PFP July/August 2015

PFP TRAINER OF THE YEAR: APPLICATION DEADLINE AUGUST 12!

JULY-AUGUST 2015 WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

HELPING YOU PROSPER AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL

THE WAVE OF MEDICAL FITNESS: don’t get left behind

MIND-BODY PROGRAMS

UNTAP THE POWER OF THE

MIND-BODY CONNECTION

that complement your training Fitness Business 101: A PFP 2015 7-part special series

JOURNEY TO SUCCESS Jacey Gengenbach: Inspiring life after adversity

PFP ONLINE Visit | www.fit-pro.com VOLUME 17 | ISSUE 5

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

Eating disorders: your role as a fitness professional Become an agent for sustainable change A simple mindset exercise that holds the power to create lasting change.

By Brian Grasso

POLL RESULTS What business aspect do you find most challenging?

23.1% 17.3%

OUR ONLINE COLUMNISTS

16.3%

Jump Start

by Brent Gallagher

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

Determining how much to charge

EXTRA

Juggling continuing education with business management

Training Wheels

Hiring Managing different client personalities

Career Builder

by Josh Bowen

Other

Visit: www.fit-pro.com to participate What is the primary age demographic of your clientele?

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

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEXT POLL

pfpmedia

Functionally Fit

by Brian Schiff

a. Under 21 years old b. 22-35 years old c. 36-55 years old d. 56-75 years old e. 75+ years old

4

VIDEO Exercise of the Week

18.4% 24.7%

Be the guide that can help someone find the help they need.

By Jodi Rubin

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pfpmedia pfpmedia pfpmedia

contributing writers

jr burgess, trina gray, nichole l’vov featured columnists

michelle blakely, greg justice, phil kaplan, jason karp, bedros keuilian, jonathan ross

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FOLLOW TOTY

Lindsay Vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com

Mindy Mylrea | www.mindymylrea.com

The 100 most creative people in business: here’s what’s missing.

On a recent flight home, I picked up a copy of Fast Company at the airport. The cover of the magazine boasted the cleverly versatile comedian, actress, author and entrepreneur, Amy Poehler. The focus of the issue was the “100 Most Creative People in Business.” A few pages in, there was a list of the most creative people the magazine has recognized since 2009. The list was divided by industry, so naturally, I skipped ahead to look for who they deemed the most creative in the fitness category. After all, I’d consider fitness a leading industry alongside that of technology, social media and marketing.

You can imagine my disappointment when the list under the “Sports & Fitness” category seemed pretty sparse in comparison to other industries; particularly those that are defined as more “creative” fields such as fashion and advertising.

This got me thinking: do we embrace or, better yet, encourage creativity in our profession? Do we push the limits of our creative minds in order to raise the bar and, more importantly, serve our clients in a more meaningful way?

Our annual mind-body issue is always one of my favorites. This is perhaps one of the most exciting and dynamic areas of growth for our profession because there is an increasing awareness among the general public of the intrinsic connection between the mind and body. Integrating the mind-body connection no longer simply refers to yoga and Pilates, but has expanded to an openness to health and lifestyle coaching, meditation, programs for stress management, work-life balance and strengthening one’s mindset. Training the physical body now is just one vehicle by which we can change our clients’ lives beyond muscle gain and fat loss. But it may just require a bit of creativity on our part.

Imagine if we focused more energy on how to creatively integrate the mind and body in our own practice. What if we carved out time daily or weekly to focus on how to creatively market our businesses to reach more people? Or if we collaborated with colleagues to come up with creative solutions for where there is need or a gap in service? Bottom line, tap into your creative mind and your success is virtually limitless.

Perhaps some of our features in this issue will spark your creativity: } Discover how to help clients suffering with chronic disease by integrating a Pilatesbased program. Nichole L’vov shares valuable insight. } Now more than ever, it’s time to get creative about how you can play a greater role in the health care of your clients. JR Burgess highlights ways you can move toward a medical-based fitness program. } Our Journey to Success featured professional, Jacey Gengenbach, will surely inspire you to be creative about how you can take challenge and adversity and turn it into success and purpose.

Enjoy this issue of PFP and let’s unleash our best creative selves… and maybe one day, you’ll be listed as one of the top “100 Most Creative People.”

Committed to your success,

Work-in, don’t work-out In this issue, 2015 PFP Trainer of the Year Mindy Mylrea shares with us her insight on the role of the mindbody connection in fitness.

Do you incorporate any mind-body elements in your clients’ training programs?

I incorporate mind-body elements in every part of my clients training. When creating a training protocol I first ask my client what their goals are, why they want to achieve these goals, and why have they not reached their goals previously. This information will lead to the first step to creating a mind-body experience. The body cannot be disconnected from the mind and setting goals creates a mind ready for success. I incorporate wellness coaching through a three-prong approach: 1) behavioral change, 2) nutritional support, and 3) the right exercise selection for fitness advancement with the mind and body both interconnected.

How do you incorporate the mind-body connection in your own life?

I work-in. I don’t work-out. I incorporate movement throughout my day that enhances the whole and not just the part. I have a stand-up work desk, I exercise for joy and to experience a connection with my body and nature. With everything being interconnected I move with a synergy with the world around me. I choose exercises that are functional in nature and train for movement. My breath, how I nourish myself, my thought and actions are all part of the whole.

What opportunities do you believe exist for fitness professionals to take advantage of the growing popularity for mind-body programs?

Mind-body workouts currently have a very narrow definition: yoga, Pilates, meditation. Mindbody workouts are any workout or movement that enlists thoughtfulness. For optimal success, all workouts should be considered mindbody integration. The fitness industry should be renamed the “wellness industry” because you cannot train just a part. Thankfully, we are now seeing that fitness without mindfulness is an isolated effort.

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CONTENTS

JULY-AUGUST 2015

Untap the power of the mind-body connection

FEATURES

OTHER Columns 08 Treadmill Talk

A shadow cannot exist without light

By Greg Justice

09 Top-Notch Training It’s a “no brainer”

By Michelle Blakely

10 Boost Your Business

Your right mind: what your business really needs

By Bedros Keuilian

10 Education Connection How to be a fitness expert

By Jason R. Karp

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Jacey Gengenbach: Fitness & Beyond Inspiring life after adversity

By Lindsay Vastola

30 Be Better

Blending opposites

By Phil Kaplan

Departments 05 Letter from the Editor The 100 most creative people in business: here’s what’s missing

07 Product Profile

16

Medical fitness: the emerging market

18

Keep your career ahead of the next wave in fitness

Another win for Pilates Giving hope to those suffering from chronic pain

By Nichole L’vov

By JR Burgess

20

Fitness Business 101 Special Series

Integrate mind/body programs that complement your training services

By Trina Gray

ActivMotion Bar

23 The Message Kyle Brown

24 Education Trends

Inspire desire for health: the future of health coaching

By Jonathan Ross

26 Exercise Spotlight

Lebert EQualizer – XL Total Body Strengthener

28 New on the Market 29 Events Calendar

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PROFILE: ACTIVMOTION BAR Website: www.activmotionbar.com | Email: derek@activmotionbar.com | Phone: 888.400.1045

ActivMotion Bars® and Disruptive Training™ are gaining momentum worldwide ment imbalances as they feel and hear the unstable weights in the bar move and constantly adjust. During more challenging core and strength exercises, the ActivMotion Bar is purposely tipped and tilted as the user bends and twists. Momentum generated by the bar’s internal weights helps activate the core and challenges multi-planar strength during these movements.

