Personal Fitness Professional June 2015

JUNE 2015 WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

HELPING YOU PROSPER AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL

BROADCAST YOUR BRAND: amp-up your email marketing

SELECT THE CLIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT FITS YOUR BUSINESS Fitness Business 101: A PFP 2015 7-part special series

RAMP-UP YOUR

TECHNOLOGY KNOW-HOW JOURNEY TO SUCCESS Jolie Glassman: Train like a boxer. Change like a butterfly.

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PFP ONLINE Visit | www.fit-pro.com VOLUME 17 | ISSUE 4

FEATURES

president & publisher

chad griepentrog | chad@rbpub.com audience development manager

rachel spahr | rachel@rbpub.com national sales director

susan malmanger | susan@rbpub.com editor

lindsay vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com managing editor

mike beacom | mike@rbpub.com creative director

kelli cooke | kelli.c@rbpub.com

The bigger picture of biometrics So you want to start your own training business?

Explore health beyond basic biometrics.

By JR Burgess

Ready to take the leap? Use this checklist to nail down the basics of your new business.

By John Heringer

POLL RESULTS Which best describes your current career:

OUR ONLINE COLUMNISTS

Exercise of the Week

6.8% 29.5%

26.2%

13.2% 23.7%

Jump Start

by Brent Gallagher Own my own fitness company

Training Wheels

Fitness is my primary career Considering a career in fitness

Career Builder

by Josh Bowen

pfpmedia

Visit: www.fit-pro.com to participate

a. Social media b. Client management system c. Body composition tools d. Smartphone capabilities (camera/video/apps, etc.)

e. Email marketing software

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Best business management tools Lindsay shares her favorite business websites and apps

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEXT POLL

What technology do you believe adds the most value to your business/career?

Visit our website or YouTube channel to view weekly instructional videos from some of the most respected names in the fitness industry.

EXTRA

Employed or contracted by another company

Fitness is a secondary job

VIDEO

Functionally Fit

by Brian Schiff

pfpmedia pfpmedia pfpmedia

contributing writers

jonathan goodman, eric hinderberger, evan osar, jeff sherman featured columnists

michelle blakely, greg justice, phil kaplan, jason karp, bedros keuilian, cody sipe

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FOLLOW TOTY

Lindsay Vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com

Mindy Mylrea | www.mindymylrea.com

The best technology is out-of-hand Technology, as we’ve come to know it, generally is defined as anything with a button that we can power on and off or what we can upload or download. But when we look at the fundamental meaning of technology, Miriam-Webster’s definition is “the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area or a capability given by the practical application of knowledge.”

Consider that our primary responsibility as fitness professionals is to apply our knowledge and experience in a way that is practical for our clients in order to achieve a specific outcome. We take what is a complex code of information and translate it for our clients in a user-friendly and approachable format: this is our human technology.

Human technology is arguably a greater determinant of success: application of the knowledge of biomechanics, physiology and movement as well as the ability to empathize, communicate and motivate. Electronic technology, on the other hand, are simply modalities that have two primary purposes: to add value to your clients and/or to simplify tasks in order to be more efficient so you can invest more in developing your human technology where possibilities are virtually limitless.

Get out from behind the screen; be an engaged audience member of conferences and continuing education sessions; shake people’s hands; get involved in your community; and every once in a while, power down in order to rest, recover and recharge so you can keep upgrading and working at full capacity.

The theme for our annual digital-only issue is “Ramp-up your technology know-how.”

As you click through the pages, you’ll find trends in electronic technology that we can use to run our businesses, increase sales or track our clients’ progress; but we’ve also integrated how we can best utilize our human technology in order to have a greater impact. And this technology is certainly what is out-of-hand.

A few highlights: } } }

In our Journey to Success feature, Jolie Glassman, founder of the longest-running gym in South Beach, shares the daily non-negotiables that have impacted her success.

In our 2015 Special Fitness Business 101 Series, Eric Hinderberger outlines what to look for in a client management system that best fits your business.

Is your email marketing not working for you? Jonathan Goodman, founder of thePTDC, gives a fresh perspective on broadcasting your brand.

Enjoy and journey on!

Lindsay P.S. The 2016 PFP Trainer of the Year contest has a fresh twist this year — we are awarding TWO professionals as an industry Trailblazer and an industry Legacy. Could you be next?

Visit our website for application details.

Gain loyalty through technology Mindy Mylrea shares with us how technology impacts her business and daily life.

What are the top 3 technologies you use in your business?

My phone and iPad are my on-the-go connection points for email and Facebook. I learned a long time ago that to be successful you need to stay updated with all the latest and greatest. However if energies take you elsewhere - outsource. Most of my social media outreach is outsourced because I want to devote my time to programming and teaching.

The third technology I use daily is our Tabata Bootcamp website to stay connected with our trainers and clients.

How do you utilize technology to enhance your client/member experience?

The Tabata Bootcamp website offers a way for the instructor and clients to stay connected 24/7.

We generally see our clients 1 to 4 hours a week; in order the see sustained success we need to continue the discussion outside of just fitness and include overall wellness. The Tabata Bootcamp website offers camaraderie, connection, community and most of all accountability.

What technology opportunities do you see fitness professionals can take advantage of to increase business?

One of the smartest things I did in the way of social media presence was to shoot my weekly challenge series. A few years ago I posted a weekly Tabata timing workout on YouTube and also started posting Mindy’s Tips of the Week.

Because I offered this information for free I gained a following who then wanted more. By providing ongoing free content I collected a loyal group of fitness enthusiasts so when I did introduce a new product or program they were all in. Hone your skills in front of a camera and post away. Create a theme where people will want to follow.

Trainer of the

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2015

Ramp-up your technology know-how

FEATURES

OTHER Columns 08 Treadmill Talk

Leverage your business opportunity beyond the gym walls

By Greg Justice

09 Top-Notch Training Trillion dollar baby

By Michelle Blakely

10 Boost Your Business

Three must-have technologies for your business

By Bedros Keuilian

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Jolie Glassman: Train like a boxer. Change like a butterfly.

Inspiring transformation in and outside of the ring

By Lindsay Vastola

10 Education Connection You’re a failure

By Jason R. Karp

30 Be Better

Mental viruses and “but” problems

By Phil Kaplan

Departments

16

Broadcast your brand

A simple, effective strategy to amp-up your email marketing

18

Progress. Track.

Retain. Repeat.

Choose the right technology to track and retain clientele

By Jonathan Goodman

By Jeff Sherman

05 Letter from the Editor The best technology is out-of-hand

11 Product Profile MostFit

15 Product Profile Empowered

23 The Message Nia Shanks

24 Education Trends

Learning and education options: pros and cons

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Fitness Business 101 Special Series

Select the client management system that fits your business

By Eric Hinderberger

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Preparing your runners for success The Integrative Movement System approach to safe and effective preparation for runners

By Evan Osar

By Cody Sipe

28 New on the Market 29 Events Calendar

TREADMILL TALK Greg Justice | www.aycfit.com

Leverage your business beyond the gym walls People are spending more money on smallgroup and personal training. The market is inundated by trainers with fewer credentials and charging less money. Some of this can be attributed to hard economic times that have forced people to leave their professions and venture into the fitness industry. To overcome these challenges you can offer a more holistic experience for your clients. You can achieve this by leveraging technology to improve engagement and management, both within and outside your facility.

Here are several ways you can use technology: …to improve performance and outcomes Health and fitness technology is advancing due to increased enthusiasm and investment in wearable technology and fitness software.

