Did you get a notice from the Marketplace asking you for documents to verify information on your health insurance application? If so, some of the information you provided on your application - like your yearly income estimate, immigration status, or citizenship - doesn't match our records.
Where Are the Jobs Pt. 1 covered three places that just might be flying under the radar when personal trainers go out on the hunt for employment: apartment complexes, community centers, and the ever-more-popular online training community (If you missed the first post, be sure to check it out here).
Pt. 2 picks up where we left off and will cover three additional places to help expand the job search and variety for those of us in the fitness industry to help answer the all-important question, “Where are the jobs for personal trainers?”
The places featured in this post all made the list when NFPT personal trainers took a survey that asked where they work. Let's get to it. When deciding what to do or where to work, consider:
Why they're so great: Working in the great outdoors with minimum overhead sounds like a great place to start. You design your own workout plan and provide as much or as little equipment as you choose. (I've attended some fantastic boot camps where the only equipment needed or provided were a few kettlebell weights.) There is infinite class space, and each person doing sit ups on the lush, green grass is a paying client of yours.
There is also the added bonus of impromptu advertising. Park goers will notice your boot camp and might be interested in joining in!
Why they're so great: Working in a corporate environment gives you the ideal work hours! Other than that, you have the opportunity to create unique fitness programs that may not work in other facilities. Your sessions could include a Lunch and Learn series with a focus on topics of interest and importance to office building employees. A few topic examples include Stress Elimination, Keeping it Moving (while at the desk), and Proper Stretching Techniques.
You might also try a Lunch and Move series which can be more interactive and require mild physical exertion such as stretches. You might also consider offering boot camps for team building, or design an office-wide fitness challenge.
Why they're so great: Really? We need an explanation here? Okay, let's start with having a clientele that is already ecstatically happy to be there! You already have a satisfied customer! But seriously…
Cruise ships will give you the chance to see the world, travel to beautiful and exotic places, and constantly meet new people. Plus, living aboard a cruise ship could give you the opportunity to make money and keep a good portion of those earnings in your pocket. Every company will be different of course, but some provide free accommodations and meals. And on the subject of meals, you'll have a vast array of foods to choose from.
Resorts offer their own package of perks. You'll work in beautiful surroundings, plus some resorts offer staff free or discounted room rates, club/gym memberships, and admittance to resort attractions. All while making bucks!
Want to add to our list? Leave us a comment about the type of training facility you prefer and why it's so great.
The post Where Are the Jobs for Personal Trainers? Part 2 appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
In our home over the past few months, schedules seem to be dictated by football. Even though our favorite season, college basketball time, is already underway, the Super Bowl and of course its commercials were certainly on everyone's mind. I am actually taking a break from all the professional football team discussions, and am thinking instead about college football.
Paul “Bear” Bryant is one of the most admired college football coaches in history. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's Head Coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982, Bryant held the record for most wins as Head Coach in collegiate football history, with 323 wins to his credit.
This sort of achievement doesn't come easily, and certainly doesn't get handed to any of us on a silver platter. One of Bryant's most impactful quotes has touched more lives than merely those of the players he had the privilege of coaching, as it has applications in so many arenas of life, including personal training:
“Everybody has the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win.”
Whether your client's goal is to achieve a new level of fitness, shed some unwanted pounds, or improve his flexibility, success comes in the preparation…YOUR preparation. So many trainers enter an hour session with little to no purposeful agenda. Success does not just “happen”; and to remain true to our profession, we must always have a plan.
For example, if weight loss is a top priority for a client, explain to him that eating the same foods as he has always eaten, in the same quantities, prepared the same way, will not propel him toward a weight-loss goal. Planning ahead, doing some research, and taking the initiative to prepare for every session with every client becomes an important first step toward success, both the client's and yours.
This same paradigm applies to your client's state of mind well. I often find it helpful to plant some ideas in a client's head at the conclusion of our session, in preparation for the next time we train. For example, reminding a client that even before driving to the gym, he should already be preparing for the workout can be a powerful motivating force. Making the deliberate choice to adopt a positive frame of mind will allow him to conquer the challenges that await him in advance of picking up a single weight. This simple cerebral reminder will be the most helpful in propelling him toward his desired change.
It is vital that the personal trainer really listen to what the client says. Plan strength-training exercises that are both achievable and safe, build in a step-by-step way to progress as his strength increases, and always have a clear vision of where you both are heading.
It has been said, and accurately at that, how nobody trains to come in 2nd Place. True, we can't always take 1st Place, and there will be some clients throughout your career that just might not mesh with you, no matter how dedicated and prepared you are. But if we come to work armed with the preparation required to have a successful outcome for each and every unique client, you both will always come out as winners!
The post Failure to Plan is a Plan for Failure appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
As a personal trainer at a large community center, I am fortunate to be able to work with a variety of professionals, each of whom is certified and has somewhat of a “specialty favorite” client he or she prefers to train. One of these is a former Golden Gloves champion who likes to, literally, throw punches into a client's workout routine. We have Body Alignment specialists, those who enjoy preparing athletes for marathons or sprint events, and even trainers who are gifted enough to work with our population of mentally challenged young people.
There is no doubt in my mind, however, that the majority of trainers across the country find themselves working with those whom we might classify as the “typical” fitness clients. Many of these are young moms, retired seniors, or athletic men and women wanting to become a bit more buff before Spring Break at the beach. While every client is indeed unique, and deserves our most attentive creativity when designing a program to foster his/her goals, rarely are we presented with an opportunity to truly think outside the box, and change an individual's life. Trainers encourage clients to challenge their abilities every day, so why are many of us hesitant to challenge ourselves?
