NCEF National Fitness News Ezine September 2014

National Fitness e-news

CEHF Certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness

Statutory Academic Award at:

QQI NFQ Level 6 National Framework of Qualifications

Audited & Aligned to:

EHFA EQF Level 5 Exercise for Health Specialist

The NCEF Certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness course to EHFA EQF Level 5, Exercise for Health Specialist Standards, is the first and currently the only fitness instructor course in Ireland at this level.

From the Directors Chair The NCEF are delighted to announce this week that its already Academic approved Level 6 QQI award, EQF Level 5 has now completed the auditing process and is aligned to European Health Fitness Association (EHFA) industry standard Level 5 Exercise for Health Once again Sarah has researched type Specialist. It is the only instructor qualification in Ireland set and prepared articles that we hope having both a statutory award on the NFQ and also will be of interest to you the student./ aligned to the Industry standard EQF Level 5. You will find graduate studying and working in the some interesting articles in this issue should you be Health and Fitness industry . considering travelling with your qualifications.

Welcome to the Autumn issue of National Fitness News Ezine 2014.

Thank you to all our contributors for preparing articles we all so much benefit from which we can read now and refer to often.

Maura your tribute to Patick (Pat) Duffy, was without doubt a challenge but you certainly left no stone unturned, thank you so much. Over 25 years later and the NCEF continue from strength to strength.

Congratulations to all recent graduates, we do hope you enjoyed graduation .It was a beautiful day the weather was beautiful and lots of proud guests of graduates mingled following the official ceremony. Your stories of your journey to the NCEF and graduating are enlightening, well done to all. We wish you every success in your career as a Health and Fitness professional.

Strength and Conditioning as always is proving popular and you will find interesting information in this edition including an article reprinted with permission from the Irish Examiner on Gerry Fitzpatrick and an article by Gerry on Core fitness.

Finally - my sincere thanks to all the NCEF team, including co-ordinators, tutors and head office administration staff for their continued dedication to the NCEF and most importantly to you the students and graduates.

I hope you enjoy this edition and we welcome your feedback and suggestions at all times Best of luck and success to you all in autumn 2014 Áine Áine Ní Chonaill Managing Director, NCEF

From the Editors Chair

Welcome to the September issue of National Fitness News Ezine 2014.

The summer has flown by and now that many of you are thinking about continuing your professional development and adding to your qualifications, the NCEF has many specialist courses on offer, including Part time and e-learning. Don’t miss out on the special offers available for a limited period on page 30.

I hope the articles inside this publication inspire and motivate you to continue along the NCEF course pathway.

Many thanks to all the professional contributors to NFN Ezine.

Sarah Sulliman NFN Editor

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF FITNESS PROFESSIONALS Keep up to date with what’s happening within the NCEF and the fitness industry by connecting with Fitness Proffessionals on the NCEF Facebook and Twitter pages.

As always I will be posting upcoming job prospects for our graduates there.

UL WINTER CONFERRING CEREMONY January 2015 in the University of Limerick This applies to the cohort of students from 2013/2014 who successfully received their official University of Limerick results in Sept 2014.

For further information on times, gown collection, photography and guest pack, please click the link: http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/Graduate_Conferring's/Information_for_Graduands National Fitness E-News 2

28 Table of Contents 4

News Room

5

Graduates Gallery

8

Mental Health

16

Nutrition

22

Features 6

Pat Duffy - an Appreciation

By Maura O Sullivan Ryan

10

Academic / Industry Standards By Áine Ní Chonaill

12

National Framework of Qualifications

16

Blood Pressure - Salt & Beyond

By Sarah Keogh

20

Vertical Core Training

By Gerry Fitzpatrick

12 22

Every Managers perfect Fitz

26

Travelling with your Irish Qualification?

30

Special Offers

32

Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI)

Regulars Graduate Profiles 14

By Máirín Uí Riain

18

By Karen Hanlon

28

By Richard Mullins

5

Conferring Ceremony Photos

NCEF MISSION STATEMENT To provide an outstanding educational experience, through courses of excellence, whilst meeting the practical and professional needs of the modern fitness instructor.

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.

NCEF Management & Administration Team NEWS UPDATE: The NCEF is the first and currently the only fitness instructor qualification in Ireland which is awarded by an Irish University (a statutory award).It is mapped through academic pathways to the European Qualifications framework and to European Industry standards through the European Health Fitness Association body (EHFA )fitness industry standard .

The NCEF are delighted to have had the opportunity to have its already Academic approved Level 6 QQI award, EQF Level 5 now aligned and audited to EHFA Level 5 Exercise for Health Specialist industry standard .

University of Limerick Sports Hall of Fame The NCEF would like to congratulate Mike Jones operations manager at UL Sport Adventure Centre on his latest achievement.

Above: Mike Jones

Mike was part of a crew who took "Line Honours" at the Round Ireland Yacht Race 2014. Mike and crew showed perseverance and skill in challenging conditions to be the first yacht to cross the finish line in the one of the world's premier offshore yacht races. In doing so they also raised money and awareness for a very worthy charity, Care for Shane.

The NCEF team would like to congratulate Jessica and Donnacha on the arrival of baby Lucy.

National Fitness E-News 4

Students from 2013/2014 who successfully received their official University of Limerick results in June 2014.

The graduates attended courses located at Limerick, Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Drogheda, Galway, Waterford and the Defence Forces.

As I struggled to find the words to write this short appreciation of this great friend, colleague, advisor, and scholar, I smiled when I thought about how Pat Duffy himself would guide me in this one!! “What are the key points? “he would say. “ What really matters here? and “What is the direction of travel going forward? – this question was one of his favourites, his eyes would light up as he considered it and once again we would be on a roll………

Born in 1959, Pat was a native of Dublin and graduated in Physical Education from Thomond College in 1976.

We were college students in Limerick in the same era an era that was spawning a new generation of physical education teachers in Ireland. Many of these graduates, Pat Duffy among them, went on to pioneer the development and “direction of travel “of physical education, sport, fitness and physical activity that endures in Ireland to this day.

Following a teaching period at St. Declan’s in Cabra, Dublin, Pat completed a Masters in Physical Education at Springfield College, Massachussets, USA along with his then wife Jacinta O Brien. Again our paths were crossing as I had completed the same programme in the previous year. Both Pat & Jacinta excelled at

But the “key point” in terms of the Health & Fitness Industry in Ireland is Pat’s participation in the founding Springfield and returned to Ireland to eventually take of the NCEF. As PEAI President in 1986, Pat initiated up positions at Thomond/ NIHE / UL. Their son Sean, discussions with the British PE Association, who at that was born shortly afterwards. Pat completed his Ph.D time were operating a fitness instructor course in Irein the years that followed. land, and with a small number of private training organisations and with key owners / operators of fitness From the mid- 80’s onwards I had the pleasure of “gyms” that were beginning to become popular. The working closely with Pat on the national executive of involvement of Ann Hope , Carmel Vekins and Ciaran the Physical Education Association of Ireland (PEAI), Mc Fadden , Ger Murphy and others must also be achim as President and myself as Vice – President. It was knowledged for their role , alongside Pat Duffy in the a time when the PEAI was on its knees and physical initiation of the NCEF which is today – the largest , education in schools was at a low ebb. However longest established ,gold standard, University of Limwithin a very short time the organisation was erick accredited , education and training organisation revitalised , funding was secured through governments for health and fitness professionals in Ireland. agencies and the profile of physical education and physical activity in Ireland started to rise - due in no After eleven years as Director of the National Coaching small way to the vision and foresight of Pat Duffy. & Training Centre (NCTC), Pat took on the role of Chief Executive of Coach UK in 2003. He served National Fitness E-News 6

as Chairman of the European Coaching Council, was Vice- President of the International Council for Coaching Excellence and was Chief Technical Advisor to South African Sport. In 2009 he was appointed Professor of Sports Coaching at Leeds University, to where he commuted regularly from his home in Birdhill, Co Tipperary where he lived with his wife Deirdre and their four children until his sad and untimely passing on August 10th last.

Without a doubt what really mattered to him was that people - young and old, cradle to the grave, had the chance to enjoy participating in lifelong physical activity and that it was incumbent on us as Health Fitness Professionals, as coaches and as physical educators, to provide these opportunities in the most meaningful way possible.

Pat Duffy’s legacy lives on in each and every NCEF graduate – in you as a Health Fitness Professional as Despite his deep involvements in the coaching field Pat you strive to provide healthy, safe and enjoyable remained interested and involved in the progress of the physical activity for your clients of all ages and NCEF over the years and was often my sounding board abilities. I challenge you to carry on the legacy, to carry the torch forward , and to do justice to the work of a for tough decisions that needed to be made. Our paths man who has laid out a comprehensive “ direction of crossed many times in professional circles and we travel “ for you. remained good friends.

It was relevant and timely that Pat became Chairman of Go ndeana Dia Trocaire ar a anam uasal. the NCEF Board of Trustees following the NCEF 25 year celebrations in 2012. We had come full circle. The NCEF had made its mark in the standardisation of health fitness instructor education and training in Ireland and internationally and Pat Duffy was back – once again asking the right questions , posing the challenges , highlighting the opportunities and above all , pinpointing what “ really mattered “ .

13 MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE Many people hit the gym or pound the pavement to improve cardiovascular health, build muscle, and of course, get a rockin’ bod, but working out has above-the-neck benefits, too. For the past decade or so, scientists have pondered how exercising can boost brain function. Regardless of age or fitness level (yup, this includes everyone from mall-walkers to marathoners), studies show that making time for exercise provides some serious mental benefits. Get inspired to exercise by reading up on these unexpected ways that working out can benefit mental health, relationships and lead to a healthier and happier life overall.

