Alice Lockridge uses a humorous, practical approach to preempt
common excuses for not exercising.
Owner, PRO-Fit and Exercise Express, Renton
Conference organizers who need a humorous, energetic, knowledgeable fitness speaker often call Lockridge first. Her expertise reaches many cor-ners of the fitness world: In the early 1980s she owned the Aerobium studio in Seattle and began PRO-Fit, one of the original fitness instructor training programs accredited by the American Council on Exercise. Since 1988 she's designed occupational fitness programs for Seattle City Light and fire, water and police departments, helping train more than 700 women for nontraditional jobs, such as utility lineworker.
At Exercise Express, Lockridge aims to fix all the excuses people have for not exercising, starting with, "I promise that the teacher will be fully clothed." No initiation charges, no monthly dues, no wall of mirrors, no complicated dance steps. Just a per class fee, group support ("We never make you work out alone"), a blend of weights, aerobic exercise and stretching, a teacher who instructs rather than leads exercise, and 18 pairs of five-pound dumbbells (among others) to make classes accessible to the under-fit. Six months a year Lockridge's job has built in exercise: assisting prospective utilities workers during their weight lifting sessions, nine hours a day. The rest of the year, it's more of a challenge for this busy entrepreneur and former rugby player: "I have to build it in, just like any-body else."