ACE Certified News - January 2012 by American Council on Exercise

CERTIFIEDNEWS January 2012

Research Confirms Benefits of Personal Training

Table

Contents

Staff PUBLISHER Scott Goudeseune CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. EDITOR Christine J. Ekeroth, M.S.H.S.

Does Childhood Obesity Start At Conception?

COVER STORY

Does Personal Training and Fitness Coaching Really Work? New Research Offers Answers Does working with a personal trainer or fitness coach really help consumers achieve their health and fitness goals? You’ve undoubtedly been asked this question before, but could offer little evidence other than personal experience because so little research has been done in this area. A new study, however, offers you—and your potential clients—scientific proof of the potential benefits of working with a trained fitness professional.

Did you know that some of our basic fitness principles originated more than 5,000 years ago? And you may be surprised to learn how events like wars and inventions like the computer have influenced our fitness knowledge and practices. Here in part 1 of this series, we highlight the first 25 notable events, people and trends that have shaped the history of fitness beginning with primitive man up to some famous figures of the 20th century.

Mind Over Matter: Can Your Clients Be Tricked Into Better Performance? What limits how fast a person can run, swim or cycle? How high she can jump? How hard he can strike a tennis ball or throw a javelin? For years, exercise physiologists pondering the elements of ultimate athletic performance believed that an athlete’s body (including his or her genes) sets the ceiling, but a growing body of research suggests that our minds play a prominent role in fixing our limits—or allowing us to surpass them.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

The American Council on Exercise (ACE)® is a non-profit organization committed to enriching quality of life through safe and effective physical activity. As America’s Authority on Fitness,® ACE protects all segments of society against ineffective fitness products, programs and trends through its ongoing public education, outreach and research. ACE further protects the public by setting certification and continuing education standards for fitness professionals. This publication is not intended to provide medical advice on personal health issues, which should be obtained directly from a physician.

From Ancient Greece to Zumba: 50 Events, People and Trends That Have Shaped the History of Fitness (Part 1)

Mission Statement

Why That Mid-Morning Snack Could Be Derailing Your Clients’ Weight-Loss Efforts When it comes to losing weight, it’s generally the culmination of numerous small actions—such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or choosing nonfat over whole milk—that end up making the biggest difference. Unfortunately, the reverse also appears to be true. New research suggests that something as benign as a mid-morning snack may hamper even the most dedicated dieter’s efforts.

Few would argue that the changes in the way we live—from how we get to work and school to what we eat for snacks and meals—are responsible for the rapid and alarming widening of our waistlines from infancy to old age. But it turns out that, for many kids, the risk of obesity starts long before their first fast-food outing, bowl of ice cream, or entire afternoon spent watching TV or playing video games.

ART DIRECTOR Karen F. McGuire

Q and A: Muscle Activation (MAT) Training Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) is growing in popularity and many personal trainers are wondering if earning this credential is worth the time and expense. ACE Exercise Physiologist Pete McCall explains the theory behind MAT training and describes how personal trainers might benefit from offering this service to their clients.

Have You Moved?

If you move or change your e-mail address, please notify us immediately so we can update our records. That way you won’t miss any important communications from ACE. Just give us a call at 800-825-3636. www.acefitness.org

ACE, American Council on Exercise, ACE Certified News and Workout Watchdog are registered trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.

ACE CertifiedNews CEC

January 2012

quiz

To earn 0.1 continuing education credits (CECs), you must carefully read this issue of ACE CertifiedNews answer the 10 questions below, achieve a passing score (a minimum of 70 percent), and complete and return the credit verification form below, confirming that you have read the materials and achieved a minimum passing score. In a hurry? Save money by taking the quiz online at www.acefitness.org/cnquiz for $15 and gain instant access to CECs. Circle the single best answer for each of the following questions. 1. Some experts believe that man’s ultimate performance ceiling is restricted by ________________. A. Physics B. Training C. Genetics D. Psychology 2. N ew research suggests that ___________________ could potentially slow down weight-loss efforts. A. Mid-morning snacking B. Mid-afternoon snacking C. Bedtime snacking D. Snacking at any time of day

5. A study of cyclers found that athletes could be tricked into riding _________ faster than their previous personal best. A. 1 percent B. 2 percent C. 5 percent D. 8 percent

4. M ost adults spend more than _____________ of their waking hours being sedentary, which has been identified as a major risk factor for early death. A. 40 percent B. 55 percent C. 70 percent D. 85 percent

7. A pregnant woman needs, on average, an extra __________ per day to support a developing baby. A. 200 calories B. 300 calories C. 500 calories D. 800 calories

Answer Key: 1. A

2. A

3. C 4. C 5. B

6. C 7. B

8. D 9. D 10. D

3. W hich ancient civilization is credited with promoting physical well-being as a foundation for a healthy mind? A. The Persian Empire B. Ancient China C. Ancient Greece D. The Mayans

6. W hich of the following is NOT a goal of MAT training? A. Identify if muscles have appropriate sensory input and neural feedback to perform optimally B. Enhance joint ROM through lowthreshold isometric contractions C. Improve flexibility and strength through dynamic exercise D. Perform assessments to identify muscles unable to produce adequate force

Evaluation of credit offering: 1. Was material q New q Review for you? 2. Was material presented clearly? q Yes q No 3. Was material covered adequately? q Yes q No 4. Will you be able to use the information learned from this credit offering in your profession? q Yes q No If yes, how? _____________________________________________________ Please attach business card, or type or print legibly: Name:_______________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________ City:____________________________________________________________________________ State:__________ ZIP:_____________________ Country:_____________________ E-mail:______________________________________________________________ (e-mail required for electronic CEC confirmation receipt)

Business Phone:_____________________________________________________ Fax:_________________________________________________________________ ACE Certification #:____________________________________________________ Degree/Major/Institution:_______________________________________________

8. A recent study of college students concluded that those who worked with a personal trainer or fitness coach ____________________ than those who exercised independently. A. Lost more body fat • B. Saw greater improvements in V O2 C. Lowered their BMI scores more significantly D. Experienced greater reductions in the amount of time spent sitting each day 9. W hich of the following individuals is NOT considered to be one of the top 25 contributors to the history of fitness? A. Catherine Beecher B. Jack LaLanne C. Confucious D. Julius Caesar 10. O ne study found that children born to mothers who gained excessive weight during pregnancy had a ____________ higher risk of being overweight by the age of seven. A. 12 percent B. 22 percent C. 34 percent D. 48 percent

I attest that I have read the articles in this issue, answered the test questions using the knowledge gained through those articles and received a passing grade (minimum score: 70 percent). Completing this self-test with a passing score will earn you 0.1 continuing education credit (CEC). Signature:______________________________________ Date:____________ q Change my address as shown above. Effective date:______________ SAVE MONEY BY TAKING THE QUIZ ONLINE FOR $15 To receive ACE Credits, mail this page, with a $20 Processing Fee for ACE-certifieds or $25 for non-ACE-certifieds, to the following address: ACE Correspondence Courses, American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Drive, San Diego, CA 92123 Payment Method: q I’ve enclosed a check or money order made payable to the American Council on Exercise. q Please bill my credit card: q American Express® q VISA® q MasterCard® Card Number____________________________________________________ Exp. Date __________________________________ CVS Code__________ Signature________________________________________________________ An additional $25 fee will be assessed on any returned checks. CN

Expires January 2013 January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

KeepingYouPosted

How to Advance Your Fitness Career to the Next Level by Pete McCall, M.S. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’VE WORKED HARD, STUDIED, AND have finally passed your ACE Personal Trainer certification. Now what? While many health club companies do offer personal trainers the opportunity to progress through education-based levels so they can earn a higher pay rate per training session, once an individual has been a personal trainer for a while, there are only a limited number of options for advancement. In my experience, good personal trainers who do not receive guidance on how to progress their careers will work because they are dedicated to their clients, but will eventually leave to start their own business or take a job in a completely different industry—all due to a lack of career opportunities. But, there’s hope. If you are a motivated self-starter who sets your own goals and has the drive to achieve them, it is possible to have a challenging and rewarding fitness career. There are plenty of job opportunities in the fitness industry to find a career path that matches your interests.

Manager

Traditionally, in most health clubs, the only option for advancing a career is to progress from training clients to managing the fitness department. And often, the most successful trainer or group exercise instructor is promoted to manager on the (misguided) theory that he or she can help others run a successful business. Or, the gym hopes he or she can make all the classes as popular as theirs. The fact is that often times, a good trainer or instructor is not successful as a manager because running a department, managing a budget, supervising a staff (including communicating expectations and holding staff to them) require completely different skill sets than training clients or teaching classes. Taking on a management responsibility does mean extra work, but usually comes with steady compensation that does not depend on clients showing up for scheduled sessions, benefits such as paid holidays and sick leave along with a bonus structure for achieving production goals. Some health club companies provide excellent training and support and in this case making the move from a trainer to manager can be a rewarding promotion. However, some club companies fail to provide the proper training on critical managements skills and when a trainer does get promoted to manager, he or she is simply given the keys to the facility, some instruction on how to do payroll and is then left to sink or swim based solely on his or her own innate abilities.

