Archive for December 2019
Meet a Team Member: Calvin La
If you ever wander the halls of the IDEA office, you may have the good fortune to be greeted warmly with a bright smile from Calvin La, our affable senior inspired service specialist. Always one to approach his work and interactions with kindness and integrity, Calvin has a knack for making you feel at ease.
Read MoreThe Mighty Mitochondria
Itโs time to revisit one of the basics of biology: mitochondria. These organelles, which occur in almost all types of human cells, generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy that cells use (Newยญman 2017; Newman 2018). They are critical for powering metabolic processes, making them a building block of physical health and fitness.
Read MoreResolution Revolution: Train Happy!
Until a couple of years ago I was still attacking my workouts with the same intensity I did when I was a young competitor with lofty goals and dreams of athletic greatness. Eventually, I found myself dreading sessions and feeling burned out. There was no point in hating my workouts, I decided, and I vowed to let go of the negativity. Though I still craved movement, I was doing it for the wrong reasonsโor I really didnโt have a good reasonโand it was affecting the outcome of my hours in the gym.
Read MoreMentally Prepared to Move
As a certified group fitness instructor, you know how essential a physical warmup is, but in todayโs worldโwhen digital distraction and the rigors of a stressful life tend to short-circuit the brainโthereโs also a need to mentally connect attendees with the moment so they are fully present to receive your cues and guidance.
Read MoreResistance Training and Weight Loss
Did you know that resistance training does much more than build strong muscles and bones? Research in the past few years has confirmed that lifting weights changes your metabolism in ways that improve health and well-being. Thatโs good news for people with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol levels.
Read MorePrevent Injuries for Longevity and Fun
Like many instructors, you may feel as though youโre expected to do it all and be all things to all people. However, you also need to ensure that you are sustaining your own physical and mental health. How do you keep your standards high and your teaching schedule full while also remaining healthy and injury-free? Read on to find out how three avid veteran instructors achieve balance. Their experiences and advice model best self-care practices for a long and successful career.
Read More6 Ways to Become a More Effective and Successful Personal Trainer
What do you hope to do next in your fitness career? Make the transition from part-time trainer to full-time business owner? Discover new profit centers to beef up your bottom line? Refresh your program design strategies? Deepen your understanding of the latest behavior modification techniques?
Learn how to do all this and more at the 2020 IDEA Personal Trainer Institute, the most comprehensive and impactful fitness event for personal trainers, fitness facility owners, and managers and program directors.
Read MoreSlow and Steady Wins the Gains
Andrew Sung had tried multiple training programs, but nothing seemed to help him reach his fitness goals. When he found personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder Aaron Seaton, that all changed.
โAndrew came to me with a defeated outlook,โ says Seaton, a multicertified NASM trainer. Still, โhe was highly motivated; just unsure how to put the pieces together.โ
Read MoreNSCA Releases Older-Adult Resistance Training Position Statement
Noting that 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65 by 2030 and that skeletal mass, strength and functional loss represent health risks, the National Strength and Conditioning Association has released its first position stand on older-adult resistance training.
Read MoreIDEA Member Spotlight: January 2020
Michael Taylor Member Since 2010 :: Los Angeles โI am a Jedi,โ says Michael Taylor, with a smile. And once you know him, the idea isnโt at all far-fetched. Taylor harnesses the power of a positive attitude to help his clients succeed. Through his personal training business, he has โthe opportunity to help people getโฆ
Read MoreAdd Competition to Boost Benefits of Wearables
If you use wearables with clients, consider adding competitive challenges to improve results. University of Pennsylvania and Deloitte Consulting LLP researchers found that simply giving wearables to people in the workplace did not increase physical activity; the key was to add fun and competition.
Read MoreMatch Your Exercise Choice to Your Personality
Before recommending a particular workout to a new client, you may want to consider the individualโs personality type and how it will influence success in different activities.
Read MoreVigorous Exercise Is Safe for Most Expectant Mothers
Good news for pregnant exercise enthusiasts: Vigorous exercise, even in the third trimester, is safe for healthy pregnant women, according to a study reported in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2019; 19 [1], 281).
Read MoreAthletes May Need Strategies Against โTrash Talkโ
You may want to consider adding defensive mental skills training for athletes to proactively counter the negative influence of verbal insults.
Read MoreVirtual Reality and Indoor Cycling
Indoor cyclists who wore virtual-reality headsets experienced less leg-muscle pain during brief, high-intensity intervals than cyclists who wore headsets showing static images, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2019; 51 [10], 2088โ97).
Read MoreJanuary 2020 Question of the Month: Equipment and Activity Trends
What activities or equipment-based program trends are you seeing in the new year? Are you boosting promotion of any particular programs like high-intensity interval training, indoor cycling, yoga or barre? Or are you offering shorter class times or opportunities for virtual training? Please share your success stories.
Read MoreBuilding Muscle Mass at Any Age
Hereโs motivating news for older adults and those who train them. New research shows that older men, even in their 80s, can build muscle mass regardless of training background.
Read MoreOutdoor Mindful Movement Training
Ready to give your mindful movement activities an additional boost? Look for ways to take them outdoors. Findings from a systematic review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2019; 16 [17], pii E3202) showed that nature-based mindfulness activities have positive mind, body and social effects.
Read MoreSocial Media Gives Insight on Training Patterns
Walking was the most popular activity. Western women and Midwestern men did more intensive exercise than those in any other region. The South had the biggest gender gap in exercise intensity
Read MoreAny Amount of Exercise is Good
Another study adds to growing evidence that any amount of physical activity is linked with living longer and that prolonged sitting is bad for health. Study authors support the message to โsit lessโmove more and more oftenโ to promote health.
Read More