The ActivMotion Bar fitness tools and related Disruptive Training programs are growing exponentially in acceptance and accolades within the fitness industry, offering fresh and innovative products and programs for trainers in every fitness segment throughout the world.

ActivMotion Bars are patented, new fitness tools designed to meet the functional training needs of everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. They’re radically different from standard, solid fitness bars in features and performance. ActivMotion Bars are hollow and contain round steel weights inside that glide smoothly with every movement.

This creates a unique core-centered mind-muscle benefit that users feel and hear as they train. The dynamic, unstable nature of the bars produces greater fitness benefits than many standard fitness tools. In a recent University of Michigan research study, the ActivMotion Bar excelled, outperforming the standard solid fitness bar and medicine ball in every exercise, activating muscles of the core and extremities up to 173% more than these other tools.

ActivMotion Bars are the ideal functional training tool given their broad range of use and innovative, dynamic functionality. During balance exercises, the dynamic shifting resistance helps clients continuously connect their mind with their muscles to correct move-

The training system designed for use with ActivMotion Bars is called Disruptive Training. This system was created by some of the nation’s top fitness professionals, and progresses people through an array of phases that use the ActivMotion Bar in balance, core and strength movements.

Disruptive Training with the ActivMotion Bar teaches the body how to activate underactive stability and core muscles, integrate those muscles into everyday movement and react to an ever-changing environment. Disruptive Training CEC workshops can be attended at fitness conventions across the country, including IDEA World this July. The Disruptive Training System is also available on DVD; a copy is given to all trainers and facilities with every bar purchase.

ActivMotion Bars are rapidly emerging as the favored new fitness tool for all types of trainers and facilities. Large facilities like LifeTime Fitness and Sport & Health Clubs and many others have integrated ActivMotion Bars into their individual and group training offerings. Pilates studios around the country are adding and expanding elements to their mat and Reformer exercises and rave about the ActivMotion Bar’s mind-body and core activation benefits that comport solidly with the basic Pilates principles. Golf fitness trainers are using the ActivMotion Bars to improve their clients’ rotary range of motion and golf-specific core muscles. Professional and college teams like the Detroit Lions, Chicago White Sox and many collegiate universities are adding the ActivMotion Bars to their strength and conditioning programs with great success. Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products has just signed on as a distributor of the ActivMotion Bars, joining other catalogs like Perform Better and Power Systems. And the ActivMotion Bar steel balls are now “rolling” internationally, appearing in fitness clubs and facilities in Europe, Asia, Australia and beyond!

TREADMILL TALK Greg Justice | www.aycfit.com

A shadow cannot exist without light I have a quick challenge for you: Visit any diet or fitness website and quickly scroll through a few of the articles they have to offer. Chances are, within the first few seconds, you’ll find articles on “fighting” temptation, or “tricking” your body into feeling less hungry. In fact, there are usually so many examples of these articles that you’d think getting healthy is tantamount to waging mental warfare between mind and body.

But no matter what a client’s goal might be, it’s important not to “go to war” with trickery and battles. Instead, think of mind and body as each other’s yin and yang.

Many people think of yin and yang as opposing forces: light vs. dark, happiness vs. sadness, masculine vs. feminine. But in reality, yin and yang is about complementary forces; the idea that two dual forces can come together and form a stronger, more powerful whole. There can be no concept of light without the shadows and darkness; we cannot understand what true happiness is unless we’ve been sad; one cannot truly understand masculinity without understanding femininity. Simply, without one, there can be no other.

Mind and body are a dynamic system, where the whole is greater than its parts. Your mind cannot exist without your body; your body cannot function without the mind.

Help your clients apply this way of thinking to their journey to become healthier; to help them begin to see that they don’t need to trick their body into feeling less hungry, or fool their mind to beat those cravings. Mind and body make each other more powerful than if they were on their own.

Here is how you can help your clients apply this in practice: } Use your mind to pick up on the cues that your body is giving you. If your body is telling you that you’re too sore or feeling a strange twinge, give your mind permission to stop worrying over missing a workout. } Train your mind to give your body important cues. If your body feels hungry but you know you’re stressed, use that information to stop from stress-binging on your favorite snacks. } Teach your mind to be gentle with your body during your fitness regimen, especially if you’re just starting out. } On the other hand, teach your mind to go easy on your body when you’re having an off day. If you aren’t coming close to your personal record or just aren’t into your workout, let your mind give your body permission to rest and reset.

The mind and body need to be united in your efforts to get healthy.

Pay attention to both in equal measure.

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.

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

It’s a “no brainer” I asked a new client what made her last training experience a good one: “She really looked at me as a whole person. She took my life and personality into account.”

Would your clients say this about their training experience with you? This new client had great success with her last trainer specifically because she addressed both her mind and body. Successful clients are the lifeblood of your career. The mind-body connection is easy to access and incorporate when you consider you are training a person, not just a body.

Are you taking the whole person into account, right now, in your training? If not, I understand the hesitation. We are not therapists or friends to our clients; some of us resist incorporating the mind-body connection. We are hired to provide a service and facilitate change in the body and health of the client. To that end, though, isn’t using every resource available the best way to facilitate change? Exercise and movement is essential, of course, but lasting change and long-term success must involve the mind. The easiest way to do this? Open your ears to enlist the mind.

My two favorite tricks to ensure you are paying attention to the whole person: 1. Listen. How skilled are you at listening? In the fitness industry, we hear similar stories often. Client is out of shape, healthy living has fallen away, he/she needs help. As such, we tend to treat every client similarly. This is a mistake. Going into auto-pilot with our solutions could be a waste of their time and yours. There are big differences in how clients view change, view themselves and think about healthy living.

Taking the time to hear our client’s preferences and tendencies provides an opportunity. Listen well and fully. Then consider brainstorming solutions with your client. Really hearing what your clients need is the first step to helping. (Not your strong suit? Research listening exercises you can try with friends, family or colleagues.)

2. Listen. Again. As the first few weeks of training begin, watch the client’s body language, notice if they have a spring in their step or are managing the workouts better. Compliment them or adjust the program, if needed. Also, ask them about their progress outside the gym. Notice what is working and what is not and help them view any patterns objectively.

Using the brain-in-training is a gift both to your practice as a trainer and to your clients’ likelihood of success.

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

Your right mind: what your business really needs

How to be a fitness expert

If you want to run a successful business you need more than just skills. Yes, you need marketing that works, staff that won’t let you down and reliable systems that do not fail. But all of that will fall to pieces if your mind is not where it needs to be.

You are the captain of this ship, right?

The pilot of this plane, the driver of this car— no matter how great your system or employees, your fitness business can only be as good as you make it. So if your head is not right where in needs to be, then your business will never be where it needs to be.

So how do you get there? What steps can you take to make sure you’ve got your mind right?

1. Mercilessly manage your time Everyone gets the same 24 hours in every day— so why are some so much more productive than others? A huge secret to success is time management. Learn to shut out distractions, negative thoughts and people so that you can focus on what matters. Be ruthless with your time. If it isn’t something that grows your business then don’t waste your time. There’s no other way to ensure you have the time you need to finish everything on your list of priorities.

2. Don’t peak until the day you die Your best should always be yet to come. The message here is simple: forever remain a student. Keep learning and growing. Your best days aren’t behind you; they’re yet to come. Look toward the future and anticipate your finest accomplishments rather than reminiscing about the past. Never let adversity convince you that yesterday was the best you will ever be. Fight as hard as you need to make sure you’re always on your way up and never on your way down.

