. I hope I can share my knowledge of traditional material and technique and help people to simply have fun dancing!

Sign up now to dance with Nicole McKeever in her Online Studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/nicole-mckeever

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Powhow Live: Mike Verta Brings the Music Business to your Living Room

Internationally acclaimed composer and visual effects artist, Mike Verta, has a truly generous reason for launching his online studio. Read on for his impressions on Hollywood success, paying it forward, and appreciating downtime. Powhow: You recently offered your first hugely successful online session to mentor upcoming composers around the world, Settling the Score: The Nexus. Why was it important to you to offer coaching to other composers? Mike Verta: Be the change… The tremendously helpful and rewarding master/apprentice days of old are long gone. We no longer have commonplace opportunities at studios and production companies to be writing music daily under the tutelage of seasoned pros, and then carrying that music into the next room to have it performed by world-class musicians. For most of us, this was the way our heroes learned to write. I wished for that sort of guidance so often while I was coming up… I decided, now that I have 20-plus years of experiential knowledge to impart, I would pay that dream forward. And nothing helps cement and organize one’s thoughts like having to teach them. So it’s a win-win. Powhow: The Nexus focuses on the music. Your next session Settling the Score- Career 101: The Gameplan is all business. How did you get your big break in Hollywood and what's your secret to staying so busy? Mike Verta: Build it and They Will Come. It’s an illusion to think you’re going to muscle Hollywood into doing what you want. My break came by following the advice I give up-and-comers: Be good, and be everywhere. In the very beginning, your abilities come second to your clout, and you build clout by seeming to be everywhere, known to everyone. Sooner or later, one of the thousands of seeds you plant sprouts, and that’s your first break. To stay busy, do a great job and be fun to work with. Both of those qualities ensure the phone will continue to ring after the first time. Powhow: Your designs are amazing too! Does the inspiration for your art come from the same place as the inspiration for your music? How does the process for creating your visual work differ? Mike Verta: One of the core concepts I teach is the common language that is shared by artists and audiences alike. In the end, as an artist, once you understand how to relate to your audience – how to talk to them – it matters very little whether you’re speaking the language of music, visuals, scriptwriting, etc. The message is the same; the process is the same. A piece of music has composition, tone, and style. Visual pieces have composition, tone, and style. One paints with sounds, the other paints with light, but they draw upon the same skills and understanding to get their messages across. Powhow: What projects are you excited about right now? Mike Verta: As usual, ones that are under Non-Disclosure Agreements. But I can say that what I really enjoy is being able to work on pieces across a wide array of disciplines. At any given time, I will be writing a piece of music, doing some visual effects work, doing lectures and consulting, some sound design and mixing… it keeps things from becoming stagnant.  I usually find that when my music well is dry, my visual well is full and vice-versa. And sometimes dipping into one well helps fill another. And, again, each discipline informs the other, so there is a lot of crosstalk and inspiration to be handed around when the time comes. Powhow: After a hard day, how do you like to unwind? Mike Verta: I tell all my students: Don’t sit at home practicing your art 24 hours a day. If you don’t live your life, you’ll have nothing interesting to say through your art. So for me, the most relaxing things are not necessarily about unwinding, as much as they are about balance and contrast with my day-to-day. For example, working out is great – it’s so physical, versus the largely mental world of creating music. And getting together with friends and talking – just talking a lot – you know, writing music is a very solitary experience; I’m often by myself for days or weeks at a time. So those balancing moments of social interaction feel great, and welcome, and important. And doing them makes me feel complete, which is the essence of calm. Powhow: How does your Online Studio differ from your podcasts and tutorials Mike Verta: Obviously, the interactive aspect of it is key… the best communication is always bi-directional, and those in attendance actually shape, hone, and tailor the information precisely to their needs by interacting with me during the lesson. It’s far more effective and efficient than even the most well thought-out podcast could hope to be. Sign up now to learn the ins and outs of the music business in Mike Verta's Online Studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/mike-verta

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Powhow Live: Ahmad Baari and the Science of a Great Workout