The market is flooded with nutrition apps, wearable devices and fitness tools. Although many clients have invested in these devices, they don’t know how to make the best use of them. You can play a significant role in interpreting this data. As a personal trainer, you can use a tablet or smartphone to receive real-time information from your clients. This will enable you to drive the performance and health of your clients as well as manage them more effectively. Digital tools will enable you to plan and track what they’re doing so that you can assess their progress. …as a hybrid business model People are increasingly using Facetime and Skype to workout. You can use technology like this to work more efficiently and remotely with clients. A virtual training model that allows occasional in-person training can alleviate some of the cost concerns for your clients. By adopting a virtual training model or becoming a virtual personal trainer, you increase your market. A virtual model allows you to serve and meet clients from all over the world, with the click of a button.

Virtual training can be as simple as maintaining an online video library where your clients can access exercise videos and tutorials. You can also provide them with nutrition advice and a community platform where they can support each other. A hybrid-training model can increase your market and grow your revenue. …to market your business Technology provides many platforms to market your personal training business. You need an online presence to grow and market your business. Your website, blog or social network enables you to market your training options. Online marketing campaigns can be tracked, measured and fine-tuned to meet the needs of your personal training business.

By unleashing the power of technology you can market and manage your business more effectively.

Greg Justice, MA, CPT, is the founder of AYC Health & Fitness (www.aycfit.com) and the Corporate Boot Camp System (www.corporatebootcampsystem.com). He has been actively involved in the fitness industry for more than a quarter of a century as a club manager, owner, personal trainer and corporate wellness supervisor.

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TOP-NOTCH TRAINING Michelle Blakely | www.blakelyfit.com

Trillion dollar baby Note from wife to husband: “Bye babe, I’m off to train. When you’re off the elliptical, could you go online and check the tracking order of my Fitbit? I’m taking the iPad with me. Text if you need anything! I’ll skype the girls at 7. XO : )” Could you imagine a 1985 reaction to this? Unreadable.

For those of us over the age of 30, we’ve been witness to some drastic changes: devices, apps, equipment, services, medical and communication advances and programs that promise to help manage our business. All have had an enormous impact. Just for a moment, though, quiet the noise (airplane mode) and ask yourself the most important question of this trillion dollar industry: “Is the use of technology helping or hurting?” Consider the following: Social media: What is the return on investment of your social media efforts? Have you obtained new clients? Held on to old ones? Built a brand?

Made connections? Or wasted precious time? Shared conflicting posts or messages? Ignored the page that you started? Some of us are wizards at social media, some of us are just trying to keep up. In assessing where you are, look at your time commitment and results. Determine if your use of technology is delivering the results you’d hoped for. If not, limit your investment and focus on learning how to do the most important piece better. If it is producing results, be clear about what exactly is working, pour your time into more of that and be open to experimenting further.

Equipment: Have you taken the time to know your equipment?

Played with it? Made some mistakes and improved? From activity trackers to tablets, do you set them up properly and learn how they work? Backups, preferences, updates, training, syncing, storage and a little bit of research go a long way in increasing the capacity for devices to make your life easier. Know how you want to use these devices and get the right information to make it happen.

Implications for health: It’s rarely the gadget or app that delivers long-term results. With all of our technological advances, some argue we are unhealthier than ever. These items may make our lives easier, but when we look long-term, they are just tools to maximize our efforts and track our performance. The individual, whether the trainer or the client, is the most important underlying component of a healthy life.

For healthy living, the instrument/app/machine is only effective if the person makes the change or stays the course.

It is easy to get swept into the hype of the latest and greatest, but the real money is how technology delivers results for your business and improves the lives of your clients. Take the time to evaluate what’s working and make sure your technology is working for you.

Michelle Blakely is the owner of Blakely FIT, Inc., Strength Training Exclusively for Women, a public speaker and the author of the Friday Quickie blog.

She is a two-time winner of the Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago Personal Trainer award. Join Michelle at train@blakelyfit.com, twitter.com/BlakelyFit and facebook.com/blakelyfit.

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BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

EDUCATION CONNECTION

Bedros Keuilian | www.PTPower.com

Jason Karp, PhD l www.Run-Fit.com

Three must-have technologies for your business

You’re a failure

Nearly every aspect of modern fitness business marketing is based upon cutting-edge technology. If you aren’t keeping up with the latest and greatest, odds are, you’re missing some awesome marketing opportunities. Here are the most important marketing technologies specifically for getting more clients and establishing your brand.

Email marketing: Email certainly isn’t an antiquated technology; there is an ever-growing array of new and innovative email tools that help fitness professionals get more clients and retain the clients they already have. Logistically, email marketing can be extremely difficult for fitness professionals with already hectic schedules. Fortunately, there are numerous technologies that make regular and effective email marketing a viable option. Look for programs and services that manage your email list, automate your emails, build your opt-ins and even produce your content. These developing technologies can make any trainer a master of email marketing.

Websites: With the availability of affordable talent, and the development of new programs that allow anyone to create their own website, establishing a web presence has never been easier or more affordable for burgeoning fitness professionals. This is one technology that absolutely cannot be ignored. Consumers use the internet to shop for, research and make decisions about nearly every service or product they purchase. Fitness is no different. For every referral that walks through your door, there are 20 prospects searching for you. If they can’t find you online, you’ll never see them as a prospective client.

Social media: It always pains me when I hear a fitness professional talk about how much they disdain social media and how it never brings them any clients. Why cut yourself off from a treasure trove of new clients, social proof and brand-building just because your first try was unsuccessful? If you have a hard time managing your social accounts, there are numerous new and developing technologies to make effective social media marketing easier for you. Use services that will auto-post, auto-link and automatically fill your list with emails and followers. Social media itself is a technology that constantly changes and evolves. Keep up with current trends, explore all of your options and watch what successful colleagues are doing. You won’t find an easier way to connect with clients on a daily basis, flood prospects with value-adding content, and grow the like-, know- and trust-factors among your following.

Modern technology is infused with marketing. Ads, offers and messages permeate our phones, computers, televisions, tablets and anything else we might consider ‘technology.’ Use it! Stay fresh, stay hip and new by keeping up with technological development and making it work for your marketing needs.

I’ve been talking to a talented runner where I live in San Diego for a couple of years about working with me as her running coach. She says she wants to do it, but she waffles back and forth about going through with it. Part of all her waffling is financial; she can’t afford it. But even when I offer to coach her pro bono because she has so much potential, she still waffles and makes a lot of excuses— her busy schedule, young kids, needing flexibility with her training rather than a set plan and so on. I finally asked her what all the waffling is about. “I’m afraid to fail,” she conceded.

Although we perceive that external obstacles prevent us from accomplishing things, it’s often the obstacles that lie within us that prevent us from meeting our potential. We let our fears, thoughts and emotions control our actions. Many of us stop short of pursuing our dreams or following through with something because we’re afraid of failing. With greater success comes greater expectations, and what if we’re not good enough to meet those expectations? It’s become too easy in our society to be complacent and maintain the status quo. And why not be complacent? Our society rewards mediocrity instead of challenging and inspiring people to be better. ‘No Child Left Behind’ has become ‘Everyone is a Winner.’

People are always impressed when they find out how many books I’ve written, how many awards I’ve won and how many places around the world I travel for free to speak. What people don’t know is that for every book contract I have received from a publisher, there have been many other publishers who rejected my proposal. For every award I’ve won, there have been many others I did not. And for every conference I speak at, there are many others for which I applied but did not get selected.

The truth is, I have failed many more times than I have succeeded.

I’ve always been drawn to people with talent, which is perhaps why I continue to try to persuade that runner in San Diego to let me help her, but I’m even more drawn to talented people who are willing to commit to do whatever it takes to accomplish what they want to accomplish, however real the risk of failure may be. While there may be a chance of failing, people take risks because the chance of failing makes success taste even sweeter.

So take a few risks. But don’t take stupid risks. Educate yourself about what you’re trying to accomplish and take calculated, thoughtful risks. And surround yourself with people who will give you the strength and momentum to help see those risks through. If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.

