LOCAL Houston | The City Guide April 2017 | Page 62

STYLE + LEISURE FITNESS ON DEMAND KANTHAKA DELIVERS HEALTH TO YOU Nowadays, we get our groceries delivered, order massages on our phones, schedule blowouts and makeup sessions on demand – and now, with a new Houston-based and -developed app, you can get your fitness where and when you want it. It’s called KANTHAKA. Developed by SYLVIA KAMPSHOFF , an international corporate lawyer who was born in South Africa, raised in Germany and now based in Houston, Kanthaka lets you have your own personal trainer, or boxing, yoga or Pilates teacher, come to your home, office, apartment gym, hotel, park, wherever…with a few taps of the app. “I always loved working out and living a healthy lifestyle, but needed a personal trainer to motivate me,” she explains. “Working unpredictable hours at the law firm and traveling a lot, it was, however, impossible to find a personal trainer. I was searching for an easy tool to book one on short notice, but there was nothing out there.” So, along with her husband Phillipp, a partner at McKinsey’s Houston office, she created Kanthaka. (Side note: They came up with the name “Kanthaka” as both she and her husband are passionate about horses, and Kanthaka was Buddha’s best horse. “We want Kanthaka to be the best platform for fitness and a healthy lifestyle,” she says.) “All a client has to do is use their phone to sign up for the application and they will be immediately granted access to hire a Kanthaka trainer, no strings attached,” Kampshoff says. “Our vision is to not only create a platform to easily book trainers, but also stand for high-quality trainers, individualized workout regimens and a Kanthaka community to inspire and motivate others at affordable prices.” So far, they’ve recruited 80 hand-picked and certified personal trainers, as well as yoga and boxing teachers. April marks the app’s kickoff in Houston – with the goal of entering the Dallas and Austin markets in the near future. If you’ve been looking for an easier way to work out, you’ve run out of excuses. Click your way to fitness today. Visit www.mykanthaka.com for all the details. By Tim Moloney 62 L O C AL | april 17