REPs Summer 2015

JOURNAL

SUMMER 2015 £3.30

PRICE INCREASES KRISTOPH THOMSPON ADVISES

REPS DEBATES DO YOU NEED TO LOOK FIT TO BE A PERSONAL TRAINER?

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW

WE TALK TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

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CONTENTS

REPs Journal Introduction Contents I have been employed in fitness since 1991 and have seen massive changes in all aspects of the business

W

elcome to the latest issue of your REPs journal. First of all, I would like to offer our thanks to those of you who took the time to complete the Working in Fitness survey recently.

Gathering this type of information is a powerful tool for tracking and monitoring our working environment. The results are available to download from our website, and make for an interesting read when you have the time. We would like to acknowledge our friends at the Exercise and Movement Dance Partnership for their support in running this survey.

In this issue, we feature a debate on an issue which should spark some reaction from our readers. The question being discussed will be ‘Do you need to look fit to be a Personal Trainer?’ and is sure to divide opinion. If you want to get involved, check out our social media sites and contribute to the debate. Just search for Register of Exercise Professionals on Facebook or send a tweet using our Twitter handle @REPsUK There is also an interesting piece titled ‘If I knew then what I know now’ which is of great personal relevance and interest. I have been employed in fitness since 1991 and have seen massive changes in all aspects of the business, from training and education though to facilities, careers and opportunities. The current state of the fitness industry in the UK is far from perfect, but it is in a much better place than it was in 1991. I am confident that with the work being conducted by SkillsActive and REPs, it will only continue to improve.

Member profiles

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News

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Inspirational Trainer

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REPs Eats

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Wellbeing with Paul Swainson

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REPs Showcase

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Technical: Asthma

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Stand at the Front

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REPs Competition

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Technical: Pelvic Floor

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Strength and Conditioning Workout

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REPs Business

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If I Knew Then What I Know Now

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Next Steps by Kristoff Thompson

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Debate

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The Final word

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Publisher Myles Davies Group Editor Victoria Guthrie Editors Jessica Rowley Dougie Burtenshaw

Rob Wilkie

HEAD OF STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE

The strength and conditioning issue. © Maridav www.shutterstock.com

Design Maddison Mears Advertising Sales Yasmine Brown yasmine@repsjournal.co.uk General info@repsjournal.co.uk

@REPsUK

Enjoy your journal.

ON THE COVER:

/REPsUK

Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company using only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers www.magprint.co.uk

PUBLISHERS: REPs Journal is published 3 times a year on behalf of SkillsActive Ltd by Magic Fountain Media Ltd. REGISTERED OFFICES: SkillsActive, 1st Floor, 6 Graphite Square, Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5EE. Magic Fountain Media Ltd, SuitE G, Epsilon House, Masterlord Office Village, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich, IP3 9FJ. PRINTED BY: The Magazine Printing Company PLC. PLEASE NOTE: Points of View expressed in articles by contributing writers and in advertisements included in REPs Journal, do not necessarily represent those of the publishers or SkillsActive. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained within REPs Journal, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers (Or SkillsActive) for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights included moral rights, reserved. COPYRIGHT: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publishers. © Magic Fountain Media Ltd.

@REPsUK

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PROFILE

andy H turner Transitioning from professional athlete to successful personal trainer

aving been a professional athlete for over a decade, running in three Olympic Games (Athens, Beijing and London), winning the European and Commonwealth games in 2010, winning a bronze medal at the World Championships on 2011 and also captaining the 2014 Glasgow commonwealth games team, it’s safe to say that sport certainly is Andy Turner’s life.

However, in August last year Andy announced his retirement after competing at the European Championships. Speaking to REPs about his decision and what he is doing now, Andy said: ‘I’ve been fortunate to train with some fantastic track coaches, biomechanics coaches, strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists from all over the world, and over the years I’ve been very vigilant and made sure I learnt my trade. I’ve always made sure to learn the reasons behind the movements rather than completing them for the sake of it. Towards the end of my career I decided that I wanted to pass on the knowledge that I’d gained as too many sports people retire from the game and disappear without sharing what they have learnt.

‘Fitness really is my life, I have lived and loved exercise ever since I played football at Wembley as an 11-year-old right through to running in my final Olympics at 32, so it really felt a natural fit to go into a career in

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fitness after retiring.’

Andy took the decision to retire from the sport he loved in order to complete his Level 2 and 3 personal trainer exams with ‘love fitness education’. Once he passed the exams with flying colours, Andy went on to build a gym in his own home and set up his own person training business.

‘My facility has everything I could possibly need for my own training plus equipment to meet every client’s needs.

I have numerous clients from gymnasts to footballers to local school mums and so far have had fantastic results.’ Going out on his own, Andy felt it was really important join REPs as it shows to his client his level of professionalism. ‘I like my clients knowing I am a member REPs so they have full faith that I’m qualified and recognised in the fitness profession. My client’s piece of mind is of the upmost importance to me.

‘Due to my competitive nature, I have decided to try to get on stage later in the year and compete as a fitness model. I’m enjoying the process as it means I’m constantly learning more about my body which helps my clients when trying to achieve their goals.’

Andy also informed us that he has plans to start a residential boot camp so watch this space!

For more information about Andy and his business visit www.andyturnerfitness.com

www.exerciseregister.org

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PROFILE

Nicola Feustel From social phobia to fitness presenter

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t all started when I was as young as I can remember. With my family being mixed race – white and Chinese – I was always too shy to speak to my Chinese family as their English language wasn’t clear and I didn’t understand them. I would whisper inside my sister’s ear to answer their questions.

NHS.uk defines it as ‘a persistent fear about social situations and being around people. It’s one of the most common anxiety disorders.’

I was also bullied at school for being a different race and being ugly, skinny – you name it. I had one or two friends who I was able to confide in but they also changed and thereafter I trusted no-one.

I changed school but again felt isolated. I turned my back on them then shut people out for fear of them shutting me off and subsequently developed social phobia.

Much more than just shyness, social anxiety disorder causes intense, overwhelming fear over what may just be an everyday activity like shopping or speaking on the phone. People affected by it may fear doing or saying something they think will be humiliating.

My next best friend was my first boyfriend – the only person I could talk to. This ended with a teenage pregnancy which again isolated me but I also thought that if I had no-one at least my baby would love me. I didn’t fit in with the other mums, I felt too young, not rich enough, not educated enough, not good enough.

Social anxiety disorder disrupts normal life, interfering with social relationships and quality of life, and impairing performance at work or school.

There was one occasion that I can remember, it was a family friend’s party and I was too scared to ask to even heat my daughter’s bottle up.

For more information or to comment on this article please follow Nicola on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. www.facebook.co.uk/feustelfit www.instagram.com/feustelfit https://twitter.com/FeustelFit_

When I found martial arts a few years later, I found a way to express myself through movement, kicking and punching allowed me to vent some anger out too! It was the only place I was able to be me and be confident. I wasn’t judged and I was

What is Social phobia?

graded the same as everyone else and was able to succeed.

Through martial arts I found my new love – fitness – and I started helping out and teaching in the school before realising this is was where I wanted and needed to be.

Now I am a personal trainer, having been in the fitness industry and a member of REPs for ten years.

I enjoy helping other people with their fitness goals, growing my clients’ confidence and I also present at fitness events, VENT and 3NESS to which I feel I belong, with my wonderful fitness family who are welcoming with hugs and smiles and members who are carefree and enjoying the energy!

I love inspiring people and I’d love if someone somewhere reads this article and it brings them the realisation that if I can change then so can they. I want you to believe you can be more confident. You can DO, BE, and HAVE anything you want! This is what I have told my daughter from day one and it really works so BELIEVE. Speaking to REPs, Nicola informed us that she will also be speaking at the next Women in Fitness Empowerment event with Jacqueline Hooton, sharing her story there, too. Taking place on September 19th you’ll be able to catch her at the Holiday Inn, Guilford Surrey. For more information about this event visit www.wifeconference.co.uk

@REPsUK

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NEWS

REPS ANNOUNCES ITS NEW ROADSHOW CALENDAR

With our first event at David Lloyd Bushey in Watford been and gone, we hope all our members who attended really enjoyed themselves and learnt some new skills.

As many of you will have seen over the past few months we’ve recently changed the format of our events to reflect the needs of our members.

We’re delivering a series of half day roadshows around the country to make our events more accessible and beneficial for you. There will be the choice of 6-12 workshops at each event that will be delivered

by SkillsActive approved providers.

More information can be found in the events section of our website including details of the confirmed programmes and booking info.

This year we’ve placed the events in the areas that we received the most responses from in the events survey carried out earlier in the year, but we look forward to taking the roadshow further afield in 2016. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be part of our next cycle of roadshows.

Tickets for each event are only £24.99 so make sure you book your place early to avoid missing out!

Friday September 11th 10.00-13.30 South West London* Wednesday October 21st 12.00-15.30 Enderby Leisure Centre, Enderby, Leicestershire To book your tickets just visit: www.exerciseregister.org/ 2015-reps-roadshow

Questions for 1 CPD point To give your answers please visit www.exerciseregister.org/cpd-training/ technical-articles How many occurrences on average of hearing about a personal trainer does it take before a prospective client is ready to buy? a) 19 b) 20 c) 21

For the next 14 days how regularly should you email to encourage a conversation? a) every 2-3 days b) every 4-5 days c) every 14 days Head to page 34 for the answer

date and venue to be confirmed

*

NEW ENTRY POINTS TO REPS

Back in March REPs introduced two new entry points to the Register.