I have had the opportunity over the last 2 years to train a woman in her 50's who is visually impaired. Laura was not born sightless; over a period of several years, her eyes' rods and cones slowly ceased to function. Today, while unable to drive, she has enough sight to observe shadows, and can read with a super magnifier attachment to her computer. When Laura's regular trainer left the gym, I was the one she requested to take over her personal training regimen.
At first I was understandably hesitant, not knowing quite what to expect in terms of this client's capabilities or willingness to be challenged. As it turned out, I not only gained a good friend but also a tremendous insight into the depth of Laura's rich, fulfilling and exciting life.
Taking the time to learn about a client's condition is always a prudent investment of a trainer's energies. Keeping in mind that the body of a client living with visual impairments is typically no different than yours or mine, his exercise needs too will be similar. A comprehensive workout program, one that addresses both fitness and nutritional guidance, helps prevent obesity, improves overall health and leaves the client with a sense of empowerment, according to the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, or NCPAD. Unless told otherwise, by either the client or his doctor, a visually impaired person can engage in many formats of exercise as long as appropriate accommodations are available.
Once you have assessed the individual needs of the client, as well as noting his current lifestyle and overall goals, you can proceed with the fun and challenging job of designing an outside-the-box program. American Fitness points out that an individual who is totally blind cannot relate to visual descriptions; therefore, he must be taught exercise activities differently from a client who has some visual ability. With the client's permission, the trainer may have to use touch to demonstrate a movement. A second challenge is to ensure the safety and efficacy of the training environment. As opposed to running outdoors with a partner, a visually impaired client may prefer instead to become familiar with the parameters of an indoor track, thus enabling him to adapt to his aerobic exercise without a guide.
If building strength and increasing muscle tone is a goal of the client's, the trainer has many options. One of the safest and most comfortable ways to strength-train is by creating a circuit of stationary machines. Depending upon the level of impairment, free weights and other techniques may be an option. Dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and body balls can all be creatively and effectively woven into a program for a visually impaired individual, as long as the trainer “demonstrates” a movement by guiding the client's arm position for the first few repetitions. Verbal cues also become an important tool in training these clients. Think carefully about the best ways to describe the execution of particular movements. Once that neural pathway has been created, the movement becomes relatively intuitive, especially with repetition.
It has been my experience that balance and flexibility are concerns to be addressed in a complete exercise program. I often have my client Laura perform body weight squats, side lunges with the outstretched leg briefly lifted, and push-up's. In an effort to develop a sense of self-efficacy in the realm of spatial awareness, balancing on one foot or performing walking high knee raises across the room can increase body awareness and movement in space.
A secondary condition that often presents itself in visually challenged clients is poor posture. When trying to design appropriate strength exercises, keep in mind that a client who is able to read printed material with the help of a magnifier is often prone to stooping over. Cable crossovers or rows, to open up the chest muscles and strengthen back muscles, can easily be hands-on demonstrated and effectively performed.
Many persons with limited sight capabilities, most notably those who have been blind since birth, get little or no exercise, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here is a sobering statistic (which we as trainers have the power to change, by the way!): only about 50 percent of adults with visual impairment are physically active. Of that group, 50 percent were more likely to report at least one chronic health condition than challenged adults who do participate in physical activity. Chronic/comorbid health conditions often include diabetes, heart disease and risk of stroke. Interestingly, 82 percent of visually compromised adults were more likely to be physically active if the suggestion or urging comes from a medical professional. A big hurdle for many is simply securing a means of transportation to and from the gym. In addition, there is often trepidation surrounding the fear of injury, which goes hand in hand with a lack of available information regarding helpful exercise resources. This is precisely how a trainer who is well versed in the dynamics of working with a blind client becomes a highly valued commodity.
In today's society, visual impairment frequently places such individuals at a social disadvantage; to those with healthy vision, blindness comes with presumptions of helplessness and incompetence. This no longer has to be a universal fact. Any individual who gets in shape will look better and feel better. This leads to increased confidence, self-esteem and empowerment. Consider how important these aspects can be for any of your clients; now think about the magnitude of this dynamic for an individual who is blind. The ultimate goal of inclusiveness is to help a new participant feel safe and welcome enough to return, so that he is fully able to reap the benefits of a sustained exercise program.
As for my client, Laura? I truly believe that although she is the one who is significantly limited in her visual ability, we both have been given the gift of seeing life more clearly!
REFERENCES ~
http://www.livestrong.com/article/291007-fitness-and-blind-people/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/346036-how-to-exercise-for-the-blind/
http://www.nchpad.org/838/4261/Guidelines~for~Trainers~with~Clients~with~Visual~Impairments
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm07/bm0709/bm070907.htm
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/01/15/personal-trainer-doesnt-let-going-blind-slow-him-down/
http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/tips-for-teaching-a-special-needs-participant
The post How to Set Your Sights on Training Visually Impaired Clients appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
Fitness training of all types can lead to better health and overall wellbeing. However, when intensity, duration and frequency of training are excessive, it can lead to overtraining syndrome marked by fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, low sex drive and chronic upper respiratory distress. Over time, overtraining can compromise your immune system and lead to adrenal fatigue. When combined with stress and sleep deprivation, overtraining can even lead to death.
In stressful situations, your body goes into fight or flight mode, wherein adrenaline and other hormones are released to put you on high alert. Once the danger or stress has abated, the circulating hormones are restored to pre-stress levels. However, under conditions of chronic overtraining coupled with chronic stress, your adrenal glands can become fatigued and unable to produce sufficient amounts of hormones. Called adrenal insufficiency, this condition can undermine performance and lead to undesirable and biological and behavioral changes.