Personal trainer and author, Ahmad Baari, is making every second count. Between training in his new Online Fitness Studio and working with his private clients in Miami, Florida, he somehow finds the time to also inspire a huge fan base with his exercise videos and downloadable workouts. We got him to slow down just long enough to chat about the science of fitness and the secret to an upbeat workout. Powhow: Your background is in biomedical engineering. What is it about training and fitness that first attracted you away from the lab? Ahmad Baari: I have always had a love for self-improvement. I can remember spending hours in the local university library as a teen looking for ways to improve my body... and mind. One thing I learned early on is that you accomplish through action. Selecting the major of biomedical engineering initially meant to me that I would be actively helping through the use of electrical, mechanical, or biological sciences. But the impatient me soon realized that there normally isn't a fast process of getting your ideas from paper to the public. Being in the fitness/wellness/self-improvement industry has allowed the impatient me to reach the public directly with simple preventative measures to improve their way of life. I liked how there would be no delay on sharing what inspires me to help someone. I do love regulations, because it keeps us all safe. But in dealing with certain health issues, speed in redirecting someone's habits can make all the difference in life or death. Powhow: How do you use science to get someone in great shape? Ahmad Baari: Seeing first hand how organelles of our cells are effected by toxins we haphazardly introduce into our bodies, like trans fats, cigarette smoke, and sugar helps make my explanation to those wishing to know more believable. Nutrient timing, maximum heart rate zone training, and progressive resistance training are a few scientific principles I use to help those I work with. I feel you can hear someone's experience in their words and what I love about the knowledge I gained is that it helps me truly understand and believe the simple wellness rules I suggest. Powhow: What do you feel passionate about today? Ahmad Baari: Great question! It changed a few times today. I felt passionate about my current and coming projects, passionate about this new concept of how to supplement with l-glutamine to enhance overall well-being, and I had a super passionate moment when cooking ginger chicken for the first time... Trying to master a new hobby. Powhow: Sounds delicious! Where do you find your healthy recipes? Ahmad Baari: Most of the healthy recipes come by playing around in the kitchen with my girlfriend trying to figure healthy versions of the bad foods we crave! Powhow: Speaking of mastering something new, you train people at all levels of fitness, from beginners to pro athletes. How is the experience different for each? Ahmad Baari: The difference is in their spatial awareness. Spatial awareness is just how you move through your given environment. Imagine yourself completing an obstacle course then comparing your performance to a highly trained navy seal. I'm sure you will notice a drastic difference. I normally notice how a beginner's symmetry when moving might not be AS symmetric as a professional athlete. The speed in which instruction is understood and successfully applied might tend to be slower for the novice lifter. I try to make the experience a challenge in direct relation to the skill level. Sometimes a few questions and brief observation of a warm-up helps me structure the perfect plan. Powhow: How do you develop the perfect workout for your celebrity clients? Ahmad Baari: Normally I ask them to tell me about their last workout and what they loved and hated most about the experience. I always find this to be an easy Q&A session. I ask then about any up coming projects and latest events, hoping to gain more hints into how they wish to feel and look in the future. Next, I begin asking about their food weaknesses, and what the last 24 hours of eating and drinking was like. Powhow: Will you give us the scoop about who you're working with and what you're working on with them? Ahmad Baari: The latest celebrity I have dealt with is Mario Chalmers from the NBA Finals Championship winning Miami Heat. As an athlete he needed work on his stamina for the 4th quarter and his core. Powhow: You also offer healthy meal planning to help your clients build strong bodies. We'd love to know- what did you have for breakfast today? Ahmad Baari: Protein shake, L-glutamine, cranberry pill. I was rushing today. I try to have at least five to six small meals throughout the day. Powhow: Very disciplined! Do you ever not feel like working out?

Ahmad Baari: Yes, I have my moments. If I take a day off, I just consider it my R&R, rest and refocus, day. My motivation comes through seeing how fun and creative I can share my journey. Creating a log of progress clears up any cloudy, unmotivated day for me. My YouTube channel began from this intent. Powhow: To say, "a lot of people workout with you on YouTube," is an understatement. You have a huge online following for your fitness videos! How can all your YouTube fans benefit from your new live online studio? Ahmad Baari: The beauty of my new online studio is that it's LIVE and it allows instant communication. It's a pretty efficient concept run by an awesome team. Their vision helps me to see how great an opportunity this is to truly enter every single person's life that stops by the studio. Powhow: What can a client expect to get out of a live online workout with you? Ahmad Baari: They can expect my all. I try to make every challenging session different. I want them leaving feeling that the flow and sequencing of the workout made sense. They should expect within five to six consecutive sessions to see a change in the shape of their body or stamina. Powhow: Your clients leave your workouts with an improved outlook on life. What's your secret? Ahmad Baari: I really hope that the clients I deal with all feel that way. If there is a secret, it's that I try my best to see the workout through their eyes. This helps me know when to offer the charging words of encouragement or when to say, "let's have a water break and discuss the next sequence..." Having compassion is the secret.