Tips for Becoming a Manager

To identify opportunities for progressing your fitness career with your current employer, start by asking your direct supervisor what options exist and what you need to be doing to be eligible for a promotion. In my experience, once a good boss knows of your interests, he or she will work with you and help you succeed.

Fitness Educator

If you decide that you don’t want to advance into management, another challenging option is to move into the education side by teaching continuing education workshops. That’s the path that I forged for myself, so here’s my personal experience:

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

I actually went a little backwards by starting in club management (first as an assistant GM then as a GM) before becoming a fulltime personal trainer and group fitness instructor. While I really liked training and teaching, I found that I also enjoyed learning. I discovered that one of the most effective ways to learn was to help others learn, which led me to become an educator. I was working in the Washington, D.C. locations of a large health club company that experienced a period of rapid expansion—from five D.C.-area locations when I started in 1998 to 18 by 2006. Working for a large, multi-site company opened doors to teach the orientation and ongoing continuing education workshops for trainers. Eventually, my time was split evenly between training clients, teaching group fitness and teaching continuing education workshops. From there, I got my master’s degree and became the Director of Education for a different health club company before being hired by a personal trainer certification organization based in San Diego. (Obviously, I’m talking about ACE.)

Tips for Becoming an Educator

If you work for a large, multi-site organization, ask how you can become involved in educating new staff or teaching continuing education workshops. You may need to start as an assistant teacher helping with practical portions of the education programming before becoming a lead educator. If you don’t work for a large company then ask your employer if you can develop and teach a workshop for the other employees. In both cases, you might need to offer a couple of complimentary workshops to demonstrate that you are an effective teacher and that the other trainers would be able to apply what you teach them. After you have led a couple of workshops with good results, then it is time to write a proposal to ask for compensation.

Volunteer at Fitness Industry Conferences

Volunteering at fitness industry conferences is another way to break into the education side—you will be able to meet top fitness educators and learn from them, too. This may mean losing some income in the short term, but the payoff can be huge. From 2002-2005, I volunteered at the ECA conferences on the east coast—New York and Miami—and this helped me meet and learn from top fitness educators who offered invaluable advice about advancing my career. No matter what your personal goals are in this business, you can achieve them. The first step to achieving your goals is to write them down. Former NFL player Darrel Green said, “A goal is nothing more than a dream until you write it down.” You can do anything you want in this business—whether you want to get into operations and management or educating and teaching—but you will have to put in the effort to make it happen. Ask the people doing what you want for advice; in my experience, I’ve found they’re more than happy to help. Visit the ACE Fitnovatives™ blog to read more blogs from ACE exercise physiologists and industry experts geared to keeping you on the forefront of fitness.

ACE Exclusive Holiday Offer—60% Off BodyMedia LINK Armband AN EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR OUR ACE-CERTIFIED FITNESS professionals: Now through December 31st, save 60% on the BodyMedia LINK Armband (Bluetooth®-enabled), a well-designed and incredibly easy-to-use online product you’ve been looking for to help you eat healthier and stay active. Its multiple online tools include real-time caloric burn and activity data and can create personalized workouts based upon caloric, activity or step goals. Already a big hit with many gym members and fitness professionals, this on-body monitoring system makes the perfect gift for anyone striving to lose weight and wanting to make a true lifestyle change in the new year.

Don’t miss this one-time opportunity! Order your BodyMedia LINK Armband (Bluetooth-enabled) today. Offer is valid only through Dec. 31. Don’t miss out this holiday season! From fitness equipment and apparel to training and insurance, these well-known business and organizations offer ACE-certified fitness professionals special discounts! • SPRI: 15% Off Fitness Equipment • YogaFit: 15% Off on Selected Apparel; 20% Off Teacher Training Level 1 • Training Peaks: Free Professional Edition Trial • Fitness Pak: Discounted Health Insurance • FitGifts

ACE Integrated Fitness Training® (ACE IFT®) Model— Your Roadmap to a Better Career ACE-CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER SCOTT GORDON CREDITS the ACE Integrated Fitness Training (ACE IFT) Model for his rising success as a new business owner. He isn’t alone. Kimberly Fleming, owner of Keep It Moving Fitness, and Joanne DuncanCarnesciali, owner of Focused Wellness Inc., also feel that adopting the revolutionary ACE IFT Model into their personal training programs has given them the critical tools they needed to take their personal-training careers to a higher level.

ACE IFT Model at a Glance

Ultimately, the ACE IFT Model was created to meet the needs of an evolving fitness industry. It addresses the most commonly overlooked critical issue—the relationship between trainers and clients. The foundation of the model is to create a connection with clients. Too many personal trainers fail to really connect with their clients and, to draw a parallel, build a solid foundation upon which to build a robust home. The model also has a new approach to Cardiorespiratory Training: There are four phases that allow you to assess clients right away and progress them safely along the health-fitness-performance continuum. The second component is Functional Movement and Resistance Training, a blueprint to address a client’s need for stability and mobility training and movement training: Phase 1 addresses assessment and training for postural and joint stability and mobility; Phase 2 focuses on training the basic movement patterns of single leg actions, squatting, bending, pushing and pulling and rotating. Trainers learn how to assess clients’ posture, balance, movement and range of motion and how to progress them safely and effectively through the kinetic chain of stability and mobility movements.

What does the IFT Model Mean for You? Read These Success Stories by Real Trainers If you’re wondering what the ACE IFT Model can do for you, your clients and your business and career, know that its revolutionary approach is life-changing. For business owner Scott Gordon, learning about the ACE IFT Model has been instrumental in connecting with his clients and truly understanding their needs and goals. This has allowed him to grow a successful business in one year.

“Before I learned about the ACE IFT Model, I used to assess everyone the same,” Gordon said. “I used to do body compositions, a fitness and health assessment and movement screens, not realizing that some clients were turned off by some of these tests.” Thanks to the ACE IFT Model, Gordon first focuses on learning what makes his clients tick, and then proceeds with his assessments. Among his success stories is a 40-year-old female client, whose negative perception of the “in-your-face-trainer-approach” as seen in the TV show “The Biggest Loser,” created a tremendous barrier for Gordon. But his empathetic style and attentive listening skills paid off. The client lost 40 pounds, became an avid runner and is now one of Gordon’s loyal clients. For Kimberly Fleming, the ACE IFT Model meant a real breakthrough with her toughest client—her mother. “My mother was always scared of exercise,” Fleming said. “This (her new training approach) has made my mother jump into exercise and love it.” Like Gordon, Fleming used to “scare off” clients with a battery of initial tests. Now, she knows that every client is unique, needs to start off at a place of comfort and wants to address specific needs. The model has taught her how to do all that. Joanne Duncan-Carnesciali, an experienced trainer who has earned the advanced ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach Certification, feels that every trainer should learn and understand the ACE IFT Model. “What is fabulous about the Model is that it includes all the tools personal trainers need to assist clients to meet their goals in a safe, progressive manner,” Duncan-Carnesciali said. Moreover, she said, “I’ve learned that I can learn a whole lot about what assessments to perform, or not to perform, if I ask the right questions and listen well during the fact-finding rapport-building section of the assessment.” Because it is our desire and goal to watch every trainer succeed, we encourage you to learn more about the ACE IFT Model today. Our free online course offers an excellent introduction. Earn 0.1 CECs and tell us how the ACE IFT Model has changed the way you train your clients. January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

N utrition

Does Childhood Obesity Start at Conception?

By Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D.

t is no secret that the United States faces an epidemic of childhood obesity. Obesity prevalence among children has increased from 5 percent in the 1960s to about 17 percent currently (Ogden et al., 2006). Few would argue that the changes in the way we live—from how we get to work and school to what we eat for snacks and meals—are responsible for the rapid and alarming widening of our waistlines from infancy to old age. But it turns out that, for many kids, the risk of obesity starts long before their first fast-food outing, bowl of ice cream, or entire afternoon spent watching TV or playing video games. A growing body of research points to the role of the prenatal environment on later health outcomes for children, especially when it comes to the propensity to gain weight. A retrospective study of 10,000 babies found that the risk of overweight by age seven was 48 percent higher for babies whose moms had excessive pregnancy weight gain, even after accounting for numerous potential confounders (Wrotniak et al., 2008). Other studies found similar results for preschoolers and adolescents (Oken et al., 2008; Oken et al., 2007). Results from a study presented this past summer at the Endocrine Society meeting found that women who gained excessive weight during pregnancy had newborns with more fat mass than newborns whose moms gained the appropriate amount of weight—17.5 ounces of fat compared with 13.9 ounces. About 70 percent of women exceeded weightgain recommendations (Josefson, 2011). It appears that there is something about moms gaining more than the Institute of Medicine recommendations that may predispose their kids to pack on the pounds. Researchers suggest several potential explanations for the relationship between excess pregnancy weight gain and childhood obesity, but none are certain. For instance, it may just be that moms who gain too much share the same obesity-promoting genetic make-up and dietary and activity preferences as their kids. While certainly this plays some role, the relationship between too much pregnancy weight gain and childhood obesity holds even

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

for moms who started pregnancy at a normal weight. It

The research to date is insufficient to guide

probably has a lot to do with blood sugar, which tends to

obstetricians and expecting women with proven

be elevated in women who gain too much weight, whether

strategies to prevent excessive weight gain (Gardner et

or not they develop gestational diabetes. Glucose passes

al., 2011). The best advice you can give your clients may

through the placenta, but insulin does not. When the fetus

simply be to go back to the basic principles for weight

experiences the elevated blood sugar, his or her pancreas

management for the general population: balance calories

must secrete more insulin to normalize blood sugar levels.

in with calories out. And that comes from a well-thought-

Insulin itself is a growth factor causing a fetus to be larger.

out nutrition and activity plan.

It also may initiate a hormonal cascade that leads to increased appetite and weight gain in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. While excess weight gain during pregnancy is associated with harmful outcomes for infants regardless of mom’s

Institute of Medicine Guidelines for Weight Gain Pre-pregnancy BMI

Total Weight Gain (lb)

Weight Gain 2nd/3rd Trimesters (lb/week)

28-40

1.0−1.3

25−35

0.8−1.0

15−25

0.5−0.7

11−20

0.4−0.6

Underweight (<18.5 kg/m2) Normal weight (18.5−24.9 kg/m2)

pre-partum weight (in fact, the

Overweight

effects are most pronounced

(25.0−29.9 kg/m )

for underweight moms who

Obese (>/= 30kg/m2)

gain too much weight),

Source: Rasmussen K. and Yaktine, A. (2009). Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine.

overweight women are more

likely to give birth to underweight or overweight babies; both are scenarios that increase an infant’s risk of obesity later in life.

Taking Action Both an expecting mom and her developing baby can benefit enormously from lifestyle changes a mom makes

Food Choices For optimal maternal health and growth of the baby, the Federal Government recommends an individualized Daily Food Plan for Moms (check out choosemyplate.gov). The following general guidelines should set the stage for a healthy pregnancy and appropriate weight gain. •

during pregnancy. Here are some important tips to offer

lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner and an

your pregnant clients to help them achieve the healthiest possible outcome.

evening snack. •

and mineral) needs. Most obstetricians also

Perhaps the most important action an expecting mom

recommend a prenatal vitamin for “insurance.” •

during pregnancy to avoid excessive weight gain. A pregnant woman needs about an extra 300 calories

Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high-calcium foods to meet micronutrient (vitamin

Curb Excessive Weight Gain can take is to optimize her nutrition and physical activity

Eat five small meals per day including breakfast,

Meet increased protein needs through a varied diet high in nutrient-dense foods and lean proteins.

•

Eat low-mercury fatty fish twice per week. Some

to support a developing baby—a little less in the first

research suggests that fish oils (omega-3s) may

trimester and more in the third. An expecting mom should

enhance pregnancy duration and improve the

let hunger be her guide in determining how much to eat,

baby’s later cognitive, visual and cardiovascular

but she should also keep an eye on the scale to prevent

development.

excessive weight gain. If she is gaining too little or too

•

Leave a little room to satisfy cravings, but try

much, she should pay careful attention to her nutrition

to limit “empty” calories (food without much

and physical-activity habits.

nutritional value).

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

In addition to the standard guidelines above, some new research suggests that an expectant mom can also eat to shape her growing baby’s food preferences. That is, she may be able to stamp out picky eating and start her baby loving fruits and vegetables in utero. Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia have been studying how the food an expecting mother eats flavors the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus and subsequently an infant’s acceptance of various foods. In one study, researchers divided women into three groups: those who drank carrot juice every day during pregnancy, those who drank carrot juice everyday while breastfeeding, and those who avoided carrots completely. Then, when the babies began solid foods, the researchers videotaped their responses when fed rice cereal made with either water or carrot juice. The babies that had been exposed to carrot flavors in amniotic fluid or in breast milk ate more of the carrot-flavored cereal and they made fewer negative faces while eating it (Cuda-Kroen, 2011). This may be one reason why babies from cultures in which a pregnant woman eats spicy, bitter and pungent foods have kids who lovingly accept those foods. It may also be one way to get kids turned on to fruits and vegetables and help to avoid overweight and obesity.

Physical Activity The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that otherwise healthy pregnant women engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most if not all days of the week (ACOG, 2002). To expound on these guidelines, ACOG published clarification by the researchers Zavorksy and Longo in the May and June 2011 issues of Sports Medicine (Zavorsky and Longo, 2011a) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (Zavorsky and Longo, 2011b). The goal is to exercise at an intensity of at least 60 percent of the heart-rate reserve while gradually increasing physicalactivity energy expenditure to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. The more vigorous the exercise, the less total exercise time is required. The researchers note that light muscle strengthening performed during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy has minimal effect on newborn body size and overall health. A mom who is physically active during her pregnancy not only improves her own health and well-being, but may also improve the heart health of her baby. In one study, babies of mothers who were physically active

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

had lower heart rates and greater heart-rate variability at 36 weeks gestation (May et al., 2010). Of course, exercise also provides the additional benefits of helping to stave off both excess weight gain and gestational diabetes. While mass efforts are underway to shape the nutrition and activity behaviors of school-age children, the most successful interventions to optimize maternal and child health may be the ones that start at conception.

References American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2002). Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 77, 1, 79–81. Cuda-Kroen G. (2011). Baby’s palate and food memories shaped before birth. National Public Radio, August 8, 2011. Gardner, B. et al. (2011). Changing diet and physical activity to reduce gestational weight gain: A meta-analysis. Obesity Review, 12, 7, e602–620. Josefson, J. (2011). Excessive pregnancy weight gain raises the risk of having a fat baby. Presented June 7, 2011, at the Endocrine Society’s 93rd Annual Meeting, Boston, Mass. May, L.E. et al. (2010). Aerobic exercise during pregnancy influences fetal cardiac autonomic control of heart rate and heart rate variability. Early Human Development, 86, 4, 213−217. Oken, E. et al. (2008). Maternal gestational weight gain and offspring weight in adolescence. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 112, 5, 999−1006. Oken, E. et al. (2007). Gestational weight gain and child adiposity at age 3 years. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 196, 4, 322, e321−328. Ogden, C.L. et al. (2006). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999−2004. Journal of the American Medical Association, 295, 13, 1549−1555. Rasmussen K. and Yaktine, A. (2009). Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine. Wrotniak, B.H. (2008). Gestational weight gain and risk of overweight in the offspring at age 7 years in a multicenter, multiethnic cohort study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87, 6, 1818−1824. Zavorsky, G.S. and Longo, L.D. (2011a). Exercise guidelines in pregnancy: New perspectives. Sports Medicine, 41, 5, 345−360. Zavorsky, G.S. and Longo, L.D. (2011b). Adding strength training, exercise intensity and caloric expenditure to exercise guidelines in pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 117, 6, 1399−1402. Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D., is a pediatrics resident at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. She’s also mom to two young children, Tommy (3) and Mariella (1).

Nutrition Note

Is That Mid-Morning Snack

Derailing Your Clients’

hen it comes to losing weight, it’s generally the culmination of numerous small actions—such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or choosing nonfat over whole milk— that end up making the biggest difference. Unfortunately, the reverse also appears to be true. New research suggests that something as benign as a mid-morning snack may hamper even the most dedicated dieter’s efforts. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association compared the dietary habits of 123 overweight-toobese postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to a diet-alone intervention or a dietplus-exercise program. Both groups followed the same dietary goals of consuming 1,200 to 2,000 calories per day (depending on starting weight), with less than 30 percent of calories coming from fat. The second group also performed 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise, five days per week. The women were followed for one year and researchers discovered that those who avoided snacking after eating a healthy breakfast lost 11 percent of their body weight, while those who consumed a mid-morning snack (defined as any food or drink) lost an average of 7 percent of total body weight. Researchers (and most nutrition experts) don’t believe snacking is inherently bad, and can, in fact, be an important tool for warding off hunger that can lead to poor choices. However, according to lead researcher Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center’s Public Health Science Division, “Mid-morning snacking…might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger.”

