IDEA Authors
IDEA Authors
Article Archive
Keep your clients guessing or simply change up your own workout with new moves and new equipment. Power Systems Master Coach PJ Stahl breaks down two exercises that use the PowerWave: the Back Squat and the Woodchop. These exercises will fit perfectly into a total-body circuit training class or a one-on-one training session.
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Did you know that you may apply for an IDEA award yourself or nominate another candidate? Apply yourself or nominate another fitness pro today at www.ideafit.com/awards. The application deadline is March 1, 2018.
These prestigious awards will be given in these categories:
IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year
IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year
IDEA Fitness Leader the Year
It seems as though the best way to foam-roll is in the name: Roll, and rolling back and forth has merit and support from the scientific community. In a recently published foam-rolling review, Kalichman and David (2017) examined 42 studies that revealed that there are only a few different rolling techniques. The most common is to roll the length of a chosen muscle for a set time (1–2 minutes is the most common). Another common technique is to “knead” the muscle with small back-and-forth motions along the length of the muscle.
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The Staby and io-ball are two of the most versatile fitness tools on the market today. The Staby is a vibrational rod developed and manufactured in Germany, using innovative materials that are also used in the aerospace industry. Because vibrational training strengthens even the small, intrinsic muscles surrounding the joints and postural muscles, it has proven to be an extremely successful addition to a regular exercise program. Employing this tool for 10–15 minutes within a regular exercise program enhances the overall benefits of an hour of exercise.
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This fall, the top priority of club owners and operators is to prepare their facilities and staff for the January rush. As they re-evaluate their offerings, instructors and overall business, they ask themselves: Are we ready to give new members the best experience possible and keep them coming back, even after the initial motivation wears off?
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It turns out that a trip to the supermarket can be a real head-scratcher for choosing healthy foods. The International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2017 Food & Health Survey hints that many Americans are flummoxed about what counts as good-for-you food. Nearly 80% of survey respondents said they face plenty of conflicting information about what foods to eat and which to avoid—and more than half of consumers are second-guessing what they place in their grocery carts.
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Nutrition is a hot topic. It seems like every day there’s a claim about a miracle food or a wonder supplement. But how is the modern diet deficient? Why is it so poor in nutrients?
Kamal Patel, MPh, MBA, director of Examine.com and a nutrition researcher with an MPh and MBA from Johns Hopkins University, compares today’s diets with those of a hundred years ago.
Eating the Same Things
By Mary Saph Tanaka, MD, FAAP
Salmon Tacos
2 6-ounce salmon filets
8 corn tortillas
1 lime, cut into wedges
olive oil
Mexican Spice Marinade
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried onion
1 t ground oregano
½ cup of fresh cilantro
Breathing strategies help keep clients focused on the movement and minimize distractions. When your clients take a deep breath just before a set, they can turn their thoughts inward and focus on proper body alignment, rather than moving the weight. This improves body awareness and posture and creates better engagement of the muscles needed for the lift.
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The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association has released its annual global report, and it shows great promise for the fitness industry. According to The 2017 IHRSA Global Report: The State of the Health Club Industry, global health club revenue reached $83.1 billion in 2016. The report also showed that 162.1 million members visited 201,000 facilities last year.
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Obstacle Course Race training is one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in the world, and now is a great time to add some OCR-style training and events to your facility. To find out three ways to use OCR and grow your #fitfam and increase your presence in your local community.
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Do any of your clients use a “treadmill desk” or ask about getting one? If so, they may be curious about the results of a new study in which researchers examined whether the dual-task nature of walking while working impairs cognitive function. Findings were released ahead of print on June 29 (article ID 677289) by Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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When was the last time you taught a class based solely on using the body as a “machine”? Body-weight exercises are often undervalued and underused. Many people want to advance rapidly and end up neglecting important functional (and foundational) movement patterns. Body-Weight Barrage blends popular strength training moves with cutting-edge training methods in a way that challenges clients at any fitness level without using barbells, dumbbells or any other equipment.
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We’re lucky to see our clients 3 hours per week. For this short time, we have great influence over their attitudes and behaviors. However, if we focus only on creating terrific workouts, what about the other 165 hours a week when clients are responsible for behaving in ways that will help them reach their goals? We must think beyond exercise and dive into the scary world of psychology without becoming psychologists.
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Within the past 5 years, foam rolling has gotten the attention of scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs. Hundreds of studies have confirmed that foam rolling can improve range of motion, flexibility and performance—in addition to reducing muscle soreness, pain and recovery time. While foam rolling may have begun as a way for therapists to assist in their patients’ rehabilitation, it is now used by the general population to improve movement and quality of life.
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These vegetarian wraps, packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, make a perfect grab-and-go lunch.
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This new tool’s unique design makes it extremely versatile, effective, and accessible to everyone.
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Essentially, any exercise that uses the anterior and/or posterior muscles to stabilize the spine—and is performed in a coordinated fashion—works the core. It’s important to include some kind of core moves in all classes, particularly those in which core training might not be emphasized. Try the following exercises in one of your next classes.
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Did you know that 13 million people participated in some form of kayaking in 2014, making it one of the most popular flatwater sports (Outdoor Foundation 2015)? If you’re a kayaker, you know that the main challenges are building upper-body strength for paddling and maintaining a strong lower back to avoid back pain.
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Nutrition By The Book
The Endurance Training Diet & Cookbook (Harmony 2017) by Jesse Kropelnicki is both a cookbook and a training nutrition manual. Kropelnicki shares his personal program of optimized nutrition, including 70 recipes that put his concepts into practice. The book provides nutrition information for distance runners, cyclists and triathletes and explores guidelines for what to eat pre-workout, post-workout and during recovery. There’s also a game plan for race-day nutrition.