It has been a long time in the making but now Level 3 personal trainers that undertake training specific to S&C will now be recognised on the register under the new Level 4 specialist category of Strength and Conditioning. This is the physical and physiological development of athletes for elite sport performance, and the cross over from general public to athletes will provide a great transition for PTs looking to make the leap into the athletic world of training.

For those that have historically completed their S&C training a

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that apprentices can now join REPs. Those undertaking apprenticeships that will lead to gaining a recognised fitness qualification will be granted free of charge membership to the Register allowing them to be a part of a 31,000 strong group of health and fitness professionals.

mapping form will be available for completion and assessed by REPs Compliance and Standards Manager Robert Wilkie This form can be found on our website under member downloads within the resources section.

We’re also delighted to announce

Commenting on this announcement Head of Membership for REPs Greg Small said: ‘I am delighted that we are able to support young people coming into our sector.

Membership of REPs will give young people the support and networking opportunities needed to develop their skills and continue their professional development throughout their career, not just as an apprentice.’

www.exerciseregister.org

31/07/2015 10:52

INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS SWING INTO ACTION WITH RMT CLUBS FROM PHYSICAL COMPANY Physical Company, leaders in forward-thinking fitness equipment, has introduced RMT Clubs to the UK. Get your hands on these individual weighted clubs and use the principles of Rotational Movement Training to improve power, range of movement, strength, coordination, balance and athletic movement. As well as being rotated, the clubs can be swung and slammed in hundreds of exercises for a full body workout.

The RMT Clubs have rubber-coated handles for a great grip. Its soft flexible head is made from an ultradurable material so you can strike it against padded areas such as a wall, heavy bag, the ground and other suitable surfaces. The internal shifting weight provides dynamic

resistance as well as ‘audible feedback’. It’s not just about the satisfying sound, listen carefully and you’ll pick up any weaknesses and imbalances to work on.

‘The RMT Club is a fun and challenging new product that meets the growing demand for functional equipment,’ says John Halls, Sales and Marketing Director at Physical Company. ‘It provides endless exercise options for strength training, mobility training and high intensity training which is why we anticipate the RMT Club to be very popular with PTs, studios and large chains.’

minute workout and an exercise wall chart. They are priced at £88.95 (1kg), £93.95 (1.8kg), £98.95 (3kg) and £103.95 (3.6kg) (excludes VAT).

Find out more at www.physicalcompany.co.uk

The RMT Club comes with a training DVD including instructions on 21 foundational exercises, a full 40

THOMAS SPORT EMPOWERS FITNESS PROFESSIONALS

THROUGH PSYCHOMETRIC PROFILING Psychometric assessment provider Thomas International recently launched a new Sport division, to empower sport and fitness professionals to maximise performance through greater self-awareness.

Thomas International Sport helps to augment existing measures of physical ability with a rigorous evaluation of cognitive characteristics and emotional traits.

Owners, managers and team leaders can use the tools to recruit high quality staff, develop their leadership skills, identify star potential and improve performance by developing a winning mindset in all team members.

Alternatively, coaches and trainers can transform their programmes

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through improved communication and a deeper understanding of their clients’ behaviours, motivations, fears and likely emotional responses.

Thomas Sport has already joined forces with numerous household names (such as Derek Redmond, Naomi Riches MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and top flight teams including Saracens RFC) and has partnered with SkillsActive both internally and in support of various development programmes, including national government body recruitment, athlete apprenticeship schemes and the REPs membership.

The Thomas PPA (Personal Profile Analysis) is now fully endorsed as a programme of Continued Professional Development, meaning that REPs members can now earn 1

CPD point for taking the PPA online assessment and 16 CPD points upon successful completion of the PPA International Certification Programme (a 2-day course).

For more information on the partnership, visit www.skillsactive. com/products-and-services/ thomas-sport For information on the Thomas Sport Winning Mindset masterclass events (including one focused on fitness), contact emilya@thomas. co.uk or follow them on Twitter @ThomasIntSport

www.exerciseregister.org

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BABY BOOM

TOP TIPS ‘I

For dealing with pregnant women in your exercise classes

BY JENNY MUHLWA

f anyone has any injuries, please come and let me know.’ Is the cry of any fitness professional at the start of their class. You might get some knee or shoulder issues, easy enough to deal with, but what about the ‘I’m pregnant’ statement? It can make even the most seasoned professional quake in their trainers to hear these words.

The Office of Statistics has shown that birth rates in the UK have increased every year since 2001 and we are currently experiencing the biggest baby boom in 40 years. The NHS encourages women to remain active as it can help increase stamina and strengthen muscles all of which are good for labour. Indeed this is what many women want, so what can we as exercise professional do to help them?

Jenny Muhlwa, Managing Director of Belrobics, gives these top 5 tips: First thing’s first. Get the basics in place and check with your insurer that you are covered to teach pregnant women – there should be no problem with this!

Ask your client or class member how active they were before getting pregnant and whether they have checked with their doctor that they are OK to exercise. If they weren’t active before getting pregnant and are now on a health kick for their baby, it is wise for them to get advice from their GP or midwife before starting any new exercise regime.

Always make sure your pregnant class members warm up before exercising and cool down afterwards. Remember that the centre of gravity in pregnant women shifts so it is important to ensure you offer alternative stretches – especially if your normal routine includes those where you are balancing.

As a general rule, pregnant ladies should be able to hold a conversation whilst exercising. You can check this throughout the session by asking questions that require a response. If they are unable to talk back, reduce the intensity of the exercises and always make sure they feel comfortable taking the pace slower at any time they need to.

Ensure the exercises you are doing in your class are safe for pregnant ladies.

Belrobics has an antenatal dance fitness programme, Belrobics Baby Bumps, which has been designed in conjunction with midwives specifically for pregnant women and is suitable for all stages of pregnancy. The class includes dances to increase the heart rate, conditioning for stamina and moves that can be used to ease pain during labour. The course is a complete package and has no on-going costs.

1 2 3

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© Guryanov Andrey

Pregnancy can be such a wonderful time for many women, but labour is tough! As fitness professionals we can help women by increasing their stamina, circulation and tone their muscles all of which can make for an easier labour and recovery. Knowing what to advise pregnant ladies also makes for good business; as more women are told to keep active during pregnancy, they will seek out your classes – so make sure what you are offering is relevant! By providing safe and effective exercise classes, we can help our class members adapt to their changing body, weight gain and getting back into shape after the birth.

Belrobics currently has 50% funding for all its instructor courses (if you already hold ETM Level 2 or equivalent). For more information visit www.belrobics.com or call 0114 383 0063.

@REPsUK

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INSPIRATION

Inspirational Trainer

REPs finds out about inspirational trainer, Stephanie Wadlow from Freedom Leisure

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ersonal trainers asking a client their age is quite commonplace. Getting the answer ‘I’m 92, dear’ is unexpected, but not unheard of. More and more, elderly people are enjoying the health and social benefits of gyms and group exercise.

Other special populations are also increasingly to be found at leisure centres and health clubs with trainers helping them overcome strokes, heart attacks and cancer treatment and manage conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and mental health issues. Special populations need special trainers and inspirational people like Stephanie Wadlow to deliver solutions in response to the growing demand from GPs, hospitals and charities to help their patients.

Stephanie works for Freedom Leisure at its Hailsham Leisure Centre in Sussex. She has 20 years’ experience in the fitness industry after switching from a career in nursing. Steph gained her Level 4 qualification eight years ago and has since topped this up with a variety of bespoke, specialist qualifications enabling her to work with stroke, cancer and cardiac patients. Much of Steph’s training has been through medical organisations, local health authorities and charities who all have a vested interest in training PTs to create effective healthcare protocols.

TAKING OFF

Steph has worked long and hard to establish programmes for the elderly and special populations in her local community. Her resilience, commitment, dedication and skill working is now paying off… the problem now is that demand is

outstripping resources. More PTs are needed to step up to train special populations – so read on!

‘It has taken a number of years to get to this stage but now GPs and hospitals can see the evidence and data that training works, they’re only too pleased to refer people. Indeed they are relieved to find we can deliver aftercare for their patients that is simply unaffordable in hospitals.’

the first few sessions but then her school curriculum changed and she could no longer attend the class.

She was upset by this and I was concerned about her progress so I offered to train her after school instead.’ Chloe is now in remission and enjoying life as a teenager.

Stephanie shrugs off the extra care and time she gave Chloe. It’s all in a (long) day’s work for her.

INSANELY BUSY

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

In a typical week, Stephanie runs one cancer class, three stroke classes, three better balance classes, one weight loss class, one chair aerobics class and a re:balance exercise and advice session. She sees several clients for personal training and still manages to fit in around three 50+ classes each week. She is ‘insanely busy’ but loves every minute of her work.

Stephanie will go the extra mile for her clients and recognises that people presenting with health concerns need personal attention.

