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Business of Group Fitness

Wear It Well

Whether you’ve been in the fitness industry since the ’70s or you’ve done ’70s-style workouts with borrowed outfits from your mom’s closet, you know that the trends in fitness footwear and fashions are always exciting and evolving.

The Science of Suspension Exercise

Suspension exercise combines body weight and anchored, seatbelt-like straps to provide an alternative to free weights and machines. The question on a lot of trainers’s minds is whether these strap-based training systems work as well as more traditional resistance training tools. Though research into this question has been somewhat sparse, studies are starting to paint a picture of effective ways to integrate suspension exercise into a workout program.

Kettlebells and Cardiovascular Improvements

Despite being around for quite some time—the International Union of Kettlebell Lifting suggests their origin can be traced to Ancient Greece—kettlebells have become a popular “trend.” But is all the fuss surrounding kettlebell training sound?

The Parkour Phenomenon

Parkour gyms have seen increased demand as the training protocol has been featured more and more in films and commercials. The increasing popularity of American Ninja Warrior also helps, observes Ryan Ford, cofounder of APEX Movement, which now has five locations.

Stable or Unstable Training: Which Is Better?

Is stable or unstable training superior for improving physical adaptation? Recently, researchers compared the two modalities to see which was better for developing strength, power and velocity.

Asymmetrical Bar Training

Asymmetrical bar training (ABT) can help clients enhance their sense of balance while improving their core strength and rotational power.

Which Is Best for Hormones: The Bar or the Machine?

Testosterone and growth hormone are associated with strength and muscle gains. But what is the best training method for eliciting an acute hormone response? A study published in the Journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (2104; 28 [4], 1032–40) contributes to this debate.

Raising the Bar

Asymmetrical bar training (ABT) can help clients enhance their sense of balance while improving their core strength and rotational power.

How To Be A Sound Friend

As a group fitness instructor, you are the first line of defense when it comes to sound safety. Excessive noise can not only drive away customers but can also damage the ear drum.

Use the following tips to make sure you and your fitness facility are staying within safe sound-level parameters.

Props for a Great Pilates Workout

Pilates instructors know that the key to a stimulating workout is to challenge students by mixing things up, and small props are effective tools for injecting variety.

Medicine Ball Moves for the Core

Did you know that training your core (your body minus arms and legs) is important to maintaining a healthy, strong body? Looking for some new core exercises? Want to add new “twists” to core exercises using fundamental, but often underused, equipment?
Medicine balls have been around for years and are a staple in boxing and sports performance communities. If you’d like to incorporate medicine balls into your workout program, check out these variations from Dan Bettcher, MS, a Muay Thai practitioner and cofounder of KOR Strength and Conditioning in San Diego.

Core Progressions on the Reformer

The core plays an essential role in everyday activities. It facilitates movement and assists with posture, stabilization and support. Learning to use the core as a dynamic center is the key to efficient, safe and balanced movement.

Biomechanics 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.

The Benefits of Kettlebells

Over the past several years, kettlebells have emerged (or reemerged) as a prominent fixture in fitness facilities. But are these crude tools worth their pood?*
To learn about the benefits of kettlebells, researchers enlisted by the American Council on Exercise studied 30 participants, who were divided into two groups—an exercise group and a nonexercise control group. Prior to the trials, the exercisers completed two introductory kettlebell sessions to
learn form and technique; they practiced one- and two-handed swings, snatches and other movements.

Facility Design and Construction 101, Part One

Shiny, solid floors. An upgraded stereo and microphone system. Brand-new equipment. Many fitness facility managers look around their club and can rapidly envision what needs to be acquired or improved.

Lower-Body Progressions on the Reformer

Many Pilates clients want to develop lower-body strength and definition, and the reformer is a perfect piece of equipment to help them meet this goal. Strong hamstrings, gluteals, quadriceps, adductors and abductors provide power for athletic moves and functional activities.

Standing Work on the Reformer

?Standing work on the reformer offers a perfect way to improve overall balance and posture and is a great complement to any other workout or Pilates routine. In this article, you will learn how to introduce the classic standing work—with a contemporary twist—to clients at any level, and you’ll learn how to progress or regress moves for those who need more or less.

Purchasing Used Fitness Equipment

Exercise equipment ranks high on the list of fitness facility costs. From navigating the maze of manufacturers to negotiating price and financing options, purchasing equipment for your club is a complex process.