National Fitness News eZine September 2016

National Fitness News e-Zine Autumn 2016, Volume 5, Issue 3

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From the Directors Chair The NCEF welcomes you to Autumn 2016 We could not but cover Olympics’ 2016 as we now adjust to life without Olympic TV, thank you to team Ireland and Noreen We do hope you have enjoyed our Irish for her review. summer and are looking forward to the close of 2016, beautiful autumn sunshine Government planning and focus on Health and well-being is and winter days ahead. always good for fitness professionals ‘prevention is better than cure’, you will see many initiatives mentioned in this edition Thank you to all who have contributed to such as Obesity Policy and Action Plan and Ireland’s National the NFN e-Zine Volume 5, Issue 3. This Physical Activity Plan. Nutrition is always to the forefront; do issue endeavours to provide you with read the labels. interesting reading to enhance your personal and professional knowledge. We trust you will find Thank you to all students and tutors who travelled to the many of the articles informational, up to date and of assistance University of Limerick for summer graduation. Well done and to you in your professional career as a fitness professional. congratulations to all graduates we do hope you enjoyed day.

The sun was shining and it was a wonderful atmosphere of We try to keep the content of the e-Zine varied and topical and which you should be so proud. we have many consistent contributors, so my thanks to you all.

A thank you is also required to our students and graduates who If you are considering continuing on the NCEF Flexible Learning returned and assisted the NCEF as ‘models’ for many Pathway you will find information on up and coming photographs and the NCEF promotional video, which we do programmes/specialist modules and we welcome any queries hope you have the opportunity to watch and enjoy. you may have.

Some of you may even look towards the Celtman Xtreme triathlon event that Alexandra takes us through, what an achievement accomplished by her. Congratulations to all NCEF students, graduates and staff who have had so many personal and professional achievements in 2016 Fiona, Kieran and Padraic to mention but a few.

A huge thank you to Maeve NFN editor who has worked so hard to ensure there is a variety of relevant and current information and articles for you the reader. Áine You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having”

From the Editors Chair The summer has flown by and I am sure that as a fitness professional you are already out there planning and implementing ways in which you can meet the challenges of getting your clients fit and active for the autumn/winter months.

We are delighted to see the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness operating for the first time on a full-time day basis here on campus. The new cohort of students commenced Year 4 on 27th September. We wish them every success in their final year.

Finally, congratulations to all NCEF/UL students who graduated at the University of Limerick Conferring in August. All of your A Healthy Weight for Ireland Obesity hard work and dedication has paid off. Congratulations to all Policy and Action Plan was launched on NCEF Co-Ordinators and Tutors who helped you on your way.

22nd September – this ten year plan aims at tackling the current overweight and obesity epidemic in Ireland. The plan has been Best of luck with your future studies and fitness careers. welcomed but not without concerns in relation to implementing initiatives within the policy and there is currently no dedicated Yours in fitness funding for the policy. One of the challenges we see daily is the low levels of physical activity in children, adults and the Maeve active ageing population. Physical activity must be made a NFN Editor & Design priority and as Fitness Professionals we have a responsibility to continue to promote, encourage and provide physical activity programmes.

Many of the articles inside will assist you in meeting these challenges.

Autumn is generally a time of the year when we start to think about embarking on new courses to enhance our professional development. NCEF Year 2 specialist modules as part of the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness are currently operating with future dates for spring advertised inside this issue.

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NCEF Autumn e-Zine 2016, Volume 5, Issue 3

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Table of Contents 4

News Room

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Health Report

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Nutrition Report

10

Fitness Report

11

CEHF/HCEHF Learning Support

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Graduate Profile: Sharon Collins

Features 14 18 20

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Report: Celtman Xtreme

By Alexandra Cremona

Mind Body: Rise and Shine Yoga

By Sinead McKiernan

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Physical Activity: A Priority

By Jacky Jones

Nutrition: Understanding Food Labels

By Alexandra Cremona

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Strength & Conditioning: How to Strengthen a Golf Swing

By Scott Laidler

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Personal Training: First Time Success

By Mary Fitzpatrick

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Special Populations: Successful Programming for the Older Adult

By Shonna Porter

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Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI)

Olympics 2016: Be Inspired

By Noreen O’Connell

Regulars 22

Business: Tips for the Self Employed Personal Trainers

By Susan McEntegart

Connect with us: NFN is an e-Zine published by the National Council for Exercise & Fitness (NCEF).

Front cover image: Damien Jackson

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

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

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

The month of September has been a busy month with registering our 16/17 UL/NCEF students. On 8th September 39 Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness students commenced Year 1 of their 2 year full-time course. On 27th September, 33 Year 2 HCEHF students were back on campus to commence their Personal Training Module and for the first time a cohort of Year 4 B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness students commenced Year 4 on a full-time day basis.

October won’t be quiet month with Year 3 Diploma students both full-time day and part-time weekend commencing, the CEHF part-time courses in Limerick and nationwide will also commence. Best of luck to all students and please contact the office if you have any queries.

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WWW.NCEF.IE

Occasionally, we circulate promotional emails pertaining to NCEF courses and events. We only include graduates of the NCEF. We do not give your contact details to any third party contacts. To ensure that you are receiving all updates please click on the link below to subscribe to our updates:

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Congratulations to Fiona Corbett, NCEF Head Office, Senior Administrator in her recent golfing achievements.

On Saturday 27th August she was part of the Castletroy Golf Club - ILGU Munster Junior Cup Final Winners which was in Dungarvan Golf Club, Waterford.

On Friday 23rd September, Fiona and her team became the AIG All Ireland Challenge Cup Champions in Dundalk.

Triathlon Ireland Scholorship Student and 4th Yr B.Sc.in Exercise & Health Fitness Student, Kieran Jackson finished off his racing season in style by winning the the senior male 'Rescue Tube' Race alongside team mate Odhran Savage at the National Surf Rescue Championships in Clonea.

Congrats Kieran and enjoy some down time!

Congratulations to NCEF Graduate Padraic Maher, who won the All-Ireland Hurling title with Tipperary GAA, in Crogh Park, on Sunday 4th September 2016.

If you have achieved or completed something special please email maeve.kavanagh@ul.ie and we would be delighted to share you news!

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On Friday 26th August 2016, the NCEF celebrated the conferring of students from the Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF), Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) & Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF).

It was a very prestigious day and fantastic to see the graduates receiving recognition for all of their hard work Congratulations to you all and best of luck in your future studies and careers.

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3 3 1. Grace Germaine, Ă ine Ni Chonaill, Aaron Savage & Kieran Jackson, DEHF Graduates, Damien Jackson, Peppy Neville

2. Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) Graduates from Inchicore College of Further Education, Dublin 3. Pamela Fiorito, HCEHF Graduate, Ă ine Ni Chonaill, NCEF Director, Eilish Brophy, NCEF Tutor, Linda Bracken, NCEF Tutor

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Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) Graduates.

5. Jason Enright, CEHF Graduate with his wife, Sharon Collins, NCEF Head Office Senior Administrator 6. Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) Graduates from the Limerick Parttime Day course.

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3 1. Certificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness (CEHF), Graduates from Waterford with their tutors Peppy Neville and Grace Germaine 2. NCEF Tutors, Tracy Byrne O’Donovan, Eilish Brophy, Linda Bracken and Wendy Keenan 3. Kieran Jackson, DEHF Graduate with his parents, Margo Jackson, NCEF Course Co-ordinator and Damien Jackson, Director, NCEF Education and Training.

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The health risks associated with sitting for eight or more hours a day -- whether at work, home or commuting -- can be eliminated with an hour or more of physical activity a day, according to a study from an international team of researchers.

Ever since a study back in 1953 discovered that London bus drivers were at greater risk of heart disease compared to bus conductors, scientists have found increasing evidence that lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for several diseases and for risk of early death. Recent estimates suggest that more than 5 million people die globally each year as a result of failing to meet recommended daily activity levels.

Studies in high-income countries have suggested that adults spend the majority of their waking hours sitting down. A typical day for many people is driving to work, sitting in an office, driving home and watching TV. Current physical activity guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.

In an analysis published today in The Lancet that draws together a number of existing studies, an international team of researchers asked the question: if an individual is active enough, can this reduce, or even eliminate, the increased risk of early death associated with sitting down?

In total the researchers analysed 16 studies, which included data from more than one million men and women. The team grouped individuals into four quartiles depending on their level of moderate intensity physical activity, ranging from less than 5 minutes per day in the bottom group to over 60 minutes in the top. Moderate intensity exercise was defined as equating to walking at 3.5 miles/hour or cycling at 10 miles/hour, for example.

Professor Ulf Ekelund from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. "Our message is a positive one: it is possible to reduce -- or even eliminate -- these risks if we are active enough, even without having to take up sports or go to the gym.

"For many people who commute to work and have officebased jobs, there is no way to escape sitting for prolonged periods of time. For these people in particular, we cannot stress enough the importance of getting exercise, whether it's getting out for a walk at lunchtime, going for a run in the morning or cycling to work. An hour of physical activity per day is the ideal, but if this is unmanageable, then at least doing some exercise each day can help reduce the risk."

The researchers acknowledge that there are limitations to the data analysed, which mainly came from participants aged 45 years and older and living in western Europe, the US and Australia. However, they believe that the strengths of the analysis outweigh these limitations. Most importantly, the researchers asked all included studies to reanalyse their data in a harmonized manner, an approach that has never before been adopted for a study of this size and therefore also provides much more robust effect estimates compared with previous studies.

Source:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/1 60727194405.htm

The popularity of high intensity interval training is on the rise.

High intensity interval training sessions are commonly called HITT workouts. This type of training involves repeated bouts of high intensity effort follwed by varied recovery times.

HITT training can be easily modified for people of all fitness levels and special conditions, such as overweight The researchers found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderate and diabetes. HITT workouts intensity exercise per day were sufficient to eliminate the can be performed on all increased risk of early death associated with sitting for over exercise modes, including cycling, walking, swimming, aqua eight hours per day. However, as many as three out of four training and in many group exercise classes. HITT workouts people in the study failed to reach this level of daily activity. provide similar fitness benefits as continuous endurance The greatest risk of early death was for those individuals workouts, but in shorter periods of time. This is because who were physically inactive, regardless of the amount of HITT workouts tend to burn more calories than traditional time sitting -- they were between 28% and 59% more likely workouts, especially after the workout. The post-exercise to die early compared with those who were in the most active period is called “EPOC�, which stands for excess quartile -- a similar risk to that associated with smoking and postexercise consumption. obesity. In other words, lack of physical activity is a greater health risk than prolonged sitting.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have "There has been a lot of concern about the health risks associated with today's more sedentary lifestyles," says

written a detailed article on HITT Training. To read it in full please click here National Fitness News e-Zine 8

On 22nd September 2016 "A Healthy Weight for Ireland Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025" was launched.