Weight-loss Efforts? In other words, not all snacking is bad, but it could slow down weightloss efforts if it is done habitually or mindlessly rather than in response to true hunger. Interestingly, afternoon snackers ate more fruits and vegetables compared to the women who didn’t snack after lunch. Rather than discourage your clients from snacking, instead urge them to follow the advice of most nutrition experts and choose nutrientdense snacks that also include protein, such as low-fat yogurt, string cheese and small amounts of almonds or other nuts. And, based on this latest study, snacks should be timed according to hunger and not eaten too close to other meals, particularly in the morning. Source: Kong, A. et al. (2011). Associations between snacking and weight loss and nutrient intake among postmenopausal overweight to obese women in a dietary weight-loss intervention. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111, 12, 1898−1903

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

PERSONAL TRAINING AN By Carol Kennedy-Armbruster, Ph.D., Meagan Shipley, M.S., Mary Yoke, M.A., and Hannah Calvert, B.S.

DO THEY R

ith the exception of membership fees, personal training brings in more revenue to fitness facilities than any other service. Certainly, the field has experienced remarkable growth over the past two decades, with consumers regularly listing personal training among the top five services offered by health clubs. And yet surprisingly little research has focused on the efficacy of working with a personal trainer or fitness coach. Does it really help consumers achieve their health and fitness goals?

Undoubtedly, the majority of us in the fitness industry would answer that question with a resounding yes—provided, of course, that the trainer or coach was well-qualified and the client’s goals were attainable. But this answer is largely based on anecdotal evidence. The small amount of published research related to personal-training outcomes has generally focused on biometric assessments, exercise adherence, or movement across the stages of change, according to the transtheoretical model (Prochaska and Velicer, 1997). McClaran (2003) found that weekly sessions with a personal trainer significantly

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

increased clients’ ability to move upward through the stages of change in regard to physical activity. Overall, 60 percent of study participants moved up one stage, while 13 percent moved up two stages, demonstrating evidence of healthbehavior change over a 10-week period. Personal training has also been shown to significantly impact cardiovascular- and muscle strength−related gains. Mazzetti et al. (2000) found that training loads, 1RM, peak power output and fat-free mass were all increased to a greater extent among supervised (personally trained) participants compared to those who were unsupervised. Additionally, researchers at Adelphi University

ND FITNESS COACHING:

REALLY WORK? compared in-home and at-the-gym personal training and

exercise adherence. Castro and King (2002) concluded

found that both were effective in terms of weight loss,

that home-based, telephone-supervised programs were

cardiovascular function, adherence and motivation, with little

as effective as group- or facility-based programs in terms

differences between the two (Sykes et al, 2007).

of increased functional capacity and adherence. It should

Fitness coaching [defined by Moore and Taschannen-

be noted that these studies listed included one face-to-

Moran (2010) as helping clients develop healthy lifestyle

face meeting prior to the telephone coaching intervention.

behaviors outside of structured exercise sessions] has

However, there is very little scientific research that explains

also been insufficiently studied in terms of outcomes. The

how and why fitness coaching is beneficial for enhancing

effectiveness of fitness coaching is typically determined by

healthy lifestyle behaviors.

improved lifestyle changes and reductions in illness and

This glaring lack of scientific research examining the

disease. Chapman, Lesch and Baun (2007) touted fitness

effectiveness of personal training and fitness coaching

coaching as being likely to become a staple of worksite

inspired the following study, conducted by a team of

health promotion practice, as evidenced by the number of

researchers at Indiana University. In addition to measuring

worksite wellness programs currently performing health risk

changes in health measurements such as body-fat

appraisals combined with fitness/wellness coaching.

percentage and V O2, researchers also examined how

Fitness coaching, particularly with regard to phone

â&#x20AC;˘

working with a coach or trainer affected the amount of time

interventions, has been researched within adult populations

subjects spent sitting each day, an important indicator of

and appears to be beneficial for promoting fitness and

potential health problems (see sidebar on page 12).

January 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ ACE CertifiedNews

Decreasing Sedentary Behavior (i.e., Sitting Time)

n inactive lifestyle has been identified as a positive risk factor for coronary heart disease, but findings now indicate that even with regular exercise, hours of time spent sitting may adversely affect the body’s metabolism, blood chemistry and overall physiology. As sitting time increases, disease and early death from all causes also appear to increase, even when people intentionally exercise. In other words, while regular exercise sessions throughout the week are extremely beneficial, they don’t seem to completely offset the effects of sitting for extended periods of time (Katzmarzyk et al., 2009). According to the literature, constant sitting can lead to eventual health problems and a shorter lifespan. These findings have led to the development of a research area termed “inactivity physiology.” When muscles, especially those in the legs, are “sitting,” they stimulate or suppress various hormones affecting triglycerides, cholesterol and markers for heart and other diseases. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) describes the energy that is expended for everything excluding sleeping, eating or “sportslike exercise” (Levine, 2004). Modern technology encourages sitting time, which, of course, reduces NEAT. According to researchers, many people in the U.S. have “sitting disease” and would have lower rates of obesity and lifestylerelated diseases if NEAT were increased. Most adults spend more than 70 percent of their waking hours working at a desk, riding in a car, eating meals, playing video games and watching TV. Sedentary behavior appears to be an important stand-alone component in terms of overall health and wellness. Therefore, reducing and/or breaking up sitting time must now be considered a major public health priority (Hamilton et al., 2008).

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Effects of Personal Training and Fitness Coaching on College Students It is a well-established phenomenon that students experience weight gain during the first year of college. This is a result of several factors, including decreased physical activity, increased sedentary behavior (i.e., sitting time) and poor eating habits [American College Health Association (ACHA), 2010]. Several studies have researched the effectiveness of interventions (i.e., health education and physical activity courses) targeting college students. However, few studies have documented the effectiveness of personal training and/or fitness coaching methods in the college population. Further, no previous studies have evaluated the behavior for the amount of sitting time outside of personal training and fitness coaching sessions. Little, if any, literature have documented whether personal training and fitness coaching are effective at improving physicalactivity patterns while decreasing sedentary behavior (i.e., sitting time). The focus of this project was on quantifying sitting time—in addition to traditional biometric measurements— to evaluate personal training and fitness coaching. Patel et al. (2010) demonstrated that time spent sitting was independently associated with total mortality, regardless of physical-activity levels in an adult population. Would there be differences in self-reported sitting-time patterns among these groups: those who worked with a personal trainer, those who worked with a fitness coach, and those who were independent exercisers? Personal trainers and fitness coaches were undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the university’s fitness-related degree programs. The personal trainers constructed 30-minute exercise programs and met face-to-face with clients. In contrast, fitness coaches did not meet in person with clients; instead they communicated weekly via email, texting and phone calls. Fitness coaches were instructed to give lifestyle advice and to avoid recommending specific exercise regimens. The independent exercisers served as the control group. Twenty study participants were divided into three groups based, first, upon overall preference, and then randomized to accommodate the gaps between groups. All participants lived in a college residence hall that contained onsite cardiovascular and strength-training equipment. The intervention groups received personal training (PT) and/or fitness coaching (FC), while the independent control group received neither treatment. Biometric data was collected

at the beginning and the end of the 12-week program. Participants’ body-fat percentages were analyzed via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated utilizing the YMCA 3-minute step test. Throughout the 12 weeks, the PT group met once weekly for 30-minute exercise sessions. Students assigned to the FC group received weekly emails, texts or phone calls (based on student preference). Further, FC consisted of answering participant’s health- or fitnessrelated questions and encouraging movement and exercise. The students in the control group were left to exercise independently. At the end of each week, students in each group were prompted via e-mail to complete an electronic survey reporting average time spent sitting throughout the week. Survey data was analyzed across all groups (Figure 1) for the first two weeks (T1), four weeks (T2), and six weeks (T3). The survey data was only utilized from the first six weeks because the majority of students did not respond consistently to e-mails during the last six weeks of the program. This lack of participation may have been due to other time commitments, academic pressures or opportunities for social engagement. Therefore, the survey data across all 12 weeks could not be appropriately analyzed. Biometric results revealed similar BMIs for all three groups from pre- to post-test, with an average of 22.5 among participants, which was below ACHA’s national college average of 24.8 (ACHA, 2010). However, the students in this study included only college freshmen, while the ACHA’s average included a sample population of all college-aged students. All three groups increased in average body-fat composition from pre- (21.9%) to post-test (23.12%). This is a common trend for most college students because the transition from high school