3. Stay motivated Don’t rely on people, accomplishments or random circumstances to keep you driven and motivated to succeed. You’re going to hit long periods of difficulty or even failure. If you stay motivated you won’t have any trouble pushing past discouragement and toward accomplishment. Surround yourself with hugely successful peers and you will have all the motivation you could ever need. When you are encircled by everyone else’s success you’ll want your own more than ever.

4. Keep increasing your standards Every time your work meets your highest expectations, double them. Never let yourself settle into good when you could keep pushing for better, and don’t let self-satisfaction spoil your entrepreneurial spirit. Yes, recognize your accomplishment, but always make sure your next task accomplishes even more. Fervently follow this last piece of advice and everything else will naturally fall into place.

Recently, I was browsing the weight loss books in Barnes & Noble and found three books stacked next to each other on the shelf that made the following claims on their covers: “Lose up to 10 pounds in 21 days.”

“Lose up to 14 pounds in 28 days.”

“Lose up to 10 pounds in just 2 weeks.”

I guess if your clients want to lose weight as fast as possible, they should buy the one that makes the third claim since that one gives them the most rapid rate of weight loss.

The fitness and weight loss industry is filled with this kind of propaganda. “Fitness experts” and “celebrity trainers” are all over the place, and they’re quick to tell you how to lose fat, build muscle, and keep your metabolism revved long after your workout is over. Unfortunately, much of what they say or write is wrong.

When you become a fitness professional, it can be intimidating. After all, you have a direct impact on other people’s health. People pay you for your knowledge. Where is that knowledge supposed to come from when the language of marketing and celebrity obstructs the truth?

The answer, unfortunately, is often buried in obscure academic journals and textbooks that few people outside of academia ever read.

Part of the problem is that many scientists don’t know how to communicate with industry professionals – but they have a wealth of knowledge. Professional conferences are another way to educate yourself.

Spend time reading, learning, absorbing information, asking questions and contextualizing the information you learn. This is not an easy or fast process, but it is a long-lasting one.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started working in the fitness industry was that I thought I knew a lot. Once you have a particular concept set in your head it’s very hard to open your mind to other possibilities and answers. You get stuck in a rut. But to keep learning and discovering you have to break the rules that you set for yourself. If you assume something is true or think you know it all, that assumption leads to other assumptions and fallacious ideas. You need to always keep an open mind. Sometimes, it’s helpful to pretend like you don’t know anything at all.

As for those claims made by the weight loss books in Barnes & Noble… I really hope publishers don’t think America is that stupid. Since it takes a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose a single pound, it’s not possible to lose weight (and keep it off) at the rate the books advertise unless you starve yourself and exercise all day long and become severely dehydrated.

I think my next book is going to say on its cover, “Lose 10 pounds in an hour!” Now that would generate some sales.

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

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JACEY GENGENBACH CURRENT TITLE: Owner, Fitness & Beyond, LLC

CERTIFICATIONS: N.S.C.A.-CPT*D (Re-certified with Distinction), Delay the Disease Parkinson’s Fitness Program Certified Instructor

EDUCATION: Creighton University

FAVORITE WORKOUT EQUIPMENT: Vectra Functional Trainer (VX-FT 2 stack)

FAVORITE QUOTE OR SAYING:

FITNESS

BEYOND Inspiring life after adversity

“Success is a state of mind...if you do things with heart everything leads to success.”

CONTACT: www.fitnessandbeyondomaha.com Facebook: @jaceyfitnessandbeyond Twitter: @fitnessbeyondNE

I

met Jacey Gengenbach at the Club Industry Show in Chicago last October; she was a top three for our PFP Trainer of the Year award. Alongside her making the trip from Omaha, Nebraska was her then five-year-old son, Tristan, and her father.

All I knew about Jacey at that point was what I had read in her impressive application, a few casual email exchanges and what I saw on Facebook. But as she and her proud father sat waiting anxiously to get on stage for the announcement (and while watching Tristan run around with a smile like any kid would in a big convention hall), we had a chance to briefly chat.

While the conversation was mostly about what she’s doing at her studio Fitness & Beyond, what she was planning to do while in Chicago, and sharing stories about being moms to spunky little boys, I could tell there was so much more depth to who Jacey Gengenbach really was beyond a great fitness professional.

When I had the opportunity to interview Jacey, there was one word that seemed to perfectly describe every step of Jacey’s journey to success: beyond.

BEYOND TRAINING In 1994, as a senior in high school, Jacey was inspired to enter the field of health and wellness when she had the opportunity to shadow a physical therapist. While a student at Creighton University, she continued as a physical therapy aide and a student member of the athletic medicine team. She eventually became the assistant trainer for the women’s soccer team, then the co-trainer for the women’s softball team and finally earned her way to head trainer for the men’s baseball team.

Wanting to expand her knowledge beyond physical therapy, Jacey began looking to work with different populations. She began working at a local health club and soon after took the leap and became an independent fitness professional. For the next 11 years, Jacey worked with people of all ages as a one-on-one and group trainer.

In 2002, Jacey’s father was diagnosed with colon cancer. The following year, based on her personal experience with caring for a loved one with cancer, she was asked to create and integrate a safe and effective fitness program specifically for those living with cancer. This was a catalyst to discovering her passion for working with populations living with chronic diseases.

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It was in 2005 when Jacey had her first client diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). She immediately immersed herself in researching and understanding the disease. She sought out community services, local healthcare professionals specializing in PD and attended as many symposiums and workshops offered.

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The fact that Nebraska had one of the highest prevalence of PD in the nation, yet had so few resources for those living with the disease, frustrated her greatly, so she began writing specialized fitness programs for PD and began offering specialized classes in a small personal training studio.

Word quickly spread that Jacey was the go-to fitness professional who could help those with PD. Her fitness programs improved their overall health and mood and delayed the onset of symptoms. Perhaps most empowering to Jacey was that beyond training people with PD she had created a safe, trusting place for those liv-

ing with PD as well as their caretakers who could connect and find community and comradery.

It was when Jacey was asked to be the lead exercise expert for the Parkinson’s Health Development Program that she realized what she was doing was beyond fitness training.

Her client had a dream to create the organization that would be run by the PD community offering exercise classes for those living with PD as well as their spouses and caregivers at a reduced fee. Jacey played a lead role in developing a comprehensive fitness program that took a team approach with doctors and resource networks. For the last seven years Jacey has continued to teach classes specifically for people with PD, has become a trusted advocate for the PD community and their caregivers as well as a respected resource of physicians and PD-focused organizations.

BEYOND FITNESS In 2013, Jacey knew it was time to take a step forward and opened one of the few exclusive private personal training studios in Omaha, Fitness & Beyond. Many of her current clients are still those who started with her nearly 15 years ago.

Fitness & Beyond is not only a thriving fitness studio, but has become a support location for those with PD as well as for their families and caregivers. Her vision is to continue offering more than just physical exercise and to continue serving aging adults and those with chronic disease… and simply to be a fun, happy place for them to be.

Jacey has also been a featured speaker at many Parkinson’s organizations and has participated in studies and surveys about the benefits of exercise for those stricken with the disease.

She is the bridge between active aging adults and the medical community and is dedicated to bringing attention to both the fitness and medical industries about the necessity of taking a team approach to active, healthy aging.

