NCEF National Fitness News E-zine January 2014

Winter 2014, Volume 3, Issue 1

National Fitness E-News 1

From the Directors Chair Welcome to the first issue of National Fitness News Ezine for 2014.

This issue is jam-packed with ideas and suggestions as to how you can enhance and effectively develop as a fitness professional.

Dr. Ian Kenny provides an interesting review on the new Video Performance Analysis Academy that has recently been set up in the University of Limerick, while Sarah Keogh gives very useful information on what foods are best to boost your immune system.

New fitness classes come and go and Bridget Lawlor gives a very detailed analysis – both personal and professional on her experiences in Hot Yoga - a controversial but, by all accounts a very rewarding workout!

Carmel De Mello’s newest class is ‘FitSteps’ - the Strictly Come Dancing craze has finally hit the fitness industry and is set to stay around for quite a while to come . Her article is both informative and an enjoyable read.

The feature article on Extreme Workouts takes in Cross fit, HIIT Training and Insanity will give you the low down on advantages and disadvantages of these training approaches with expert opinions from experienced practitioners.

As I complete my term as Managing Director of the NCEF I would like to take this opportunity to wish all you fitness professionals – whether students or graduates – the very best in your career in the exercise and health fitness industry. The one overriding fact that still remains tantamount to the maintenance of the highest standards within the fitness sector is the provision of educated and experienced fitness professionals. I urge you to continue to upskill through the continuing professional development opportunities provided via the NCEF Flexible Learning Pathway which leads to a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Health Fitness and through membership of Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI).

Always strive for the highest possible standards in your work as a fitness professional – never sacrifice quantity and commercialism for excellence and quality in your work.

Finally - my sincere thanks to the NCEF Team, in particular to the Ezine Editor, Maeve Kavanagh for her passion and dedication in the production of a consistently excellent publication. Long may it continue!!

Happy 2014!!

Maura Maura O Sullivan Ryan Managing Director, NCEF

From the Editors Chair Happy New Year and welcome to the first issue of NFN E-Zine for 2014.

Have you checked back to what goals you set for 2013? Did you achieve all or some of them? In today’s business climate it can 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 2014 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.

Please visit our website for information on all course options. A reminder for those who meet the entry requirements for the Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF), this course will be offered in September 2014 and we are currently accepting applications.

As part of our on-going commitment to improve our students learning experience and equip them with the skills and competencies for working within the exercise and fitness industry, we are currently conducting a review of the Certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness (CEHF).

As a graduate of CEHF, we would like to offer you the opportunity to feedback on areas that need addressing and/or could be improved throughout the curriculum . In order to do this, please use the link below to send us your feedback on any area within the curriculum which you feel needs attention or change. The link will bring you to an electronic questionnaire which will only take a few minutes of your time to complete and when you are finished just click on the ‘Submit’ button and it will come back to us automatically. Link: www.cehflearningsupport.com/graduates.html Finally, I would like to wish you all a very healthy, happy and successful 2014 and to personally thank Maura O’Sullivan Ryan for inspiring and motivating me for the past 11 years. I can’t say enough about how much she will be missed. Best wishes Maura in your new adventures!

Maeve NFN Editor

Keep up to date with all the NCEF news, courses and events Like us on Facebook NCEF.Organisation National Fitness E-News 2

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16 Table of Contents 4

News Room

8

Fitness Report

9

Nutrition Report

10

Health Report

Features

11

11

Running 101

By Dr. Jason Karp

14

Exercise your Clients into 2014

By Ciara Losty

28

Group Fitness: FITSTEPS

By Carmell De Mello

16

Extreme Training - What’s the Bottom Line Fitness Professionals Opinions

32

Boxercise

33

Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI)

Regulars 20

Nutrition: Winter Foods to Boost Your Immune

By Sarah Keogh

22

Mind Body: Hot Yoga - An Insight

By Bridget Lawlor

24

Personal Training: PT Burnout - Time to Slow Down and Take Stock

By Mary Fitzpatrick

26

Research: Video Performance Analysis Academy (VPAA)

By Dr. Ian Kenny

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 E-News 3

NCEF Management & Administration Team UL Winter Conferring Ceremony

NCEF MISSION STATEMENT

Wednesday 22nd January 2014 in the University of Limerick This applies to the cohort of students from 2012/2013 who successfully received their official University of Limerick results in September 2013. For further information on times, gown collection, photography and guest pack, please click on the link below:

To promote the highest standards possible in the preparation of Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals through a sound professional education and training structure that meets the changing needs of the Health Fitness Leisure Industry and promotes healthy and active lifestyles.

http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/Graduate_Confe rring's/Information_for_Graduands

University of Limerick - Sports Hall of Fame Congratulations to Carmel Vekins, NCEF Board of Trustees Member on chosen as one of the inaugural inductees to the UL Hall of Fame.

Above: Carmel Vekins

In recognition of UL’s unique contribution to sport regionally, nationally and internationally and to round off an excellent year of events celebrating UL40, the University of Limerick Sports Hall of Fame was unveiled on Saturday 28 September 2013. 16 athletes were chosen from the four decades of sporting excellence and Carmel Vekins was

one of these individuals for her contribution to the sports Kayak and Canoe Polo. Carmel was acknowledged for her commitment to excellence and the inspiration she provides to the next generation of athletes.

The NCEF would like to congratulate Carmel on this fantastic achievement.

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NCEF Scholarship Programme On 1st October 2013, the National Council for Exercise & Fitness (NCEF) announced the recipient of the NCEF Sports Scholarship Programme, having been selected from a high calibre of sporting applicants.

University of Limerick and is placed at Level 6, Major Award on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

Eighteen year old Conor Glynn from Thomondgate in Limerick is former captain of Ard Scoíl Rís Senior Rugby Cup Team and a player with Shannon RFC since 2006.

He has represented Munster at Under 20, Under 19 and Under 18 level. He was a member of the Munster Rugby Talent Identification Squad and has progressed to the Munster Rugby Sub Academy.

Speaking at the announcement, Maura O’Sullivan Ryan, NCEF Managing Director stated the importance of this scholarship: “The NCEF Sports Scholarship programme is an athlete led development programme, which rewards individual excellence and encourages outstanding performance in a variety of sports, while completing a course of academic study. We are delighted to award Conor with this opportunity and we are confident that he will make an excellent ambassador for the NCEF.”

Conor commenced the two year – Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF), at the University of Limerick last October. The HCEHF is accredited by the

At the announcement, Conor stated; “I am delighted and honored to have been accepted on to the NCEF Scholarship Programme. The scholarship will provide me with an opportunity to follow a flexible pathway, to gaining a university degree and a future career in the exercise and health fitness industry”.

You can follow Conor’s progress on the official NCEF Facebook page - NCEF.Organisation.

Maura O’Sullivan Ryan, Managing Director, NCEF presenting Conor Glynn with the Sports Scholarship

Conor speaking with students at the University of Limerick Open

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FAREWELL FOR MAURA O’SULLIVAN RYAN Our colleague and friend Maura O’Sullivan Ryan completed her term as Managing Director with the NCEF on December 31st last year. To mark this occasion, a farewell reception was held in Plassey House at the University of Limerick Maura has worked for the NCEF in various capacities for the last 26 years and as Managing Director for the last seven years. Under her leadership, a ground breaking partnership was forged with the University of Limerick, which has resulted in the opening of many exciting professional development opportunities, providing a flexible learning pathway in Exercise and Health Fitness up to graduate and post graduate levels.

Maura’s leadership, vision and passion for the NCEF will not be forgotten. She will be missed by all her colleagues, tutors, students and friends.

Above: Maura with members of her family

Above: Maura with Dr. Leo Colgan and Professor Pat Duffy

Above: Dr. Leo Colgan and Professor Pat Duffy

Above L to R: Professor Pat Duffy, Carmel Vekins, Catherine Bird, Maura and Dr. PJ Smyth

Above L to R: Aoibhe Ryan, Fionan Ryan and Majella O’Connell, UL Alumni

Above: Members of the NCEF Team

Above: Members of the NCEF Team & PE & Sport Sciences (PESS) Department

Above: Colleagues & Family Members of Maura

Above L to R: NCEF Tutors: Bridget Lawlor, Linda Gaynor and Clare Jones National Fitness E-News 6

Sean Flannery successfully completed the University of Limerick accredited, Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF), through Maltings Fitness Training in Galway. He went on to successfully complete NCEF Specialist Courses in Personal Training, Strength & Conditioning for Sport, Pilates & Corrective Exercise and Facility Operations. In 2012 Sean completed the Diploma in Exercise and Health Fitness (DEHF) and he is currently in Year 4 of the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness.

1.

You completed the CEHF Programme through NCEF Certified Provider, Maltings Training in Galway How did this experience benefit you in your career path?

I completed the CEHF programme in Galway in 07/08 as I always had a huge personal interest in health and fitness and primarily wanted to know more and gain some legitimate qualifications. I completed the CEHF for personal reasons as I was working in a non-sport related area at the time. Since the economic downturn, I no longer work in that area and can now devote my time to my passion which is health and fitness, where I run group fitness classes and personal training.

2.

After the CEHF Programme you were a very busy person and completed a number of the NCEF Year 2 Specialist courses. How did you decide which ones to choose and did you enjoy the courses? How have you used the expertise you have gained from these courses in your working life? working life?

Once the opportunity arose to complete the NCEF Year 2 specialist course’s, I sought out the areas that interested me the most, which were strength and conditioning for teams, personal training, pilates and corrective exercise and studio-cycling instruction. The expertise gained from these courses has allowed me to work with sports teams, individuals and groups in the variety of areas listed.

3.

What are your career/educational aspirations after you complete Year 4 of the B.Sc. Exercise & Health Fitness?

My career/educational aspirations after I complete Year 4 of the B.Sc. Exercise & Health Fitness is to hopefully progress to complete a Master’s in Sports Performance to focus on strength and conditioning/sports nutrition/sports psychology and all going well to some-day work with elite sports people.