With 1 in 4 children and 6 in 10 adults being overweight or obese, this ten-year plan aims at tackling the current overweight and obesity epidemic in Ireland.

The policy sets out "Ten Steps Forward" which aim at reversing the obesity trend while preventing complications associated with obesity and reducing the overall burden for individuals, their families and the health system.

The "Ten Steps Forward" are: 1. Embed multi-sectoral actions on obesity prevention with the support of government departments and public sector agencies.

2. Regulate for a healthier environment.

3. Secure appropriate support from the commercial sector to play its part in obesity prevention.

4. Inform and empower change through a clear communications strategy.

5. The Department of Health will provide leadership.

6. Mobilise the health services with a focus on prevention.

7. Develop a service model for specialist care for children and adults.

8. Acknowledge the key role of physical activity in the prevention of overweight and obesity.

9. Allocate resources according to need in particular for children and disadvantaged groups.

10.Monitor research and review.

To view the plan please click here

1st October 2017 Chronic pain can have a devastating impact on a person's quality of life and many sufferers feel isolated because they believe that others simply do not understand what they are going through, new research has found.

According to findings from the ‘mypainfeelslike...' campaign, 89% of people with chronic pain have avoided discussing this health problem with family and friends because they do not want to be seen as boring or annoying.

A further 26% said they regularly avoid talking about their pain to their loved ones.

Chronic pain can be described as pain which persists past the normal time of healing, which is taken, in the absence of other criteria, to be three months. It can be caused by a range of common conditions, including arthritis, cancer and diabetes, or by other factors such as an injury or operation.

Chronic pain can affect one part of the body - the back is a common location - or several parts. It can have a major impact on a person's day-to-day life.

"Living with persistent pain can severely impact someone's life. It is an invisible illness that compromises both quality of life and emotional health. Many people can feel isolated with their pain and think that others do not understand the impact it has on their life. They often struggle to explain the effect it

is having on their lives," explained Orla Spencer, a clinical psychologist at Tallaght Hospital in Dublin.

The ‘mypainfeelslike...' campaign aims to raise awareness about this condition and offer support to patients.

It has compiled a list of 10 things not to say to someone with chronic pain, including ‘but you look so well', ‘everyone has pain', ‘it's all in your head' and ‘you should feel better by now'.

"While intentions are good, comments like this can be hurtful and inappropriate. Moreover, they can often silence someone at a time when they need support from the people around them to be empowered to find new ways to cope with their pain. I encourage people to adopt a nonjudgmental approach to someone with pain," Ms Spencer said.

Meanwhile, according to John Lindsay, chairperson of Chronic Pain Ireland, the stigma associated with chronic pain ‘is one of the most difficult aspects of living with it'.

"Our members have reported these types of comments for a long time and while they know people are just trying to help, it often has the opposite effect and can make them feel like they are being judged.

"We aim to support people to talk about their pain through support groups, pain management programmes and online tools like the ‘mypainfeelslike...' pain questionnaire so they can better understand their illness, communicate effectively with their doctor and have an appropriate pain management plan in place," he explained.

The ‘mypainfeelslike...' campaign is highlighting this issue ahead of World Day Against Pain on October 1. It is calling on people to share its 10 Things Not to Say to Someone with Chronic Pain video as part of this event. The video can be viewed and shared here.

For more on this campaign, click here Source: www.irishhealth.com National Fitness News e-Zine 9

Cheesy Chilli Con Carne The meat sauce used in this dish freezes really well, so it’s a great recipe to make in big batches. This could make a great dinner to keep in portions in the freezer for those days that you are too busy to cook .

Author: Cheese Up Your Life Preparation time 10 mins Total Time 60 mins Serves 5 Ingredients · Coconut oil · Olive oil · 2 onions, finely chopped · 4 garlic cloves, crushed · 1 chilli, finely chopped · 2 tsp paprika · 800g lean minced beef · 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes · Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved · 2 celery sticks, finely chopped · 1 red pepper, chopped · 1 yellow pepper, chopped · 500ml beef stock · 5 tbsp tomato purée · 400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed · Salt and pepper · 125g grated Cheddar cheese · 250g natural yoghurt · Handful of chives, chopped · Handful of coriander leaves · Brown rice, to serve Instructions Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

1. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

2. Add the garlic, chilli and paprika and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in another large pan over a medium heat. Add the beef and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked mince, discarding the fat in the pan.

4. Place the cooked mince into the pan with the onions.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, celery, peppers, stocks and tomato purée and stir well.

6. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and cook for 10 minutes.

7. eanwhile, mix the yoghurt and chives in a medium bowl and set aside.

8. When you are ready to serve, ladle the chilli into bowls and top each portion with a tablespoon of the yoghurt, chives and cheese. Sprinkle over the coriander. Serve with brown rice.

Source: http://www.ndc.ie/recipe/dairy-goodness/cheesychilli-con-carne

The Older Persons and Dementia Interest Group have produced an excellent resource for the carers of those with dementia. Covering a huge range of relevant topics, this A4 guide will be the go-to resource for anyone working with or advising those caring for anyone with dementia. Example of topics covered include: ● ● ● ● ●

Food preference changes Losing weight and not finishing meals Not drinking enough The dinig environment Swallowing difficulties

The guide is available as a pdf on the INDI website or you can get a hard copy by emailing info@indi.ie. The booklet is free of charge but Post & Packing charge is €3 for 1 copy (larger orders priced on request).

The American Heart Association has recently released a scientific statement which reviewed the available evidence on the intake of added sugars and the risk of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. Added sugars contribute to 16% of the daily calorie intake of US children, with the top contributors of added sugars including fizzy drinks, fruit-flavoured and sports drinks, and cakes and biscuits.

The researchers found that children and adolescents who consume a large quantity of dietary sugars, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages and added sugars, tend to have a higher daily energy intake which can lead to excess weight gain and can put them at risk of developing obesity.

According to the statement, there is strong evidence to show that there is an association between added sugars and cardiovascular disease due to increased energy intake, increased adiposity, and dyslipidaemia. Based on the reviewed evidence, the American Heart Association recommends that children consume less than 25g of added sugars a day and that children younger than 2 years of age avoid added sugars entirely.

Source: http://www.safefood.eu/Professional/Nutrition/NutritionNews/September-2016/Added-sugars-and-cardiovascular-disease-riskin-ch.aspx National Fitness News e-Zine 10

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Sharon Collins has been teaching group fitness classes for almost 7 years now and works in the NCEF Head Office as an Administrator. She first completed the Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness in 2010, continuing on to do Personal Training, Pilates with the NCEF, TRX suspension training and more recently TRX functional training. She is married to Jason, a newly qualified CEHF graduate and has a 2 year old son 1. You completed the Certificate in Exercise &

Health Fitness (CEHF) in 09/10 at the University of Limerick. What made you decide to choose to train as a fitness instructor?

I had been involved in athletics and running throughout my childhood. Of course in my 20’s, I gave up exercise, partied, had a lot of fun so when I hit 30, it was time to start taking care of my body again. I started running with my Dad, who was and still is an avid runner with a sub 2.36 marathon.

Following a difficult period in my life, running and fitness was my sanity and I decided to apply to the NCEF to train as a Fitness Instructor.

I survived those nerve wracking exercise to music classes and am now very proud to encourage and train people to be healthy and active. Serving the Limerick area and based in Caherdavin Community Centre, I have been teaching group fitness classes for almost 7 years now and work one to one with clients. I teach 5 classes per week in the evenings and work mornings in the NCEF Head Office.

2. You then went on to complete a number of

specialist courses and chose Personal Training (PT) and Pilates & Corrective Exercise. What did you enjoy most about these courses?

There is so much more involved in the Personal Training specialist module than many realise. You gain much more knowledge on anatomy & physiology which I apply all the time to my clients. I got invaluable experience in detailed programming for clients. I loved the nutrition module and learning how to train your client outside of the gym setting with minimal equipment. Pilates and corrective exercise was completely new to me so I had a lot to learn! Identifying poor posture conditions and the weak/strong muscles causing poor posture was fascinating and I notice poor posture every day now that I have the awareness!

3. What is your current role within the Exercise & Health Fitness industry?

I teach 5 classes a week which are mostly TRX HIIT classes using functional training equipment such as sandbags, battle ropes, kettlebells, slam balls etc.

Since I’ve introduced functional training to my clients, they absolutely love using this type of equipment and the difference in their fitness and strength is phenomenal. I also teach a barbells strength class and run a TRX beginners programme.

4. How do you find balancing work, home life and study? study?

As it turns out, I was ‘lucky’ to have been made redundant from my office job so it was the ideal opportunity to do the CEHF course full-time during the week. There’s no doubt the CEHF is an intense course but if you stay on top of assignments, projects National Fitness News e-Zine 12

etc. and if you’re passionate about fitness, exercise and health, you’ll enjoy your studies immensely.

I got a small taster of it during the PT course and it’s an excellent course.

5. How do you stay Proactive and what motivates you to stay working in the fitness industry?

8. Would you recommend NCEF courses to a

I do as much training, workshops, seminars as I can.

I’m also really lucky to be at the forefront of what’s happening in the fitness world by working with the NCEF. I keep up to date with new trends by following fitness leaders on social media such as Instagram and Facebook. Seeing people start in my classes and progress to a level that they never thought possible is what motivates me. Also I have so many wonderful clients that are friends now that see me several times a week for years. They are a joy to train and I’m privileged to be their trainer.

Absolutely, in a heartbeat. The CEHF course changed my entire life and I obviously enjoyed it so much that I roped my husband into doing the course as well!! I speak to people every day on the phone about NCEF courses and I truly believe that they are the best education you can get in the country. I’m also so proud to be a University of Limerick graduate and have the option now to continue my studies to the B.Sc. degree over the next few years.

friend?

6. How would you like to see your involvement in the fitness industry five years from now?

I would love to own my own fitness studio and really build a family business with Jason and I both training clients. The NCEF Strength and Conditioning for Sport specialist module also looks fantastic so this is definitely a course I would like to pursue in the future.

Thank you Sharon for sharing your background with NCEF!

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After a bit of fresh air and greeting my super run support Gregor, we were asked to come in for briefing. I was hoping the briefing wouldn’t be as dramatic as that of Norseman triathlon in 2014, as I was trying to keep the level of fused nerves and excitement down to a simmer.

The experience in fact was altogether different to Norseman in 2014. Celtman offered an equally exhilarating journey and experience to Norseman but was incredibly unique from the minute the ballot results were announced.

