Meet Amanda Kloots, aka The Body Whisperer (and Steal Her Best Tips!)

Introduction

Amanda Kloots is a fitness instructor, dancer, and television personality who has inspired thousands with her upbeat classes and positive attitude. After facing incredible hardship when her husband Nick Cordero battled COVID-19 for months before tragically passing away in 2020, Amanda has shown resilience and grace while continuing to spread joy through movement.

Background

Amanda got her start as a Broadway dancer, performing in shows like Good Vibrations and Bullets Over Broadway where she met Nick. She later began teaching fitness classes, bringing her background in dance to high-energy workouts that make you feel happy. Her classes at AK! Rope and AK! Dance got extremely popular thanks to Amanda’s motivational style and ability to connect with clients.

When the pandemic hit and studios closed, Amanda transitioned to Instagram Live and streaming platforms to keep sharing her love of fitness and helping others stay active through turbulent times. She also published a memoir, Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero, about their relationship, his illness, and her process of grief and healing.

Tips and Tricks

As someone who radiates positivity and commits fully when she’s teaching, Amanda has plenty of great advice for living a healthy, fulfilled life.

Find exercises you genuinely enjoy. It’s easier to stick to a routine if you like how it makes you feel.
Mix up your workouts to keep your body guessing. Take dance breaks, go on walks, lift weights and don’t be afraid to try new things.
Focus on how movement makes you feel rather than getting hung up on calories burned. Enjoy that post-workout glow!
Be your own cheerleader and celebrate small victories.
Inspire those around you. Amanda takes special joy from introducing others to the mood-boosting magic of fitness.

Nutrition

Along with regular workouts, Amanda emphasizes good nutrition to properly fuel your active lifestyle. Some staples in her diet include:

Lots of vegetables
Lean protein like chicken, salmon, and eggs
Complex carbs including brown rice, quinoa, oats
Healthy fats from avocado, nuts and olive oil
Fruit smoothies

She also allows herself the occasional treat, believing that balance is key to sustainability.

Looking Ahead

Amanda continues to inspire others to lead healthy, positive lives. She sees teaching classes and workouts as her purpose after enduring incredible grief. By spreading her upbeat energy, motivation, and passion for fitness, she honors her late husband’s legacy while making the world a little brighter.

Mastering the Jump Rope: The Mechanics of AK! Style

The signature element of Amanda’s fitness philosophy is the jump rope, but she approaches it differently than a traditional cardio enthusiast. For Amanda, jumping rope is a rhythmic dance rather than a grueling endurance test. To replicate her style, focus on the “dancy” jump: keep your knees soft, land on the balls of your feet, and maintain a tight core. The secret she often emphasizes is the wrist flick; it shouldn’t be a full-arm rotation. Practice in 30-second intervals, alternating between basic bounces and the “boxer shuffle” to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone without overtaxing your joints. If you are a beginner, do not worry about speed; focus on the synchronization between your breath and your feet. When the rope hits the floor, that is your cue to exhale.

Structuring Your Home Sanctuary for Movement

Amanda’s transition to digital fitness highlighted the importance of creating a dedicated space for movement, even in a small apartment. She advocates for “fitness zoning,” where you clear a specific area of your home that is strictly for your workout. This psychological trigger helps you switch into an active mindset immediately. Invest in a high-quality, non-slip mat that provides enough cushion for floor work but remains firm for standing balance exercises. Lighting is another overlooked factor; Amanda often suggests working out near natural light if possible, or using warm-toned bulbs to keep the environment inviting rather than clinical. Keep your equipment, such as your jump rope and light dumbbells, visible and accessible. If you have to dig your gear out of a closet, you are 50% less likely to start your session.

The Psychology of the “Dance Break”

One of the most practical tools in Amanda’s repertoire is the intentional “dance break.” Unlike a traditional rest period where you might check your phone or sit down, Amanda encourages movement as a recovery strategy. When you feel a slump in your energy—whether during a workout or a long workday—put on a high-tempo song and move for three minutes. This isn’t about form or calories; it’s about breaking the stagnant energy in your body. This practice utilizes bilateral stimulation, which has been shown to help process stress hormones like cortisol. By shaking out your limbs and moving your body through different planes of motion, you signal to your nervous system that it is safe to transition from a “fight or flight” state into a more relaxed, creative, or productive flow.

Integrating Functional Strength into Dance-Based Cardio

While her classes are high-energy, Amanda is a strong proponent of functional strength training to support the longevity of a dancer’s body. She focuses heavily on deep core engagement—specifically targeting the transverse abdominis—which protects the lower back during rapid movements. To emulate this, incorporate “slow-burn” sets into your routine. For example, during a leg series, hold a squat or lunge for 10 seconds at the bottom of the movement before pulsing. This builds the isometric strength required to maintain proper form when you transition back into faster, dance-based cardio. Always prioritize the alignment of your hips and shoulders; if your form breaks down during high-speed intervals, slow the movement down immediately. It is better to perform five perfect repetitions than twenty sloppy ones.

The Ritual of Post-Movement Recovery

Amanda treats her recovery as a non-negotiable part of her fitness practice, viewing it as a way to honor her body for what it just accomplished. She is a proponent of active recovery, which includes gentle foam rolling and dynamic stretching rather than static, passive holding. Focus on the hip flexors, which tighten significantly during jumping, and the calves. She often recommends a “legs up the wall” position for five minutes post-workout; this simple inversion assists with lymphatic drainage and reduces inflammation in the lower extremities. Beyond the physical, she uses this time for a “gratitude check-in,” where she mentally notes three things her body did well today. This shifts the internal dialogue from criticizing potential “flaws” to appreciating the incredible capability of the human form.

Navigating Fitness Plateaus with Variety

Even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts hit plateaus, and Amanda’s approach to overcoming them is rooted in “sensory variety.” When your body stops responding to the same jump rope routine, she suggests changing the external stimuli. This could mean changing the genre of music you listen to, moving your workout to a different room, or incorporating a new piece of equipment like a resistance band. Resistance bands add a layer of “time under tension” that changes how your muscles fire, forcing your body to recruit stabilizer muscles that have been dormant. If you find yourself dreading a workout, it is a sign that your brain is bored, not that your body is tired. Switch to a yoga flow or a long, brisk walk for two days to reset your dopamine receptors, then return to your high-intensity sessions with renewed focus.