BEYOND ADVERSITY Jacey’s journey to success has been far from easy. Her resilience and perseverance have been tested both personally and professionally.

In November 2012, Jacey was the victim of a brutal domestic violence assault. Her then threeyear-old son witnessed the event. She suffered permanent injuries and her world was completely turned upside-down. Amid taking care of

her son, working a heavy client load, attending medical and dental appointments and attending court proceedings, she was also in the process of opening her studio a few short months later.

There came a point where she even questioned whether she should continue with her career and give up opening her business. Instead of giving up, she decided to move beyond adversity and kept moving forward, one foot at a time.

Turning this life-altering event into an opportunity to make a difference, Jacey has met with a Nebraska state senator and Omaha’s chief of police in order to bring awareness of domestic violence in her community. She serves on the board of directors of the Domestic Violence Council and has testified before the legislature to change a significant domestic violence law.

She tirelessly gives back to her community.

There is no doubt that Jacey’s own story of resilience and perseverance is the same resilience and perseverance she inspires in her clients living and fighting chronic disease as well as victims of domestic violence. She continues to move beyond barriers and think beyond the conventional approaches to fitness. Jacey inspires us to remember that there is life beyond adversity.

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MEDICAL FITNESS: THE EMERGING MARKET Keep your career ahead of the next wave in fitness

W

ith all the uncertainty regarding the sustainability and future of the healthcare system, fitness professionals are beginning to see a unique opportunity. The obesity epidemic and the incidence of chronic disease and injury have forced the need for a preventable, medically integrated and outcome-based model of medical fitness. Most medical professionals and healthcare administrators understand the impact healthy eating and exercise can have in the management and prevention of chronic disease, but the integration of these two professions have largely remained segregated up to this point. The goal is to combine the science of medicine with the physiology and endocrinology of the body to develop a healthcare model that creates permanent changes, heals degenerative conditions and restores health and vitality to patients.

For fitness professionals, there is a profound opportunity to capture a part of the market that is typically terrified to walk into an average gym or studio, and may feel equally terrified to train. However, the

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BY JR BURGESS

unparalleled unique selling position of a medically integrated facility lends a level of credibility, authority and trust that will set one apart from almost all competition.

Weight loss is a billion dollar industry. Any product and service that a physician stands behind has an immediate trust factor that elevates that product beyond simple claims of benefits. It’s estimated that in the next ten years every healthcare organization will have a facility and program dedicated to the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related disease. (Pamela Kufahl, Editor-in-Chief, Club Industry, 2011) Fitness professionals may consider three ways to become involved in the medical fitness field:

healthcare professionals in their community who may have interest in adding medical fitness to their practice.

Fitness professionals in these facilities will be asked to absorb the science and interpretation of medical tests that may include: all major biometric markers, metabolic testing, Vo2 Max, HRV (Heart Rate Variability), DPA (Digital Pulse Analyzer), BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer), hormonal testing, food sensitivity testing, sleep studies, EKG’s, stress test and more. These tools are used to accurately progress, monitor and treat patients along their journey. Below are a few considerations for fitness professionals to become better equipped to handle the growing need for medically integrated facilities:

Become employed by an existing center

1. Become familiar with medical terminology to better communicate on a team alongside prescribing doctors, physical and/or occupational therapists and other health professionals.

2. Understand federal statutes such as HIPAA, STARK and Anti-Kickback laws and regulations.

3. Commit to continuing education. The

Several hospital systems have wellness centers that lend opportunity for employment. In addition, many physical therapists, chiropractic clinics and independent practices are looking to add fitness professionals as the next step in care for patients, as well as offer additional streams of revenue in a competitive market.

Alternatively, one can actively seek out

Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults published by the NIH, NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative or the Functional Aging Institute are among the certifications that prepare trainers for safely progressing patients that are members of medical fitness centers.

4. Have a solid comprehension of exercise progression from physical therapy or cardiac rehab to integrated functional movement to restore a client’s quality of life or athletic performance.

Partner with a physician/medical group When partners are both invested in a business model, you see the maximum amount of referrals sent both ways. The major benefit from a medical fitness center is the steady influx of referrals for consultations from the medical providers. External marketing of the fitness programs has shown an even greater benefit for the growth of a clinic. Over 50% of all new fitness patients are integrated into the medical clinic setting due to identified risk factors, baseline tracking of overall health markers, health optimization and evidence-based

methodologies that allow programming for better outcomes. This team-based integration of medicine with fitness to develop comprehensive treatment and training programs will not only yield better results for clients , but will differentiate this type of business from local competition.

Own a medical fitness facility One could hire a medical provider at an hourly rate to provide cash-based services. If one would want to have patients use medical insurance, the owner would need to create a non-profit or a management contract with a physician group because most states require a licensed medical provider to own an independent practice. The medical management group would bill the patients’ insurance carrier for services rendered and the owner would negotiate a fair percentage for his role in the management arrangement (generating patients, space, and equipment). For example, the owner could pay a medical provider to be available to see patients one or more days weekly. Check with local and state regulations before pursuing this model.

While it is difficult to predict the future of our healthcare system, current evidence and trends

support that this integration lends to enormous opportunity for the pioneers and early adopters. There are thousands of practices looking for new cash-based revenue streams and to improve patient outcomes. Our culture and future societal needs have been brewing the “perfect storm.” The compelling argument for adding medical fitness may be the best answer for the immediate future.

If you’re considering owning your own medical fitness facility, be sure to read “7 considerations before opening a medical fitness facility” on www.fit-pro.com.

JR Burgess is the CFO/VP of Rejuv Medical and President of MedFit. Partnering with Dr. Joel Baumgartner MD, they developed a successful

medical

practice

that integrates medical fitness. The mission is to help change the future of healthcare using exercise and nutrition as medicine and are sharing their model to the world through licensee and franchise opportunities. www.rejuvmedical.com, www.mymedfit.com

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JULY-AUGUST 2015 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 17

ANOTHER WIN FOR PILATES GIVING HOPE TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC PAIN

BY NICHOLE L’VOV

C

hristine used to wake up so stiff and in pain that it was difficult to get out of bed.

Fifteen years ago, she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia – a chronic pain illness with symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, fatigue and sleep problems. “Pilates has completely changed how I feel. It brings relief not only physically but also mentally. Pilates is an important aspect of managing my symptoms.”

Chronic pain is virtually an epidemic in the United States. According to Painmed.org, over 100 million Americans are suffering with chronic pain. Lower back pain, unresolved injuries, auto-immune disorders like Fibromyalgia or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or any other painful physical condition that is not resolving in the body are all types of chronic pain. Even bad posture and certain types of professions can contribute to chronic pain in individuals.

Studies have shown that Pilates can have a positive effect in the lives of those suffering from chronic pain. One six-week study about chronic back pain showed that Pilates reduces pain, improves overall fitness levels and general health and increases flexibility and proprioception.

Even the National Fibromyalgia Association recommends Pilates as a way to cope with symptoms. The concurrent stretching and contracting of the muscles is a very effective way to reduce muscle and joint pain.

Pilates is a unique form of mind-body exercise developed by Joseph Pilates in the early twentieth century. As Joseph states in his book, Return to Life, it seeks to create a “uniform development of our bodies as a whole”

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and is “the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.” Using various apparatus, such as the reformer, a customized program can be tailored to the client with chronic pain.