8. Sharpen Memory Regular physical activity boosts memory and ability to learn new things. Getting sweaty increases production of cells in hippocampus responsible for memory and learning. For this reason, research has linked children's brain development with level of physical fitness (take that, recess haters!). But exercisebased brainpower isn't just for kids. Working out can boost memory among grown-ups, too. A study showed that running sprints improved vocabulary retention among healthy adults.

9. Help Control Addiction The brain releases dopamine, the “reward chemical” in response to any form of pleasure, be that exercise, sex, drugs, alcohol or food. Unfortunately, some people become addicted to dopamine and dependent on the substances that produce it, like drugs or alcohol (and more rarely, food and sex). On the bright side, exercise can help in addiction recovery. Short exercise sessions can also effectively distract drug or alcohol addicts, 1. Reduce Stress making them de-prioritise cravings (at least in the short term).

Rough day at the office? Take a walk or head to the gym for a Working out when on the wagon has other benefits, too. Alcohol quick workout. One of the most common mental benefits of exerabuse disrupts many body processes, including circadian cise is stress relief. Working up a sweat can help manage rhythms. As a result, alcoholics find they can't fall asleep (or stay physical and mental stress. Exercise also increases asleep) without drinking. Exercise can help reboot the body concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate clock, helping people hit the hay at the right time. the brain's response to stress.

2. Boost Happy Chemicals Slogging through a few miles on the ‘mill can be tough, but it's worth the effort! Exercise releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. Studies have shown that exercise can even alleviate symptoms among the clinically depressed.

3. Improve Self-Confidence On a very basic level, physical fitness can boost self esteem and improve positive self-image. Regardless of weight, size, gender or age, exercise can quickly elevate a person's perception of his or her attractiveness, that is, self-worth.

4. Enjoy The Great Outdoors Exercising in the great outdoors can increase self-esteem even more. Find an outdoor workout that fits your style, whether it's rock-climbing, hiking, renting a canoe or just taking a jog in the park. Plus, all that Vitamin D acquired from soaking up the sun (while wearing sunscreen, of course!) can lessen the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms.

5. Prevent Cognitive Decline It's unpleasant, but it's true -- as we get older, our brains get a little... hazy. As aging and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's kill off brain cells, the noggin actually shrinks, losing many important brain functions in the process. While exercise and a healthy diet can’t “cure” Alzheimer's, they can help shore up the brain against cognitive decline that begins after age 45 Working out, especially between age 25 and 45, boosts the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for memory and learning.

10. Increase Relaxation Ever hit the hay after a long run or weight session at the gym?

For some, a moderate workout can be the equivalent of a sleeping pill, even for people with insomnia. Moving around five to six hours before bedtime raises the body's core temperature. When the body temp drops back to normal a few hours later, it signals the body that it's time to sleep 11. Get More Done Research shows that workers who take time for exercise on a regular basis are more productive and have more energy than their more sedentary peers. While busy schedules can make it tough to squeeze in a gym session in the middle of the day, some experts believe that midday is the ideal time for a workout due to the body's circadian rhythms.

12. Tap Into Creativity Most people end a tough workout with a hot shower, but maybe we should be breaking out the coloured pencils instead. A heartpumping gym session can boost creativity for up to two hours afterwards. Supercharge post-workout inspiration by exercising outdoors and interacting with nature (see benefit #4).

Next time you need a burst of creative thinking, hit the trails for a long walk or run to refresh the body and the brain at the same time.

13. Inspire Others Whether it's a pick-up game of soccer, a group class at the gym, or just a run with a friend, exercise rarely happens in a bubble.

And that's good news for all of us. Studies show that most people perform better on aerobic tests when paired up with a workout buddy. Pin it to inspiration or good old-fashioned competition, nobody wants to let the other person down. In fact, 6. Alleviate Anxiety being part of a team is so powerful that it can actually raise Quick Q&A: Which is better at relieving anxiety -- a warm bubble athletes’ tolerances for pain. Even fitness beginners can inspire bath or a 20-minute jog? You might be surprised at the answer. each other to push harder during a sweat session, so find a The warm and fuzzy chemicals that are released during and workout buddy and get moving! after exercise can help people with anxiety disorders calm down.

Hopping on the track or treadmill for some moderate-to-high Working out can have positive effects far beyond the gym (and intensity aerobic exercise (intervals, anyone?) can reduce beach season). Gaining self-confidence, getting out of a funk, anxiety sensitivity. And we thought intervals were just a good and even thinking smarter are some of the motivations to take way to burn calories! time for exercise on a regular basis.

7. Boost Brainpower Various studies on mice and men have shown that cardiovascular exercise can create new brain cells (akaneurogenesis) and improve overall brain performance.

Source: By Sophia Breene http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/mental-healthbenefits-exercise_n_2956099.html National Fitness E-News 8

Q Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness holders graduate as Fitness Instructors and are educated & trained to give instruction in exercise to music, step aerobics, circuit and resistance training. Equally important is the ability to assess fitness levels and to plan safe, effective and enjoyable exercise programmes for individuals or groups of all abilities. NCEF instructors make a positive contribution to the health and well-being of the Irish people by encouraging and motivating adults of all ages to pursue physically active lifestyles, to eat healthy food and to manage stress effectively.

The programme can be undertaken by day (Mon-Thurs), weekend (Fri & Sat) or evenings (Tues & Thurs), depending on the course location.

The CEHF is available at locations nationwide and can be provided by Industry or Educational based Certified Providers. For more information on all certified providers and full list of course venues please click here Apply by filling in the on-line form

Recognition: Statutory Award The CEHF is a stand alone qualification and is awarded by the University of Limerick.

60 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits The CEHF is placed at Level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 5 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

ECTS credits can be used towards the NCEF Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway and also towards other University qualifications in Europe who follow ECTS credit value system.

The CEFH is aligned to the European Health Fitness Association (EHFA) Level 5.

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by going to http://www.ncefinfo.com/fitness-instructor/

a e F

re u t

Academic /Industry standards What is an academic award??

What is an industry standard??

Where do NCEF fitness instructor courses fit?

What are the options for students of the NCEF? By Áine Ní Chonaill

The NCEF is the only fitness instructor qualification in Ireland which is awarded by an Irish University ( a statutory award).It is mapped through academic pathways to the European Qualifications framework and to European Industry standards through the European Health Fitness Association body (EHFA )fitness industry standard .

Qualification levels and structures can be very confusing particularly with various industry bodies making claim and counter claim re levels and training standards. The information below will provide some clarity on the academic and industry recognition of NCEF /University of Limerick Awards.

It is the aim of the NCEF to provide the highest possible standard of education and training deeply rooted in industry and practical application whilst meeting the vigorous requirements of academic standards of the University of Limerick world renowned for it’s physical education and sports science programmes.

already Academic approved level 6 QQI award, EQF Level 5 now aligned and audited by industry.

It is imperative to stay with the times and meet industry and academic requirements. We live in an ever changing environment but maintaining quality and keeping up with industry demands always underlies any changes that may occur to provision / examination of students and ultimately to graduation and working in the fitness industry.

The NCEF path way from Level 6 Certificate to Level 8 Honours Degree can be taken consecutively over 4 years or students can opt for an exit option which allows flexibility to step out of formal education and work, travel , gain more experience, deal with life and then step back into education again and continue on the pathway from where they left. All areas of specialist modules can be taken as a registered Certificate/ Diploma/ Degree student or also on a module ‘link in’ basis. There are many and varied options available.

Since its inception over 25 years ago the NCEF strives for excellence from recruitment and selection of students, to preparation, and provision of course materials and to delivery and examination of students.

The quality and standard of each and every graduate is assured through rigorous quality assurance in the administration, delivery and assessment of our course.

NCEF students can take courses in many locations throughout Ireland and can also take e-learning modules even whilst travelling or living abroad.

Academic Framework NCEF courses which are awarded by the University of Limerick are placed from Level 6 to Level 8 on the National Qualifications framework and Level 5- 7 on the European Qualifications framework.

NCEF having previously mapped its programs to Level 3 & 4 EHFA standards back in 2008 , has now completed the mapping to the industry alignment EHFA Level 5 Exercise for Health Specialist which has only recently been developed by EHFA. The NCEF are delighted to have had the opportunity to have its

Quality and Qualification Ireland ( QQI) replacing the Further Education and Training Awards Council, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and incorporating the functions of the Irish Universities Quality Board previously QQI is responsible for the

The European Qualification Frame work ( EQF) is a translation tool that helps communication and comparison between academic qualifications systems in Europe.

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legislative functions as they relate to the National Framework of Qualification (NFQ) European Industry standards NCEF has completed the mapping of the Certificate in Exercise and Fitness (CEHF) Level 6 QQI/NFQ to European industry standards Exercise for Health Specialist EQF Level 5.

Initially for the NCEF the mapping process began in spring 2014 culminating in a notification of successful completion in August 2014, thus resulting in the NCEF becoming the first and currently the only organisation in Ireland offering training and qualification for graduates meeting both the academic QQI /National Framework of Qualifications and the European industry standards Exercise for Health Specialist EQF Level 5.

NCEF had previously mapped its programs to Level 3 (fitness instructor & group fitness instructor) & Level 4 EHFA (personal trainer, youth fitness instructor, active ageing trainer & Pilates) industry standards.