Bedros Keuilian is a fitness business consultant and founder of Fit Body Boot Camp. Get free fitness marketing and business tips at his blog RenegadeFitnessMarketing.com.

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Jason Karp is one of the foremost running experts in America, creator of the Run-Fit Specialist certification, 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and recipient of the 2014 President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Community Leadership Award. A PhD in exercise physiology, he has more than 200 publications, mentors fitness professionals and speaks around the world. His sixth book, The Inner Runner, comes out later this year. www.Run-Fit.com

PROFILE: MOSTFIT Website: www.most-fit.com | Email: andrew@andrewgavigan.com | Phone: 805.415.7493

Stability and functional training products unlike anything on the market If you’re looking to add a new dimension of intensity, explosive muscle engagement and core training to your exercise regimen, or for your clients or members, MostFit has the most innovative tools on the market.

MostFit is a line of fitness products that offers a unique spin on functional and stability training, and is focused on helping the user be the “Most Fit” they can be — anywhere, any time.

About the products …

MostFit SYN Rings allow the user to suspend weight plates from an Olympic weightlifting bar creating instability; forcing the user to engage more core and stability muscles and increase overall strength.

The rings allow the weight plates to move in all directions, including forward, back, side-to-side, up-and-down, and in circular motions.

Stability weight training with the MostFit SYN Rings promotes core stabilization, explosive muscle engagement and athletic development — it’s a whole new way to train.

And speaking of explosive muscle engagement, the revolutionary MostFit Core Hammer is a first of its kind, finally making sledgehammer workouts possible without the tire. The Core Hammer is designed just like a sledgehammer, but the head is round and composed of solid hard rubber, providing the right amount of rebound so the user can establish a rhythm that exactly mimics traditional sledgehammer swings. This means that sledgehammer workouts can now be done anywhere… in a park, gym, Crossfit box or at home and multiple users can workout together in small spaces with the Core Hammer.

The MostFit Suspension Strap offers “grab-and-go exercise” at little cost. It’s a safe, affordable and most importantly, portable way to get your workout on — at home, at the office or on the road. Bodyweight training with the MostFit Suspension Strap will strengthen major muscles, while improving balance and core strength. It’s designed to be a single, contained unit, and all adjustments are made using just the body. There are no extra parts or adjustable clips to get in the way of the workout and the anchor is attached. Additionally, the MostFit Suspension Strap weighs significantly less than other products available, and it contains no metal parts, so it can easily be brought in your carry-on luggage for air travel.

The MostFit product line also includes Resistance Loops, Resistance Bands and Resistance Tubes, as well as exercise mats.

About the company Founded by trainer Andrew Gavigan in 2011, MostFit is focused on creating and sharing affordable, efficient and accessible fitness equipment that empowers individuals to get stronger and to workout anywhere, any time. MostFit is dedicated to promoting fitness throughout the community, as a means to health and happiness. Their goal is to make fitness enjoyable, accessible and realistic - which is paramount to creating a heathy body image and ultimately success.

TRAIN LIKE A BOXER. CHANGE LIKE A BUTTERFLY.

Inspiring transformation in and outside of the ring 12

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IMAGINE YOUR LIFE WITH THESE DAILY NON-NEGOTIABLES: } } } } } }

Do what you want, when you want.

Never do anything you don’t absolutely love doing.

Live your purpose. NOW. Be an integrity-freak.

Be spontaneous, have fun. Work hard. Play hard.

Have an unwavering commitment to your brand or your desired outcome and surround yourself only with people who are just as committed to it as you are.

These are the daily non-negotiables of Jolie Glassman, owner of South Beach Boxing.

South Beach Boxing, which opened 18 years ago, is the longest-standing gym in Miami Beach and the premier boxing club, not only to its 800-plus members, but to A-list celebrities, professional athletes and some of the most revered boxers (the impressive list includes Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and even Muhammad Ali and his daughter Khalilah, who is a dear friend of Jolie).

Since the time in elementary school when she was the last to finish a run around the track in gym class, Jolie knew that she wanted to learn how to become better and faster through fitness. This mindset of perseverance continues to be the driving force behind her 25 years in the fitness industry.

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A BOXER TO TRAIN LIKE ONE” Jolie has defied the typically male-dominated industry to become one of the premier trainers in the field, often personally requested by some of the most recognized professional athletes and celebrities. Yet, while her notoriety among athletes and celebrities is impressive and her business and fitness ingenuity admirable and certainly remarkable, perhaps what is most extraordinary about Jolie is her relentless commitment to serving a greater purpose: transforming the lives of those who need it most.

Jolie’s involvement in fitness began in high school, when she came in as first runner-up in her high school’s fitness competition; she certainly proved that she was no longer the last to finish. She began teaching classes from step aerobics to Spinning and got a job at a gym showing members how to use machines and introduced them to weight training.

After college, with degrees in chemistry and education with a focus in behavior modification, she started her professional career as a fourth and fifth grade teacher in Dade County Public Schools, all the while continuing to teach fitness. Jolie found that the children she was most drawn to helping were those with behavior problems. She was transferred to a program called Outreach where she went to jails, detention centers, lockdown facilities and op-

portunity schools to teach children language arts, math, GED prep and life skills.

“HOW YOU DO ONE THING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING” In 1997, Jolie and her then-husband opened South Beach Boxing. She worked at the gym after teaching, and several years later decided to bring students from her class to the gym three days a week to participate in a boxing and fitness program. She taught them how to box and saw how this skill impacted their lives.

The students got into amazing shape, lost weight, built self-confidence, and learned focus, discipline, anger management and stress relief. Through fitness, she was able to impact their daily lives in a meaningful way.

As if her two passions had perfectly collided, Jolie left her teaching job to run South Beach Boxing and has been able to integrate her passion for coaching, inspiring and mentoring — especially for the youth. She has created several programs for empowering the youth through fitness, particularly those who need it most. She launched a program in conjunction with The PanZOu Project called “Six Rounds to Success” for at-risk teens that empowers a healthy lifestyle, self-esteem and confidence through boxing and boxing training techniques. Other programs she’s created specifically for the youth include the Anti-Bully/Lean Teens fitness program teaching self-defense to ages 8-14. She regularly partners with the Girl Power Program, the Alonzo Mourning’s Overtown Youth Center¸ the Miami Beach Police Athletic League and local schools all driven by her motivation to transform lives.

“YOU CAN’T TEACH A LION TO BE FEROCIOUS, THEY JUST ARE” Jolie’s journey to success in 25 years of eating, sleeping and breathing the fitness industry has not come without challenge. Persevering through divorce, injury and the regular challenges of managing a brand and business, Jolie affirms that she has always remained true to who she is; taking on each challenge as if being given the opportunity to grow and become stronger. As she describes, “I’m in the business of problems; I welcome problems and complaints. Stress is part of the game…

Jolie

GLASSMAN

CURRENT TITLE: Owner of South Beach Boxing - but really....The Motivator, The Teacher, The Life/Business Coach

CERTIFICATIONS: AFFA, NASM, USA Boxing coach, ref, Cornerman, Spinning, CrossFit

EDUCATION: Florida International University. But really LIFE – several life, business and personal development certifications, workshops and courses

FAVORITE WORKOUT EQUIPMENT: Heavy bag / boxing gloves

FAVORITE HEALTHY SNACK: Honey crisp apple and a handful of raw almonds (and sushi!)

FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job and life becomes easier.”

CONTACT: Jolie@SouthBeachBoxing.com www.SouthBeachBoxing.com Facebook - South Florida Boxing & Jolie Glassman Twitter - @SouthBeachBox Instagram is @SouthBeachBoxing

and you have to be like a CSI, be on top of everything, be immersed in everything of critical importance and then delegate what you don’t enjoy or what you’re weak at.”