4.

What is your current role within the Exercise & Health Fitness industry? What are your main responsibilities?

My current role within the Exercise & Health industry is that I operate my own health and fitness business in Sligo where I provide group fitness instruction, one to one or small group personal training and advice in related areas such as nutrition/fitness programming for general and sporting requirements. My main responsibilities are to provide an effective, high quality service to my client base.

5.

How has the knowledge you gained on the NCEF courses attributed to the success of your business?

The knowledge I gained on the NCEF courses has allowed me to develop as a more rounded fitness professional and has exposed me to a wealth of knowledge required to grow in this industry. Meeting like-minded people and developing friendships has been another valuable experience, one where you constantly keep learning and ensure you enjoy what you do.

6. How do you stay Proactive and what motivates you to keep going?

I stay Proactive by trying to keep up with all the advancements in the health and fitness sector and accept that there will never be a time where you will stop learning.

What motivates me to keep going is that life is for achieving and as this is my passion I want to succeed at what I love doing, plus I enjoy what I do immensely and get huge satisfaction providing a platform for people to achieve their fitness goals.

7.

A fitness professional needs to be creative and collaborate with other healthcare professionals – how do you implement these attributes? s?

I try to be creative and collaborate with other healthcare professionals as I see how we all complement each other can provide an overall package for the public to make changes in their health and fitness to achieve a greater quality of life.

8.

How would you see your involvement in the fitness industry five years from now?

Nobody knows what the future has in store but in five years from now I would like to see myself in a prominent position in the fitness industry continuing to keep up to date with any advancement’s that arise and hopefully be in a position to aid in elite athletes ambitions to be the best they can be.

9.

What advice do you have for Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals wishing to enrol on the Flexible Learning pathway?

The advice I have for Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals wishing to enrol on the Flexible Learning pathway is that if you are passionate about health and fitness and you want to achieve various highly accredited qualifications at your own pace while still being able to earn then it’s a great opportunity to do so. Also for those who may think they are too old to make a change to begin a journey of learning, you are never as young as you are today so take that hardest step, the first one, and you can achieve whatever you want to.

The NCEF would like to thank Sean for completing this interview and wish him all the best in completing the B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness.

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It is already known that adults who use larger dishes when they eat, consume more food. However new studies have found that the same can be said of children.

US researchers set out to determine the effect of using larger bowls when eating breakfast cereal among 69 pre-school children. The children were given either small 8oz bowls or large 16oz bowls.

Adults were responsible for pouring the cereal and milk into the bowls. They did so in small increments and continually asked the children if this was enough or did they want more.

They kept pouring until the children were satisfied with the amount in their bowls.

The results showed that when the larger bowls were used, children asked for almost 90% more cereal, irrespective of their age, gender or body bass index (BMI).

This study only focused on the amount the children said they wanted, they did not have to eat the cereal. However the researchers wanted to see if children would actually eat the large portions that they had wanted. They ran a second similar study involving 18 children aged between six and 10.

Similar to the first study, adults were responsible for pouring the cereal and milk in small increments until the children said they had enough. However this time, there were secret scales hidden in the tables which measured exactly how much cereal each child had and how much they then consumed.

In this study, the children requested almost 70% more food if they were using the large bowls and they consumed 52% more than children using the small bowls. They also wasted 14% more food than the other children.

Based on these findings, decreasing the size of plates and bowls may be an easy way to prevent kids from over-consuming. Having a separate set of smaller dishware for children may be a simple solution for caregivers who are concerned about their kids' caloric intake," the team said.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Source: DeborahCondon www.irishhealth.com

BACPR Level 4 Specialist Exercise Instructor Training Recognised by EREPS and Irish Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation ( IACR) Course Dates 2014: February 8th 9th, 28th, March 1st, 2nd and Assessment May 10th 2014.

Venue: Dublin City University Contact: Caroline Costelloe 091 893500 or 086 2513536.

Fitness and nutrition are corresponding professions that constantly overlap. Confronting this coexistence is important to understanding your role as a fitness professional (ACE 2010).

While discussing nutrition with a client expands your professional role, your scope of practice remains the same. Although fitness professionals do not prescribe diets or recommend specific supplements (IDEA 2001), they can play a unique, personal role in educating their clients about healthy eating based on the standards in the federal food guidance system at www.choosemyplate.gov Handling Referrals When clients need help outside your scope of practice, its time to refer them to a registered dietician. They may require any of the following: 타 타 타 타

Specific meal plans Supplement advice Disease-specific dietary counselling Detailed nutritional programming

Offering a referral for services beyond your scope of practice tells your clients you care enough about them to to ensure that they receive the most current information from a qualified wellness specialist. Plus, its a great way to network and build relationships with other health professionals.

Source: IDEA Food & Nutrition Tips, Nov-Dec 2013, page 35 National Fitness E-News 8

The five-a-day for physical health which involves eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is a useful framework which we can borrow to help us in thinking about how we can be proactive in taking care of our mental health.

The UK-based New Economics Foundation outlined five key ways to wellbeing based on up-to-date evidence about what promotes and supports our mental health and wellbeing. This is a five-a-day guide for minding our mental health.

1. Connect Our relationships with other people are fundamental to our sense of wellbeing and happiness. Our close relationships with family and friends can yield love, support and a sense of meaning in our lives. Our wider social networks create in us a sense of belonging. So it makes sense that we work on strengthening our relationships and on making new connections.

For example, talking with others should be an everyday event. Conversations don’t have to be all about the difficulties. We need to tell one other about the enjoyable events too.

Knowing when to disconnect is vital too. Being fully present in the company we are in, without the distraction of phones, tablets and other devices, helps to deepen our sense of connection. The ever-growing number of ways in which we can connect with one another means that we are in danger of privileging the quantity of our connections over their quality.

What helps you to grow healthy connections with people in your life?

2. Be active Experts have shown that exercising releases endorphins in our brains that make us feel good. Being active doesn’t have to mean going to the gym, competing in triathlons or wearing Lycra.

There are many ways to build activity into our daily lives and it’s about discovering something we enjoy doing and then building it into our routine.

Engaging in exercise can present us with opportunities to meet new people, to engender a sense of belonging, to give us a much-needed break from a stressful day and, above all, to make us feel good about ourselves. Regular exercise is also linked to better sleep which, in turn, is important for helping us to maintain good mental health.

Which ways of being active do you enjoy?

3. Take notice We can all get caught up in the relentless busy-ness of modern life. We can become intoxicated with the chatter of the mind. How often are we mind-full as opposed to mindful? Taking a few moments to focus our awareness on what is going on within us and what is going on in nature around us can work wonders for our mental health. It can free us up, even briefly, from dwelling on the past or

worrying about the future. It can help us get more out of our day- to-day lives. What do you notice about where you are and how you feel right now? It can free us up, even briefly, from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It can help us get more out of our day- to-day lives.

What do you notice about where you are and how you feel right now?

4. Keep learning Learning exposes us to new ideas and helps us to stay curious and engaged. It may also give us a sense of accomplishment which, in turn, can boost our confidence.

Learning does not necessarily have to involve lectures, books or traditional teaching methods. It can often take place through doing.

For some, it might involve being shown how to Skype a loved one on the other side of the world, for others it is watching a documentary and for others still, it is experimenting with a new recipe. New learning can happen all the time if we are open to it. What have you learnt or tried out for the first time recently?

5. Give Doing good is good for us. Helping others makes us feel needed and valued; it can reinforce social connectedness and give us a sense of purpose – not to mention the benefits for those we help and the wider benefit to communities by contributing to a more compassionate society.

Giving ranges from simple, spontaneous acts such as paying a compliment or holding open a door to more structured and significant commitments such as volunteering.

What have you done recently to make someone happy or to help others?

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/five-a-dayguide-to-keeping-mind-and-body-happy-and-healthy-1.1553010 National Fitness E-News 9

ACSM experts examine what’s hot -- and what’s not -in the health and fitness industry INDIANAPOLIS – A new winner has been crowned in the 2014 top fitness trends. High Intensity Interval Training has topped the list of the 20 trends in its debut year. This spot was previously held since 2008 by Educated, Certified and Experienced Fitness Professionals. More than 3,800 fitness professionals completed an American College of Sports Medicine survey to determine the top fitness trends for 2014.

The survey, now in its eighth year, was completed by 3,815 health and fitness professionals worldwide (many certified by ACSM) and was designed to reveal trends in various fitness environments.

1. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT, which involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery, jumps to the top of this year’s list. These exercise programs are usually performed in less than 30 minutes.

2. Body Weight Training: This is the first appearance of this trend in the survey. Body weight training uses minimal equipment making it more affordable. Not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get “back to the basics” with fitness.

3. Educated and Experienced Fitness Professionals. Given the large number of organizations offering health and fitness certifications, it’s important that consumers choose professionals certified through programs that are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), such as those offered by ACSM. 4. Strength Training. Strength training remains a central emphasis for many health clubs. Incorporating strength training is an essential part of a complete physical activity program for all physical activity levels and genders. (The other essential components are aerobic exercise and flexibility.)

5. Exercise and Weight Loss.

In addition to nutrition, exercise is a key component of a proper weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who provide weight loss programs are increasingly incorporating regular exercise and caloric restriction for better weight control in their clients.

6. Personal Training. More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that they are preparing

themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.

7. Fitness Programs for Older Adults. As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts.

Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.

Career: Use a tried-and-true business planning method to target your next growth step.

As a fitness instructor, you’re continually striving to enhance your clients’ well-being. But now and again, you must take some time to do a little soul-searching and assess what is best for you. What are your needs, wants, goals and aspirations? Maybe you’re ready to further your education or you’re eager to work with a new market.

Perhaps you’d like to open your own studio or expand your current business. Taking the next step in your career can be stressful—you want to make good choices. Self-reflection takes part of the guesswork out of career decisions and helps guide you down the path to success.