Symptoms of adrenal depletion include ongoing fatigue, unrestful sleep, difficulty concentrating, short temper, low ambition, sugar cravings, slow recovery from illness and chronic pain. At risk are people who are under chronic pressure to perform, perfectionists, those who do shift work and people with high carbohydrate diets. Coupled with low adrenaline are low circulating levels of cortisol, another hormone associated with fight or flight. Elite athletes performing for high stakes are especially vulnerable to overtraining syndrome coupled with stress.
Fitness practitioners are also often victims of stress and overtraining syndrome. Working early mornings and late nights with less than optimal sleep, training multiple clients back-to-back, teaching numerous group exercise classes and setting high standards for your personal fitness can add up to more stress than your body can handle. If you find yourself tired, achy, sick and unmotivated, you should take steps to turn things around. Adrenal fatigue can be reversed, but it may take months of self-nurturing to fully recover.
Understanding more about how stress and other factors affect health will help you become a better fitness practitioner. W.I.T.S. offers solutions to the problems posed by your clients. Lifestyle Fitness Coaching and Certified Personal Trainer are two online courses that will equip you to meet your clients' needs head-on.
Brooks, KA and Carter, JG (2013). Overtraining, Exercise and Adrenal Insufficiency. Journal of Novel Physiotherapies, 3(125): 117.
*Images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.
“I want to work my core” is a common goal of many fitness enthusiasts. They're usually referring to their rectus abdominus muscle, which gives the “six-pack” effect (if toned and not covered by fat). Some people have other intentions. They know that having strong core muscles can prevent low back problems and help them perform better in sports.
Regardless of the reason someone wants to work their “core”, it's your job as a personal trainer to know all of these muscles and how to strengthen them according to the individuals unique needs. Low back issues don't always stem from a weak core. Sometimes they arise due to strength imbalances.
You can do all the planks you want, but if one side is stronger than the other, it will stay that way until addressed.
Two types of imbalance:
Latissimus Dorsi – a core muscle?
Yes! Since everyone knows how to strengthen the rectus abdominus using crunches and planks, let's focus on trunk rotation which is a more complex motion. During trunk rotation there are dozens of muscles getting involved to make the motion happen. The strong ones will do most of the work, while the weak ones barely lift a muscle fiber. Ha ha.
Isn't this true on any team? Some do more work than the rest… 
How do you ensure better teamwork within your core muscles?
Knowledge of anatomy and body awareness are essential tools for designing more customized exercise programs for each client. This takes time and attention to the details of muscle movement. Since many people know where their rectus abdominus and obliques are, let's examine the less-acknowledged core muscle – latissimus dorsi. Most people think they know where it attaches, but are missing a few pieces.
Attachments: Biciptial groove of humerus bone, inferior border of scapula, last 3-4 ribs (posterior), thoracolumbar fascia (which attaches into the spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae), superior/posterior iliac crest.
Feeling lost in the words? Check out the play-doh on Andy the skeleton to see the points. You can also pull out an anatomy book for reference. Explore on the bony landmarks a partner (with their permission of course) and locate the muscle tendons on them.
Why is lat a core muscle?
The attachment into the iliac crest is one of the main reasons the lat likes to help with trunk rotation and lateral sidebend! It also helps extend your trunk. Avoid memorizing muscle motions. When you know the attachments you can always figure out the function of the muscle. “Think like a muscle” is what Andy always says. Then, you can point it out to a client and ask them if they feel it participating in their exercises on both side equally.
This leads to better cueing and form.
It would be impossible for most people to feel every muscle that participates in trunk rotation, so choosing one muscle like the lat or external oblique to focus on for a set of repetitions is a great way to make it simple, get better focus from the client and exercise more effectively.
Want to learn more? Get yourself to the Idea World Fitness Convention and sign up for session 449 – Anatomy: Reconnect With Your Spine Muscles
Time Block I – Friday, July 15, 9:40-11:30 AM
The post The Missing Core Muscle appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
This month's Trainer Spotlight is Carol Michaels. Carol is a nationally recognized, highly educated cancer exercise specialist and consultant and has been a fitness professional for more than 20 years. She is the creator of NFPT's Cancer Recovery Specialist course. Carol is also being nominated for IDEA's 2016 Fitness Trainer of the Year.
How long have you been in the fitness industry?
I have been a fitness professional for more than 20 years and am the founder of Recovery Fitness®, a nationally recognized exercise program designed to help cancer patients recover from surgery and treatments. I own and operate Recovery Fitness and Carol Michaels Fitness in West Orange, New Jersey. In addition, I am a consultant, author, presenter, and on the advisory board of numerous health organizations.
Why did you become a trainer in the first place?
There were two converging paths that brought me to my current roles. One has been my love of movement, which evolved into my personal training career. The other is my experience with those who suffer from cancer.
Cancer has been part of my world for over thirty years. My mother, father, and many other family members and friends have battled this disease. Having cared for and watched loved ones suffer and oftentimes die from this disease, one of my life goals was to do whatever I could to help the healing process. I needed to make an impact on a deep level.
Cancer patients often have a difficult time recovering and develop frozen shoulder, stiffness, and numbness due to surgery and treatments. Because many of these side effects can be prevented through proper exercise, I needed to create a series of stretches and strengthening exercises to help eliminate or minimize these side effects.
