Best Practices
How is Inflation Impacting Fitness?
How is inflation impacting your clients’ fitness and wellness budgets? Are people tightening their belts not because they’ve lost weight, but because they have fewer dollars to spend at the gym? A survey asked these…
Sleep Hygiene Is One Key to Health
Sleep hygiene consists of habits and behaviors that help us to get enough good-quality sleep to leave us refreshed, both physically and mentally. These days, improving sleep hygiene is a priority for many overstressed clients,…
A Time of Renewal
Many of us in the industry have been feeling lost in the weeds after 2 years of constant turmoil. In this time of renewal, as you work to dig yourself out and sow new seeds of success, it’s important to use all the tools at your disposal so you can grow and flourish.
Resolution Revolution!
We’ve heard all the classics: Lose weight! Get into shape! Start going to the gym! New year, new you! While New Year’s resolutions are the kindling that spark our clients to reach out to us for help, the professional community has to fan the flames with the right balance of skill, enthusiasm and fun to help clients sustain their inner fire for change.
The Synergy of Togetherness
We’ve all had to pivot these last 2 years—and not just while leading clients through multiple planes of motion). We’ve also learned that virtual training can add valuable dimensions to our offerings. But let’s face…
Genes and Exercise: Does it Matter?
Personal trainers understand that one program does not fit every client and that genes may play a role. Still, it can be frustrating when you have two clients who appear similar in numerous ways but…
Applying Learning Theories to Personal Training
Updated on November 2, 2021 Successful personal trainers are effective teachers and know how to apply learning theories. While personal training in part involves changing the body, teaching is the art of changing the brain—not…
Transform Your Fitness Facility
The traditional fitness facility has typically been viewed as a place to work out and play sports in order to change one’s physical appearance. However, this has shifted. Wellness—which includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness—has become the buzzword of the decade, and today’s fitness facilities have begun offering a myriad of services, hoping that people will view these locations as the local wellness center. To cover the full wellness spectrum, however, you need to combine forces with other health modalities.
10 Ways to Help Families Change
Families need you! A growing body of research makes it clear: Families provide a powerful force in supporting—or opposing—better health behaviors. Indeed, the authors of a state-of-the-art review in a prestigious cardiology journal call families…
TikTok Workout Trends: Are You Meeting Needs?
TikTok workout trends are out! The entertainment social media platform is a popular place for fitness content creators and their fans.
Virtual Training Assessments
Virtual personal training isn’t new, but the business aspect is growing, thanks to increased demand and improved technology across the board.
Inclusivity for Transgender Clients
More than ever, creating inclusivity is vital for fit pros. And, thankfully, the fitness industry is opening up its arms to transgender clients. It couldn’t be more important. Think about it: The aim is to help people lead healthier lives, but there are many who may not feel comfortable in the current fitness environment.
Stroke Recovery Training
Although many trainers may believe that ongoing stroke recovery is either the sole purview of physical therapists or limited to those so infirmed that progress is limited, there is an incredible opportunity to make a profound difference to survivors.
Overcoming Barriers to Exercise
There are many factors that motivate people to start exercising. And there are just as many reasons that they stop! Overcoming the barriers that clients face is a critical part of training success. Here are some strategies to help:
Creating Inclusivity in Fitness Spaces
When fit pro fail to acknowledge racism, homophobia and other systems of oppression, we fail in creating inclusivity in fitness spaces.
Shoulder the Load: Mechanics and Programming for Shoulders
Review the anatomy and function of the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints and learn basic, low-risk exercises that are designed to improve rotator cuff strength, shoulder mobility and scapulohumeral rhythm.
Virtual Group Fitness Classes
Exercising in front of a television, computer screen or mobile device is nothing new. Since the advent of VHS tapes, fitness programs have offered users an opportunity to get their sweat on whenever they choose in the comfort of their home. Over the past several years, however, fitness facilities have leveraged new technology to offer virtual classes on-site in hopes of luring exercisers out of their living rooms and into the group exercise room.
3 Tips to Create Rapid Change in Your Business and Get Out of the Red
If your fitness business is struggling right now, then this is for you. I am going to share with you my three tips to create rapid change in your business and get out of the red. First things first, let’s agree on the three ways to make money in your business. The first is to cut an expense. The second is sign up a new member. And the third is to sell a current member something new.
Strength Training for Women
Adding programming that addresses strength training for women allows you to customize your offering and provide great client support. The key is in understanding muscle physiology and what women, specifically, need to succeed.
Strong Starts
The warmup. Is it simply a time for small talk while people trickle in, or is it an opportunity to ignite attendees’ best efforts? This may be the class section that fitness instructors plan the least, yet devoting some time to designing the warmup is really worthwhile. Why? Because starting on a strong note significantly affects the outcome of the entire workout. We want our participants to get the most from our classes, so let’s set them up for success.