To give structure to your introspection, consider performing a personal SWOT analysis. Businesses often conduct SWOT analyses to focus on these elements:

eaknesses

hreats

8. Functional Fitness. This is a trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.

9. Group Personal Training.

In challenging economic times, many personal trainers are offering more group training options. Training two or three people at a time makes economic sense for the train clients.

trengths

pportunities

10. Yoga. Based on ancient tradition, yoga utilizes a series of specific bodily postures practiced for health and relaxation.

Includes Power Yoga, Yogalates, Bikram, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Kripalu, Anurara, Kundalini, Sivananda and others.

What works for companies can work for you. A SWOT analysis is an excellent way to investigate your professional preferences, abilities, advantages and disadvantages.

With a SWOT analysis in hand, it’s much easier to form personal development goals, forge a career path, create business-growth strategies and direct your positioning in the industry.

The full list of top 20 trends is available in the ACSM article

To view the full article from IDEA – click on the link below:

"Now Trending: Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2014.”

Source: IDEA Health & Fitness Association http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/a-personal-swotanalysis?utm_source=IPT+November+2013&utm_medium =email&utm_campaign=November+2013+%286%29

National Fitness E-News 10

From the very beginning of civilization, running was vital for survival. The Neanderthal, in need of acquiring food for his family, ran through the woodlands chasing after wild animals. Running, and being able to run long and fast, was very important. We see it even now, thousands of years later, when a child takes his first tentative steps and discovers the freedom that running confers, as boys race each other on playgrounds across the country, showing off their speed to the girls during recess. Even at that young age, it is evident that something unique is taking place when we move on two legs. Indeed, it is a form of locomotion that makes humans unique from most other animals.

When done correctly, it is a scientific endeavour to maximize one’s speed and endurance. When you consider the many different types of workouts, the different paces, and how everything in your clients’ training programs fits together, you practically need a Ph.D. to understand it all.

existing capillary beds and the creation of new capillary beds. They also severely lower muscle glycogen and stimulate a greater reliance on fat. Running low on glycogen— the muscles’ preferred fuel—presents a threat to the muscles’ survival. The human body responds rather elegantly to situations that threaten or deplete its supply of fuel, synthesizing and storing more than what was previously present, thus increasing endurance for the future. The more glycogen your clients have packed into their muscles, the greater their endurance and ability to hold a hard pace.

The long run shouldn’t comprise more than about a third of your clients’ weekly mileage, however this may not be possible if they run only a few times per week. Don’t make the long runs much longer than any other run during the week and try to have your clients run enough during the week to support the long run on the weekend.

Here are some of the major components of training.

1: Mileage The number of kilometers (or time) your clients run each week is the most important part of their training and dictates their performance capacity. Endurance training increases the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin, which improves the blood vessels’ oxygen-carrying capability; stimulates the storage of muscle glycogen, giving your clients more fuel for long races; increases the use of intramuscular fat to spare glycogen; creates a greater capillary network surrounding the muscle fibers for a more rapid diffusion of oxygen into the muscles; increases muscle mitochondrial density and the number of aerobic enzymes, which control the rate at which energy (ATP) is produced; and improves running economy.

The single biggest mistake runners make is running too fast on their easy days. By doing so, they add unnecessary stress to their legs without any extra benefit.

Slowing down the easy runs has at least three benefits: (1) it decreases the chance of injury, (2) it enables runners to get more out of their harder days because they’re less fatigued, and (3) it enables runners to increase their overall weekly mileage.

2: Long Runs Long runs improve your clients’ endurance by running for a longer amount of time than they’re used to.

They cause a sustained push of oxygen into the muscles, stimulating muscle capillarization—an expansion of National Fitness E-News 11

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3: Acidosis Threshold Runs The acidosis threshold (AT) demarcates the transition between running that is almost purely aerobic and running that includes significant oxygen-independent (anaerobic) metabolism. The AT is an important determinant of distance running performance because it represents the fastest pace attainable without a significant anaerobic contribution and the development of metabolic acidosis.

Increasing your clients’ AT enables them to run faster before they fatigue because it enables them to run faster before oxygen-independent metabolism begins to play a significant role. With training, what was once an slight anaerobic pace becomes high aerobic. The faster your clients’ AT pace, the faster the pace they can hold for any race, from 5K to the marathon.

Acidosis Threshold Workouts 1. AT Run The most basic of AT workouts, this is a continuous run at AT pace. · 3 to 5 kilometers (15 to 20 minutes) to 8 to 10 kilometers (40 to 45 minutes) at AT pace 2. Long AT Run For marathoners who need to get used to running for longer periods of time at close to AT pace, this workout is a continuous run slightly slower than AT pace. · 10 to 12 kilometers (45 to 60 minutes) at 9 to 12 seconds per kilometer slower than AT pace 3. AT Intervals AT workouts can also be done in an interval format, using short runs at AT pace with short rest intervals, which makes the AT run both physically and psychologically easier and increases the distance clients’ can run at AT pace in a single workout. · 4 x 1,600 meters at AT pace with 1:00 rest · 8 x 800 to 1,000 meters at AT pace with 1:00 rest

4: VO2max Intervals VO2max is very important for distance runners because it indicates the maximum rate at which their muscles consume oxygen. Think of VO2max as your clients’ aerobic ceiling, with the acidosis threshold representing the fraction of that ceiling at which they can run without fatigue-causing acidosis.

Although you can improve your clients’ VO2max simply by increasing the number of kilometers they run each week because mileage increases their muscles’ metabolic machinery to use oxygen, interval training, during which your clients run at their max heart rate, is the most potent way to increase VO2max. One of the most elegant adaptations to interval training is hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart, causing an increase in maximum stroke volume (the volume of blood the heart pumps each beat), maximum cardiac output (the volume of blood the heart pumps each minute), and thus VO2max.

VO2max Workouts For VO2max intervals, use work periods lasting three to five minutes. Make sure clients warm-up adequately before each workout, completing their warm-up with a few 100meter runs at VO2max pace to prepare their legs for faster running and seamlessly transition into the workout. Examples of VO2max workouts include: · · · · ·

5 to 6 x 800 meters at VO2max pace with a 1:≤1 work­ to-rest ratio.

4 to 5 x 1,000 meters at VO2max pace with a 1:≤1 work-to-rest ratio.

3 to 4 x 1,200 meters at VO2max pace with a 1:≤1 work-to-rest ratio.

VO2max Ladder: 2 sets of 800, 1,000, and 1,200 meters at VO2max pace, with a 1:≤1 work­to­rest ratio.

VO2max Pyramid: 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,000, and 800 meters at VO2max pace with a 1:≤1 work­to­rest ratio.

4. AT+ Intervals This version of AT intervals is run slightly faster than AT pace (hence the plus) with very short rest intervals. · 2 sets of 3 to 4 x 800 to 1,000 meters at 3 to 6 seconds per kilometer faster than AT pace with 45 seconds rest and two minutes rest between sets 5. AT/LSD Combo Run A twist on the 1970s term, long slow distance, this challenging workout for marathoners is a medium-long distance run with a portion at AT pace. · 6 kilometers at AT pace + 12 kilometers easy · 8 kilometers easy + 5 kilometers at AT pace + 8 kilometers easy + 5 kilometers at AT pace · 16 kilometers easy + 6 kilometers at AT pace

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5: Anaerobic Capacity Intervals

The shorter the race, the greater the reliance on anaerobic glycolysis for energy and the greater the metabolic acidosis experienced. Every distance race from 1,500 meters to 10K has a significant anaerobic contribution, making anaerobic capacity training an important part of training. For anaerobic capacity intervals, use work periods lasting 45 seconds to two minutes with recovery intervals one to three times as long as the time spent running. These workouts increase muscle glycolytic enzyme activity so that glycolysis can regenerate ATP more quickly for muscle contraction and improve the ability to buffer the muscle acidosis that occurs when there is a large dependence on oxygen-independent (anaerobic) metabolism.

Anaerobic Capacity Workouts Make sure clients warm-up adequately before each workout, completing their warm-up with a few 100-meter runs at VO2max pace and at anaerobic capacity pace to prepare their legs for faster running and seamlessly transition into the workout. Examples of anaerobic capacity workouts include: • 6 to 8 x 400 meters at anaerobic capacity pace with 1:1 work:rest ratio • 2 sets of 400/800/400 meters at anaerobic capacity pace with 1-minute recovery and 5-minute recovery between sets • 2 sets of 5 x 200 to 300 meters at anaerobic capacity pace with 1:2 work:rest ratio and 5-minute recovery between sets

Easy Runs/Long Runs ·

About 1 minute and 15 seconds per kilometer slower than 5K race pace

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About 70 to 75% max heart rate

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Comfortable, conversational pace

Acidosis Threshold (AT): ·

Recreational runners:

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6-9 seconds per kilometer slower than 5K race pace (about 10K race pace)

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75-80% max HR

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Highly-trained/competitive runners:

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15-18 seconds per kilometer slower than 5K race pace (6-9 seconds per kilometer slower than 10K race pace)

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85-90% max HR Comfortably hard pace

VO2max Intervals: ·

Recreational runners:

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1,500- to 2,000-meter race pace

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Highly-trained/competitive runners:

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3,000-meter race pace

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95-100% max HR

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Hard but manageable pace

Anaerobic Capacity Intervals: For correct workout paces for AT workouts, VO2max intervals, and anaerobic capacity intervals, see Workout Paces table across.

With all of the above types of workouts, make the workouts harder over time by adding more reps or decreasing the recovery intervals rather than by running faster. Only increase the speed of the work periods once your clients’ races have shown that their fitness level has improved. Races, which indicate your clients’ fitness level, dictate the training speeds, not the other way around. Contrary to what many runners and coaches think, distance runners don’t do workouts to practice running faster. They do workouts to improve the physiological characteristics that enable them to run faster in the future. Think of an assembly line: If you want to make more products, the better strategy is to increase the number of workers (physiological characteristics) so you have more assembly lines to do the work, rather than increase the speed at which the assembly line workers work. The goal of training is to obtain the greatest benefit while incurring the least amount of stress, so train your clients with as slow of a pace as you can while still obtaining the desired result of the workout.