Race Briefing

The Celtman Xtreme Triathlon is an international competition of triathlon that takes place over a slightly greater distance than an Ironman (3.8 km swim in jellyfish infested Atlantic waters of 110C, 202 km hilly bike, 42 km of running up 2 munros).It is held annually in June in Achnasheen Wester Ross at the foot of the Torridon Hills in Scotland. Ranked in the ‘extreme’ category because it offers exceptional difficulties, it accepts different rules from other triathlon on Ironman distance and a reduced number of competitors. Created in 2012 , it is the second event created in the category "Xtreme Triathlon" (Xtri); together with the Norseman in Norway, established in 2003 and founder of the extreme triathlons.

Arrival to Celtman All was calm and a bit surreal in the days preceding the briefing, which was held the night before the event. I was in my own head and had unconsciously created an impenetrable space between myself and my exterior over the previous months, in build up to this one day. The logistics, tapering, nutrition, bike mechanics and equipment was organised in Germanic fashion. The panic was over, the test of the preparation had to prove to be enough as I surrendered to time unfolding over the next few days. I had no appetite, I had no space in my mind for anything else, all my energy was focused on executing the plan set out to achieve this goal.

All went smoothly - my support team arrived and their Scottish bantering relaxed me. It was time for briefing. The nerves of the 165 athletes and all their support teams was palpable and so contagious - I had to leave the room for some fresh air! Emaciated bodies and chiselled cheeks were worn by the well tapered vibrating bodies in the humid and warm room. Some support looking lost, others frantic, and all concerned as they tip-toed around the crammed bodies of loaded springs.

The short film of the previous years event day was showing.

The room dropped dead quiet and the support were now drawn into the same wave of emotions the athletes have been pumping themselves with for the last 10 months.

Duggie, Julie and Gregor (my support team) looked happier and more excited than ever, others who brought along their unaware parents were now perhaps worried they wouldn’t endure the day that was ahead of them. The organisers: Paul McGreal, Stewart McInnes, John Whittakar and the whole Celtman Xtreme team, really showed their experience from the get-go. The briefing went on in very Scottish-humour, immediately dispelling the tension in the room as they reminded us to take time to look up and absorb the breathtaking views only the North West coast of Scotland could offer. The sense of community in Torridon was very warming, and gave the event a sense of purpose as the community centre hosting the briefing gets a healthy injection of cash from Celtman each year to keep the place running; meaning the community is directly benefitting from the event and the locals greet athletes with welcoming faces despite being faced with the typical athlete-zombie face.

Training and Preparation This year was different for me to Norseman 2014: that year was all about getting to the finish line, this year I wanted to make the cut-off for the mountain. That was the goal. Both were about being the first Maltese national to complete the events. To achieve this goal meant to complete 3.8k of tide assisted swimming and come out of T1 in an hour; complete the 202km bike route with 3000m elevation in 8 hours; giving me 2 hours to run the first 18km up the Coulin pass, with a stone underfoot carrying a backpack with mandatory kit. The rest I didn’t focus on, I could have crawled the rest to the finish line for all I cared. Getting to the cut-off point in time was the goal.

As running is my weakest discipline, I asked a talented runner and Limerick based coach Mike Carmody (check out his bio and tips at the end of this article) to coach in order to focus on the running. The previous 10 months saw me backing off from swim volume to prioritise cycling time, running regular trail and hills, doing non-wetsuit open water swims to acclimatise, and long bike rides. The exercise load started with a consistent 12 hours a week for the first 4 months, and ramped up drastically after that when the long bike rides started to go up to 6 hours in one session, and peaking with a 210k stretch on the bike. The training was lonely and exhausting, so having Mike encourage and guide me was invaluable. Having friends who endured my boring bike chat, 9pm shut downs, and lack of energy for much else than my bike, was really remarkable. My lovely sister

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Rebecca, who always put a smile on my face and restored my flailing confidence when I would Skype her whilst wolfing down some food, after a long bike ride complaining of my aching body and dire social life.

The day had arrived.

2.30am I was up just before the alarm went off. I am pretty sure I looked like an owl. Poor Duggie didn’t quite wake in the same way, instead I woke him just before his alarm and he dragged himself out of the tent. The other support remained for more sleep. We rolled down to the start, Duggie keeping me nice and calm. We arrive at transition, and there is a strange sense of calm amongst the athletes. There were no nerves, it had all transformed to focus, we were all happy now busy doing what we know how to do. Checked in and got the GPS tracker, T1 set up. Duggie was unbelievable, allowing me to repeat myself a million times over with the plan. “O.K. so Duggie, out of T1 in an hour… it’s O.K. if I look like a blue popsicle, I’ll warm up on the bike” to which Duggie repeated a reassuring “aye aye”.

Image 2 Coming out of the water heading into T1 The swim went well, a good start. I kept calm with the jellyfish and focused on being in the water the least amount of time as possible. I initially took a very zen approach and tried to sweet talk them, but after one wrapped its slimy body around my face it was silent treatment for the jellies from there on.

The pack started to funnel in the first few hundred metres and I found myself in the middle of the first few fast ones and the second bunch. I just kept to my rhythm as I had a couple of people sitting on my feet. I took a wide veer from the island shore as I felt the water was moving better with the tide out there. This proved to be a good strategy in the end. In the water out there was a great atmosphere as we were greeted in with the first signs of daylight. Out the water in 49 minutes, and out T1 in 55- all was going to plan!

Image 1 At the start where athletes exit the water once we come round the second island and head for the slipway Back to the Land Rover which had 2 kayaks on it to be easily identifiable, to force down the porridge and coffee I prepared the night before. We took in the great view of the water with the moonlight shimmering on the surface, nervously making jokes of the jellyfish we had encountered in thousands just 2 days before. I was actually concerned about them as when we tested the water I was laughing hysterically and attempting to swim with my head out of the water, as we waded through the mass of slippery beasts. But I was calm on the morning and was adamant not to let something like this jeopardize so much time and effort from the part of my support and myself.

Image 3 Bagpipes & drums playing as we exit the water, everyone wearing midge nets over their faces to keep the The buses were loading the athletes. Up I went and round the little beasties away! coast to the start-line, out of sight of all the kind support and Bike Leg villager faces that we used as nerve clenching crutches the previous couple of nights. We were there, and it was After a quick drying up, off I went on the bike. I would see my happening. The bagpipes were playing, and we tried not to support after 60k and then every 50k after that. The aim on waste too much energy as we flailed to keep the midges away. There was not much friendly conversation at the start- the bike was to average 28kph on the bike and stop minimally to get it done in 8h max including any stops or punctures. line as the focus was narrowing every minute. Out into the water we went, some more hesitant than others between the Onto the bike I quickly realised my GPS did not work and was cold and the jellies. That’s not my style though, once allowed not clocking my speed or distance- eventually I found out it was most likely due to the interference from the tracker given in I got into the water to warm up and set myself up at the to us. I realised this quite quickly but decided to pace myself front assessing my view for good sighting. 5a.m on the dot according to feel rather than wasting time seeing what was the fog horn sounded and we were off! wrong. I wasn’t too phased, as you learn to take the unexpected in your stride - it’s part of the mental challenge involved. It was risky as over-exerting early in the bike would mean paying the ultimate price later. My support adapted Swim Start

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me soon. Within a couple of km the pass started to get steeper climbing up to 250m over the next 8k.

We kept plodding and Gregor kept drip feeding me energy gels and flat cola whilst stopping at the water stations as I just tried to keep a rhythm going.

The downhill offered a bit of relief but in the back of my head I was worried I would get a stitch and be unable to continue the pace. We got to the tarmacked section and I knew it was the last stretch to the transition. I picked up the pace a little and made it to the T2A cut off with 30 minutes to spare. Phew!

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quickly and tried to estimate how far into the bike I was at various points on the course. Nutrition on the bike was crucial too, I knew I had to get 60-75g carbohydrates in me every hour to sustain the level of effort I was working at, so I had prepared all this beforehand and rationed out the food and drink for 8 hours of cycling time. I felt strong on the bike leg and had confidence in the amount of training I put into it. It would prove to be a struggle to keep eating right up till the end on the bike but I forced myself as I knew once on the run I wouldn’t be able to tolerate much. I’m still unable to eat bananas 8 weeks on!

There was a medical tent at that point, and a kit check, so once all was cleared Gregor and I bid farewell to Duggie and Julie and we would only see them again 7 hours later!

Image 4. The bike route shown on a map. 202km with 3000m elevation.

Image 6. Some of the views during the mountain stage

Image 7. Elevation profile of high-level run route.

Image 5. T1: Where we changed from our wetsuit to bike wear, and headed straight up the little hill in the background The Run Leg I was smiling throughout, took in as much of the beautiful views as I could, and absorbed the great energy of Julie, Duggie and Gregor who just really were so bright throughout the whole day. I got the bike done in 7h43 and transitioned in 3min 30s to maximise the time I had available to run the Coulin pass. This next 18km would determine if I make the cut off or not so I was still very focussed. Gregor joined me at this point and we set off at a pace of 6min per km on a stone track and with packs on our back. Gregor was very energetic and I was feeling good, but I kept quiet and focused just telling myself to keep going as I knew the fatigue would hit

We started to climb the first munro which was 900m straight up, in sections so steep people were almost tumbling back with their tired legs. One foot in front of the other and we were up the first munro in less than 2 hours. There were the mountain rescue crew dotted above the mountain tops to ensure we were in a fit enough state to continue, as up there you could run into trouble very quickly. We enjoyed great views and up until this point Gregor was still considering doing it next year! T here was good comradery amongst the athletes and past the high level checkpoint we were all in it together. There were a few false summits which wore on the mind at that point, and by the time we were descending the legs were so phenomenally exhausted that it did not feel much easier than the uphill. Descending the scree slope we scrambled down the side of it into a boulder field which was hard to navigate, so the map was out as we tried to figure out which direction to head in.

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best Duggiepedia stories, catching up on the last 3 years since moving from Ireland and life in general. I spoke to my lovely sister too, hearing her voice was so fab as she made me laugh as she was describing how ironically different her day had been dining on the river Danube whilst tracking me. My family and friends had been tracking me all day and the feeling was amazing.

We crossed the line together: Scotland, Ireland and Malta. I was the 10th female to cross the line from the mountain finish, a further 10 woman completed the low course route, and 15 others took to the start-line but did not finish the event. The race organisers were all there to greet us at mid-night, really proving how Celtman Xtreme is run with heart and soul!

Image 8. Coming into the finish line 19 hours later The Finish Line Just as Gregor and were descending the final part of the mountain, we were delighted to see Duggie’s friendly and energetic face. He accompanied us, humouring us with “oh you look fresh”… “aye right Duggie!”. At the road we saw Julie and had a moment to grab some things from the car, I don’t think I was ever so happy to eat some smoked salmon! We were all pretty famished by then so Julie and Gregor headed off to get some food and meet Duggie and myself at the finish line.