The auditor demonstrated an excellent understanding of industry requirements and the mapping process balanced with an understanding of the NCEF and intricacies of such a complex EHFA commenced mapping the Fitness Industry stand- organisation. The process of accreditation approval was ard with Individual training providers throughout Eu- completed in a thorough and courteous manner.

Queries were focused and direct relating to EHFA rope in 2006. Fitness qualification alignment look at specific job and skills required for the industry and en- Standards Learning outcomes. It was without doubt a challenge as the NCEF is a complex and sure courses learning outcomes meet these needs. all-encompassing training organisation, providing training to meet the industry needs while also meeting The NCEF through REPS Ireland appointed auditor completed the industry mapping process. REPS Ireland academic requirements. are operating a register of fitness professionals and in As the industry standards expand to the higher tandem developing a list of approved industry levels NCEF will no doubt pursue the alignment of providers of education and training in the fitness their Diploma and Honours Degree programmes. industry in Ireland .

Websites of interest: ● Information on EQF, QQI (NFQ) ● Comparing EQF & QQI (NQF) http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/en/compare?field_country_region_tid%5B%5D=452 ● European Commission Learning opportunities and Qualifications in Europe http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/search/site?f[0]=im_field_entity_type%3A97 ● NCEF courses can be found at http://www.qualifax.ie/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=258 http://www.ncefinfo.com/course-pathway/ ● Quality and Qualifications in Ireland http://www.qqi.ie/ ● Qualifax: is Irelands National Leaners Database and is the “one stop shop” for learners http://www.qualifax.ie/ Industry Standards websites of interest: ● EHFA Standards: http://www.ehfa-standards.eu/ ● EREPS Qualifications and Occupations and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) http://www.ereps.eu.com/?q=node/6 ● European Health & Fitness Association http://www.ehfa.eu.com/ ● EHFA Standards EQF level 5 Exercise for Health Specialist http://www.ehfastandards.eu/sites/ehfastandards.eu/files/documents/Standards/EHFA_2012_L5_ Standards_ExerciseforHealth_Specialist_final.pdf ● REPS Ireland : http://www.repsireland.ie

Reference Guide Briefing

National Framework of Qualifications Reprinted with permission from Ard Education Limited LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATE What is this? Level 1 Certificates comprise of a number of components - often in basic literacy and numeracy.

Example: An example of a Level 1 award is the Level 1 Certificate in Communications (major).

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE What is this? Level 3 Certificates enables learners to gain recog- nition for, specific personal skills, practical skills, and knowledge.

Example: An example of an award at Level 3 includes a Certificate in Keyboard and Computer Skills (major).

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 2 CERTIFICATE What is this? Level 2 Certificates comprise of a number of components, - often in basic literacy and numeracy.

Example: An example of a Level 2 award is the Level 2 Certificate in General Learning (major).

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 3 JUNIOR CERTIFICATE What is this? The Junior Certificate is an award given to students who have successfully completed examinations from the junior cycle which is the first three years of secondary education.

Example: Junior Certificate.

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). education and training award at Level 5 or at a higher level or to a higher education and training award at Level 6 or higher.

Example: Leaving Certificate Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

LEVEL 4 CERTIFICATE What is this? The Level 4 Certificate enables learners to gain recognition for the achievement of vocational and personal skills. This award may lead to progression to a programme leading to a Level 5 Certificate and employment at an introductory voca- tional level.

Example: An example of an award at Level 4 is the Certificate in Pharmacy Sales (major).

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 4/5 LEAVING CERTIFICATE What is this? Leaving Certificate and its various programmes is placed at Levels 4 and 5. It is the final course in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for some students it takes place three years after the Junior Certificate Examination. This award may lead to progression to a programme leading to a further LEVEL 6 ADVANCED CERTIFICATE What is this? An Advanced Certificate award enables develop- ment of a variety of skills which may be vocationally specific and /or of a general supervisory nature. The majority of Level 6 holders take up positions of employment. A Certificate holder at this level may also transfer to a programme leading to the next level of the framework.

Example: An example of awards at Level 6 includes Advanced Certificate Craft-Electrical.

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 7 ORDINARY BACHELOR DEGREE What is this? The Ordinary Bachelor Degree is normally awarded after completion of a programme of three years duration in a recognised higher education institution. Progression routes include an Honours Bachelor Degree or progression to a Higher Diploma.

Example: An example of an award at Level 7 is a Bachelor degree in Human Resource Management.

Awarding Body: The awarding bodies for this award are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Universities and the Institutes of Technology (IOT) with delegated authority.

LEVEL 5 CERTIFICATE What is this? A Level 5 Certificate enables learners to develop a broad range of skills, which are vocational specific and require a general understanding of the subject matter. The majority of certificate/module holders at Level 5 take up positions of employ- ment.

Holders of certificates at this level also meet the minimum entry requirements for a range of higher education pro- grammes.

Example: An example of a Level 5 award is the Level 5 Certificate in Restaurant Operations (major).

Awarding Body: The awarding body for this award is Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

LEVEL 6 HIGHER CERTIFICATE What is this? The Higher Certificate is normally awarded after completion of a programme of two years duration in a recognised higher education institution. A Certificate holder at this level may transfer to a programme on the next level of the framework.

Example: An example of awards at Level 6 Higher Certificate is a Certificate in Business Studies.

Awarding Body: The awarding bodies for this award are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and the Institutes of Technology (IOT) with delegated authority.

LEVEL 8 HONOURS BACHELOR DEGREE What is this? The Honours Bachelor Degree is normally awarded following completion of a programme of three to four years dura- tion in a recognised higher education institution. Progress and transfer routes include transferring to programmes leading to Higher Diploma/ Masters Degree/Post-graduate Diploma or in some cases programmes leading to a Doctoral Degree.

Example: An example of an award at level 8 is an Honours Bachelor Degree in Business Studies.

Awarding Body: Awarding bodies are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Universities and the IOT with delegated authority.

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LEVEL 8 HIGHER DIPLOMA What is this? The Higher Diploma is normally awarded following completion of a programme of 1 year duration in a recognised higher education institution.

Entry to a programme leading to a Higher Diploma is typically for holders of Honours Bachelor Degrees but can also be for holders of Ordinary Bachelor Degrees. Progress and transfer routes include transferring to programmes leading to Higher Diploma/Masters

Degree/Post-graduate Diploma or in some cases programmes lead- ing to a Doctoral Degree.

Example: An example of an award at level 8 Higher Diploma is a Higher Diploma in Management.

Awarding Body: The awarding bodies for this award are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), with delegated authority; the Universities and the Institutes of Technology (IOT), with delegated authority.

LEVEL 9 MASTERS DEGREE What is this? There are two types of Masters Degree in Ireland: taught Masters Degrees and research Masters Degrees. The taught Masters Degree is awarded following completion of a programme of 1 to 2 years duration. Entry to a programme leading to a Masters Degree is typically for holders of Honours Bachelor Degrees, how- ever in some cases entry can be permitted for those with Ordinary Bachelor Degrees. Some of the progression and transfer routes include progression to programmes leading to Doctoral Degrees or to another Masters Degree or to a Post-graduate Diploma.

Example: An example of a Masters Degree at Level 9 is a Masters in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Awarding Body: Awar ding bodies are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Universities and the IOTs with delegated authority.

LEVEL 9 POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA What is this? The Post-graduate Diploma is normally awarded following completion of a programme of 1 year duration in a recognised higher education institution.

Entry to a programme leading to a Post-graduate diploma is typically for holders of Honours Bachelor Degrees but can also be for holders of Ordinary Bachelor Degrees. Progression and transfer routes include exemptions from a programme leading to a Masters Degree.

Example: An example of a Level 9 post graduate diploma is the Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Awarding Body: The awarding bodies for this award are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Universities and the Institutes of Technology (IOT) with delegated authority.

LEVEL 10 DOCTORAL DEGREE What is this? Entry to a programme leading to a Doctoral Degree is typically for holders of Honours Bachelor Degrees. The general model is that a holder of an Honours Bachelor degree with a high classification enters initially on to a Masters research programme, and transfers on to a Doctoral programme after one year on the Masters research programme. Various models for Doctoral Degree programmes now exist, ranging from the traditional research doctorate to professional and practitioner doctoral programmes which have substantial taught components.

Example: Doctoral Degree in Theology Awarding Body: Awar ding bodies are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Universities and the IOTs with delegated authority.

LEVEL 10 HIGHER DOCTORATE What is this? This award largely recognises excellent and distinguished contributions to learning. It may be used for career progression to advanced levels of academia and research. This award is never based on a provider’s programme and, as such, is not subject to validation but is assessed by the awarding body for each individual learner. Normally, the learner already holds a first doctorate or equivalent for some period of time prior to becoming a candidate for the higher doctorate Example: Doctor in Music Awarding Body: The awarding bodies are the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) for HETAC awards, the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Universities and the Institutes of Technology (IOT).

Source: http://issuu.com/educationmagazine/docs/education_reference_guide_2014/45?e=6437851%2F8566332

It’s August 2014 and I am waiting for my results for BSc in Exercise Health Fitness, how did I get here?