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Recreational runners:

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400- to 800-meter race pace

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Highly-trained/competitive runners:

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800- to 1,500-meter race pace Very quick pace; fast enough to cause acidosis

Author Biography Dr. Jason Karp is an internationally-recognized running and fitness expert, 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and owner of Run-Fit. He holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. A prolific writer, he has more than 200 articles published in international running, coaching, and fitness magazines, is the author of five books, including Running for Women and Running a Marathon For Dummies.

Dr. Karp is a frequent speaker at international fitness and coaching conferences, and won a team silver medal at the 2013 World Maccabiah Games in Israel. For his popular training programs and an autographed copy of his books, go to www.Run-Fit.com.

To train your clients to be better runners, follow these guidelines. And if they train smart enough, they’ll surely be the fastest of all their friends, fast enough to even chase other runners on the playground.

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This article gives useful step by step information and strategies that you can give to your clients to encourage them to exercise regularly in 2014

Ÿ Tell your friends and family you will need their support

Getting started and continuing an exercise program in the New Year can be a challenging yet rewarding undertaking.

Fifty percent of those who begin an exercise program will drop out with-in six months (Anshel, 2007: American Board of Sport Psychology, 2013). You can implement various simple techniques to improve your adherence and your client’s adherence to these new lifestyle changes.

Ÿ Participate in physical activities with your spouse, family,

Step 1: Scheduling

Ÿ Consider joining a social networking site or online com-

Ÿ Determine where you are going to exercise. Some peo-

munity with fitness instructors and nutrition experts — and support from other people trying to lose weight and maintain healthy eating and exercise routines. People who get this kind of online support are proven to lose three times more weight than people going it alone. No matter how goal-oriented you are, the truth is that the majority of people find that reaching their goals is a lot smoother if they have a good support system in place.

ple find it more convenient to exercise at home. Others may find they have fewer distractions at an exercise facility. If you choose to exercise at a gym, pick one that is nearby since you may be less likely to exercise at a club that is further away. Some of the most committed exercisers do it every day before the sun comes up or late at night when the children are in bed. Sit down with your weekly schedule and try to build in an hour each day to be good to your body.

Ÿ Write your work out in your diary and to do lists, set up your childcare arrangements, and rearrange things around this one hour as if were any other important appointment you have to keep. Or use technology like daily e-mail reminders, workout journal websites or iPhone/android applications to keep you on task. Set out your workout clothes or pack your workout bag the night before. Now you are ready to get started.

Step 2: Getting Started Ÿ Your first few workouts should be brief and well within your abilities. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your exercise. Individualise your program and begin back gradually. You are more likely to stick with your program if it is fun and convenient. When working out with a partner try to choose someone with a similar fitness level.

As a beginner, you may work too hard if you exercise with an experienced partner. Studies have demonstrated you are less likely to continue your program if you exercise at higher intensities too soon. Likewise, long workouts are also associated with higher dropout rates.

Step 3: Reach out to others To really stick to a fitness program, we need buy-in and encouragement from other people and our significant others.

(both emotional and instrumental for you to stick to your exercise programme). or friends. Be creative. Every week take turns having family members choose their favourite family activity. For others, it is finding a friend with a shared zest for running, and planning scheduled workouts together. It is too easy to hit the snooze button when it’s just you, but much harder to leave a friend/personal trainer waiting at the track.

Ÿ Plan your workouts by selecting exercises for the next month or week. Implement a variety of activities. Consider scheduling a different activity on specific days of the week adjusting in accordance of your changing interests. If you work out with weights, change your exercise program every month to alleviate boredom and to reinvigorate progress.

When walking, jogging, or cycling, vary exercise routes or trails.

Ÿ Use diversions such as listening to music, watching television, or reading during exercises that you would otherwise find a bit boring – take your mind off your body and focus externally. This is known as the dissociation theory in the exercise psychology literature. Dissociated from your body particular if you are a beginner exerciser. Studies have shown the exercisers who dissociate from their body e.g. focus on external things such as TV, music and do not focus on feelings of fatigue or sweat exercise for longer and perceive the exercise to be easier.

Step 4: Goals Setting & Motivation Ÿ Share your goals with those close to you or others that are likely to ask you about your progress. Ask them for their support. Having explained that you have set aside a particular time to exercise can potentially minimize future conflicts or misunderstandings. Those close to you will have the opportunity to understand the importance of your goals and the time you have set aside for them.

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Ÿ Write your goals on paper and post them where they are

Ÿ If do not feel like working out, agree to yourself to have a

in view for you to see every day (e.g. refrigerator, mirror, diary, dash board of car, etc.). Visibility of goals is really important – you are sending yourself positive and practical messages by seeing your goals over and over again. If you don’t ink it you won’t think it! Your goals are only dreams and wishes if you don’t write your goals down. This is what sports people do to keep themselves focused on their goals. Some people may even find it helpful to sign a personal fitness contract with their personal trainer or friend. Set session, daily, weekly and monthly goals to monitor your progress..

very short, light workout. Quite often, after getting ready and warming up, you will find enough motivation to push through a full workout. If you miss your scheduled workout, realise not all is lost. Forgive yourself and re-evaluate your behavioural plan. Adjust your strategies to prevent future drop outs and recommit to your program. Develop a backup plan in case of unforeseen circumstances. Agree not to use your back up plan unless absolutely necessary. If you have not successfully stuck to your program in the past, analyse past obstacles and implement new strategies to overcome these barriers.

Ÿ Find an exercise professional that can monitor your

Step 6: Go Easy on Yourself

progress. Regular fitness tests can objectively measure the effectiveness of your program and can possibly save you months or even years of hard work. If progress is not significant, immediate changes can be made to your program.

A fitness professional can help you decide the tests most compatible with your fitness goals and how often you should test.

Ÿ We are our own worst critics! With this in mind, it is easy to see how we can be downright cruel to ourselves if we are stumbling along the path of reaching our goals. If you stumble, or fall off of the goal-setting wagon you should never give up hope or faith in yourself. Remember every single human stumbles along the pathway towards attaining their exercise goals – cut yourself a little bit of slack, recognise the stumble or blip for what it is and ensure that you can get right back on track to hitting those goals!

Ÿ Getting back on track can certainly prove to be a challenge for even the most determined goal-setter; however, if you have your support system in place and you also have your mind set in the right place then you will be able to get right back up and keep on forging on to meet your goals.

Enlist your support structure to help you get back on track.

Don’t be afraid to lean on the members of your support team when you need them – that is what they are there for!

There are pretty good odds, also, that at least one member of your support team knows what it feels like to stumble along the way and they may be able to provide you with a list of tips to help you get back on the goal-attaining treadmill!

Step 5: Adjust Expectations & Choose Optimism Ÿ Even if it doesn’t come naturally, try to be optimistic about your ability to avoid temptations. Studies like Zhang and Fishbach (2010) suggest that being optimistic about avoiding temptation and reaching goals can be beneficial.

Participants who were optimistic stuck at their task longer than those who had been asked to make accurate predictions about reaching a goal. Allow yourself to overestimate how easy it will be to reach your goal. As long as it doesn’t spill over into fantasy-land, being fuzzy on the tricky bits can motivate you in the present moment. Choose your mind-set – choose your feelings – choose to be optimistic.

They are your thoughts in your head therefore you can change them. While you are exercising tell yourself you are enjoying the exercise – think useful and helpful thoughts.

Ÿ Perform a variety of exercises and activities. Engage in utilitarian activities such as walking to the store, walking the dog, or catching up on yard work. Try new activities you think you may enjoy. Consider less traditional forms of exercise like kayaking, urban hiking (slí na slainte), or participating in sports leagues like tag rugby/night owl leagues. Check to see if your company offers wellness incentive programs, fitness facilities, or corporate sports competitions. Perhaps you could organise lunch time or after work exercise sessions for staff? Plan and train for an adventure vacation (e.g. walk the Camino in Spain) or sports event (participate in a triathlon). Learn about these new activities by reading an instructional book, look at your local papers, joining a training group, or hiring a personal trainer.

In Summary Remind clients that it is not so important where they are today as it is where they will be tomorrow. Certainly they do not need to implement every strategy outlined in this article. Start out with the techniques they believe will have the most impact in their adherence to their programme: find activities they find fun and convenient, set goals, start out gradually, monitor their progress, perform a variety of exercises and activities, use diversions (they control their thoughts), and utilise social support. Ask them to start thinking of themselves as an exerciser, and not a spectator. Have them set a goal, enlist a friend, mark it on their calendar and have some fun. They’ll be setting themselves up for a lifetime of better health, more happiness, and more energy for everything else in their life.

Ciara Losty is a lecturer in Sports & Exercise Psychology at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). For information on the new MSc in Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology contact closty@wit.ie National Fitness E-News 15

National Fitness E-News 16

Aidan Shanahan PICP LEVEL 2, NASM CPT SPORTS THERAPIST

Crossfit……easily one of the most hotly discussed and debated training methods of the last 10 years.

What is CrossFit? CrossFit programmes claim to enhance all areas of total body fitness, including strength, agility, power, flexibility, cardiovascular health and more. They are designed to be scalable, meeting the needs of individuals from all walks of life, and they are also designed to be variable so that no two workouts are exactly the same.

What do CrossFit workouts entail?

Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes", typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity "workout of the day" (or WOD), and a period of individual or group stretching delivered by a CrossFit Coach. Some boxes also often have a strength focused movement prior to the WOD. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered around a WOD. The "CrossFit Games" have been held every summer since 2007. Participation and sponsorship have grown rapidly; the prize money awarded to each first-place male and female increased from $500 at the inaugural Games to $250,000 in 2011-2013. Winning the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games now nets $275,000. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen; past examples include a rough-water swim and a softball throw. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything. So the fittest on earth… a bold statement to say the least!