Figure 1

to college is associated with increased weight and body-fat • percentage (ACHA, 2010). The changes in V O2 were not significant due to low sample size. For the PT group, • the average V O2 was 49.3 mL/kg/min at pre-test and 54.9 mL/kg/min at post-test. For the FC group, the average • V O2 was 42.3 mL/kg/min at pre-test and 50 mL/kg/min at post-test. For the independent control group, the average • V O2 was 53.5 mLkg/min at pre-test and 46.3 mL/kg/min at post-test. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, the study findings revealed differences in self-reported sitting time across all three groups. The PT group reported the least amount of sitting time (25 percent of the time); the FC group reported sitting between 50 percent and 25 percent of the time, and the independent control group reported sitting approximately 50 percent of the time during the first six weeks of the program.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Conclusion Although more research is needed to scientifically validate the need for personal trainers and fitness coaches, this study indicates that clients receiving PT and FC improved •

V O2 and reduced sitting time when compared with the independent control group. Clearly, there are numerous benefits to working with a qualified personal trainer, including a personalized exercise program, increased motivation and support in achieving fitness and wellness goals, increased consistency due to keeping scheduled appointments, and a source of knowledge and referrals for health and fitness challenges (Hamilton et al., 2008). And fitness coaching can be a viable option for many clients due to its convenience and portability. Virtual training, email and texting may be preferable to live or face-to-face training when cost, facility access or time constraints are limiting factors. The results of this study suggest that personal training and fitness coaching both reduced sitting time in the first six weeks of the program compared to the independent control group. And, while more studies (conducted over longer periods of time) are warranted to determine if these interventions produce significant health and physiological benefits, these findings offer clients important reassurance that working with a qualified fitness professional will, in fact,

Levine, J.A. (2007). Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): Environment and biology. American Journal of Physiology, 286, 5, E675−E685. Mazzetti, S.A. et al. (2000). The influence of direct supervision of resistance training on strength performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32, 6, 1175−1184. McClaran, S.R. (2003). The effectiveness of personal training on changing attitudes towards physical activity. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2, 10−14. Moore, M. and Tschannen-Moran, B. (2010). Coaching Psychology Manual. Baltimore, Md.: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Patel, A. et al. (2010). Leisure time spent sitting in relation to total mortality in a prospective cohort of U.S. adults. American Journal of Epidemiology, 172, 4, 419−429. Prochaska, J.O. and Velicer, W.F. (1997). The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. American Journal of Health Promotion, 12, 38−48. Sykes, D. et al. (2007). The effects of in-home versus facility personal training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39, 5, S349−S350. Tharrett, S. (2010). Fitness Management, (2nd ed.) Monterey, Calif.: Healthy Learning. Wing, R.R. et al. (1996). Effects of a personal trainer and financial incentives on exercise adherence in overweight women in a behavioral weight-loss program. Obesity Research, 4, 5, 457−462.

help them meet their goals and improve their overall health and fitness.

Carol Kennedy-Armbruster, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University. She has worked in

References

the academic and private setting as an educator, program director and

American College Health Association (2010). ACHA-NCHA II Fall 2010 Executive Reference Group Summary.

Her work is centered on health and wellness translational education/

American College of Sports Medicine (2010). ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer, (3rd ed.) Baltimore, Md.: Wolters Kluwer/ Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

practitioner of fitness and wellness programs for more than 30 years. research, group exercise instruction, and functional movement analysis. Meagan Shipley, M.S., is a visiting lecturer in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University. Her primary interests include teaching

Castro, C.M. and King, A.C. (2002). Telephone-assisted counseling for physical activity. Exercise and Sport Sciences, 30,2, 64−68.

college students to “live well” by pursuing healthier and more active

Chapman, L., Lesch, N. and Baun, M. (2007). The role of health and wellness coaching in worksite health promotion. American Journal Health Promotion. 21,6, 1−10.

with a concentration in School and College Health.

Hamilton, M.T. et al. (2008). Too little exercise and too much sitting: Inactivity physiology and the need for new recommendations on sedentary behaviour. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 2, 292−298. Katzmarzyk, P.T. et al. (2009). Sitting time and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41, 5, 998−1005.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

lifestyles. She is currently working on a doctorate in Health Behavior

Mary Yoke, M.A., is a visiting lecturer at Indiana University in the Department of Kinesiology. She was a senior adjunct faculty member at Adelphi University for 22 years in New York, where she authored numerous group exercise research studies and received an award for excellence in teaching. Hannah Calvert, B.S., is a graduate of Indiana University’s Health Fitness Specialist Program, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in exercise physiology at the University of Texas.

NEW!

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Stay ahead of the competition by signing up for ACE’s premier online magazine published and distributed 12 times/year to certified fitness professionals at no cost. Discover how to work more effectively with clients, keep up with fitness industry news, get tips on running a successful business and stay abreast of the latest in exercise programming and research. Don’t forget to take the quiz included with each issue to earn CECs, and save money by purchasing an ACE magazine CEC quiz bundle.

n A CE-CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS As an ACE-certified Fitness Professional, you have exclusive access to many free benefits, including: a comprehensive database containing studies, dissertations and reports on exercise science, kinesiology and sports medicine; business tools and templates plus career planning assistance; and, a full profile listing on the ACE website to help potential clients find you. Not ACE certified? Find out how ACE has reinvented personal training at acefitness.org/reinvent.

Discover your Fitness Professional Resources today at acefitness.org/fitnesspros January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

From Ancient Greece to Zumba: 50 Events, People and Trends That Have Shaped the History of Fitness (Part 1)

By Lance Dalleck, Ph.D.

Join the conversation! What do you think of these milestones and influential people in the history of fitness? Are you surprised to learn that the importance of exercise was recognized hundreds and even thousands of years ago? What do you think the future of fitness holds?

3. Y oga (3000 BC) 1. The Primitive Hunter-gatherer (pre-10,000 BC)

Primitive nomadic lifestyles required the continuous hunting and gathering of food for survival. Tribes commonly went on one- or two- day hunting journeys for food and water. Regular activity apart from that necessary for hunting and gathering was also a principal component of life. Following successful hunting and gathering excursions, celebration events included trips of six to 20 miles to neighboring tribes, where dancing and cultural games could often last several hours. This Paleolithic pattern of subsistence pursuit and celebration, demanding a high level of fitness and consisting of various forms of physical activity, defined human life.

2. The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution (10,000 to 8,000 BC)

This event, occurring between 10,000 and 8,000 BC, marked the conclusion of a primitive lifestyle and marked the dawn of civilization. The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution was highlighted by many important agricultural developments, including animal and plant domestication and the invention of the plow. These advancements permitted hunter-gatherer tribes to obtain vast amounts of food while remaining in the same area, thus transforming primitive man into a primarily agricultural and farming society. This event led to the beginning of a more sedentary lifestyle. Although man had alleviated some of the hardships of their primitive lifestyle, agricultural developments also resulted in decreased daily physical activity.

January 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ ACE CertifiedNews

Yoga was originally developed by Hindu priests in India 5000 years ago. Through observing and mimicking the movement and patterns of animals, priests hoped to achieve the same balance with nature that animals seemed to possess. This aspect of yoga, known as hatha yoga, is the form with which Westerners are most familiar and is defined by a series of exercises involving physical postures and breathing patterns. Ancient Indian philosophers also recognized the health benefits of yoga, which include proper organ functioning and well-being. Today, nearly 16 million Americans regularly participate in yoga for these same benefits.

s we move forward through the 21st century, one of the greatest accomplishments to be celebrated is the continuous pursuit of fitness since the beginning of man’s existence. Throughout prehistoric time, man’s quest for fitness was driven by a desire to survive through hunting and gathering. Today, though no longer driven by subsistence requirements, fitness remains paramount to our health and well-being. Did you know that some of our basic fitness principles originated more than 5,000 years ago? And you may be surprised to learn how events like wars and inventions like the computer have influenced our fitness knowledge and practices. Here in part 1, we highlight the first 25 notable events, people and trends that have shaped the history of fitness beginning with primitive man up to some well-known (along with a few unsung) figures of the twentieth century.

4. Ancient Greek Civilization (2500 to 200 BC)

Arguably, no other people throughout history held fitness in such high regard as the ancient Greeks; the idealism of physical perfection was one that embodied ancient Greek civilization. The appreciation for beauty of the body and the importance of fitness throughout society is one that is unparalleled in history. The Greeks believed that development of the body was just as important as development of the mind. Physical well-being was necessary for mental well-being, with the need for a strong, healthy body to harbor a sound mind. Many founding medical practitioners facilitated the growth of fitness throughout ancient Greece, including Herodicus and Hippocrates.

