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Warm Ups/Cool Downs

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Exercise Program Design

Senior Moments

The cooldown should be like frosting—sweet, smooth and so delicious that students want to stay until they finish the very last section of cake—err, I mean, class…

Balance Your Act

The BOSU® Balance Trainer has rapidly become part of our group fitness classes. Its versatility makes it a great addition to almost any format; however, it is essential to acclimate students to the dome’s uneven surface before warming up.
For a safe and successful class, teach participants how the body reacts on the BOSU by introducing moves that generate warmth in the muscles as well as the mind. This will help students adapt and feel more confident, opening the door to greater learning and participation.

does stretching reduce injury risk?

Thacker, S.B., et al. 2004. The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: A systematic review of the literature. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36 (3): 371–8.

Purpose. Researchers at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion systematically reviewed the research literature in order to assess whether stretching effectively prevents sports injuries and to make recommendations for research and prevention.

Prime-Time Hi-Lo

Group fitness instructors have always been innovators, viewing movement as something they can continually make more creative and fun. High-low is an example of an evolution that worked. This mixed-intensity class followed on the injured heels
of the 1980s’ high-impact aerobics.

Get Creative With Circuits

Inactivity is taking its toll on human beings. As fitness professionals, we are keenly aware that society is fascinated with the human body—with losing fat, specifically—and yet, getting people to…

Strength Training Class Warm-Ups

Once upon a time, group fitness instructors started their strength training classes with a relatively static warm-up that consisted of single-joint movements, such as head circles, shoulder rolls backwards and forwards, and hip swings side to side. As the industry progressed, warm-ups became more varied and we branched out—maybe too far out! Today’s warm-up options range from no warm-up at all to 10-minute, low-impact cardio warm-ups, with many variations in between.