One such case is Chloe Matthews, a 14-year-old referred to Stephanie’s cancer care group. ‘Chloe came to

‘Before I start working with people I make sure we have a good conversation,’ says Steph. ‘The best exercise in the world won’t work if it doesn’t fit with their condition or lifestyle. For example, many people who have had a stroke find it difficult to get up and out in the mornings.

So my stroke class starts later in the day.’ Obvious, really, but it’s getting the details like this right that sets Stephanie apart.

GROUP ENERGY

Steph is a great believer in the strength of groups and is a master at bringing like-minded people together.

Her Stroke group is a great example

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INSPIRATION of this. By actively encouraging them to socialise she has created a network to support their physical activities. The Stroke Group uses indoor cycles in their class and this has led to Steph co-ordinating a number of fund-raising events, such as cycling the London to Brighton distance, at Hailsham Leisure Centre.

‘These events brings people together for a common goal and they spur each other on. Friends and family turn out to support, and the centre

and local community see there is life after stroke, so everyone wins,’ says Stephanie who modestly glosses over the hours she does in the background so her clients can ‘shine’ on the day.

Stephanie has experienced a period of great change but now that she and others like her have ‘broken through’ she hopes more personal trainers will take the advanced special populations training. ‘It can take months to make connections

Adidas Trainer Review GLIDE BOOST These are a neutral running shoe with midsole cushioning three times more temperature resistant than other brands’ midsole material, making the shoe ideal for running in any climate. They are a firmer shoe than the Boost of Adistar. They provided good support and the mesh material of the upper shoe allows for flexibility. My preference for this shoe was to use it as mainly a cross training shoe rather than specific running due to the more structured/ rigid feeling.

ENERGY BOOST These are in my top two Adidas trainers. They are light weight, really comfortable, provide cushioning but also great support. I love these for my marathon training and they definitely put a ‘spring in your step’.

They are more suited for road/track running rather than off road runs due to the fabric being thin – the smallest bit of water and you will find yourself running with soggy shoes and feet. Having said that, the soles really do provide great grip.

ADISTAR BOOST These are my favourite running shoe. They offer a midsole boost and stability, returning energy with every step. They fit like a glove.

As soon I put them on I want to be running off into the sunset! They’re a lightweight, flexible, breathable shoe yet offer the right amount of support. Like the Energy Boost the material is thin so they are better suited for road running rather than being an off road trail shoe. I have had a couple of pairs of these and have found that they stand the test of time, making excellent value for money.

One of my male clients tested out the Energy Boost 2 and Adidas Adizero Adios trainers for men, both are neutral shoes. This is what they thought: ENERGY BOOST 2 These are a great fitting shoe. Initially they felt a bit snug but after wearing them a few times I really liked the feel of the support and flexibility the trainer offered.

They felt sturdy and supportive without feeling heavy or

with health authorities and medical teams but once started the wheels keep turning and you eventually break through,’ says Stephanie who reckons it takes about two years to get a good service established for a special populations group. ‘Some days it is exhausting to progress training and seek approval to groups off the ground. Then I think that any one of my clients could be a friend or relative in the future and that drives me on.’

by Sarah Lockhart-Martin of LockhartMartin Wellness www.lockhartmartin.com clumpy. I was particularly impressed when doing longer run I felt they gave me added bounce even when I was tiring.

ADIZERO ADIOS These get the thumbs up from me. I like the mesh material allowing freedom but which still felt supportive. They are very light weight and give you a spring to you step due to the technology behind the shoe. The only possible down side that I found is that the shoe tends to point a bit more by the toes and feels slightly narrower in this area. My toes didn’t suffer too much but it did leave me wondering if I would end up with some black toenails after a longer run. These shoes are designed for the more serious faster paced runner.

Sarah is the founder of LockhartMartin Wellness, personal trainer turned Wellness coach.

Her passion for running is fueled by her love of the outdoors; wind, rain or shine.

@REPsUK

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EATS

Serves 4 • 315 calories per serving

In this recipe it is the starch in pearl barley that creates the creaminess of a classic risotto made with rice.

The key is to cook the barley slowly, adding the hot liquid gradually.

• • • • • • • • •

30g sunflower seeds 1 litre vegetable stock 3 sprigs of fresh sage, leaves picked 1 tsp rapeseed oil 3 banana shallots, finely sliced 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 200g pearl barley 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes A handful of green beans,

• • •

1 2 3 4

finely chopped A small bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped Grated zest of 1 lemon Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

Spread the sunflower seeds on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes until golden.

Pour the stock into a mediumsized pan, add the sage leaves and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the shallots and cook for 6 minutes. Add the garlic

and cook for 3 minutes.

Now add the pearl barley and stir until all the grains are coated with oil. Add two ladles of the hot stock and simmer, stirring, until all the liquid has been absorbed – this will take 4–5 minutes.

Add the butternut squash with another ladle of stock. Once this stock is absorbed, add another ladleful, continuing to stir regularly.

Keep adding the stock in this way, adding the green beans with the final ladleful. Once this final addition of stock has been absorbed, remove from the heat.

Season and stir in the chives and lemon zest. Leave for 5 minutes before serving, sprinkled with the toasted sunflower seeds.

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Rich in Vitamins B1 (thiamin), C an dE• Folate • Potas sium • Magnesium • Iron • Beta-carotene • Fibre

© Keiko Oikawa

BUTTERNUT SQUASH & SAGE RISOTTO

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EATS

CHIA SEED PUDDING WITH BLACKBERRY & LIME COULIS

Serves 4 • 270 calories per serving

Rich in Vitamins B2 (riboflavin) an dE• Magnesium • Calcium • Selenium • O mega 3 • Fibre

A great breakfast that you can prepare the night before, this is based on chia seeds, which are a rich source of antioxidants and fibre (with the help of the chia seeds, this pudding provides over a third of your recommended daily fibre intake). When soaked in a liquid they become gelatinous, with a texture very similar to that of tapioca. The blackberry coulis adds a sharpness that is balanced by the addition of honey.

• • •

400ml almond milk 3 tbsp runny honey 100g white chia seeds

For the coulis • Grated zest of ½ lime • 150g blackberries • 1 tbsp runny honey To garnish • Blackberries • Fresh mint leaves

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Put the almond milk, honey and chia seeds in a bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.

For the coulis, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.

Press through a sieve into a small bowl. Cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge.

In the morning, stir the pudding, then pour it into four small bowls or glasses. Top with the coulis and garnish with a few blackberries and some fresh mint leaves.

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© Keiko Oikawa

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@REPsUK

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EATS EATS

Rich in • B vitamins nd E • a D , Vitamins C • Selenium Potassium 3• • Omega n Tryptopha

SALMON, GREEN BEANS, ORANGE & HAZELNUT SALAD Serves 4 • 410 calories per serving

• • • • • • • • •

60g hazelnuts 2 tsp rapeseed oil Grated zest and juice of 1 orange 4 pieces of salmon fillet, 110– 130g each 300g green beans 200g rocket leaves 150g cherry tomatoes 1 orange, peeled and segmented Salt and pepper

on the baking tray. Grill them for 6 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cover with the crushed hazelnut mixture, then grill for a further 4 minutes. Remove the salmon from the grill and leave to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, bring a mediumsized saucepan of water to the boil. Drop in the green beans and blanch for no more than 1 minute.

Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them bright green. Place the beans in a bowl and add the rocket leaves, orange juice and some salt and pepper.

Next add the tomatoes to the salad, one at a time: place between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze the tomato so that it rips apart and the juice oozes out.

Add the halved orange segments and toss everything gently together.

Set a frying pan on a medium heat and add the rest of the hazelnuts. Toast for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned; keep swirling the nuts in the pan to ensure they brown evenly and don’t burn. Add these to the salad and mix through.

Serve the salmon fillets with the salad on the side.

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Preheat your grill to medium. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Crush half the hazelnuts using a pestle and mortar, then tip into a small mixing bowl. Add the rapeseed oil and orange zest and stir to mix.

Remove the skin from your salmon fillets and place them

Extracts taken from The Detox Kitchen Bible

by Lily Simpson and Rob Hobson, £25.00, Hardback

© Keiko Oikawa

This salad offers one of our favourite flavour combinations: hazelnuts and orange. It is a wonderfully colourful dish, and the salmon with the hazelnut dressing becomes crispy and extra rich under the grill.

Salmon provides one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones.

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THE FUTURE

What are we really doing?

Personal training is undergoing a huge shift. Paul Swainson, Head of the Future Fit School of Personal Training gives his take on the future of health and fitness

B

ack in 2002 the first job I ever applied for in the fitness industry had the grand title of Lifestyle Consultant. Upon further investigation it transpired the role was in fact that of a gym instructor with swimming pool attendant duties.

13 years on and it is now increasingly common to see a variety of titles adopted by and given to health and fitness professionals.

Where once the term Fitness Instructor or Personal Trainer sufficed, now we have many more like Health Coach, Wellness Consultant and Health Trainer.

Some cynics may argue that these are just pretentious titles and that they are euphemisms for ‘glorified personal trainer’. It was hard enough for the public to differentiate between the types of fit pro when there were just two or three job titles in existence.