6. Sushruta (800 BC)

The ancient Indian physician Sushruta is widely recognized as “The Father of Surgery.” Besides his numerous contributions to the science of surgery, nearly two millennia ago Sushruta would be among the first historical figures to understand the relationship between physical inactivity and poor health. Sushruta recognized a sedentary lifestyle was associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes; in fact, he prescribed exercise for his patients with these conditions to minimize the consequences. Sushruta advocated for exercise of moderate intensity on a daily basis; these recommendations are remarkably similar to the current public-health guidelines for physical activity.

5. Gymnastics in Ancient Greece (2500 to 200 BC)

A common saying among ancient Greeks was “exercise for the body and music for the soul.” Gymnastics was considered to be one the most important classroom topics. Gymnastics took place in palaestras—a physical-education facility for young boys. The palaestra consisted of an indoor facility for gymnastics, in addition to an outdoor area for running, jumping and wrestling. Upon reaching adulthood, typically between the ages of 14 and 16, the site for fitness training switched from palaestras to gymnasiums. Exercise in the palaestra and gymnasium was supervised by the paidotribe, who could be compared to a modern-day personal trainer.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

9. The Dark and Middle Ages (476 to 1400)

7. Rise of the Persian Empire (550 to 330 BC)

Leaders within early civilizations recognized the important relationship between fitness and overall performance of military forces. One of the best examples of a civilization utilizing fitness for military purposes is the Persian Empire. Persian leaders demanded strict physical fitness from its people, which was accomplished through the implementation of rigid training programs. At the age of six, boys became property of the Empire and underwent training. Fitness training was not intended for health benefits, but rather to create fit soldiers to expand the Empire. During its height, with its emphasis on high fitness, the Persian Empire eventually encompassed all of the Near East.

8. Confucius (500 BC)

In China, the philosophical teachings of Confucius emphasized fitness and provided encouragement for participation in regular physical activity. It was recognized that physical inactivity was associated with certain diseases that were thought to be preventable with regular exercise for fitness. These unhealthy conditions included organ malfunctions and internal stoppages, which sound eerily similar to modernday heart disease and diabetes. Consequently, Cong Fu gymnastics was developed to keep the body in good, working condition. Cong Fu exercise programs consisted of various stances and movements, characterized by separate foot positions and imitations of different animal fighting styles.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

The crumbling of the Roman Empire, conquered by Barbarians from Northern Europe, represented the onset of a millennium of intellectual standstill. However, these occurrences were beneficial with respect to fitness. The lavish lifestyles of the Romans had resulted in a dramatic deterioration of the society’s fitness level. The barbaric tribes from Northern Europe possessed similar characteristics to primitive people. Their lifestyle consisted of hunting and gathering food, and tending to cattle. Accordingly, fitness was a prerequisite for survival. In short, despite cultural setbacks that occurred with the fall of the Roman Empire, fitness experienced an important revival during the Dark and Middle Ages.

10. Nationalism in Europe (1700 to 1850)

Intense feelings for nationalism and independence across Europe throughout the National Period (1700−1850) resulted in a significant fitness movement, which came in the form of gymnastics programs. Tremendous growth of gymnastics took place in Germany and was attributable to the work of Friedrich Jahn, who earned the title “Father of German Gymnastics.” It was early during Jahn’s lifetime that Napoleon conquered much of Europe, including Germany. Jahn’s passion for German independence became the driving force behind his creation of gymnastic programs. He believed future susceptibility to foreign invasion could be prevented through the physical development of the German people.

11. Colonial America (1700s)

Hardships of colonial life in early-day America ensured that fitness was a priority; however, during this time period no formal exercise or regular physical-activity programs existed. Colonial America remained an undeveloped country characterized by vast unexplored land and wilderness. Lifestyles during this era consisted largely of plowing the land for crops, hunting for food and herding cattle. This rigorous lifestyle provided sufficient levels of physical activity with no additional need or demand for exercise to maintain fitness levels.

12. Per Henrik Ling (1800s)

In the early 1800s in Sweden, physical therapist Per Henrik Ling developed and introduced a variety of gymnastic programs to citizens of his country. Ling, who had a strong medical background, understood that exercise was necessary for all persons; he also recognized that exercise programs should be planned based on individual differences. Accordingly, his gymnastic programs were designed to adhere to this important training principle and included educational gymnastics, military gymnastics and medical gymnastics. Ling also believed physical educators must possess knowledge of the effects of exercise on the human body. Ling used science and physiology to better understand the importance of fitness.

13. Archibald Maclaren (1800s)

15. The American Industrial Revolution (1850 to 1870)

This event, occurring from 1850 to 1870, resulted in widespread changes throughout America. Technological advancements meant labor-intensive jobs were replaced. Rural life transitioned to an urban lifestyle, which generally required less movement and physical work. At the turn of the 20th century, common causes of death were from influenza, polio and other infectious diseases, which were alleviated with the discovery of penicillin in 1928. The true burden of industrialization would begin to be felt in the 1960s. Hypokinetic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which were never before prevalent, began to be recognized as the leading causes of morbidity and mortality.

In Great Britain during the mid-1800s, medical student Archibald Maclaren was a major proponent of fitness. Marclaren made numerous observations based on his work that were remarkably similar to present-day recommendations. Marclaren believed the cure for weariness and stress was physical action. He also noted recreational exercise found in games and sport was not sufficient for attaining adequate fitness levels. Moreover, Marclaren recognized that both growing boys and girls required regular physical exercise. Lastly, Marclaren understood the need for individual variation in fitness-training programs and he also documented the importance of exercise progression. The first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) within America was organized on December 15, 1851, in Boston; seven years later the first Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was formed. Although both organizations have had a strong Christian focus Catherine Beecher was an American educator throughout their rich throughout the 1800s. She was a strong advocate for histories, in more recent inclusion of physical education in decades each establishment the school curriculum. Beecher has also afforded its also specifically devised fitness members various avenues programs to meet the needs through which individual of women. Among her many fitness goals could be different programs was a system of pursued, including both individual and group fitness activities calisthenics performed to music. and numerous sporting opportunities. With a combined Though not formally recognized membership of well over 50 million worldwide, it could be argued in name, Beecher’s programs of that more people have exercised at “the Y” than at any other the mid-nineteenth century bear fitness-related facility. remarkable similarities to modern-day aerobics.

16. YMCA/YWCA Formation (mid-1800s)

14. Catherine Beecher (1800s)

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

17. Dioclesian Lewis (1800s)

German immigrants migrating across the Atlantic brought many aspects of their heritage to the United States, including gymnastics. However, gymnastics did not gain the same level of popularity in America, in large part because the constant threats to independence and nationalism from foreign invasion were dynamics prevalent in Europe and not the United States. Dioclesian Lewis felt many German gymnastic exercises could not be performed by populations other than young, fit men. Accordingly, he developed a new system of exercises designed to meet the individual requirements of numerous populations, including young and old, obese and deconditioned, and girls and women.

18. World War I (1914 to 1918)

The United States entered World War I in 1917. Upon entry into the global conflict it became paramount for hundreds of thousands of citizens to be drafted and trained for combat. At the end of the war, statistics were released from the draft with disturbing data regarding fitness levels. It was found that one out of every three drafted individuals was unfit for combat and many of those drafted were highly unfit prior to military training. Concern over these low fitness levels resulted in legislation being passed that ordered the improvement of physical-education programs within public schools.

19. World War II (1939 to 1945)

The modern fitness movement evolved out of the influence of World War II and the subsequent development of the Cold War. The United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; entry into World War II in 1941 brought with it the necessity to draft military personnel. However, as more men were drafted, it became clear that many of them were not fit for combat. After the war it was reported that nearly half of all draftees needed to be rejected or were given non-combat positions. These disturbing statistics helped gain the attention of the country with regards to the importance of fitness.

January 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ ACE CertifiedNews

20. Jack LaLanne (1950s)

Jack LaLanne began his life-long career of promoting fitness during the Great Depression. Throughout his life, LaLanne preached the value of preventive lifestyle habits. In the 1950s, The Jack LaLanne Show began airing on television, preceding the appearance of Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda by 25 years. LaLanne developed fitness programs including aerobics, water aerobics and resistance exercise. He also introduced numerous pieces of exercise equipment, including the first cable-pulley machine, the Smith machine and the first leg-extension machine. Though LaLanne preceded the modern fitness movement by some three decades, his fitness ideology and programs were largely valid when judged by modern research.