Sign up now to train with Ahmad in his online fitness studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/makingthebest09

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Powhow Live: Celebrity Stylist, Najaam Lee's Take on Fashion

Just in time for Fashion Week, Celebrity Stylist, Model, and Image Coach, Najaam Lee is launching her Online Studio. Now you don't have to be famous to get Najaam's expert guidance! Najaam shared with us her professional advice on turning accessories into a signature style, how to approach a celebrity client, and fashion as self expression.

Powhow: It's New York Fashion Week! Which new style will you be sporting this fall? Najaam Lee: My style this Fall is a throwback to Channel with a punk twist. The stripes, prints of black and white, with a load of jewelry, such as pearls, gold and silver links and lots of bangles. Powhow: What advice would you give to aspiring fashion models and new faces? Najaam Lee: Learn to become a Muse, the actor or actress to a designer’s collection. Learn how to become the dream to the collection. Powhow: You're a model yourself! How do you transform your look and go from print to runway? Najaam Lee: From print to runway is giving, breathing life into the look. I do this through my makeup and hair and attitude, for this creates the walk and flow of the entire look. Powhow: For all us non-models out there, what can we do to develop a signature style? Najaam Lee: To develop a signature style begins with knowing who you are on the inside and then translating it through clothes. An easy step to implement right away is to start with accessories. What is your fav accessory or must-have? For example, mine is 6” heels and lots of bangles on one arm. This is repeated in every outfit I wear no matter what, this is my signature style. Powhow: You've worked with huge stars like Sean Combs, Yung Joc, Marques Houston, and Trey Songz. What's your approach when you style a celebrity? Najaam Lee: Observation! Learning about who they are as a person and as an artist on a day to day basis, then capture the essence of that daily expression to create a signature look. Powhow: We're so excited for your new Online Studio! Is there a chance we'll see some celebs in group coaching sessions with you? Najaam Lee: Can’t say. Powhow: Fair enough. What will we learn from you in your image coaching sessions? Najaam Lee: You will learn about your body type and the best ways to style it, through fabrics and different designer collections. You will learn to understand the best colours to wear and what will take up to 10 years off and express your true personality. You will learn how to remove the fear and create an attitude to pull off your look, plus so much more! I am excited to bring all this to the Powhow forum. Powhow: Finally, how does fashion tie into a person's image? Najaam Lee: Fashion expresses a person’s inner self. It ties in majorly, because it’s like a paintbrush and palette of colours that come together to create a masterpiece. Each one of us displays our masterpiece through fashion daily.

Sign up now to work with Najaam in her Online Studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/vedic-image-styling

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Powhow Live: Sadie Marquardt's Online Bellydance Studio Opens this Weekend!

We're thrilled to announce that Bellydance Artist, Sadie Marquardt, is launching her Online Studio with a sold out class this Saturday! We sat down with Sadie to get the inside scoop about her studio. Powhow: We can't wait for our first lesson with you, and we're not alone! Your classes are filling up fast. For those considering signing up, tell us: Who should start bellydancing? Sadie Marquardt: Anyone- women, men, children, young, old. Bellydance invites all to join in.  Powhow: What should an aspiring bellydancer know before they take one of your lessons or workshops? Sadie Marquardt: Like anything, it takes hard work and dedication to excel. In general Bellydance feels harder than it looks for most people. Have fun with it, don't be afraid to laugh at yourself if it doesn't all come together right away!  Powhow: In addition to being an internationally renowned bellydance performing artist, you're also busy as a choreographer! How do you get inspired and what influences your choreography? Sadie Marquardt: My inspiration mostly comes from the music, but other elements can come into play too, such as a costume. I may want to choreograph a number for that specific costume. Other dancers will inspire me, culture, history, art. Basically anything that can pull at my heart strings has the potential to inspire me and a new choreography. Powhow: You travel a lot for performances and workshops. How do you keep yourself focused and stay in great shape on the road?