What motivates you to do this job and stay in this tough industry?
I am motivated by being able to help people to improve their quality of life. I know that I make a meaningful difference in people's lives, day in and day out. This goal of improving the quality of life for cancer survivors gave me the strength and perseverance to establish my program.
What is the biggest challenge for you as a personal trainer?
My biggest challenge as a personal trainer was to gain acceptance by the medical community. This did not come easily. It can be difficult to reach medical professionals who are busy and focused on their patients. But with hard work and tenacity this can be accomplished.
In addition, it was very difficult to get Recovery Fitness accepted by the medical community because years ago cancer patients were told to go home and rest and not to lift anything. I was very early, if not one of the first to create and push to gain acceptance for exercise programs for cancer survivors. Some needed to overcome a preconceived bias that disregarded the importance of exercise in the recovery process. I needed to demonstrate that not only was the exercise important, the exercise program had to be tailored to meet the needs of patients who had just gone through complicated surgery or other treatment.
This took great perseverance. I met as many oncology health professionals as possible and was able to demonstrate the efficacy of the Recovery Fitness program and how it could help their patients.
What is your biggest accomplishment in the fitness industry?
The big accomplishment was the creation of the Recovery Fitness® cancer exercise program and its establishment in two major medical centers and other facilities. I have developed relationships with many of the top surgeons and oncologists in New Jersey and they now understand the role the fitness industry can play in the improvement of their patients' health and lives.
The creation of the Recovery Fitness program lead to my book Exercises for Cancer Survivors, DVDs, the NFPT continuing education course, awards, and numerous speaking and writing opportunities.
What do you think separates you from the rest of personal trainers out there to win this award?
Throughout my career as a personal trainer, I have helped thousands of cancer patients and many others to improve their quality of life. I have been a trailblazer in using exercise to assist in the treatment of those with cancer, lymphedema, and osteoporosis.
I mentor other fitness professionals in the Recovery Fitness method. Teaching personal trainers how to work with their clients who have cancer gives the trainers the ability to help their clients during this very difficult diagnosis. Clients feel comfortable knowing that their trainers have studied cancer exercise and have been taught by an expert with decades of experience. In order to help other personal trainers work with their clients who have cancer, I developed and created the NFPT continuing education course: Cancer Recovery Specialist. I have also recorded webinars on this topic for the Clinical Exercise Physiologist Association and several health organizations. By presenting at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute and numerous health conferences, I helped personal trainers to understand what their clients are facing when diagnosed with cancer.
In addition to creating a medically endorsed cancer exercise program, I have developed an Osteoporosis Exercise program. Osteoporosis affects a large percentage of our population. Many of the traditional exercise programs are not safe for those with the disease.
I am on the board of numerous health organizations. Additionally, I am a speaker for corporate wellness programs, fitness organizations, community events, and cancer related organizations on fitness and health issues. I also has appeared on health related radio and television programs, and am an author of a chapter in the e-book called Ten to Thrive, and published in numerous magazines, newsletters, blogs and medical journals.
Any advice for other trainers out there?
You must have tenacity, perseverance, mental fortitude, a thick skin, and commitment to serving others to be successful.
Becoming an expert in the exercise of a special population can be a rewarding aspect of your fitness career. As our life span increase, we will see more clients affected by disease such as Parkinson's, MS , arthritis, cancer and heart disease. Cardiac rehab centers are all around us. Physical therapists are dealing with the initial rehab for knee and hip replacements and other orthopedic situations. At this time, in many areas of this country, it can be difficult to find Parkinson's, MS, or cancer fitness professional. There is a need in the health care system for exercise programming for those afflicted by certain diseases.
For those of you thinking about starting a career in fitness it is never too late to start the certification process with NFPT. This is one field where age can actually be a benefit when working with certain populations. It gives you the ability to relate to and understand the physical changes that the baby boomers are dealing with. This demographic can feel comfortable and connect with those of similar age.
Get to know the doctors, physical therapists, etc. in your community. Set up meetings and presentations with health professionals in your area. They are a great source of referrals
Commit to constant, ongoing education so that you can perform to your best ability. This is accomplished by reading everything in your field that is available and taking continuing education courses.
For example, I subscribe to and review a wide variety of health and oncology publications, and attend cancer seminars. By staying informed on the latest reconstructions and treatments I can understand my clients' situations and develop exercise programs that will give them the best results. In addition, I communicate with their health professionals regularly so that I can understand the particular health issues in order to create the best fitness program for their unique situation. My clients' health professionals receive monthly fitness reports detailing the changes in their patients' endurance, strength, posture, balance, and range of motion.
The post Personal Trainer Spotlight: Carol Michaels appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
If you enrolled in a 2016 health plan, you must pay your first month's premium to your health insurance company to avoid losing your coverage.
Flyers posted around town are wasteful if no one's looking at them. Business cards get lost under the car seat and networking events make many people cringe. Social media marketing can be noisy. So, what is the best marketing method available today? The answer is similar to creating a personal training program for a client.
It's personal…
Many business strategists claim to know the “best marketing strategy” and promise to teach you their “5-steps to success”. There's great advice out there and it provides you with the tools necessary to get started. But, just like with cardio – at some point you need to customize the experience further. Make it more enjoyable for the individual.
In this case, that's you!
How do you market according to your personality? Start by asking yourself these questions…
Past marketing
Present marketing
Future marketing
Example of personal marketing #1
Sharon is a personal trainer who enjoys working with runners and hikers. She gets nervous teaching groups and has more success connecting with people one-to-one.