Aerobics Jane Fonda Style As we get older we realise sooner, later for some, what it is that really makes us tick. For me it was later although the signs were there from very early on. I did not come from a competitive sporting family and had had very little exposure to sports or exercise through school (old-fashioned girls school) other than the community games, which I looked forward to every year and each time had a strange injury that did not enable me to take part. However I have always had a fitness for life belief. The day of my 21st birthday I had been attending aerobic classes at the local dance studio, when I got a phone call inviting me to study as an instructor, I was delighted. It’s been a very indirect journey ever since. I got my cert and went out into the big world teaching in the evenings. I was already working as a receptionist in St. James’ Hospital, which I continued to do and then moved into insurance. I am afraid at the time the reality of earning money and progressing in business was my priority, but my love of, and belief in, personal fitness for a healthy life was always there. I was known for it.

Fitness Instructor Training Jumping forward a few years having established myself in business, nature decided it was time for me to have a family which became difficult due to associated health problems and the commitments attached to raising a family. I took a career break. Before going back to work I took some time to look at where I wanted to be and found the Fitness trainers course in the newspaper, it was to run in Dublin at a purpose built training centre. I was very excited by this idea, for younger readers they may not be aware how difficult it was some years back to convince others that this was a legitimate business to be involved in. It is much better now although I have had to convince parents when their teenagers are expressing their interest in the various courses available now. I have no hesitation in encouraging them. No matter what if a person takes up this challenge, the learning they achieve is so very basic to life and will never ever be useless. I had the time of my life during this course meeting like-minded people. I couldn’t get enough of it, I did as many extra add on courses as were available. Thanks to my husband who was so

supportive, support which continues to this day. So now I had to make the decision to start at the bottom and work my way up in this new business, so off I went again and worked in a number of different gyms of different sizes over the next few years. Finally I decided to go out on my own and purchased a franchise for teaching sport to children. The program I chose was very professional and all my training was put to use. I became very interested in growth and development and did a lot of research for my own use particularly in relation to why certain children do not hit set developmental targets and what can be done to over-come this. An opportunity came my way to work with children with Down Syndrome and once I started there was no looking back it became 40% of my business very soon.

Diploma Advanced Specialist However, after five years I found myself looking again to learn more and with the down turn in the economy I took on some ‘steady work’ to supplement the drop in income from the extra-curricular classes which were dropping in numbers. At the same time I was invited to study further with the NTC to become a tutor. I accepted this offer which had to be fitted in whatever spare time I had. I also went to work part-time with a healthcare company. One of the stipulations of my new job was that I had to attain a certain level of learning in the healthcare area and was signed up for level 5 community and health services major award, which I completed within the year. I also completed my study with the NTC. I was approached by the training department of the healthcare company to join their team of trainers. More exciting times! Now what?

Another decision to be made! I decided I needed a properly accredited teaching qualification and discovered that the NCEF were associated with University of Limerick which would be a much better qualification to have. Before making this decision though I investigated a few options to find what would work best for me at this time, I considered occupational therapy and then gerontology at Galway University, another new area but which related directly to my present work, but my passion for fitness came to the top. I sold my business as a going concern, which was a sad time for me but I can always go back to it.

Particularly with the knowledge I have gained from the Special Populations module in the BSc. National Fitness E-News 14

Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this year although it was difficult commuting to limerick from Dublin at least once a month and then fitting in all the work experience hours required, all over the country. But the work I was doing as a trainer was coinciding extremely well with the work I was doing in college which led to my writing the recreation and leisure, level 5 module for a FAS contract at my company. Finally Diploma achieved, what a great day, my birthday again. The day of graduation was brilliant, my two adult sons and my mother and husband all there to celebrate with me. All very proud of what they had helped me to achieve.

Bachelor of Science in Exercise & Fitness But I wasn’t finished yet, now it was time for the BSc, so a couple of weeks off and then this time down to Limerick every two weeks. I did enjoy every minute of it. I grew each week as a person, my eyes were being opened wider and wider with all we were learning, from lectures and from each other. The modules we covered this time were so broad but so enlightening I ate it all up and wanted more. Some areas I was not quite as enthusiastic about as others but with my study buddy travelling with me in the car we thrashed out differences of opinions that helped each other get through the next phase. Thank you Catherine.

This time my learning coincided with a change in work position that involved, among other things, a wider view of business. Modules like financial management, event planning, health promotion, all contributed to my work immediately. Our company is being launched under a new name and we will have a new website, now my multi-media studies and marketing modules are immeasurably useful. The complete BSc course is what has given me confidence to engage in the important conversations with regard to the planning for progress of the company. So even before I have received my final results I have gained enormously from my studies. To be honest I am left hungry for more and I must research which direction I want to go in now.

A huge thank you to all my class mates, my own family, my brother and sister, all the lecturers who have supported me particularly when I was overcome with tiredness in those final moments of getting an assignment in on time.

The NCEF would like to thank MĂĄirĂ­n for completing this interview and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

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Blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease – heart disease and stroke - and 50% of Irish people over 50 have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure increases risk of stroke and heart attack and reducing blood pressure is a key target in the fight against heart disease.

A big focus for reducing blood pressure has always been salt. The sodium found in salt (which is made up of sodium and chlorine) can lead to increased blood pressure in many people. We should eat less than 6g of salt per day – 4g if you already have high blood pressure. A study in 2012 found that Irish men were eating 11g of salt every day and women 8.5g. Most of the salt we eat comes from processed meats like ham, sausages and bacon but also from bread and 25-30% of the salt we add to food ourselves!

You can help to reduce salt you by adding less to food during cooking and at the table; limit salty foods like crisps, popcorn, ham, bacon, sausages and processed meals. And look for bread with less salt. Read food labels carefully and compare. Currently salt is listed as ‘sodium’ and you need to multiply the number for sodium by 2.5 to get the amount of salt. As a rough guide you want to eat less than 2.7g of sodium per day.

How big a difference does reducing salt make?

Reducing salt by 3g per day, reduces blood pressure by 5mg. This corresponds to a 13% reduction in the number of people dying of stroke and 10% in the number of people dying of heart disease in Ireland.

This would prevent about 900 deaths per year!

Although salt gets a lot of the attention when it comes to blood pressure, other foods can help to keep your levels healthy. Potassium, found in fruit and vegetables, helps to lower blood pressure. You need to get your 5-a-day from fruit and vegetables but some

good ones to focus on are: tomatoes, oranges, green vegetables and bananas.

Dairy products have been found to lower blood pressure as well and the effect is only partly related to the calcium. People who eat low fat milk and yoghurt tend to have lower blood pressure and if your blood pressure is high, low fat milk and yoghurt can help to lower it. You need to have milk and/or yoghurt 3 times a day to get the benefit. You can increase your dairy by drinking milk with meals, snacking on yoghurt, or going for a latte instead of an Americano.

Exercise is also crucial for blood pressure and has one of the strongest effects. Getting even 20 minutes of brisk walking 5 times a week can be enough to get blood pressure to healthy levels. For overall health, levels of 40 minutes five times a week are best but 20 minutes is a good starting point. Do something that has you breathing faster and getting warm – you should be able to talk but not sing!

Finally, look after your weight. Being overweight increases blood pressure as the heart has more work to do to push blood around a bigger body. You are much more likely to have high blood pressure if you put your weight onto your tummy rather than your hips and thighs. If you are overweight, then losing weight will have a big impact on your blood pressure. Many overweight people on blood pressure medication can come off it when they get to a healthy weight, so it can be well worth the effort.

Luckily, adding in more fruit and veg, low fat dairy and increasing exercise will all help you to lose weight as well so they are a good place to start. Do have a good look at portion sizes as well – use a smaller plate and keep snacking to once a day or less. If you are finding it hard to lose weight on your own, there are lots of National Fitness E-News 16

weight loss classes and plans that you can join. You can also get one-to-one help from a personal trainer or a session with a qualified dietitian can be very helpful.

Lower your blood pressure... get more active.

Everybody has blood pressure. It shows the amount of work that your heart has to do to pump blood around the body. Two numbers measure blood pressure. One number records blood pressure when the pressure is at its highest, as the heart muscle squeezes out the blood from the heart - this is called systolic pressure. Then the heart relaxes, which allows the blood to flow back into the heart - this is called diastolic pressure.

Eat more celery!

Celery has had a traditional reputation as being ‘good for your blood’ but it seems there is more than a grain of truth in this old wives’ tale. Celery is high in potassium which helps with blood pressure but it also contains an interesting compound called phthalide.

Phthalide helps to relax the muscles in your arteries and this can help to reduce blood pressure levels. Enjoy celery raw or cooked as one of your 5-a-day to help keep blood pressure healthy.

Regular physical activity helps you to keep a healthy level of blood pressure and can also help you to lower your blood pressure if it is high. Regular physical activity brings many other benefits for your heart and health, as well as a sense of well-being.

The good news…

• It takes 30 minutes or more of aerobic, physical activity 5 days a week to enjoy these benefits.

• Physical activity can vary from leisure activities such as walking, cycling, jogging, dancing or swimming to more routine tasks such as gardening, vacuuming or cleaning the house.

• Activities can be spread over one, two or three shorter sessions e.g. 2 x 10 minutes walking and 1 x 20 minutes of gardening. Any one session needs to be for 10 minutes or longer to get health benefits.

• Activity does not need to be vigorous, a moderate level of intensity is required for health benefits. For example you only need to walk at a moderate intensity or hearty pace.

A hearty pace…

• Causes your heart to beat a little faster.

• Makes you breathe deeper and faster but not so that you are out of breath.

• Makes you will feel warmer all over.