The assistance of roll-down bars, springs with leg loops and other apparatus tools aid the client in maintaining good form and alignment. The support of the equipment allows clients who might not otherwise be able to hold certain positions, to gain strength and flexibility faster without exacerbating pain symptoms. Pilates is safe for most clients because it is low impact and many of the movements are done in a supine or seated position. The focus on core strength and stability is a strong component of every workout and the key to bringing balance and center back to the body. In addition, improved posture relieves chronic pain in many clients.

In order to understand what Pilates is, one needs to explore the fundamentals of the Pilates method. These fundamentals are the pathway to helping clients with chronic pain.

BREATH: Movement for many with chronic pain can create anxiety. This anxiety manifests in the body in the form of muscle guarding and faulty compensation patterns. Many clients are so stressed that they are not able to breathe fully. In fact, they may be holding their breath, particularly while exercising. Completely inflating and subsequently “wringing out” the lungs is a fundamental of the Pilates method. This can have a profound effect on the client when they are fully able to breathe in this way. Bringing oxygenated air to the lungs feeds the muscles and increases circulation. Many times the client’s body has been “cut off” from this process.

FOCUS: Pilates requires the client to use the mind to focus on the smaller, deeper muscles in the body. It requires total focus for the entire hour. Many clients say that they feel they’ve taken a nap after the session because for an entire hour they haven’t thought about their problems. Those who usually neglect themselves for others find it especially healing to have the time focused on themselves. Pilates gives them a chance to nurture and give back to their bodies.

CONTROL: Through focus, we find control over the body. Many people with chronic pain or illness feel that they no longer have control over their bodies. It doesn’t function “normally.” With each small success through the Pilates repertoire, whether it is mastering the single leg circle without pelvic movement or performing a teaser on the reformer, the client regains the sense of control over their body. It is a powerful feeling to be able to move the body in a way they never thought possible. This creates not only a sense of accomplishment for the client but builds confidence that their body will do what they ask of it without pain.

ALIGNMENT AND STABILIZATION: Teaching correct alignment and bringing balance to the musculature of the body is the foundation of the Pilates method. Removing faulty movement patterns and improving posture always change in the client whether they have pain or not. Many clients find that their low back pain comes from bad habits and posture. They find instant relief once Pilates rebuilds balanced strength and flexibility in their bodies. Many of the movements emphasize stabilization - hold-

ing one part of the body while letting another part move freely. For example, raising the arms above the head shouldn’t allow the shoulders to creep up to the ears (scapular stabilization) and a supine single leg circle should be done without excess rocking of the pelvis (pelvic stabilization). This technique frees-up sticky joints and encourages full range of motion in those joints.

CENTERING: Centering has two meanings in Pilates. On a physical level, it is about moving from your center (or core) and radiating out to the extremities. Activating from the “powerhouse” creates stable and balanced movement. There are no sloppy or jerky movements in Pilates. On a spiritual level, centering means finding balance in oneself.

Learning to balance the body tends to enhance the client’s understanding of finding balance in all ways in their life. It is powerful to see the changes in clients psychologically and spiritually through practicing Pilates. It is as if they are re-patterning their minds as they are re-patterning their bodies.

pain. Mat classes are not appropriate initially because they require the use of one’s own body weight and do not provide the support for the body that the equipment does. Private lessons are the best way to see results quickly.

Nowadays Christine might wake up feeling like she’d rather stay in bed but she knows that coming to Pilates can make the rest of her day more productive. “My body always feels better after my workout than it did when I came in.” Another success story for Pilates.

Nichole L’vov is a PMA certified Pilates instructor and has run her own studio, Inner Strength Pilates, in Hightstown, New Jersey since 2007. She will soon finish the Pilates Master Mentor Program with Lolita San Miguel (Pilates elder), giving her the esteemed title of Second Generation Master Pilates Instructor. She enjoys working with elderly and deconditioned clients who may not otherwise exercise but who are seeking a new pathway to movement. www.ispilates.com

PRECISION: Precise form is what differentiates Pilates from most kinds of exercise. Many movements are performed for only 6-10 reps.

Joseph Pilates believed that overworking muscles to fatigue brought “poison” to the body.

In clients with chronic pain, this is especially important because they are not able to tolerate large amounts of repetitions or to maintain positions for long periods of time. Pilates moves the body through all planes of motion in a one-hour workout and requires exact form to get the fullest out of each exercise. Teachers use tactile and verbal cueing to guide the client to achieve ultimate form each time they move.

FLOW: Pilates emphasizes smooth transitions from movement to movement, which can almost give a sense of dancing on the equipment. Many clients say they feel a sense of joy doing Pilates. It is perhaps because there are no jerky, jarring movements and each exercise transitions gracefully into the next. This can teach a client that going with the “flow” in life is a positive thing. Many clients with chronic pain are not moving freely in their bodies; Pilates gives that sense back to them.

Incorporating Pilates into a client’s existing exercise routine can only enhance any other exercise or sports they may be participating in. The reduced pain and increased flexibility and strength from Pilates carries through to other workouts. Private apparatus lessons with a certified Pilates instructor are the first step for any client with chronic

JULY-AUGUST 2015 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 19

PART 5 OF PFP’S 2015 SPECIAL 7-PART SERIES:

FITNESS BUSINESS 101

By Trina Gray 2015 SPECIAL SERIES SPONSOR

www.sportsfitness.com

INTEGRATE MIND-BODY PROGRAMS THAT COMPLEMENT YOUR TRAINING SERVICES CASE STUDY: LIFESTYLE COACHING TO SUCCEED BEYOND FITNESS

W

e know that our clients’ results go beyond the scale and measuring tape — we transform bodies and lives. With our guidance, our clients are able to take control of their health, reduce medications, get mentally and physically stronger and truly live better. To do so, we need to make sure our business offerings are diverse enough to promote more than just exercise and weight loss. We need to offer mindful programs and services that allow our clients to have success beyond the numbers.

Adding lifestyle coaching to your new or existing business will complement your current fitness services as well as increase the opportunity

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for additional revenue. Whether you are a solo fitness professional, work at a facility or own a studio, there are several easy strategies to integrate lifestyle coaching as a mind-body service for your clients. You do not need to become a therapist or even a certified life coach to engage people in meaningful, simple ways outside of their workouts.

Why integrate lifestyle coaching?

1. When we help our clients become more in-tune with their bodies and emotions, great things happen. We open their eyes to how they feel after they exercise; from reduced stress levels to more patience with others to having greater confidence. These “intangibles” show them much greater value in us as professionals.

2. When our clients are happy with their physi-

cal results, they are happy with us. But when they appreciate the influence that fitness has on the rest of their day, they tell others about us. They become our raving fans because we have a place in their lives. This promotes client retention and referrals.

3. When we unearth changes in our clients beyond tone and fat loss, we feel rewarded and more purposeful. We grow into health and wellness experts in addition to personal trainers.

4. Quite simply, it is just smart business to coach beyond fitness. Our clients are humans, not just bodies. They need more than push-ups and battle ropes. They need to be aware of the value of living fit. You will do them justice and you will open up new revenue streams in your business by serving their greater needs.

Case study: Angie Dubie Here is an example of a client who participated in physical training in boot camps and group fitness classes. She also enjoyed online lifestyle coaching in a private Facebook group, where she was encouraged to check-in on her wins from the day including water intake, fitness, stress levels and mood. The group was moderated by a coach and included a small tribe of other clients. She felt guidance from an expert and support from peers. The combination of the two coaching methods created magic in her life.