The last 7km where on the road and flat. I had a decision to make, I would attempt to run this putting my body under stress again risking collapsing before the finish, or I walk this and make it to the end having accomplished the mountain. Duggie and I enjoyed a fantastic 7k walk with the moonlit mountains towered on our sides. I heard the

Thank You The next day was spent with my support attending the ceremony and going over the previous day’s events. Even though I’m a strong believer that it’s all about the journey, it was a great feeling to hold the Maltese flag up at the end with Julie, Gregor and Duggie who made it possible on the day to achieve one of my dreams; with great support from Glasgow Triathlon Club, Limerick Triathlon Club, and Limerick Cycling Club; my loving, supportive family especially my sister Rebecca -who do not comprehend the madness but accept it as part of me- as well as my fantastic friends: Rachel, Ronan, Alice, Jason, Alan, Wendy, Lenny, Sinead, Janet, Beate, Andrea, Garron ; my sporting inspiration uncle Jo and his partner Maggie, as well as many others; technical support from massage therapist Orla and bike mechanic extraordinaire Bob; and a brilliant coach, who really gifted me with the privilege of feeling like an athlete- without his support I would never have made the mountain top- go raibh maith agat Mike!

Image 9. Reaching one of the 2 summits

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Lancet Report Most people know that physical activity is essential for good health. Now it seems that being active is more important than ever. New research, published in The Lancet in July, found that not only is physical inactivity associated with a wide range of chronic diseases but is responsible for a huge economic burden. Health-care costs, productivity losses, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to physical inactivity were estimated for 142 countries, representing almost the entire global population. Health-care costs and DALYs were also estimated for six diseases: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancer.

Researchers estimated that physical inactivity cost healthcare systems and workplaces almost $67.5 billion worldwide in 2013, of which $31.2 billion was paid by the public sector.

Physical inactivity was responsible for more than 13 million DALYS worldwide. The researchers concluded that promotion of physical activity must be prioritised as part of a strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases.

“everyone has a responsibility to be more physically active and parents must ensure their children are active enough” aged 15 to 24 categorised as highly active compared to only 15 per cent of those aged 65 and over. The survey also found that Irish people spend, on average, more than five hours sitting down on a weekday, including more than three hours watching television. Men spend more time sitting than women. Those aged 15 to 24 spend the most time sitting down.

High Time Sitting The Lancet also reported on research about the benefits of physical activity for people who spend a lot of time sitting down. This involved a meta-analysis of 16 studies and a million people. The study found that “high levels of moderate intensity physical activity (about 60-75 minutes a day), seem to eliminate the increased risk of death associated with high sitting time. However, this high activity level attenuates but does not eliminate the increased risk associated with high TV-viewing time”. The level of physical activity that conferred the most benefit is beyond the basic level of most recommendations for public health. People whose jobs involve a lot of sitting, such as bus drivers and IT workers may need to urgently review their physical activity regimes.

The findings related to TV-viewing are explained by the researchers as “TV-viewing typically occurs in the evenings, usually after dinner, and prolonged postprandial sedentary time may be particularly detrimental for glucose and lipid metabolism.”

Department of Health Guidelines Department of Health guidelines are that adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week and children at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. These guidelines may need to be reviewed in the light of the new research. Just under a third of Irish people are sufficiently active according to the Healthy Ireland Survey 2015. The proportion that are highly active decreases with age, with almost half of those

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Ireland’s National Physical Activity Plan In a comment piece, The Lancet points out that physical activity is as important a risk factor for chronic diseases as obesity and tobacco. Physical activity is not improving worldwide despite an increasing number of countries having national physical activity policies and plans. “There has been an overall failure to scale up effective interventions at the population level.” Ireland has a physical activity plan. Get Ireland Active! National Physical Activity Plan for Ireland was launched early this year. The overarching target of the plan is “to increase the proportion of the population across each life stage (children aged 0-18, adults aged 18-64, and adults aged 65+) undertaking regular physical activity by 1% per annum across the lifetime of Healthy Ireland”, which is 2025.

The plan has 60 actions involving schools, the HSE, the environment, and workplaces. For example, patients and health service users can expect to be asked questions on physical activity levels when attending appointments. Local authorities are expected to develop parks and play areas that promote physical activity. Work places will have more standing desks. Those responsible for the actions are clearly identified so the plan has a good chance of succeeding.

However, everyone has a responsibility to be more physically active and parents must ensure their children are active enough. Only 19 per cent of primary school children and 12 per cent of post-primary children take enough exercise.

Physical activity is a habit which begins in childhood and nowadays children are kept in buggies for far too long. No child should be in a buggy over the age of two. It may be convenient for busy parents but starts a bad habit that can persist for life. Check out www.getirelandactive.ie for more information on physical activity.

Biography Dr Jacky Jones worked for the Irish health services for 37 years in the field of health promotion, including 10 years as Regional Manager of Health Promotion Services, HSE West. She has served on numerous national strategy groups, including now the Healthy Ireland Council. She has a 1st class honours MA from NUI, Galway. In 2008 she completed her PhD in health promotion, producing new trust and power psychometric scales. Between 2011 and 2016 she published four peer-reviewed papers on synergy, trust, power and partnership working. She has worked for the Irish Times as a columnist for the past five years. She is particularly interested in social justice, real food, ageism and women’s issues.

This article first appeared in the Irish Times Health + Family Supplement, August 9, 2016

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Are you like most people in the country and suffering from “Olympic Jetlag”, as fitness professionals the Olympics has to be the most inspiring two weeks of a four year cycle that a sports/fitness enthusiast you could wish for. Sure the games like all major sporting events had its bad press but let’s focus on the positive impact. The games inspired so many every four years and had people interested in the athletes, new sports, perhaps it will inspire people to take up or rediscover a sport they once took part in.

Here are the ten inspiring moments that I picked, so let’s see can we inspire each other and indeed our clients.

1.

Usain Bolt – The Triple Triple His attitude, his character, he’s ability the way he deals with the fans, the volunteers. His respect for his fellow athletes, perhaps you might have seen at one stage after he won the 100M he was doing an interview and there was a

medal ceremony on for one of the track events, the American national anthem was been played, Usain turns to the commentator and said we need to cut the interview here and give this athlete the respect that he deserves. Regarded as the fastest human ever timed, he is the first man to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time became mandatory. Ironically his favourite animal is the Cheetah – Will we ever see it again??

2.

O D1 & O D2 – How inspiring were our “Rowing Rockets” –Wow the saying “Pull like a dog” will be forever engrained in our memories. Two superb young athletes that showed that two young men who work hard and are committed can make it on the big stage. Their innocence and honesty on their interviews was refreshing. Two very humble athletes who as they said themselves “We just did in Rio, what they do every day, we’re like this all the time” . They are such good role models and subconsciously giving examples of good nutrition, Veg Soup, Brown Bread, Steak, Spuds. The best Olympic race strategy ever has to be ‘It isn’t too complex really, just A to B as fasht as you can go.

3.

Mo Farrah – What an incredible athlete. Defends his 5000 and 10,000 metre finals in Rio. Wins gold in both.

Why is he an inspiration he falls in the 10,000M, gets up and goes on to win a Gold medal & runs it in a time of 27:05 inspirational. In the 5000M he Sprints the last 400M with a split of 52 secs that’s impressive if you only run one lap in my book.

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Interesting fact Mo is one of the few people to win at the game show “The Cube” he donated his winning of $250,000 to his foundation.

the 50M Freestyle making him the fastest man in the pool.

7.

USA Women’s Basketball Team – These ladies went into the games as the outright favourites and then lived up to that title. They broke all records previously held for Female basketball. Three of the players on the team have just got their Fourth gold medal. In six of the games the team scored over 100 points. Since women’s basketball was introduced in 1976, the United States has not medaled just once. It was 1980, the year the U.S. boycotted the Olympics.

The USA Team dominated the Women competition – worthy winners.

8.

Bradley Wiggins - The Most decorated GB cyclist has eight Olympic medals. He has five golds, one silver and two bronzes to surpass fellow cyclist Sir Chris Hoy's tally of seven. He is unique in that he won gold in London in the time trial and this Olympics was in the velodrome. Wow can be said about the cycling in the velodrome “Blink and its over”. It is addictive to watch and incredibly powerful athletes involved.. They are going around in a circle at speeds of 70Kph.. Inspirational enough for you ???

One of his training weapons is an underwater treadmill which he trains on three to four times a week enabling him to do extra miles without the stress on his joints.

4.

Men’s Irish Hockey – The Mens hockey team put in an all-round excellent performance, first time in the Olympics in 108 years. Yes some of the results didn’t go their way, however they played every game with passion and heart nothing less that you would expect of an Irish team. It showed that going full time paid off with their level of fitness during the games. The last time Ireland Men played hockey in the Olympics was London 1908 and they won silver. It is also worth noting that it had been 68 years since Ireland contested a team sport with Basketball in 1948.

5.

Thomas Barr – Well What can you say about Thomas , Going to the Olympics on the back of an injury ridden run in and in his heat comes second in a time of 48.93.

So he is in the semifinal becoming the first Irish athlete to reach a 400m hurdles semifinal since Bob Tisdall in 1932. Runs a faster time than his heat and wins the semi-final in 48.39. He runs in the Final and finishes fourth, he is elated. He has put Athletics for Ireland back on the map according to Sonia O Sullivan.

Again as the athletes mentioned above a superb role model for all. He goes to college, works hard and comes fourth in an Olympic Final. Then as is in Thomas’s character returns to graduate with a masters in Sports Performance from UL. A superb ambassador.

6.

Anthony Ervin – Anthony is a USA swimmer who was the oldest swimmer on the US team. The inspiring thing about Anthony is that in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he tied with Gary Hall Jr. for gold in the 50m freestyle. He then took a ten year break from swimming to find himself, Swam in London and was fifth and then wins Gold in Rio in

9.

Annalise Murphy – The comeback girl, sometimes known as a lonely sport as it is just you and the boat .. To have so many races before the medal race and a sport totally reliant on the weather. Annalise was fourth in London and decided it was too close not to try again so she trained for another four years for her dream of been an Olympic athlete and this year won Silver which was fantastic. Fun fact about Annalise is that she gets sea sick and takes medication to combat it.

10.