Managing her team has allowed Jolie to continue her love of teaching; she teaches how to understand behavior and how to ask. Jolie gives a strengths test to each of her team members in order to put them where they are best fit and can add the most value. Her downfall, she claims, is that she assumes people know something when often times they do not. She has learned to hold her team accountable for the information she shares and has developed training methods that make this easier including detailed training manuals as well as a video series called, “What would Jolie say.” More importantly, she leads her team with genuine passion and unwavering commitment.

Jolie claims she’s not an entrepreneur, rather that she simply has always focused on what she’s good at and what she loves doing. It is apparent that this business mindset is exactly what has been the catalyst of her success.

When asked what advice she would offer other

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fitness professionals, her message of perseverance and resiliency rings clear: “Ride a bike once, it’s a challenge. Ride 10 years, it’s easy.”

When it comes to building her brand, she credits the “inside-out” method of marketing; create raving fans who effectively sell for you. Ask clients directly what they want; listen intently and then act on it. Another piece of advice Jolie offers is to stay true to your brand, don’t discount and don’t venture out of what you’re truly passionate about; know the value you offer, over-deliver and remain committed to your clients.

“IT’S WHAT’S BETWEEN THE NOTES THAT CREATE THE MUSIC” For 25 years, Jolie has tirelessly educated, innovated and impacted. She has been recognized as a leader in the industry and has been awarded by some of the most reputable organizations several times over for her dedication to making a difference in her community.

The common assumption is that someone like Jolie Glassman, who is so driven, so fiercely passionate and dedicated to a mis-

sion, would have a specific “vision of the future.” However, when asked what her vision is, Jolie simply responds, “I don’t have a vision, I live it. However it shows up, I’m in the driver’s seat. My vision for the future is simply to keep loving my life, providing jobs for those I love and transforming lives on a great scale.”

But don’t let her answer fool you; in order to transform lives on a great scale, Jolie has been more committed than ever to transforming lives of those who need it most. She’s working with a team pitching major TV networks to help her expand her message and has big plans for growing her South Beach Boxing brand. Jolie seems to have limitless energy in everything she does (though she admits, is often her challenge to sustain): she trains as if it’s her only job; she is committed to educating herself, her team and her clients; she lives to make a difference in every interaction and inspires physical and mental transformation both in and outside the ring.

PROFILE: JILLIAN MICHAELS BODYSHRED™ Website: jillianmichaelsbodyshred.com | Email: Info@jillianmichaelsbodyshred.com | Phone: 844.863.4517

Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED™ Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED is a dynamic 30-minute group exercise class experience that is a hybrid of the most cutting-edge fitness philosophies integrated into one comprehensive system that targets every muscle in the body with every fitness modality — all in one workout. Created by renowned fitness authority Jillian Michaels, BODYSHRED is a high-intensity, holistic resistance and endurance-based fitness program, involving synergistic, 3D body dynamics that explore the scope of movement possibilities to maximize athletic performance and metabolic potential. BODYSHRED classes are comprised of four circuits utilizing Jillian’s “3-2-1” interval format approach: 3 minutes of strength with 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of core work for 30 minutes of intense conditioning.

“I designed Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED as a way to target every muscle in the body from every angle, incorporating every fitness modality out there,” says Michaels. “Every last detail of the program was put together to maximize athletic performance and metabolic potential so you look and feel great.”

The Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED Trainer Certification Workshop Program grants opportunities to both clubs and fitness professionals. Clubs can offer the program to their members for an amazing 30-minute group class experience. Fitness professionals can become certified to teach BODYSHRED, which incorporates the training techniques and fitness philosophies used by Jillian Michaels herself to transform millions of bodies and lives.

Michaels and her team at Empowered Media decided to make the BODYSHRED training method available to people across the country in the form of a group exercise class, so they created a model for certifying an army of fitness professionals nationwide so they can go on to offer Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED as a new group class at their respective gyms. Michaels and her team of BODYSHRED Master Trainers have traveled to various cities in the U.S. and Canada to certify fitness professionals in the program via one-day workshops and teach them everything they need to know in order to lead a group class in their own unique styles, without straying from the method and format of the class.

To become certified, trainers must: } Visit jillianmichaelsbodyshred.com } Find a training workshop near them and sign up } Undergo a 9-hour in-person course } Participate in a practical exam administered on-site during the in-person course } Complete a web-based at-home written exam, achieving a score of 80% or higher

Once trainers are certified, they will: } Be able to teach BODYSHRED group exercise classes } Receive Continuing Education Units, CEUs } Associate themselves with the Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED name - a leading figure in health and wellness } Use the BODYSHRED name and logo on class schedules to generate interest with clients and members } Additionally, these lucky trainers will be joining a group of dedicated and diverse trainers across North America who teach this highly regarded class in their local regions. The Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED Trainer Certification program will prepare fitness professionals to teach a group class in this method, introducing them to new concepts, teaching tools and motivational delivery style that will set them apart from others and expand their growth.

Michaels and her team have created what they refer to as “Formatted Freestyle.” There is a definite format to the program, but the team has created four specific entry points, depending on the trainer’s background and needs. If the trainer needs pre-formatted ideas, the BODYSHRED team can provide them. If the trainer craves the freedom of creativity, he or she is encouraged to express this. BODYSHRED has created an educational system that allows trainers to continue to grow as fitness professionals, knowing all along the way they are providing their clients with the most effective form of training.

Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED group classes are offered in several gyms across the United States and the team continues to offer trainer certification programs across the country, allowing fitness professionals to share the experience with their clients. BODYSHRED group classes are currently offered at sports clubs in Los Angeles/Orange County, San Francisco/San Jose, New York, Washington, DC, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, Portland, Denver, Philadelphia, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, Orlando and more.

BROADCAST YOUR BRAND

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here are three ways to make more money as a trainer. You can 1) get more clients; 2) earn more per client or 3) have more transactions per client.

A lot of marketing efforts focus on getting more clients and, while important, this results in two major problems: 1. You will eventually max out your time.

2. You won’t be working smarter, only harder.

Personal training is a service business and, like any service business, unless you look outside of the specific job description, your personal output limits your income. With a few new ideas and a fresh strategy, it is easy to build a simple email marketing flow that will work to get you more clients. However, more

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A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO AMP-UP YOUR EMAIL MARKETAING

BY JONATHAN GOODMAN

importantly this will help you retain existing clients so you can earn more per client and open you up to multiple income streams that results in more transactions.

With a little upfront effort, you can make your life easier for many years to come by improving retention, generating passive leads and adding income streams. To start, here is a brief primer on email marketing: Email marketing is defined as sending a commercial message to people through email.

The top email marketers know that email marketing is best achieved by sending value-laden messages to potential and existing customers, occasionally promoting products or services.

It can be very simple or very complex. For our purposes, we’ll keep it as simple as possible but as complex as necessary.

To get started, any of a number of software and web-based companies will do a good job

of managing your contacts, enabling you to keep multiple lists and delivering messages on your behalf. Aweber, Mailchimp and Constant Contact are some of the leading email management companies. With a small list of contacts (under 5,000) it’s relatively inexpensive. Depending on the service, you pay either for each user or each message that you send.

For the following system you’ll want two lists of contacts. One list will be of existing clients and the other for potential clients. Once a lead becomes a client, you can switch them to the client list and vice-versa.

There are two types of messages that you’ll need to be aware of for this system: broadcast and follow-up messages (sometimes called autoresponse).

A broadcast message is sent one-off. It works the same as a standard email composed and sent. The difference is that you

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Figure 1

can also schedule them in the future. So you could potentially write 20 broadcast messages at once, set a time and date for each and the system would send them out to your desired audience at the times outlined.

A follow-up or autoresponse message is sent automatically based on when the user signs up. You write a message once and tell the system to send it out to a user however many days after they joined your list as you determine. If someone were to sign-up for your email list on Tuesday and you have an autoresponse message that goes out two days after the initial sign-up, they will get that message on Thursday. If they were to sign up on Wednesday, they would get that same message on Friday. You can create an unlimited number of autoresponse messages and tell the system how many days after the previous message you want the messages to go out.

