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Easy for You to Say!

Ken Alan, IDEA’s 1989 Fitness Instructor of the Year, who teaches in Los Angeles, considers himself a master of the verbal miscue. One of his favorite bloopers came during a warm-up spiel. “I said, ‘Okay, let’s get going,’” says Alan. “‘E…

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Constants You Can Count On

In an era of fast-paced change, it’s reassuring to be able to count on some of the remaining constants in life: the elation you feel when you reach a goal; the full-body buzz you get after a good belly laugh; the satisfaction of making a solid decision; and the knowledge and insight you can gain from this special July–August IDEA World Fitness Convention® iss…

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Food Pyramid Gets Personal

This spring, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a new food pyramid designed to fit Americans like a glove. According to an April 19 USDA press release, MyPyramid, which replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced in 1992, is part of an overall food guidance system that emphasizes the need for a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle. MyPyramid.gov, th…

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Integrate to Elevate

One solution is to view your group fitness department as a business. Review your definition of teamwork and develop your team’s belief in the greater good. Learn how to harness talented egos so you can move in a common direction and encourage commitment to a fundamental purpose. The “Integrate to Elevate” success formula is based on The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Tea…

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Triathlon Training for Women

Quick Training Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

Do substitute indoor cycling classes for an outdoor ride if time is tight. Generally speaking, 1 hour indoors in a cycling class is equivalent to 11⁄2 hours spent cycling outdoors.
Do use interval training in the pool. At first you may be limited by arm fatigue, so an int…

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The Pros and Cons of Automated External Defibrillators

legal

The Pros and Cons of Automated External Defibrillators
SHOULD YOU HAVE A DEFIBRILLATOR IN YOUR FACILITY? WHAT ARE THE LEGAL RISKS?
By Sean Riley, MS, JD

Association and the American Red Cross (Gmelich 2000). Moreover, a licensed physician must be involved in the design of any emergency plan that includes the use of defibrillators. Equipment Maintenance. The AED must be properly maintained….

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A Guide to Lifestyle Coaching

For several years the growing field of coaching has been receiving a lot of publicity. In the fitness arena, through IDEA articles and conferences, you have been reading and hearing specifically about lifestyle or wellness coaching. Are you wondering whether coaching is an area you should branch into for career longevity and variety? Personally, I have found coaching very rewarding and re…

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Dream It, Build It, Nuture It. But Sell It?

Selling any business is a challenge. Seventy percent don’t sell at all, according to Peter Siegel, MBA, founder and president of California Businesses For Sale (www.bizben.com), and selling an in-home business is even more daunting. But you can profitably sell your in-home personal fitness training business if you know what you’re doing. One tr…

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In Hot Water?

Kathy Conant, MS, an IDEA Elite Personal Fitness Trainer in Brookfield, Connecticut, recalls this story from her first formal job out of graduate school. She was conduct…

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Creating an Equipment Maintenance Plan,

equipment

Creating an Equipment Maintenance Plan
WHY AN EFFECTIVE PLAN THAT COVERS YOUR INVENTORY WILL SAVE MONEY AND TIME AND REDUCE THE NEED FOR COSTLY REPAIRS.
By Amy Boone

S

o far this year, this column has focused on how to select the best fitness and cardiovascular equipment for your facility; where to place it on the fitness floor for the biggest return on investment; how to foster mutua…

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