Archive for January 2011
Getting Permits for Outdoor Fitness Programs
Finding Locations
On any given day, you can find an outdoor fitness class operating at your local park. But it wasn’t always this way.
Read MoreTraining From a Distance
Client: Elizabeth Personal Trainer: Massiel MirandaLocation: Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Miami Time for Change. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved sweets,” says Elizabeth, a 32-year-old therapist from Miami. “I’ve always been ‘chubby.’” As a child, she preferred playing with dolls and watching movies over outdoor physical activity.
Read MoreThe Best Boot Camp Moves You’re Not Using
It’s 8:00 o’clock Saturday morning at San Diego’s Mission Bay Park. You might expect a quiet morning with a few “early-bird” families strolling along the park’s winding paths. However, the park is far from quiet. Cast your eye around and you will likely see a group of sweaty individuals working for the weekend. Some groups stay put, while others travel along the bay’s expanse. The 2005 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, Todd Durkin, MA, and his team chant loudly as they sprint by a group of women performing squats with strollers nearby.
Read MoreIDEA Home Study (Take CEC/CEU Test Online Now!)
Exercise Maintains Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults
Older adults who participated in a moderate exercise program for 1 year improved cognitive functioning, according to a study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (2010; 2 [Article 32], 1–17; doi:10.3389/fnagi.2010.00032). To compare the cognitive effects of aerobic training with those of stretching, toning and balance (STB) training among older adults, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recruited 65 subjects ranging in age from 59 to 80 years. Subjects reported having engaged in very little physical activity in the previous 6 months.
Read MoreFitness DVD Piracy
Fitness professionals who create and/or star in exercise DVDs, beware: piracy may be hampering your sales. Beachbody, creators of DVD-based P90X and other fitness programs, is one company that claims to be hit hard by piracy. “The pirates, preying on the universal consumer desire to find a bargain, cost Beachbody’s coaches and the company itself millions of dollars, both because of lost sales as well as the millions that must be spent to constantly battle the counterfoil problem,” explains Beachbody senior vice president and general counsel Jonathan Gelfand.
Read MorePresident’s Council Expands
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has changed its name and extended its reach to include nutrition. “This year we’re expanding the work of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to include not just a focus on active lifestyles, but healthy eating, too,” stated First Lady Michelle Obama in a press release.
Read MoreExercise Linked to Greater Sexual Function in Men
Men interested in improving sexual function may want to swap out those little blue pills for a set of dumbbells. Research presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (2010; 183 [4], Supplement, e578) suggests that men who exercise regularly experience greater sexual function than those who do not. To determine the results, the researchers evaluated two surveys completed by 178 apparently healthy men.
Read MoreDo-It-Yourself Public Relations
According to Entrepreneur magazine, leveraging media is one of the most successful ways to attract new business for your product or service. But simply writing about your product or service will not boost your bottom line. Here are five “do-it-yourself” tips for spreading the word, courtesy of Entrepreneur. 1. Know Your Audience. The more specific…
Read MoreFight Colds With Exercise?
’Tis the season for sniffles, sore throats, coughs and headaches. Fear not, suggests a recent study. According to one researcher from Appalachian State University, it may be possible to ward off those winter woes with regular exercise. Published online, November 1, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2010.077875), the study analyzed daily logs of more than 1,000 individuals aged 18–85 for 12 weeks during fall and winter months.
Read MoreACE Announces Fitness Trends for 2011
Last year may have seemed a struggle for fitness professionals, what with the economic downturn. Will this trend continue, or will 2011 bring greater security for business owners? “After what has been a tough couple of years economically, things are looking up as far as the fitness industry is concerned,” says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). “Consumers are ready to focus on improving their overall health.” What else is in store for the New Year? Here are some of ACE’s top fitness trends for 2011:
Read MoreExercise Linked to Reduced Endometrial Cancer Risk
According to the National Cancer Institute, 43,470 new cases of endometrial cancer were reported in 2010 in the United States. In the same year, 7,950 women fell victim to the cancer, which develops on the tissue lining of the uterus. Findings presented at the Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research “Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research” Conference suggest that regular exercise may reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Read MoreThe Commuter’s Workout
According to the American Public Transportation Association, Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation in 2008. While many riders snooze or catch up on reading en route, a commute can also offer an opportunity to improve physical activity levels. Do you regularly use public transportation? Try the following suggestions from 2007 IDEA Fitness Instructor…
Read MoreGym Membership Usage in the United States
Have you ever wondered how many people actually use their gym memberships? According to a report from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), more than 45 million health club members made an average of 102 visits to facilities in 2009. Those members earned about $75,000 per year and paid an average of $41.47 per month for gym membership; their average age was 40.7 years.
Read MoreStrength Training Benefits Heart Health
Cardiovascular physical activity has long been a go-to means for improving heart health. A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (2010; 24 [10], 2846-52) indicates that resistance training may also prove beneficial for the heart. The small study included 10 male subjects who completed two forms of exercise: upper- and lower-body resistance training consisting of 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 65% of 1-repetition maximum; and 30 minutes of cycling at 65% of VO2peak.
Read MoreFind the Fun in Fitness
When meeting with potential clients, fitness professionals often talk up the psychological benefits of exercise. A recent study of 40,401 Norwegians confirms that exercise “staves off depression,” but there is a caveat.
Read MoreChildhood Obesity Rates Increase Worldwide
Childhood obesity rates climbed 10% for all United States children and 18% for female children between 2003 and 2007, according to a recent issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine (July 2010; 164 [7], 598–607). Utah and Mississippi showed an overweight prevalence of 23.1% and 44.5%, respectively, among kids aged 10–17 years.
Read MorePresident Obama signs child nutrition bill into law
In early December President Barack Obama signed the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act,” which First Lady Michelle Obama lauded as “a groundbreaking piece of bipartisan legislation that will significantly improve the quality of meals that children receive at school and will play an integral role in our efforts to combat childhood obesity.”
Read Morevalentine’s day black-bean fudge
Super easy to whip together, this dairy-free fudge recipe features a surprising ingredient: black beans. Don’t be put off by the legumes—you won’t be able to taste them! The beans replace the milk and sugar in a traditional fudge recipe, while providing a decent amount of protein. Naturally sweet carob powder means very little sweetener is needed. Protect your sweetheart’s health with a batch of these for Valentine’s Day! 1 15-ounce can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (or about 13/4 cups cooked beans)
Read MoreIOM report sets dietary reference intake levels for calcium and vitamin D
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report that redraws the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for vitamin D and concludes that calcium supplements are often not needed.
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