21. Publication of the Kraus-Hirschland Study (1950s)

In a 1954 study published by Kraus and Hirschland, it was reported that nearly 60 percent of American children failed at least one of a battery of muscle strength and flexibility assessments; comparatively, only 9 percent of European children failed one of these tests. In the midst of the Cold War era, these findings would alarm American politicians to such an extent that action was taken. Ultimately, in 1956 President Dwight Eisenhower would form the President’s Council on Youth Fitness in an effort to better promote fitness levels among the nation’s youth.

24. T.K. Cureton (1950s)

Important contributions to fitness were made throughout the 1940s and 1950s by Dr. Thomas K. Cureton at the University of Illinois. Cureton not only recognized the numerous benefits of regular exercise, he strived to expand the body of fitness knowledge with the application of modern research techniques. He wanted to answer questions such as how much exercise was healthy and what types of exercise were most effective. Perhaps most importantly, Cureton wanted to know how fitness could best be measured within an individual. Among his most important contributions was developing fitness tests for cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and flexibility.

25. John F. Kennedy (1960s)

22. Invention of the Computer (1950s)

Much like previous technological advancements made by mankind throughout history, the invention of the computer in the middle of the 20th century has had a profound and long-lasting negative impact on fitness. It has been estimated that the average American spends up to eight hours per day sitting in front of the computer screen. Since the advent of the computer, prevalence rates for various chronic diseases, including obesity, have skyrocketed. Currently, 68 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese; moreover, the prevalence of obesity in youth has risen five-fold in the last 40 years.

23. Jeremy Morris (1950s)

In the early 1950s, Jeremy Morris first reported to a skeptical medical community that the risk of heart attack was higher in bus drivers who spent the day sitting compared to conductors who spent the day going up and down the stairs of double-decker buses. He also reported similar findings in postal workers; those individuals who delivered mail on foot or by bicycle had a reduced risk for heart attacks compared to their counterparts who spent most of the workday sitting behind a counter. Morris was the first individual to provide scientific data supporting the notion that sitting too much is hazardous to one’s health.

Former President John F. Kennedy once asserted that “physical fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence.” Throughout his abbreviated but influential presidential term, Kennedy would be a strong advocate for the importance of fitness and its health-related benefits to the American people. In response to his observation that the United States was under-exercised as a nation, Kennedy prompted the federal government to become more involved in national fitness promotion. These efforts resulted in continued development of the President’s Council on Youth Fitness started by his predecessor, President Eisenhower.

Look for Part 2 of this series—and the most recent 25 trends, milestones and people who have influenced the world of fitness as we know it—in the next issue of ACE Certified News. Lance C. Dalleck, Ph.D., is academic coordinator of the Cardiac Rehabilitation postgraduate program at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests include improving exercise performance and health outcomes through evidence-based practice, quantifying the energy expenditure of outdoor and non-traditional types of physical activity, and studying historical perspectives in health, fitness and exercise physiology.

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Feature Story

Not sure I can do this

What if something goes wrong? I

failed last time

Maybe if I relax and think positive

I feel pretty confident

This time will be even better than the last time

I exceeded eve expectations and beyond my previous I am so proud accomplishm

January 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ ACE CertifiedNews

over Mind

Matter:

Can Your Clients Be Tricked Into Better Performance?

eryone’s succeeded s attempts. d of my ments!

By Jim Gerard

hat limits how fast a person can run, swim or cycle? How high she can jump? How hard he can strike a tennis ball or throw a javelin?

For years, exercise physiologists pondering the elements

of ultimate athletic performance believed that an athlete’s

were competing against their personal best. As Gina Kolata reported in The New York Times, “Each

body (including his or her genes) sets the ceiling, and

rider was shown two avatars. One represented the rider

that pain and fatigue are the result of the limits of his

himself, moving along a virtual course at the rate he was

cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems.

actually pedaling...The other figure was moving at the

That’s why two recent studies conducted by a team of researchers led by Kevin Thompson, head of sport and exercise science at Northumbrian University in England,

pace of the cyclist’s own previous best effort—or so the cyclists were told.” But the researchers fibbed. They had programmed the

plus a third U.K. study, stirred interest in exercise science

second computerized figure to ride faster than the cyclist

circles. All three studies suggest that our minds play a role

ever had—using 2 percent more power (which translates

in fixing our limits—or allowing us to surpass them.

into about a 1 percent increase in speed).

Study #1 The aim of Thompson’s first study was to investigate

So although the cyclists believed they were keeping pace with their past time, they ended up shattering that personal best and increasing their speed by 1 percent—a seemingly

whether it was possible to reduce the times of participants

insignificant figure, but one large enough to make the

in a 4,000-meter cycling time trial (about 2.5 miles) using a

difference between finishing at the head of the pack and

stationary bike by deceiving the racers into believing they

getting lost in the crowd. January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Study #2

Study #3

A study by Jo Corbett, a senior lecturer in applied exercise physiology at the University of Portsmouth in England, reaffirmed Thompson’s results Corbett and his team contemplated the degree to which competition can affect an athlete’s speed, so he asked a group of cyclists to put the pedal to the metal on a stationary bike for 2,000 meters. Two avatars were projected on the screen, the first one representing the rider and the second a “competitor” who, they said, would be in the room with them, only hidden behind a screen. The competitor, however, was fictitious—its avatar represented the cyclist moving at the pace of his personal best over 2,000 meters. The cyclists easily beat their best times, proving that whether the competitor existed or not didn’t matter—aslong as the cyclists believed that he did.

Thompson and his team of researchers conducted a second study to test just how fast an athlete could go, even when deceived or amid competition [add link: ]. The results were mixed; they showed that the alleged presence of a competitor could disempower athletes as well as enhance their performance. One group was told that their “opponent”—again, a phantom—would be racing at a pace 2 percent or 5 percent faster than each cyclist’s best time. Their spirits seemed to flag from the start, and they managed only to equal their own best efforts. The second group was deceived. They were told they’d be riding against avatars at the pace of their own best effort, when in fact the avatar was moving 2 percent to 5 percent faster. That group kept up with the avatars moving 2 percent faster, but couldn’t catch the 5 percent-ers.

Expert

Motivational Tips

We asked our experts to suggest some tips you can use to motivate your clients. Note: ACE does not encourage trainers to push clients to the point beyond which they risk injury. Always use “deception” judiciously or risk eroding trust between you and your clients. 1. Prepare your client to change his or her mental response to obstacles and provide positive “self-talk” during the event. “Say you’re training a distance runner whose muscles tightened up during previous races,” says Kauss. “Train him to ignore his sensory system should he feel that same pain during his next race. Instead of responding: ‘All my hard work has gone down the drain,’ he should remember to tell himself, ‘I’ve had this experience before, but I fought through it.’” 2. “Tell your client that you want her to hold her breath for as long as possible, timing her while she does so,” suggests Kauss. “Stress that she should hold out as long as possible. Record, but do not show her the time. Then, guide her through some relaxation imagery for a few minutes. Ask her to repeat the breath-holding challenge, this time aiming to go longer than she already has. Tell her that you will give her a signal when she matches her first time, but that she can go longer if possible. Give her the signal at a time that is actually 102 percent of her first time. Chances are her second time will exceed her first.” 3. Karageorghis suggests borrowing a technique from British high jump coach Ron Murray. “In the training session before a major championship, [Murray] would pretend to accurately measure the height of the bar to make his athletes believe that it was a centimeter or two higher than it actually was. The athlete would clear the bar with relative ease and go into the competition feeling really confident.” 4. Kauss recommends that you remind your clients of times when they did exceed their expectations or accomplish things they didn’t think were possible. “Use life experience to get the limiting thoughts out of their minds.”

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Thompson says that his results prove that “a small

“My belief is that the minds of the successful cyclists

deception of the brain can enhance performance…Within

perceived the situation differently,” says Dr. Jim Taylor,

limits [the cyclists couldn’t go 5 percent faster], if an athlete

clinical associate professor of sport and performance

thinks a certain pace is possible, he or she can draw on an

psychology at the University of Denver and author of

energy reserve that the brain usually holds in abeyance.”

Prime Sport: Triumph of the Athlete Mind says about

What the Experts Have to Say ACE Certified News asked some exercise-performance

the studies. “This prevented the survival mechanism, a residue of evolution that always holds something in reserve, from kicking in.”

experts to explain how a trifling deception

While we don’t know the precise

could do what genetics, conditioning and training couldn’t—help an athlete access previous untapped energy reserves to exceed his or her personal best. Dr. David Kauss, sports psychologist and author of Mastering Your Inner Game (Human Kinetics, 2001),

physiological mechanism by which

. . . an athlete’s mental approach can help him make gains hitherto considered beyond his limits.

normal limitations, we do know that the body does have absolute limits—even during the most intense competition or despite the mental slightof-hand deployed by the U.K. researchers. Kauss argues that man’s ultimate performance ceiling is

concedes that an athlete’s mental

restricted by physics; gravity, for

approach can help him make gains hitherto considered beyond his limits. “[The

the brain can override the body’s

example, determines how high you can jump

cyclists’ improvement] was not about confidence, the feeling

and how much force you can put on a joint before it

that I’m going to beat the other guy,” he says. “It was about

breaks. Nonetheless, when asked if he could use those

a belief system—how I think about myself. Some athletes

laws of physics to quantify the absolute ceiling of athletic

give themselves more positive messages about their

performance, he replied, “I don’t know. We’ve already

potential, and during performance they stop thinking about

exceeded what anyone thought we were capable of 50

their limits and focus on the moment.”

years ago.”