In Figure 1, you’ll see an example of an email follow-up sequence of six emails; the first is sent right away to a new subscriber and the following are messages timed one to two days following the previous message delivered.

With an understanding of the basics of the types of messages, it’s time to get going.

Gather all emails of your current clients in addition to any leads you’ve gained in the past.

Put your current leads onto one email list and your leads onto another.

The exact messages that you send to either list will vary. Make special note of the importance of adding value in each email you send. Use your marketing to pull clients to you, not push them away. Don’t pitch sales; send along notes on health, vitality and fitness. If you come across a great article that you think your clients will benefit from, add

it to a list and send the link with a two-line snippet with 4-5 articles and videos once a week. You don’t even need to write your own articles (of course if you want to, that is preferred and be sure to give proper credit to any article or content that is not yours).

As you collect more great information to send out, create an autoresponse sequence for your leads list. In the first message you’ll introduce yourself and welcome them and ask them if they have any questions. Following that, have an autoresponse message go out with a great article or piece of advice every 2-3 days. Set this up once and never touch it. All that you have to do is put new leads onto the list. Even if these clients never work with you in-person because, say, they live far away, you have the potential to promote commission-based products or potentially get them interested in your online personal training services.

For the email list that houses your current clients, you’ll want to use a combination of autoresponse and broadcast (one-off) messages. The autoresponse messages are great to touch base, asking how the client is enjoying training. These can even be customized with their name. A strategy like this simply takes the onus off of you to remember to follow-up with clients… let the system take care of it. The broadcast messages that you’ll send can be your weekly tune-up of interesting health information, promotions or affiliate/commission products and programs that you’re a part of from which they may benefit.

A summary of your new email marketing strategy:

two email lists. One for leads and the other for current clients.

2. The list with leads will have a follow-up sequence that you produce once. This introduces yourself and sends them valuable material (articles, videos, etc.) that is delivered at regular intervals based on the day that they signed-up to the list.

3. The list with current clients contains messages checking-in to see how they are enjoying their training. In addition, you send one-off messages with a weekly round-up of valuable information whether web articles or other resources in addition to promotions and any other notes.

As your email list grows, it becomes an important asset to your business. This is a simple overview of a system to start with. If you send out quality information it will get passed on and you may just find yourself one day in the near future fielding inquires for training from people you’ve never met because they got an email forwarded to them. Not only that, but the opportunities to sell anything related to health and wellness to contacts through your email list is endless.

Jonathan Goodman is the creator and head coach of thePTDC, www.theptdc.com, the largest collaborative blogging effort on the net for personal trainers. He is the author of Ignite the Fire: The Secrets to a Successful Personal Training Career and the Per-

1. You’ll use an email marketing service (Aweber, Mailchimp, Constant Contact) to create

sonal Trainer Pocketbook: A Handy Reference for All Your Daily Questions.

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CHOOSE THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY TO TRACK AND RETAIN CLIENTELE 18

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itness technology is evolving at a rapid pace. It’s almost impossible to keep up. From the next hottest app to the newest wearable device, it can be hard to know which new software technology your clients are using, and more importantly, what you can leverage to help grow your business and with the potential for your clients to achieve more meaningful results.

members is a good way to reignite the excitement in your program. You can also have team competitions that help you build a strong community and will help increase your retention rate. Using specific software to integrate this makes it easier to manage and adds value to your program.

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS TO TRACK CLIENT PROGRESS

Intended benefits

Outlined below are three of the latest trends in client progress tracking software and technology. Understanding the benefits as well as the pitfalls of each trend is important in order to select the right tools for your business and leverage the potential opportunities.

Community-based apps Some of the fastest growing apps are community-based. They encourage active people to meet up and workout together. You can take advantage of these types of apps by building a community of people looking for group exercise. You can then upsell them into your fitness programs.

Live monitoring and tracking devices Live heartrate monitoring, spin bike exercise data and wearable fitness tracking devices can help you differentiate yourself from the competition. Sometimes being better just isn’t enough; differentiating your business with a cutting-edge tool like a live tracking device or monitor offers you the potential to take your business to the next level.

Community competition software Though we are more connected through technology then we have ever been, people still feel alone and are in need of a community of like interest. If you can create that community with the software you use, you will have a much higher chance at being successful.

Software that helps you create healthy competition among your members is more readily available. This could be weight or fat loss-based, nutrition-based or even performance-based. Having competition between

SELECTING A PLATFORM THAT WORKS FOR YOUR CLIENTS AND FOR YOUR BUSINESS

The first thing you want to consider when selecting a software is two-fold: what exactly is the benefit to the clients and what are you getting out of the software. If you choose software that gives you a ton of data that helps you grow your business but it’s not exciting or rewarding for your clients, then you will end up having a hard time getting them to use it. Make sure you choose software that is fun, rewarding and motivating for your clients but also gives you the data you need to grow your business.

Ease-of-use You want to make sure that it is easy to use and understand not only by you, but your clients as well. If it is confusing or hard to learn how to use, you and your clients will not be motivated to use it, thus defeating the purpose of using the software. Our clients have busy lives and don’t have the time or energy to invest in learning a new software program.

Efficiency You also want to consider how the software is going to make what you are currently doing easier or faster, saving you stress and time to get the job done. A lot of the software may look great and keep all your data organized but doesn’t necessarily save you time or make the task of managing any easier. If it does neither of the two, then you might want to reconsider using it.

they have to pay for. It will be much more difficult to get them onboard with the new program if there is an additional fee. It may be worth it to you and your business if you cover the cost or at least work the cost into your membership fee. If you can build in the cost in your membership, you can use that as a value-add when selling your services.

Integration You also want to see how easily the software integrates with software your clients are already using. For example, if it’s a wearable device, make sure you can integrate the two so that the data from their device automatically gets transferred to the software you are using. If not, it may be difficult to get them to use your software because of having to log in and enter duplicate information into multiple accounts.

Communication management Accountability is a key component to helping your clients get the results they want. The problem is finding the time to follow-up with each member or client to make sure they are staying on track to reach their goals. Using software to manage communication ensures that each client is being taken care of and that no one falls through the cracks. Look for software that can automatically identify the clients you need to follow-up with in order to save you valuable time and resources of having to do it manually.

Tracking a client’s progress is easier than ever with a plethora of options for assessing, monitoring and keeping them accountable.

Do your due diligence before committing to a specific software or technology platform; doing so will payoff multifold for both your business and for your clients.

Jeff Sherman is the C.O.O. of Tech Sweat LLC, a software and media company that caters to fitness profession-

Additional costs and fees

als. The company’s mission

Another thing to consider is if there is going to be an additional cost to your client to use the software. Maybe it’s a wearable device that they have to purchase or a subscription

is to help fitness professionals automate and grow their businesses through simple and effective software applications. www.FitClients.com

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2015 SPECIAL SERIES SPONSOR

www.sportsfitness.com

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SELECT THE CLIENT

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT FITS YOUR

BUSINESS PART 4 OF PFP’S 2015 SPECIAL 7-PART SERIES:

FITNESS BUSINESS 101

By Eric Hinderberger

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he way in which you manage every component of your business, from securely storing your clients’ information and processing payments to how you track and schedule your sessions, is a significant indicator of the potential of your business long-term. Regardless of your business’ size or annual revenue, finding the right strategies and tools that are tailored for your business and that allow you to manage, track and grow is an integral step in operating a well-run, sustainable venture. Client management software is one tool that can have a significant impact whether you’re just starting your business or looking to expand.