Some of the more precious amongst us have I’m sure been mildly put out having been on the receiving end of this confusion (“Instructor? How dare you, I’m a Personal Trainer I’ll have you know!”) but given these variations, which in themselves don’t give any indication of level of qualification or sit within an obvious ‘hierarchy’, it’s no wonder people struggle to see the difference.

THE CHANGING FACE OF PT

Many if not all of the people holding these roles are indeed qualified personal trainers, but have felt the need to distinguish themselves from being ‘just’ a PT. What this actually shows is that personal training is not what it once was;

things have moved on. Going back 20 years, the stereotypical view of a PT was a muscle-bound young man shouting at someone whilst they sweated away, helping them crank out those extra few reps on the bench press. More recently we’ve accepted that people need more than encouragement and tuition through a single workout and the concept of carefully designed exercise programmes and tailored prescription is well established.

That’s not to say that some of the historical characteristics of PT aren’t valid and beneficial, indeed most still have their place, but there’s still much more to it.

Few trainers worth their salt would argue that anyone can achieve their goal, whatever it is, through training alone. While the debates rage on the internet about the exact contributions that nutrition and exercise make, in most cases both will need to be at least looked at to ensure they are facilitating progress, and will very likely need to be worked on. Add to that the other factors that impact on health and fitness, such as sleep and stress, and you can see that teaching perfect technique for a squat or press up is just one element of successful personal training.

In blogs for REPs over the last few months I’ve suggested that the best way for PTs to help their clients is overall lifestyle change. Personal training is fast becoming about coaching clients to adopt whatever behaviours necessary to move them closer to their goals; to make them look, feel and perform better. What

we’re seeing now is a shift towards a more holistic approach, often coined in terms such as ‘wellness’ and ‘wellbeing’.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

I believe all professionals working in the health and fitness industry can and should be contributing towards this aim and therefore while fitness is clearly still important, as much emphasis on the health and lifestyle aspects of our role would serve both us and the public much better.

If perceptions of PT amongst the public don’t alter in line with this shift, perhaps the title ‘personal trainer’ will eventually become obsolete, as the old-school PT role on its own simply isn’t enough for most. This is one of the key reasons why many newly-qualified trainers often struggle to establish their careers and why in turn the industry needs to ensure we are preparing future professionals for the realities of the role by equipping them with a higher level of skill and knowledge in nutrition, behaviour change and lifestyle management.

The need for ongoing education and development is a well-drilled message but now more than ever we need to take responsibility at all levels to make sure that trainers, gym members, clients and the public alike all appreciate the level of expertise and support that can and should be provided, and the significant impact it could have.

That first job I applied for had the right idea in its title if not its reality.

Perhaps it was just ahead of its time.

Incidentally, I didn’t get it…

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© Pressmaster

research news

67% OF CHILDREN

BELOW

RECOMMENDED FITNESS LEVELS Children activity experts Fit For Sport have revealed that two thirds of primary school aged children in the UK are under the recommended levels of fitness for their age group, with 24% of youngsters dropping significantly below expected fitness levels.

The study of 10,000 kids featured the Activity Challenge – a series of tests created to assess various factors of fitness including stamina, agility, coordination and cardiovascular endurance, to give

a good indication of fitness and physical literacy. Utilising jumping, running and throwing, the results conclude that British children aren't getting enough exercise to keep them healthy.

The results showed that 36% of five to seven year olds were at an adequate level of fitness, falling to 32% for eight to nine year olds and 33% for 10 to 11 year olds.

Chief Medical Officer guidelines recommend that children spend 60 minutes a day being physically

active, yet only 21% of boys and 16% of girls currently achieve this.

The lowest results were recorded in running challenges that test cardiovascular endurance, indicating that children are failing to spend enough time doing ‘vigorous intensity’ activity where they are out of breath and their heart rate increases, which is used to improve fitness levels.

Complete Fit For Sport's Activity Challenge with your kids at www.activitychallenge.co.uk

FITNESS BUSINESS OWNERS TURN TO MOBILE APPS Research from app provider Appsme. com unveils that health and fitness businesses across the country are finding that mobile apps are helping them appeal more to new customers, as well as improve engagment with current clients.

Surveying nearly 1,000 businesses, including gyms, fitness clubs and sports teams, 79% of industry workers found that a mobile app improved the

perception of their business, with 47% of those investing in a mobile app saying that having an app has helped them improve how they communicate with their clients, through push notifications and in-app email.

Nick Barnett, CEO at Appsme.com said: ‘According to the latest research from Ofcom, 93% of UK adults own a mobile phone and 61% own a smartphone. Add to that the fact

that the same research shows adults spend more time on their smartphone than reading print, listening to the radio or even using a desktop or laptop computer, it should be clear that it’s important for businesses to have a presence on their customer’s mobile. It’s not just about having a great app – businesses need to use them effectively, making use of powerful marketing tools like geomessaging and push notifications.’

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research news

XBODY UK INTRODUCE NEW EMS TRAINING DEVICE Fitness brand Xbody have launched a new electro muscle stimulation device, which claims to burn approximately 2,500 calories in just 20 minutes. Utilising just 2m squared of floor space, the Xbody Whole Body EMS provides a full body workout which activates 90% of the muscle system simultaneously, offering both a muscular and cardiovascular session for clients.

Taking FIBO’s prestigious Innovation Award in 2014, the Xbody device is recommended for use twice a week for just 20 minutes per workout, allowing personal trainers to target all major muscle groups and muscle fibre types in one session. Suitable for all healthy adults and with no upper

age limit, this style of training is also being suggested for clients suffering from joint or movement problems, as it has no load and is low impact. A fully functional portable version is also available for mobile trainers.

The Xbody Whole Body EMS will also be integrated with an online software suite – STUDION for studio owners and MyBody for customers. STUDION provides real time remote reporting on revenue, bookings, customer data, and activity levels of devices and trainers. MyBody empowers customers to remotely book training sessions, set personal goals, and track their achievements.

See more at www.xbodyworld.co.uk

POLAR LAUNCH ONLINE COACHING SERVICE

Leading heart rate monitor and sports wearables brand Polar have announced a new online coaching service, Polar Flow for Coach.

Providing a cost and time effective online training approach, PTs can see their clients’ training and activity details automatically tracked.

Polar Flow for Coach uses data tracked by the client’s Polar training computer, activity tracker or Polar Beat mobile app, although data can also be added manually after training.

This information will help to see if the training plan requires adaptation or if the client needs more motivation or guidance. Useful tools featured in the Polar Flow include diary-style activity summaries, adding training targets, displaying recovery status as well as a range of reports that can provide detailed training data analysis and insights over a longer period of time to help coaches assess trends and client progress.

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Available now with PureStretch 2 Day Become a PureStretch Instructor course 1 Day PureStretch 1-2-1 workshop Regional franchise opportunities to manage and run PureStretch • Both course & workshops offer REPS CPD points • New 2015 dates just announced • 3 regions sold so far

Log on to book today

www.purestretch.co.uk email info@purestretch.co.uk or call 01491 577107

Find out more at www.polar.com/coach

@REPsUK

A fun approach to flexibility and core strength

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SHOWCASE

Product Showcase Multi Function Step Board This 66fit multi purpose piece of kit really is the ultimate all in one for stretching exercise. Designed for step, stretch, rock and balance exercises. Easily adjustable, the board allows you to improve cardiovascular strength and stamina whilst using it in the ‘step’ mode, or change it to the ‘stretch’ mode for calf and hamstring stretching. Ideal for multiple types of exercise workouts.

PowerWave Another revolutionary piece of portable kit, the PowerWave from Jordan Fitness allows a complete body workout with explosive core strength and physical endurance and claims to achieve a desirable shape in just 20 minutes. You can benefit from pre-choreographed workouts online.

BOWFLEX UPPERCUT The Bowflex Uppercut from Fitness Superstore is fantastic, portable machine for sculpting and toning the core and abdominal muscles. This upper body trainer is ideal for both men and women and suitable for all fitness levels, claiming to activate up to 30% more muscles and enabling four times as many reps.

Multifunction Bench Looking for a portable, flexible, versatile piece of training kit? The Gorilla Sports Multifunctional Bench is ideal for busy PTs. This innovative product is portable so great for outdoor sessions and mobile PTs. It combines a studio quality fitness step with a weight bench and accessories, making it suitable for a huge range of different exercises. The bench comes with accessories including straps, handles and a bar, which can easily be attached through the loops on the bench to be used for pulls, rows and flys.

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TECHNICAL

Working with

Asthmatic Clients Tom Godwin, managing director of Foresight Fitness Services, www.tomgodwin.co.uk, talks about coaching clients with asthma

A

sthma is a common condition that personal trainers come across in the fitness environment.

In many cases, asthma is viewed as a non-condition and ignored. This should not be the case. Personal trainers should be aware of the implications of asthma and how to make sure that their clients are screened effectively prior to the start of an exercise routine. This screening should then form the basis of any exercise programmes generated to make sure the programme is not just effective but safe.

So what exactly is asthma? Well it is a condition where there is a temporary and reversible narrowing of the airways. This is signalled by shortness of breath, wheezing, a tightening in the chest and, on some occasions, a cough. Asthma attacks can vary massively in terms of severity, with extreme cases requiring an ambulance. Eventually the condition can lead to the onset of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) or become classed as chronic asthma.

