Archive for February 2007
Sample Class: Kickbox Boot Camp
“Kickbox Boot Camp” is a time-efficient, interval-style workout that yields great results. Cardio kickboxing drills and combinations improve aerobic endurance and burn calories. Athletic drills—incorporated as short bursts—challenge the body anaerobically. The finishing touch is a strength training segment that targets large muscle groups and improves muscular endu…
Read MoreA Better Habit
Nancy Jerominski hasn’t always been the healthy powerhouse she is today. When her clients share setbacks with her, large or small, she gets it. She really gets it. The Seattle resident and owner of NLJ Fitness and Wellness Consulting has taken the long road to wellness herself. While Jerominski got a head start in the fitness industry in the late 1970s, she took an
alcohol-…
Preparticipation Screening May Save Athletes’ Lives
If you train athletes, you may want to know about the validity of prescreening. In 1982, Italy introduced a mandatory nationwide screening process to reduce the incidence of sudden cardiovascular death (SCD) in athletes during competition. The screening process includes a detailed history, a physical exam and an electrocardiogram.
A study published recently in the Journal …
Media Morsels
Health ministers from 53 countries approved the world’s first anti-obesity charter in November. The charter was drafted by the World Health Organization in consultation with its European member states, according to a Yahoo! News report. The document’s aim is to curb obesity in the next 5 years and reverse the trend by 2015. The article cites obesity as being responsible for up to 6% of…
Read MoreDecisions, Decisions!
The job title “group exercise director” is becoming more clearly defined as facilities recognize the value in having a strong leader for their programs. Owners and managers know that without a focused principal who is passionate about group exercise, there may be little growth, organization or direction. The instructor team may lack cohesion and accountability. The importance …
Read MoreAppetizers
Here’s a taste of what’s cooking in the world of nutrition:
People who ascribe to a
calorie-restricted food plan are touting the merits of Quorn,
a patented and concentrated form of protein that is extremely low in calories; this wonder morsel is grown in fermentation tanks from a cultured strain of
a soil mold and can be used in place of soy products as…
Central Moves
The core holds the body in alignment and allows the extremities to move in a more efficient and effective manner. Pilates helps increase core strength and stabilization by creating simultaneous demands for strength and flexibility. The result:
enhanced movement quality. The body moves the way it was designed to move. The following exercises move progressively from one movement pattern t…
Spring-Clean Your Career!
Do you train or teach at different locations and find that one always drains you? Do you work long hours or during time frames that don’t provide enough reward for the effort? Have you wanted to make career changes but been scared to do so?
It may be time for a spring-cleaning. Just as spring-cleaning your house means getting rid of dirt and clutter, spring-cleaning your car…
Motion and Emotion
“Michelle” was completing a movement on a Gyrotonic® tower, supervised one-on-one by her instructor. The exercise involved arching her upper back and shoulders. As Michelle finished the motion, she sat up and began to cry. Startled, her trainer first checked for injury; then, sure that Michelle was not hurt, the trainer stopped the session and took her into a ba…
Read MoreCo-Owning Questions
If you’re thinking about going into business with a friend, you might want to heed some advice from the National Federation of Independent Business. Before you let your best buddy be your business partner, make sure your goals and commitment levels match up. Here are some questions to ask before you take the plunge with your pal:
What is your dream job?
A s…
Where There’s a WILL … There’s a Way!
You hope to die after a long life, all your affairs in order. Unfortunately that’s not always what happens—and the result can be a mess for heirs. Ensure that your estate and loved ones are protected with a valid will. Discover why you need to have a will, how to craft one that serves you well and common mistakes to avoid.
Why a Will Is a Mu…
Read MoreDance Fitness: Delightful and in Demand
Have you seen an increase in demand for dance-based group fitness
formats? Popular television programs like Dancing With the Stars have piqued the interests of many wanna-be dancers. Polly de Mille, exercise
physiologist for the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, thinks she knows why.
“The best exercise program is …
Survey Results Highlight Fitness Forecast
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently announced its top fitness trend predictions for 2007. According to ACE, 2007 will
bring programming to special
populations, offer alternative
and low-cost fitness options
and provide the “very best in
personal training.”
Additional highlights include
the following:
expanded specialized
fitness progr…
Creative Classes That Spark Inspiration
To help its members unwind during the 2006 holiday season, Neighborhood Pilates NYC introduced DeStress December. According to IDEA member Lauren Rosenfeld, the class taught basic breathing and relaxation techniques. In addition, participants learned how to use aromatherapy, music and visualization to help calm themselves and center their bodies.
On a s…
25 Things to Watch for in the Industry
As you began this new year, you probably had a plethora of fitness choices. You could step, hop, jog, train, consciously inhale and exhale, pump, dance, kick and box, stretch, concentrate on your core or functionality, or even eat and manage your life in an informed manner. Much of the information and choice that you have now didn’t exist 25 years ago, when IDEA first began. It’s…
Read MoreThe Biomechanics Sales Approach
Recent statistics show that 41.3 million Americans belong to health clubs (IHRSA 2005). If you are a personal fitness trainer (PFT) who works at a fitness facility, you don’t need to go outside the facility’s doors to sell your services. A large potential market is already in the gym, so you just have to figure out how to approach the people right in front of you. The key is t…
Read MoreBig Apple Bans Trans Fats in Restaurants
The New York City Board
of Health recently adopted the country’s first major
municipal ban on the use
of artificial trans fats in
city restaurants, a move
applauded by health experts and denounced by restaurant owners. Other cities, including Chicago, are considering a similar ban.
City restaurants in the Big Apple have until July 1 of this year to eliminate the artific…
Tai Chi: Moving Slow in a Fast World
In an era in which Americans are primarily concerned with losing weight and gaining muscle mass, it is no wonder that the slow-moving martial art of tai chi has been a bit of a hard sell.
Read MorePut On Your Game Face
Game face is a well-known expression in the sports arena, but it’s also applicable in the wellness profession. Consider this familiar scenario: It’s 8:00 pm. You’ve been working since 6:00 in the morning. This is your last session of the day. Are you ready to give your all?
Read MorePut On Your Game Face
Game face is a well-known expression in the sports arena, but it’s also applicable in the wellness profession. Consider this familiar scenario: It’s 8:00 pm. You’ve been working since 6:00 in the morning. This is your last session of the day. Are you ready to give your all?
Read More