Sharon contacts the owner of a local sneaker store and offers herself to come and sit at a table with a sign called “Ask the trainer” once a month. She can answer questions for the people coming in the store comfortably one-to-one without feeling intimidated by a large group.
Example of a personal marketing #2
Brian is a personal trainer who loves biking. He's comfortable speaking in front of groups and has gotten clients from the indoor cycling class he teaches in town.
Brian wants more clients, so he sets up a free workshop at the local bike shop in town to teach exercises for bikers. This allows him to showcase his skills in front of many people from his ideal audience all at the same time.
Enjoyable marketing
The key here is to find a way to market yourself that is fulfilling and showcases your skills. You got into this career because of passion and there's no reason why you can't enjoy selling yourself.
Spend time thinking back on what's worked before and who you want to attract as clients currently. It's a worthwhile activity. For enhanced success, write down your answers to the questions from this article on paper. Then – take action!
Get yourself out there. Try something and if it doesn't work, try something else. The difference between success and failure is that successful people have failed more (but they kept trying).
Let us know what strategy you come up with and how it goes!
The post The Best Marketing Strategy For You appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
Magazines and Instagram photos of girls doing headstands on surfboards in the middle of the ocean promote the idea that there is only one type of fit body, but I'm living proof that that's not true.
When deciding upon a career path, somewhere between the ages of 17 and 22, we tend to gravitate toward one that reflects not only our knowledge but also our personality. It has been my experience, over the past 27 years in the fitness profession, to observe that personal trainers are a happy bunch. Anyone who chooses to help another individual attain goals, become healthier, and lead a different lifestyle has to be upbeat, encouraging, and positive.
Sometimes, though, outward appearances can be deceiving. In our quiet moments away from the gym, we face challenges like everyone else, but ones which may not be considered by the general public, and even less so by our clients. We may not even be aware of some of these hidden pitfalls of our jobs, yet they most assuredly will impact our work performance. Learning to recognize such obstacles, and developing strategies to overcome them, must become an integral part of our professionalism.
In doing our research we often come across a new twist on an old exercise, or a different mode of training a specific body part. In an effort to impress a client, some trainers are quick to insert such exercises into the client's current workout program. PITFALL: unless you try out the exercise yourself, several times, you are not in an optimal position to describe the movement or to spot appropriately. By adding the move to your current workout, and trying it out at least 2 or 3 times, you can feel more confident as you demonstrate the exercise to your client.
When a trainer is starting out in the personal training arena, building a book of business is always a priority. In order to make the career financially feasible, you need clients…and fast! PITFALL: trying to be the ideal trainer for every potential client who enters the gym. It can be a humbling experience, but realizing your appropriate scope of practice will ultimately make you a better trainer. Rarely does one find a single trainer who is optimally equipped to train a 15-year-old budding gymnast seeking to increase strength and flexibility, a cyclist working on speed and agility, and a power -lifter training for the competitive stage. Somewhere along the line, you will not be able to provide adequate assistance to each and every one of these very diverse individuals. In the name of customer satisfaction, you will leave a more positive image in the client's mind when you refer him/her to a more qualified trainer.
Clients almost always hire a trainer when they have an agenda. Whether their goal is weight loss, increased muscle mass, or a combination of both, they want their results as soon as possible. PITFALL: promising them the results will appear within a fixed amount of time. Is it possible to get a female client “slimmed down” in time to sport that hot little black dress at the high school reunion? Of course it is possible, but is it safe or in her best interests? Perhaps more important to consider is whether such a rapid loss is sustainable. Here the trainer may be faced with a dilemma: do you deliver what the client requests, or do you teach her a new lifestyle that will keep her slim over the course of her life? Your professional reputation is on the line, so consider carefully.
A closely linked corollary to this challenge comes when you, the trainer, seem more motivated than the client when it comes to attaining his/her self-proclaimed goals. PITFALL: pushing too hard. Yes, we must challenge our clients, and gently but firmly encourage them to believe in themselves enough to want to change. However, the problem develops when the trainer fails to adequately assess the daily lifestyle his client may face. Regardless of a client's words, his action (or the lack thereof) may stem from limited time, a shortage of financial resources, and the habitual behavior of always putting himself last. If over a period of 6-8 weeks, you fail to see any progress in terms of strength gains, weight loss, or whatever the client hired you to help him change, the frustration that naturally builds up on your part may spill over. Getting angry, losing patience, or wanting the goal more than the client could lead to the inevitable attrition rate so often seen in fitness centers across the country. While losing a client to circumstances beyond your control, especially before goals have been attained, is quite possibly one of the more frustrating and challenging aspects of the job, it is by no means insurmountable. Learn from it.
New members and potential clients will often choose to hire a trainer who “looks the part,” in terms of a stereotype: lean, healthy, muscular, good posture, projects a positive attitude, and always full of energy. The truth of the matter is that trainers are regular people, with regular lives; this means that occasionally you may arrive at work with a lack of energy or a less-than-radiant appearance. Are you allowed to have down days? Of course you are; this is part of being human. PITFALL: viewing your client as your personal psychiatrist, or worse, displaying a clear lack of energy or interest in a client's session. One of the biggest challenges I face in my career, as we all do, is overscheduling. The result is that the smile on your face for the 1:00 pm client has to match the level you are more easily able to offer your 7:00 am client, and some days this seems like a monumental task. While the desire to accommodate a client's schedule, the need to see as many clients as is necessary to meet your financial goals, may be understandable, burnout on a trainer's part may eventually erode at a positive state of mind.