Michael Phelps – What can be said about Michael – A Physiological freak. Michael has won 228 Olympic medals with 23 of them GOLD !!! - This was his fifth Olympics and ironically he didn’t medal at his first one. Michael’s motto is “If you want to be the best, you have to do things other people aren’t willing to do.” A fun fact Michael’s medals currently and will for some time we think weight more than his Son Boomer…

These are just 10 highlights that I picked they are many many more to choose from, the thing to take from the Olympics is that every athlete is athletic, powerful, skilful, hardworking individuals. What we as fitness professionals is use that as an inspiration for ourselves and clients in everyday things that we do. There is something to be learnt or taken away from all your favourite moments.

Noreen O’Connell, B.Sc., DEHF Tutor.

Noreen I sthe Women’s Sports Development Manager at the University of Limerick. She is Course Leader for the NCEF Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF) & tutors on the CEHF Programme. Noreen is the voluntary Affairs Committee Chairperson for Basketball Ireland’s International Programmes.

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answer always is as follows; Firstly, when you compete based on price it is a race to the bottom in which there are no winners Being or becoming self employed can be a tough decision to and secondly, you are always better having less clients paying make, there are inherent risks associated with stepping out of you more than lots of clients paying you little. There is, after the rat race to go it alone but these count for nothing when all, nothing worse than a busy fool! compared to the rewards and satisfaction of getting it right. The risk of business failure grows each year until your fifth year in There has been a swing back in favour of group fitness classes business and then it begins to decline so if you are about to and small group PT (SGPT) that helps fit pros make more embark on this journey or are in the midst of it already avoiding money per hour than perhaps dedicating themselves to just one these 4 common pitfalls will help you reach and surpass year high paying client. However it’s important to be true to yourself five. and not to plan your schedule based solely on how much you want to earn. First you must figure out what you love doing and 1. Undervaluing Yourself then that passion combined with value will make it work for you.

The final thing to remember here is that value is based on a This is by far the most prevalent mistake I come across when whole lot more than just price, for an individual value includes working with clients. The average price of personal training has the importance of the service to them and also the benefits they dropped dramatically over the past few years and everyone is get from it. quick to blame the budget gyms for this yet these gyms are not setting your prices – you are! So many fit pros argue with me 2. Poor Management saying their local competitors are cheap and that they are trying to match them and also express a concern that they will not be Self-employment requires discipline and luckily this tends to able to get enough clients if they charge a higher price. My be a trait many fit pros possess. There seems to be a belief

Introduction:

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If you find you are weaker at admin and much prefer being on the gym/studio floor with clients it is easy to spend your working week doing that and then letting the admin pile up until you are sitting at the laptop into the wee small hours trying to clear down a backlog.

I also see a lot of self employed fit pros who simply never stop working, they go from the gym to the laptop Monday through Sunday with limited downtime snatched in between sessions, this is not healthy and it is not sustainable either.

As you would tell your clients, where motivation is lacking routine will keep you going. Sit down and examine your diary – what does your weekly schedule look like? Lots of early starts and late finishes perhaps? On days like this maybe you can take the afternoon off and get your shopping done, or your food prep or even meet a friend for lunch. Or perhaps you prefer to work right through and have a few long days but then also days that are completely off in your diary.

Whichever works best for you make it a routine.

Decide in advance what your intention is and stick to it. I know a lot of fit pros who fritter away hours of “admin time” scrolling through Facebook and Instagram and not actually achieving anything. I schedule one admin day into my diary each week and also I schedule 2 days off. Some weeks this is harder than others to achieve so you can be flexible but where additional work gets slotted in you must also slot in additional downtime. I promise you will be more effective during the hours you do work when you put more order and planning into it.

Number 3: A follow on from the above point but serious enough to merit its own bullet is the ease at which fit pros can burn out. The job is such a physical one that it can really take its toll on you both mentally and physically. It is so important to look after yourself and although we know better we are also often the last ones to take our own advice when it comes to health!

Common problems I come across with clients are nutritional problems and injury. Working unsociable hours can play havoc with your diet unless you plan and prepare meticulously. Many of my clients eat too little to sustain the physical nature of their work and often survive on highly caffeinated beverages. If this sounds familiar take a step back and review your diet. Are there ways you can improve on this? Taking some downtime and using it to prep your meals for a few days can have multiple benefits.

especially if facing serious injury or illness that may prevent you from working completely.

Number 4: Our industry is enjoying exponential growth and with that there is rapid change. There seems to be a new fad or craze almost weekly and it is easy to get a little weary of the seemingly constant cashing in on this positive market growth.

However, keep your ears open and do your research and be careful not to sit in your comfort zone focusing solely on what you learned during your training. TRX was once deemed a “fad” after all and now there are fitness businesses across Ireland with TRX at the core of what they do. As a fitness professional it is essential to continue your education throughout your career be it through up skilling, attending industry events and trade shows or personal reading and research. There really is no excuse for “fitness professionals” who think they know it all as there is new research coming to light daily which will challenge the norms and it requires you to step up out of your bubble. At Corner Shop Gym, our motto is “Nothing truly great ever came from a comfort zone” and this applies to your career as much as it does to your physical activity!

The second and even more prevalent issue with fit pros is the high instance of injury, particularly amongst self employed fit pros. This is often down to poor recovery and taking on more work that is physically advisable not to mention trying to maintain your own workout regime at the same time.

Downtime, as mentioned above is essential but also employing additional recovery techniques such as regular foam rolling, scheduled rest days and even booking in a sports massage can have a massively positive impact on reducing or preventing injury. It should be noted that these are legitimate business expenses that can be claimed for as business costs.

When you do get injured or ill it can be the hardest thing in the world to shake if you need to continue working. You must listen to your body and think about the advice you would give your own clients. Sometimes cancelling classes/sessions and taking a day off in bed is the best course of action and clients understand – you aren’t superhuman after all! Finally, income protection insurance can provide great peace of mind

Biography Susan McEntegart is the owner and head coach at Corner Shop Gym which is a training and consultancy business that specializes in coaching self employed fitness professionals as well as working with leisure facilities across Ireland and the UK. NCEF qualified as Susan also holds a Bachelors Degree in Business & Marketing as well as a host of other training qualifications.

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By Sinead Mc Kiernan

Set a good tone for the rest of your day by grounding your thoughts, stretching your body and breathing intentionally. It`s amazing what you can accomplish in less than ten minutes to kick start your day. Our morning routines can be taken over with busy houses, busy traffic and busy lives and so we lose out on taking a few moments to connect with ourselves and shake off any tight sluggish feelings. Instead we could wake up to feeling brighter, focused and having more energy.

This is a quick (under ten minutes) Yoga sequence for the morning. You can even do it in your pyjamas. Just take a moment to set up your space, take a couple of slow deep

breaths and you can begin. After this sequence you will be ready for the day. You will feel fresh and invigorated. Taking a few minutes to practice yoga in the morning gives you the opportunity to breathe and allows you to set a positive healthy tone to your day.

It will enhance your awareness of your thoughts and emotions while enabling you to react to daily challenges more effectively. Soon you will be jumping out of bed to get on the mat! The video link to the sequence is on the top of the next page.

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View the sequence here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x96zpmycSt0 Cat/Cow Pose

Shoulder thread stretch

Starting on all fours with your fingers spread wide, hands under your shoulders, feet and knees are hip width apart and you can tuck your toes in for more balance. You can use a blanket under your knees for extra support. We start with a neutral spine and on the inhale we drop the belly, arching the spine and look up to the ceiling. On the exhale we tuck the chin, rolling under as we round the spine up as high as it`s comfortable.

Starting from all fours, inhale as you extend your right arm up into the air. Look up to your right hand and exhale bring in under your torso and stretch it out to the left side. Bring your right shoulder and ear to the mat and look out to your right hand. Stay here if your feel comfortable. To go a little bit deeper, lift the left hand up of the mat and wrap your left arm around your back towards the right leg, opening up the chest.

Hold the pose for five breaths and do the same on the other side.

Try to synchronise your breath and movement in this pose.

This will create emotional balance and allow you to feel relaxed and calm. Cat/Cow pose is great for stretching and strengthening our spines, we are also stretching out our hips, abdomen and back which feels great after lying down for so long.

Cat/Cow Pose II Staying in the same position, just send the weight over to the right side of the body, into the right shoulder and hip and take two breaths here. Then, round the spine and lift up and over to the left side and take two breaths here.

Bend the elbows, dip the chest down and come back over to the right side and keep the flow moving. Round the spine, lift up and over to the left and bend the elbows and dip down and back to the right side. Keep moving the ribs around in a circle, getting a lovely stretch into the sides of the body.

Arm and Leg balance Staying in the same position, engage your core muscles.

Make sure your fingers are wide and you are pressing into the hands and fingertips. On the inhale, lift the right arm and left leg and hold for five breaths and on the exhale bring them back down to the mat. Inhale the left arm up and the right leg back and hold for five breaths. Keep your gaze down at the mat. Exhale release back down to the mat.

This is a great exercise for balance and coordination and great for toning up the arms and legs.

Downward Facing Dog Coming back to all fours, fingers spread wide and toes tucked in. Lift up and back into Downward dog, lengthen your spine and send your hips back as far as you can. Bend the knees a little bit and maybe try to straighten the legs after a couple of breaths. Let the head drop down and gaze back in between the feet. You can keep up on your toes or bring your heels down to the ground. Stay for five breaths. Exhale and bring the knees to the mat. Come back into cat/cow pose for a couple of rounds.

This is an energising pose and it stretches out the shoulders, hamstrings and calves. It strengthens the arms and the legs.

This pose will open up the shoulders, reliving tension and tightness in the shoulders.

Come back to all fours when you are ready and return to Cat/Cow pose for a couple of rounds. Then tuck the toes, and lift up and back into your Downward facing dog pose. Stay for five breaths here, on the inhale try to come up to your toes and on the exhale try to bring your heels to the mat. Each breath will initiate each movement and on the final exhale, release the knees to the mat.

Child pose Bring your feet together and your knees wide apart. Drop your torso down in between your thighs, let your belly drop and walk your hands forward. Let your head rest on the mat or if your head is far from the mat, bring a blanket under your head. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Allow yourself to fully relax into the pose.

Childs pose is a relaxing nourishing pose that helps to gently stretch the hips, thighs, and ankles. It is also very calming for the brain.

After this sequence you will be ready for the day. You will feel fresh and invigorated. Taking a few minutes to practice yoga in the morning gives you the opportunity to breathe and allows you to set a positive healthy tone to your day. It will enhance your awareness of your thoughts and emotions while enabling you to react to daily challenges more effectively. Soon you will be jumping out of bed to get on the mat!

Yoga has a positive impact on your health and well-being and is complimentary to other fitness activities, making your body stronger and more flexible. You will also bring balance to your body and mind, reducing stress and increasing a positive attitude.

SinĂŠad Mc Kiernan, founder of LoveYoga.eu had been practicing Yoga for over 10 years. She completed her teacher training in India and continues to study & practice everyday.