In her own words, fitness saved Angie Dubie from loneliness and depression.

After her divorce, she was struggling. She used to spend each day with her three daughters, but with split custody she suddenly found herself turning to alcohol and partying to fill the void. Angie was gaining weight, losing control and liking herself less and less.

She reached out to a counselor who suggested finding a healthy way to deal with the loneliness. Angie began by joining a fitness program. Fitness had never been a part of her life and she did not know anyone at the club, but she knew something had to change.

Instantly she felt accepted and uplifted. She jumped into group exercise classes, boot camps

and even a supportive weight loss challenge. She worked out and connected with her new fit friends in a private Facebook group between workouts.

Having the connection to people outside the workouts helped her make better choices during the rest of her day and made her feel like she belonged. She met people who inspired her and believed in her. Angie felt her stress decrease and happiness take over. Plus, she lost 15 pounds.

Angie was faced with adversity, but a variety of fitness and coaching support helped her fight through it.

Lifestyle coaching and support is not just a solution for women. Male clients struggle with their weight and poor health in ways more than physical. When offered both fitness training and lifestyle support, they become more committed. The following case study features a man who not only overhauled his medical file; he lightened up his life by getting healthy. He participated in a 21-day program that combined fitness training, online lifestyle support and even live roundtable discussions after the workouts.

to seeing the scale go up and down, but when it hit 235 pounds he was embarrassed. Getting dressed for work quickly became the most dreadful part of his day. He could barely squeeze into his dress pants. Romeo was also living with psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and high cholesterol. He knew his unhealthy lifestyle was making these conditions worse.

Romeo joined a 21-day program and created new, healthy habits, including cutting back on alcohol, snacks and incorporating daily fitness into his busy schedule. He attended workouts, stayed for live roundtable discussions and checked-in at night in a private Facebook group. One night, the participants were asked to share two words to describe how they were feeling. He said “empowered and in control.�

That signified his changing tide. Fitness was no longer a punishment or a hassle; it was a gift.

Today, Romeo is 26 pounds lighter, stronger than ever, his arthritis has eased and his psoriasis is under control. Romeo is happy to live a healthy, fit life with his family.

Case study: Romeo Bourdage For Romeo, the tipping point was a pair of size 40 pants.

This high school assistant principal was used

How to integrate lifestyle coaching Adding lifestyle coaching to any existing training program is a great way to be more relevant in your clients’ lives. Online groups can be used

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to educate and inspire clients outside of their workouts. This can be done in private Facebook groups, group emails or group texts. This can also be done on an individual basis.

Best practices might include posting a motivational quote each morning in the group to get their day started right, sharing a quote from Pinterest, or creating your own graphic with an original picture and a quote using a simple phone app, such as Aviary or Font Candy. To personalize your messages even more, post short videos straight from your smart phone so your clients can hear and see your energy and excitement. This will foster their healthy mindset for the day.

In online lifestyle groups, you can also share recipes for healthy eating and educate on the value of hydration, proper sleep and even stretches and warm-ups. Have clients post twice per day and ask them to comment and share their reaction to the lesson. Ask questions about their lives, such as what activities are they able to enjoy now that they are feeling more fit, or what is the best compliment they have received since getting on track with their fitness.

They love to share and deserve the praise.

Another successful practice is to offer post-workout roundtables. Have clients sit or stand in a circle and share what they are most proud of from their week. The answers

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are rarely about sweat; you’ll likely hear that they woke up with more energy, were more pleasant at home or skipped over the doughnuts at work.

By adding lifestyle coaching, particularly in a group setting, your clients will get to know each other as moms, dads, grandparents, students and members of the community. You can raise the cost of your programs or services to account for the extra time and energy spent by you and your team to moderate the groups and lead the discussions. This adds extra revenue to your budget. But the real return is in adding value to your training business and differentiating yourself in a crowded marketplace.

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

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

Part 4 | June Trina Gray is a leading fitness entrepreneur who owns the award-winning Bay Athletic Club in Alpena, Michigan. She is a national presenter, writer, creator of the Corporate Fit Challenge system and sought after mentor. Trina is the founder of Team Rockstar Fit, a mastermind group for on-line fitness and nutrition coaches. Trina received the prestigious CEO Award from Team Beachbody last year out of 200,000 fitness coaches. She is a savvy business owner and leader to thousands. www.TrinaGray.com

Select the client management system that fits your business

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

Miss an issue? Read our digital issues at http://www.fit-pro.com”

THE MESSAGE Website: www.fit365.com, www.strive4fitness.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/strive4fitness | Twitter: @fit365shake, @kylebrownespn

Even more impressive than Kyle Brown’s clientele is his passion for sharing his message of empowerment. He is the founder of FIT 365 shakes, creator of Real Celebrity Fitness, speaker for Fortune 500 companies, author in top-ranking fitness magazines and host of ESPN Radio’s “The Empower Hour.” Here is how Kyle shares his message of self-confidence through a healthy, strong body.

My ideal client is someone vulnerable enough to dig deep into their mindset and challenge their habits and core beliefs, yet motivated enough to achieve OMG-level results in all aspects of life. I believe this is why I’ve been able to be a fitness and nutrition expert for Hollywood’s elite, professional and Olympic athletes, top CEOs and busy moms.

My message is that self-confidence comes from building a powerful mind in a healthy, strong body. I’ll not only be your personal trainer and nutritionist, I’ll be your success coach. I’ll help you look and feel your best while you develop the mindset to create unlimited opportunities and achieve ultimate success and happiness.

If I had only one way to share my message it would be professional speaking. Nothing fires me up more than the connection of face-to-face. Nothing beats watching the mental shift of the audience when I speak from frustration and confusion about fitness and nutrition to empowerment, laughter, big picture thinking and belief that they will achieve their dreams.

Successful messaging meets the listener where they are and helps guide them to where they want to be. It doesn’t provide the answers, but makes the listener ask themselves the right questions to ignite a fire within.

Photo Credit: Noel Daganta

People follow me because I’m a trendsetter. An authentic, family guy whose passion is to empower you to live the life you want, the way you want it… not to get likes for selfies. People are starting to see through the snake oil salesmen (and women) and seek out leaders vulnerable with their own journey who never give up.

EDUCATION TRENDS Jonathan Ross | www.AionFitness.com, www.AbsRevealed.com

Inspire desire for health: the future of health coaching I recently heard a volleyball coach tell his team, “Since our big tournament is coming up in a few weeks, we need to work on conditioning and I’m going to start working you really hard – harder than you’re used to – for the last 15 minutes of practice. And you’re not going to like it.”

Then I watched a group of 15-year-old girls silently stare at the floor with sagging shoulders and silently grumble in anticipation of the next few weeks’ practices, not looking forward to practice in a sport they love.

Great coaching inspires greatness, it does not demand it. A better coach might tell these athletes that they need to work on conditioning because he wants the only possible reason they will lose is that they played a team with better skill, not because they got fatigued at critical points of a match. That approach may inspire a desire to work hard in the athletes rather than dread the coming effort.

Coaching is the future of personal training, especially for one-onone training. With the population skewing older in age and heavier in weight, fitness professionals who can successfully inspire desire for health behaviors from within will have great success. These are the two largest untapped markets in fitness and they aren’t buying what we’ve been selling for the last several decades. (It doesn’t make it bad – it’s just not the best approach for these populations.)

Coaching focuses a client on their strengths, the future and the change process rather than focus on the past, deficits and directing the client by telling him/her what to do.