I'll admit to being an avid believer in supplementation - for myself, as recommended by my professional bodybuilding competition coach (who holds a PhD in the sciences, specifically having studied supplementation for the bodybuilder). Most trainers realize by now that these products are largely unregulated by the federal government. Supplements often tend to be marketed to those individuals seeking a quick fix. PITFALL: trying to appease a struggling client by recommending supplementation in the absence of diligent research. This can be a very dangerous practice. Not all of us have the pharmaceutical background to know what supplements might interact with a client's daily medications. If you do happen to possess such knowledge, it is still wiser and safer to refer the client to either a registered dietitian, a pharmacist or his/her physician.
Since fitness is a passion of every trainer, you probably already take your own workouts very seriously. Frequency of performing an exercise leads to familiarity, of course, and you often feel quite confident in demonstrating such exercises to a client. PITFALL: Some clients would truly appreciate understanding what is happening to their body while they're exercising; explaining is vastly different from demonstrating, and not every trainer feels comfortable with such discourse. Take some time to research the movement, and come up with a way to explain the biomechanics to a client. Teaching science, as it were, may not be your most comfortable arena, but mastering it can become of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
The list goes on, but this article provides an overview of the most common obstacle faced by our industry professionals. Each giant step we take to work past these barriers becomes a step toward a higher level of professionalism!
REFERENCES:
http://www.theptdc.com/2011/09/top-personal-trainer-mistakes/
https://www.quora.com/What-challenges-are-there-to-being-a-personal-trainer
http://www.theptdc.com/2013/07/personal-trainers-and-supplements/
http://www.fitness.com/articles/1244/10_ethical_issues_facing_health_fitness_professionals.php
http://www.fitnesscareers.com.au/newsview/common-challenges-faced-by-personal-trainers-135
http://jeremeyduvall.com/the-downfall-of-the-personal-training-industry/
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=5_scary_truths_your_personal_trainer_wont_tell_you
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I love customer-focused events like customer appreciation or for-charity events. They have the desired effect of making me feel…well, appreciated. But more than that, when done sincerely (not just an opened box of half-stale donuts on a table near the entrance), these events also help me forge a deeper relationship with the staff and the company.
I got an invite just this week to attend an appreciation event at a local bicycle shop. 
Attendees will get to road test some of the new bike models and then have lunch. Did I put myself on the “interested” list? You bet. Main reason? I get the chance to be around like-minded folks (folks who love bikes and won't get annoyed with conversations overwhelmingly about bikes), test new products, and get riding tips from other attendees. The lunch won't be the healthiest ever (they've already disclosed the menu), but we'll all have a chance to break bread together and meet new people.
The invite made me think, as many things do, about the fitness and personal training industry and all the ways and opportunities we have to use fitness to connect with our communities. And there are a lot of ways to do this…and with different levels of energy requirements. I know of people who embark on cross-country runs or bicycle rides to raise awareness for a cause or to get attention for their own brands. Good thing we don't all have to, literally, go that far to help or to make an impression.
If you're looking for a way to connect, show appreciation for clients, or bring people together to support a specific cause, here are a few types of events focused on clients, community, or charity to jump-start your creativity:
Sometimes the unexpected happens at these customer events. Though the focus is off the facilitator and completely on the enjoyment of the attendees, I know that at the bicycle shop's appreciation event someone will end up at the sales counter and with one of those shining new bicycles strapped down on their car's rack. I'll let you know if that someone is me.
The post Giving Back Through Fitness appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, responsible for approximately 2 million orthopedic office visits annually and reported to affect between 10 and 20% of injured athletes. (1, 2) It affects males more often than females between the ages of 40 and 60, partly due to degeneration of the calcaneus fat pad after the age of 40. (3) Plantar fasciitis can be characterized by pain in the heel when weight bearing and is generally worse in the morning when taking the first steps out of bed and with prolonged inactivity. (4) This pain can limit activity and ultimately affect the fitness goals of your clients.
Risk factors include running, prolonged weight bearing, obesity, and limited ankle dorsiflexion, all of which are commonly seen with personal training clients. However, in order to understand how to incorporate corrective exercise we must first look at the foot anatomy and how the plantar fascia functions and works as part of the normal gait cycle.
To begin with, the plantar fascia forms a mechanical linkage between the calcaneus and the toes. It originates at the calcaneus and spreads broadly as it extends into five bands inserting into the base of each proximal phalanx. (5) The plantar fascia is influenced by several factors including arches that are too low resulting in too much motion or high arches resulting in too little motion. (6) During normal gait the great toe should dorsiflex properly thereby tightening the plantar fascia and shortening the distance between the calcaneus and metatarsals. This action is known as the windlass mechanism principle. (7) Any alteration in the mechanism will lead to compensation and breakdown of normal biomechanics.
Prolonged weight bearing activities as noted above can cause posterior tibialis weakness and plantar fascia elongation. (8) This is problematic as the posterior tibialis is responsible for eccentrically controlling pronation, therefore, strengthening this muscle should be included as part of an exercise programming plan.
In addition to the ankle and foot assessments found in NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training, limited dorsiflexion may be the most important predictor of plantar fasciitis when compared to obesity and prolonged weight bearing. One potential cause of this may be related to a shortened Achilles tendon. This results in excessive pronation to compensate for the lack of motion, thus putting excessive stress on the plantar fascia. (3) Normal dorsiflexion is 20 to 24 degrees so it is important to assess how much mobility your clients have. (10)
Ankle Dorsiflexion Assessment
A simple way to assess this is to have your clients begin in a half kneeling position with a dowel perpendicular to the floor, four inches in front of the their great toe. Have them glide forward keeping their heel firmly on the floor and measure how close their knee comes to the dowel. Repeat on the opposite side to compare the results. Once dorsiflexion has been assessed, an intervention strategy can be implemented for the plantar fascia, calf and posterior chain muscles.