Kauss believes that a shift in one’s belief system can help the weekend warrior improve by a much higher percentage than the Olympian, because the former most likely is far from his threshold, while the Olympian is always bumping up against his. Dr. Costas Karageorghis, an associate professor in sport psychology at Brunel University, London, and author of Inside Sport Psychology (Human Kinetics, 2011), agrees

JIM GERARD is an author, journalist, playwright and stand-up comic. He has written for the New Republic, Travel & Leisure, Maxim, Cosmopolitan, Washington Post, Salon, Details, New York Observer and many other magazines. For more information, visit his site at www.gangof60.com.

References

performance, “if he has absolute belief in his ability.”

Corbett, J. et al. (2011). Influence of competition on performance and pacing during cycling exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 3, 2011, [Epub ahead of print]

A Different Perspective

Kolata, G. (2011). A little deception helps push athletes to the limit. The New York Times, September 19, 2011.

that an athlete’s attitude can play a crucial role in his

Fine. But just how do traits such as confidence, which originate in the brain, coerce the body into exceeding its limits?

Northumbria University (2011). Pushing the limits of human performance. October 17, 2011.

push harder for longer and start burning lean muscle mass,”

Stone, M.R. et al. (2011). Effects of deception on exercise performance: Implications for determinants of fatigue in humans. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, August 19,

explains Kauss, “which doesn’t happen ordinarily.”

2011 [Epub ahead of print]

“The athlete’s brain is sending messages that allow him to

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

By Pete McCall, M.S.

Q and A:

Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) Training

Feature Story

I’ve been hearing a lot about Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) lately and I’m wondering

if this would be a beneficial credential for me to earn. Can you explain what it is and how it might help me as a personal trainer?

Two challenges commonly faced by personal trainers are 1) determining the most effective way to assess a client to identify his or her individual training needs, and 2) how to take that information to create an exercise program to produce the desired results. There is no absolute “right way” to assess or design an exercise program, but it does help to have a specific approach that can be replicated from one client to the next. The ACE Integrated Fitness Training® (ACE IFT®) Model provides personal trainers with a structured approach to exercise program design that is based on human movement. The first phase of the Functional Movement and Resistance Training component of the ACE IFT Model is Stability and Mobility Training for the purpose of restoring stability to the stable joints and enhancing mobility of the mobile joints. The 4th edition of the ACE Personal Trainer Manual addresses strategies for assessing stability and mobility as well as specific techniques for

designing a program to enhance those functions based on a client’s particular needs. However, if you are looking for more information on how to assess stability and mobility issues, and to address them with exercise solutions, Muscle Activation Technique (MAT), developed by former collegiate strength coach Greg Roskopf, might be an appealing option for you.

MAT Training Explained MAT is a system of training that is designed to restore balance and enhance function in the human body. When a muscle becomes too tight (hypertonic) or weak (inhibited), it can affect the function and range of motion (ROM) of the joint it crosses. The foundational principle of MAT is that muscle tightness is a form of protection in the body and is secondary to muscle weakness. For example, if a particular muscle remains stuck in a tight or shortened position, it changes the ability of that muscle to effectively produce or reduce force, which could lead to altered joint ROM and potential injury. Roskopf compares the effects of muscle tightness to walking on ice. “When someone is walking on ice their movements are shortened with a restricted ROM to ensure stability and avoid falling on a slippery surface,” Roskopf explains. “When muscles become too tight they have the same effect, which limits joint motion and could be a potential cause for injury.” A tight muscle does not receive the appropriate sensory motor feedback from the nervous system, causing the other muscles it works with to change their resting lengths and proprioception. According to Roskopf’s research, when muscles become hyerptonic the spindles (intrafusal muscle fibers) that sense length change become slack, thereby providing limited sensory feedback. Roskopf compares this to a battery cable coming loose in a car engine. “If the cable comes loose, the car will not effectively conduct the charge to start the engine,” he explains. The goal of MAT assessments and training is to identify muscles that are not able to produce adequate force and to restore optimal muscle function and subsequent joint ROM. The inhibition of a muscle— or the inability to produce the January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

appropriate force when necessary—can be related to

effectively. Low-threshold isometric contractions can

impaired communication between that individual muscle and

stimulate and innervate muscle spindles and the associated

the central nervous system (CNS). External stressors such as

gamma motor neurons responsible for muscle contractions.

overuse, impaired movement mechanics or trauma can affect

Once muscles have been “re-activated,” they can be used to

the function of a particular muscle. If a muscle becomes

control and enhance joint ROM.

overstressed it results in an altered feedback mechanism

How to Get Trained in MAT

between that muscle and the CNS. Changes in muscle sensory reception can lead to a reduced ability to generate the appropriate force to move or stabilize a joint. If a muscle does not receive the appropriate communication with the CNS, then it could cause positions of joint instability, which create the potential for injury. “An imbalanced muscle structure results in other muscles tightening to compensate for the compromised muscle,” explains Kate Allgood, a San Diego-based MAT Specialist. “The end result is a negative impact on functionality, pain or discomfort.” As such, the Law of Reciprocal Inhibition describes the fact that as one muscle contracts, its opposing muscle (on the other side of the joint) has to lengthen to allow motion to occur. For example, when the gluteus maximus contracts to extend the hip, the iliacus and psoas major muscles (commonly called the ilipsoas) need to lengthen to allow the motion to occur. The Law of Reciprocal Inhibition is

The MAT Jumpstart Training workshops are the introduction to the MAT principles and provide solutions for performing client assessments and designing effective exercise programs based on the results. The Jumpstart workshops are divided into three sections based on a particular portion of anatomy: Lower Body, Trunk and Spine, and Upper Body. Each workshop is 16 hours and covers how to identify the muscle imbalances affecting mobility and stability and then addresses strategies for training to restore balance and function to the particular body segment being studied. Licharowicz believes that the full MAT Specialist program (which requires more extensive education than that provided by the Jumpstart workshops) was worth the time and investment. “MAT allows me to conduct comprehensive assessments on clients to identify potential sources of dysfunction and immediately address them with the exercise program,” she explains. “In short, MAT allows me to provide

the reason why tightness from one muscle can affect other

immediate results for clients, which has greatly increased my

muscles that surround the same joint and ultimately alter joint

business.” Additional evidence on the benefits of MAT comes

ROM.

from testimonials on the Web site (www.muscleactivation.

The primary goal of MAT training is to identify whether

com) from former athletes Bill Romanowski and John Elway,

or not the muscles that cross a particular joint have the

who each credit MAT training for helping them prepare for,

appropriate sensory input and neural feedback to perform

and recover from, the physical demands of professional

their designed function to control stability or mobility at that

football.

joint. MAT teaches a systematic approach to assessment,

The ACE Functional Training and Assessment workshop

which can determine whether or not a muscle is working

teaches key strategies for assessing stability and mobility as

optimally to control motion at the joint it crosses. The

well as how to apply the ACE IFT model to design exercise

evaluation process of MAT is to determine whether or not

programs to enhance functional movement. However, if you

the specific muscles that support a joint have the proper

are interested in learning more about what limits joint stability

neurological input to perform their respective function at

and mobility and, more importantly, how to address those

that joint. Each individual muscle of a muscle group around

restrictions with exercise-program design, then MAT might be

a joint must be able to generate the forces necessary to

an effective solution.

provide stability or mobility as needed for efficient movement mechanics. “The MAT testing protocols and follow-up exercise programming allow me to see if my training is having the desired effect,” explains Manhattan-based personal trainer and MAT Specialist Lara Licharowicz. The basis of MAT exercise programming is to use lowthreshold isometric contractions to restore neural drive and function to muscles to allow them to produce force

January 2012 • ACE CertifiedNews

Pete McCall, M.S., an ACE Exercise Physiologist, creates and delivers fitness education programs to uphold ACE’s mission of enriching quality of life through safe and effective exercise. He has a master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. In addition, he is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and holds additional certifications and advanced specializations through NSCA and NASM. McCall has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Runner’s World and Self.

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