Coaching asks powerful yet simple, thought-provoking questions to elicit useful discoveries within the client. Further, it allows you to put the client in charge of their actions and helps you collaborate with the client to set the size of a behavior small enough that they are motivated and willing to do it, but large enough to still have an impact. This makes people want to change.

One big misstep we often make in the fitness industry is trying to get people to love exercise as much as we do. They don’t need to love it, they just need to get a little crush on it. To find lasting change, they absolutely cannot hate it the way most people do now. Nothing you view as drudgery, a chore or displeasing will ever get done enough to become a lasting behavior.

Coaching uses a different approach: Elicit – Provide – Elicit. The coach first asks for permission to present information and ask open-ended questions to understand what the client already knows on the topic (elicit). Then the coach provides relevant information to the client in small doses (provide). The coach then checks with the client to assess understanding and the response to the information (elicit).

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Coaching changes the way you ask for, receive and deliver information and changes the tone of your interactions with clients. I’ve been using coaching techniques for many years and love how it challenges me and opens up new avenues to access the best in the people I work with.

Seek health coaching certifications and resources that give you both the credential to engage with allied health professionals in a health coach capacity and a deep well of practical strategies to expand your coaching ability.

There are a number of non-fitness professionals such as dietitians, nurses and physical therapists that are pursuing health coach certification. If more fitness professionals have this, it can accelerate collaboration of professional relationships through the enhanced credibility imparted from sharing a certification.

One common concern is the notion that coaching seems like therapy. It is not. Coaches believe clients have strengths, solutions and answers inside of them and help bring them to the surface. Therapy looks back to find what caused what is broken and fix it. Health coaches partner with clients using a collaborative, thought-provoking process to help individuals discover their internal motivation and enhance their overall levels of health and well-being.

Therapy fixes what is broken; coaching uncovers strengths.

Jonathan Ross’ “800 Pounds of Parents” directly inspired his prolific fitness career. He is a twotime Personal Trainer of the Year Award-Winner (ACE and IDEA), brain fitness expert and blogger for ACE and Discovery Fit & Health, and master trainer for ACE, SPRI and Tabata Bootcamp. His book, Abs Revealed, delivers a modern, intelligent approach to abdominal training. A former astronomer, Jonathan used to study stellar bodies – now he builds them! www.AionFitness.com, www.AbsRevealed.com.

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

EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER Education and certification opportunities for fitness and mind-body professionals

Functional Aging Institute Are you missing out on training the most lucrative population in history? Don’t be left behind grab your Functional Aging Starter Kit today for FREE! Learn tips to reach and train the population most in need of your fitness services, with the greatest financial resources and free control of their time.

Functional Aging Institute www.functionalaginginstitute.com

For information on how to get listed in the Education Resource Center, please contact susan@rbpub.com.

Expand Your Knowledge – Maintain Your Certification Give your clients, athletes, and group class participants the customized programs that address their needs and help them achieve results. Browse our hundreds of continuing education courses for field and lab assessments to guide your exercise prescription, specific exercises for all abilities/conditions, novel training protocols, and proven motivational strategies. Visit the DSWFitness/Human Kinetics Continuing Education web site to search by price range, certifying organization, subject area, or product format.

DSWFitness/Human Kinetics Continuing Education 800.873.6758 www.HumanKinetics.com/Continuing-Education

PFP Presents Affordable Teaching Certifications from FiTOUR! FiTOUR® has prepared over 100,000 part-time and full-time professionals to enter and stay involved in the health and fitness industry by providing exceptionally priced certifications and renewals. Each certification includes: study material, an IDEA e-membership, same-day in-home testing, and a printable certification. Renew for only $25!

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Become a Mind Body Specialist Earning an ACE Mind Body Specialty Certification will help you deliver holistic wellness programs based on movements that improve posture, build strength and reduce stress. With the number of yoga and Pilates participants soaring to 22.9 million in the past decade, specializing in mind body exercise can help you cater to the growing number of people searching for a more balanced approach to health and wellness. Become an expert in yoga and Pilates to strengthen the core, build muscle, and fuel an internal connection with one’s self. To learn more about becoming an ACE Mind Body Specialist, contact: American Council on Exercise 888.825.3636 www.ACEfitness.org

Run-Fit Specialist Certification.

The Run-Fit SpecialistTM certification, developed by running expert and IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year Dr. Jason Karp, provides education for personal trainers, group exercise instructors, and coaches. Offered as either a home-study course or one-day workshop, it covers everything about running, including physiology, technique, workouts, injuries, nutrition, and women-specific training. Becoming a Run-Fit SpecialistTM enables you to teach Run-Fit Training classes and shows you how to design training programs for weight loss and for 5Ks to marathons.

Run-Fit 619.546.8386 http://run-fit.com/runfitspecialist

EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT Exercises designed by Lebert Fitness

Lebert EQualizer – XL Total Body Strengthener The Lebert EQualizer – XL Total Body Strengthener is a portable, versatile and multipurpose strength training tool that works your arms, chest, back and core muscles using your own body weight as resistance. The EQ-XL adds a new dimension to boot camps, HIIT training, group fitness and personal training. The EQ-XL is perfect for those who want greater range of motion in their exercises or anyone greater than 6-feet tall. The EQ-XL allows for a deeper stretch in dips and full extension in vertical rows making those exercises more effective. Each bar weighs nine pounds and is 32 inches tall. It is tested to support up to 400 pounds of body weight.

Vertical row

Place the Lebert EQualizer close to each other with the base touching and open about one foot on the other end. Lie down between them with your head just past the base that is touching. With your feet flat, knees bent and hips up (bridge) reach up and grip the foam handles. Pull yourself up as high as you can keeping your head and hips in the same line.

Pause at the top and slowly lower.

Decline chest press

With one Lebert EQualizer on its side, place your hands on the sides of the bar and place your feet on the other standing EQ. Slowly lower until arms are bent to 90 degrees, pause and squeeze arms towards center like a chest fly and press up. Keep your core tight, back straight and look out slightly in front of you.

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For more information, visit www.lebertfitness.com, 905.812.0555

Incline chest press

With the Lebert EQualizer parallel to each other place your hands on outside curve of the bars. On your toes and keeping your back straight, slowly lower until arms are bent to 90 degrees, pause and press up. Do not look down. Keep your neck straight by looking out slightly in front of you.

Tricep extension

Kneel down with single Lebert EQualizer bar in front of you. Place hands (palms down) just outside the foam grips and drop hips, load abs and engage the lats.

Slowly lower forehead to the foam grip, pause and press back up, keeping weight forward so core continues to be engaged and weight is on the triceps.

Dips

With the Lebert EQualizer parallel to each other and standing between them, place your hands on the foam grips. Bring your heels towards your butt (off the floor) and make sure your shoulders are down and back. Slowly lower until arms are bent to 90 degrees, pause and press up.

Hip extension

Lie down and place heel of shoes on the foam pad of a single Lebert EQualizer.

Make sure to flex shins (dosiflex) and press heels down into the EQ driving hips up. Make sure to come all the way up and squeeze glutes at the top. Hold and come down slowly and repeat.

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NEW ON THE MARKET The latest trends in fitness equipment

TERRA CORE Vicore has solved a common problem with the spherical nature of most balance and core training equipment with their new Terra Core. It is designed to specifically match the multiple positions taken while performing an infinite number of movements and exercises.