The cause of asthma attacks is

normally an allergic reaction; common allergens for asthmatics include pollen, dust, animals, cigarette smoke, viral infection, or a wide range of chemicals. But attacks can also be sparked off by stress and psychological factors.

The causative factor is known as a trigger, and all asthmatics have single or multiple triggers that will initiate an attack. In some cases, however, asthmatics are unaware of their triggers; this makes them less able to predict the onset of an attack.

It is very important for an exercise professional to be aware of the triggers that their clients have, and minimise any exposure to them.

This will reduce the frequency of attacks and ensure that the client remains safe during an exercise session.

Some sufferers have exerciseinduced asthma. This is where the attack is brought on by exercising.

These sufferers will be the ones that exercise professionals will need to show most care with, ensuring that they regularly check in on RPE and the breathlessness scale.

Exercise is an important method for relieving asthma, as it helps to strengthen the accessory respiratory muscles making breathing an easier process. Exercise also improves general cardiovascular function and improves the ability of the body to expire air.

It is recommended that the asthmatic client takes part in aerobic activity on three to seven days per week, for twenty to thirty minutes, at an intensity that is appropriate to the client’s level and does not cause an asthma attack.

It is very important to monitor the level of exertion using the RPE scale and heart rate, but also it is important to use the dyspnoea (breathlessness) scale.

This is a scale that works in a similar manner to the RPE scale with ‘one’ being not out of breath at all and ‘ten’ being unable to breathe. The most worrying signal would be if a client was at a very low intensity according to RPE and heart rate, but experiencing an ‘eight’ on the dyspnoea scale, this would result in cessation of the exercise session.

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emdp

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Stand at the front!

Emily Williams at EMDP tells REPs about expanding your repertoire

T

he fitness industry is massive and with so many fitness professionals, brands and organisations battling it out for the limelight it can be rather hard to get noticed. So whether you’re a PT or an aerobics instructor,

here are some ideas from us at the Exercise Move Dance Campaign to help you get noticed, increase your client base and save you money.

EXPANDING YOUR REPERTOIRE

The recent Working in Fitness survey (2015) found that 16% of PT and 12% of gym instructors would be interested in training as a dance fitness instructor. Are you one of them? If you can relate to any of the below we think you should consider embracing your ‘dance side’.

1. When you hear your favourite tune, you can’t help but choreograph a routine to it in your head.

2. Your lucky number is 8, 16, or 32.

3. It really gets on your nerves when you see instructors not cueing/ counting properly.

4. Whilst cleaning the dumbbells in the gym, you can’t help but wish you were downstairs

salsa stepping with everyone in Zumba.

You’ve had enough of telling people to drop down and give you 20, drop down and twerk sounds a lot more fun.

You love dance fitness and think everyone should be doing it – too right we say!

You know the names of all the Strictly Come Dancing professionals and would love to inspire someone like they do.

The thought of getting paid to do a dance workout is just fantastic You’ve never quite understood the concept of the 3-2-1 countdown, shouldn’t it be 5-67-8?

You’re after a new adrenaline rush – imagine what it’s like to get a whole room of people dancing… a-mazing.

You want to offer your clients something fresh and exciting that they feel comfortable with and can bring their friends to.

Has the penny dropped? Get in touch with our EMD Academy for more information on becoming a Dance Fitness Instructor. There are great training courses and bursaries available that can help you take the next step. Visit www.emdacademy.org, like us on Facebook /teachEMD and follow us on Twitter @EMDAcademy.

SUPPORT WITH CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Your fitness classes are a little like your wardrobe, you have your timeless classics, but every so often you need to add a new item to freshen things up and keep you bang on trend. Consequently, maintaining them both can be pretty costly too, until now (well, your classes anyway)…

Did you know there are CPD training grants available for Level 2 and 3

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emdp Instructors? Yes, that’s right! For all you Exercise to Music Instructors out there, our EMD Academy can give you funding (up to £100) towards that dance fitness CPD course that’s been calling your name for months and months. An array of courses from LES MILLS, Sh’bam to Clubbercise are eligible, go to www.emdacademy.org or email training@emdp.org to find out more.

GET TOOLED UP!

The top teachers and instructors know where to get value for their money and take the least amount of time finding it. Get your insurance, a 20% PPL discount, REPs membership plus lots of other great benefits all in one place from our EMD Community. With an array of expertise and discounts, we make sure you have everything you need to do your job and that you’ve got it for the best possible price, leaving you to focus on what you do best. We share fantastic resources like workout plans and healthy recipes too.

A NEW KIND OF HIIT

As fitness professionals we know that it’s all about HIIT training at the moment, but this can seem about as daunting as public speaking

completely naked for some clients.

There’s something scary about the words ‘high intensity!’ Ease their anxiety levels and alter your approach, there are a whole load of dance moves out there that challenge the body and are fun to have a go at. This HIIT Dance Workout can be done anywhere; in the corner of the gym, at your local park or in a studio, it’s perfect for 121, small group sessions or a full class of punters. Trust us, they won’t notice how hard they’re working and, let’s face it, it sure beats hill sprints on the treadmill!

Use Instagram? Share your HIIT Dance Workout with us.

Tag @exercisemovedance #WorkoutWednesday.

GET YOURSELF KNOWN ONLINE

We live in a virtual world and with that comes endless potential and possibilities. Now is a fantastic time to be in the fitness industry because not only can you help your clients face to face, you can also reach a far wider base of people online. Here are four ways you can get involved: 1. List your classes on www.exercisemovedance.org just click ‘promote’ and take the

three easy steps to get your classes listed.

2. Start blogging – set up your own blog or guest blog for someone else. We at Exercise Move Dance are always on the lookout for guest bloggers. Email exercisemovedance@emdp.org for more info.

3. Set up an Instagram account – share pictures and short videos of your workouts and recipes for people to try. You could direct them to your blog to get even more. Instagram is growing rapidly in popularity, don’t miss out.

4. When you’ve got the hang of things, start a newsletter linked to your blog. People can sign up via social media or directly from your blog, and by signing up they’ll get discounts or early booking to your classes, workout plans, events and so on.

We hope we’ve given you some food for thought! Get more from the Exercise Move Dance Campaign and #JoinTheMovement, like Exercisemovementanddance on Facebook, follow @EMDForLife on Twitter and follow @exercisemovedance on Instagram.

HIIT Dance Workout Round One

Round Two

Round Three

40secs Running Man 20secs REST 40secs Flick Kicks 20secs REST 40secs Tuck Jumps 20secs REST 40secs Salsa Steps

40secs Twerk 20secs REST 40secs Jump Squats 20secs REST 40secs Step Curl 20secs REST 40secs Do the Twist

40secs Skipping 20secs REST 40secs CHa-Cha-Cha 20secs REST 40secs Lightbulbs 20secs REST 40secs Jacks

1 min REST

1 min REST

1 min FINISH

24 www.exerciseregister.org

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COMPETITION

COMPETITION Win the new RMT Club from Physical Company

R

otational movement training (RMT) is THE way to improve your power, range of movement, strength, co-ordination, balance and athleticism. All these benefits can be gained by doing a fun and furious workout with the RMT Clubs. Thanks to Physical Company these little beauties are now available in the UK. As the name suggests the idea is you rotate them around your head and body to challenge your strength and balance. The fun bit comes in the form of hitting and slamming the club down as its ultra-durable, soft and flexible head means you can strike it against padded areas such as a wall, heavy bag, the ground and other suitable surfaces.

The rubber-coated handles enable you to get a good grip which you’ll need as the internal shifting weight provides dynamic resistance. As the club makes contact with a surface

you’ll get a satisfying sound which is also very useful to show up any imbalances or weaknesses. The options with RMT Clubs are endless and you can get some ideas here http://youtu.be/OxldlgxoNak. Each club comes with a training DVD including instructions on 21 foundational exercises, a full 40 minute workout and an exercise wall chart. They cost £88.95 (1kg), £93.95 (1.8kg), £98.95 (3kg) and £103.95 (3.6kg) + VAT. Physical Company is giving a set of three RMT Clubs to one lucky REPS Magazine winner. The winner will be asked to try out the RMT Clubs and post a review on the REPs Magazine blog within four weeks of receiving their prize.

For your chance to win answer this question: What does RMT stand for?

To enter please visit www.exerciseregister.org/journalcompetition www.physicalcompany.co.uk

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The Bottom Line

technical Chartered Physiotherapist and Modern Pilates Trainer Tracey Gjertsen BSc MCSP HCPC reviews current guidelines for pelvic floor training

I

f you’re in the business of health and fitness you have probably found the subject of the pelvic floor popping up here and there.

The subject is vast from simple stress incontinence (hypotonic – low tone) to hypertonic high tone and more – impossible to cover all aspects here. Chartered Physiotherapist Tracey Gjertsen has been looking at the up-to-date evidence and guidelines regarding urinary incontinence.

Urinary Incontinence (UI) is a common, under-reported problem affecting men and women. It can affect athletes, fighter pilots, divers, those with respiratory and neurological conditions, the elderly, the constipated, those suffering from spinal nerve compression or fibroids, weightlifters, body builders, trampolinists, the obese, the rich, the poor, those that squat and those that do not!