For information and advice on high blood pressure call the Irish heart helpline 1890 432 787 or visit their website irishheart.ie Source: http://www.irishheart.ie/media/pub/love_your_heart_lower_your_blood_p ressure_magazine.pdf

“Just over 2 years ago I successfully completed the Certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness through the NCEF. This, as I indicated in my previous article, provided an excellent foundation for the entry into the world of Fitness and Wellness. It is at the end of the 1st year, based on your ambitions, where one has the difficult task of deciding what best route to take. The NCEF provide such a broad range of modules, one can take many different paths. I had decided at this stage, my goal was to achieve the Diploma in Exercise and Health Fitness. Hence, my next route was the HCEHF year 2. The subjects I chose were, Personal Training, which was the main reason I started the course, Pilates and Facilities management.

Since completion of the Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness HCEHF, I have worked, as a personal trainer. My clients have mainly being, friends and work colleagues, all with basic to moderate level of fitness. They all have similar goals in mind, of losing weight, improving muscle tone, strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and general overall well being. Pilates can also work extremely well with Personal Training, as its main functions are, improving muscle tone and strength, flexibility and joint mobility. Pilates also allowed me to put in, a very effective core programme, and with certain clients it assisted with recovery and rehab post injury. In addition to this, I have also provided nutritional advice to a number of clients taking part in sports specific events, such as Iron man, Gael Force, Marathons and Triathlons. The Personal Training course gives excellent advice on nutrition, especially for clients preparing to compete in a big event.

and Health Fitness. However, since the Diploma year, is only run every second year, I, took this opportunity to do the Strength & Conditioning Module. The Strength & Conditioning Module is an excellent module with vast course content. Anyone wishing to get involved in Team Sport, should most definitely consider the NCEF Strength & Conditioning Module, as like all the other modules offered, it’s the best available in Ireland. The skills you learn are sports specific, team specific and position specific. It teaches you in detail, the concept of periodisation in training, and this you find very applicable to day to day team coaching. It provides an excellent platform for putting in place, a structure to your coaching sessions, on both a macro and micro level. As a result, I am now doing pre season Fitness coaching with Corinthians Ladies hockey club in Dublin. Their first 11, being in National League. I have been given this on a trial basis and I hope to be offered a fulltime contract.

In conjunction with Personal Training, I also did part time/ holiday leave cover at Westpark Fitness Gym in Tallaght Dublin. Here I taught a wide range of classes from Circuits, Core, body conditioning to TRX and Kettlebells. (I did have to complete a weekend course in TRX and Kettlebells, to allow me to teach them).

Whilst my intention is not to work in a commercial gym, it did provide a platform, whereby, I could use the skills and knowledge learnt and also keep up to speed with the latest developments in the fitness industry. As core strength is a personal love of mine, I do intend on teaching it. When I completed the HCEHF, my next step was the Diploma in Exercise National Fitness E-News 18

This brings me to October of this year, when I start the Diploma year, having decided to take the tutor route.

My ultimate goal is to work as a lecturer , preferably with the NCEF , given the fact ,I have been trained and taught through their system, and experienced first hand ,their teaching methodology. My ideal subjects would be Anatomy & Physiology, Resistance and Wellness, but obviously I an open to all, that my skill set, would be best suited to. I am very much looking forward to the year and the challenges it presents. It will be a tough year, with circa 10 contact weekends in Limerick and I will be travelling from Dublin, along with a lot of out of hours work required. However, I have no doubt that with the ongoing support of the NCEF Team, the great lecturers and their commitment to their students, I will be successful.

I would like to take this opportunity, to thank all the NCEF Team, for their support, kindness and speedy response to all queries one has. I also want to thank all our lecturers for their commitment and time, both during contact hours, and indeed, especially out of contact hours. They are an outstanding group of people, whom without them, none of us would get the opportunity, to pursue in life something we truly want to do. I wish all NCEF students, the best of luck, for the coming year, as there will be good and bad, easy and tough times, but if you put in the work, and be patient and believe in yourself, you will get there in the end. “ The NCEF would like to thank Karen for completing this interview and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Qualify as a Personal Training Specialist Do you genuinely see it as a win win?

Qualify with the Best!

Personal Trainer This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and a work as a personal trainer with clients on a one to one basis.

Course Content ● Introduction to Personal Training ● Applied Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology

“The Highest Standard in Ireland” ● Client Screening and Fitness Assessment.

30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway.

ECTS credits can be used towards the NCEF Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway and also towards other University qualifications in Europe who follow ECTS credit value system.

Aim: To provide participants with the skills, knowledge and competencies to provide one-to-one physical activity/ fitness training to adults with different abilities, needs and goals in a variety of environments.

● Programming ● Communication Skills ● Administrative duties and legal responsibilities ● Open Forum ● Final Assessments

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by visiting http://www.ncefinfo.com/personal-trainer/

By Gerry Fitzpatrick

Since most sports are performed in a vertical position, then an argument can be made for more core training in a vertical position rather than in the traditional horizontal position. Moreover, since many sports skills are executed in an unstable position, than for maximum transfer, could core training be carried out in a vertical and unstable position?

Key principles for this Vertical Core Training approach are; ● Muscles are reactors to the situation you train them in ● It uses the ground to transfer energy ● It has greater core activation ● Exercises train the muscular and nervous system ● Exercises are more likely to be carried out in sagittal (flexion and extension movements), frontal (side to side movements) and transverse (rotational movements) Performing some core exercises in an unstable environment (on one leg, on a BOSU, air cushion, wobble board, etc.) can enhance proprioception and provide a greater degree of stability in the ankles, knees and core. All of the core muscles are attached to the pelvis and rib cage so if you can train the pelvis and torso to be efficient in three planes of motion, the execution of sports skills can benefit. For example, in a lunge matrix, in every plane of motion, the athlete can do reach downs, twists and side bends and incorporate the use the medicine balls, so the trunk creates another reaction.

internal obliques, multifidus, spinal erectors, lats, glutes, and traps can be considered core muscles. All work together, often simultaneously, to stabilize and support a stable spine. Since the spinal cord is the main pathway for sending messages to the muscles throughout your body, the better conditioned your core, the more effective the transfer of ground forces to the extremities of the body in sports skills. It should be noted that a strong and stable core is only effective if the body has a good degree of mobility so mobility training should always precede core stability training.

Building a strong core then becomes an important step toward making maximal gains in strength and power and performing any kind of skilled sports movement.

Strong supporting muscles around the spine also reduce lower-back pain, as well as the risk for lowerback injury. Vertical core training is now receiving more research support and has been shown in some recent studies to support enhanced performance in tests of athletic performance markers, such as vertical jumps, sprints, leg strength and agility, (Cressey 2007).

Core Concepts Though commonly used to refer to the abs and lowerback muscles collectively the term "core" actually applies to 29 muscles throughout the upper and lower body. The transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, National Fitness E-News 20

Squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, chin ups, lunges, Some good strength training exercises for vertical core training are: and a host of other compound, free-weight exercises require the core muscles to clamp down hard to support ● Squat Curl to Press with dumbbells the spine under heavy loads. There is evidence to ● Kettle Bell Deadlift indicate that there are higher levels of both mean and ● Shoulder Matrix ● Split Stance Low Row peak core activation during these type of exercises as ● Sandbag slams opposed to the more traditional core exercises such as ● Medicine Ball dunk planks and bridges.

So, in essence, just performing these exercises alone provides a great core workout and a greater degree of transferability of core stability in a movement environment.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Plate Raises One legged Rows Suitcase Squats Overhead Squats Overhead Lunges Farmers Walk BOSU ball Squats Landmine Rotations

Farmers Walk

Qualify as a Strength & Conditioning Specialist

This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their understanding of the key concepts, theories and practical application of strength & conditioning training and performance. The Strength & Conditioning Specialist will be capable of providing safe, effective & appropriate fitness training programmes Recognition: “The Highest Standard in Ireland” 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway.

ECTS credits can be used towards the NCEF Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway and also towards other University qualifications in Europe who follow ECTS credit value system.

Successful students will receive an NCEF Certificate of Completion The NCEF is accredited by the European Health Fitness Association (EHFA).

Course Details: ●Four contact weekends Apply now by filling in the on-line form Autumn Semester 2014 WEEKENDS Full details on entry requirements, course content ●Sat 27th & Sun 28th Sept 2014 and fees are available by clicking here ● Sat 11th & Sun 12th Oct 2014 ● Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Nov 2014 ●Sat 15th & Sun 16th Nov 2014 ●Private study and an additional day for final assessments. ●Work experience which includes a detailed case study working with a sports team over a number of weeks and submission of a short video.

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THE KIERAN SHANNON INTERVIEW Reprinted with permission from The Irish Examiner Gerry Fitzpatrick has been one of Ireland’s leading, if unsung, sports operators for over four decades. From hoops to hurling, from training Henry and Mullane to watching Shaq in the flesh, he’s seen a lot, if not it all.

Now, he’s playing his part in the Wexford hurling revival.

You rarely see him in the limelight but he’s a big reason why others are.

Ten years on from Tom Semple’s field in Thurles been taken over by an ocean of blue and white triggered by the Waterford hurlers winning probably the best and most storied Munster final ever, Gerry Fitzpatrick was last week again partly responsible for another human tsunami engulfing a hurling pitch.

One of the defeated Waterford selectors could have wistfully smiled and both shaken and nodded his head at that. Ten summers ago Dan Shanahan was the hottest hurler in Ireland, and again in 2007. In his autobiography he would attribute his own and his team’s success as much to Fitzpatrick as the hurling coaching of Justin McCarthy.

