Judo champ 'restarts' passion, career

Krissa Hjartar's varied sports interests have stimulated her to develop a fitness application, Starters, and videos with trainer Jason McClure that focus on circuit and interval training. Photos Provided to China Daily

The application also allows users to track their own workout, and go online to inform their team about their progress. The social aspect is what sets this application apart and was a major focus for the Starters team.

"It creates a little peer pressure from real friends," Hjartar says. Users can send a psychological boost to a teammate who has been lagging in their workouts - and high fives after teammates post results that show they are getting fitter.

In developing her pet project, Hjartar found numerous studies that suggested the influence of friends could help people reach fitness goals. "When people get these messages they feel like they have to work out as well," she says. "It's a testament of how important one's network is."

Luttwak, meanwhile, has found ways to incorporate his workout into his home life. He uses his computer to project his workout on the wall.

"It's like having a personal aerobics instructor and private workout session," he says, adding that his routine is almost a family affair. "The kids are even involved and try to talk to (Hjartar) through the screen," he laughs.

What's next? Hjartar's varied sports interests have stimulated her to develop new videos that focus on circuit and interval training. And while Facebook is not accessible to everyone, plans are in the works to use other platforms to help peoples' teams expand.

In line with Starter's mantra, Hjartar says that she works out herself at least 10 minutes every day, and likes to stay challenged with a mix of workouts. "I really like high-interval workouts where you're getting a lot in a short amount of time," she says.

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