Equipment Articles

What piece of Pilates equipment is your favorite, and why? For this issue, we asked instructors to share their equipment preferences, along with teaching tips and equipment mistakes to avoid. Multitasking on the Chairnewsletter_teaser: What piece of Pilates equipment is your favorite, and why? For this issue, we asked instructors to share their equipment preferences, along with teaching tips and equipment mistakes to avoid.

Developing upper-body strength and stability is often a challenge, especially for female clients. Balanced strength, stability and range of motion are critical for everyday movements. newsletter_teaser: Developing upper-body strength and stability is often a challenge, especially for female clients. Balanced strength, stability and range of motion are critical for everyday movements.

Wouldn’t it be great to gather the best practices of fitness facilities around the country and distill this knowledge into one terrific guide to success? This column explores the very best secrets for operating, managing and marketing a fitness facility. Whether you manage/operate a small studio or a large, multipurpose fitness center, these golden nuggets will help you run your business more successfully and profitably. Four Sensible Strategies You may not have thought of these methods for boosting your bottom line:newsletter_teaser: Wouldn’t it be great to gather the best practices of fitness facilities around the country and distill this knowledge into one terrific guide to success? This column explores the very best secrets for operating, managing and marketing a fitness facility.

Kettlebells have enjoyed growing popularity as a total-body training tool for improving cardiovascular health and musculoskeletal fitness. Yet for all the enthusiasm among personal trainers, experimental research on the effects of KB training was scant until last year, when studies began showing up in peer-reviewed journals. Here are the recent research findings on KB training. Study 1. Metabolic Demand of Kettlebell Trainingnewsletter_teaser: Kettlebells have enjoyed growing popularity as a total-body training tool. Yet for all the enthusiasm, experimental research on the effects of KB training was scant until last year. Here are the recent research findings on KB training.

Kettlebell training has experienced a resurgence of late. Going by the physical improvements the training can offer, is its popularity warranted? The answer is yes, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (2012; 26 [8], 2228–33). The scientists’ goal was to determine what effects the kettlebell swing had on maximal and explosive strength. They employed half-squat 1-repetition maximum and vertical jump height as assessment markers.

Kettlebells have seen growing popularity as a total-body training tool to improve cardiovascular health and musculoskeletal fitness. Yet for all the enthusiasm among personal trainers, experimental research on the effects of KB training was scant until last year, when studies began showing up in peer-reviewed journals. This column updates IFJ readers with recent research on KB training.

This is a great question and one I get all the time. Different parts of the body respond to different degrees of pressure and firmness. Similarly, individuals respond in different ways to the firmness of the self-myofascial-release (SMR) tool they use. No matter whom you are working with, though, it is always a good idea to start them out with a soft ball (e.g., a tennis ball) so they can relax and ease into the new sensations of performing self-massage.

Want to enjoy a lifetime of exercise? Make sure you wear the shoes that best suit your feet. Shoes are made for all types of feet and actions, and knowing your foot type can aid you in selecting shoes that will help prevent injury.

What equipment do you imagine having in your dream studio? Which items would add the most challenge and variety to customer workouts? We reviewed our latest programs and equipment survey results and informally polled IDEA members, authors, presenters and fitness professionals at large about equipment they couldn’t live without. Here, we present (in no particular order) some must-have pieces of equipment for a successful fitness studio. Dumbbellsnewsletter_teaser: What equipment do you imagine having in your dream studio? Which items would add the most challenge and variety to customer workouts? Find out what IDEA members, authors, presenters and fitness professionals at large can’t live without.