No matter which side you use, the Terra Core provides the perfect ergonomics to support the human form. Use it as a step, a bench, a balance trainer or a pushup machine. www.vicorefitness.com, 801.878.7702

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Lindsay's Review: Core Flytes

Flyte Fitness has recently released Core Flytes - two triangle-shaped discs, each with three balls on the bottom that require the user to focus on stability and control as opposed to force to perform both stationary and dynamic movements in all directions. Core Flytes up-the-ante not only for those looking for challenging core workouts, but offer plenty of variation for effective full-body workouts. The Flyte Fitness mantra is “Your workout. Reinvented.” And they certainly deliver on their message. Core Flytes are a perfect, simple addition to your arsenal. www.flytefitness.com

MINI PRO MASSAGER

14” SOFT SHELL MED BALL

FRANKLIN FASCIA BALL

This handheld, travel-sized massager is perfect for what ails you. Knots in your neck and shoulders? No problem.

Tightness in your calves, shins or IT bands? Simply slide the Mini PRO Massager onto your hand, with the massage spheres on your palm side. Position the rotating massage spheres and simply roll. Pinpoint your massage by pushing your fingertips into the top sphere, called the “Target Sphere,” and apply pressure while rolling. www.power-systems.com

This oversized, soft-shell, toss-and-catch weighted ball is made of durable fiberfill and has a heavy-duty, 18 ounce vinyl covering that’s easy to grip. It maintains its shape and weight distribution under the toughest training conditions and has color-coded laces for easy weight-load identification and added grip. This ball is sturdy, yet has a forgiving texture that is soft on the hands. www.SPRI.com

This new Franklin Method massage ball is designed for rolling out fascia and providing trigger point therapy for comfort. It is ideal for relieving tension and soothing sore muscles. In addition, it is also weighted and can be used for strength and toning exercises. Approximately 4” in diameter. 1 pound, 2 ½ ounces.

OPTP.com, 800.367.7393

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | JULY-AUGUST 2015

EVENTS CALENDAR August-November

AUGUST 2015 Advance Functional Aging Certification July 31- Aug. 1 l Lafayette, IN www.functionalaginginstitiute.com

AAAI/ISMA”One World” Fitness Education & Certification Conference Aug. 21-23 | Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis Cape Cod, MA www.aaai-ismafitness.com

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

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

OCTOBER 2015 AAAI/ISMA”One World” Fitness Education & Certification Conference Oct. 2-4 | Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD www.aaai-ismafitness.com

Club Industry Show 2015 Oct. 7-9 l Chicago, IL http://www.clubindustryshow.com/clb15/

2015 NSCA Personal Trainers Conference Oct. 10-12 l Anaheim, CA www.nsca.com/events

SCW Fitness l DC Mania Oct. 16-18 | Washington DC www.scwfit.com/mania

NOVEMBER 2015 SCW Fitness l Boston Mania Nov. 13-15 | Boston, MA www.scwfit.com/mania

RISE Nov. 20-22 | Gaylord National Harbor, MD www.risefitcon.com

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

JULY-AUGUST 2015 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 29

BE BETTER Phil Kaplan | www.philkaplan.com

Blending opposites I’ve watched businesses come and go, and while the great majority of my experience has been within the health club and personal training fields, I’ve learned to watch small businesses in every arena and note the hits and misses. When concepts and strategies are revealed, there’s a clear alignment between any successful small business and the largest players, the big guys.

Who are the big guys? Today we can look at Ford, Apple, Amazon, eBay, Intel, Disney and Coca Cola, and while we might not fully align with their practices or offerings, their successes are indisputable.

What conceptual underpinnings can there be supporting both a successful fitness business and a massive soft drink conglomerate? Opposites.

Yes, the big guys, successful little guys and commercial entities with the greatest growth potential have learned to blend opposites. Isn’t “blend opposites” a contradiction in terms? Not always, and I’ll share an example we’ll all connect with.

“We are all the same, but we are all different.”

You understand this. It resonates with you. You know that we can learn movement patterns that apply to athletes and deconditioned alike, because when it comes to the intertwined structures of muscle and skeleton we are all the same. We also, however, intimately understand that each client has individual stressors, sleep habits, range of motion, food preferences, strength, functional ability and metabolism.

Thus, opposites co-exist and must be considered. We are all the same, and we are all different.

When we look at those businesses thriving in today’s economic climate – thriving in a world where the consumer is inundated with marketing messages and information overload – we see there are two components, two opposites, that allow for consumer connection and consumer retention. If you could master connection and retention, there are no limits to your personal training potential.

The big players have learned to cultivate, firstly, familiarity. If we begin by considering the root of the word, we’ll see its proximity to familial, or family. Whether they’re speaking to the American family, or creating their own subculture, a family in and of itself, they understand the inherent need people have to feel connected.

In today’s technological free-for-all, the personal computer is no longer an oddity, a luxury or an option. It’s a mainstay. Apple creates familiarity by providing personal computers. People rely upon email, digital photos and interactive communication using their computers. Apple makes that familiar. But where are they different? Their innovation speaks for itself. By blending handheld devices, phones, laptops, desktops and the cloud; by connecting seamlessly music, entertainment and imagination with business, searches and document transmission, they’ve created an identity that marries familiarity and differentiation.

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| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | JULY-AUGUST 2015

Big businesses aside, how does this apply to you? If you are to attract clients easily, you want to strategize and create an experience of familiarity, but don’t mistake familiar for ordinary. It’s the co-existence of “familiar” and “different” that gives you the edge.

Those trainers who study, who seek growth, land here, reading articles in magazines that inspire their betterment. Because you read this magazine, I can suggest you may be one of those fitness professionals best equipped to move our field forward.

Don’t do as you see others do unless you want to be just like those others. Find your identity, and ethically exploit it with a mix of familiarity and differentiation.

Orange Theory does it well. Every exerciser is familiar with a treadmill. The concept of group exercise is familiar, but the training protocols, the science, the artful replication and the perceived caliber of the professionals they cultivate clearly add an air of differentiation. Time efficient intense exercise recognizing the existence of both sameness and individuality is the big hook and once members join “the family” they’re not likely to find that experience anywhere but Orange Theory.

How can you alter your practice, your marketing, or your programming to create an air of familiarity without being ordinary? That’s a question you’ll have to answer. It requires thought and a heavy helping of trial and error before you land on your mark. There are important questions to be considered.

Do you want to create familiarity ONLY with those who have worked with personal trainers, or do you want to find a communication style, an offering or a message that initiates a familial bond with those who would not typically seek out personal fitness assistance? Do you want to capture those who are familiar with weight training and aerobic activity, or do you want to reach new markets including non-exercisers?

With these questions answered, I’ll suggest you invest an hour or two in a simple exercise, a step toward positioning for growth in the year ahead.

First, draw the proverbial line down a sheet of paper and create two columns. One has a big “F” at the top, the other a big “D” (if you don’t know what they stand for I really missed my mark in this article). List five traits that you posses or five elements of your practice that you can categorize appropriately on each side of the line. Whether you get five + five, take out a new sheet of paper, draw the same line, but project into the future. How can you add or refine traits and practices that offer a familial connection, and on the other side of the line, what steps, actions and messaging can you embrace to spotlight the difference you bring?

Email me with your thoughts and outcomes (phi@philkaplan.com) as you begin to recognize the power of pulling opposites together to form a magnetic brand, attractive image and a fearless progression forward to have greater impact upon more people’s lives than ever before!

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.