I am going to discuss the pro's and con's of the CrossFit system and let you make up your own mind in it as a training system. Remember a detailed screening should be performed with all clients before introducing a new programme and all exercises should be customised to the clients ability.

The Pro's: 1. Will CrossFit improve your body composition? Just have a look at the CrossFit games and observe the condition of the athletes. They are in phenomenal shape. Both male and female have really good muscle mass and optimal body fat percentages.

2. Will CrossFit improve your cardiovascular fitness?

CrossFit exercises normally lasts for about 30 minutes.

And this 30-minute routine will not only make your muscles weary, it will also increase your cardiovascular fortitude and there is absolutely no doubting that.

3. Are the exercises worthwhile? When you find a good “box” or gym with a really good coach some of the lifts you learn are absolutely fantastic and will hugely increase your performance. You can learn all the olympic lifts, learn how to jump optimally, and this can help you to develop in to a really explosive individual.

4. Will CrossFit help you develop a good application towards training? The programs will require you to perform training routines that encompass Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, callisthenics, gymnastics, sprints, plyometrics, and a few hard-to-categorize exercises like rope climbing— the workouts are short, intense, and constantly changing. This can help you improve your mindset towards training and can make you mentally tough.

The Con's: 1. CrossFit has exploded over the last 5 years. With this you now have a lot of CrossFit boxes and CrossFit coaches. You can qualify as a CrossFit coach with a less than rigorous assessment and open your own facility after a 2 day affiliation course. That is not good.

2. Safety: All workouts given by a coach need to be safe.

That is the priority. Before you even contemplate improving body composition or performance that is 'the be all and end all'. However some of CrossFits workouts do not fall in to this safe category. For a coach/trainer that is an absolute no go.

3. Form and technique is king when it comes to training.

Due to the nature of CrossFits workouts most of their routines are measured with time. This encourages your competitive trainee to compromise technique in order to achieve good times. Compromising technique is something that should never happen.

4. Lack of progression. Due to the 'never repeating' nature of the programming, it is difficult, if not impossible to track your main lifts. You can not tell if your strength or speed is improving if you never repeat protocols. All programmes needs to have progressive overload. It is crucial.

Hopefully based on what I have stated above, you will now be able to make an educated decision as to whether or not CrossFit is for you. Please choose your facility and coach very very wisely.

National Fitness E-News 17

Brian Samson UEFA A Coach, Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Personal Trainer

HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training HIIT has become immensely popular in recent times as a method of training, but what exactly it is? Well in short it’s performing exercises using short intervals of maximum or close to maximum effort with rest periods built in between each work period. The now famous Tabata protocol would be a great example HIIT where you work at maximum effort for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest and complete 8 rounds. Like all training protocols there are Pro and Cons, lets look at them.

screen all clients. Start with short periods of work maybe 10 seconds and longer rest periods.

2. When planning your workout remember that HIIT is all about performing it at a high intensity. Often this method of training can be abused in that the work periods are too long with too short rest periods and a very long session means it becomes more of an endurance or even aerobic style workout and some of the benefits of HIIT therefore can be missed.

Workouts

HIIT – Pros

Here are three sample workouts you can try out:

HIIT is often thought of as a training protocol for athletes for the very fit general population however this not entirely true. You can manipulate HIIT to suit deconditioned clients and still reap the rewards of this exercise protocol. So HIIT can be thought of as a training tool to suit all.

Another huge Pro of HIIT is that you can train using it with no equipment just using your own body weight you can perform a hugely demanding training session, have a look at the bodyweight program at the end of this article and try it at home.

Bodyweight – perform each exercise for 20 seconds with a 40 second rest period. The intensity for the work period is maximal effort. Perform each exercise one after another and try 3 rounds.

Current research will tell you that HIIT training is beneficial for increasing your metabolism, improving your VO2 max and reducing your body fat. So for weight loss HIIT has huge benefits and has become the protocol of choice for helping clients reduce weight and get fit and has shown itself to be a more powerful choice than traditional steady state aerobic based training.

HIIT is such a versatile protocol it can be included as part of your overall strength session at either the beginning or end of your session to provide a metabolic boost or it can make up the main part of your training program for a particular session for an intense workout.

As already mentioned you perform HIIT with little or no equipment thus meaning little space is also required. A small space somewhere in your house and your bodyweight and you can give yourself one hell of an intense workout.

A HIIT workout can be performed using many different tools. Kettlebells, Medicine balls, Suspension trainers, Dumbbells, Barbells, Skip ropes, Resistance bands and Sandbags are all tools that can be used in isolation are mix up a session by using 2 or more of these.

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Power lunges Plyometric Push ups Burpees Squat jumps Mountain climbers

Beginner Complex – A complex is 2 or more exercises performed back to back . So you will move from one to the other with no rest and preferably using the same training tool. Perform this complex using a set of dumbbells. Start with 3 rounds and progress once your client has adapted. Progress by adding exercises, sets or reducing the rest time.

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Alternating Lunges Romanian Deadlift Shoulder Press

Advanced Interval Training.

HIIT – Cons

Here’s a workout using a number of different tools. Start by performing each exercise for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest. Perform 4 rounds for a demanding 20 minute workout.

1. A poorly planned and manipulated HIIT workout can leave you or your client with a nasty shock. HIIT is not easy so it’s important the workout is customised to your clients level of fitness. For example asking a de conditioned client to perform a demanding HIIT session may turn them off ever using it again. Please ensure you

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Kettlebell swings Dumbbell push press TRX pike Barbell Front squats Slam balls National Fitness E-News 18

Jason Walshe Director/Owner, Jason Walshe Fitness www.jasonwalshe.ie

Insanity®, the 60 Day Workout I first learned about The Insanity® Workout from a work colleague back in 2010. I said to myself maybe this was just another Fitness Fad but when I watched an infomercial; I knew instantly this was a programme I wanted to experience.

Insanity® was created by an retired Track & Field star and world famous workout guru - Shaun Thompson or "Shaun T" as he is known to his fan base.

Shaun T designed this Fitness Programme especially for Beachbody™ LLC (A California-based company who created some of the nation's most popular fitness and weight loss solutions). If you are familiar with Beachbody™ and the workout programmes itheir famous for i.e. P90X, Turbo Fire, Hip Hop Abs; you will already know they like to do things differently and really extreme. Insanity® is a workout that is not only extreme; it's the next level.

When I tell people about Insanity®, I think about the paint product Ronseal and the saying "it does exactly what is says on the tin". That's what Insanity® is ...It's Insane and maybe, just maybe it really is the hardest DVD workout ever released.

The Programme

totally worth it! I teach 10-13 Fitness Classes a week,Surf at least once a week and so I thought I was fit! To say I was humbled is an understatement but I was committed to completing the 60 days. You must firstly complete a Fitness Test and I remember doing 40 Power Jumps in 60 seconds and feeling exhausted. However, on my last fittest I did 80 Power Jumps in the 60 seconds period. I still think it's Insane but that is how much I had improved .

Shaun T trains you to DIG DEEPER and that's what brings you to a whole new level of Fitness.

It really is hard for me to find something negative to say about Insanity® but as a Group Fitness Instructor working 6 days a week I know that I was not giving my body enough recovery time. Hence I would get niggles in the lower back and tightness in the hamstring and glutes. My advice to Fitness Professionals would be to try this workout in the summer months which are traditionally quiet in our industry. I know I will start my next Insanity® Adventure in July 2014. If this is your workout style,if you are competitive and if you want to be dripping in sweat then you have got to try it.

Having taken part in athletics through primary and secondary school I still feel the competitive spirit is in me.With Insanity® I thoroughly enjoyed the Plyometric ,Sport Drills and Circuit Style Training because it reminded me of m training days.

The Insanity®, programme Insanity® consists of a plethora of different workouts, each targeting a different section of the individual's fitness requirements.The programme is divided into two months consisting of Cardio,Abdominal,Resistance and Flexibility training. It really is a complete one-stop shopping in regards to whole-body fitness. In my opinion, Insanity® ticks all the boxes when it comes to dedicated individuals who are serious about getting into the best shape of their lives.

I was very impressed with the meal plan and how Beachbody™ educated me on not only the importance of eating healthy but also how we can fuel the body for High Intensity Interval Training.The meal plan is very detailed and preparation is very important as the meals will take time to buy, prepare and cook.

Who Is Insanity® Best Suited For? Insanity® wasn’t designed for people that want a stroll in the park or indeed the faint hearted. Like all Beachbody™ workout systems, it’s meant for dedicated individuals who are truly serious about their training . If you are a "Fitness Freak" like me then this is the programme for you.

On March 3rd 2013, I read on Shaun Ts Facebook Page that he was doing an Insanity® Challenge for his 35th Birthday and he wanted as many of his Facebook followers to do the 60 - Day workout. I also had turned 35 that February so I was up for the challenge. I am proud to say that I completed my 60-day Insanity® workout, but I put my body through intense effort. Was it worth it? It was

Again the Insanity® DVDs will probably not be everyone's cup of tea especially those that like low intensity or dislike sports but for the right personality fit, it's an effective way to get in shape, see results and build a strong foundation of fitness.

If I could offer any other advice to the readers out there it would be this: 1. A detailed screening section is built into the DVD workout, so advise all clients to complete this before commencing the workouts.

2. Do your workouts with a buddy - be accountable to someone.

3. Share your workouts with Facebook friends and yourwebsite.

Insanity® is the next level in High Intensity Interval Training and to do this programme you have got to commit to get git and never ever quit!

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Winter is a time when many of us start catching coughs, colds and ‘flu. Christmas excess, changes in temperature and too many comfort foods in front of the fire can all take their toll. Just being busier can expose us to more germs than usual so helping your own defences can make a difference in keeping you sniffle-free into the spring.

There are lots of supplements and ‘superfoods’ out there that claim to boost your immune system and help you to avoid colds, but do any of them actually work? We take a look at the key foods and supplements to help you breeze through the winter: 1. Vitamin C. Vitamin C is well known as a cold preventer but you need to be careful where you get it.