Following the NASM corrective exercise protocol of inhibiting and lengthening muscles is an effective starting point to allow for proper great toe dorsiflexion to occur in the windlass mechanism. Stretching the calf and plantar fascia are also regularly suggested as an intervention, as seen by DiGiovanni and colleagues. They compared a standing Achilles tendon stretch (Figure A) to the seated plantar fascia stretch (Figure B). Their findings indicate plantar fascia stretching produced superior results with regards to pain, function and overall satisfaction. (9)
Plantar Fascia Stretch (Figure B) – To perform the plantar fascia stretch, begin in a seated position with the foot placed on the opposite knee. Place thumb alongside ball of foot and grasp first metatarsal (first toe) with remaining fingers. Extend until stretch is felt under the ball of the foot. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. Perform this 3 times per day. (9)
Next, integrate stretching of the posterior chain. Several studies have suggested posterior muscle tightness could be involved in the etiology of plantar fasciitis. (13) Therefore a combination of self-myofascial release (SMR) to both the plantar fascia and posterior chain muscles, as suggested by Mohr and colleagues, is recommended. They compared hamstring stretching to foam rolling prior to stretching and found that in order to maximize gains in flexibility foam rolling should be performed in combination and prior to stretching. (11)
Hamstring Foam Rolling – Begin seated on the floor, legs extended with foam roll under the hamstrings. Hands should be placed at sides, supporting the body. Cross one leg over the other and lift hips off of the floor. Gently move foam roll throughout hamstrings, as tolerated, maintaining consistent pressure with foam roll. Perform three 1 minute repetitions with 30 second breaks in order to rest your arms.
Adding SMR to the plantar fascia has also been suggested to enhance the flexibility of the posterior chain as reported by Grieve et al. They studied the effects of performing two repetitions of two minute bouts of tennis ball rolling on the plantar fascia of each foot, from the metatarsal heads to the heel, focusing on the medial arch. They concluded that a single session of bilateral SMR led to increased hamstring and lumbar flexibility. (12)
Plantar Fascia SMR – Begin standing barefoot with the tennis ball underneath the arch of the foot. Slowly roll back and forth, massaging the plantar surface of the foot while maintaining consistent pressure with the ball. Perform three 1 minute repetitions with a 30 second break between bouts.
In order to activate the weakened tibialis posterior muscle that occurs with prolonged weight bearing as noted above, an ankle inversion exercise using a resistance band is suggested. (7)
Ankle Inversion with Resistance – Begin seated in a chair. Place resistance band around forefoot, anchoring the opposite end to a firm structure. Maintain alignment between kneecap and second toe with knee bent to 90 degrees. Lift forefoot off the floor and invert ankle in a scooping motion against resistance band. Slowly return to starting position. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions focusing on eccentric control.
In addition to the tibialis posterior, a plantar flexion exercise is also suggested. This can be done by performing heel raises with the foot in a toe-in position.
Toe-In Heel Raise – Begin standing with feet pointed inward so that the toes are close together. Lift heels off the floor. Pause momentarily then slowly return to start position. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Proximal muscle weakness, including the gluteus medius, tensor fascia latae or quadriceps, can contribute to plantar fasciitis as well. This weakness can lead to poor shock absorption resulting in greater transmission of forces to the foot structures. (7) Therefore, a comprehensive program will address both stretching and strengthening of the local and global muscles.
Considerations for exercise programming to improve plantar fasciitis.
It is of utmost importance that clients with existing plantar fasciitis pain be cleared by their physician before starting an exercise program. If the client has completed physical therapy, you can use the exercises that they have learned during their sessions as a good starting point and base for progression or refer to NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training for additional recommendations.
Here are some general guidelines for working with clients with previous or existing musculoskeletal conditions (14):
If the client is ready to be progressed, the following guidelines will help you do this safely and effectively (15):
Download the plantar fasciitis exercise program here.
References
The post Understanding and Preventing Plantar Fasciitis Through Corrective Exercise appeared first on NASM Blog.
Emphasis
A pull-up is a compound, pull-type exercise which works a large number of muscles in your back, shoulders and arms at the same time.
Starting Position
Grip the bar with a firm overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about shoulder width a part. Keep your arms straight as you hang from the bar.
Movement
Pull yourself upward towards the bar. Your chest should nearly touch the bar and your chin is over the bar. Let yourself down in a controlled manner.
Training Tips
Warning Tips
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Stress is a common denominator among Americans, regardless of socio-economic status, and according to a 2014 survey by the American Psychological Association, it is predominately fueled by money. While some Americans are stress out trying to pay their bills and feed their families, others are driven by their quest for the American Dream, working long hours and subjecting themselves to superhuman performance criteria. As trainers, we see the ravages of stress in our clients, manifesting as excess body fat, poor metabolic health and reliance on pharmaceuticals.
When your brain is stimulated by stress, your body releases adrenaline, cortisol and other hormones designed to heighten your awareness and prowess when under attack. Once the imminent threat is gone, your body chemistry returns to a balanced state for optimal metabolic function. However, chronic stress that lingers, such as ongoing stress about money and relationships, causes your body to remain in its flight or fight mode. Ongoing circulation of stress hormones in your blood stream can lead to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of diseases marked by increased insulin resistance, hypertension and inflammation. Stress hormones can also affect your digestive system, leading to the destruction of your gut microbiota.
