Women's Health and Men's Health Launch Nationwide Searches For The Next Faces Of Fitness

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Women's Health and Men's Health, the world's best-selling fitness and lifestyle magazines published by Rodale Inc., announced the return of Women's Health's wildly popular fitness competition franchise, "Next Fitness Star," and the launch of the inaugural Men's Health "Next Top Trainer" competition. Both programs are sponsored by EAS^® Sports Nutrition. 

The sibling publications will conduct nationwide talent searches for the next male and female faces of fitness. The contests will kick off with national casting calls and culminate with the winner of each competition – selected by two separate panels of judges – starring in their own workout DVD series, produced by Rodale Inc., and appearing in a 2015 magazine feature.

Last year, thousands of fitness enthusiasts entered Women's Health's first-ever "Next Fitness Star" competition.  Since being crowned the winner, Stacie Clark has taken the fitness DVD industry by storm with a rapid and overwhelming response to The NEXT FITNESS STAR: POWER SCULPT DVD Series, which sold thousands of DVDs in the first weeks after it launched in January 2014.

The submission process for Women's Health's second annual competition officially kicked off on February 4.  The top 5 finalists will be selected by a celebrity judging panel, including Extreme Makeover Weight loss's celebrity trainer Chris Powell, Editor-in-Chief Michele Promaulayko and a surprise celebrity judge; and will be featured on the flip cover of the magazine's July/August issue.  The winner, who will be announced in August, will receive a contract for an upcoming Women's Health Fitness Star branded DVD series.

"When it launched, 'Next Fitness Star' was the first of its kind in this industry.  The competition has proven to have the power to change a person's career, which is proven by the success of Stacie Clark, the 2013 winner," states Laura Frerer-Schmidt, Women's Health Publisher. "We are looking for women who not only embody expertise in the fitness industry, but who are inspiring and have what it takes to motivate our 22 million readers." 

Men's Health's is launching "The Next Top Trainer," a nationwide competition to find the next expert trainer to represent the Men's Health brand. Kicking off on March 4, the applicants will be judged by an elite group of experts including Adam Campbell, Men's Health Fitness Director, and top trainers David Jack and B.J. Gaddour. The competition will be tough – the final contestants will go head-to-head in challenges with the best fitness pros in the business, all to prove why they deserve the title of Men's Health's "The Next Top Trainer." The winner will be featured in the September 2014 issue of Men's Health, and become a Fitness/Training Advisor for the brand as well as star in his own fitness DVD series, produced by Rodale Inc. 

"Men's Health has been setting trends in the fitness industry for over 25 years and the launch of this competition is a natural extension of the brand," says Men's Health Publisher, Ronan Gardiner.  "'The Next Top Trainer' will be a fierce competition that will speak to men who are looking for innovative workouts that produce real results."

Both competitions leverage the EAS brand's expertise in performance nutrition.  The Men's Health "Next Top Trainer" and Women's Health "Next Fitness Star" align perfectly with the EAS "The Best is Within" campaign, which aims to inspire, motivate and prepare individuals each day to achieve their personal best.

"To get the fitness results you want, you have to fuel your body with the right nutrition," said Tobe Cohen, general manager of EAS Sports Nutrition at Abbott, a global health care company. "This competition gives us a chance to demonstrate the impact of proper sports nutrition to millions of fitness enthusiasts."

AUDITIONS:
Women's Health and Men's Health are looking for candidates with a fresh and effective exercise philosophy, strong fitness ability and aptitude, an engaging personality and market appeal. Participants can sign up to audition at:

• Women's Health's "Next Fitness Star" Auditions from February 4 – March 4, 2014 at TheNextFitnessStar.com. Follow Women's Health on Twitter @womenshealthmag and on Facebook. Search the hashtag #FitnessStar for updates.
• The Men's Health "Next Top Trainer" auditions from March 3 – April 3 at MensHealth.com/TopTrainer. Follow Men's Health on Twitter @menshealthmag and on Facebook. Search the hashtag #TopTrainer for updates.

About Women's Health: (www.womenshealthmag.com; www.thenextfitnessstar.com) Women's Health propels 22 million consumers into action, providing the motivation and the inspiration for them to make instant, positive changes in their lives.  Launched in October 2005 and published 10 times a year by Rodale Inc., Women's Health has quickly grown into a multimedia brand that includes branded books, mobile applications, and renowned events. The magazine has received numerous industry accolades including the 2011 ASME National Magazine Award in the category of General Excellence in Fashion, Service, and Lifestyle and was also nominated for the ASME of General Excellence again in 2013; included on Adweek's annual Hot List two times and is nominated for a third in 2013; and was named Advertising Age's 2009 Magazine of the Year and also listed among their 2013 A-List winners. For more up-to-the-minute information, visit www.womenshealthmag.com and get instant updates via Twitter (@WomensHealthMag) and Facebook (Women's Health Magazine).

About Men's Health (www.menshealth.com/toptrainer): Men's Health is the go-to source for the latest information and expert advice about a healthy and active lifestyle. Published 10 times a year in the U.S. by Rodale, Men's Health is the world's best-selling men's magazine providing nearly 13 million readers with up-to-the-minute information on health, fitness, fashion, nutrition, relationships, travel, technology and finance. Men's Health offers 40 editions in 57 countries, a host of apps for Smartphone subscribers, as well as branded books, eBooks and microsites. The magazine has garnered numerous industry accolades and was deemed by Media Industry Newsletter as the "#1 Most Notable Magazine Launch of the Last 25 Years.  For news from Men's Health, visit Menshealth.com, and get instant updates on Twitter (@MensHealthMag) and Facebook (Men's Health).

About EAS: Abbott, a global health care company and maker of EAS products, has more than 85 years of innovation in leading-edge nutritional science. Whether you are an elite athlete, fitness enthusiast or weekend warrior, EAS develops performance nutrition products that can help you play hard and recover strong. A brand you can trust, EAS and its team of scientists, researchers and all-around fitness enthusiasts take pride in making products that are impactful, clean and safe – so you can keep pushing yourself to the next level. Visit EAS.com or facebook.com/EASbrand.

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CONTACTS: 
Lindsey Benoit  
Women's Health, Director of Communications 
[email protected], 212.573.0380

Nora Garrity 
Men's Health, Director of Communications  
[email protected], 212.808.1676 

SOURCE Women's Health; Men's Health