Client management software (or general business management software) allows a business to manage several tasks of the business in one central place. Many fitness entrepreneurs begin their businesses using ad hoc tools like excel spreadsheets to track different aspects of the business and many use an accounting software like Quickbooks to track revenue and costs. If your business has become more robust, or more importantly if you believe that this is where you will take the business in the future, client management software can simplify your business operations by integrating several aspects of the business. This will make managing daily operations easier and more efficient.

Several considerations should be explored when shopping for client management software. The software you choose should be optimized to help your business grow. There are many different business management software providers specific to the fitness industry that do a great job at providing solutions for fitness businesses of all models and sizes.

Some solutions are turnkey, while others require very technical, daily maintenance. Most software companies offer a free demo to walk you through their software and for them to get a better idea of the needs of your business. Demos are usually available virtually on their websites or by setting up an appointment with a company representative.

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Here’s a glimpse into what to expect in our exclusive 7-part series: Part 1 | January-February The first 60 days

Part 2 | March-April Optimize and diversify your business’ profit centers If you’re not quite sure if or how a client management system would work in your business, consider these questions: 1. How active are you in managing your daily operations (sales, payment processing, client reservations, running financial analytics, etc.)? How active would you like to be and/or could your time be spent on more valuable projects?

2. Are there tasks you are performing on a regular basis that are cumbersome or time consuming (i.e. inability to run quality financial reports or reports on your attendance percentages?)

3. Do your clients have a user-friendly way to update their account or reserve/cancel sessions or classes?

4. What time are you or your team spending doing tasks that could be automated, allowing your team and talent to use their time more wisely, such as selling or building client relationships?

As you explore the different systems available, here is a checklist of features and details you may want to consider before making a decision to best fit the needs of your business: } User-friendliness overall for you/your staff } A user-friendly member portal for members to reserve classes, training sessions or other services online, access their accounts } Easy to integrate with your business website including: } New member sign-ups } Class registration } Personal training registration } Upfront costs including setup fees } Monthly/annual fee structure and terms of contract

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Low merchant account/processing fees Ability to manage and track sales Ability to help improve retention Point of Sale (POS) for memberships, services and retail } Inventory tracking } Billing management (i.e. recurring dues) } Personal training management } Scheduling } Auto text and email appointment reminders } Digital/paperless contract signing and storage } App capabilities } Ability to track staff hours and payroll } Client and technical support from the software company (including implementation, maintenance, troubleshooting, etc.) } Access to reports (i.e. sales and expenses, class attendance, revenue per staff member, client profile reports, etc.) } } } }

Ultimately, there are two primary goals of any software in which you decide to invest: 1. It should have the capability to make daily, weekly and longer-term tasks and interactions simpler and as automated as possible.

2. The software you choose should allow for you and/or your employees to be more effective and efficient while helping to build your membership.

Think of your business not as it exists now, but how it may exist in the future and how robust you’ll need the software to be to accommodate your anticipated growth. There is quite a bit of thought and research that is dedicated to making a decision to either begin using software or changing to new software; hurdles such as data conversion, setting-up, training and costs. There are

Part 3 | Spring Buyers’ Guide Plan for profit: understanding the real costs of business

Part 5 | July-August Integrate mind/body programs that complement your training services

Part 6 | September-October The power of your brand: is your brand helping or hurting your business?

Part 7 | November-December Lay out your marketing plan for 2016

many tools that are constantly being developed within the club management software world; be sure to do your research and base your decision on as much information and education as possible.

Eric Hinderberger is a business development manager at ShapeNet Software, a club management software company. Contact Eric at ehinderberger@shapenetsoftware. com, 720.414.9004 or www. shapenetsoftware.com.

THE MESSAGE Website: www.LiftLikeaGirl.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeautifulBadassFanpage | Twitter: @niashanks

Nia Shanks is the mind, muscle and motivation behind the Lift Like a Girl revolution. With close to 50,000 engaged Facebook Fans, a loyal readership of her newsletter and an avid following of dedicated listeners to her weekly podcast, Nia is making a real impact on women’s lives. Featured in some of the premier outlets in fitness including Muscle and Strength, Bodybuilding.com and Breaking Muscle, Nia shares her message with us …

My ideal client is willing to try a unique approach to achieving their goals. Many popular fitness methods are about finding ways to eat less and work out more. I prefer to focus on ways to add MORE into a client’s training and overall life: more strength, more energy and definitely becoming more awesome through their health and fitness actions. This positive focus is much more motivating for both the short- and long-term.

My message is that people should focus on becoming a stronger, more awesome version of themselves, and by doing that they’ll achieve their health and body-transforming goals. This is achieved with sane, simple nutrition principles that turn into lifelong habits and fun, performance-focused strength training workouts.

If I had only one way to share my message it would be through writing. Articles and books can be crafted to deliver a powerful, evergreen message that people can reference at any time and share with others throughout the world.

Successful messaging is empowering. Health and fitness should be seen as a tool to make someone’s entire life better and encourage them to bring out the best in themselves.

It should encourage people to make positive changes (eat better and work out) because they realize that, wherever they’re starting from, they’re already awesome, and these actions will make them more awesome.

People follow me because I openly share my past experiences with obsessive eating habits and battling a negative self-image, and because my approach to health and fitness is empowering, simple and definitely sane. I also encourage women to focus on, and be proud of, what their bodies can do and not just focus on changing how they look.

EDUCATION TRENDS Cody Sipe | www.functionalaginginstitute.com

Learning and education options: pros and cons Education for fitness professionals has evolved over the past few decades and the number of options has exploded. Obviously the use of current technology allows learning to be given and taken anywhere around the world, offering organizations a global reach.

With the burgeoning fitness industries in Asia and the Middle East, many new fitness professionals are hungry for information and are seeking online courses. Here is a brief outline of the learning and educational options available and the pros and cons to consider:

Learning options

Educational options

} Online } Certification } Self-paced } Certificate } Instructor-facilitated } Continuing Education (CE) } Instructor-led } Trade or degree program } Live workshops } Live multi-day workshops/seminars } 6- to 12-month mentorships } Home-study courses } Academic coursework Live versus online learning: The educational and learning option you choose is dependent upon your prior education and experience, your current situation and your individual learning preference.

When online education started there were many naysayers who believed that it was inferior to live instruction. However, studies have shown that it can be just as (and sometimes more) effective depending on the subject matter and format. Today, online courses may contain downloadable manuals and videos, live webinars, training or group meetings, randomized exams, student interaction and other options making them appealing to almost any kind of learner.

The adult learner who is busy juggling jobs/careers, family and other responsibilities finds online learning to be a perfect fit for their schedules leaving them free to access the material when and where they can. Online courses often offer an optional live workshop or training for those that prefer that learning environment.

Programs that require new technical skill development and assessment will require the live training in addition to any online or offline learning that must take place prior to the course. Live courses provide the student with direct teacher-and-student interaction. Learners are able to touch and feel the content and get direct feedback as they learn new skills. The downside is that there is additional time and cost associated with these events. Students often need to travel considerable distances to attend if they live in a smaller community or must wait until an event is held somewhere close to their location.

Certificate versus certification: Many certifications have been under fire lately because, in the fitness industry, there is no governing body that establishes the “rules of the game.” Therefore, organizations have been free to interpret for themselves the content of the certification and how learners are assessed (tested). The story of a

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reporter who had his dog certified as a personal trainer a few years ago hammers home this point. Although there are still numerous individuals and organizations that are out to make a buck and don’t really care about the professionalism of the fitness industry, there are also many who care very deeply about the content they are providing and the type of professional they are turning out. Several larger fitness organizations have chosen to have their certifications accredited. This is one type of standard that has certainly benefitted the fitness industry. However, the cost and expense associated with the accreditation process prohibits many smaller organizations or specialty organizations from pursuing this credential.

