Archive for October 2007
Bright Stars, Big Mission
Addressing the Instructor Gap
No new talent. A dearth of qualified instructors. Young people not interested in teaching. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone—many markets across the country lack qualified professionals to teach group fitness. How can we reverse this trend? By hand-picking our newest talent and molding them into the instructors we wish we had! Mentoring novice instructors can help revitalize a group fitne…
Read MorePumped-Up Programs
To help people learn better ways to run, IDEA member Mindy Solkin created a sports and conditioning class she calls Runditioning™ at The Running Center LLC, in New York City. Using functional training equipment and participants’own body weight, the class uses running-specific movements to teach good form and how to reduce injuries. “In running, the physiology is just half of th…
Read MoreA Ball for All
The stability ball has been used by physical therapists for years, and the fitness industry has fully embraced this tool for group exercise and private training. The stability ball creates an unstable surface and can be used for strength, balance, coordination, agility, core work and flexibility. Some of my favorite exercises challenge both balance and core strength. For review purposes,…
Read MoreHerbs to Avoid Before Surgery
Most doctors will advise patients to stop taking any herbal remedy at least 1 week prior to undergoing surgery. That’s because many herbal supplements can cause problems during and after an operation and may even delay the healing process. Here are some herbs that are especially problematic:
Echinacea. This herb can exacerbate the inflammation process and may interfere wi…
Read MoreSkinfold Thickness or BMI: Which Is Best for Teens?
Body mass index (BMI) during adolescence is a known predictor of what a teen will weigh as an adult. However, because BMI cannot distinguish between lean and fat body mass, is skinfold thickness a better indicator of body fat in adulthood? A new study says that yes, skinfold thickness is the superior measurement.
As part of the prospective Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal St…
Read MoreSubstitute Iced Tea for Diet Soda
Looking for a healthy drink to replace your daily can of soda, which has recently been linked to an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome? Try making a jug of iced tea, which needn’t be just a summer drink. You will need four tea bags—regular orange pekoe or green tea—along with cold, fresh, purified water.
- Unwrap and carefully slide off any paper attached to the tea bag str…
Read More
NASM Shoots for NBA
The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has signed a new agreement with the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA) that establishes NASM as the official provider of sports education for the organization. NASM will develop and market instructional programs in consultation with the NBATA while serving as a resource to each NBA team’s medical staff. With the new agreement, N…
Read MoreEffective Coping Skills Increase “Good” Cholesterol
People who deal effectively with stress may enjoy not only greater peace of mind and spirit but also better physical health. In the Normative Aging Study, older Caucasian men with more effective skills for coping with stress had higher levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol than their more hostile or socially isolated peers.
Investigators from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Oregon Stat…
Read MoreWellness Festivals Grow in Popularity
Body-mind fitness and wellness professionals should note the growing trend of wellness festivals occurring throughout the nation. For example, in Jackson, Wyoming; Sun Valley, Idaho; Snowmass Village, Colorado; and Mammoth Lakes, California, wellness festivals are now popular annual events, according to an article in The New York Times (August 3, 2007). Festival activities typically…
Read MoreCEC Course Special Populations
Total CECs0.2 CEC from ACE0.3 CEC from NSCA0.3 CEC from NASMAdditional credits may be available from other certifications.CEC-Approved ArticlesPower Training for Older AdultsHeart Disease: Is There a Gender Divide?Working With Diabetic ClientsLearning Objectives…
Read MoreSample Class
The Dish on Online Diets: Should Your Clients Log On to Take Off?
img src=”/files/article_ima…
Read MorePower Training for Older Adults
Research supports testing and training techniques that challenge seniors to move muscle more quickly.
Read MoreTricks of the Trade
Although many of our clients do not like to change to another trainer when their own trainer is away, we do encourage it. We believe people can benefit from experiencing a different trainer, and we explain the advantages to our often reluctant clients. Sometimes we offer a discount for the session if they try a new trainer. If clients are attached to a comfortable routine, we prom…
Read MoreBelieving in Yourself Makes All the Difference
“If you can believe it, you can be it” may be an effective approach to enduring the discomforts of exercise. In a small study, women who thought that they co…
Read MoreSample Class: Aqua Dance
Are you looking for a new way to add spice to your water fitness program? Try adding dance elements. Aqua Dance captivates the joy of movement and the expression of life t…
Read MoreThe Meaning Behind the Movement
Abbie Appel is best known for her unique use of strength equipment and for her ability to tweak a basic movement and make it fresh and exciting. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Appel is a seasoned, internationally recognized fitness educator and group exercise instructor. She is a …
Read MoreIs Interval Training Safe for CAD Clients?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA 2004), over 79 million Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One in three deaths in th…
Read MoreHow Do You Handle Your Client Load When You Go Out of Town-for Instance, to Attend a Convention?
img src=”/files/article_ima…
Read More