Treatment of UI accounts for 1% of the NHS budget, it affects sufferers physically, emotionally, socially and financially. It is the second most common reason for the elderly being placed in residential care and prevents sufferers from engaging in physical activity – and that affects you and your business! Not so much the pelvic floor as the pelvic flaw!

The muscles that form the pelvic floor are designed to support the abdominal viscera and contain bodily waste until such time as it can be expelled voluntarily.

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technical The muscles must be capable of passively maintaining continence, actively resisting increases in intra-abdominal pressure and eccentrically lengthening to control expulsion of waste matter and perform sexual function for 80 years plus – it’s a big ask!

Commonly the muscular sling is damaged during pregnancy and childbirth or as a result of repeated coughing, heavy lifting, inactivity and poor posture. Some treatments for the prostate can also damage the pelvic floor.

In 1998 the World Health Organisation identified incontinence as a prevalent global disease and made recommendations for its diagnosis and management.

There is a substantial body of evidence to support the use of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) as an effective solution in the management of UI. Current NICE Guidelines recommend a three month period of supervised PFMT with a health care professional.

The guidelines recommend, ‘Training in repetitive selective voluntary contraction and relaxation of specific pelvic floor muscles that is delivered and evaluated by a trained healthcare professional.’

[Adapted from urinary incontinence (NICE guideline CG171)] Although many studies have shown PFMT to be effective in improving symptoms of UI there is also substantial evidence to support the understanding that long-term adherence to the prescribed exercise regime is poor and as exercise professionals we know that the principle of reversibility dictates that strength and endurance gains will be lost.

Exercise professionals are ideally placed to help clients maintain their PFMT regime and offer preventative

advice and instruction in line with current recommendations. In my experience physiotherapists are happy to refer clients on to another professional that will help their client to maintain and continue to improve.

Only when a client can successfully isolate the PFM can a skilled exercise professional incorporate the regime into functional programmes that help address other issues.

As exercise professionals we should pride ourselves in the knowledge that we deliver evidence based, reliable and accurate advice in line with the recommendations of national bodies such as NICE and CSP and work in conjunction with health professionals to educate and empower our clients.

Don’t just sit on the problem! It has been suggested that modern living, in particular seated posture can result in changes in pelvic floor muscle length and tone. UI as a result of pelvic floor weakness was first identified as a problem as early as 1888, long before women were spending long periods of time sitting and is as common in the third world where domestic chores are performed in a squat.

The supposition that the coccyx is passively flexed by sitting in slumped posture resulting in a change in the length tension relationship of Levator Ani is not supported by radiographic evidence. The coccyx is capable of being flexed or extended and is subject to the angle at which the pelvis comes into contact with the horizontal seat at the moment of weight transfer from stand to sit. Body fat distribution and the resistance provided by the seat itself i.e. a firm or soft surface also influence the resting position of the coccyx.

There have been several studies

that clearly show that the pelvic floor (along with TA and multifidus), has a lower resting tone in slumped sitting than in an upright unsupported sitting position which is why it is so important to train our clients in a variety of postural sets – educating the mind as well as the body. Achieving good core control in neutral posture during functional exercises such as squats is the very corner stone of Modern Pilates teaching. Incorporating pelvic floor muscle training into functional movement patterns when the core and pelvic stabilising muscles are likely to be more active is definitely of benefit provided that our clients are also taught how to identify and isolate the PFM. Occasionally clients may have difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor and sometimes this requires further specialist help. However, a knowledgeable professional will apply the principal of specificity to PFMT and teach the client to isolate, contract and relax to optimise function.

Get up and do something about it!

• Familiarise yourself with the NICE exercise recommendations – the CSP website has some useful resources that can be downloaded.

• Form an alliance with your local specialist women’s health physiotherapist (they treat men too!). They will be thrilled to have a reliable, knowledgeable professional to pass their clients on to.

• Instruct from a position of authority and gain some CPD points by taking a workshop taught by qualified health professionals that looks not just at the pelvic floor but to wider issues too.

• If in doubt, refer out! If a client is concerned about any continence issues or is unable to contract the pelvic floor muscles refer them on to a specialist.

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Pilates Union UK brings you ONLINE FITNESS EDUCATION for the fitness professional

PilatesUnion UK brings you the UK’s first online Pilates Reformer Machine instructor training course CYQ approved training centre Emma Newham brings 20 years of experience to the industry

The world’s first internationally accredited barre instructor training course is now available online.

Short CPD fitness courses for continuing education and development

No licence fees

Foam Roller Small Ball Gym Ball Power Ring Stretch Band

16 REPS CPD Points Continuing Online Education

Learn new skills and increase your business potential from the comfort of home www.emmanewhamfitness.com

WORKOUT

Strength and Conditioning:

n e e B f i E t H s T Barry Stalker talks about the benefits of strength and conditioning training

O

ver the years I have trained countless numbers of clients from all kinds of backgrounds, generally all with the same goal – to lose weight and look more athletic. The problem arises when I first speak with them and see how they are currently training. This usually involves a lot of cardio and a little bit of weight training, which if you are seeking to improve your cardiovascular fitness, is great, however this isn’t the ultimate goal for most. Both men and women will benefit hugely by completing strength training to help improve their overall appearance and reach their targets.

Lifting weights helps to increase your lean muscle tissue, which in turn leads to your body processing calories more efficiently on a constant basis. Challenging your muscles in resistance work leads to micro tears in the muscle, which are then repaired by the body during a recovery period. The more this tear and repair process happens due to

training, the stronger your muscles become as they adapt. Not only will the myofilaments of your muscles grow in size, but you will also get more of them, ultimately making you stronger. Plus, a session of weight training will make your body burn calories over a longer period of time than a session of cardio alone.

With nearly all of my clients being office based, strength training is great as it can help with posture and increasing better range of movement throughout the body. Exercises such as pulldowns and chins are ideal as they work muscles in the back such as the latissimus dorsi and the rear shoulders which will make the scapulas retract giving you better posture. The same with exercises such as squats and lunges as these both work the entire leg in one movement, from your gluteus maximus through to your quads and hamstrings, down to your soleus, gastrocnemius and tibia anterior – perfect for my office based clients, as they will usually have tight or non fully functioning glutes and

hamstrings. Another bonus of these is that they are bodyweight exercises, so they also utilise fixator muscles, ultimately working more muscle groups than if you were using a resistance machine only.

Turn Squats for example over fo engage the core as r strengt a h and well as the glutes, conditio n helping you to keep workou ing t from your balance as you Barry perform your reps.

Questions for 1 CPD point To give your answers please visit www.exerciseregister.org/cpd-training/ technical-articles What kind of hamstrings do office based clients usually have? a) well stretched b) tight or non fully functioning c) painful Which exercises work the latissimus dorsi and rear shoulders? a) squats b) chest press c) pull downs

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WORKOUT

Strength and conditioning Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps as a guideline. To build strength aim for 6-8 reps.

Squats Lower the weight until you are at a sitting position (90 degrees), making sure you keep your chest up right and your back is neutral. This will place less stress on your lower back, causing less chance on injury.

Bench Press The key to this is to make sure your back is placed tightly against the bench especially when training to failure, as many people have a tendency to start arching their spine when training to failure.

Deadlift People have a tendency to over load the bar causing them to arch their spine as the load they are lifting is too great. Make sure you push your back side out and keep your shoulders retracted and contract your core too.

Questions for 1 CPD point To give your answers please visit www.exerciseregister.org/cpd-training/ technical-articles What is strength and conditioning? a) physical and physiological development of athletes for fitness b) physical and physiological development of athletes for elite sport performance c) physical and physiological development of athletes for strength

Plank Lay on the floor and then come up on to your toes and elbows. Contract your glutes and try to pull your elbows towards you and this will make your core work harder. Start off around 20 seconds and increase your time.

How often is it recommended that asthmatics should carry out aerobic activity per week a) three to seven days b) two to six days c) four to five days

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WORKOUT

Standing Shoulder Press This can be done with either a barbell or dumbbells. Start with the bar inline with your shoulders and chin, press up over your head making sure you engage your core to stabilise yourself and when you are starting to go to failure, make sure you do not lean backwards.

Stiff Leg Deadlifts Think of touching your toes but with your a barbell or a set of dumbells.

Lower the weight slowly until you feel a deep stretch through the hamstrings and glute area. Make sure not to use momentum to lift the weight back up. The concentric part of the movement is just as important as the eccentric.

Barbell Rows Stand up with the bar then bend as if you were midway through a deadlift and pull/row the bar in towards your bellybutton. The key to this is to draw your elbows back as much as possible as this will create a greater contraction on the lats, rear delts and traps.

Tricep Dips Place hands on either side of the bars. Start in an upright position and lower your body down until your arms are bent around 90 degrees at the elbows, then push back up making sure not to lean forward as this places more emphasis on the shoulders and chest. If you find this exercise easy, add a chain with a weighted plate of your choice.

Barry got into sports at around the age of 11, playing rugby, basketball, shot put and boxing which meant having to lift weights. This is were he found his real passion. He has competed in several bodybuilding contests over his 21 years of training and has been a personal trainer for eight years

@REPsUK

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workout

Lower body workout Personal trainer and SWITCH UK owner Ronny Terry gives his go-to workout for toned legs and lower body

E

veryone knows you don’t miss leg day. There is nothing worse than seeing a well-developed upper body attached to a pair of pins befitting a small farmyard bird. This express lower-body workout consists of two sets per exercise with ninety seconds of rest in between. Time is no longer a valid excuse for skipping leg work.

TRAP BAR DEADLIFT: 2 SETS OF 8 REPS This lift places extra emphasis on the knee extensors compared with the straight bar version.

Stand inside the bar with your feet shoulder width apart and grip handles tightly while squatting down. Drive your feet into the ground, straightening your legs and extending your hips before returning bar to ground.

BACK SQUAT: 2 SETS OF 8 REPS The king of all exercises must be included in any leg workout.

Take the bar from the rack and step back, with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards. Lower the bar by bending your knees and hips until the angle between your thighs and calves reaches 90 degrees. Drive your feet into the ground and return to the starting position, maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement.

HIP THRUSTERS: 2 SETS OF 12 REPS This exercise is great for power development and specifically targets the glutes.

Hinge your upper back on a bench and position your feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart. Place a barbell just above your hip bone and secure it with a pronated grip. Push through your heels and fully extend hips, holding for one second at the top before returning to the floor.

HACK SQUAT: 2 SETS OF 12 REPS The hack squat demands more from the quads and less from the hips.

Position your shoulders under pads and place your feet shoulder width apart on the platform. Unlock the levers and descend by bending your knees, lowering until just short of full knee flexion. Push back up to the starting position.

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workout

FORWARD LUNGES: 2 SETS OF 15 REPS

The forward lunge can be performed with or without additional weight and is great for working the quads.

With your feet together and keeping your torso upright, step forward with one leg and land on the heel, then forefoot. Lower your body by bending the knee and hip of your lead leg until the knee of your rear leg is almost in contact with the floor. Return to starting position by pushing back with lead leg.

rEVErSE LuNGES: 2 SEtS oF 15 rEPS This lunge variation places extra emphasis on the glutes. The forward lean increases hip range of motion.

As above, but keeping most weight on your front leg, step back and lean forward around 30 degrees lowering your rear leg towards the floor, before rising up to the starting position.

SMItH MACHINE CALF rAISES: 2 SEtS oF 15 rEPS Isolate the calf muscles with this lower leg staple.

With the balls of your feet, step on to weight plates positioned underneath the loaded bar of a Smith Machine. Place the bar on the back of your shoulders and unrack it. Keeping your knees extended, raise your heels as high as possible before descending to the starting position. Use multiple plates or a step for increased range of motion.

JuMP SQuAtS: 1 SEt to FAILurE Inserted at the end of the workout as a finisher, these jumping squats will take any remaining energy you have left.

Drop in to the lower position of a squat, drive your feet in to the ground, and push up o the floor in to the air.

As your feet contact the ground, immediately repeat the process until fatigue prevents you from continuing.

Specialising in body sculpting, weight loss and elite fitness, personal trainer Ronny Terry is Owner and Director of SWITCH FIT UK. Find out more at www.switchfituk.co.uk

Images: Jacob Ford Venue: Kiss Gyms

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BUSINESS

Lucy Johnson at Fully Booked Formula, www.fullybookedformula.com, advises on how to convert

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any personal trainers believe that when trying to attract new prospects, as soon as they hear about you they should buy from you and that if they aren’t buying from you immediately then they just aren’t interested.

They stop marketing to them and following up because they don’t want to appear pushy. This is one of the biggest wastes of potential clients I see happening when I work with personal trainers.

Nine out of ten prospects are simply not ready to buy from you the moment they see your website (or any of your other marketing) for the first time. On average it takes 19 occurrences of hearing about a personal trainer before a prospective client is ready to buy.

I know that sounds overwhelming, but if you follow my four step system of nurturing leads into clients it is actually really simple.

STEP ONE Understand that a lead or a prospect is often not ready to buy the first time they hear about

you. Once you understand that you are going to feel much happier and you won’t be disheartened if you don’t immediately get a good response from the first piece of marketing you do.

STEP TWO Make sure you are capturing data. The most important thing on your website should be your optin box. If you look at my website in the top right hand corner we have a little box where it says write your name, insert your e-mail and click this button to receive a free cd. This is the way we capture data and means that we now have permission to e-mail this person on a regular basis and start to nurture them from being a lead into becoming a client. If your website does not have a way of capturing data at the moment it is absolutely crucial you get that changed.

STEP THREE Start writing and sending e-mails (regularly) that go out to people who have opted in to your list. We call this a 14 day funnel. For the first 14 days someone has decided to give you their name and e-mail, and you

need to have a very structured set of communications that go out to them. Content wise, the email needs to let them know a little bit more about you and what you do, and also give them valuable information that will help them achieve their health and fitness goals.

For example if you work with people that want to lose weight, send them a tip on how they can start to lose weight – something that you know will be of value to them – and you need to do that for 14 days.

STEP FOUR At the end of those fourteen days, after you have been consistently sending e-mails every two or three days, invite them to do something.

Send them an e-mail to invite them to contact you, to find out more about what you do or maybe an invitation to a free taster session – something that is going to get them engaging and interacting with you. Now that you have nurtured them for fourteen days they are getting ready to buy and you are in the process of turning them from a prospect into a client.

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BUSINESS

On average before a prospective client is ready to buy from you they need to hear about you 19 times’ @REPsUK 35

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IF I KNEW

Y

If I knew then

Only with the passing of time do we achieve the necessary perspective to reflect

outh brings with it boundless energy and enthusiasm. Age brings experience and the opportunity to look back and

Richard Merrick Freedom Leisure Group Fitness and Wellbeing Manager

see what we could have done differently. With the benefit of hindsight, we asked four fitness industry professionals – with over 80 years’ collective experience

WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT ROLE INVOLVE? To develop the fitness teams across all 38 sites, assess and enhance their skills, review training and recruitment and support their many new initiatives to retain and attract customers.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I started as a lifeguard and play scheme worker before studying Sports Science. After briefly working as a PE teacher, I trained as a fitness instructor and worked as a freelance PT. I then returned to education and worked for 10 years as a tutor and manager for YMCAfit. Wanting to move into a more commercial environment, I was the Fitness and Sales Development Manager at Inspire Leisure before landing my perfect job at Freedom Leisure.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF AND SOMEONE WANTING TO WORK IN YOUR FIELD? Find the best course you can and do it, even if it’s not the shortest or cheapest. Once qualified, don’t be afraid to work from the bottom up and spend a proportion of every week doing research, asking questions or learning about business. The industry is wonderfully meritocratic and has the potential to take you wherever you want but you need to be self-motivated.

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? Surround yourself with good, positive people and always strive to improve rather than settling for second best.

in the sector – what important lessons they’ve learned over the course of their careers and what advice they would give their younger selves.

WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT ROLE INVOLVE? At Physical Company I look after the training and education arm of the business; sales for independent sites; and Kelly Edwards manage Total Gym. I Fitness Presenter, Master present for Physical Trainer and Technical Sales Company and other and Operations Executive at Physical Company brands at UK fitness conventions such as Fitpro, LIW and various fitness fiestas. I’m a Master Trainer in BOSU, TriggerPoint and Gliding so I plan, practice and deliver sessions in these.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I did a leisure and recreation course at college followed by an Exercise to Music qualification, NASM certification, and various other courses. I then worked in a hotel gym before teaching on cruise ships. Once back in the UK I worked for David Lloyd, followed by Esporta. I joined Physical Company seven years ago and started fitness presenting in 2007.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF AND SOMEONE WANTING TO WORK IN YOUR FIELD? Gain as many qualifications and certifications as you can. Don’t just rely on Google to learn how to use a piece of kit. Always keep upskilling yourself – you can never know too much! The more strings you have to your bow, the more people will value your opinion.

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? To really think about things and make considered decisions before acting! In addition, the importance of sticking to your guns when you’re passionate about something and not being afraid to voice your opinion.

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IF I KNEW

what I know now…

Katie Bulmer-Cooke Fitness entrepreneur, PT and star of The Apprentice

WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT ROLE INVOLVE? I have PT clients and teach small group training and group exercise classes each week. More recently I’ve become a professional speaker and a consultant to a variety of companies and brands on areas such as retention, growth, marketing and PR.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I have 12 years’ experience in the industry and gained my Exercise to Music qualification when I was just 16. I qualified as a PT eight years ago and worked as a studio manager for a while. I was named UK PT of the Year 2012 and UK Fitness Professional of the Year 2013. I also appeared on The Apprentice this year with Lord Sugar.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF AND SOMEONE WANTING TO WORK IN YOUR FIELD? Choose a niche you’re passionate about, thoroughly research it and go for it. A big turning point in my career was deciding to work with a specific group – busy women. By specialising in a particular demographic you become an expert.

Also, take the time to learn about web design, social media, bogging, vlogging, marketing and PR to help grow your profile and credibility as a PT. WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEART OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? To not be scared to try something new and stand out from the crowd. Take a risk, trust your instincts and don’t be swayed by other people’s opinions.

WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT ROLE INVOLVE? I manage and oversee the smooth running of the UK sales team.

My aim is to grow the brand and its portfolio of world class products, as well as maintain our high levels of customer Richard Sheen National Sales Manager service and reputation at Pulse as a leading leisure solutions and equipment provider.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I’ve worked in the fitness and leisure industry for over 23 years. I’ve held a variety of managerial and sales roles within the private sector and with equipment suppliers. I’ve helped launch several unique and world leading fitness products to global markets and managed most national accounts with an annual turnover of £5 million.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF AND SOMEONE WANTING TO WORK IN YOUR FIELD? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and go against the majority vote when you feel strongly and passionately about something. Also, don’t be scared to make changes when change will benefit your business and the industry, and network, network, network! The industry is surprisingly small at top level.

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? The power of clear branding and strong, simple, targeted marketing messages. In addition, the importance of evolving and developing a business’ offering in line with the latest trends to ensure sustainability. For instance, we’ve recognised technology as a growth market and as such are significantly investing and developing within this area.

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NEXTSTEPS STEPS NEXT

Implementing

price increases Kristoph Thompson, course director at training provider Sideways 8, advises on how PTs can go about implementing a price increase

P

rice increases are normal in any industry, however the PTs I speak to generally feel nervous about upping their rates. Knowing how much, when and how to go about increasing your prices can see your business become more profitable and lay the foundations for expansion.

I make a point of telling our PTs that

there’s no need to feel nervous about a price increase because they have been clocking up their REPs CPD points and spent money on additional kit. The bottom line is that they are more experienced

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NEXT STEPS and better equipped at helping their clients to reach their goals. It’s natural that the client pays more for that enhanced experience.

When deciding on the amount to increase your prices, think about the sorts of people you’d like to work with and what they can afford, rather than what you personally could afford if you were looking for training. ‘This was a really valuable exercise for me,’ says Matt Shore, director of Train Strong PT, www.trainstrongpt.co.uk. ‘I identified professional, successful business owners and directors as the sorts of clients I wanted to work with.

This client base is happy to pay a premium for an excellent service and the associated results.’

As your business grows or you offer more support to your clients outside of their training sessions, you will have less time to spend actually training. Factor this in to your price increase so you don’t end up working more and earning less. ‘I found that my new clients required more support and presented more of a challenge than some of the old ones,’ explains Shore. ‘I needed to be creative in being able to structure sessions that fitted around their commitments but still got results.’

Your clients will have a hard time swallowing significant or multiple price increases if they don’t perceive any difference in the service they are receiving. A price increase alongside a change in your range of products/services often go hand in hand. ‘We raised our prices by 20% which coincided with a change in our bookings procedure,’ explains Jason Doggett, director and founder of Muddy Plimsolls www.muddyplimsolls.com. ‘We moved from offering 10 and 20 session packages to a 28-day training plan consisting of either four, eight or 12 sessions. We were able to change our cancellation

policy which increased profitability but the new system also meant that clients were able to spread the cost of their training across smaller payments rather than in one lump sum.’

Introducing a higher price for new clients is relatively straightforward but you need to take a different approach with your existing clients.

It’s important to maintain the positive relationship and for them to feel valued as a customer. ‘I talked with each client individually either face-to-face or over the phone and all were able to see out their current package of sessions as normal.

Then, they were invited to sign on to the new scheme. So they had plenty of warning, sometimes weeks,’ says Doggett.

We warn our students to expect a drop off. It would be prudent to expect a small amount of attrition however this may not affect your bottom line significantly. If you were to increase your prices by 10% and in doing so ended up with 10% fewer sessions per week you wouldn’t really notice the difference in income but you’ll have more time to develop your business.

As demand increases you can afford to be more selective with your clients, choose to operate out of central base or restrict the area you cover. These would both reduce the time you spend in transit from one session to the next, as well as your travel costs, which in turn increases profitability. A more profitable business enables you to work fewer hours and actually give more to your clients. You’ll feel fresher, more motivated, and have more time to spend on selfdevelopment – all of which make you a better trainer.

Follow Kristoph at www.twitter.com/s8training or visit www.sideways8.co.uk

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DEBATE

REPs debates: Real people don’t choose a trainer just on how they look. They watch how they train with other clients and they choose someone who they think fits with their personality and their goals. There are definitely some who will be impressed by how fit someone looks, but if the results aren’t there and they don’t enjoy training with their super-fit looking PT they will find a new one.

I competed in Karate for 10 years and I’ve spent a lot of time with coaches and athletes from different martial arts and sporting disciplines. For serious athletes and competitive sportspeople it’s all about results, and how a coach’s body looks is not directly related to their ability to get a specific result. Just look at some Olympic athletic and gymnastic coaches. When they were 18 these guys were nearly superhuman, but if you passed one on the street now you might think they’ve spent 30 years driving a truck.

The experience and knowledge is what gets a top coach’s athletes results, and it’s experience and knowledge that distinguishes a great PT. And being able to connect with your clients.

It really depends on the individual circumstances of different clients. Who they are and what they want can be so different from one person to the next that it’s very difficult to know what we even consider to be ‘looking fit’. A certain look can be attractive to one person, but intimidating to another. At Everyone Active we strive to make people of all ages and abilities feel really welcome so we have a wide range of trainers to suit different people. Instead of worrying about how fit you look, focus on your body language and having an approachable manner so you can build rapport with your clients. Then coach appropriate exercises to the highest degree of excellence. That’s what gets results.

Looks can be deceiving, but results never are.

Vladimir Fistric – PT Coordinator at Everyone Active and creator of www.stagefitness.com

Do you need to look fit to be a personal trainer?

Looking fit goes without saying for PTs – it’s a crucial part of the business. As a personal trainer you are a walking billboard, whether you’re on duty in the gym or just in everyday life. You never know when you might pick up a new client, so you have to live, eat and breathe fitness.

Of course ‘looking fit’ means different things to different people, and we can’t all be supermodels. It’s about appearing healthy and displaying a positive attitude.

Body language and posture is key, but healthy hair and skin is also a big part of a healthy image. A positive image is extremely appealing for new and existing clients and valuable for employers, while a negative image can be seriously damaging to your credibility.

If you’re not fit enough to maintain good posture, move efficiently and demonstrate exercises with utmost attention to form, you may be in the wrong career.

Many clients’ goals are aesthetic, so being the hottest trainer in the gym may mean the difference between picking up a new client and losing out to one of your competitors. Once you are able to build rapport with a client the affinity should go a lot further than just looks, but for making that first connection looking fit is a basic requirement.

For me that means having a strong, defined and toned physique. If you’re only interested in training bodybuilders then looking like Arnie will work just fine, but most people find a lean, athletic build much more appealing. At the end of the day, if you don’t look good and feel comfortable in a tight fitting t-shirt, you’re probably in the wrong career!

Kelly Edwards, fitness presenter, master trainer and technical sales and operations executive at Physical Company, www.physicalcompany.com

We’d love to hear your views on the matter, so if you’d like to get involved and continue the debate, please head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment. Just search for Register of Exercise Professionals UK if you don’t already follow us, or if you are on Twitter why not drop us a tweet to @REPsUK and include #REPsDebates

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THE FINAL WORLD

Greg Small, Head of Membership for REPs, asks where do we go next?

F

rom the earliest of times men and women worked together foraging and hunting. Men historically hunted and stalked meals whilst women were more nimble and could focus on tasks that would ensure survival on a daily basis, but how has this got anything to do with fitness?

Well, five to ten years ago there were cordoned off areas of gyms separating men from women. You might remember them. There were classes designed solely for the sexes. Spin classes were for the Sunday cyclists, yoga and pilates were for women and grunting and throwing weights down on the gym floor was the arena reserved for males alone.

Then the sands of time twisted and both males and females saw the light and the birth of ‘training’ was reborn. Education and the media played a massive role in this. Trainers slowly brought both sexes to focus on the fundamentals of health and fitness realising that 20 minutes on a treadmill with some light PNF

stretching and ‘gender’ specific dumbbells weren’t up to scratch.

Cardio respiratory endurance, strength, stamina, flexibility, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy, power and speed became common words and practice within the gym and leisure club realm and then we condensed all of these words into the 2010 potentially over used catch phrase of functional training.

Lifting and shifting our bodies in a more free form functional way proved to yield better results – gyms now in year 2015 have specifically freed up the space in their once crowded treadmill heavy space to allow for the body to do what it loves and craves to do – move! Tyres, sledgehammers, stones, kettlebells, Olympic lifting and of course the simple pull up rings have made a comeback.

They remove the need to over complicate work outs, instead opting for a more ‘natural’ way of moving – no strict parameters, no fixed movement patterns but rather the need for the body to do what it

wants, how it wants, when it wants.

Males have now realised that seven days of isolated exercise doesn’t let them live the way they want an my coined phrase of MOGA and MILATES has now 100-1000’s of men flocking to regain postural balance and muscle length that could be the envy of a lounge slinked cat. Women have now moved in strongly to the weight lifting space with bodies and strength that surpasses men, gaining extremely positive body image and a great sense of achievement when each 10kg plate gets slammed on that squat rack.

Where do we go next?

Unfortunately, I don’t have that answer, however as an ever growing and changing industry I am extremely happy for this ‘regression’ in commercialising fitness. Moving back to this free form body positive training is proving a great way forward and shows greater understanding of anatomy, physiology and human psychology.

42 www.exerciseregister.org

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