Taking large doses of vitamin C as a supplement may not be healthy long-term – studies show that people who take large amounts of vitamin C as a supplement actually end up getting more cancer! For this reason, focusing on food is a better approach. Fruit and vegetables are the best place to get vitamin C but you may not always feel like sitting down to a salad mid winter! A glass of orange juice in the morning will give you a vitamin C boost and adding plenty of vegetables to your plate at dinner or a warm bowl of vegetable soup to lunch will keep you topped up. Aim to have vegetables make up 1/3 of your lunch and 1/3 of your dinner and going for variety will also help. Think colour – green and yellow and orange and red…

2. Zinc. Zinc is another vital nutrient for the immune system, helping you to fight colds and infections. It is also very good for healthy skin and strong, shiny hair.

One of the best places to get zinc is fish. Almost all types of fish are rich in zinc and but shellfish are especially rich. Shellfish are one of the best places to pick up zinc as well as minerals like selenium and even iron. Did you know that mussels have more iron than beef and oysters will give you 6 times your daily recommended amount of zinc! Try to have fish at least twice a week – tinned or fresh. You will also pick up lots of zinc in beef and adding nuts and seeds to cereals, salads and yogurts will help top you up.

3. Probiotics. Probiotics won’t stop you from catching a cold but studies show that taking a probiotic can help shorten a cold and make it less severe. A typical cold lasts about 10 days, but if you regularly take a probiotic, you can shorten this to just three days! Live probiotics (rather than freeze-dried tablets) seem to work best so try one of the ‘little bottles’ or yoghurts in your supermarket. Do check the label for the word National Fitness E-News 20

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Protein. Protein is the main building block of your immune system – without protein, nothing will make a difference to how you feel. Look for protein in all kinds of meat, chicken, fish, eggs and beans.

Make sure you have protein at lunch and at dinner everyday.

If you are vegetarian you need to eat beans or lentils or nuts at breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday.

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5. Echinicea. This helpful herbal supplement has been shown to help avoid or shorten coughs and colds. You can buy it in pharmacies, usually as a liquid that you add to water. It doesn’t work if you take it all the time, so save it for when you need it. People often use it if they come in contact with someone who has a cold or if they feel one starting themselves. Talk to your pharmacist if you are taking any other medication before you start to use it.

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Onions. Not the first thing that you think of when you want to boost immunity but onions give a boost to a type of immune cell called a phagocyte. Phagocytes are very like ‘pac-man (if you are old enough to remember that game…) and they basically gobble any germs that come into your body. When you eat onions, you make more phagcytes, helping you to stay infection-free!

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Garlic. No article on immunity would be complete without mentioning garlic. Garlic has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal effects so it is a powerful ally in the fight against infection. And not just because no one will come near you when you eat it (although that might help…). Compounds in garlic target bacteria and viruses and one well-known way to avoid a cold is to chew a clove of garlic for 5 minutes at the first sign of a sniffle or scratchy throat. If this is beyond you, you can always just add garlic to soups, stews, and casseroles and boost it that way.

8. Rest:

Once you have given your immune system everything it needs to be at its best, you then need to rest so it has a chance to build it in.

There is no point eating a healthy diet if you never give your body a chance to use the nutrients. Rest is very important in helping to avoid coughs and colds and indeed, most illnesses. Your immune system needs to repair and update itself on a daily basis and it needs lots of sleep and rest to do this. Did you know that humans sleep, on average, 1 ½ hours less per night than we did 100 years ago? And recent studies have found that sleeping less than 7 hours per night is linked with increases in weight, dementia, heart disease and cancer? Aim for at least 8 hours sleep a night (but take 9 if you can get it!). And try to be in bed before 10pm as you get your best quality of sleep before mid-night. You should also try to rest during the day – not necessarily sleep but even take 20 minutes at lunch to read the paper and relax.

What about traditional remedies? A very traditional Irish remedy for a cold is a hot honey and lemon drink. Did you know this actually will help? Lemon is a natural decongestant and honey will help to boost your immune system, the heat will loosen mucus, making you feel better and the lemon is rich in vitamin C. Honey is also naturally antiseptic so it can help to clear your cold. If you can look for natural flower honey, they can have probiotics that can also help to boost your immunity.

And finally…wash your hands. Most colds are spread by touch so the best way to avoid one – or to avoid passing yours on – is to wash your hands regularly and especially if you are around anyone who has a cold.

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Winter is truly here and its cold outside so now is the perfect time to try Hot Yoga. The hot room is always warm and inviting and is the perfect winter warmer workout.

Yoga is a low impact physical activity taught in a group class setting which uses stretching and holding postures to promote flexibility, muscular endurance, balance and control. Some people choose to fully embrace the yoga lifestyle looking for the holistic union of the body, mind and spirit. There are several types of yoga styles such as Invenyar, Vinyasa, Hatha, Astanga, to name but a few.

What is hot yoga?

Hot yoga started about 50 years ago and is described as a class of any form of yoga style or combination of styles conducted in a hot room. The temperature of the room can range between 300 to 400C (850 to 1050F) depending on the type of hot yoga being taught. Humidity is also kept at about 40%.

Types of Hot Yoga 1. Bikram Yoga is a challenging 26 asana (posture) series. It’s the most popular form of hot yoga in Ireland with several studios throughout the country offering this specialised yoga class (Dublin, Kildare, Cork, Galway, Limerick & Athlone). It’s a 90 minute practice in a room heated to 400C (1050F) and at 40% humidity. The class consists of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises which are always conducted in the same set sequence.

“This series of postures begins by waking up the body and expanding the lungs through deep breath work that pumps fresh oxygen into the circulatory system…………The series continues to work systematically through the body, leaving not one organ, bone, joint, muscle, ligament, tendon, blood vessel, nerve or gland unattended.”

Boss Yoga Studio, 2013 2. Forrest Yoga is a method developed specifically to address physical and emotional current day stresses and challenges. It’s taught in a hot room at 270C (800F) and focuses on breath, strength, integrity & spirit, using yoga sequences to go deeper, build strength and promote healing (G.Kinane, 2013).

3. Vinyasa Yoga incorporates postures that are sequenced to flow into each other synchronising flowing movements with breathing, also called power yoga, the hot

version is conducted in a room heated to 300/320C (850900F).

4. Hatha Hot Yoga - Hatha Yoga postures conducted in a room heated at 300 to 400C (850 to 1050F). Class duration and posture sequences may vary.

Benefits of Hot Yoga 1. It’s suitable for most people regardless of age or fitness levels.

2. The heated environment increases your circulation and metabolism and also improves tissue elasticity.

3. The calorie burn per class is estimated at between 500 to 1000 calories – depending on the individual (J. Wells, 2013).

4. During the class the reduced muscle and myofascial stiffness allows an increased and more efficient range of motion so that you can get deeper into the postures without injury.

5. The heat also reduces the viscosity of synovial fluid helping to lubricate the joints more efficiently, improving cushioning, allowing nutrients to get to the cartilage and for small particles of debris to be reabsorbed.

6. The long term benefits of hot yoga include improved flexibility and muscular endurance with increased lean muscle tissue and weight loss, all of which contribute to the prevention of injuries.

7. It also helps improve circulation, including peripheral circulation, which improves oxygen supply to all organs and tissues of the body whilst allowing the body to remove metabolic wastes more efficiently. (B. Satalkar, 2011).

8. It helps to enhance mood and the feeling of well being and can reduce anxiety and depression.

My hot yoga experience Having never done any form of yoga ever, I attempted my first Bikram yoga class in 2008, thinking how hard can it be? It’s only yoga in a hot room . . . . . .‘ OMG – I’m sweating & we’re only breathing! – you want me to do what?! – ‘Go back? Way back? More back?’ - are you for real? - I’ve never put my head there before!!! - bend which way? – ah jaysus! I think my heart is about to explode… I think I’m going to vomit…’

B. Lawlor 2008 These were just a few of the repeatable thoughts that passed through my head in that first class, and occasionally even now (260ish classes later).

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My hot yoga experience, contd., Bikram Yoga is one of the hardest workouts that I’ve ever done, and I’ve had some toughies - forced route marches over mountains (Army), marathons (Dublin twice) and mountain marathons (Wicklow & Mourne) to name but a few.

So why do I go back for more? - Well my heart didn’t explode and I haven’t vomited (yet). At first it was because I had paid €49 for the introductory offer and wanted to get value for money. Then I started to notice that within a few hours of the class I would feel really fantastic. I was sleeping better, had more energy. I was feeling better about myself and better able to cope with life. I know that these side effects are not just unique to Bikram Yoga, but for me, I realise now that my training had dwindled and gone stale but Bikram yoga helped me to refocus my time and energy on my training needs and wellbeing.

Physical Benefits As for the physical benefits, since June 2012, by going to classes in Boss Yoga Studio Maynooth consistently (two plus classes a week), I have lost 6kg, Linda in Rabbit Pose gained lean muscle tissue, improved my body shape, muscular endurance and flexibility. My knees, hips, back and shoulders have improved pain free range of motion, and the arches in my feet have regained their shape. I have a history of painful patellar tracking in both knees from years of pounding the roads & hills and neglecting my flexibility and through years of focusing on gross movement exercise rather than the more subtle art of muscle activation & control.

Because of hot yoga Linda in Triangle Pose I am now able to train for and complete half marathons and am still able to tackle any stairs afterwards with pain free knees, no longer having that crunching grinding pain of the patella scraping across the femur.

Recently I’ve been adding variety and intensity to my yoga practice by doing Hot Hatha and Ghosh Intermediate classes and they have made a huge difference to my strength and flexibility in the Bikram classes.

Hot Hatha is a 75 minute class that uses postures similar to those in Bikram but holds each posture for longer with only one set of each.

Mitch in Awkward Pose

Bikram Yoga Class: Savasna Pose Some Hot Yoga Tips: 1. Hydrate before & after each class, not only replacing water but you need to replace electrolytes also (usually available to buy at studios).