“I couldn’t credit him [Fitzpatrick] enough for how we developed,” Shanahan would write. “He was the man who dealt with the players. He was far more than a trainer; he was part psychologist as well. He’d say to us ‘Have three or four bottles of beer three weeks before the match; don’t be going cracked on the beer the night before.’ He’d advise us on our diet. If we had any kind of problem at all he was available to talk on the phone all the time. We had great time for Gerry. He was a huge help.”

This time the colours were purple and gold, the venue Nowlan Park. There might have been no trophy to crown the moment but for Wexford playing a third consecutive weekend of championship hurling with a fourth to come was a form of liberation in itself.

Yet while the masses and the laurels were heaved and heaped in the direction of Liam Dunne and his band of fresh young hurlers and new heroes, the manager had the awareness and humility to deflect them elsewhere.

It was no accident to him how a county whose fitness had been questioned for a number of years had now prevailed in two overtime games against the All-Ireland champions and another nail-biter against Waterford.

“We have one of the best trainers that I’ve ever met in Gerry Fitzpatrick,” Dunne would tell reporters, “and he does a superb job.”

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As glittering a testimonial as Shanahan’s is, it still hardly does justice to the scope of Fitzpatrick’s expertise and experience.

He is far more than a physical trainer or part psychologist; he was one of this country’s first qualified sport psychologists, undertaking a masters in the discipline in America almost 35 years before finishing another masters in strength and conditioning only last month.

Long before he became one of the best physical trainers in hurling he had established himself as probably the best coach this country has produced in probably the most-coached-oriented sport of them all, basketball.

Through his work in Waterford Institute of Technology he is one of Ireland’s leading sports academics as well as one of its best practitioners, that rare someone who can talk both theory with Dr Aidan Moran and points and pints with John Mullane.

If they say sport is a blend of the physical, tactical, technical and mental then there is probably no sport scientist or operator in Irish sport with a better all-round understanding of all four.

He’s less a jack of all trades as a master of them — usually with a masters in them. You can’t confine him to one sport, one role, one discipline.

You can’t restrict him to one place either. While he trains Wexford and is now four decades living and working in Waterford, he’s originally from Limerick, the county in the opposite corner in Thurles tomorrow.

It’s where he went to school, Sexton Street CBS, and it’s where he went to college, being part of one of the first intake of PE students at Thomond College.

I was at a lecture [famed sport and fitness coach] Vern Gambetta gave in Cork two weeks ago and I’m thinking ‘PJ Smyth was talking about all this stuff way back in the ’70s’.

“David Weldrick trained the football team to an AllIreland club title and I remember an article in a national paper bemoaning how his team were using video analysis, or watching film as we called it then, of Austin Stacks to prepare for a Munster club final and how this was contrary to the amateur ethos of the GAA. David ran training sessions like we had never seen before but then he had done his masters in America, he was versed in American coaching, he was ahead of his time here.”

Soon all those things would apply to Fitzpatrick too.

After teaching PE in Tallaght for a couple of years he moved over to America and upstate New York to study a masters in sport psychology in Ithaca College.

It would be the first of many trips to the States to acquire knowledge, such as the time in the mid-’90s when the Orlando Magic and their coach Brian Hill would grant his request to observe a week of their preseason camp. He can still see Horace Grant stopping a practice session on a particular defensive system and forcibly asking Hill about a particular nuance about it; at that level if Hill didn’t nail the answer he was finished, but he did nail it with a staggering level of options and detail.

And he still smiles at the memory of Shaquille O’Neal barely tolerating the free-throw coach specifically designated to him and instead gleefully challenging the poor guy to a game of one-and-one. The hapless freethrow coach duly caved in to O’Neal’s childish whim, and being a foot and a half smaller than the behemoth O’Neal, had to endure his head being repeatedly patted It was an exciting, invigorating time. While Tony Ward, as O’Neal bounced the ball into the key before dunking on him.

Brian Mullins, Pat Spillane and Jimmy Deenihan were lording it on the playing fields, the lecture halls were populated by hugely influential and pioneering minds: Long before Orlando though, there was Ithaca. It mightn’t have been the NBA, only NCAA Division 2, Dr Liam Hennessy, Eddie O’Sullivan, Coaching Ireland’s Liam Moggan and Pat Duffy, future Mr UL Sport but it was still a world away from part-time Ireland. Fitzpatrick had received a stipend involving some work Dave Mahedy as well as future Mr WIT, Fitzpatrick with the soccer team and being an observer-coach aphimself. prentice to their basketball side. It meant a lot of standing by water coolers and back walls, sitting in on “You think back and wonder did you appreciate it at the time,” Fitzpatrick says in that distinctive soft, meas- planning practices, scouting opponents, keeping game stats and watching a lot more film than Thomond ever ured voice of his. “There were people there that changed your whole perception of sport and coaching. did of Austin Stacks. He repeated the trick in Kansas We had a Canadian lecturer called Paul Robinson who State, hanging around the weights room, seeing how the best athletes on one of the best basketball took us for gymnastics and I find a lot of the stuff I’m doing with rings in S&C now we were doing with him.

programmes in all of America worked out, and observing top coaches like Indiana’s Bobby Knight going up against them.

By the time he returned home to lecture in Waterford IT, he couldn’t wait to apply much of the American model here.

It started in the humblest of settings. An old colleague from Thomond was teaching in the local Mercy Convent. She asked if Fitzpatrick could help out with one of their basketball teams and that was the birth of the Waterford Wildcats, named after the Wildcats at Kansas State.

The early years were an education in humility.

Fitzpatrick would bring them to Cork where the sport was ablaze but such trips to the Parochial Hall often left the Waterford girls scorched.

“I remember losing games up there 60-34, then you’d come back in the second round it would be 60-44. The next year it would be 60-54. The year after then we’d be the ones winning 60-54.

“You had to learn that the only way to win was to go where it was competitive and keep training and keep coming back again and again and again.”

In 1987 they would go national league, with his wife Mary, a former elite runner, on board.

Their finances were so bare they’d only train with the rubber basketballs from the Mercy. “Our one leather ball was kept in the boot of my car,” says Fitzpatrick, “and only came out for game days.”

But then Waterford Creameries started sponsoring them. The 12-year-olds he and Evelyn Hearn began coaching in the Mercy were now coming through as fully-fledged internationals. In 1990 they would win the Top Four. In 1995 they would win their first league. By 2001 the club had won six leagues, a feat no club in women’s basketball has managed to surpass.

Fitzpatrick had moved on to other challenges by then.

In 2000 he would coach the famed Neptune club to one of their most comprehensive Superleague title victories ever and then coached the senior men’s national team loaded with American-born talent, just as he had the women’s senior team earlier. In 2005 he would take them to the brink of qualifying for the European Championships, only for a highly-contentious last-second call in Denmark to rob them off that stage. It was

devastating for him, and he has not coached an adult basketball team since.

Luckily for him and Waterford hurling another scene had opened up by then.

His first foray into training a GAA team came in 1994 with the Fitzgibbon team in WIT, a gig he would stay on in for five years, developing the likes of Henry Shefflin. He made such an impression Mount Sion and then the Waterford county team came calling. In 1996 though, Waterford wasn’t really ready for a Gerry Fitzpatrick; it would take the Gerald McCarthy revolution for them to get a grasp of what competing at the top level entailed. By 2004 they had a better idea and it was then Justin McCarthy had the ingenious one of going back to Fitzpatrick.

He’s seen a lot of change through the years. He started out being known as “the fitness fella”. In the Noughties it was “physical trainer”. Now it’s “strength and conditioning coach”.

He’s found exciting and fun to see the landscape as well as the body shape of the GAA alter in that time.

“I was lucky to be around at a time just as hurling was becoming open to new ideas and I was comfortable with that but I wasn’t ‘Right we should be doing this right through the year’.

“Back in ’96 the dominant GAA philosophy was you got fit for six weeks over the spring and then you played hurling for the rest of the year. Tony [Mansfield, 1996 Waterford manager] tried to change that but it was going against the grain a bit. At the time you didn’t combine going to the gym and hurling right through the season even though strength is reversible.

“I wouldn’t say it [the GAA] was backwards but there was a fear there that you could do too much too quickly and in a way it was right because a lot of fellas were only starting to do it late in their inter-county career and then getting injured. They were starting at the wrong end of the ladder whereas now there’s an appreciation of long-term athletic development and anybody coming into a senior set-up has been exposed to it before.

“Starting out in 2004 only a handful of the Waterford hurlers would have been able to do Olympic lifts. In 2014 the vast majority already know. I remember a real changing point was coming into a training session with Waterford and James Murray asking if he could National Fitness E-News 24

readjust his strength programme in terms of the intensity and volume.

“He was asking about maybe doing one exercise instead of another and doing four sets of five rather than three sets of 10. That was the start of a new breed of player.”

He thrives in the multi-disciplinary approach now to preparing inter-county teams, the way you dovetail with the nutritionist, the coach, the sport psychologist and performance analysts to help players perform at their best.

But having been a coach himself, he’s very mindful that it should be all kept in its proper place.

“I like the whole sport science thing but I always say it has to be on tap but never on top. It’s ultimately about the hurling and the coaching and playing the game.

“I think that’s where Liam [Dunne] has been very sensible and Kevin Ryan before him in Carlow.

“Kevin spent four years there but in his first year when he gave me a call he said ‘Look, I want to have a chat to you a bit about S&C but I’m not bringing you in this year. The emphasis has to be on their first touch and make them more skilled’. It was in later years I came in, then the psychology, the nutrition, the video analysis.