Love Yoga classes, workshops and retreats are based in Galway.

Find out more on www.loveyoga.eu National Fitness News e-Zine 25

Tutor Education Advanced Practitioner

This course provides 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the the B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness. The Diploma is awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Aim: To provide Fitness Professionals with the opportunity to research, study and practice at an advanced level in the are of Exercise & Health Fitness.

The DEHF Yr 3 has two Module Electives to choose from: Ÿ Strand 1 - Tutor Education: Provides fitness professionals with the skills, knowledge and competencies to carry out the functions of a tutor at Year 1 (CEHF) and Year 2 (Specialist Courses).

Strand 2 - Advanced Practitioner: Provides fitness professionals with the skills, knowledge and competences to work at higher specialised levels within the industry, as specialist instructors and/or in supervisory management positions.

FULL-TIME DAY COURSE DETAILS ● Venue: University of Limerick ● Start date: 26th September 2017 ● End date: May 2018 ● Contact Days: Tues & Thurs 11:00-14:00 Mon, Wed & Fri are research & study days as well as Tutor Observation and some work experience. ● Application Closing Date: 8th September 2017 Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here ●

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Year 2: Advanced Personal Training

Advanced Personal Training Specialist This module provides 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate Diploma/B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma and B.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6/7 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

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

Course Details: Ÿ The module is delivered over four contact weekends with assigned private study Ÿ Participants will also be required to carry out assigned work experience which includes a project submission of a short video showing practical teaching/instructional ability Ÿ

The final examination is a written paper.

Module Link-In Details

Limerick Venue 2017: University of Limerick Contact Dates: ● ● ● ●

Sat 4th & Sun 5th Feb Sat 18th & Sun 19th Feb Sat 4th & Sun 5th March Sat 11th & Sun 12th March

●

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

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Introduction Food labels are there to assist the consumer, there’s often a lot more to them than initially meets the eye.

Manufacturers have to abide by laws and regulations set out for their guidance, this is because the aim of marketing has conflicting interests which might leave the consumer vulnerable. The regulations are not stagnant as they have developed over many years and keep evolving with time. Ultimately, food labels are there to guide manufacturers to provide a consumer-friendly safe product and have a fair market across providers as claims cannot be made without sufficient evidence.

Labelling Regulations In 2014 new European guidelines were introduced and applied to rules on the provision of Food Information for Consumer (FIC) Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 which came into force on December 13th 2014. These regulations are reinforced and applicable at each stage of the food chain where there is ‘food information’ being intended for the final consumer. This includes any food bought in the shop, and food intended for mass catering.

Food information is defined as “information concerning a food and made available to the final consumer by means of a label, other accompanying material, or any other means including modern technology tools or verbal communication”.

Nutrition panel, allergen information & claims:

Ingredients list The ingredients list is your first bit of information about the product. The ingredients must be listed in descending order, with the main ingredient found first in line, followed by the second most ingredients, and so on!

The nutrition panel This panel provides a breakdown of the nutritional content of a product. It is not compulsory unless a company is making a health claim. It will show Energy in kilocalories (kcal) and kilojoules (kJ), Figure 1 Example of a nutrition information whereas other nutrients are shown in grams (g).

Fats may be further broken down into the type of fats (saturated or unsaturated), and carbohydrates will show how much of the total is from refined sources found under ‘of which sugars’ as opposed to complex carbohydrates.

Portion sizes The nutrition panel will provide information ‘per 100g’ and also ‘per serving’; however your serving might not be the same as the intended one!

Observe the example nutrition panel above. If you were eating the food with the label as in Figure 1, and you eat 200g, you This legislation made it a legal requirement to identify in written consume 4 servings and therefore 4 times the calories and format, 14 specified food allergens when they are used in the other nutrients i.e. 16.2 g fat and 716kcal, as compared to 4.1g production or preparation of both packaged and non-packaged fat and 179 kcals. foods. More about this later!

The FSAI enforces food safety legislation in Ireland through service contracts with official agencies. Enforcement takes place through monitoring and surveillance. If there is activity which is unsatisfactory an investigation may take place. This has already had an impact on some very well-known products over the last few years which had unsubstantiated claims on their labels to favour their marketing position. These companies had to go back to the drawing board and provide evidence for claims they made, and in some cases, the health claims had to be retracted.

Salt & Sodium Sodium is not the same as salt. Salt is sodium chloride so sodium is just one part of a molecule of salt.

Here’s how you figure out salt from sodium:

So ultimately, these regulations are put in place to set a standard and protect the consumer. The legislations are aimed ● Sodium (mg) x 2.5 = Salt content (g) to make labels clear and easy to ready and know relevant ● Salt (g) / 2.5 = Sodium content (mg) information.

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‘Used by’, ‘Best before’ & other dates ‘Use by’ date is intended for the customer not to consume foods after this date due to changes in microbial content that may mean the food is not safe to eat. ‘Best Before’ dates are slightly different. This is more to do with quality than safety. It means that the product is best eaten before this date. The flavour or texture may deteriorate after this date, but it is not unsafe, with the exception of eggs. ‘Sell By’ or ‘Display until’ dates are used to help staff keep control of stock. This is not obligatory and always noted in addition to ‘Use By’ or ‘Best Before’ date.

Special dietary needs & allergens Warnings on packaging help those with allergies or intolerances to avoid certain ingredients. Allergenic ingredients are written in bold or italicised for emphasis. The phrase ‘May contain’ is used by manufacturers when they are unable to guarantee a completely allergen-free product due to production in an environment where other products contain the allergen. The Vegetarian Society permits products that comply with their regulations to use their logo. ‘Suitable for Vegetarians’ is voluntary but must be used honestly by manufacturers.

A list of controlled allergens monitored by the FSAI is listed in the regulations and includes the following, as well as derivatives of the allergens seen in Figure 2 below:

Figure 2 The 14 food allergens specified in the Food Information for Consumers (FIC) regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. Picture sourced online at www.nutritics.com

Food additives Food additives are substances used for a variety of reasons, such as for; colouring, texturizing, sweetening or preservations of food. The European Union legislation defines them as “any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has a nutritive value”.

Once added at any point in the food chain in manufacturing, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage, a food additive becomes a component Figure 3 Additives which have an E number of that food. Contrary preceding them have been approved for safe to popular belief, E consumption, contrary to popular belief! numbers are additives that have passed EU safety tests, numbers without an E before them are ones which have not been confirmed safe for consumption by tests. An example is Ascorbic Acid (E300), also known as vitamin C and is used as an antioxidant preservative and is often added to treat foods before packaging so that they do not discolour- as you would squeeze lemon on your fruit salad for the apples not to turn brown! This, together with other food additives has been assessed by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and/or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). They aim to have all additives assessed

and authorise the relevant ones with guidelines on conditional use (e.g how much can be safely consumed etc.) by the year 2020.

False advertising & health claims On the packaging (or label) of food, a company is able to make claims. These claims can relate to the nutrients in a food product or to the health benefit that could be a result of eating it. Apart from being illegal to make false or misleading claims on food labels, the pictures, slogans and pictures, slogans and accompanying labels must also not be misleading. For example, raspberry yoghurt that gets its flavour from artificial flavouring and not from fruit is not allowed to have a picture of a raspberry on the label.

Health claims are very closely monitored, and now companies cannot market their product with a health claim unless it is substantiated with evidence of reaching the criteria stipulated.

If a company want to rave about their product being high in a specific nutrient, then they must put the quantity of this nutrient on the nutrition panel as proof. If they are approved they are allowed to choose from a specific list of approved claims. The following health claims are endorsed, if they achieve the set out criteria: Approved health claims & their criteria: Low Fat / 95 % Fat Free = Less than 5g fat in 100g.

Low in Saturates = Less than 3g saturated fat in 100g.

Virtually Fat Free = Less than 0.3g fat in 100g.

Reduced Fat = At least 25% less fat than standard product.

Low Sugar = Less than 5g sugar in 100g.

Sugar Free = No added or naturally occurring sugar.

No Added Sugar = No extra sugar added.

Reduced Sugar = At least 25% less sugar than standard product.

High Fibre = At least 6g fibre in 100g.

Reduced Sodium (salt) = At least 25% less sodium (salt) than standard product.

Low Calorie /Diet = Less than 40 calories in 100g or 100ml.

Resources ● To view the Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 governing current food labelling regulation visit: https://www.fsai.ie/uploadedFiles/Consol_Reg1169_2011.pdf ● To view a list of additives regulated by FSAI: https://www.fsai.ie/faqs/additives/list.html ● Food for Safety Ireland (FSAI) have produced online learning resources on a variety of topics. If you are planning to work in the area of nutrition in any dynamic, these may be of interest: To access online visit: https://www.fsai.ie/food_businesses/food_safety_training/online.html ● FSAI on nutrition labelling: https://www.fsai.ie/legislation/food_legislation/food_information_fic/nutrition_l abelling.html ● For extensive detail on food additives visit: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-783_en.htm Biography Alexandra is a qualified dietician as well as sports and exercise scientist. She has provided nutritional advice to trans-Atlantic rowers, triathletes and ultra-marathon distance runners. She remains very involved in sports nutrition and though studying for a PhD in UL. PhD student, Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) University of Limerick, Ireland MSc. Dietetics RD (UK) Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow UK . BSc (Hons.) Sports & Exercise Science Strathclyde University, Glasgow UK .

Dip. Advanced Personal Training with Exercise Referrals, Lifetime Awarding ISAK accredited, Aberdeen UK http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/alexandra-cremona/80/738/573/

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performance when compared to sports like rugby and football.

Introduction Do you have a client that loves to golf, yet is stuck in a handicap plateau? Or are they always injuring themselves and they aren’t sure why?

Here are some pointers from Personal Fitness Trainer Scott Laidler.

The importance of physical fitness in golf is far greater than most people might think, but as a fellow trainer, you know better - right?

On first observation, this is a sport that appears to be of low intensity; sedentary, even. You'd be forgiven for thinking that it doesn't require impressive levels of fitness or athletic

The reality is that the golf swing needs a supreme level of physical conditioning. While it only lasts for a couple of seconds, it's a hugely intense movement that calls on muscle groups from the head to the feet. Strengthening those muscles can make all the difference in that ongoing struggle to bring your client’s handicap down and prevent any injury from occurring.

Anyone playing regular rounds of golf – at whatever level – should be conditioning their back, shoulders, hips and core. This will help them to add distance to their drive and better consistency to their swings (their muscles will become adept at

repeating the same movements). It will also help them to avoid or alleviate those common shoulder and lower back injuries associated with golfing. Strength training should be done off course and can easily be incorporated into your client’s normal weekly workout routine.