2. Try not to eat a meal for about 2 hours before class, it will affect how you feel and perform in the hot room.

3. Wear comfortable stretchy clothing (lycra/cotton mix vests, shorts or leggings), avoid too many clothes but do maintain your modesty making sure that nothing pops out!

Guys avoid baggy shorts or wear cycling shorts under them.

4. Bring your own towel & mat for the class, and a separate towel for the shower afterwards (usually available to hire or buy at studios).

5. Listen to the very detailed instruction and apply it!

6. Take each class and each posture within the class as it comes - try to live in the moment even if it’s just for the 90 minutes.

7. Last but not least - Always listen to your body, you never know one day you might hear it and actually do what it’s asking you to do!!

So go on challenge yourself, try something new, it could be life changing.

Namaste!

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The PT Road The roads to becoming a ‘Personal Trainer’ are as varied as there are trainers. The road to burnout….?

In the early days, there was vision, a mission. Looking back it seemed easy, natural, unquestionable. With a love of not just the work, but of the greater ideology there was a flow to it all.

I was lucky enough to grow up with an activity loving mindset, the want to be moving, playing and doing, and siblings and neighbours to play ball - any kind of ball - tennis, football - just generally be outdoors and moving. Taking that into adulthood it is a kind of Holy Grail. Going from childhood sports and watching all kinds of sports with a serious sport fan father, to adolescent competitive pursuits the option of forging through college in a related field towards a career is WOW! What?! NOT be a civil servant, or Nurse, or any other ‘sensible’ career. Make a living from a childhood hobby? Yes Please!

Is bringing that love and passion enough? Some taking the path, as in most things in life have a greater force, their ‘eye on the prize’ kind of strategic ability while with others I believe its more a case of following their heart, with a faith that the pieces will fall favourably.

And so the paths are varied. None is inherently the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ one. The Path to Personal Trainer just is.

Arduous study, along with growing up, being exposed to newness not found in a sleepy hometown is all part of any journey toward career, and into adulthood. But vision, passion and faith keep the body and soul moving forward. All of those things (which we often are not aware of), the image will always, well, just be. At the young age there is no thought of that energy, drive and motivation not being tip top someday. There is no reason to fast forward to a day or imagine when the ability to continue along this chosen path seems at best mediocre. ‘It will always be so’, the innocence of youth tells us. Praise be for that blissful ignorance!

The reality being, being a Personal Trainer is largely (and I may stand corrected on this) one based on drive, passion for health, activity, fitness. And People. The joy of people and personal contact drives us to become Personal Trainers. The personalities, challenges and the hard work, the non-compliant client, the early mornings and irregular income. It is all from passion and faith.

Daily Groundog Day? When then, does the ‘going to do work I love’ become ‘daily grind/Groundhog day’? That wasn’t in the plan…

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When passion turns to pedestrian interest, when the love and passion become ‘should do’ and ‘ought tos’ there is something amiss.

The morning start becomes arduous. the Client list may drop off (or have already dropped off due to any number of outside circumstances). The thing is, Personal Training is hard work. Take any day, for you as a trainer. You will encounter obviously a number of clients. Each human being comes bringing their own ‘story’ thoughts, wishes, fears, worries emotions of that day with them. As their trainer, you have a plan for the session. But all human interactions are two way streets, and you as trainer bring your thoughts, emotions etc with you too. And on that subtle, yet powerful level what we then have is the meeting of say - the argument at breakfast, some financial fears, family stresses or the client’s low motivation, fear if the scales aren’t down some weight and voila! What a combination with just ONE client!! All of these emotions and energies are playing out, and as the trainer you are having to create and execute a successful session for this client. And the next, and the next. And tomorrow and next week and so on. All of this is energy that you,the trainer are using up or giving out from your ‘store’. This outward pouring of not just the physical and mental, but emotional energy day upon day, year upon year can easily deplete the inner energy /Chi/ life force of any trainer.

Given this, what manner of training do many (most?) trainers engage in themselves?

Energy Replenishment By and large, with activities which are outward expressions of energy and Catatonic (energy depleting) in nature - weight lifting, endurance aerobic pursuits, or competitive sports. With these activities, energy is being expelled from the body and what about energy replenishment?

It is undisputed that slow movement, low intensity activities which engage both body and mind in an integrated fashion are cultivators of energy, life force or Chi. By this I mean that they are Anabolic insomuch as they draw energy into your body which is much like filling up your car’s petrol tank. These type of activities are really a must for any and all human beings, but more so for those spending large quantities of physical, mental and emotional energy in their line of work every day of the week. But how many of us take time to just walk slowly in nature, along a beach or in a wood. Just breathing? How many take Yoga classes, practice meditation or mindfulness to quieten our minds and bodies and just stop for a while? Does any course of study which brings us into this line of work touch on this as an area of importance for trainer longevity. Is there a module out there on ‘How to Not Burn Out’?

Like a fire burning brightly, it will soon extinguish without fuel or oxygen being

constantly fed inwards. Like us, if we constantly give our energy, physical and mental, and do not cultivate it back inwards, we too will ….burnout. Full stop.

Burnout - The Signs And when it comes, there are always the striking signs. The morning laziness, not really wanting to wake and be up, less energy or motivation. Or being up and at it, but not the same liveliness or buzz as used to be. Waking after the alarm (and several snoozes) rather than being awake before it goes off. Perhaps sleep doesn’t come as easily at night, or it does, but is broken and a sense of not having rested as you awaken. Coffee/sugar stimulants prop up your day more and more, and what’s more, they don’t hamper your ability to at least fall asleep. Your once energising jog leaves you a heap of exhaustion. That’s because you Are Exhausted. Burnt-out, or at the very least well down the road to exhaustion. It’s time to STOP. when the love and passion for training your client becomes and ticked box, or ‘just’ your income then Miss BurnOut has entered the building.

Slow down & Stop What to do? Slow down, at the very least, if at all possible stop. Take a break, a few days or more, off. Sleep. Rest.

Speak. As trainers we are so used to being the go to person for others, subtly we become listeners, solvers, ‘takers’ of others’ stresses and strains. So we in turn must open up and have someone elsefamily, friend or even a kind professional - listen to our innermost thoughts, needs and turmoils. If sleep has become disrupted, then this is the very first place to start. Knock the afternoon coffee on the head, bathe before bedtime, create a sanctuary for your self and your mind will begin to ease. Exercise little, and slowly.

As unaccustomised as you may be to ‘slowing down’ you must. Walk in nature as mentioned earlier, in quietness, with good, uplifting company - someone who is there to listen to you!

Play. Us human being adults are quite awful at playing! Do something that makes time stand still for you - jigsaw puzzles, playing catch with your dog, fairies and make-believe with your children.

Be silly. Be fun. Watch yourself ease up, energise and renew.

Take Stock - Sleep Take stock. Sometimes our career paths change. Life has it’s own plan for us sometimes. But when exhaustion comes, it comes to give us a wake-up call. Time to re-address our life balance, work and rest. Our values and our motivations can and do change as we journey through life.

This I am learning myself. Each day isn’t exactly as we might have planned. Hell, sometimes a whole year or even two can be throw into dissarray with an unexpected, life changing event. And still, we try to ‘carry on’ because that is what we do. I say this, because I know. Two major family illnesses, a family death, a move to another county and still I didn’t stop. I know now, because my own body told me so. With broken sleep, stresses of selfemployment in a slowed economy and finally my body told me that the one more thing it couldn’t do. Perhaps this final piece was my body and soul saying - time to rest, we can’t do your ‘carry on regardless’ act any more.

STOP. I slept. Full, dream filled, restful sleep. My body said no. Time to re-negotiate with the only body and soul I have.

Time to re-kindle that fire.

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Complementing the top class sports facilities at UL is the emergence of some of the most innovative and world leading sport related research and services. Video notational performance analysis is a relatively new discipline which emerged worldwide over the last decade as many more sports turned professional and additional detailed analysis of movement and tactics are being utilised. Dr Ian Kenny, Lecturer in Biomechanics, has established a Video Performance Analysis Academy (VPAA) at the University of Limerick, providing the only academic facility of its kind in Ireland. With a team of 20 experienced analysts, Ian has worked directly with squads and sports individuals, providing a video analysis service that helps to effectively improve performance when used in conjunction with existing coaching structures. The VPAA team provide a video notational analysis service which, subsequent to a training session or game, can offer key indicators of movement patterns performed,statistics for different plays and skills executed, and high definition edited video of all these events for the coach to use.

The service is growing increasingly popular in Ireland.

Hockey, rugby, soccer and Gaelic games are the biggest clients currently in Ireland. The Academy have serviced an increasing number of clubs with clients including Munster Rugby Academy, Limerick F.C., Limerick Hurling and Football, UL Basketball, World Handball Championships, European Olympic Handball League and Boxing. They provide detailed tailored match and player reports for the coach within 48 hours of the game and push key reference video clips onto the internet for players to download to their phones and laptops to review in their own time.

Video notational performance analysis is a key element of the taught MSc programme in ‘Sports Performance’ at UL. PhD researchers Laura-Anne Furlong and Sarah Breen have led this taught element on the MSc and brings the students through to attain International Society for Performance Analysis in Sports (ISPAS) accreditation. Both BSc and MSc dissertation students have recently worked on data for Irish Hockey provinces and the GAA (Handball) to help inform coaches about competition movement demands.

Working with a number of UL and county sport teams, the service aims to improve coaching, player feedback methods and performance and models itself on successful performance centres around the world. Although it has a financially viable model, the Academy was not designed to run a profit, rather it has introduced a key new discipline to teaching and research within PESS. It helps pay for equipment and analyst time and training for PESS students to progress to a career in video performance analysis.