“But they weren’t ready for all that starting out.”

And above all it’s all about people. Characters. In Wexford there’s plenty, some you’ve heard of and some you haven’t, from the sincerity of Ger Cushe to the infectious passion of Liam Griffin to Liam Dunne to his brother Seán Dunne, the kitman. Seán reminds Fitzpatrick of MacGyver, the troubleshooting TV wizard from the late ’80s. “He’s made our prowlers, fixed our hurdles, acquired all kinds of equipment we couldn’t afford to replace. And I’ll say ‘Where did you get that?!’ but Seán just winks and touches the nose. We talk about our MacGyverism skills and Seán has the best around.”

The Waterford dressing room was particularly full of personality.

When he thinks back on those six years it’s the fun and the laughter, not the tears, he remembers. As a highly technical coach himself from another sport, he was blown over by Justin McCarthy’s capacity to fine-tune the hurling skills of raw players like Dan Shanahan and

Brick Walsh, but he’s on record as saying what really sustained him in those years was “that they were a team that wanted to train harder than they were often being encouraged or allowed to.”

So, regrets, they have a few, but that’s not what they should mostly mention. Ask Fitzpatrick how that Waterford side should be perceived and more importantly how they should perceive themselves and he says: “I think they were a great team that were as close as you can be without winning it. They happened to be around when two superpowers of hurling had probably their greatest ever teams. If Kilkenny and Cork hadn’t those dynasties Waterford would have been champions and I hope they know that. It’s more a reflection of how sport can go sometimes rather than of themselves.”

Now it’s Wexford he’s trying to help make the breakthrough. He did some work with Oulart-The Ballagh when Ryan was coaching them and Dunne was still playing for them.

Ever since then, as Fitzpatrick puts it, he’s been “following the Kevin Ryan or Liam Dunne bandwagon around the place”.

Wexford has been a process, a progression, a bit like those Wildcats teams he’d take up to the Parochial Hall in the mid-’80s. Last year they brought Clare to extratime and lost. This year they brought them to extratime and drew. Then in the replay they brought them to extra-time and won.

“Liam’s put in place the structures and processes and discipline and standards for the players to realistically pursue the longer term goals they have. They’re a very committed and very ambitious bunch and that’s very much a reflection of the management. There’s that continuity between the minors and 21s and seniors.

You’ve young guys not in the 26 but are great athletes and very good hurlers who could be in the starting 15 next year. He’s put things right.”

Not least by putting the right people in place, particularly Fitzpatrick himself. © Irish Examiner Ltd. Source:http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/everymanagers-perfect-fitz-276771.html#v

Travelling with your Irish qualification?

Reprinted with permission from Ard Education Limited This feature aims to provide advice on the initial steps involved in getting your Irish qualification recognised abroad – whether you are travelling for work or for further study.

Recognition of qualifications can be categorised as follows: ● Recognition of qualifications for academic purposes i.e. for access to further learning and for access to unregulated professions. ● Recognition of qualifications for the purpose of access to regulated professions.

UNDERSTANDING THE IRISH NATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE QUALIFICATIONS (NFQ) The national Framework of Qualification (NFQ) is a system of ten levels encompassing all education and training from the very initial stages to the most advanced stages regardless of whether the learning is achieved in schools or colleges, at work or in the home or community. to cater for all learning, different award-types are avail- able. Major awards are the main class of award made at a level - for example, the Leaving Certificate, the Advanced Certificate or the Honours Bachelor Degree.

There are 16 major awards in the Framework, the other award-types available are Minor awards, special Purpose awards and supplemental awards.

The NFQ aims to make the qualifications system easier to understand, thus facilitating recognition of qualifications both at home and abroad.

With information on the full title of your qualification and awarding body, you can determine how it ‘fits’ into the Irish education system. Further details are available at www.nfq.ie WHAT LEVEL IS MY QUALIFICATION ON THE NFQ? For information on the level of your qualification please consult the detailed 'fan

diagram on page 13. For ‘legacy’ or older awards made before the introduction of the NFQ please consult www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/images/LegacyFan.JPG ARE THERE SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS AGREEMENTS IN PLACE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES? Increa singly, learners and workers are travelling to other countries to access employment and further education. Irish qualifications can be compared with those in other countries, for example: Qualifications can Cross Boundaries – a Rough Guide to comparing Qualifications in the UK and Ireland www.qualrec.ie/uk. html De ta ils o f a dditio na l Re co g nitio n agreements can be found at www.qualrec.ie/qualification-recognitionservice-agreements.html WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? Each country has the responsibility to recognise foreign qualifications within its own jurisdiction. A n international network known as EN I C - N A R I C (European n etwork of Information Centres/National Academic Recognition Information Centres) facilities the recognition of academic qualifications throughout Europe and further afield, including the USA , Canada,

Australia and New Zealand.

For further information and contact details for each centre view www.enic-n a r i c . n e t th e I r i s h E N I C N A R I C Qualifications Recognition, is based at Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Qualifications Recognition is responsible for both academic recognition of foreign qualifications in Ireland and promoting recognition of Irish Qualifications abroad. Further details are available on www.qualrec.ie A separate network known as the NRP (National Reference Point) is in place which facilitates the recognition of vocational qualifications throughout Europe.

EUROPASS Europass is an initiative which aims to help you make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe whether you are enrolling in an education or training programme, looking for a job, or getting experience abroad. Further details are available at www.europass.ie RECOGNITION FOR TRADE QUALIFICATIONS Individual countries have specific organisations responsible for recognition of trade qualifications. Contact information may be obtained through the ENIC-NARIC network.

Qualifications Recognition and the QQI Qualifications Recognition is the national service responsible for coordinating the academic recognition of foreign qualifications in Ireland.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) hosts Qualifications Recognition which is part of the European network of Information Centres/National Academic Recognition information centres (ENIC /NARIC) and acts as the national Reference Point (NRP) for further education qualifications.

Qualifications Recognition is an information service that aims to compare a foreign qualification to a qualification that is included at a particular level on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The advice provided places the foreign qualification in the context of the Irish education and training system.

Qualifications Recognition also promotes the Irish education and training system abroad and has published a leaflet with information and advice on travelling abroad with your Irish qualification, whether for work or for further study available at: www.qualificationsrecognition.ie/ http://www.qualrec.ie/documents/QQITRAVELLINGLEAFLET.pdf Further information is available on the Qualifications Recognition website: www.qualrec.ie National Fitness E-News 26

Examples Include: Canada: In Canada trade certification is a provincial responsibility, thus each provi n c e i s re s p o n s i b l e f o r i s s u i n g a n d recognising qualifications in its own jurisdiction. Further details are available at www. red-seal.ca New Zealand: Recognition may be gained through the ‘Skilled Migrant Category’ operated by immigration New Zealand.

Further details are available at www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/ work/skilledmigrant/ RECOGNITION FOR REGULATED PROFESSIONS A number of directives and agreements are in place which regulate the qualifications people must hold in order to practice in such professions. in general, a competent authority is in place in each country which oversees each profession or specific area of regulated work. For information on professional recognition in Ireland, please see ‘Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications’ on the website of the department of Education and s kills www. Education.ie PL A N N IN G A H EA D …

The relevant ENIC-NARIC body or NRP (National Reference Point) /authority in the country to which you are travelling will be able to give advice on the specific procedures you must undertake to obtain recognition of your qualification.

You should ensure that you have all relevant original documentation relating to your qualification such as: ● A parchment confirming the qualification you hold ● Transcripts (list of subjects and results) for each year of your studies If you need a replacement parchment and/or transcripts, you must contact the appropriate awarding body. Recognised awarding bodies in Ireland.

Overarching Frameworks The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF) www.ec.europa.eu/eqf/home_en.htm is an over- arching Framework which acts as a translation device, making it easier to compare further, higher and school qualifications across Europe.

The higher education levels of the EQF (6-8) are compatible with with the cycles of the EQF Level

EHEA Framework (Bologna)

Qualifications Framework for the European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA ) or the ‘Bologna’ Framework. Ireland verified the compatibility of its NFQ to the Bologna Framework in 2006 and to the EQF in 2008.

The major awards of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) www.nfq.ie are set out in the diagram below, together with their corresponding Bologna Cycle and EQF level: National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level

NFQ Major Award-Types

NFQ Level 1

Level 1 Certificate

NFQ Level 2

Level 2 Certificate

EQF Level 2

NFQ Level 3

Level 3 Certificate Junior Certificate

EQF Level 3

NFQ Level 4

Level 4 Certificate Leaving Certificate

EQF Level 4

NFQ Level 5

Level 5 Certificate Leaving Certificate

EQF Level 5

NFQ Level 6

Advanced Certificate

EQF Level 1

Short Cycle within First Cycle EQF Level 6

First Cycle

Higher Certificate

NFQ Level 7

Ordinary Bachelor Degree

NFQ Level 8

Honours Bachelor Degree; Higher Diploma

EQF Level 7

Second Cycle

NFQ Level 9

Masters Degree; Post-Graduate Diploma

EQF Level 8

Third Cycle

NFQ Level 10

Doctoral Degree; Higher Doctorate

Source: http://issuu.com/educationmagazine/docs/education_reference_guide_2014/45?e=6437851%2F8566332

I spent over two years dealing with my unhappiness and then tackling the weight and the food. It took around three years in total. And I know some of you As I begin to type this, I sit in a bus station in Lisbon, Portugal having a beer (yes, you read that right, beer!). know that weight maintenance is the hardest part after a large loss! Whilst studying for my degree, this I have been asked would I have any interest in had a trickle down effect of getting me into the gym speaking briefly about my journey in the fitness (which I detested but did in the name of well, you industry since I began several years ago and I have hesitated until now to type up anything. Why? I am not know, the gym but UL Sports is a fantastic facility!). the best with words or coming up with ideas, so please Then, I found running (thanks to Joe Chawkes track bare with me on this one. I am improvising and typing sessions in UL every Tuesday evening) and then as a by-product (when I was injured, of course) Cycling without a plan (which is very rarely me). So, where to and I have never looked back. Again, I kind of digress begin? (there’s a theme here).

