Archive for August 2006
A Fall Prevention Program
Falls can be serious at any age, often causing ligamentous sprains or injury to bones and soft tissue. In addition, the inevitable decrease in overall physical activity during the recovery period can lead to other unfavorable consequences. The temporary inactivity may be a minor setback for young people, but for seniors it can result in losses in muscle mass, endurance and functional rang…
Read MoreMeditation and Modern Psychology:Meditation and Modern Psychology: East Meets West
“The history of science is rich in the example of the fruitfulness of bringing two sets of techniques, two sets of ideas, developed in separate contexts for the pursuit
of new truth, into touch with one another.”
—J. Robert Oppenheimer
“The Meeting of Meditative Disciplines and Western Psychology,” published in the Ame…
Read MoreIf a Client Comes to You With an Injury, How do You Handle the Situation?
If a potential or new client has an injury, I won’t work with her without written medical clearance from her doctor—preferably the doctor who treated her for the injury. I also recommend that the client first get physical therapy (if she has not already), so she is better educated on the “dos and don’ts” of her specific situation and more ready for mai…
Read MorePilates Improves Fitness and Trains Core Muscles
Regular Pilates mat classes can significantly improve body composition, flexibility and core musculature endurance, according to results from two small Pilates studies presented at the 2006 annual meeting
of the American College of Sports Medicine, held in Denver, Colorado.
In one study, from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, researchers followed 22 participants with n…
Create a Pilates Conditioning Program for Golfers
Golf. Even the name of this sport evokes a sense of calm and leisure, played out on a quiet field in front of a hushed crowd. Yet every golfer knows that golf is a sport that only looks easy. In fact, golf requires muscular strength, joint flexibility, neuromuscular training and the perfect balance between mobility and stability. The game hinges on the ever-important golf swing, a …
Read MoreTailoring Nutrient Intake to Exercise Goals
Techniques of exercise periodization for developing muscular fitness have been made popular by a growing body of research. Studies consistently demonstrate that periodization programs are among the most effective muscle-strengthening exercise protocols (Fleck 1999). Because of individual differences such as gender, muscle fiber percentages and genetics, no single periodization program sui…
Read MoreThe Chain of Fitness
International IDEA presenter Yoav Avidar is regarded as one of Israel’s top fitness professionals. A former gymnast, Avidar devoted himself full-time to the fitness industry in 1997. He is the co-owner of the B. Academy in Tel Aviv and spends much of his life traveling around the world, sharing his technical prowess with other group fitness instructors. He has a captivating stage pr…
Read MoreMind-Body Therapies and Gastrointestinal Disorders
Studies suggest that a variety of mind-body therapies are helpful in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic pancreatitis. The therapies include cognitive therapy, hypnotherapy, and a sequence of Iyengar yoga poses to manage pain and anxiety. Mechanisms for why these therapies are successful are unclear. Until more studies determine the causal factors, however, suf…
Read MoreVigorous Verses Moderate-Intensity Exercise
Swain, D.P., & Franklin, B.A. 2006. Comparison of cardioprotective benefits of vigorous versus moderate intensity aerobic exercise. American Journal of Cardiology, 97, 141–47.
Much emphasis in exercise design now includes attempts at involving students and clients in structured exercise programs as well as in spontaneous physical activity, including standin…
A Knee Up to Play
Casey walks slowly to the edge of the pool, scars from his three knee surgeries visible on his legs. Within moments, the 6-foot 5-inch, 265-pound linebacker is running in the water. His personal fitness trainer (PFT) adjusts the water depth and gradually progresses the impact to prepare Casey for a safe and comfortable return to gravity-based activity. The athlete practices specific sport…
Read MoreWhat Is Wellness?
In Chicago you can reserve a “wellness suite” at the Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites, complete with organic cotton bedding, aromatherapy dream sachets and a healthy minibar. If you’re in danger of defaulting on your student loan, you can participate in American Student Assistance’s “wellness” program for repayment. And if your dog’s coat is a li…
Read MoreNo Words Necessary
Perhaps the greatest professional satisfaction a coach can feel is when he sees the radiant joy of his athlete achieving a personal best. No matter the athlete’s age, sport or level of ability, that person has reached a pinnacle that both she and her coach have worked countless hours to attain. The moment of personal victory is sweetly savored, tucked away not far from reach and tak…
Read MoreRural Rewards
Do you ever get frustrated because of poor attendance in your group exercise classes? Stop and think for a moment about what it would be like from a completely different point of view. What if you were a participant who didn’t have the option of going to a group fitness class? Not because you didn’t have a car or the motivation, but because you lived in a rural area and th…
Read MoreTourist Town Trials and Tribes
Getting Started. Diana Rochon was an avid sports enthusiast growing up in Canada. “I was fortunate enough to have two awesome coaches. Besides encouraging me to be the best athlete I could be regardless of where I ranked among my competitors, they imparted the idea of turning it around someday and giving it back,” she says. Rochon did just that as…
Read MoreThe Language of Lifestyle Choice
How do you tell children and teens that they are overweight
or obese? This question is receiving new attention in light of the California Health Interview Survey’s recent results. The statewide review found that of 240 physicians, more than 90% admitted they needed to learn more about skills and strategies for communicating with kids and parents about …
Injury Prevention: Indoor Cycling (Sample Class)
Indoor cycling’s popularity is due to a combination of many factors. Almost anyone can do it—regardless of fitness level, age or body type. Recreational cycling’s popularity fuels interest in the indoor option. And indoor cycling allows you to work extremely hard (at a high intensity) with very little impact, which provides a great alternative to other, higher-impact workouts such as running.
Read MoreSplash Start
Water warm-ups are similar to land warm-ups in that the purpose is to raise the body’s temperature and to practice movements before working out. This is where the similarities end. Water warm-ups require additional consideration owing to the element’s viscosity, temperature and buoyancy.
This warm-up is divided into two parts: buoyancy and cardio. The sections each la…
Seven Secrets for Totally Outrageous Teaching
Are you ready to take the next step in truly making a difference in people’s lives? Have you thought about ways you can elevate your teaching and professionalism?
Several years ago I attended a seminar where I learned how to identify what people want and expect in the way of customer service. The reason for doing this was simple—once you identify what people wa…
The Franklin Method
The Franklin Method®, a form of mind-body movement that relies heavily on the use of imagery, is growing in popularity among a wide variety of health, fitness and bodywork professionals. The method focuses on using imagery to increase mental engagement and ease of movement, on experiential anatomy (based on how bones actually move during physical activity) and on the use of touch to inc…
Read MoreBrain Fitness for Total Well-Being
“Basically, whatever’s good for your heart is good for your head,” Lawrence Whalley, MD, told HealthDay News (2006; April 30). Whalley, author of The Aging Brain (Columbia University Press 2003), is a psychiatrist and professor of mental health with the School of Medicine at Scotland’s University of Aberdeen. “[The] factors that everyone know…
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