COEUR d'ALENE - There is a better way to learn, says Tayva Hart, than sitting down, taking notes and listening to an instructor.

Which explains why she is walking on a treadmill, with a PowerPoint presentation behind her.

"One point eight is the science behind my madness," she says with a smile.

On this day, two clients, Steve Romanchek and Laurie Phillips, are keeping pace with Hart, their treadmills churning steadily, slowly at the directed speed, 1.8 mph.

And as they walk, Hart speaks of habits, of actions, of vision. She talks about trying versus commitment, about making tough choices instead of easy ones.

"What moves you?" she asks. "What stops you and why?"

Romanchek and Phillips, still in step, listen intently to the narrative, reinforced by the printed words on the screen before them.

For 30 minutes, Hart continues her message. She quickly covers points about balance in life, creativity in business and strength in both.

The slim blonde talks of the places and the people in our lives, and whether they support or hurt our goals. Then, there are all the things we have, too.

"Our things are supporting us or they're leading us the wrong way," she says.

All the while, the treadmills hum in unison.

"We can choose to grow," she continues.

Soon, this part of the presentation is over. Hart and her clients each hit stop buttons, and the treadmills crawl to a close.

The three step down, take sips of water, and head to a conference room for another 15 minutes. Time for more discussion, and most important, an action plan.

Hart is confident her "Stride Steps" students have learned this lesson well - because while they were walking the oxygen was flowing to their brains. And that means their understanding will be clearer, their retention better, their focus sharper.

"There is science behind it," she explains. "How do we learn fast? We learn fast while we're moving. If we're moving, then we're breathing, the oxygen is flowing to the brain, now you have the endorphins."

And that's saying nothing about the overall health benefits of walking, getting the blood flowing and the heart pumping just enough to get your mind's attention.

"You can see how that would immediately give you a benefit. That's just the tip of the iceberg on the benefits," says Hart, who refers to herself as a systems specialist.

Her goal in starting the business, she says, is to create a way to help clients in the shortest time possible.

And that means, they must walk on a treadmill. One point eight mph. Slightly faster or slower is OK, too.

"At 1.8 miles an hour, we are walking, breathing, the oxygen is flowing to the brain. If you've got oxygen flowing to your brain, I automatically know you're engaged, and you're alert, and you're receptive to the information that we're sharing."

Sound complicated? Make your head hurt?

"This is not rocket science," Hart says with a reassuring smile. "This is very simple."

The traditional classroom setting - teachers talk, students listen and take notes - sets the stage for those sitting down to nod off, lose focus and, well, forget what they were just told.

"Our minds drift off very easily," Hart says. "All the sudden we're like, 'What did they just say?'"

Steve Romanchek, who owns Northwest Cart Repair, said as a business owner, he needs to stay motivated, keep sharp and feed "positive information" to his head.

After a month with Stride Steps, he has seen changes for the better.

"Absolutely I have. It's helped me get my goals defined and get myself dialed in," he said.

Stride Steps

Stride Steps is basically a motivational training program designed for business owners, managers, entrepreneurs - anyone who wants to do better, to excel, Hart says, who wants to grow their business within three years.

Her treadmill program, she said, "leverages their time, their attention, makes them much more effective, efficient."

"We know that time is our greatest commodity," she said.

Keys are to create clear goals and establish paths on how to reach those goals. Consider anything that might get in the way, and remove it. Dump bad habits, time wasters.

"Some folks have obstacles that are reoccurring," she said. "They know they're there, but don't do anything about it. This type of training not only identifies those obstacles, but how do we get over or under or through that?"

Which is where the treadmill comes in handy.

We do that, she answers, by walking, absorbing information, developing an action plan, and changing.

Her program, she believes, stands alone.

"You won't find it anywhere. I bet you if you search the globe right now, this is happening in Coeur d'Alene. This is my idea, this is my concept."

Hart, an Iowa native, has 20 years experience in human resources. She has been a business coach since 2003. She was inspired by John Medina's book, "Brain Rules," which takes a detailed look at the science of the brain and how it functions.

But books don't have all the answers.

"If it was just about the book, we'd all be cookie-cutters. I don't believe that. I believe that everybody has a unique gift and talent to share with the rest of the world," she said. "And that's part of my passion behind people, is bringing that gift out."

Bottom line, she helps clients take their concept of what they want to do, create a vision, and turn it into reality. They do that by doing things a little differently.

It's not just one shot of inspiration.

"You're outside the box, I'm going to help you grow that. I'm going to help you grow that self confidence," she said. "This is designed to move you powerfully forward in your business."

In the classroom

Laurie Phillips changes into her walking shoes as soon as she arrives for her Thursday evening class in the lower level of the Bank America building on Front Avenue.

The Wells Fargo home mortgage specialist said her work can be stressful at times.

"What interested me in this kind of training, it's an approach to your business and your life, how to balance both," she said.

"I can get lots of business. I want to learn how to balance my personal life with my business and not burn out."

After four sessions of Stride Steps, Phillips said it's working.

"I think it's given me a little more focus on what I need to look at," she said.

She said the idea of treadmill walking while listening to an instructor seemed a little crazy at first.

"There's a method to her madness," Phillips said.

She recommends it.

"It could help a lot of people to do business and life a little differently. Be your best person, be your best in whatever you do."

Class topics in Stride Steps change weekly. A typical client might stay for three months. There is a maximum of six clients per session. Stride Steps opened earlier this year. Costs range from a $97 introductory price to $200 a month.

"It doesn't matter what kind of business you have because the systems are designed so you can take that information, tweak it and design it so that it fits you specifically," Hart said.

She adds there is "no magic pill."

"You have to do the work, I can give you the tools," she said.

Romanchek agreed.

"It's effective, but you have to be committed," he said.

For the 45-minute session, clients wear running or walking shoes, usually jeans or loose-fitting shirts. While they're becoming wiser, they're burning calories and reducing the chance of stroke, Alzheimer's and dementia, too.

"We have fun doing it," Hart said. "If it's not fun, I'm not doing it."

The brain

Rachel Dolezal, director of Cardinal Connections at North Idaho College, coordinated a symposium at NIC on "Brains Rewired" in March. It took a look at how the brain functions.

She said the ideal business meeting would see everyone walking at 1.5 mph because it does increase oxygen flow to the brain.

Dolezal would love to see that concept used in schools, from elementary to college. When the body is moving and oxygen is flowing, the brain retains and recalls information better.

"It is effective," she said.

The words from lectures when you're sitting still, she said, can "kind of get jumbled in your head."

The more you can engage your senses, the better, Dolezal said.

"The concept of having everybody on treadmills, I know it's not possible to do that with 50 or so treadmills, but it could be a whole new way of learning."

Walking, not running

In her coaching career, Hart found some clients didn't want to be active, but wanted to just listen. And sit. There was one common problem.

"They weren't present," she said.

So she is continuing her study of the brain, how it functions and how people learn.

And she is insisting her clients remain on the move.

"Through my passion, I'm helping people, looking at how can I help them even faster," she said.

Hart adds, though, that this isn't a fitness class. She doesn't want anyone cranking up the treadmill and flying along at 8, 9, or 10 mph. No sweating allowed.

"This isn't about huffing and puffing," she said.

No, it's about walking, listening, and eventually, bettering your business.

"I'm a walker You won't catch me running," she said. "I'm not a runner. I'm a walker."

At exactly one point eight miles per hour.

Ribbon cutting for Stride Steps

• A ribbon-cutting for Stride Steps, 401 Front St. Suite 1, lower level, is scheduled 8:30 a.m. June 8. Information: www.stridesteps.com or 765-4669