Sadie Marquardt: Eating really healthy, resting, and sightseeing. It's amazing how many calories you can burn walking around a new place for a day or two.  Powhow: Where is the most unique place you've performed? Sadie Marquardt: I have had a lot of those. Some include my grandparents VFW, the zoo near the lions den, for Will Smith's New Year's Eve party, and at a beer and brat festival in a small village in Poland.  Powhow: Wow! Those are hard to top. How are Will Smith's bellydancing skills? Sadie Marquardt: Actually, very good. His whole family including Jada got moves! Powhow: What are you excited about for this fall? Sadie Marquardt: My new online classes and visiting my family for three weeks in Arizona! Powhow: After your visit, do you think you'll be able to get your family in Arizona to dance with you in your online studio? Sadie Marquardt: YES! They usually don't need a reason to dance, so I am sure they will take an online class. Powhow: Why was it important to you to start your online studio? Sadie Marquardt: To be able to connect with my students and fan base from all around the world who don't have the opportunity to study with me in person. Powhow: What kind of sessions and experiences will you be offering online this year? Sadie Marquardt: I am planning to offer a similar curriculum that a student would get in my Denver based studio and bringing that to the online studio. That includes the foundational technique of bellydance as well as the technique of many of my signature moves and combos. My goal is always to impart great, easy to follow technique to beginners while still challenging higher levels of dancers and keeping it fun and inspiring. Sign up now to learn with Sadie in her online bellydance studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/sadie-marquardt

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Powhow Live: Catching Up with Amanda Russell

Olympic-trained athlete and celebrity fitness expert, Amanda Russell, just got home from the London where she was Livestrong Woman's official spokesperson at the 2012 Summer Olympics. We caught up with her in New York and wanted all the details! Powhow: Welcome back! After two weeks in London, you must be pretty comfortable navigating the city and blending in with the locals. Tell me about the souvenirs you brought home! Amanda Russell: I was so busy the whole time in London conducting interviews and training with athletes that I only had a chance to think about souvenirs on the very last day. I picked up two bottles of a British made champagne. One for my parents and one for me. Powhow: We saw from your brilliant Livestrong Woman videos that you sought out London's finest food and fashion. What outfits and meals stick out in your memory? Amanda Russell: USA House had the same caterers as the royal wedding, so all the meals there were very memorable. Chobani had a table at USA House where they offered Chobani mousse pie and Chobani strawberry shortcake. Amazing food. The athletes are treated like royalty, even when it comes to meals. As for outfits, after Jessica Ennis won gold in the heptathlon, I saw people all over London wearing masks of her face. And on Super Sunday at Hyde Park, I interviewed two men in custom made red, white, and blue British flag suits. You can see the interview on Livestrong Woman's YouTube channel. Powhow: You had the chance to workout with top Olympic athletes while you were there. Which of their moves might you incorporate into your personal workouts moving forward? Amanda Russell: I'd trained with them all before so it wasn't a matter of learning new moves, but new sequencing. Working out with them is very motivating and inspiring. Powhow: Which athlete you were most excited to meet? Amanda Russell: I'm in awe of the athletes who aren't in the public eye; the athletes who are competing for the love of the sport. Like husband and wife Olympic triathletes Greg and Laura Bennett. They can do it all. Or Seimone Augustus, who is the Michael Jordan of women's basketball. She's so humble and down to earth and doesn't get the recognition she deserves. Powhow: Of all the Olympic Events this year, which had your heart racing? Amanda Russell: Rowing! I'd never been interested in it before, but being in London you can't help it. It's London's greatest sport and U.S.A. and Australia were close in the race too. Both men's and women's rowing were so exciting! Powhow: Glad to be back? Think you'll go to Rio? Amanda Russell: It's always nice to be home. Yes, I hope to go to Rio. We shall see! Sign up now to learn with Amanda in her online fitness and nutrition studio: http://www.powhow.com/classes/arfit