Certificate programs typically do not undergo such scrutiny because they are not “certifying” professionals. Rather they are simply acknowledging that a fitness professional (who is typically already certified) has completed a course or workshop. It does not in any way indicate that the professional is competent in applying the course information or skills to their profession. Certificate programs may or may not have an examination which learners must pass before being granted their certificate. Usually a certificate is granted simply by completing the course material (or attending a workshop).

Navigating the myriad of options of learning and education in an industry as dynamic as fitness is imperative to becoming a top-notch professional with legitimate credentials and proper knowledge. Understanding the pros and cons of the different formats of learning will give you a hand-up as you progress in your career.

Cody Sipe, PhD, is co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute and creator of the Functional Aging Specialist Certification. He is a professor, researcher, facility owner and award-winning fitness professional who specializes in exercise for mature adults.

Certification and continuing education organizations American Aerobic Assoc.

International (AAAI)

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Savvier Fitness

www.ACEfitness.org

www.TabataBootcamp.com

National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

SCW Fitness Education

www.aaai-ismafitness.com

www.nfpt.com

www.nsca.com

www.scwfitness.com

PREPARING YOUR RUNNERS FOR SUCCESS

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t’s the time of year where increasing numbers of our population begin to run outdoors. A common part of their routine is to stretch prior to running. Simply watch these individuals in the park or around your neighborhood before they begin running and you will see them performing the alltoo-common poses aimed at stretching their hamstrings, quads and calves. Unfortunately, the majority of these individuals are not adequately preparing themselves for the activity of running – many of them are actually setting their body up for injury.

In fact, not adequately preparing the body

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is a direct cause of hip, knee and ankle/foot injuries related to running.

There are three reasons that a pre-run stretching routine can actually increase the likelihood of injuries by not preparing the body’s nervous system for the sport of running. We will discuss a simple integrated approach that can be incorporated into a simple pre-run strategy to help activate the nervous system and improve running efficiency while decreasing the likelihood of common lower extremity injuries.

Failing to adequately prepare Many runners have been instructed to warm-

up prior to running. Often their pre-run warm-up consists of a few stretches for their quadriceps, hamstrings or calves and then they begin a slow run. There are three reasons this pre-run stretching ritual can actually contribute to common running injuries: 1. Running is a very dynamic activity, while stretching is a very passive activity. Performing stretching prior to running does not prepare the neuromuscular system for the demands of running. The lower extremity has to control three to seven times a runner’s bodyweight with every step that is taken. Additionally, it has to deal with

ground reaction forces or the forces that are sent back up into the lower extremity each time the foot hits the ground. Stretching does not adequately prepare the body to deal with these forces and has actually been shown to decrease muscle strength, which can increase the likelihood of injury.

2. There is very little research that demonstrates stretching prior to running decreases risk of injuries in runners. However, research has demonstrated pre-activity stretching actually decreases muscle strength immediately following the stretch. Therefore, stretching prior to running can actually lead to increase risk of injuries because the nervous system has not been adequately prepared for the activity. Additionally, stretching lengthens muscles which can reduce the force required to control the momentum of three to seven times bodyweight essentially crashing down upon the lower extremity that occurs with every step.

3. Many runners are performing their stretches mindlessly with no attention to the form they are using. In other words, they are not paying attenion to how and where they are stretching and are simply doing it because someone told them that it was important.

When many individuals are attempting to stretch their hamstrings by bending forward at the waist and/or while lying on their back and pulling their leg towards their chest, they are over-stretching their low back.

Overstretching the lumbar spine in relation to the hamstring can destabilize the low back and increase the risk of tightening up

and subsequently straining the hamstring muscle during the run. Similarly stretching the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles without preparing them how to control pronation can directly contribute to knee problems including iliotibial band syndrome and foot issues such as plantar fascitis.

BY EVAN OSAR

Preparing your runner Our goal is to prepare our runners for success by helping them improve their efficiency. A more efficient runner will be able to run longer because they are using their body in the most effective manner and not wasting effort that often causes the body to compensate.

The strategy I have found to be incredibly useful and practical in preparing our runners for the immediate demands of running is using the three principles of the Integrative Movement System - alignment, breathing and control.

1. Alignment: The first goal during the pre-run activation strategy is to align the body in the most ideal position. One of the best ways to maximize running efficiency while decreasing the risk of injuries is to align the trunk and pelvis as well as the hip, knee, ankle and foot complex. With optimal alignment the individual can support the joints in the most ideal position to absorb and dissipate shock during the run. When alignment is lost there is increased stress upon the joints and soft tissue structures such as tendons and ligaments are over-loaded to control these forces.

2. Breathing: The next component of the pre-run activation strategy is breathing.

Three-dimensional breathing is the primary means for oxygenating our body as we run.

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Additionally, three-dimensional breathing develops and regulates the internal pressure regulation we need to support our core and suspend our trunk and spine over the lower extremities.

An easy way to conceptualize this idea of suspension is to watch Kenyan runners. Notice how effortlessly they seem to run compared to their North American competitors. They are well aligned and almost seem to glide over the ground. Their feet look as if they are barely touching the ground as they run. This is suspension in its purest form. Now contrast that to the majority of runners you see who seem to be plodding along, almost looking like they are falling forward and trying to catch up to themselves. Their feet sound very heavy on the ground because they are not able to suspend themselves by controlling their breathing and internal pressures. This directly leads to increased pressure on their joints and soft tissue strains and sprains, as they have to over-use their myofascial (muscles and fascia) and ligamentous structures to decelerate their momentum.

strategy. What’s more important is incorporating the three principles of the Integrative Movement System – alignment, breathing and control – into the routine. You can substitute other exercises as long as they are helping to improve alignment, breathing and control.

1. Modified Happy Baby The Modified Happy Baby is an excellent pattern to work on alignment of the thoracopelvic canister (thorax, lumbar spine and pelvis) while incorporating three-dimensional breathing. The individual lies on their back and lifts their legs one at a time so their hip, knees, and ankles are flexed to 90 degrees. In this position the individual will perform 3-5 breathes into their thorax and abdomen. They will slowly lower their legs and repeat for 3-5 sets.

2. Side Lying Isometric with Hip Abduction

breathing and developed improved hip control, the split squat pattern helps to develop these components in the upright position.

The split squat pattern helps the individual develop the alignment and control of their thoracopelvic canister as well as their lower extremity. The individual assumes a split stance position with their thoracopelvic canister aligned and 80% of their weight on their front leg and 20% on their back leg. They lower themselves into the split squat position and raise up to the standing position for two sets of 10-20 repetitions per leg. Once they can perform 30 repetitions per leg without losing lower extremity or thoracopelvic canister alignment they can perform a split squat to a forward lunge again working up to the similar number of repetitions. The final progression is a split squat to single leg stance again starting with two sets of 10-20 reps and working up to 30 reps.

The important point is to ensure that each repetition is performed with optimal form as the goal is to improve the form the individual needs while they are running.

The important concept in this article is that we want to prepare our runners and avoid using stretching or slower running as the only preparation for their sport.

3. Control: The third principle and component of a pre-activation run strategy is to control alignment and breathing.

The myofascial system is responsible for supporting our posture and breathing in addition to maintaining the right amount of force during the run. When working optimally, the nervous system uses the muscles and fascia to make running efficient and effortless which minimizes wear and tear on the joints and soft tissue structures.

With non-optimal control there are certain muscles that are under-performing and then some muscles that become over-worked to compensate. These muscle imbalances then contribute to increased stresses upon the joints and overload soft tissue structures.

