Archive for July 2013
Robert LoFaso
Robert LoFaso inspires others every day by promoting a healthy lifestyle that includes good eating and exercise habits. He says that the best part of being a group fitness instructor is watching his clients transform by choosing better lifestyles and surpassing their fitness goals. When teaching classes, Robert always puts safety at the forefront.
Read MoreJanis McDonald
“My lifetime mission has been to help people feel better,” says personal trainer and wellness coach Janis McDonald. She taught her first exercise class in 1972 and has been helping people get active ever since. Janis now works with people aged 60 and older to help them adjust their lifestyles as their bodies change.
Read More5 Essentials for Top-Notch iPhone Videos
You don’t need fancy camera equipment to capture quality video, explains Chris Savage, founder and CEO of Wistia, a video hosting tool for marketers. He offers five essentials for shooting professional-grade content using your iPhone:
Read MoreWhat’s Ahead for Personal Training?
Earlier this year, at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute™ East, in Alexandria, Virginia, IDEA held a panel with some of the leading fitness professionals in the industry to ask them what the future of personal training looked like and how personal trainers could address the obesity epidemic and other issues. Len Kravitz, PhD, a contributing editor to IDEA Fitness Journal, moderated the debate among five leaders in the personal training industry. One issue that was touched on was what was ahead for personal training.
Read MoreBecoming a Change Agent
“You can have all the exercise skills in the world, but it won’t matter if you can’t help your clients achieve their true goals,” says online coach, author and former health club owner Tom Terwilliger. “You’ll just be a technician rather than a change agent.”
How can you manifest your own dreams and goals—and help your clients realize theirs?
What Obese People Wish Fitness Professionals Knew
“I am not lazy.”
“I don’t necessarily want or need to lose as much weight as you think I do. My biomarkers are good.”
“I don’t have access to the same moisture-wicking clothes thin people do, and that can make working out more difficult for me, owing to chafing and lack of comfort.”
“Don’t presume I don’t know how to eat correctly.”
“My body is hard to carry around.”
“Please give me time to do what you ask.”
How Fitness Professionals Can Fight Childhood Obesity
?Fitness professionals are an important part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic. One of the most compelling studies to demonstrate success in combating childhood obesity involved MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It), an intervention in which fitness professionals who were trained as health coaches delivered a 24-session curriculum to children and families over 3 months in communities and schools.
Read More10 Questions and Answers About Women’s Hormones and Athletic Performance
1. What hormonal changes are observed in boys and girls at puberty?
At puberty, girls develop more adipose tissue, owing to their estrogen levels, and boys develop more muscle mass, owing to their testosterone levels (Isacco, Duché & Boisseau 2012).
2. What is the menstrual cycle, and what are its distinct phases?
2013 IDEA Award Recipients
Every year, IDEA recognizes the outstanding accomplishments and dedication of top professionals in three categories: IDEA Program Director of the Year, IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year and IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year. Award recipients are fitness pros who positively influence their clients, their fellow fitness pros, the community and even the world!
Read MoreMake This 4th of July a Healthy One
The key is to be mindful of your consumption—taste a little of everything, but balance it out with activities.
Read MoreIDEA Health & Fitness Association Gets PHIT
In an effort to raise the number of Americans playing sports or getting active and fit, the sports and fitness industry has launched PHIT America (www.phit
america.org).
The organization’s primary function is to distribute news flashes and articles through its network of 120+ sponsors. IDEA Health & Fitness Association is one of the sponsors.
CVS to Force Fitness?
In a move to inspire workers to improve their health, CVS Caremark pharmacy chain has mandated that employees using its medical insurance plan submit to certain screenings or pay extra for coverage.
Read MoreTop 10 Personal Training Trends for 2013
The 17th IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends Report bears out that fitness professionals are becoming more specialized, yet more diverse, as the North American population ages and transforms its demographic markers. As in recent years, the programming and services offered clearly underscore a robust personal training presence.
Read MoreFitness Facilites Are Enjoying Growth
It’s a good time to be working in the fitness industry. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), 2012 proved profitable for fitness facilities.
“Improvements were recorded in all nine performance indicators measured,” said Jay Ablondi, executive vice president of global products for IHRSA in a press release. “Significantly, the greatest growth was achieved in non-dues revenue and EBITDAR
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent).”
The Hip Solution for Knee Pain
In other pain-related news, clients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) may find relief by improving hip strength.
In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2013; 47, 207–14), researchers analyzed 10 case-control reviews of gluteal electromyography to explore a potential link between gluteal activity and PFPS.
Exercise Improves Stress Hormone Response in Kids
The life of a child can be stressful as he navigates school, peer relationships and other childhood circumstances. A new study has found that being physically active may help children manage stress more efficiently.
Read MoreBiomechanics of Running In Various Conditions
Barefoot running has become increasingly popular. Many runners turn to minimalist footwear in the hope of mimicking barefoot running, but with more protection. But is running in minimalist shoes biomechanically similar to going barefoot?
No, say researchers from various Australian universities.
Recipe for Health:
“The traditional way to make this salad is with lots of herbs and tomatoes, and only a small amount of bulgur; I like to include even more fresh vegetables,” writes Mark Bittman, former New York Times food columnist and author of several best-selling books, including VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 (Clarkson Potter 2013), from which this recipe comes. Add shrimp, squid, chicken or other protein of your choice for a super main-course salad, perfect for warm weather.
Read MoreResearch Links Sugary Drinks to Deaths and Type 2 Diabetes
Two recent research studies are fairly damning for sugar-sweetened beverages’ impact on health and well-being.
Read MoreCommunity Gardens: Producing More Vegetables, Lower BMIs
There may be a waiting list to get a plot in your neighborhood community garden, but once you’re in, the health payoff is even more bountiful than the armloads of organic fruits and vegetables that you’ll grow.
Read More