Programs & Equipment
The Science and Resurgence of Metabolic Training
Metabolic training is enjoying a notable comeback in fitness culture, driven by a blend of evidence-based benefits, consumer demand for efficient workouts, and the evolution of fitness technology. Described by…
Harnessing Body Scan Technology in Fitness
In modern fitness and wellness practice, precision and personalization are cornerstones of effective client programming. While traditional methods such as calipers, tape measurements, and scales have long served as tools…
Designing Exercise Programs With Clients
New research suggests that participants should help with adapting and designing exercise programs to their own preferences.
Merrithew Connect™: Online Pilates, Fitness and Mind-Body Workouts
Keeping programming fresh, effective and interesting for clients is a common struggle for fitness professionals. After a year of teaching virtually, you may be feeling like your program design has…
Golf Industry Offers Opportunities for Fitness Professionals
People are investing in improving their golf game, which opens up career opportunities for fitness professionals to take on golf training.
Leverage Your Expertise With Suspension Fitness
As a fitness professional, you can leverage your expertise by incorporating suspension fitness into your overall training programs.
July 2020 Question of the Month: Streaming Programs
Are you or any of your facility’s trainers offering streaming programs?
March 2020 Question of the Month: Do You Offer Conditioning or Injury Prevention Programs?
As we begin to prepare for spring, are you offering any conditioning programs or injury prevention programs like the FIFA strategies outlined here? Do your programs take place indoors or outside?
Active Pregnant Moms Boost Babies’ Fitness
Here’s more good news for pregnant exercise enthusiasts. East Carolina University researchers found that women who did 50 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise three times per week during pregnancy had babies with better neuromotor skills at 1 month old than babies of mothers who did not exercise.
January 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.
Overcoming Pain to Stay in the Fitness Game
More and more people choose exercising at gyms and studios to stay healthy. The trend is occurring across the age spectrum, from baby boomers to millennials. Americans choose the convenience, expertise, and comradery found at gyms and studios to stay at their fitness best.
Get Your Fitness Business Ready for the Holidays
Whether you’re getting your first frost warnings or temps have dropped from 100 degrees to a balmy 95 where you live, summer is just about over.
That means it’s time to plan for the holidays at your fitness business and the ensuing new year’s rush.
Minimalist Shoes and Stronger Foot Muscles
Minimalism is trending in many areas of life, including athletic shoes, with many fans touting numerous benefits. But does the evidence support the hype? Yes, according to research findings published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2018; doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001751). Walking in minimalist shoes is as effective as foot-strengthening exercises and may result in better compliance than doing specific exercises.
2019 IDEA® World Convention: Igniting Passion With Purpose!
Purpose, passion and people! The fitness industry is all about forging relationships that lift others up. Fitness professionals have energy to spare, and they are dedicated to mentoring new generations of pros, networking with peers, and motivating clients and participants every day.
Variable Resistance Training With Deadshifts and Deadlifts
It’s 2 a.m. Your 3-month-old son is screaming at the top of his tiny lungs, waking up everyone in the household. Begrudgingly, you get out of bed and zombie-walk over to your son’s crib in the next room. Your body aches, you haven’t slept in days, and now you must bend over to pick up a squirming child in the dead of night. Unfortunately, your son’s not a great strength coach and doesn’t allot enough warmup time to prepare your body for a deadlift.
Have a Ball Workout
This fun format incorporates exercise balls into cardiovascular and strength intervals. Each 8-minute round uses either a stability ball or a medicine ball, 4 minutes of high-intensity cardio training (combined), and about 4 minutes of strength-focused work (combined). For those who also enjoy a core challenge, this class delivers.
SMR Trends: Adopting Vibration Technology
The body of evidence in favor of self-myofascial release (SMR) techniques has been steadily growing. Research has shown that SMR can increase joint mobility and range of motion and reduce muscle soreness. It is used by personal trainers, athletic trainers and physical therapists alike to prevent and treat injuries in clients.
Stretching Using Suspension Equipment
When it comes to integrated stretching, the TRX® Suspension Trainer™ is a helpful tool. Stretching can often feel somewhat passive; however, the game changes when you hold straps or attach them to your feet. Our bodies move in patterns, not in isolation, so why not enhance that concept and include this equipment in your cooldowns?
Fitness Equipment for a Better Club or Studio
Whether you’re the owner of a large gym, a small-studio entrepreneur, a mobile personal trainer, or a yoga or Pilates specialist, a basic tenet of keeping your edge sharp with clients is to shake things up frequently enough that they (and you!) don’t get bored. Certainly, that means changing your programming regularly, but it also means looking at your equipment with fresh eyes and considering some new tools for experimentation—all while being judicious about your budget.
A Dynamic HIIT Workout With Sand Bells
More flexible and variable than dumbbells or kettlebells, sand bells are sand-filled disks that can be lifted, slammed, tossed, curled, or flipped like a heavy pancake. The following playful workout mixes high-intensity cardio and strength training with two levels of progression, creating a user-friendly class for any participant.
Sand Bell HIIT Details
FORMAT: strength and cardio conditioning
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes