National Fitness News e-Zine January 2016 by National Council for Exercise & Fitness (NCEF)

National Fitness News e-Zine Spring 2016, Volume 5, Issue 1

CELEBRATING GROUP FITNESS PAST TO PRESENT Strength & Conditioning

Personal Training

Business

Nutrition

From the Directors Chair New Year, New Beginnings, the NCEF welcomes you to 2016. We hope that you have had a wonderful 2015 and are looking forward to 2016. Thank you to all our wonderful contributors to NFN Spring 2016 edition. Congratulations to NCEF Graduate Susan McCormick who is the first NCEF graduate to have recently registered under the European Active industry standard, Health Specialist (aligned to EQF Level 5). Susan is one of one hundred Health and Fitness Professionals in Europe to have this recognition. We do hope you enjoy the content of this issue, take ideas to your clients and embrace some concepts for yourself. Inside you will find articles covering many topics from events in 2015 to upcoming events in 2016. A huge thank you to Maeve NFN editor who has worked so hard to ensure there is a variety of interesting, relevant and current information and articles for you the reader.

Topics are covered for the group fitness instructor, personal trainers and many specialist areas from nutrition for teenage boys, to tips on setting up your own business and working with the postpartum client. Setting and achieving your personal and activity related goals for 2016 is also a focus for all; tips for this can be found inside. To the all our NCEF students graduating this January we look forward to meeting you on the 20th, this is such a memorable day and we do hope you too are looking forward to the event. We are now past January 1st and it does not have to be New Year’s Day to think new beginnings, as each day is a new beginning. In 2016 we encourage you be kind to yourself, spend your time wisely and enjoy. Ar aghaidh agus aníos Áine “BELIEVE YOU CAN AND YOU’RE HALFWAY THERE” Theodore Roosevelt

From the Editors Chair Happy New Year and

welcome to the first issue of the NCEF e-Zine 2016!! Have you checked back to what goals you set for 2015? Did you achieve all or some of them? In today’s business climate it can sometimes be quite challenging for fitness professionals. However, it can also present us with opportunities to kick start our careers, try something new and move our business up a level. While keeping a clear head and our wits about us, it is time for us to look with fresh eyes on how we operate and think of ways and opportunities on how to maximise all our services. So, set your new business and personal goals to give 2016 the kick start that it needs! If adding to your qualifications is one of your goals for this year, then the NCEF has many specialist courses on offer – these are advertised inside this issue or please visit the NCEF website for information on all course options. A reminder for those who meet the entry requirements for Year 3 Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF) & Year 4 B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness – both of these

courses will be offered on a full-time basis this September at the University of Limerick. Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI) update: Holistic Insurance Services are no longer offering discounted insurance policies to fitness instructors in Ireland. The NCEF are actively researching other providers and this will be communicated to all members in the New Year. I hope that 2016 meets all your needs and goals both personally and professionally. The NCEF is here to support and enhance your professional development, please do not hesitate in contacting us if we can assist you in any way. Finally, my sincere thank you to all our professional contributors who have given up their time to write for this issue. Keep in touch! Maeve NFN Editor

Front Cover: Students from Year 1 Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) - Aishing Hehir, Donna Mulcahy, Janice Keane, Kevin Ehidiamen Photographer: Damien Jackson

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NCEF Spring e-Zine 2016, Volume 5, Issue 1

Table of Contents 4

News Room

Travelling with your Qualifications

CEHF/HCEHF Learning Support

Health Report

Nutrition Report

Fitness Report

Group Fitness Features 12 14

Group Fitness: Top 30 Tips By Linda Gaynor Group Fitness: Movement is Life From Past to Present By Lydia Campbell Group Resistance Training - An Effective Alternative By Carmell Demello

Regulars 20

Report: Wellfest By Peppy Neville & Grace Germaine

Nutrition: Teenage Boys on Protein By Sheila Wayman

Pilates: Repairing Diastasis Recti for Your Postpartum Clients By Sheila Wayman

Connect with us:

36 31

Client Handout: 10 Minute Bicep Workout By Maeve Kavanagh

Training: 10 Things Champions Do By Sean Flannery

Graduate Profile: Susan McCormick By Maeve Kavanagh

Business: Starting Your Own Fitness Business: 5 Key Factors For Success By Susan McEnteggart

Personal Training: Embrace the Winter Exercise Outdoors By Mary Jennings

Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI)

NFN is an e-Zine published by the National Council for Exercise & Fitness (NCEF). The opinions and views in the publication are those of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by the NCEF. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in the compilation of this e-Zine, NCEF cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or effects arising thereof. However, such errors or omissions may be brought to the attention of the Editor. All material is copyrighted. National Fitness News e-Zine 3

Our website: www.ncef.ie

NCEF MISSION STATEMENT

Email: ncef.ie Phone: 061-202829 Mail: NCEF Head Office, PESS Building, University of Limerick Connect with us:

“To provide an outstanding educational Experience, through courses of excellence, whilst meeting the practical and professional needs of the fitness instructor”

Are you a qualified Gym Instructor? Are you interested in hiring an Aerobics Room? If so Nenagh Leisure Centre is the place for you. We can offer you excellent facilities for providing fitness classes in comfortable surroundings at an affordable price. In a prime location, our Aerobics Room, which overlooks Nenagh Town Park, has 13 spin bikes, floor to ceiling mirrors and is ideal for all aerobics, dance and fitness classes. The newly refurbished Leisure Centre also includes a 25 metre swimming pool and a gym with extensive gym equipment which opens up opportunities for possible package deals. Please contact Rosemary Joyce at 0761 06 6630 or rosemary.joyce@tipperarycoco.ie for further details.

NCEF Photo Competition Congratulations to Jay Walsh @jaywalshfitness who was the winner of the NCEF Photo Competition which ran in December 2015. Jay received the most likes for his photo on the NCEF Instagram Page ‪#NCEFFITNESS‬ ‪#‎Showyourncefinstructorskills‬ ‪#‎mcsportireland‬ The photo was taken at one of Jay's early morning bootcamp classes at Kingfisher Club in Waterford. Jay won a €150.00 fitness equipment voucher for McSport. Well done and thanks to everyone who entered and showcased their ‪#‎nceffitnessinstructorskills‬

Jay’s early morning Bootcamp Class! Respecting Your Privacy is Important to Us Occasionally, we circulate promotional emails pertaining to NCEF courses and events. We only include graduates of the NCEF. We do not give your contact details to any third party contacts. To ensure that you are receiving all updates please click on the link below to subscribe to our updates:

There is no “one” fitness instructor qualification that is recognised worldwide. Each country is responsible for the recognition of foreign qualifications in its own jurisdiction. All NCEF course on the UL/NCEF Flexible Learning Pathway to the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness are accredited by the University of Limerick and are placed on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ, Ireland) at levels 6, 7 & 8 and at levels 5 and 6 on the European Framework of Qualification (EQF). The NFQ provides a structure (a framework) to compare and contrast the level and standard of different qualifications. It makes it easier for you to explain to others what qualifications you hold, or are studying for. This becomes very important when you are considering further learning or when you are applying for a job – at home or abroad. The NFQ is used to compare Irish qualifications with foreign qualifications, thus, acting as a valuable tool for Irish citizens travelling abroad who wish to use their Irish qualifications. 1. Europe If you are seeking work in Europe and are experiencing difficulties having your Irish qualifications recognised abroad, the following may be of use The Europe Active Standards for Health Specialist (aligned to EQF Level 5) registration as an Exercise for Health Specialist is of paramount importance http://www.europeactive.eu/ If you hold an Irish Education and Training award, contact the Enic-Naric* office in the country where you want the award recognised. Contact details for each centre are here. Quality and Qualification Ireland (QQI) have published a very informative leaflet on travelling abroad click here. 2. Rest of the World Again each country is responsible for the recognition of foreign qualifications in its own jurisdiction. In particular

Australia has very strict guideline on instructors maintaining their continuing education. It is important when travelling abroad to seek work in the fitness industry to keep these tips in mind: 3. Copies of Qualifications: Bring copies of all of your NCEF fitness qualifications including a current Occupational First Aid (OFA) Certificate 4 UL Transcript of Results In order to obtain a copy of your official academic transcript, you will need to put your request in writing to the UL office, advising us of your student Id. number and a forwarding address. If you have forgotten your student ID number, please ensure that you advise your date of birth, your programme of study and the year you commenced your studies. There is a €10 cost for your official transcript so please ensure that you send either a cheque, postal order or bank draft made payable to the University of Limerick for the amount of €10. Further information is available here 5. REPs Ireland Membership. You might consider availing of REPs Ireland Membership. REPS Ireland is a member of ICEREPs which is the International Confederation of Registers of Exercise Professionals. This is a mechanism by which National REPs recognise exercise professionals who may transfer from another National REPs. If a REPs Ireland Exercise Professional moves to another country to seek employment, they should register with that countries own National REPs register. This will be facilitated by a 'Letter of Portability' that can be requested from the REPs Ireland office. Further information is available here 6. NCEF Head Office Contacts: The office will be happy to verify your qualifications to any prospective employer. We have a standard letter that we can give graduates. Please email ncef@ul.ie with your requests.

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Irish suicide support charity to boost mental health message with tweets An Irish suicide support charity has set out to promote positive mental health one tweet at a time. Suicide Aware’s Twitter chain campaign, which was launched in Cork last November 2015, could go global. Ireland and Munster rugby legend and Suicide Aware ambassador, Alan Quinlan, kicked off the charity’s #JoinTheChain campaign which will see a supportive tweet promoting positive mental health being posted on the social media network every 40 minutes. The interval was chosen to reflect WHO figures which show someone dies by suicide every 40 minutes. Former Irish and Munster rugby player Alan Quinlan in launced the new Suicide aware twitter account @flyingtheflag40 #jointhechain to help raise mental health awareness. Each tweet will include a link to a fundraising campaign to help Suicide Aware continue its work. A number of celebrities who have backed the campaign will be involved in the non-stop flood of positive mental health tweets over the coming days and weeks. “Twitter and social media is a great way to reach people and we hope that by keeping this chain of support going for as long as possible, it will help people to open up and feel comfortable to talk about their mental health,” said charity spokeswoman Patricia Behan. Suicide Aware is the co-ordinating group behind the Amber Flag programme, which has seen hundreds of schools and organisations across the country promoting positive mental health. Official figures show that some 500 people died by suicide in Ireland last year. You can get involved in Suicide Aware’s chain of support campaign, by tweeting #JoinTheChain to @FlyingTheFlag40, or by email to theamberflag@gmail.com. Source: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/videoirish-suicide-support-charity-to-boost-mental-healthmessage-with-tweets-368914.html

rregular Heartbeat • Irish Heart Foundation urges adults to have regular pulse checks to detect Atrial Fibrillation • People with Atrial Fibrillation are five times more likely to have a stroke. Find Atrial Fibrillation before a stroke finds you – is the latest message from the Irish Heart Foundation, the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke, which is urging the public to have a regular pulse check to detect an irregular heartbeat that is often unnoticed. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder which carries a five-fold additional risk of stroke but regular pulse checks can help detect it. According to the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke, more than 40,000 people over 50 years old in Ireland suffer from Atrial Fibrillation, but the vast majority are unaware of it with just 26% of the population having heard of the condition. There are about 8,000 strokes in Ireland annually, approximately a third of which are associated with A trial Fibrillation. AF often has no symptoms, so most people don’t know they have it. But there can be warning signs and these include palpitations, tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, or feeling faint. According to the Irish Heart Foundation, the causes of Atrial Fibrillation are not always clear but the chance of developing it can increase if a person has one or more medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. AF can affect adults of any age, but it is more common as people get older. The Irish Heart Foundation’s message for a pulse check follows the latest paper from the European Heart Network stressing the serious reality that “strokes in association with AF are often fatal and 30% of people who experience AF-related strokes will never leave hospital; another 20% will die within a year”. To learn more about Atrial Fibrillation or to download the Irish Heart Foundation’s FREE information booklet see www.irishheart.ie or call the National Heart & Stroke Helpline on Locall 1890 432 787.

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Realistic

Timely

For example, a SMART goal would be something like, "I will walk for 15 minutes 3 days for one week." Or, "I will prepare one new healthy recipe each week for the month of January."

With the New Year comes the opportunity for a fresh start. For many people, this means leading a healthier lifestyle and losing weight. If this is your goal, follow these tips to stay on track. 1. Have a Plan If you were to go on a long road trip, you wouldn't just jump in the car and go. If you did, you'd arrive hungry, tired, and fatigued. That's the same way you'd feel if you jumped into a whole new lifestyle with no planning. Before January 1st arrives, outline the changes you want to implement and decide how you'll fit them into your schedule. Keep in mind that it may be best to take steps rather than tackle everything at once. 2. Find Your Motivation What is motivating you to lose weight? Do you want to look

4. Track What You Eat

8. Exercise

Looking closely at what you eat is often an eye-opening experience. Use FitDay's free online Calorie Counter and Fitness Log to keep track of everything you put into your body. You don't have to do it for the rest of your life, but it is a great habit to start. Tracking will help you tweak your diet so that you can still enjoy foods you love without sabotaging your weight loss or healthy eating efforts.

In order to burn calories at a faster rate and build a healthy body, you'll need to incorporate exercise into your life. Take it slow at first, and then increase your time and/or intensity

5. Use Reliable Resources It may be tempting to try a fad diet, but these are usually unrealistic, difficult to maintain, and sometimes even dangerous. Instead, find a reliable source of information to help you understand nutrition. The INDI (www.indi.ie) offers a number of tools and resources, or you can consult a registered dietitian in your area. An RD is specially trained and can give you tips and tricks to help you achieve your specific goals. 6. Eat Breakfast Every Day Surely you've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is! Eat a big healthy breakfast as early as possible. It will give you more energy, lead you to make healthier choices during the day, and keep you feeling full so you eat less later on. 7. Fill Up on Vegetables

better in your clothes, feel more energetic, or simply improve your health? Get clear about what you want, and then use that to inspire you throughout your journey.

Vegetables are filled with nutrients, water, fiber, and very few calories. If you fill half of your plate with vegetables, you'll get fuller faster and cut down your calories without feeling deprived. Use herbs and spices to jazz up vegetables instead of using butter and/or salt to flavor them.

once you feel comfortable. If you haven't exercised in a while, talk to your doctor to make sure that you are healthy enough to begin an exercise plan. 9. Take It Slow A major mistake many people make when trying to tackle a health resolution is trying to do everything at once. This is almost always a recipe for disaster. Spend a few weeks just trying to achieve 1-2 goals at a time. When you have established new good habits, put a couple more goals on your plate. Remember: You want to make permanent changes, and these will take time to implement. 10. Be Prepared for Lapses A lapse is when you temporarily "fall off the wagon." This is a normal part of the process; no one is perfect. It is important for you to take a moment to recognize that you got sidetracked, but don't use it as an excuse to throw in the towel. Every day is a new chance to start over, so return to your healthy lifestyle immediately.

3. Make Goals Goals help measure progress. If you don't know where you want to end up, you won't really know how to get there. When making your goals, you need to make SMART goals: ·

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Source: http://www.fitday.com/fitnessarticles/nutrition/10-tips-to-help-youachieve-your-new-years-healthgoals.html

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after wearable technology. Dropping on this year's list were worker incentive programs, boot camps and exercise programs aimed at children and weight loss â&#x20AC;&#x201C; "a huge disappointment to those who believe that the fitness industry should take the lead in the battle against childhood obesity," the accompanying journal article reports. Source:https://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/mediaroom/acsm-in-the-news/2015/10/26/health-buzzthe-american-college-of-sports-medicinepredicts-the-top-fitness-trends-of-2016

A new study from King's College in London suggests that the stronger your legs are, the more in shape your brain is. The study, which was published in the Journal Gerontology, looked at the leg and brain health of more than 150 pairs of twin sisters. At the end of the study, researchers noted that the twin who had stronger legs at the beginning of the experiment also showed better cognition and less mental deterioration over a period of 10 years, BBC news reports.

If you've been holding out on springing for that Fitbit or Nike FuelBand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; telling yourself fitness trackers will soon go out of style â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you may need to find another excuse, or give in. According to the American College of Sports Medicine's 10thannual survey of 2,800 health and fitness professionals, wearable technologies such as fitness trackers, smart watches and GPS tracking devices are expected to be the No. 1 fitness trend in 2016. "I suspect it has something to do with our fascination with gadgets and the fact that now we're past the era of the recession," says the survey's lead author Walter Thompson, associate dean in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia

State University in Atlanta. In the past, budget-friendly trends such as body weight training and group personal training were more popular. (It might also have something to do with the fact that this year was the first the ACSM included wearable technology as an option on the list at all.) "We'll have to see if it maintains its status," Thompson says, noting that the ACSM specifies that a "trend," or a general change in behavior, is different from a "fad," which is shorter-lived. Of the 40 trends ACSM asked fitness professionals to rank, body weight training,high-intensity interval training, strength training and educated and experiencedfitness professionals took the top five slots

Lead researcher Dr Claire Steves believes "leg strength is a marker of the kind of physical activity that is good for your brain." But working on your legs isn't the only way to boost your brain health. In 2014, researchers at Harvard found that exercise in general proved to be good for brain health by reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of new blood cells. Check out this slideshow for a challenging workout you can do in your very own home. And if you're looking to target your legs, try this toning workout that strengthens your entire lower body. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11/11/stro ng-legs brain_n_8524508.html?utm_hp_ref=healthfitness&ir=Health+and+Fitness National Fitness News e-Zine 9

The University of Limerick (UL) Winter Conferring Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 20th January 2016 in the University of Limerick at 11.15am. This applies to the cohort of students from 2014/2015 who successfully received their official University of Limerick results in September 2015. ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE) Ormonde College of Further Education, Kilkenny Athlone Institute of Technology Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, Cork Motions Energie, Dublin NET Intensive, Limerick Physical Education & Sport Sciences (PESS) Top-Up programme, Limerick

For further information on times, invitations, ordering your gown & collection on the day, photography and guest pack, please click on the link below: http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/G raduate_Conferrings/Information_for_Graduands Members of the UL Governing Authority attend the ceremony and your award will be presented individually to you by UL President, Professor Don Barry. By inviting you to your conferring the President encourages you not only to attend the official event in the impressive UL Concert Hall, but to also take the time on the day to experience the beautiful surroundings of the UL campus. Please note if you choose not to attend your graduation ceremony, your University of Limerick parchment will be posted to you approximately 6-8 weeks following graduation.

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Feature Articles Inside: 1. 30 Top Tips to Being a Great Instructor 2. Group Fitness: From Past to Present 3. Group Resistance Training - An Effective Alternative

Since 1985, the NCEF have been training Fitness Instructors for the fitness industry. NCEF training programmes are based on sound principles and learning outcomes mapped to the fitness industry, and are accredited by the University of Limerick. NCEF continue to provide quality personnel for the fitness industry. Reflection and progression is the key to continued success. In 30 years of group fitness, there have been many trends, some gone, some still here. The challenges that face the group fitness instructor are manifold, here are some 30 tips to facilitate the next 30 years of quality instruction.

and will be healthy & happy. Regular numbers could make you the choice if there is promotion available. 9. Always aim for correct technique, but take care that your corrections don’t single out any individual. It is always best to issue a group corrective instruction, invariably all participants will respond to the correction, including your target client. If not, make your one-on-one correction discretely and positively, taking care not to demotivate. 10. Be professional at all times. You may have developed a relationship with some regular members, keep these interactions for outside of class as it excludes others.

Professional Behaviour Professional Development 1. Be a little bit special, have a something that makes you different from the next person. You want to be remembered. ‘her/his class is fab so full of energy, keeps you going and before you know it, it’s done & you are wrecked!’. 2. Welcome & encourage newcomers. The first group fitness class can be daunting for newcomers. Make sure you welcome the ‘newbies’ and reassure them. Remember how you felt in your own first class. Congratulate them at the end and encourage them to return. 3. Be not just on-time, BE EARLY. Be in the room/park/workout space as clients arrive, ready to begin. Meet and greet your clients, value their time. Be the last to leave. Answer queries, leave the space ready for the next instructor. 4. Check the studio/workspace to ensure that it is safe for your clients. Equipment out of the way, floor space clear and dry, equipment needed is present. If parkland, check the area for any problems, be ready. 5. Screen your group at the beginning and always do the Post Activity Stretch. So many instructors don’t bother. The health & safety of your group is your responsibility. Following basic principles could help you if you have to defend yourself in Court. 6. Be prepared/organised. Have your class planned. Sounds basic, but so many instructors don’t bother with class plans and rely on ‘winging it’. Newcomers might not notice, but experienced clients will. Your reputation can be damaged. It’s difficult to recover from locker room dissatisfaction. 7. Motivate like your life depend on it, especially on the bad days, we all get them - that’s when it’s needed most. 8. Know your audience. Try out new trends and different methods. However, if the 9.30am class want Circuits, Boxercise or Aerobics & tone, you should accommodate them. If Clients are happy, they’ll come back

11. Congratulations, you achieved a 1st class honours in your exams and now you are working in a high profile gym. In the interest of keeping your classes popular and your ideas fresh, try to attend workshops. You can bring your new ideas to your classes. 12. Reflect, review and revise your class plans. Avoid doing the same routine all the time, mix it up, people like variety. 13. Can you adapt your class for special populations? What if a pregnant lady takes part? Or someone with a hearing impairment? Or physical restriction? Are you equipped? Can you adapt your plan? The law dictates that you have to be inclusive. If you can’t, you may be deemed guilty of discrimination. (Equality.ie) 14. Recover from your mistakes. Things go wrong, accept, reflect and revise. Then go back and do it better. 15. Ask for feedback. Doing it verbally can lead to you being bombarded by a cacophony on individual hates/likes. Conduct a simple survey once in a while, you’ll find out what is working and what needs change. 16. Realise that you can’t please everyone. Do your best, then move on. Don’t be judgemental. 17. Review your music. Keep it current, is it suitable for the clients present? Is it offensive? Use the music, it is a powerful tool! E.g., is it an Active Elderly class, include some music from the era that they might enjoy and it may motivate them. 18. Review your equipment. So you had 30 Dynabands and 30 small medicine balls, but over the years, some have gone missing/broken etc., if you don’t have enough to go around – replenish your stock. It is unprofessional to plan a class for which you don’t have enough appropriate equipment. 19. Be professional in your appearance. Even the most expensive training gear will look & smell old over time. Replace it periodically. Avoid the ‘baggy’ pants and skimpy tops – consider your clients. National Fitness News e-Zine 12

20. Develop your classes with some seasonal themes for a bit of added fun. Halloween, Christmas, Easter etc., bring out the child in you and your clients. Maybe even do it for charity. Technology and Trends

27. Avoid burnout! Group fitness executed correctly can be tough on an on-going basis. How can burnout be avoided? Be self-aware, how are you feeling? Are you getting enough rest? Can the schedule be re-vamped to space out your High Intensity classes to allow you active recovery? Can you help your colleagues and can they help you?

21. Fado fado in Eireann….when I began teaching group fitness, it was all tapes. They had to be rewound to the correct position and invariably got chewed up in the machine…Disaster! Now instructors are using Smart Phones/ iPads/IPods/ Tablets. Why then am I still waiting for them to find the right track? Organise your music, if it is a Spin Class, prepare your play list based on your planned class….what hill climbs you want, what sprints? You have the technology – USE IT!

28. Keep up to date with constantly changing Trends. You don’t have to take the whole concept on board, you can incorporate some ideas into your workout.

22. Consider using a projector for spin class, display the mountains while the class engages with your hill climb, the hills for the sprints. Be creative, imaginative – DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!

Group fitness classes took off in the 80s with the help of Jane Fonda (grab a cup of coffee and follow the link below, it’s very entertaining, though I cringe at the high impact repetition… in plimsols). 30 plus years on, NCEF promote health & fitness in group fitness classes by educating and training fitness professionals to the highest standards. The knowledge, skills and attitudes developed on NCEF programmes of study continue to move with the trends. Follow the links below for Boxercise, Piloxing, Khai Bo etc., to see a few examples of how Exercise to Music, Step & Body Conditioning Modules facilitate working with music across a broad spectrum of group fitness. Keep reflecting, developing, networking – see you in 30 years for the next review!

23. Phone should be on silent or in your locker – it is unprofessional to check your phone during class. 24. Social Media? Some love it some hate it. If your clients are agreeable, you can promote, encourage participation, generate interest etc., by posting on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat etc., 25. Be aware of privacy issues. If you plan to post a photo to social media, you need permission from everyone in the photo. Some people don’t like it. Be particularly careful if you are teaching in a school hall as Photography is not permitted in most schools. 26. Promote fellow instructors and hopefully they will do the same for you. Recommend a class or post a positive comment on social media.

29. Keep your subscriptions to Fitness Professional agencies current. This is an easy way to keep up to date with the industry trends. 30. Every day is a school day – CONTINUE YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Linda Gaynor, B.Sc. Education & Training, DEHF, NCEF Tutor Linda has been a Tutor with the NCEF since 2002, tutoring on the CEHF and HCEHF courses. She co-ordinates the Personal Training course in Dublin and was involved in the development, co-ordinating and delivery of the Health Related Activity for Children (HRAC).

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The Past It all started 35 years ago with the Jane Fonda workout in the early 80's making aerobic exercise sexy and fun. Jane Fonda took the aerobic training principles created by of Dr Kenneth Cooper, the original creator of aerobics and implemented them into fun workouts. Suddenly everyone wanted to jump up and down for fitness and the feel good factor. Jane Fonda type classes were popping up around

the world and they were packed out. I was already teaching some dance body conditioning classes to young mums in a play centre and a school and these classes were my base for creating the programme Legs Bums n Tums that I released worldwide in the early 90’s. These classes are still 25 years on, one of my most popular studio programmes. In the 80's when the Jane Fonda workout arrived and I had to change from my fluid dance moves, yoga stretches and pilates warm ups to hard pounding aerobics. I put on the thong

leotard, head band, and jumped up and down on the spot in barefoot teaching high impact aerobics, using the heavy hand weights. Exercise was the new social single scene and men and women all came to class due to the 80's sexy aerobic compilation films such as Flash Dance and Perfect.

Through the 80’s As we moved through the 80’s, Dance Studios and the first Squash and Health Clubs started to appear. Aerobics was seen as a trend and not as important as the game of Squash. The Studio was seen as an add-on to keep the ladies happy. Club owners started to realise they had more fitness members going to the studio for their aerobics classes, compared to two people playing squash on a court. Soon, throughout London the squash courts were being converted to a lucrative studio and gym.

The Female Instructor The Group Fitness class was one of the main reasons for health clubs opening. In fact the female instructor was the drive for all of this to happen. Women paved the way in exercise back to the 1930's when a post war and exercise movement group was created - The Women's League of Health and Beauty founded by Prunella's Stack. She set up in the Regents Street London YMCA. Her league's motto was ' Movement is Life' and she influenced thousands of women around the world with her mix of dance moves and yoga. She held fitness rallies in the Royal Albert Hall and this was the first group fitness class en mass.

Present Day Today, the fast food industry has created a new market for the Group Fitness Instructor. The instructor has had to become an ambassador for health and fitness. Fitness Instructors have access to the most diverse fitness market ever and they are now seen as exercise motivators and health & fitness educators to the public. Doctors and therapists are turning to the group Fitness Instructor to prescribe exercise programmes and to promote an active lifestyle to the next generation. You need to ensure that they know about you and the services you can offer. 2016 is a year of working together with allied health professionals – have you your business ready for this?

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Fitness Trends Fitness trends are going round in circles, more pertinently changing fast on social media, where we see a new trend emerging nearly every day. It can feel like a maze out there and you need to be careful on the trend you wish to align your business with. You do not want to represent a trend that will die out in a few months, or you find every other leisure centre or studio in your area is running the same classes – this is where your market research is important. If you are going to invest your time and money into training, licence fees, equipment etc.., then you need to make sure you develop a good business plan. I’ve been in the world of fitness since 1975, from teaching in church halls to managing health clubs and conventions. I launched Legs Tums n Bums in the 90's with a video and book. Today, these classes are still busy and timetabled around the world! As Director of FitCamps conventions, which are now 25 years old, I have showcased so many concepts and my top tips for you are as follows:

Plan, Plan and Plan

2. Create a timetable of community classes that will cater for the fitness markets at different times of the day. 3. Reach out to the non active participants and teach not according to your ability but their level. 4. Choose what you do carefully as you'll find you are paying out hundreds on monthly licenses. 5. Be creative and flexible. The more diverse you are in your teaching skills the more employable you are to the clubs. 6. Keep up to date with exercise, fitness and health research.

2016 Trends: What is there out there for you? · Pilates is big every time a celebrity mentions they love Pilates another rush happens to classes. Pilates is fluid movement with a strong connection with the core and breathing. · Trigger Point Pilates™ is a restructuring fascia Pilates class launched in 2015 that has taken the UK by storm. Tried and tested on the public for ten years before releasing the training programme. It is the only fitness training workout that focuses on releasing the body from inside. Email lydia@fitcamps.com for training dates in Ireland. · Buti™Yoga: A movement practice that combine’s power yoga with tribal dance and plyometrics into a high intensity workout to transform the body. A yoga class from LA founder Bizzie Gold that has made an impact in London in 2015 and now training instructors.www.yogahub.co.uk · CircusFit™ programmes created by Hester Montgomery Campbell. Studios and now adding aerial fitness to their programmes. If you have a dancer or gymnastic background consider becoming an Aerial fitness Instructor email; Info@circusfit.london

· Kick Start Weight Loss clubs™ created by Fitness Presenter Rachel Homes is running Fatloss clubs all over the UK and online. This course combines 30 minutes high intensity with a diet programme www.kickstartfatloss.net · Walking classes are the most accessible form of safe effective fat burning exercise possible. Look at BungyPump ™ a walking class, the first part of the class is completed outside and the second half inside a toning studio. The class has evolved from the Swedish Nordic Ski walking poles. For training courses contact www.bungypump.co.uk · Extreme fitness from InSanity™ and CrossFit all have been promoted by social media, thereby creating a whirlwind market that you can tap into. Functional Fitness classes boomed in 2015 with InSanity to TRX and now this year there is a vast choice www.insanityinstructor.co.uk · Watch out for class formats from www.physical.co.uk who are focusing on group fitness for 2016 instead of the gym. With a variety of circuit classes from: '3D X TREME' . A circuit class where all aspects of functional movement are challenged using the Bosu, the ballast ball and med ball. · Triplex Untamed another circuit class which has a strong focus on dynamic movements and core training. Using the Surge designed for dynamic resistance and sports specific movement patterns (water filled hand held resistance equipment) the RMT Club for rotational movement training based on Indian clubs great for upper body and core strength · FreeForm Boards (gliding circular boards on caster wheels),' Bosu on the minute' Where Bosu training is updated with switching types of exercise every minute for balance, stability and core conditioning incorporating high intensity moves for hearts rate training. · Block Fit www.blockfit.co.uk created by Chico from the XFactor. No equipment involved,just energy and fun, combining a dance block, boxing fitness block, intensity training block and ending with a tranquil yoga fitness block. This is growing fast in the UK and he has just launched his training dates for 2016. These are just a few of the latest fitness concepts that are going to be popular in 2016. I would recommend going to a fitness convention to sample all of these trends. Have fun in fitness! Lydia Campbell Lydia Campbell is one of the pioneers of the fitness Industry with over 35 years in the industry and 40 years teaching. Founder founder of FitCamp, an international presenter, author, teacher trainer, promotions consultant. Director of Aqua training for Aquamotion and VR Training. EXA Business Person award winner. Director of the FitCamp Training video series, as seen on SKY TV. Now specialising in Mind Body and functional pilates training. Her last book was The London Fitness Guide 2000 a valuable resources for fitness instructors. National Fitness News e-Zine 15

First Impressions Count

clubs/gyms, especially with economic factors forcing cut price memberships.

As exercise and health fitness professionals get one chance to make a first impression we need to ensure that our Group Fitness Classes are reaching high standards and that a range of customer service needs are being met, including physical, educational, social and environmental. Just as the public will try out different restaurants, hairdressers, beauty salons etc, they will try different health-

In Group Resistance classes fitness professionals are aiming to increase muscular strength and endurance, in a safe environment whilst avoiding injury. Core training is paramount. Core awareness has also allowed us to encourage more body awareness and postural importance. Fitness enthusiasts and sports professionals are soaking in the knowledge that good

posture will facilitate greater effects in resistance training. If posture is poor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the risk of injury is greater, due to misalignment and technical inefficiency. If posture is good, the core muscles can do their job, acting as great stabilizers with body responding to load and repetitions. It is a really positive feeling for participants to leave the class feeling lengthened as well as strengthened. The infusion of core training also facilitates developing balance throughout the

body via resistance training which is naturally important in injury prevention.

An effective alternative to the gym. Group Fitness Resistance classes gives the instructor the opportunity to work with those who want a new experience possibly away from the gym. Health professionals train them and motivate them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with the same exercises they may have been doing alone, but now in an educational

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and uplifting environment. If we can remain enthusiastic about the basic of movements, we can encourage the participants to sustain their efforts, whereas without us they may have given up. If instructors can motivate the exerciser to fatigue, then the job is done. It’s a win/win situation the clients get their strength and conditioning needs met, a successful session has been thought, the clients return and the business continues.

Class set-up – the right environment Setting up the class, setting up the exercise, this is where we get the chance to provide clarity of class format for beginners. We need to inform what to do, how to do it and when do it. Prior to kick off – you are always going to have to battle with your new participants, as they try hide at the back of the class, only then to be clouded with confusion on discovering they are too far away from you to follow or hear you. It is therefore extremely important that the instructor sets up the exercise physically, posturally and verbally with the correct equipment for each individual whilst making it safely challenging. Therefore try to encourage your participants to position themselves nearer to you. In setting up exercises, attention to be paid to hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, core, knees, hips, knees and feet positioning. Technique should be addressed and amended where appropriate before increase of load is applied.

Instructor’s Quality of Movement As exercise and health fitness professionals we need to be good role-models ourselves. Our own movement quality should inspire and visually lead the participants into an effective workout with desired results. Instructors need to demonstrate good spinal alignment and precise set up/starting position for each exercise. Range of motion must be specific to the exercise but we must also be sensitive to the needs and ability of the group. It is essential we move with control – and not compensate form for loading up with weights/load. Health fitness professionals must give equal attention to all phases of the exercise (raising, lowering, holding.) Postural stances are important to ensure that the weight of the load is distributed through the body.

Addressing Errors As injury prevention is vital, modifications and alternatives must be readily available. Group classes are very much multi-level – people attend because the timeslot suits them regardless of level. There are errors that are seen time and time again. The two obvious examples which spring to mind are squats and lunges which are then complicate, once resistance is added. In both exercises there is always an issue with the stance, with mis-alignment of the knees and/or spine and lack of control. Good execution relies on informative instruction, prompting correct spinal alignment, core engagement, weight distribution, foot position and range of movement. The effective instructor knows what’s going to happen so we need to be ready in group situation to correct this both to individuals (in a discrete, nonintimidating manner) and to the group as whole. Think of all the errors you might see and script ways of correcting them in class, in doing this you will have a bank of instructional vocabulary to draw from Our participants are quite often educated individuals. Do they need to learn to count? No! So they don’t need to attend an exercise class which is based on numerology. Again instructors should have an arsenal of cues and teaching tips, which they can fire out to get their technical point across (not numbers!). There are many ways of saying the same thing and variety makes for a more interesting/enjoyable class rather than listening to ‘up, up, down, down’ or ‘ 4-3-2-1’ over again. Visual and Verbal cues work well together. Participants benefit from seeing then feeling.

Speed and Form Speed should be controlled to ensure good form. Good technique should be mastered before speed. Physical execution should be completely understood by the participant before speed especially if there are complex compound movement patterns. If music is used it should compliment and motivate but never compromise form by being too fast or slow.

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Achievement

American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines

A sense of achievement is of paramount importance – teach beginner levels and then incorporate advanced options – re-enforce that options relate to body types and/or experience and if an option is taken, this is no way reflects inferiority. Resistance training classes are where are participants can really see a difference in their bodies. This is what will make them return.

Freestyle Classes

Guidelines from the ACSM state that we should be performing a minimum of 8 to 10 exercises training the major muscle groups. Our workouts should not be too long – (programmes longer than one hour are associated with higher drop out rates). We should be recommending least 2 to 3 sessions a week – (more frequent training may elicit slightly greater strength gains but additional improvement is relatively small). Progress is made during the recuperation between workouts.

Freestyle Classes give the instructor the freedom to provide tailor made workouts for the groups with the pace and variety of exercises completely of choice. These sessions allow the use of different types of equipment weights, bands, balls etc. This works well with teams as they can be coached through exercise patterns relative to their sports. Specific targets can be set and rewarded with great satisfaction in achievement. Progression then comes into play with the setting of new targets and diverse training.

This is great news for Group Resistance classes. It’s exactly what we as exercise and health fitness professionals are capable of providing – a varied compound format, encouraging achievable attendance of one hour long sessions (which fit nicely onto our studio timetables). As long as exercise and health fitness professionals, remain educationally driven and professionally responsible our dynamic presentation will speak for itself and safeguard the success of our industry.

Choreographed Classes

References available on request.

Choreographed resistance training plays a major role in Group Fitness and the structure is appealing to participants and instructors with many factors responsible. Focus is on precise physical execution based on alignment, load, speed and reps. Pre-choreographed routines means that the speed of music has been determined safe for effective movement and control. It is easily possible to cater for many different levels, within one session with strong participants working alongside beginners and everyone achieving their goals

Carmell Demello is the Group Fitness Co-ordinator at University of Limerick Sport Arena. She is also Chairperson for the Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk and a volunteer in the Irish Coast Guard - Search & Rescue Administration Office. Carmell is a published fitness writer and writes weekly for a local newspaper.

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Tutor Education or Advanced Practitioner

Q This course provides180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness. The Diploma is awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Aim: To provide Fitness Professionals with the opportunity to research, study and practice at an advanced level in the are of Exercise & Health Fitness. The DEHF Yr 3 has two Module Electives to choose from: Ÿ Strand 1 - Tutor Education: Provides fitness professionals with the skills, knowledge and competencies to carry out the functions of a tutor at Year 1 (CEHF) and Year 2 (Specialist Courses). Strand 2 - Advanced Practitioner: Provides fitness professionals with the skills, knowledge and competences to work at higher specialised levels within the industry, as specialist instructors and/or in supervisory management positions.

FULL-TIME DAY COURSE DETAILS ● Venue: University of Limerick ● Start date: 27th September 2016. ● End date: May 2017 ● Contact Days: Tues & Thurs 11:00-14:00 Mon, Wed & Fri are research & study days as well as Tutor Observation and some work experience.

PART-TIME WEEKEND COURSE DETAILS ● Venue: University of Limerick ● Start date: 1st & 2nd October 2016. ● End date: May 2017 ● Contact Days: Fri & Sat 09.30 -16:45 Research & study days as well as Tutor Observation and some work experience. ● Application Closing Date: 9th September 2016 Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here ●

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Report On Saturday 19th September, Grace and I visited the leafy environs of Herbert Park in Ballsbridge, Dublin, which played host to the largest number of fitness professional to gather in one place in Ireland this year, for an event called Wellfest.

performance/busting common nutrition myths to how to train for a marathon or triathlon. There was also a cookery demonstration by David and Stephen Flynn AKA the Happy Pear and the day closed with a talk from Niall Breslin (Bressie) on mental wellbeing.

Wellfest could be described as a one stop shop for all things currently trending in the fitness industry, with some of the biggest and high profile presenters present on the day. In fact there was so much to see and do, it was difficult to decide where to start. So first of all let me give you an overview of what was on offer and then I will describe in more detail some of the workshops and sessions we participated in.

Wellvillage The Venue The venue was sub-divided into various centres where different activities were being showcased. The Main Stage area played host to large group type activities such as Bootcamp, Aerodance, Bodyattack, the Viking Method, Piloxing and Animal Flow. Each of these sessions lasted for around 30 minutes and no sooner was one presenter finished than another was waiting in the wings to take their slot so it was literally non-stop from 10am until 6pm. Dotted around this area were smaller marquees, where workshops were being presented to smaller groups. These workshops also lasted about 30 minutes and were going non-stop all day. If you wanted to be guaranteed a place in these workshops, it was advisable to book in advance but most of them could be accessed at some point during the day. The activities here included Pilates, Yoga, Spinning, TRX, Strength Training and Trigger Point Release which also included the use of Rocktape. Finally there was a third area called Welltalk. This venue hosted several speakers who spoke about topics ranging from body image, nutrition for

Of course no army ever marched on an empty stomach so to cater for the hungry masses was the Wellvillage where artisan producers provided delicious, nutritious food including paleo and protein snacks, flavoured nuts, fruit and vegetable juices, wraps and I have to mention the chocolate brownies that were gluten, dairy and sugar free and still tasted great!

level. Nothing new there you might say but what made them so good was the way in which they made it all appear so effortless. Concise teaching points, the enthusiasm and energy of the presenters and motivating music all added up to make a great class. Piloxing with Heather Gordon was an energetic blend of Boxercise and Pilates. Being a bit of a Pilates purist myself Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure how effective the Pilates elements were in this particular session. They were based on standing balance type exercises but if you were not already familiar with the principles of Pilates Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure it would work. However, it was another high energy, enthusiastic presentation. Advanced Pilates with Platinum Pilates, Yoga and Meditation were all basically what they say on the tin. If you were looking for some inspiration for challenging and creative exercise combinations, the Pilates workshop certainly delivered. If you had not tried Yoga or Meditation before these workshops were both excellent opportunities to experience them.

The Sessions With the huge variety of activities on offer, we had decided in advance that rather than trying to participate in everything we should select areas that were of particular interest to us. Both Keith Colemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aerodance and Bodyattack with Les Mills, were excellent examples of choreographed Exercise to Music routines. The routines were based around 2 Blocks consisting of 4 moves taught separately initially and then linked. There was nothing complicated about the routines. An example of one block was Jog forward and back, followed by step curl, followed by double side step with leg curl, followed by knee raise. They also interspersed moves like squats, mountain climbers and even the odd burpee but modifications were offered so everyone could work at their own

Trigger Point release and the use of Rock Tape was a particularly good workshop. We used the foam roller for myofascial release focusing on the quads and ITB. Rather than rolling the muscle from end to end, we divided it into thirds and rolled each There were several other presentations we would have like to have participated in but as the day went on the energy levels began to drop so we contented ourselves with

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observing. One in particular, Animal Flow with Richard Scrivener, was fascinating to watch. This apparently is the type of training Conor McGregor of UFC fame incorporates into his training routine. It involves mimicking the movements of an animal eg a gorilla or a crocodile. Movements are all very slow and controlled and use body weight as resistance

adaptations/progressions, were all put to good use by these presenters. As far as exercise trends go, energetic group classes seem to be very popular. So often we hear that Exercise to Music is no longer popular with the general public. If this was the case, it certainly appears to be making a big come back. It’s been revamped and given a bit of a makeover and called ‘Aerodance’ or ‘Grit Cardio’ but it’s still the same thing we’ve been teaching for years. I don’t know if Wellfest is going to be an annual event but for any fitness professional it would definitely be worth a visit. You will be both inspired and informed.

Peppy Neville, BA, DEHF, NCEF Tutor Peppy has worked in the fitness industy for over 15 years. She tutors across a wide range of modules on the Year 1 CEHF & Year 2 HCEHF. Peppy operates her own Pilates business in the Waterford area.

Grace Germaine, DEHF, NCEF Tutor

So what did we learn from our day out? As an NCEF professional it was good to see that all of the skills we strive to instil in our students were all on display. Professionalism and enthusiasm, clear teaching points,

Grace has worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years and is Course Co-ordinator for the CEHF in Ormonde College of Further Education, Kilkenny and the Personal Training module in Limerick and the Pilates module in Dublin. Grace tutors across a wide range of the CEHF & HCEHF modules and is currently completing the Year 4 B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness. Grace also operartes her own Personal Training Business.

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Pilates & Corrective Exercise

Q NCEF Pilates & Corrective Exericse This course awards 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway and also towards other University qualifications in Europe who follow ECTS credit value system. Successful students will receive an NCEF Certificate of Completion Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and provide safe and effective instruction in Pilates & Corrective. These specialists can work with clients on a one to one basis or in a group setting. Course Details: Four contact weekends - Saturday & Sunday. Private study and an additional day for final assessments. Work experience which includes a detailed project and submission of a short video

COURSE DETAILS Venue for Contact Days: University of Limerick Sat 30th & Sun 31st Jan Sat 13th & Sun 14th Feb Sat 27th & Sun 28th Feb Sat 12th & Sun 13th March Access to online assessments: Thurs 24th-Sun 27th March. Project submission date: Tues 9.00am, 5th April

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here

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Nutrition

Nutrition With a ‘big is better’ culture in rugby and GAA, the use of protein supplements among young players is rife. I used to see these over-sized, slightly sinisterlooking plastic tubs with mysterious labels piled high in shops that I passed by but never went into. Now there’s one sitting on my kitchen counter. With a 16-year-old boy in the house and preseason rugby training in full swing, it’s hardly surprising. The use of protein supplements has gained momentum over the past decade, with a mushrooming range of products muscling their way onto mainstream supermarket shelves. So of course younger age groups are gulping down their protein shakes – even though sporting governing bodies, such as the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), do not recommend them for players under 18. At best, it seems, protein supplements are a waste of money for under-age players; at worst they may have a detrimental effect on their long-term health.

Research While excess protein is excreted because it can’t be stored in the body, some research has suggested a high protein diet may have adverse effects. There are studies that show a possible link to kidney disease, prostate cancer and diabetes, but nothing conclusive. None of these products has been tested on teenagers and, for ethical reasons, never will be, because they are growing bodies and it is a minefield, says Safefood’s chief specialist in nutrition, Dr Marian Faughnan. “Of course teenage boys are tempted,” she says. “They want to be bigger, they want to be bulkier.” The important message for 99.9 per cent of teenagers is that they will get enough protein from their diet, she stresses. Through dairy, meat, fish, maybe nuts and pulses, they are getting plenty of protein. It is a “challenging message” for parents and others to get across, she acknowledges, because, like the rest of us, “teenagers want to hear ‘here’s the magic bullet’.” The estimated 26,000 boys aged 15 to 18 who play rugby in this country see how their heroes on the international team pump up that little bit more every year. As Andy McGeady illustrated in the Irish Times newspaper back in February 2015, the 1980 Irish side that played England averaged 13st 12lb (88kg) per man. The team playing England in 2014 was close to 16st 7lb (105kg) each.

Marketing Nóra Ní Fhlannagáin, a performance nutritionist with the IRFU, travels around the county working with 500 of the best under-17 and under-18 players who are chosen for development squads in each of the four provinces. She encounters confusion among parents and young players alike over the question of protein supplements. “There is a lot of marketing and at the younger age they are unsure if they need this. They can’t afford it and don’t know if they are supposed to be taking it.” However she finds young people are intelligent enough and very cautious about taking anything. “The whole supplement industry is notoriously poorly controlled – it is shocking what they often put into supplements to bulk them,” she says. In 2010, a Consumer Reports survey of 15 brands in the US found that some protein drinks were contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and

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mercury, which could reach harmful levels in the recommended three daily servings. Some have also been found to be tainted with steroids. Although the scientific evidence is there, Ní Fhlannagáin says, of the benefit for senior athletes of consuming a protein drink to aid recovery straight after training, it is not recommended for the under 18s for two reasons. The biggest one for me is that our young rugby players are not really at a stage in their rugby career where they need it.” Instead she wants them to be developing a good relationship with food, learning how to cook and understanding where protein comes from. If and when they progress to academy rugby, they will have a much higher level of training and will have

conditioning coaches and nutritionists. “At that point they have such a good understanding of food and nutrition and all the things that impact sport, then they can go up to the next layer and supplements can help you to become a national level athlete.” However for the under 18s, aside from the fact that they are still growing, she says, “we don’t have evidence to show that concentrated protein is safe in young rugby players”. It is hard to know, she remarks, because “essentially whey protein is just a milk extra” – a byproduct of cheese production – but “it wouldn’t be a risk I would be willing to take if I had kids”. Besides, if you take protein in isolation, such as in whey, you are not getting the iron, vitamins C, A or B, calcium or

Quick Fixes

Ireland international Anrew Trimble on fronting videos (his for young players, hers for parents) showing how the optimum 20 grams of protein to consume after training to aid recovery and growth is much better found in the fridge (eg milk, eggs, slices of chicken or beef, salmon) rather than in tubs of protein powder. She and her IRFU colleagues try to impress on players that, whether it’s training or nutrition, there are no quick fixes, it is all about consistency. And apart from urging them to wait until they are

The one thing about protein-enriched milk – another popular product pandering to those looking for all things protein and pushing up grocery bills – is that you are still getting your other nutrients, she points out, with something added. But the “cost for the amount of protein you’re getting – you might just as well drink an extra 100mls of milk,” she remarks. “Bang for your buck – I am not buying it.” Ní Fhlannagáin’s job is to convince youngsters of the benefit of whole foods. She worked with

18 before considering supplements, she says she encourages them to use critical thinking rather than succumbing to peer pressure.

IRFU Guidelines While coaches following the IRFU guidelines know that they should not recommend the use of protein shakes, players seem to believe they silently condone it. So does the organisation encourage coaches to discourage the practice? “We would probably encourage them to discourage it,” replies Ní Fhlannagáin, sounding a little doubtful. “That is where there is a fine line in our control because many coaches are not employed by the IRFU,” she points out “but they would follow our guidelines.” When inactive, overweight and obese teenagers are much more prevalent, it would seem that parents of sportsloving youngsters with an eye on healthy eating would have little to worry about. So is there a point when they need to start being concerned? “This is a really central question,” says Harriet Parsons, services coordinator with Bodywhys, which supports people with eating disorders. “At what stage do you get worried about normal healthy exercise and normal healthy eating and when does it start to become something that is more than that?” One indicator, she suggests, is when their whole life seems centred around ensuring they get their gym time and they won’t do a normal activity because it might stop them going to a gym. Other signs include huge amounts of time spent in the gym, an over focus on image and a marked change in

personality, with mood swings. “They will get anxious and panicky if something interferes with their ability to do their exercise. That is when you are getting into more problem territory,” she says. And “a line is crossed” when they seem to be doing it more for image reasons than for improved performance at sport. “It is no longer a means to an end.”

Eating Disorders Parsons believes eating disorders are an increasing problem among boys and men, although the official breakdown is still 10 per cent male and 90 per cent female. However it is recognised as probably being around 25:75 now, she says, “and for binge eating disorder it is 50:50”. “Muscle dysmorphia”, also known as “reverse anorexia”, is the term for when a person becomes obsessively focused on the feeling that they are too small and not muscular enough. For those experiencing distorted body image, she believes it’s not so much that they are not seeing themselves the way everybody else sees them, it is more that when they look at themselves they don’t see themselves as a whole. “We do that as well when we look in the mirror – we see our hair, we see our face, we don’t see ourselves the way everybody else sees us. They are focusing on one part and that part loses the context from the rest of the body and if there are negative thoughts and negative self beliefs they get concentrated on ‘if I get this part perfect, then I will feel better’.” For more information see: “Eat 2 Compete” on irishrugby,ie; “Fuel Your Body – For the Teenage Sports Person”, on safefood.eu; irfu.ie and bodywhys.ie

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Making Gains: Gettting teens to hear the message about health eating Don’t make mealtimes a battle ground is the advice doled out to anxious parents of small children who have just discovered the power of food refusal. Another decade or so on, when parents no longer have total control of the food available to their off-spring, putting up a fight is even more futile. Typically, those with sons struggle to keep enough food in the house and worry about them eating too much of the wrong things. Daughters are worrying when they appear not to eat enough and then may lapse into bouts of comfort eating. It’s a “really tricky time” for teenagers and for parents, says Safefood’s chief specialist in nutrition, Dr Marian Faughnan, as young people become more independent and more involved with friends and sport and other activities outside the home. “Being able to sit down for a family meal is logistically harder,”

she points out, so there needs to be negotiation between parents and teenagers on when, where and what they’re eating. Pocket money is also a big issue, she suggests, because they are likely to use it to buy food that is too high in fat, salt and/or sugar and which is so easily available everywhere they go. There are ways to encourage healthy eating without being confrontational, although with teenagers it can be quite hard to avoid confrontation, she admits. Steps parents can take include: ● Try to involve teenagers in some of the food shopping and preparation. ● Agree that if they miss dinner time, there will be a meal ready to heat up – to stop them filling up on unhealthy snacks. ● Decide as a family not to keep large supplies of “treat” food in the house ● Focus on providing breakfast, as that’s one meal they are liable to skip ● Likewise, make a point of having fruit and vegetables available as

many teenagers don’t eat enough fibre ● Dispel the “high fat” myth that hangs over dairy, as 42 per cent of teenage girls are not getting enough calcium. Five servings of dairy a day are recommended for teenagers and these can be low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. ● Insufficient iron is another predominantly female problem “a little bit of red meat the size of the palm of your hand twice a week is good,” says Faughnan. www.safefood.eu Biography Sheila Wayman writes for The Irish Times Health & Family supplement, mainly on parenting-related matters. She is a former Features Editor of the newspaper and now works as a freelance writer and editor. This article appeared in the July 28th issue of the supplement. swayman@irishtimes.com National Fitness News e-Zine 25

Pilates Introduction Learning how to properly train prenatal and postnatal clients can be confusing especially when trying to understand diastasis recti. In this article you will learn how to check for diastasis recti in your postpartum clients, understand how fascia and creating a strong deep core play a vital role in diastasis recti recovery along with recommended exercises you can teach your clients.

Learning Objectives: 1.

Learn how to check for diastasis recti in your postpartum clients.

Understand how creating good fascial and deep core muscle connection is key in repairing diastasis recti.

Discover recommended exercises and techniques for minimizing further separation and repairing diastsis recti.

Diastasis Recti This is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles along the linea alba. Typically occurring during pregnancy and in the postpartum phase. Factors that can affect diastasis recti/degree of diastasis recti: Age Lifestyle Genetics Posture and alignment Glute and pelvic floor strength (they are related) Possible pelvic floor dysfunction How long has she had diastasis How much separation does she have (see below for how to check) ■ How strong her abdominal fascial connection is ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Sometimes there may be no good explanation as to “why” a client ended up having some abdominal separation but now that she does you can help her in her recovery and repairing her abdominals with the following:

1. Increase facial connection: In a study by Robert Schleip, PHD, found that fascia itself is able to “contract and relax and thereby influence biomechanical behavior” and “suggests a new understanding of pathologies with an increased or decreased myofascial tonus”. This is an amazing finding and something that I have noticed with clients over the years. New research is finally proving that we can manipulate the fascia and fascial connection. Which means, that when training your clients with diastsis recti, stimulating fascial connection could help decrease her abdominal separation and create better deep core connection without actually increasing her muscle mass or connection but rather it’s the fascial connection.

2. Teach deep core connection When teaching deep core connection it’s important that she understand how to properly activate her pelvic floor muscles along with transverse abdominals simultaneously. This has been verified in a study by R.R. Sapfords, the study found “…that abdominal muscle activity is a normal response to PF [pelvic floor] exercise in subjects with no symptoms of PF muscle dysfunction…” and D. Chritchley also found that same relationship that pelvic floor muscles and transverse abdominals co-contract together but also found an increase in transverse abdominal thickness. Could this also result in decrease in low back pain too? It can’t hurt to have stronger deep core muscles giving the low back more support. These study’s bring about another topic discussing pelvic floor dysfunction and if you have a client that can not properly connect her deep core possibly due to pelvic floor dysfunction it may be a good idea to recommend her to a specialist for pelvic floor manipulation. Be sure to give her some time to learn and try to “find” her deep core muscles as it may just take her a while to figure it out.

Possible reasons why she may have pelvic floor dysfunction is: 1. She may have been born that way and has never truly activated her pelvic floor muscles properly her entire life. 2. Had an episitomy during delivery of a child (this is where they cut the perineum) and can create scar tissue and disconnection of the pelvic floor muscles. Or a bad natural tear during delivery. 3. She may just need time to “find” those muscles, so be patient with her. Teaching to always lightly activate her deep core muscles is a must, especially with diastasis. An easy way to explain that to her is to “Zip up”, as she exhales she should lightly lift up on her pelvic floor muscles while continuing that zipping feeling up through the top of her head and creating a light Intercoastal ribcage connection causing her ribs to draw down and inward slightly. You should also notice improvement in posture and her lower belly flatten at least slightly indicating that she is in deed activating her deep core muscle properly. Just by “zipping up” her core she is also creating better postural alignment habits – a must to repair diastsis. Focus on her activating her deep core, starting with her pelvic floor and then zipping up on the exhale with each exercise, especially if she is having a hard time recruiting. If you notice her holding her breath that indicated she is “over-activating” which can be counterproductive. Her deep core connection should always be a “light” and “gentle” connection rather than a strong contraction as you might think of when doing a “crunch”. She can practice her deep core connection any time. A study by P. Neumann found that the standing position was the best position for optimal pelvic floor and abdominal interaction and activation. I’m going too add one more importance piece to that, be sure to teach her neutral alignment and to avoid tucking her pelvis and locking her knees. The standing position is great for deep core strengthening but everyone’s bodies are different. Try teaching her deep core activation in different positions as you may find supine exercises (such as hip rolls) or kneeling exercises (such as cat cows or forward roll pulses) or squats work best for some. Each of those exercises are great beginner options for clients with diastasis recti that you can teach her in those first recovery sessions along with any of these safe and effective pregnancy core exercises.- Please click on this link to view the exercises http://knocked-upfitness.com/safe-andeffective-pregnancy-core-exercises/

3. When and why its a must to avoid crunches After addressing fascia I think you’ll better understand why to avoid crunches, not forever, but for a long while when repairing diastasis recti. Crunches put a lot of stress on the rectus abdominals {causing intense intra-abdominal pressure}, something that should be avoided in those with diastasis. Your client must be able to properly connect her deep core muscles, properly connect her deep core while doing full planks {preferably the Plank Slides mentioned in this article} and have repaired her diastsis before adding “crunches” into her workouts. I’m going to add in my professional opinion on “crunches” I recommend doing National Fitness News e-Zine 27

neutral-aligned crunch-type exercises over traditional flexed-position crunches. This is much better to activate the deep core muscles along with the rectus abdominals, rather then just the rectus abdominals alone.

4. To plank or not to plank Before you have a client enter into the planking world again she MUST be able to connect her deep core muscles and avoid any “coning of her belly” while performing planks. Note the difference of seeing extra skin sage from her belly from actual bugling of her belly due to a weak fascial connection of her core (this is a good time for a tactile touch of her belly when she is first performing them as you can actually feel if her abdominals under that lose skin are actually taught or not). While planks may be a bit controversial in the diastasis recti recovery world, the important thing is to know when your client is ready, planks are NOT a first exercise by any means, think of them more as an advance diastasis recovery exercise. Follow the exercise progression guidelines below very strictly with your clients and you’ll find, for many, once she is ready to progress to “Plank Slides” they are a very effective exercise for strengthening her deep core muscles and fascial connection. From my professional experience I find planks, specifically “Plank Slides” to be one of the most effective deep core exercises but you have to wait until her core has become strong enough from doing those less intense core exercises first {Hip Rolls, Squats, Squats + Rotations, Modified Side Planks, Kneeling Side Reaches, Reach + Curl, etc.}

5. When diastasis recti is truly healed There are many variables with true healing of diastasis recti, for some their separation will completely close, note that one finger-width separation is normal, for others with larger separation they may always have more separation of the linea alba but do they have good fascial connection? This is why focusing on creating good fascial connection can help in repairing diastasis even if she is never able to completely close that gap. I do recommend as you progress your clients through the recommended exercises below that every so often you add back in those simple yet very effective exercises to be sure that she can do the most basic of core exercises and has continued to create good deep core muscle and fascial connection.

Instead of focusing on “core” exercises right away, focus on getting her to stimulate deep core connection while doing full body exercises, such as squats and the other recommended exercises mentioned in this article. Then you can check her as she approaches her 10 weeks postpartum. Always instructor her to roll on her side then to her back and the same to get up, to avoid that “crunch” position until her diastsis recti is healed.

Step by Step Guide Checking her separation (this is the only time she is allowed to do a “crunch”, because she must in order to be properly checked for separation): 1. Start in a supine and neutral position with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. 2. Exhale and contract as much of her core muscles as possible (this includes pelvic floor engagement). 3. Flex up staying in a neutral lumbar spine and encourage to keep her abdominals as contracted as possible (lax abdominal muscles can show bigger diastasis then she may actually have). 4. Gently palpate down her linea alba from just below her sternum about 2 inches above her pubic bone measuring at 4 points where and how much separation she may have: Point 1: just below the sternum Point 2: just above the belly button (typically this is where you find the most severe separation) Point 3: just below the belly button Point 4: lower abdominal area 2 inches above her pubic bone. 5. Then take note on how much fascial connection you may or may not feel, that also gives you can indication on how severe the diastasis recti may be: A. If you can press down into her abdominal cavity that is indication of more severe diastasis and very little to no fascial tension. B. If you feel a slight taughtness between her rectus abdominis that indicates she does has some fascial connection even though she may have separation.

6. How to check for diastasis recti: When checking for abdominal separation be sure of these three things: 1. She is at least 6-10 weeks postpartum {the closer to week 10 postpartum the better because you should be including those simpler deep core exercises in those first sessions regardless of whether she has diastasis recti or not}. 2. You have already started to teach her how to activate her deep core. 3. Be sure she is comfortable with you touching her belly to check for separation. Interesting thing is that just by teaching your client how to activate her deep core muscles properly she may be able to close the gap a little with that instruction alone. National Fitness News e-Zine 28

Recommended exercise progressions for clients with diastasis recti: Note that every client is different and may progress at very different rates, remember those factors that come into play with repairing her diastsis. Hip Rolls A simple, yet very effective exercise to teach clients how to activate her pelvic floor muscles along with transverse abdominals and intercostals. This may not be a super strong connective exercise, but that’s why it’s a great exercise to do at any stage postpartum or beyond to activate her deep core muscles. It’s important to teach this exercise with the correct breath as that relates to proper deep core activation. A perfect first session exercise postpartum and I would recommend having her do them daily at home on her own too. Do in sets of 5 to 10 reps.

Modified Side Planks Not a session one exercise for most, it’s imperative that she be able to connect her deep core muscles. Once she has found that light connection, even with diastasis Modified Side Planks are a great option. Be sure she is lifting or zipping up through her center and finding her intercostal connection, alignment is key on this exercise as is breath. I recommend starting with small pulses moving with the breath for 10 to 20 reps then switching sides.

1. Lay supine with spine in a neutral position knees bent and feet hid-width apart placing a small ball or pillow between her knees. (Neutral spine is when the pelvis is balanced between the exaggerated posterior and anterior positions, the PSIS and ASIS points) 2. Exhale to gently lift up on the pelvic floor muscles, squeezing the ball or pillow while simultaneously articulating spine up into a bridge position. Avoid the ribs “popping.” 3. Inhale to hold position. 4. Exhale to slowly articulate rolling the spine back down one vertebrae at a time initiating the movement by gently drawing the ribcage down. 5. Finish in a neutral spine position. 2. Exhale to pulse up while focusing on lengthening and lifting through the body while keeping the ribcage connection. 3. Inhale to lower down slightly.

1. Place elbow under shoulder and bend the bottom knee to line up under the hip, be sure to activate that glute.

Plank Slides This is a more “advanced” exercise when it comes to repairing diastasis but a very important exercise once her body is ready. In order for her to progress to planks her abdominal separation must be close to normal (one fingerwith) or have good fascial connection across her abdominals (even if she still has some separation). Watch for any bulging of her abdominals while in a plank position, note the difference in extra lose skin hanging vs. a good flat fascial connection across her lower belly. The skin is inevitable and will decrease will time. The focus with

Conclusion Now that you understand how to check your postpartum clients for diastasis recti, the importance of teaching her to strengthen deep core muscles along with fascial connection, and key exercises for your clients with diastasis recti you can feel more confident in creating safe and effective workouts for her. To learn more about training your prenatal and postpartum clients check out Erica Ziel’s Knocked Up Fitness Pre/Postnatal Foundation Course at KnockedUpFitness.com/Training-Program. References available upon request. This article was first published on PTonTheNet.com September 2015

planking is to better increase her deep core muscle and fascial strength and connection. 1. Begin in a full plank position on forearms and toes. Press legs together to help engage the pelvic floor, transverse abdominals and intercostals while also pulling up on the quads. 2. Exhale while moving the body forward and maintaining a plank position and zipping you her lower belly by initiating with a gentle pelvic floor lift to help recruit her transverse abdominals. 3. Inhale while moving the body back. (Focus on stretching the calves in the backward movement). 4. Modify: Hold a modified plank on forearms and knees or stick with modified side planks until ready. Erica Ziel, creator of Knocked-Up Fitness ® and Core Athletica® Inc. She is the mother of three and a sought after expert for fitness-infused Pilates and personal training. Recently launching her own instructor trainer courses and certifications "Knocked Up Fitness Pre/Postnatal Foundation Course and Certification" (accredited by NASM and ACE) and "Knocked Up Fitness Pre/Postnatal Pilates Equipment Course and Certification". Along with her Prenatal and Postpartum DVD's, online programs, the Knocked Up Fitness Guide to Pregnancy Book, and nutrition programs, Erica has been featured in and contributed to many media outlets such as Fit Pregnancy Magazine, PT on the Net, LiveStrong.com, The New York Times, People.com, Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, Pilates Style Magazine, and many others. National Fitness News e-Zine 29

Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) E-Learning - Upgrade Course

CEHF Upgrade Course The NCEF became an academic affiliate of the University of Limerick in June 2006. All NCEF programmes of study are now part of Certificate, Higher Certificate Diploma and Degree programmes in Exercise & Health Fitness of the University of Limerick. These awards do NOT require recertification. NCEF Level 1 holders currently due to recertify have a unique opportunity to upgrade their NCEF Level 1 to the University of Limerick accredited Certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness (CEHF). Due to requests from students, we have recently fully upgraded our CEHF Learning Support website in order to facilitate the operation of this programme through e-learning only. This will mean that you will no longer be required to travel to the University of Limerick for a contact weekend. By upgrading your current NCEF Level 1 to CEHF status you will have the benefit of: ● Holding the only solely focused Exercise & Health Fitness Professional Instructor, university accredited qualification in Ireland which is offered as Year 1 of the Flexible Learning Pathway to the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness. ● No other Fitness Instructor course is placed at this level or University accredited. The CEHF is placed at Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (www.nfq.ie) and Levels 5 on the European Qualifications Framework. The NCEF is audited and aligned to the European Industry standard, Exercise for Health Specialist (EQF Level 5). Some other training providers offer EQF Level 4 standard of qualification, but the NCEF is the only complete stand alone fitness qualification in Ireland, accredited at EQF Level 5. ● Holding an award for life that does NOT require recertification. ● Broadening your opportunities for recognition, access, transfer and progression within the Irish educational system, within Europe and worldwide. Spring Semester 2016: Access to e-Learning Website: Mon 25th January ‘16 Dates for online assessment: 21st-24th April ‘16 Submission of Video Assessment: 28th April Application Closing Date: Mon 18th January ‘16 Fees: FPI Member €950.00, Non FPI Member €995.00

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here National Fitness News e-Zine 30

The following handout can be given to clients who are pressed for time and wish to complete a weekly arm workout - targeting and isolating one of the large muscles of the upper arm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the biceps. Keeping the bicep muscles strong is important for for everyday activities like pulling, picking up and carrying items. The muscle is worked by flexing the elbow against

resistance e.g. bending your arm with a weight in your hand. Equipment: Mat, Step, Dumbbells & Barbell Workout: Repeat this circuit two to three times to fully challenge the tricpes. Repetitions: 10-15 1. Concentration Curl - Assume the press-up position by placing your hands beneath the shoulders & keeping the elbow tucked close. - Exercise can be performed on your toes or knees. - Back neutral, core engaged, inhale & lower your chest to the floor, keeping a straight line from head to heels. - Exhale, return to start under control.

1B 2. Plank Hammer - Assume a plank position on the hands and toes (or hands and knees, if needed). - Place each hand on top of a dumbbell in this plank position. While keeping the abdominals engaged and the spine and neck in alignment. - Perform alternate hammer curls with the arms inhaling when lowering the weight & exhaling returning to the start position. - Keep the elbows directly underneath the shoulders, even when curling. Work on keeping the hips fairly still and avoid rocking them side-to-side.

2B 2. Barbell Curl - Holding a barbell in the hands with the palms facing forward, stand tall with the feet underneath the hips, knees slightly bent and abdominal's engaged. - Inhale and curl the bar up toward the shoulders, keeping the elbows close to the sides of the ribcage. - Exhale return to start position.

3B 2. Alternating Bicep Curl - Holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing the sides of the hips, stand tall with the feet underneath the hips, knees slightly bent and abdominal's engaged. - Inhale and curl one dumbbell at a time up toward the shoulder, allowing the palm to rotate to face the front of the shoulder; keep the elbows close to the sides of the ribcage. - Exhale returning to start position.

4B National Fitness News e-Zine 31

Feature 1. Varied Intensity Despite what many aspiring athletes actually believe, you should not try to kill yourself in every workout. In fact, elite athletes in every sport mix the intensity of their training on a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. This is the basis of good training program design. We need to have some training days where we feel great when we finish as well as days where we can barely walk to our car after the session. This variance in training intensity is part of what leads to the adaptations that allow us to perform well in workouts with vastly different time domains.

2. Technical Mastery If you want to be ELITE at anything, you’re going to have to spend time practicing. In differentiating between ‘practice’ and ‘training’, practice is seen to be actively engaging in a task in order to improve skill or execution of the task while training is attempting to create physiological changes that can improve the expression of the skill. Any literature on talent or talent development makes it clear that people who have mastered their craft have spent extraordinary amounts of time refining their skills. They are elite because they were willing to expend the mental energy that is required to stay focused on what most people would consider boring or mundane. If you’re not regularly engaging in mindful practice and you wonder why you’re not improving at (such as components of Weightlifting or Gymnastics) you now know why.

hand we should not see science as dogma and allow overthinking to cripple our progress. Just as in most areas in life, we need to strike a balance between scepticism and open mindedness to allow us to continually move forward. Read, learn, ask questions, experiment, and think for yourself.

5. Pacing and Heart Rate Training Pacing is an essential part of competition in any energysystem based sport (think: running, swimming, cycling, triathlon, track, etc.). Pacing is another way of saying: managing your intensity level in a way to ensure an optimal performance outcome. Athletes who are good at pacing are generally good at their sport. Good pacing requires athletes to know their bodies. Learning your body requires feedback – for most of us who are not so physically gifted to be able to read our physiological feedback mechanisms this should come in the form of external bio-feedback. Monitoring your training heart-rate is one of the simplest and most effective tools that exist for monitoring your training intensity. By implementing HR monitoring and training, overtime you will begin to understand the signals your body is sending you and will be able to improve your ability to pace workouts effectively.

3. Individualised Nutrition There are no one-sized fits all nutrition guidelines. The fact is that everyone’s nutritional needs will vary based on their genetics, training background, and daily activity level. Some people tolerate high carbohydrate diets better. Some athletes tolerate high fat diets better. The only way to figure out what works best for you is to either experiment or to hire a knowledgeable nutrition coach. Regardless, more than likely the best option if you don’t have time to treat your nutrition as its own job is to stick with BALANCED nutrition and eat meals that provide adequate carbs, protein, and fats daily in order to refuel and repair from your training sessions. If you are able to maintain consistency with a simple strategy then you can begin the process of individualisation to determine what works for you.

4. Keep an Open Mind and Learn From Everyone Too often athletes and coaches ignore science because it is complicated or confusing. The reality is that exercise science is generally 10 years behind the current trends in the field, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore its implications or the potential to improve our training knowledge and expand our training toolbox. On the other

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6. Lifestyle Management

9. Implement

Over the past few years lifestyle management has taken a bigger and bigger role with athletes from masters to the elite. Again this comes back to the basics: sleep, nutrition, and stress management.

Use what you know, every day. Regularly athletes who have a good sense of how they should be eating and recovering know that they need to implement stress management techniques, and they know that they need to be doing mindful technical practice…the problem is that they don’t do it! The journey to athletic success requires knowing what is needed to be done consistently and to build upon their body of work. Success in any endeavour is never an accident it requires a balance of all of these factors day in and day out. There are many people out there who will try to help you – but you are the only one who can make the decision to be a champion.

Most athletes understand the impact that nutrition has on their performance (though they are probably not implementing any of the things they know…) but so many people don’t give lack of sleep and stress the attention they deserve when it comes to athletic performance. Today’s “GO” culture thrives on stress, we’re constantly plugged in, always available, and always on deadline. We get so burnt out that we need to engage in ever more stressful activities, and come to rely on our training sessions to give us that boost. Eventually we get to a level of sleep-deprivation and under recovery that is so extreme that even a hard training session isn’t enough to give us our adrenal spike….so we turn to pre-workouts and more coffee. Obviously this is a recipe for eventual disaster. Each individual has a maximum capacity for stress and once we’ve exceeded this threshold we can become ‘broken’. Athletes who burn the candle at both ends for too long will inevitably no longer be able to enjoy training or bring any type of intensity to their daily life. Changing your lifestyle is hard, getting 8-10hrs of sleep nightly is hard, cutting back on caffeine consumption is hard, setting aside time for stress management and meditation is hard – but these are the kinds of things that make a big difference not just in your athletic performance but in your qualify of life.

7. Spend your Time Wisely Time is money. Spend your time on the things that will create the greatest degree of change. Most athletes want a quick fix, whether they want to improve their mobility, technique, or heal from an injury. The problem is that spending 60 min 1-on-1 with a weightlifting coach is just that…60 min. During that time you may gain understanding, but without repetition of the skill you cannot expect for that skill to hold up under the pressure of competition or the pain of fatigue. Likewise injured athletes will seek out the best specialists to treat their injured parts and spend exorbitant amounts of money for one time treatments. Again, one adjustment, or one pass of ART is just that – one pass. Soft tissue overuse injuries take time to manifest and one treatment session is not going to solve the problem. Seek out specialists and coaches who will provide you with direction and then go implement the strategies for improvement daily.

8. Be Coachable As an athlete, sometimes it can be very difficult to accept criticism. It can often feel as if you’re being personally attacked. Learning to objectively listen to coaching feedback is critical for athletes to progress from good to great. This requires athletes to be humble and detach their self-worth from their performance. Un-coachable athletes will always limit their performance ceiling by ignoring feedback. If you don’t have the answer – seek out someone who does. Even knowledgeable athletes can benefit from having mentors or hiring a coach.

10. Prioritise Recovery All athletes can benefit from effective recovery strategies. Prioritising recovery in your training program can mean taking a planned rest day 1-2 times each week, taking a day off when your body is saying you need it, or simply taking a contrast shower (alternating hot/cold) to alter nervous system activation. The less ‘elite’ your genetics are the more this matters. Elite athletes tend to be elite because their physiologies allow for faster recovery and greater adaptation to a training stimulus. If you’re not blessed with these genes and want to be competitive, then you need to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to recover as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean go out and buy the latest and greatest recovery device – it means being consistent with the basics: nutrition, sleep, stress management, mobility, and getting professional care when you need it. Sean has completed all four years of the pathway to the B.S.c in Exercise & Health Fitness and is currently undertaking an M.Sc in Sports, Strength & Conditioning. Sean operates his own health and fitness building in Sligo working with the general population and sports people. His longterm goal is to work with elite sports teams and athletes. He is a keen athlete having competed in triathlons, ironmans and represented Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland.

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Profile

3. In semester 2 you undertook two HCEHF eLearning modules Facility Operations and Fit for Life. How did you find studying online? And what made you decide to choose these modules? While exploring the opportunities for a career in exercise and health fitness I could see the obvious benefits of studying facility operations as a precursor to working in an administrative or managerial role in an exercise facility in the future. In addition the ability to offer wellness programmes to either corporate or community clients following the fit for life course provided significant direction to my current career development plan. As both programmes were online I was able to easily balance academic study with family and work commitments. The flexibility to study early in the morning or in the evenings as it suited me was a significant advantage to the online programmes. 4. What is your current role within the Exercise & Health Fitness industry? 1. You completed the Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) in 2004. What made you decide to choose to train as a fitness instructor? After university in Belfast I became a solicitor in London and worked in insolvency, corporate law and upon moving to Limerick also worked in aviation leasing/finance in Shannon. I also worked part-time with my husband who is a PGA Professional in his business in County Limerick. During this time I developed unhealthy eating and exercise patterns and we had our three children. Upon the diagnosis of two of our three children with ASD/Autism and ADHD I left corporate law, was no longer making time to exercise and life was also becoming more stressful. I had qualified as an Irish dancing teacher with An CoimisiĂşn le RincĂ Gaelacha in 2003 and I realised my love of exercise and dancing could be used as a platform from which I would be able to construct a new career in fitness which could fit around the new challenges in my life. 2. You then went on to complete Year 2 Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) and chose Personal Training (PT) course for semester 1. What did you think of the Personal Training module? The natural progression after completion of the CEHF was to move to the next stage in training. The personal training module was an excellent way to further develop my practical skills, develop enhanced client care and increase my own knowledge of anatomy and fitness training. The contact with expert tutors that have successfully established fitness and training businesses was paramount to the consolidation of the academic and the practical aspects of personal training.

I am currently a freelance fitness instructor working in a variety of facilities including disadvantaged inner city locations, working with womensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; groups and delivering health and fitness programmes as part of a government health initiative in Belfast. In addition I have a small number of personal training clients who have worked with me since qualification and I also coach an adult Irish dancer for fitness in her preparation for competition. 5. How do you find balancing work and study? I love academic learning and enjoyed the challenge of studying while working. I am however very used to this pattern of work/study as it had been a significant aspect of career development in my previous legal roles. The discipline and time management skills that you acquire in successfully completing study programmes while working is crucial in most career fields. Having the support of family or those around you to enable you find time for private study, especially at exam time, is invaluable. 6. How do you stay Proactive and what motivates you to stay working in the fitness industry? There are many factors that motivate me to continue to acquire new skills and to explore additional roles and challenges in the fitness industry. My personal career development plan will lead me to acquire additional skills such as Pilates training and indoor cycling. However, the very specific interests I have in assisting children with additional needs (such as ASD/Autism or ADHD) as a result of my own family, have led me to explore other opportunities to deliver programmes which cater directly to special populations. In addition, working with clients in a

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community development setting has become a very important aspect to my career. 7. A Fitness Professional needs to be creative and collaborate with other healthcare professionals - how do you implement these attributes? Upon moving back to Belfast with my family I was able to establish links with healthcare and fitness professionals with whom I made contact when I completed my CEHF work experience. These contacts have been invaluable to me in pursuing a health and fitness career which is both professionally satisfying as well as allowing for wider career development. My connecting with the health outreach officer of a social enterprise facility in Belfast has enabled me to deliver health and fitness programmes to specifically targeted individuals to whom I would not normally have access. 8. How would you like to see your involvement in the fitness industry five years from now? To date my connections with fitness management and healthcare professionals in both the private and community development arenas have helped me identify potential lines of career development. For now I am happy to continue to acquire additional training and skills in programme delivery to create a solid base of experience. From there I will progress into other complementary roles in the fitness industry while maintaining my involvement in delivery of exercise programmes and private client work. In addition, I am commencing the diploma course in 2016 with a view to completing the degree pathway as soon as possible.

9. Would you recommend NCEF courses to a friend? I would emphatically recommend the NCEF courses. The NCEF offers a wide range of academic and practical subject matters, flexible study options including distance, part-time and online courses and is such an industryrelevant qualification that is sought after by employers. These advantages are what initially attracted me to the NCEF as a provider and continue to bring me back to pursue additional study options. 10. You recently registered as Level 5 Exercise for Health Specialist through the European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPs). How will this benefit your career? The Europe Active Standards for Health Specialist (aligned to EQF Level 5) registration as an Exercise for Health Specialist is of paramount importance to my career development and will be of equal significance to other fitness professionals whether they operate in the private or not-for-profit sectors. Increasingly as fitness professionals our clients come to us with existing chronic health conditions or live lifestyles that put them in high risk of developing them. As a Level 5 professional holding the group exercise, personal training and fit for life qualifications through NCEF, I can offer a unique approach to my clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wellness. This higher level qualification enables me to not only devise safe and effective exercise programmes for such individuals with regards to their health condition and medication but to also advise on lifestyle, healthy eating, stress management and liaise with their healthcare professionals. My career progression in the not-for-profit sector with primarily clients with chronic health conditions will be significantly advanced with this enhanced qualification through the NCEF.

The

NCEF would like to thank Susan for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish her the very best of luck in her future work as a Fitness

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Business

Business A New Year brings with it resolutions and opportunity for a fresh start. Traditionally itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an incredibly busy time for fitness professionals and I find this often ignites the ambition to set up your own fitness business. Self-employment is an incredible roller coaster ride of highs and lows, successes and those all-important failures too. Having worked for myself since 2011 I can tell you with certainty that while it is the most rewarding feeling to go out and create your own living, at the same time it is daunting, challenging and a hard slog! For any of you who are currently contemplating self-employment I have put together 5 key factors for success, which you should take into account as you embark on this journey.

1. Write a Business Plan An often overlooked but vital stage of opening a new business is the preparation and planning. While drafting a business plan may seem like an arduous task only worthwhile if you are seeking investment or financial assistance I cannot stress enough that this really is not the case. A business plan will form the roadmap for your business and will help you craft your brand and journey, it will force you to sit down and think about your desired outcomes and to plan your overall strategy to achieve these. Take this time to set up your procedures and processes, design your paperwork and really analyse your competition as once you launch the business you will be too busy to do these effectively alongside the day to day operations. My business plan sits on my desk all year around and I use it to keep myself accountable. I refer to my financial projections on at least a quarterly basis, but ideally monthly, to see how performance is against expectations. This keeps me on track and often provides the motivation for a big push when required.

rented space over which you have very little control so you should only use it to compliment your marketing and not to replace it fully. Never use Facebook or another digital platform in place of a website!

3. Get Compliant Your NCEF qualification is the bedrock for business success but there are many additional requirements that must be considered. While our industry may be relatively unregulated there are overarching legislative requirements for all businesses that must be considered along with best practice when setting up. As a business owner you will have a duty of care to your prospects, customers and employees and must provide a standard of care accordingly. Items that should be factored into your budget include insurance - public liability and professional indemnity/wrongful tuition as a minimum, fees for professional services and memberships, CPD and training as well as health and safety compliance.

2. Branding We used to talk about your unique selling point but this has evolved to your unique value proposition, a far more customer centric outlook. If your UVP is indeed unique enough this should form part of your brand. Ultimately you want a brand that is unique, memorable and available. Once the brand is created you should immediately capture your digital real estate on all platforms; that is to say set up social media accounts and claim your brand name using a consistent handle (account name) across each. Even if you are only planning to use one or two of these platforms initially it is imperative to claim them all to prevent a competitor or any Internet user from accessing them and diluting the power of your brand. You should also purchase your domain name (website address). While social media is an incredibly useful tool for your business it is effectively

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Business

spend time thinking about and crafting your long-term plan….” 3. Pricing This should initially be set while drafting the business plan. Your market research should help you identify a pricing spectrum for your niche and area from which to position yourself, your core business values can then guide you in pinpointing the optimal price point for your services. By far the most common mistake I see with my clients is going in too low. This is often a confidence issue and people believe selling them cheap and stacking them high is the best strategy in the short term but in reality you are better off having less clients paying you more money than a huge number paying you less! A low price point can dilute your skill set and make you look less professional than you perhaps are. Also worth noting is that it is incredibly difficult to increase these prices dramatically in one go without loosing many clients along the way and having to effectively go back to the drawing board on your marketing strategy.

5. Surrond Yourself with Positivit y & Competence Often the hardstand part of self-employment is the feeling that you are in it alone. All of the decision-making lands at your feet and it can be an incredibly lonely journey. You need to reset your self-talk to a positive sound track rather than focusing on what you haven’t got, haven’t done and other negatives. You will also notice an increased sensitivity to “drainers” – that is those people in your life who have a rather pessimistic outlook. It is a good idea to form a panel of advisors that comprises of competent individuals whose expertise you can tap into when required to make your decision-making more considered and effective. My panel of advisors includes my accountant, a business mentor, and an IT professional.

Conclusion I will leave you with a final tip - create your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). This is a concept proposed by James Collins and Jerry Porras described as "...an

audacious 10-to-30-year goal to progress towards an envisioned future.” Your business vision should be so big that you almost feel uncomfortable sharing it, spend time thinking about and crafting your long-term plan. Setting up business is not something to be rushed into, instead, take the time to develop your strategy and you will reap the rewards far sooner than if you jump in two feet first simply hoping for the best. Our motto at Corner Shop Gym is that nothing truly great ever came from a comfort zone and in starting a business this could not be any truer. Susan McEntegart is the owner and head coach at Corner Shop Gym which is a training and consultancy business that specializes in coaching self employed fitness professionals as well as working with leisure facilities across Ireland and the UK. NCEF qualified as a Fitness Instructor and Personal Training Specialist since 2003, Susan also holds a Bachelors Degree in Business & Marketing from Dublin City University as well as a host of other training qualifications. She is a certified movement specialist FMT1 & FMT2 with RockTape and is Ireland’s only female TriggerPoint Therapy Master Trainer. The business HQ, Corner Shop Gym Rathdowney, operates as a functional fitness facility for the local community providing fitpro students an opportunity to see her business training in practice. National Fitness News e-Zine 37

Introduction I’m allergic to gyms. It’s not the equipment, the mirrors or the loud music. I have been spoilt. I have exercised outdoors for so long now that exercising indoors feels claustrophobic. Once you run outdoors, a treadmill is never the same again. Those of us who exercise outdoors know how good it feels. We run and jump and use benches, steps and walls as gym equipment. We don’t care who sees us and don’t worry what anyone else thinks about our pace, our strength or our technique. The beginners mind is very different however. A new runner/exerciser can feel that every eye is on them, judging their body and analysing their speed. They can feel a fraud in exercise gear. The fear of heading out the door and been seen by a neighbour can often be what the beginner fears more than the workout itself.

Building Confidence Having coached beginners for many years, I hear the same worries and questions every day. There are so many people self-conscious when exercising – both indoors and outdoors. The culture of the gym selfie does nothing to help a reluctant runner to realise that most runners have red faces and windswept hair 5 minutes after they start. Our role as a coach is to instil confidence in our clients. Coaching beginners and reluctant runners is not so much about how many minutes they run and at what speed, but instead it is about building confidence in their own ability and let them progress gradually each week.

Fresh Air Therapy We all complain in the winter about being lethargic, weary and demotivated. We suffer colds and flus and crave rich comfort foods. We spend evenings on the couch blaming the dark nights for our lack of enthusiasm. Embrace what these days have to offer us. Coaches and National Fitness News e-Zine 38

clients alike, we could all do with a bit of Fresh Air Therapy. How much fresh air have you had today? The evidence is now stacking up that spending time outdoors will improve your energy, your mood and your mental health. Studies are consistently now finding that people exercising outdoors display higher vitality, energy, enthusiasm and self-esteem than when they perform the equivalent exercise indoors. In virtually all of the studies, they also show signs of lower fatigue, tension and depression after an outdoor activity. In winter we move from air-conditioning to central heating rushing away from the outdoors. There is a whole gym on our doorstep if we would only look outside the window. The hardest bit, like any exercise regime, is getting started. Our role as a coach is to make sure our clients don’t have any excuses. It’s about making the outdoor session fun, entertaining and enjoyable.

Addressing the excuses: I have heard all the excuses and here are my answers back. Everyone else is much quicker: Coaching a new runner means training their mind as well as their legs and lungs. They need to believe they can do it. It’s important to remind them that everyone was a beginner once. No two people have the same starting points. Encourage an environment with positivity and camaraderie rather than competition. The person at the back is already working the hardest, why knock their confidence any more by turning running into a competition. Adapt your routes so that the slowest person is not always at the back. Remember your aim – get your client confident to exercise outdoors. Each runner should be in competition with themselves not with anyone else in the group.

It’s too cold, dark and wet: Find a location that is bright and dress right. Hat and gloves and light layers mean you can delayer as you warm up and you feel cosy starting. Reflective gear is so cheap now in all the shops we have no excuse. Remind them how amazing they will feel afterwards.

Everyone driving past is looking at me: You can’t tell how fast or slow a runner is going from a car. They just look like a runner. You can tell if a runner is enjoying exercise or not however. Smile when you run. You will look like you are enjoying it, keep your head up, your body will relax and you will look and feel like a confident runner.

Walkers are faster than me: I always tell my clients that no one knows if you have been running for 3 minute or 3 hours. All they know is that you are running. The pace is irrelevant. We all have to start somewhere and just compare yourself to last week rather than anyone else.

I'm always out of breath: Coach your runners to start slowly in training sessions even if they do feel like they are crawling. Beginners should be able to run and talk comfortably as they build up gradually each week until they are confident over 5k. If they start too fast they will pay for it in the second half.

It’s boring: Bring a friend. When you are talking you are breathing and you might just distract yourself from counting minutes and miles. I also find that runners are much less self-conscious in a group than on their own. Our running groups run in illuminous bright pink bibs and feel more confident there than running a lap of their housing estate on their own. There is safety and confidence in numbers.

I just cannot get out the door: Remind your clients that it’s normal to feel like this and we coaches have the same issues too. Getting out the door has got to be automatic. Arrange to meet a friend so you go at a set time. Set out your running gear so it’s the first thing you see when you get up. Set up your life so that running is a diary appointment that gets done, just like a work a meeting. Too many people have exercise at the bottom of the to-do list for when everything else is done. No wonder we spend so much time feeling guilty about not running. I’m too lazy: I think most of my clients are sick of me telling them how lucky they are that they can get out the door and move. All it takes is an injury for someone to realise how miss the freedom of the trails, the roads and even the footpaths. You never know what you might see when you get out the door. It never hurts to remind our clients of what it would feel like if they couldn’t run and how much running helps their mental health.

Our role as a coach As coaches we don’t have to make the choice to exercise or not. We are the lucky ones that don’t have the option to opt out. Understand that your clients have different priorities and make exercise something that your clients want to do. Be that positive voice that encourages them to ignore the excuses and actually want to go outside. Treat yourself and your clients to some fresh air therapy and fun this winter and you will both feel better when you come back indoors. Mary Jennings is founder of ForgetTheGym.ie. Mary is a certified Chi Running Instructor and is a regular columnist at The Irish Times on all things running related. Mary coaches runners from beginners to marathoners and everyone in between to enjoy the outdoors and feel energised. Mary has competed over 45 marathons and ultramarathons around the world. For more details on workshops, classes and coaching programmes visit www.ForgetTheGym.ie. National Fitness News e-Zine 39

Year 2: Personal Training

This module provides 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate Diploma/B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma and B.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6/7 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Aim: This specialist module is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and a work as a personal trainer with clients on a one to one basis. Course Details: Ÿ The module is delivered over four contact weekends with assigned private study Ÿ Participants will also be required to carry out assigned work experience which includes a project submission of a short video showing practical teaching/instructional ability Ÿ

The final examination is a written paper.

Module Details Venue Contact Day : University of Limerick Contact Dates 2016: ● Sat 13th Feb & 14th Feb 2016 ● Sat 27th Feb & 28th Feb 2016 ● Sat 12th & Sun 13th Mar 2016 ● Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd April 2016 Final Summatives: 16th April 2016 Submission of Project & DVD: 9am Thurs 14th April '16

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here

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Year 2: Strength & Conditioning for Sport

This course provides 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate, Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma and B.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6/7on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their understanding of the key concepts, theories and practical application of strength & conditioning training and performance. The Strength & Conditioning Specialist will be capable of providing safe, effective & appropriate fitness training programmes to teams or indivdual sport/athletes. Course Details: Ÿ The course will take place over four contact weekends with assigned private study Participants will also be required to carry out assigned work experience which includes a project submission of a case study and short video.

Venue Contact Day : University of Limerick Contact Dates 2016: ● Sat 1st & Sun 2nd October ● Sat 15th & Sun 16th October ● Sat 12th & Sun 13th November ● Sat 26th & Sun 27th November

Submission of Case Study 1st December 2016

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here

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Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI) – is the NCEF Graduate Directory which recognises the qualifications and expertise of fitness professionals in Ireland. FPI aims to provide the highest possible standard of services and benefits to all its members. Benefits of FPI Membership: e-Zines circulated three times per year Access to Continuing Professional Development courses 200 CEC’s awarded to PEAI/NCEF Graduates Discounts on fitness equipment Electronic Membership Certificate

JOIN TODAY - VISIT THE OFFICIAL FPI WEBSITE PAGE www.ncef.ie

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