Aside from the following strength exercises, regular cardio training should be included in a golfer’s workout program to keep a good level of overall cardiovascular endurance for walking those long 18-hole courses.

It also helps to make sure your client doesn’t end up winded after making a good swing.

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Here are four exercises to help your client’s golf skills, which you can incorporate into their training regime: 1. Standing Cable Rotation What it does: This is a great exercise for increasing the flexibility and range of movement through the hips. Your client’s hip stabilisers will be used at the most difficult part of the movement, making this an effective core exercise.

How to use it: Incorporate this exercise into your abdominal workout program. Have your client perform 3 sets of ten repetitions on either side of their body. Be sure not to set the weight too heavy if this is their first time on this exercise.

2. Lateral Side Lunge With Rotation What it does: This exercise works the quads and glutes whilst engaging the core and increasing the ability to rotate through the spine. It's also excellent for increasing your client’s balance and proprioception.

How to use it: Have your client lunge to one side, perform the rotation and then push back to the start position; do the same thing for the other side. Do this for two sets of 12 repetitions. You can incorporate this exercise into your client’s current leg workout with minimal negative effect as only moderate weight is required.

3. The Golf Squat What it does: The golf squat will develop strength through the lower body, as with any squat. The additional advantage of the golf squat is that it realistically mimics the way in which your client would hold their club. This means they can build strength through their upper back and shoulders, which translates into greater swing stability and strength at the point of impact.

How to use it: Have your client complete three sets of 12 repetitions with a moderate dumbbell. Though a golfer only rotates to one side in their swing, it’s important to train both sides with this exercise so that they build a functional physique without muscular imbalances. This exercise will also fit well into the tail end of your client’s current leg workout without too much disruption.

4. Medicine Ball Lower Trunk Rotation What it does: This exercise will increase the strength through the hip region and lower trunk rotation, translating into an increase in the power of your client's swing.

How to use it: Have your client perform this exercise for 30 seconds at a time, alternating the direction in which they rotate. Three sets of 30 seconds would be suitable here. I would recommend that this workout be integrated with your abdominal/core workout program as it will more than likely to done in the same space in the gym.

Biography

Scott Laidler is a personal development coach who writes about fitness for Telegraph Men. Contact Scott at www.scottlaidler.com for personal training and online fitness coaching.

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The Meeting Your new client sits before you. For the purpose of this article let’s call your client Mr. X. Only really, this is not his first session, in all likelihood.

No, this session has been played out, over and over, once, twice, ten times in Mr. X’s head.

Coming to you, a Personal Trainer. “Never in my life,” he’s thought, “would I have imagined enlisting the service of a Personal Trainer. Sure that’s for the likes of Tom Cruise and Madonna.” He’s had many conversations like this one, running through his head.

But the reality is that Mr. X is here. With you. Enlisting the services of a Personal Trainer.

“Calories in, calories out...” It’s not the same story. It never is. Lesson No. 1 for you and I dear Trainer. Treat Mr. X as your first and only client. His story is his alone. The subtle clues he gives as you prepare his case history are his alone.

Stressful job = comfort eating. Old injury = lack of confidence in the strength of his knee = loss of activity and of the social outlet that playing his sport gave to him.

Listening is Key. Hearing the gaps between the words is even more important.

In the first session, therefore, quietness, time to converse, to fill forms to a level of high detail, with questions and time to listen to those answers are the first roles of us trainers.

Setting Out Your Stall Mr. X is most likely nervous. He may have played out how this first hour in his new life will transpire, oh a dozen times: what he’ll wear, where’ll he’ll sit or stand, his ‘story’ up until this point in time.

But this is real life, and there is no script.

Can we, as trainers, honestly imagine what this must be like for Mr. X? Make no mistake - this is the first hour of his New Life. A newborn to the world he’s been looking in on from the outside for sometime - possibly for years.

What’s the Story?

For the most part, our clients arrive with a chronic i.e. long term issue or issues to be addressed. Lacking fitness after years of inactivity, post-rehabilitation after an injury really brought about by ingrained poor posture, or in need of rebalancing themselves towards a healthy weight.

In most of these cases a long time has gone into creating the fitness or health issues in Mr. X. Another period, often side by side that just mentioned, has been spent by Mr. X ‘promising’ himself to sort out that old injury, get his work posture corrected or get fit again. But the promises turned days into months and now years have slipped by. He wants out of that old life. He wants in to the world of pain-free, healthy weight, and fitness.

At the point of first meeting, there has in the most part, been one or more communications with our Mr. X, at the time of enquiry. At this point however, it is only right to outline again the methods, testing, goal setting and roles and responsibilities of each party during the professional time together.

We must be clear with clients (ideally on a standardised information sheet) regarding the following items.

Time of session, time keeping etc. A particular note to draw attention to is the cancellation policy if one applies to your operation, and the method of payment for sessions.

Make clear that the information shared is confidential to the client, and that clarity and disclosure is of paramount importance - particularly in the area of record keeping be it of the exercise undertaken or of food diaries etc.

Your methods of testing, setting of the exercise programme must also be outlined, and in this way Mr. X knows exactly what to expect on each session and how the goals which have been discussed will be aimed for, and ultimately reached.

Responsibility

The responsibility for the success of the programme lies with Mr. X. As the Trainer we are the instrument to point to the direction of change, to steer the course that has been heretofore rudderless. We re-point the compass, lay in place the tools to aid the journey, but the journey can only be taken

by Mr. X himself.

Effective Listening Be clear, be motivating and be specific. “You will do x Like the judges on ‘The Voice of Ireland’, mine and your’s first sessions of this type yourself at home/gym etc.” This is how great things are achieved. job with Mr. X is to Listen. More importantly it is to Hear.

The story, the timeline, the goals and the dreams of Mr. X are not to be pooh-poohed. “Oh it’s the same as any other weight loss, neck aching client.” We might think - wrongly.

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The Session When getting down to the business of the session in exercise terms, explain, explain, explain.

Humans thrive on knowledge. We can take in new information and we do make sense of it. So at all times, explain your reason for the test (Blood pressure, heart rates, and into the more complex of your testing also). These nuggets provide not just you with a starting point and aid in programme design, but are central to Mr. X knowing what exactly is happening, and why this is relevant to him and his programme. He can take solace in perhaps good flexibility, while the not so good numbers with the skinfold calipers when explained can provide him with a roadmap to where his effort is going to pay off.

Knowing this alone, and creating an atmosphere of calmness, privacy and openness will enhance the experience - not just for Mr. X but also for ourselves.

Homework: Less is More Remember too, that less is more in the line of the client’s homework. If X says he has an hour free to exercise - plan his session away from you for 40-45 minutes. If he has a half hour, make it for 20 mins. We often overestimate our actual commitment and time allowances. If less is requested, but the quality is high, this will engender better commitment and compliance with the programme and the long-term effort that is required to reach one’s goals.

Always refer back, where relevant and appropriate, to information given in the screening form and in discussions earlier. How despite having no previous experience in weight training, the introduction and development of those skills in his programme will be the cornerstone of muscle toning, but also enhanced strength and will aid ay his golf game, or strengthening the knee to be able to rejoin his 5-a-side soccer team.

Feedback & Feed-Forward.

Making the connection between your testing, their results, the programme design and the end benefit to Mr. X makes him integrated in the process and he can now see the value of his future effort at this very early stage.

A suitable wrapping up of this first session is of paramount importance so that the clarity you both require to take this to a successful outcome is on the right path.

Ending the session with an invitation to comment by Mr. X will tell you how this first step on the journey has been - has he any thoughts on the results, on the plan for the week ahead you have set out jointly with him, is he clear on his own responsibility for the week ahead until the next session?

Remind Mr. X of this first, life-changing step he has taken.

Connection & Community These may sound so very simplified, and a bit too mundane.

But as human beings we seek out connection and community. If Mr. X has not been an exerciser, or has but has most recently been unable to with injury, then these are very basic things will set you apart as his trainer. Creating a professional relationship that will benefit him, and you.

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." - Martin Luther King, Jr Mary Fitzpatrick, B.Sc. is Director & Owner of Healthfitz Personal Training Consultancy based in Mayo.

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Pilates & Corrective Exercise

NCEF Pilates & Corrective Exericse This course awards 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learning pathway and also towards other University qualifications in Europe who follow ECTS credit value system.

Successful students will receive an NCEF Certificate of Completion Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and provide safe and effective instruction in Pilates & Corrective. These specialists can work with clients on a one to one basis or in a group setting.

Course Details: Four contact weekends - Saturday & Sunday.

Private study and an additional day for final assessments.

Work experience which includes a detailed project and submission of a short video

COURSE DETAILS Limerick Venue 2017: University of Limerick Contact Dates: ● ● ● ●

Sat 28th & Sun 29th Jan Sat 11th & Sun 12th Feb Sat 25th & Sun 26th Feb Sat 11th & Sun 12th March

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

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Year 2: Strength & Conditioning for Sport

This course provides 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate, Diploma/B.Sc. in Exercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma and B.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 6/7 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their understanding of the key concepts, theories and practical application of strength & conditioning training and performance. The Strength & Conditioning Specialist will be capable of providing safe, effective & appropriate fitness training programmes to teams or indivdual sport/athletes.

Course Details: Ÿ The course will take place over four contact weekends with assigned private study Participants will also be required to carry out assigned work experience which includes a project submission of a case study and short video.

Full-time Day Course: University of Limerick Contact Dates 2017: 24th January 2017 Course takes place every Tues & Thurs from 11:00-16:00 Course finishes April 2017.

Part-time Weekend Course : University of Limerick Contact Dates 2017: ● Sat 30th Sept & Sun 1st October ● Sat 14th & Sun 15th October ● Sat 11th & Sun 12th November ● Sat 25th & Sun 26th November Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here National Fitness News e-Zine 35

The University of Limerick (UL) Winter Conferring Ceremony will be held between 23rd- 27th January 2017. An exact date has not been confirmed. We will advise as soon as we are notified. This applies to the cohort of students from 2015/2016 who successfully received their official University of Limerick results in September 2016. ● CEHF Motions Energie (Spring course), Dublin ● CEHF Ormonde College of Further Education, Kilkenny ● CEHF Drogheda Institute of Further Education ● CEHF Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, Cork ● CEHF NCEF Intensive & PESS, Limerick ● B.Sc. In Exercise & Health Fitness

For further information on times, invitations, ordering your gown & collection on the day, photography and guest pack, please click on the link below: http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/Graduat e_Conferrings/Information_for_Graduands Members of the UL Governing Authority attend the ceremony and your award will be presented individually to you by UL President, Professor Don Barry. By inviting you to your conferring the President encourages you not only to attend the official event in the impressive UL Concert Hall, but to also take the time on the day to experience the beautiful surroundings of the UL campus.