For further information, please contact Dr. Ian Kenny ian.kenny@ul.ie

Above: Tagging of key moments during a recorded game for reviewing later by the coach Below: Sideline Analysts

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BOXERCISE INSTRUCTOR PROFILE After years of working in the retail industry, I finally decided to pursue my passion and returned to college to become a personal trainer. Since 2012, I have been working as a personal trainer in Dublin. Whilst it was unnerving making a career change in my late twenties, the decision to return to college was one that I was glad I made and I’ve never looked back. Fitness is not only my passion but it is now my life. I love the health and fitness industry as it allows me to meet all types of people and help optimise their fitness, health, and lifestyle.

One of my personal goals as a trainer is to continually educate myself in all the current trends in the industry as well as be able to offer my clientele a choice of options to help them improve their fitness. I believe it is important to stay up to date with exercise trends to meet my client’s wants and needs.

One of the courses that I completed was Boxercise which has been one of the best choices I have made. It is always in demand with my clients and covers all elements needed for a great overall workout. No matter if it is a class of 20 or an individual client I can rely on the methods taught in this course to instruct my clients.

With Boxercise, my clients are learning new skills as well as improving balance, strength, coordination, movement and best of all letting go of unwanted tension or stress of daily life!

When my client completes their session, redcheeked, sweaty but with a huge smile on their face, I know I have done my job.

I am currently working freelance in Dublin, with Powerhouse Fitness & University College Dublin, but teaching Boxercise has given me the confidence to go it on my own and start my own classes. I have now launched Tom Dalton Fitness and actively encourage my clients to embrace Boxercise as an all-round form of exercise to help burn fat and combat stress.

I would highly recommend this particular course to trainers interested in teaching it, as the instructors were fantastic. Their passion and enthusiasm is contagious plus their level of knowledge is next to none with regard to the safety aspect of Boxercise and its core values. One thing that I would stress is the support I have received after I have taken the course. The master trainers have made themselves readily available for any questions and I have found them a pillar of support as I master my craft in this particular field.

As a personal trainer, it is important for me to stay on top of my game so I can offer my clients more and continue to grow in this industry.

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The power of Social Media really presented itself to me in the summer of 2013, when I noticed some very well informed fitness professionals in an on-line conversation about a new dance programme called FITSTEPS. Having written about fitness for many years, I had previously reported on all areas of dance fitness, so I was instantly intrigued. However this programme wasn’t just about the writing, this was to be much more physical. Within the hour I had booked flights for one of the last remaining places on instructor training in Manchester.......... I was going dancing.

Strictly Come Dancing Each year on the TV show Strictly Come Dancing, stars taking part get a chance to step out of their comfort zones and balance their already busy professional schedules with dance lessons, learning choreography with the new ‘significant’ other in their lives - their professional dance partner. It never takes long for the celebs to start enjoying

the benefits, including weight loss and enhanced body tone, due to the hours of rehearsing and performing. Many leave the show in the best shape of their lives.

What is Fit steps ?

Created by Strictly professional dancers Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite with the fitness influence of professional swimmer Mark Foster, FITSTEPS brings classic Latin and Ballroom dances together into the world of fitness.

The proven techniques, principles, postures and energy ensures that both exercise and dance is created.

The ‘Waite, Lowe & Foster’ trio completely personify the blend of dance and fitness. All are role models in every way. At a recent master class in Dublin, Ian Waite told the class that whilst he had been a regular at lots of fitness classes, it had really been dancing which had given him his fitness, strength and conditioning. It had therefore been a dream of both his and Natalie’s to bring dance into the fitness world in this format. The super fit Mark Foster witnessed his own fitness accelerate during dance training for the show, which just adds to the fitness authenticity at the very foundations of the programme.

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The Fitsteps Workout

The nature of the work-out distracts the participants from the physical intensity.

Participants are surprised and euphoric at how hard they work and it never seems to be a chore.

Whilst the athletic ones may at first seem to gallop as they learn the steps, those with dance experience glide across the floor. Whether galloping or gliding, the enthusiasm is high and the sense of achievement when steps improve is contagious.

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FITSTEPS is proving itself in a very short time to have a credible place in our industry and has just been ranked Number One in the physical activities for ‘people who don’t like sport (Sport and Recreation Alliance – www.sportandrecreationorg.uk So here is something that is reaching out to and interesting those who may not be in to other forms of group fitness. With continued concerns about inactivity in both UK and Ireland, FITSTEPS could hold the key to getting some people simply ‘moving’ to a wide variety of music which goes with each of the dance.

Ireland is a nation of music lovers and I am finding that some are coming to class for the love of the music, the genres of which they wouldn’t find on the gym floor.

The dance moves involved in the initial class format are some of the very same which the chosen celebrities learn when they first sign up for Strictly Come Dancing. It is only when they started to master these that their professional partner will teach them the choreographed routines.

combinations of and repetition of the core moves, provide the workout (and be prepared to work hard in training).

As time goes on there will be around twelve of the most popular Latin and Ballroom dances available for participants, broken down into easily learnable sections which can be delivered at multi-levels of ability and fitness. The variety of the dances provide an all body workout with energetic moves from the Jive and Cha Cha included to raise the heart rate. Meaa range of slower movements and postures from the Waltz and the Rumba use muscular strength to tone the torso, arms and legs. Plenty of contrast is provided.

you are coming from a fitness background, my advice would be to treat this with the greatest respect.

Don’t expect to master the movements straight away. We may just need to tame the athlete and lose the big power movements and introduce elegance and grace with the ultimate aim of becoming authentic. Sounds like a workout in itself but just like the celebs on the show, anything is possible. Put the hours in and enjoy dance benefits and what they can bring. How refreshing to know that there are no Press Ups or Burpees going on in this session….!!!

Client Profiles

In Group Fitness we get to know out clients’ capabilities and abilities. It is our job to be empathetic to those starting out in exercise who may move to the right, when the class is moving to the left. Use your teaching experience to break things down, keep the class moving, and allow them to enjoy learning the steps at a simple level. We know what the average person is capable of. As a fitness instructor use this knowledge to your advantage and use your fitness to embellish the qualities that these magnificent dances bring to make FITSTEPS all inclusive for your classes.

So far clients are coming from both avenues (fitness and dance). The dancers are enjoying the fitness gains and there are group fitness addicts who are pleasantly surprised at just how much of a workout FITSTEPS is. They can’t believe how much of a sweat they work up and the psychological benefits are instantly apparent. Everyone leaves the class on a high.

Benefits of Fitsteps After four months of teaching FITSTEPS my findings for the fitness professional are that this has brought new faces into the fitness emporium and has instilled confidence as their bodies (and possibly mindsets) begin to change.

Whilst music and fun may rate highest in the mind of some participants I predict extremely good physical results for clients and have also witnessed clients coming back to class leaner each week. Due to the nature of the movement there are definite benefits for the mid-body and abdominal area. A social experience – this is the sort of class that people will want to tell their friends about and bring a friend to the class.

Tips for the Fitness Professional

Audrey Kelly who teaches classes in the Dublin area says she is proud to ‘bring the elegance and grace from the world of ballroom into fitness’ and believes that FITSTEPS can cater for all ages.

As my own journey into the world of dance goes on I hope that FITSTEPs grows in Ireland. I would definitely recommend this for both community and leisure facility fitness and without a shadow of a doubt I declare that the creators were absolutely right to include the word FIT… in the name FITSTEPS ……and this is only the beginning.

FITSTEPS brings something very special to the Fitness Table and if

Fitsteps Instructor Training In initial instructor training you will learn four dances – the cha cha, the waltz, the jive and the quickstep.

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Year 2: Active Aging for the Older Adult

Active Aging Specialist This course provides 15 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 knowledge and skills and design group exercise classes and prescribe progressive exercise programmes suitable for independent older adults of varying levels of fitness in a gym, leisure centre, care setting or community environment.

Course Details: 타 The course will take place over one contact day with assigned private study 타 The course theory must be covered prior to the contact day.

Participants will also be required to carry out assigned work experience which includes a detailed work experience report, submission of a DVD showing practical teaching/instructional ability and the summative written is on-line format.

Venue Contact Day : University of Limerick

Contact Date 2014: Sat 24th May

Theory access: Tues 6th May 2014: Participants will receive a website address and password for access to theory etc. Which they are required to cover prior to contact day.

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

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Year 2: Pilates & Corrective Exercise

Q This course provides 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate, Diploma and 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 5/6 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Aim: To provide Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals with the skills, knowledge and competencies to provide safe and effective professional instruction in Pilates & Corrective Exercise. These specialists can work on a freelance basis either on a one to one or in a group setting Course Details: 타 The course will take place over four weekends with assigned private study.

Participants will also be required to complete a Case Study Project which involves training with a client, submit a practical DVD of you teaching and complete an online written assessment

COURSE DETAILS Venue: University of Limerick Contact Dates: Spring Semester 2014 Sat 25th & Sun 26th January Sat 8th & Sun 9th February Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd February Sat 8th & Sun 9th March Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here

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Year 2: Studio Cycling

Q This course provides 15 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 course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and a work as a studio cycling instructor. Studio Cycling Specialists usually teach group exercise within Health, Fitness and Leisure facilities or with teams and clubs.

Course Details: 타 The course will take place over one contact day with assigned private study. 타 The course theory must be covered prior to the contact day 타 Participants will also be required to submit a DVD showing practical teaching/instructional ability and the summative written is on-line format.

COURSE DETAILS Venue for Contact Day: Dublin Contact Date 2014: Saturday 7th June 2014 Theory access: Tues 6th May 2014: Participants will receive a website address and password for access to theory etc. Which they are required to cover prior to contact day.

Closing date for application is 14th April 2014.

The closing date is set and cannot be extended. This is to ensure students are registered and Garda Vetted prior to course commencement

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A Register of Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals in Ireland Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI) – is a not-for-profit, public register 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: Discounted Professional Insurance E-Zines three times per year Access to Continuing Professional Development courses Option to avail of EREPS Membership - your passport to work in other European countries For the full list of benefits please click here

JOIN TODAY - VISIT THE OFFICIAL FPI WEBSITE www.fitnessprofessionalsireland.ie

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