Stress takes its toll on mental health in a number of ways, often going hand-in-hand with sleep deprivation and drug and alcohol abuse. Ongoing stress can lead to depression and a feeling of helplessness. It can interfere with decision-making and cognitive function. Over time, unmanaged stress can damage relationships, leading to even more stress.
One of the side effects of ongoing stress stimulus is fat storage leading to weight gain. The stress hormone Cortisol stimulates appetite to compensate for energy burned during stressful encounters. This stimulus will normally diminish after a stressful episode. However, when stress is ongoing, the urge to eat remains constant. Over time, stress can cause visceral fat stores that pose a danger to health. As trainers, it is difficult to facilitate weight loss when our clients are perpetually stressed out.
Stress management strategies should be incorporated into personal training protocols. Helping our clients manage their stress will help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It will also help restore digestive and circulatory health, and enable them to perform better, both in the gym and in their daily lives. Yoga, meditation, tai chi, and qui gong are practices that can help mitigate stress. Deep breathing can be a useful strategy for on-the-spot stress relief.
Understanding more about how stress and other factors affect health will help you become a better fitness practitioner. W.I.T.S. offers solutions to the problems posed by your clients. Lifestyle Fitness Coaching Certification and Certified Personal Trainer are two online courses that will equip you to meet your clients' needs head-on.
American Psychological Association, 2014: Stress in America: Paying with Our Health
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2014/stress-report.pdf
*Images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.
There are many aspects to a workout regime. The parts many people think of are strength training, cardio and nutrition. What about stretching? Aside from lengthening the muscles you are activating during your regular workouts, consider the muscles that can become overactive due to everyday activities. As a personal trainer, many clients come to me with tight shoulders and hips. This is not uncommon for most of America since many work at a desk for 8 hours or more per day. If you go from work, to a long commute in your car, to sitting at home watching T.V. then you will be in this seated position all day long. Tight chest and shoulders can lead to neck pain and poor posture while tight hips can create discomfort in the lower back. Not good!
A few years ago, I had a friend introduce me to yoga. The surprising thing that I noticed was that I wasn't very flexible to start. I had stretched after my workouts, but it was obvious that what I was doing was just not enough. After practicing yoga regularly, I began to incorporate these poses into my personal training programs to help correct issues with my clients. These poses are very accessible so clients can do them when they are not training.
To make these more effective, I suggest holding these stretches for 30-45 seconds and repeating 2-3 times after your workout. Since the key to progress is consistency, these should be performed multiple times a week.
Do you have any other yoga poses for shoulder or hip opening that you use for yourself or for your clients?
The post Integrating Yoga With Fitness Training appeared first on The NFPT Blog.
Score one for better health, or at least, a legislative measure aimed at steering consumers away from unhealthy choices. In this case, it was a one-cent per ounce sales tax on sugary soft drinks in a single community in California.
Berkeley recently became the first city in the nation to pass a tax on sugary drinks – part
of an effort to combat obesity in the U.S., particularly among children. The initiative aimed to put a tax on most soda and sugar-sweetened drinks - sports drinks, ice tea, juice drinks and energy drinks, but generally not on fruit or vegetable juices, infant formula, milk, nutritional supplements, or diet drinks. The result, it is hoped by proponents, is that it will dampen soda sales in an effort to curb the number of people facing obesity and its complications. A similar effort across the bay in San Francisco, however, failed.
An obvious question is “Why?”
Much finger pointing is aimed at the beverage industry, which over the past five years has spent well in excess of a million dollars nationwide to thwart special taxes on soda. However, the divide between the measure's success in Berkeley and its defeat in San Francisco may have much to do with how the initiatives were structured as well as the demographics of the voters. The initiative in the relatively diverse population of San Francisco, which would have placed a 2-cent per ounce tax on sugary beverages there, needed a two-thirds vote in order to pass, while the vote in the academic enclave of Berkeley required only a simple majority. Cool comfort perhaps, but a potentially encouraging precedent, nonetheless.
For its part, the American Beverage Association (ABA) contends that a soda tax will increase the cost of groceries for low-income families. Some studies have shown that people with less education consume twice as many soft drinks as consumers with a college education.
“We commend Berkeley for rejecting the big spending and false arguments of outsiders and standing up for what they knew was right for their community,” American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said in a statement. “Sugary drinks are an unnecessary part of the American diet that decades ago were just a treat and are now guzzled at alarming rates. From sports drinks to sodas to fruit-flavored drinks, today's children are drinking their age in these sugary drinks each week. Evidence shows adults should not consume more than about 36 ounces, or 450 calories, each week. Yet the average 8-year-old boy consumes 8 servings, or 64 ounces, each week. Reducing consumption will improve rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”
A statement by the ABA suggests that placing a tax on soda may not be the only path toward what would appear to be a common goal. In the statement, the association says that the beverage industry will work with “serious policy leaders” to focus on effective solutions that speak to the complex issue of obesity in today's society. That includes major beverage companies setting a goal of voluntarily reducing the number of calories consumed from beverages by 20 percent by 2025.
The relatively new issue of a “sin” tax on sugary beverages already has a history.
The beverage industry was able to push for court action that effectively halted an effort by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to place an outright ban on the sale of supersized soft drinks there. That came after the New York State Legislature also put aside Bloomberg's recommendation for a sugar tax at the state level.
Ultimately, time will tell whether the comparatively modest measure on the West Coast is a guiding light or a flash in the pan.
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