I guess a good place to start is why I am in Lisbon, I studied briefly in upstate New York late 2008. By sitting in a bus station, drinking a beer all while then, I had lost the weight and had become a keen allowing my body to acclimatize to weather it is not used to. I am waiting to get a bus to bring me to a small runner and cyclist. This was a great opportunity for me to join their cross -country team and for those that bay town that is not known in to many tourists (my idea of heaven). This town is called San Martinho. I am know, upstate New York is home to many, many going to meet up with Indoor Cycling instructors from mountains and trails that are heaven for any all over the world, both as educators and participants at endurance athlete. By October of that year, I had been a 24 hour event that takes place on the bay overlooking taken part in Indoor Cycling classes for quite some time and a company by the name of Schwinn were the ocean. Here, I will meet people that have become some of my closest friends and trusted colleagues and I coming to the college I was in to hold a weekend certification course. I had no previous qualifications come here to meet them, spend time with them, learn but paid the dollars and went long for a learning as an educator and coach and well … have fun! If you had told me a few years ago that I would be here, doing experience. It was this weekend that set a foundation for my future within the fitness industry. I was fortuthis, I would have looked at you like you had several nate to go to this education provider (Schwinn are a heads. great education provider in an industry that is, quite frankly, overpopulated with ‘certifying’ agencies).

You see, I wasn’t always travelling around to fitness The tutor was so passionate about ALL instructors events and conferences. I was at one time, not far off seven stone heavier then I am now. The idea of eating a and coaches continuing to learn all their life.

Her passion for learning and sharing deeply opened variety of actual food (rather than imitation food) and the idea of movement were alien to me. For me, I got to something in me. I guess, that is the role of a great a point I know many people get to. I was unhappy. My coach and what I try to hold onto today with my unhappiness manifested itself through my weight and clients.

Later on, when I came home, I certified in UL whilst well, there was a snowball effect where the cycle finishing my degree doing the Certificate in Exercontinued. That is one thing that I think many of us cise and Health Fitness. I was lucky here to have fitness professionals forget today – weight and food need to be looked at as part of a bigger picture with our tutors that really cared about the quality and education of their graduates. As a further digression (sorclients (be it PT OR group fitness). Many people are ry, my mind works in wonderous ways!), this is an now adopting unhealthy relationships with food and industry with low barriers to entry, It is relatively exercise as a result of other areas of their lives.

Remember, we ALL have lives out of the gym and if we easy to gain some sort of basic certification. The downside to this is that, I feel, there has been an indon’t, we need to look and prioritise why this is. flux of trainers who are not passionate about Anyway, I digress …

The Ramblings of a Cycling Instructor

National Fitness E-News 28

continuing to learn or truly providing the best care and programming for their clients. I would, on average, probable spend 5-7 hours reading articles and books every week in some area related to coaching. I think we need more coaches in our industry. Let’s not just instruct, let’s coach and mobilize and empower our clients. Let us not be rep counters for them.

Richard Mullins is also a business brand. Anyway, I further digress (yet again!). Today, I am based in Cork working in a small studio that just foes Spinning ® and TRX ®. I have taken what I have learned from others and implemented a periodized programme for many clients on the bike. Given that we are small, we have had the opportunity for many of our clients to have a heart rate monitor. We go through some basic talk tests I suppose the long-winded point I am trying to make is on the bike with them to set Ventilatory Threshold. that we should never stop learning and always try to (Give the Ventialtory Threshold test a Google). Then learn and especially things we know we need to learn. we can give more specific training guidelines to clients The influence the educators have made on me cannot after some trial and error. We have had more success be under stated. In the years following I have pushed than following a max heart rate formula as it tends to myself in learning more science, especially cycling fit so very few of the population. That, and I also think science, movement, upskilling in many areas as well as Rate of Percieved Exertion (RPE) is a greatly becoming a PT and shadowing someone I greatly underutilized tool in group fitness. Heart rate can be admire in the industry. Spend time with the people you deceptive. Especially if you are ill, stressed, not rested. admire. Spend time with people that are better than RPE tells you exactly how you feel taking into account you. They make you better. environmental factors that you may not be aware of.

Over the last few years, I have come to learn for me, I am not a ‘jack of all trades’. I have dipped my hands into many areas – Les Mills, Indoor Cycling, PT, a myriad of group fitness programmes but my passion within the industry has been coaching Indoor Cycling under the Spinning ® programme and also having a deep interest in movement, biomechanics and screening. These are what I have pursued largely in my fitness career to date and what I have focused on learning, learning and learning (and this learning involves hands on work). If I am approached by a client with something I know is not best under my remit, I will refer the client to someone I know who can do a good job for them. I like to think of this profession as professional … something I think it can lack today with the lower barriers to entry. We are professionals and need to always act as such. We are our own brand and our own brand is portrayed to others through how we behave on social media, in person in and out of work. You are your best marketing and business tool and then everything available to you to build your platform are your tools. I try to merge what I have taken from my marketing background (did my masters

So, after all of that, I am currently on the UK and Ireland national demo team under Star Tracs Spinning ® programme and am realizing that the more I know, the more I need to know. If there was one thing I would love new fitness professionals to realize is that you always need to learn. Why shouldn’t you want the best for both you an your clients? Health and fitness is part of a group of sciences in their infancy. Things change.

We should too. The work and passion I have Immersed myself in and the people I continue to surround myself with to get better at what I do has brought me all over the world, made me a better coach, made me more at peace, made me okay that I cannot know everything, that I will make mistakes but I will continue to stay true to my beliefs, the science, my brand because my (and your) clients don’t deserve smoke and mirrors in this industry – they need an honest human coach. My work has brought me into the national team for Spinning ® and I will have my second opportunity to present in Lubeck, Germany in October after presenting abroad for the first time at The Fitness Festival in Surrey Sports Park in the UK last month (also, cycling in a salt mine 250 metres underground is also something I never though I would have done) A lot has happened for me.

A lot can happen for any of us. Continue to move, continue to learn and I think that anyone that does this will make lifelong friends and be an awesome coach.

A video link to the event in Portugal I am going to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-WUnxS46Ss The NCEF would like to thank Richard for completing this interview and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

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A total saving of €455.00 OFFER 2: A 30 credit module costs €1195 or €1150 FPI in this offer add an additional E-learning blended learning 15 credit module for a total of €1540!! Therefore a 30 credit module and a 15 credit E Learning module for a total cost of €1540.

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National Fitness E-News 30

Offers part-time nationally and internationally recognised courses and workshops in • Anatomy & Physiology • Sports massage • Sports injuries • Sports equipment- Ultrasound etc • Sports Nutrition • Dry Needling • Kinesio Taping • Pitchside First Aid & Defibrillator Course Venues: Limerick, Galway and Kilkenny

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The Institute of Massage and Sports Therapy Ltd was founded in 1998 with the aim of providing Internationally recognised qualifications in Sports Therapy. We are one of the few ITEC colleges in Ireland that are a specialist college, in that we only offer courses and workshops that deal with Sports Massage and injury treatments. It is our area of expertise and passion.

The skills taught on these courses will enable graduates to treat conditions such as neck and shoulder tension, strains and sprains, whiplash, tennis elbow, groin strains, hamstring problems, knee ligament injuries, low back pain and overuse injuries to name but a few.

The Institute of Massage & Sports Therapy Ltd is dedicated to producing graduates that have the ability, know-how and confidence to massage and treat injuries to a high and professional standard.

We have been running professional high quality courses for over 15 years from our Limerick and Galway venues and are delighted have opened our newest venue in Kilkenny. It is our aim to ensure that graduates have the expertise and confidence on completion of the courses to be able to work successfully in the industry and to this aim we help students to organize work experience and clinic work during their courses.

There are many opportunities for therapists with sports teams, in sports centres, health clubs, spas, leisure centres, with chiropractors and osteopaths and nursing homes. Many graduates have successfully set up their own practice, which can be run either from a private clinic or from home.

“ In today’s goal orientated, stressful environment, these treatments have become extremely important, in maintaining healthy balance in the body and preventing long-term stress and injury.

So why not join one of the fastest growing This is especially true for athletes and sports industries in Ireland today and reward yourself with people who are in a hurry to recover quickly from a satisfying and enjoyable career. injury and resume their training. The Sports Therapist can greatly improve their recovery time For more info and a free course brochure visit and prevent further injury with correct treatment www.imst.ie and rehabilitation.” says Rachel McCarthy, Director of the Institute. or call 061-201855

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Boxercise has developed and adapted age old training principles to form a fun, addictive, safe, stress busting workout suitable for all ages and levels of ability.

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National Fitness E-News 32

A Directory of Exercise & Health Fitness Professionals Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI) – recognises the expertise of fitness professionals in Ireland. FPI aims to provide the highest possible standard of services and benefits to all its members.

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National Fitness E-News 34