Archive for June 2025
Member Spotlight: Greg Justice
How long have you been an IDEA member? I have been a member for 40 years … I joined IDEA in 1984, while managing a workout center and serving as a Corporate & Community Wellness Supervisor at Johnson County Park & Recreation District (suburbs of Kansas City, MO). Why did you join IDEA and what…
Read MoreUnderstanding Professional Liability Insurance: Claims Made vs. Occurrence Policies
As a fitness professional, you’re skilled in giving instructions and doing what you can to match a As a fitness professional, you’re skilled in giving instructions and doing what you can to match a customized fitness program with the needs of the trainee. In most cases, your training gets results, goals are reached and the…
Read MoreIDEA Health & Fitness Association partners with Positive Coaching Alliance to provide FREE workshop at IDEA® World
For Immediate Release: June 27, 2025 For Further Information: Drisha Leggitt, DLeggitt@ideafit.com – IDEA Media: (916) 206-2553 Free Two-Day Expo Pass & Positive Coaching Alliance Workshop at IDEA® World Convention – Sacramento: July 18 -19, 2025 SAN DIEGO, California – Respected nonprofit organization, “Positive Coaching Alliance” (PCA) is partnering with the IDEA Health and Fitness Association to…
Read MoreUnderstanding Zero Drop, Minimalist, and Barefoot Shoes
Footwear has come a long way from simple leather sandals to highly engineered athletic shoes. In recent years, there has been growing interest in alternatives to traditional cushioned shoes, namely zero drop shoes, minimalist shoes, and barefoot shoes. Each of these categories emphasizes a more natural foot movement and closer connection to the ground—but they…
Read MoreFueling for the Finish Line
Why In-Race Nutrition Matters For anyone participating in long-distance endurance activities like marathons, triathlons, or extended cycling events, fueling during the event—commonly referred to as in-race or intra-workout nutrition—is critical for maintaining performance and avoiding fatigue. Unlike short workouts, where stored glycogen and hydration can usually suffice, prolonged endurance events place considerable demands on the…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Difference Between Muscle Hypertrophy and Muscular Strength
More Than Just Building Muscle When most people start a resistance training program, they usually have a goal in mind: getting stronger, looking more toned, or building bigger muscles. But the pathways and results of strength training can vary depending on how you train—and understanding the difference between muscle hypertrophy and muscular strength can help…
Read MoreExercising in the Heat
The Heat Doesn’t Have to Halt Your Fitness When summer temperatures soar, exercising outdoors can become challenging—or even dangerous—if you’re not prepared. Heat and humidity place extra stress on the body, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. But that doesn’t mean you need to stop moving entirely. With proper precautions and a…
Read MoreFun and Flexible Ways to Stay Active on Summer Vacation
Yes, You Can Still Exercise on Vacation Summer vacation is a time to unwind, explore new places, and take a break from the usual routine. But while it’s important to rest and recharge, completely abandoning physical activity can leave you feeling sluggish or stiff—and make it harder to return to your regular fitness habits when…
Read More5 Best Stretches to Relieve Desk-Related Discomfort
Why Desk Time Hurts Your Body Spending long hours sitting at a desk—whether for work, school, or leisure—can take a toll on your body. Over time, inactivity leads to tight hip flexors, rounded shoulders, and stiff necks and backs, contributing to poor posture, discomfort, and even long-term musculoskeletal issues. Fortunately, incorporating a few simple stretches…
Read MoreHow Much Exercise Do You REALLY Need to Stay Healthy?
Clearing Up the Confusion Between social media fitness trends and ever-evolving health advice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about how much exercise is truly necessary to stay healthy. Do you need to hit the gym daily? Train like an athlete? The good news is, maintaining your health doesn’t require hours of grueling workouts. According to…
Read MoreExercise and the Menstrual Cycle
Why the Menstrual Cycle Matters in Fitness Understanding how the menstrual cycle affects physical activity—and how exercise, in turn, impacts the menstrual cycle—is essential for anyone who menstruates and seeks to maintain a healthy, balanced fitness routine. Despite being a natural part of life, the menstrual cycle is often overlooked in fitness discussions. However, science…
Read MoreBiohacking: The Buzzword Behind Health Habits You Already Know
What’s All the Buzz About? If you’ve spent any time online recently, chances are you’ve come across the term “biohacking.” Maybe you heard it on a podcast, saw it in a health blog, or read about it in a tech article. The word has become a kind of catch-all for people who want to take…
Read MoreWhy Rest Is the Secret Ingredient to Getting Stronger
Why Recovery Deserves More Credit If you’ve ever pushed through a tough workout, you know the soreness that comes after. But did you know that’s when the real magic happens? While many people focus on lifting heavier weights, running faster, or stretching deeper, it’s during recovery that the body actually improves. Muscles rebuild, energy levels…
Read MoreTaking Care of Ourselves and the Planet
A New Way to Think About Wellness Sustainability isn’t just about recycling or using less plastic anymore. It’s become a way of thinking about all the choices we make—including how we care for our bodies and our health. While the idea of sustainability used to be mostly about protecting the environment, it now includes how…
Read MoreSustainable Fitness, Health, and Wellness
Sustainability is no longer just a fashionable concept or corporate slogan; it has become a call to action that touches nearly every aspect of modern life, including the way we approach health, fitness, and wellness. For many years, discussions about sustainability were primarily focused on topics like environmental science, agriculture, and industry. These conversations addressed…
Read MoreWhat is the PHIT Act and How does it Affect You?
The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act represents a significant policy initiative aimed at making physical activity more accessible and affordable for Americans. By allowing individuals to use pre-tax medical savings accounts to cover fitness-related expenses, the PHIT Act aligns healthcare policy with preventive health principles. This article outlines the history of the PHIT Act,…
Read MoreThe Efficacy of Deep Core and Transverse Abdominal Exercises
In the world of fitness and rehabilitation, the concept of “core training” has evolved far beyond basic sit-ups and crunches. The current trend focuses on deep core muscles, particularly the transverse abdominis (TrA)—often described as the body’s natural corset. Social media, group fitness programs, and rehabilitation protocols increasingly promote exercises that target these deep muscles…
Read MoreExercise for Older Women with Polypharmacy
For fitness pros who work with older adults, new research shows that exercise training can address the impact of polypharmacy (5 or more medications) that is linked with poorer functional fitness. Side effects of multiple medications include dizziness, sedation, impaired balance, confusion and delirium that can be mistaken for normal aging or even dementia. These…
Read MoreAn Electric Tongue Could be the Future of Food Safety
A team at Penn State University has developed an “electronic tongue” that combines atom-thin sensors with artificial intelligence to detect food spoilage, contamination, and potential fraud minutes. The scientists used sensors made from graphene, which is a very thin form of carbon that’s just one atom thick and conducts electricity exceptionally well. They paired these…
Read MoreMuscle Strength and Lower Risks of Type 2 Diabetes
Motivate your strength training participants by sharing that higher levels of muscular strength may reduce type 2 diabetes, risks, regardless of genetics. University of Hong Kong researchers evaluated data from 141,848 white British adults in the UK Biobank, a database of over 500,000 UK adults being tracked for genetic and health information. “Individuals in middle-to-late…
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