Education Sessions

A recovery day can mean more than avoiding movement altogether! Join Dane Robinson, a world renowned coach and trainer, for an experiential overview of intentional programming behind recovery-focused workouts. Dane will share key insights into smarter recovery programming, providing direction on how and why this can be an integral component of a well-rounded exercise regimen for the everyday athlete. Attendees will leave the session with a blueprint for a recovery-focused workout they can utilize with clients. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the power of recovery in action!

All hail the king of aesthetic, function and athletic performance. THE GLUTES are finally getting their well deserved place in the gym, in a quad driven fitness world. From glute activation, isolation, and enhancement. Exercises from correction, to strength, power and hypertrophy. What moves are best, and for what clients?

Join Senior Fitness Specialist Ruben for a workshop on functional movement exercises that enhance strength, balance, and flexibility for Special Populations. This workshop promotes brain and cognitive health in older adults by providing physical and mental stimulation in a fun and interactive style. You will learn how to incorporate cognitive exercises and brain challenges into your fitness classes using Functional Fitness movements to boost mental sharpness and improve memory retention.

This session will illustrate the physical and psychosocial uniqueness of youth and describe evidence-based strategies for designing youth fitness programs that are safe, effective, and fun. An emphasis will be placed on implementing innovative programs that target strength-deficits, develop fundamental movement skills, and spark an ongoing interest in a range of exercise and sport activities. Resources to overcome barriers and provide opportunities for children and adolescents to participate in developmentally appropriate fitness programs will be discussed.

From the weekend-warrior to the elite athlete, dietary nitrate (beetroot juice and green leafy vegetables) supplementation has been marketed for its performance enhancing qualities. Join Colin as he addresses a decade-long evolution of the anticipated performance benefits for both aerobic and anaerobic athletes. This session will take attendees on a journey through the literature from past to present including loading strategies, dose-response relationship and more! No stone is left unturned, and attendees will be able to answer the question “Who benefits from dietary nitrate supplementation”?

Individuals with disabilities have significantly higher obesity rates and other comorbid conditions. Most fitness professionals do not have the training or expertise to design exercise programs for this population. Occupational therapists (OT) knowledge of client barriers, environmental boundaries, and evidence-based practices empowers them to work with fitness professionals to bridge this gap. Literature suggests that healthcare professionals have not collaborated with fitness professionals to create inclusive interdisciplinary teams. OT’s have been tasked to champion preventative healthcare through the Healthy People 2030 initiative. Using an interdisciplinary approach to create exercise programs within client-centered health management routines will profoundly impact communities.

A growth mindset involves the belief that intelligence is adaptable and allows individuals to be resilient and embrace challenges. Exercise adherence increases when intrinsic factors drive individuals, and their experiences are perceived as positive. This session will teach fitness professionals strategies to become purposeful motivators using a growth mindset to enhance intrinsic motivation and positive affect to develop exercise adherence.

Abundant research shows that we can achieve great fitness AND save lives doing moderate or vigorous workouts in only 10 minutes a day! Neuroscience "Sweet Spot" Strategies combine Physical & Cognitive elements shown to improve focus, attention, energy,& mood. 21 physical skills and the 5 main functions of the Brain are addressed - all of which are needed for optimal function.There’s no longer a need to become stressed over long, grueling, boring, workouts!. Juggling & struggling to find time, manage family, job and more? Find 10 minutes to start or end your day, to enhance your Health & Prevent Decline.

Improper exercise form can significantly increase the risk of injuries during workouts. Performing exercises with incorrect form puts an unnecessary stress on different muscles, joints, and connective tissues, making individuals more susceptible to strains, sprains, fractures, and other injuries. This WS is designed to help clients learn the proper execution of various strength and resistance exercises for both fitness enhancement and injury prevention. Detailed in-person demonstration of exercises, accompanied by informative L materials, will help attendees to learn the nuances of healthy body mechanics during strength and resistance training and incorporate safe training techniques into their fitness routine.

It is no secret that our traditional approaches to improving movement quality (e.g., static stretching and banded joint mobilizations) have been unsuccessful. For many, these strategies have led to hours of wasted time when the answer to their mobility restriction was right in front of them: loaded mobility training. Loaded mobility training has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve mobility while not presenting the same adverse effects of stretching. This session will provide you with an understanding of the science behind loaded mobility training and how to integrate it safely and effectively into your training programs.

High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is a unique exercise training program that emphasizes functional, multi-joint movements that can be modified for all fitness levels to elicit superior muscle recruitment and fitness benefits. We will first review the latest physiology and metabolic effects of this new training modality. A highlight of this presentation are eight (8) creative HIFT conditioning workouts for clients with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

As Fitness professionals, we spend our days caring for the well-being of others, yet making time for our own comprehensive health can be hard. Even with the advanced knowledge and skills we hold, addressing our personal well-being may not be easy. This presentation will explore and validate the unique challenges health and fitness professionals experience. We’ll discuss targeted behavior change principles and motivation concepts to help you better care for yourself and provide a guide for making comprehensive improvements to your well-being.

Forgetting to followup with your leads results in thousands of dollars left on the table each month. Generating, organizing and following up with new leads is often neglected simply because there is no organization or process that feels easy. In this session you will learn how to simplify and organize the follow up process so you never leave another lead behind again.