Pre-run activation strategy To help our runners develop a more efficient running strategy we want to incorporate the three principles of the Integrative Movement System – alignment, breathing and control – into their pre-run routine so they are set up for a successful run. The goal during the pre-run activation routine is to appropriately prepare the body for the upcoming activity. Below is an example of three exercises we use with our runners, however, it is important to note that the specific exercises are not the most important component of the

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The Side Lying Isometric with Hip Abduction works on aligning the thoracopelvic canister while incorporating hip abduction and extension. This pattern will help activate the gluteal complex which is required for support in single-leg stance. The individual lies on their side with their shoulders, back and pelvis aligned and stacked against a wall. Their head should be supported so it is line with their body. They will bend both their bottom elbow and hip and push them gently into the floor – this provides support of their thoracopelvic canister. The top leg will slightly abduct so that they place their foot flat on the wall. Next they will perform isometric hip extension by pushing the foot lightly into the wall. They hold for 10 seconds and relax, repeating for five reps per side. As they gain control they can move their body away from the wall so there is a greater amount of hip extension.

By incorporating the three principles of the Integrative Movement System – alignment, breathing and control – into a pre-run routine your runners will be more prepared for a successful run over stretching alone. The important concept in this article is that we want to prepare our runners and avoid using stretching or slower running as the only preparation for their sport. Focus on the principles, choose the appropriate pre-run exercise progressions for your individual client, and support your runners through their season so they can run longer and with less risk of injury.

Audiences around the world have seen Dr. Evan Osar’s dynamic and original presentations. His passion for improving movement and helping fitness professionals think bigger about their role can be experienced in every course he teaches.

Dr. Osar has become known for taking challenging information and putting it into useable information that fitness professionals can immediately apply with their general population clients. He is developer of the Integrative Corrective Exercise

3. Split Squat Now that the individual has aligned their thoracopelvic canister, worked on their

Specialist™ and the Integrative Movement Specialist™ Certifications. For more information visit www.fitnesseducationseminars.com.

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EVENTS CALENDAR June-September

JUNE 2015 AAAI/ISMA”One World” Fitness Education & Certification Conference June 5, 6 & 7, 2015 | Atlantic City Convention Center Atlantic City, NJ www.aaai-ismafitness.com

Functional Aging Institute (FAI) Summit June 11-13, 2015 |Phoenix, AZ http://www.functionalaginginstitute.com

YogaFit l YogaLean Mind Body Fitness Conference June 25-28, 2015, Minneapolis, MN www.yogafit.com

JULY 2015 SCW Fitness l Atlanta MANIA July 10-12, 2015 l Atlanta, GA www.scwfit.com

YogaFit l YogaLean Mind Body Fitness Conference July 16-19 | Dallas, TX www.yogafit.com

IDEA World Fitness Convention July 15- 19, 2015 | Los Angeles, CA www.ideafit.com

AUGUST 2015 AAAI/ISMA”One World” Fitness Education & Certification Conference

Join our Channel

August 21st, 22nd & 23rd, 2015 | Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis Cape Cod, Ma www.aaai-ismafitness.com

SCW Fitness l Dallas MANIA August 28-30, 2015 l Dallas, TX www.scwfit.com

SEPTEMBER 2015 SCW Fitness l Midwest MANIA September 25-27, 2015 l Chicago, IL www.scwfit.com

For a complete listing, see our online Events Calendar at www.fit-pro.com/events.

pfpmedia JUNE 2015 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 29

BE BETTER Phil Kaplan | www.philkaplan.com

Mental viruses and “but” problems I’ve become a student of language. As I continue to study human influence — as it underlies the essence of everything we, as fitness professionals, do for others — I can’t help but notice how personal trainers harbor self-limiting thoughts.

Not you, right? You’re motivated, driven, passionate and success-oriented. That very well may be true, but if there’s any part of you that seeks betterment, know this: changing the programs that run through your brain puts you on a sure-fire path to changing your outcome. Run better programs, achieve better outcomes. It’s that simple.

Luis sat in front of me at a friend’s home. He was struggling to support his family on a personal training income. He started with…

“You can’t make money as a personal trainer.”

I heard the pronoun challenge. I followed with, “I can’t?”

“No, you can’t. Nobody can. I mean, you can make a little money but not like a doctor.”

Far be it from me to argue. I believed the best thing I could do was modify his thinking in the hope that he’d recognize his own obstacle, his unintentionally self-imposed limitation. He was running the “Aye Kant” program, an effective mental virus that shuts down dreams, except to complicate things further, his ego turned the “Aye” into a “Ewe,” globalizing the statement. Instead of “Aye Kant” he ran the program that says “Nobody can.” Yes, language can reveal a great deal about what’s going on internally and Luis needed some reprogramming.

From a distance, from where you sit reading this magazine, you likely chuckled a bit. After all, the self-talk revealed by Luis’s language is so obviously self-defeating, but this sort of programming virus runs prevalent in our society, and perhaps is more contagious in our industry than in most.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll never make $200,000 a year, but I’ll be happy because I’m helping people,” you’re revealing a limiting thought.

“But Phil, it’s true.”

Sure it is, as long as you keep running that program. I understand where the programming comes from. Parents, friends and mentors who have your best interest in mind dissuaded you from pursuing a career that is anything but a “profession.” Because you have the heart of a trainer, you weren’t dissuaded, but don’t allow that to prevent you from believing you weren’t affected. The thought, “Money isn’t that important as long as I help people,” allows you to justify the decision, but unfortunately, it begins infiltrating the success wiring in your brain.

Consider a potential client who sits before you, asks for help, but follows with, “You can’t lose weight by exercising.” He’s making the statement based on his past experience. He isn’t lying, he’s simply running a limiting program.

Suppose he takes things further by saying, “Diets don’t work for me,” and “You wouldn’t understand cuz you’ve never been overweight.”

You’d immediately recognize the flaws in the programs being run.

Before you could hope to deliver a thrilling result, you’d have to do

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some masterful rewiring, starting by allowing your soon-to-be-client to see the possibility of benefit this time around.

“I can’t sell,” “People won’t pay more,” and “You can’t do that where I live” are evidence of program flaws, of acquired viruses, of chains placed upon your future.

I don’t know that, in a brief article, I can change your thinking fully, but I can give you an insight that can allow for some subtle but ultimately profound shifts. It begins by identifying “the but problem.”

Yes, I spelled but correctly. I’m not referring to what you sit upon, but rather the word you give more power than it deserves.

The word “but” is an insidious and tricky villain. It appears to reassure, to justify a limitation.

“I’d love to work out every day but…”

It doesn’t matter what follows “but.” The word itself is an eraser. It disavows the words that came before it. When a client says, “I don’t want to miss a session but…” you know that translates to “I’m going to miss a session.”

It’s interesting how easily trainers develop the but-catching skill with their clients, but how oft-challenging it is for them to identify the but virus in themselves.

“I’d like to make more money but Phil doesn’t understand what it’s like to have all of the responsibilities I have.”

“I can be more successful but I live in a rural area where people just don’t have the money.”

“I can be prosperous but the blah blah blah is too blah blah blah.”

The words after “but” don’t matter, and the words before them are erased. “But” is actually a tricky carrier of the Aye Kant virus.

BETTER USE OF YOUR BUT Knowing that the word “but” disavows the words that come before it, with recognition of an existing but problem and a bit of diligence, you can reprogram the meaning the word holds for you. All you have to do is put the mindset limitation you want to erase BEFORE the BUT! “I used to believe my income was limited BUT I’m suddenly open to new possibility.”

“I was caught up in the belief that nobody around me had money to spend, BUT I’m discovering some new opportunities to earn significantly more.”

I know it sounds simplistic. The most effective strategies for change usually are.

I’ll conclude by saying this: of all of the things I’ve learned to change (exercise habits, nutritional strategies, lifestyle pursuits and support networks) the changes in mindset, belief systems and neural wiring have brought, far and away, the most profound results. Affecting mindset is the key to making the other changes pay off. The question is, are you willing to examine your own potential by revisiting your own “but habits?” Let me know.

Phil Kaplan offers programs, seminars and webinars on Betterment Solutions addressing exercise, mindset, nutrition and lifestyle. For more information go to phil@philkaplan.com and send him an email requesting further information.