Please note if you choose not to attend your graduation ceremony, your University of Limerick parchment will be posted to you approximately 6-8 weeks following graduation.

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Active Ageing for the Older Adult

NCEF Active Ageing Specialist eLearning This e-learning course provides 15 ECTS credits towards the Higher Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF). The HCEHF is awarded by the University of Limerick and are placed at Level 6 (Major) on National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Level 5 on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Aim: This course is for qualified fitness instructors who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and design group exercise classes and prescribe progressive exercise programmes suitable for independent older adults of varying levels of fitness in a gym, leisure centre, care setting or community environment. e-Learning Course Details: Content, including lectures, notes, sample older adult activities and exercises etc. is delivered and accessed through a special e-learning website. The website contains automated PowerPoint tutorials on all the theoretical aspects along with short electronic self-assessments which will allow students to gauge their progress as they work through the module. Practical elements including various activities and games suitable for older adults will be presented through video

2017 COURSE DATES Spring Semester: Commences 23rd January 2017. DVD Submission and Assessments 20th-24th April 2017 Closing Date for applications: 6th Jan 2017

Summer Semester: Commences 8th May 2017 DVD Submission and Assessments 227th-31st July 2017 Closing Date for applications: 13th April 2017

Autumn Semester: Commences 11th September 2017 DVD Submission and Assessments 7th-11th December 2017 Closing Date for applications: 25th August 2017

Full details on entry requirements, course content and fees are available by clicking here National Fitness News e-Zine 37

Key Points ● Current research on physical activity and health in the older populations ● Understating depression and aging ● Thinking past the bottom line; the global effects of working with older adults ● Considering if working with the older adult population is right for you ● Important considerations for setting up a successful older adult programme By the year 2030, the number of Americans over the age of 65 is projected to be over 71 million, meaning nearly one in five Americans will be considered elderly. Estimations for Canada, Japan, Mexico and the U.K. are found to be closer to one in four. As our world’s population ages, it is faced with issues of mortality, longevity, insecurity and quality of life. Evidence strongly supports an increase in physical activity (some studies suggest as little as 27 minutes two times per week) as a primary and practical way to improve the health, offset depression, enhance overall wellbeing and reduce risk of chronic conditions in the older adult population.

Benefits of Physical Activity for Older Adults Numerous studies report that regular physical activity is the strongest overriding positive determinant of health status for seniors. Positive outcomes include: ● Reduced risk of falls ● Reductions in hypertension BMI, blood glucose, and serum cholesterol ● Enhanced ability to manage stress ● Improved mental health status (including depression), and greater feelings of self-efficacy ● Reduced aging-related muscle atrophy and declines in strength ● Extended life; Prevention/mitigation of colon cancer, arthritis and diabetes ● Improved coordination and flexibility

Benefits of Older Adult Programming for Your Business Offering a comprehensive older adult fitness programme in your fitness facility has numerous benefits, can be very rewarding and may be a positive direction to go. This type of programming may increase your bottom line, possibly set you apart from your competition, produce a demographic that you would not traditionally see and drive

new business to you facility and staff. However, the benefits that studies are finding most profound affect more than just the bottom line.

Macroeconomic On a macroeconomic level, older adult programming lowers health care costs and issues associated with the economic impact of a culture that is not healthy. This is an important consideration because ultimately increased health care costs affect everyone.

Microeconomic From a microeconomic perspective older adult programming offers exposure to an otherwise and often “unseen” population. It gives a community heart, character and socialization. This not only keeps a community and its businesses thriving, but it creates comradely and support and a social structure that offsets isolation and depression.

Katon, et al. (2003) found that depressed seniors incurred approximately 50 percent higher health care costs. This study demonstrated an increase in as much as $1700 more in total costs per person annually. Blumenthal, et al.

(2007) showed that exercise increase remission rates in 40 percent to 45 percent of participants with major depression, and was as effective as Zoloft in treating major depression in adults age 40 and over. Glass et al. (2006).

Published longitudinal data on social engagements and depression in seniors and reported that seniors with the least social engagement had the highest depression scores and vice versa.

Research Research clearly demonstrates that physical activity is one of the best opportunities to increase longevity, reduce disability and improve the quality of life in older persons.

Statistics tell us that depression increases in the elderly as they get older. It is a bit unclear from the research which factor has a stronger impact on seniors’ quality of life, exercise or social engagement. However, it is clear that both favorably affect senior health; particularly seniors who struggle with depression.

These findings support the need for comprehensive programming that does not only offset the physical degeneration we find with aging, but the emotional and social degeneration we find with the aging populations.

Be Sensitive Many agencies geared toward the needs of older adults tout that older adults have more free time, more disposable income, a desire to maintain their independence and can work out during quieter times when facility traffic is slow.

While this may be true for certain categories of older adults, this is not necessarily gospel. Making assumptions National Fitness News e-Zine 38

and generalizations regarding the aging populating is a mistake that can be hazardous to a potentially successful programme.

For Example, it is important to be sensitive to older adults who may not appreciate being referred to as a “senior” or “senior citizen.” More recently terms like “active older adult,” “mature adult” or “aging population” has been used to define and describe what was once referred to as a “senior.” In addition, we are finding that categorizing a population by age is not a fair representation of fitness levels. For example, many people that would fall into a category of “seniors” are in far better health than the emerging younger populations who have increased incidence of obesity, operate in sedentary jobs, have chronic health conditions and far more stress in their daily lives.

Being sensitive to the needs of the aging population in a more holistic manner will create a community of employees who have the ability to strongly impact quality of life for your older members and truly offset the many chronic conditions that come with aging. If you facility is not equipped with personalities, programmes and adequately trained professionals who can accommodate older adults, it may be important to consider if offering a senior programme is truly beneficial for you and your business.

Be Patient and Empathetic A fitness facility must also consider that the extremely elderly population or populations with various symptoms of aging and degeneration will require a lot more time, attention, and specific programme designs. It will be important to be patient and empathetic with this

demographic as losing independence, loved ones and faculties is very difficult. A shift in today’s culture must be how we can serve this growing population instead of how they can serve us.

“Changes that come with aging can be subtle, but progressive. Often a small, yet crucial, decline in functional ability goes unnoticed. Activities that were once easily done may now present challenges.

Maneuvering on icy sidewalks, climbing up or down stairs, reaching high places, getting in and out of a bath tub, and attending to personal hygiene needs, may require recognition of the change and development of a plan for another way of doing these things. The maintenance of flexibility and adequate levels of exercise assists in maintaining the agility and strength so important to avoiding falls. As well, appropriate and adequate nutritional intake enhances the ability to maintain activity levels and prevent falls.

As these changes develop a type of vulnerability sets in, day to day tasks can feel risky and instill fear and mortality becomes increasingly inevitable.”

Competent and Confident Fitness Professionals Many fitness professionals are often ill prepared, intimidated, are unaware of the need or simply uninterested in working with the aging population.

Therefore it is important a fitness facility seeks out competent, confident, well trained, certified fitness professionals with experience and a desire to impact and instruct older adults. Candidates may be seasoned personal trainers, group fitness instructors, or even older adults who have an interest to be a leader or role model amongst their peers.

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Programming Programming should be created for the specific purpose of offsetting aging and degeneration while improving quality of life, socialization and increasing independence.

A solid fitness programme for older adults should focus on increased stability and balance, increased strength, increased range of motion and increased aerobic capacity.

A specific focus on breathing and relaxation is important as anxiety and depression are prevalent with this population as is hypertension and decreased lung capacity.

Intelligent and comprehensive programme design is critical and the risks should never outweigh the benefits for any exercise. Contraindications should be indicated, a comprehensive health history form should be filled out and accessible to anyone working with these members and a medical clearance form may be required for many participants. Safe slow progression with consistency and predictability will be the most successful types of workouts and will ensure satisfied return customers.

“Sensitivity” Tasks ● Once everyone is prepared each participant receives a page from a phone book (the local yellow pages) or something in eight or ten point fonts. The task is for each participant to read a section to me. ● Next each participant is given a pen and asked to “quickly” fill out a fitness contract that is printed out in 12 point font. ● Lastly each participant receives a pill bottle with a few M&M’s in it and each participant must open the bottle and take out just one M&M candy. This is an obvious example of the difficulties presented with skills as simple as taking a pill out of a bottle. ● Typically once participants are finished with this simulation exercise they are far more sensitive to issues of aging and are far kinder and more patient with this population. This kind of sensitivity is paramount for a well equipped, caring and compassionate staff who can meet the diverse needs of an aging, changing and sometimes vulnerable population.

Variety of Training It is also important to have a well rounded programme with a variety of options. Personal training, group personal training, group fitness classes like gentle yoga, dance, strength training, fall prevention, educational seminars and social activities are key to a reputable and respected programme.

Educated Fitness Staff Fitness/Leisure facilities should offer sensitivity training to all of the staff in their facility on a regular basis. Every member requires collaborative service, from the sales team to the front desk employees, the janitorial staff, the fitness team and even the kids club staff. A good wellness facility understands the benefits of creating a service oriented approach to its members and creates a sense of community in and of itself. As a result members know familiar, helpful and caring faces and have a sense of belonging that creates retention. The return on this kind of retention translates directly into gross revenue. Retaining members is always more cost effective than recruiting new ones.

Investing in developing empathetic or sensitive employees will both increase tolerance and the morale of your staff. It will help create connections, awareness and a sense of heightened acuity for working with or around older adults.

“Sensitivity” Drills 1.

Participants begin by placing popcorn in their shoes and then try to jog; this simulates the aging effects of losing fatty deposits in your feet, or the pain a diabetic may feel when walking.

2.

Participants wrap duct tape around their bare feet, put their shoes back on and walk around to experience simulated peripheral neuropathy.

3.

Thirdly they put on fitted medical gloved and wrap a band aid around each knuckle on all five fingers; this simulates limited dexterity and limited range of motions as well as arthritis.

4.

Finally I ask them to place cotton balls in their ears, for limited hearing and I use 3D movie glasses with a thin layer of Vaseline on them to simulate limited vision, cataracts or limited peripheral vision.

Conclusion In the two decades I have worked with older adults at numerous fitness facilities and for several companies, I have found the most successful older adult wellness programmes are ones that offer age appropriate resources, staff support, social events, consistency, well rounded, diverse and cutting edge programming performed by well informed fitness professionals. In addition, the facilities that seem to facilitate enormous success are the ones that are willing to invest more, step outside their box and are able to think about bigger impacts than just the bottom line.

References available upon request.

Shonna Porter has a B.A. in Exercise Physiology, Sports Science and Nutrition, and a M.A. in Counseling Psychology and Theology.

She is certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the Aquatics Exercise Association (AEA) and is a member of the American Counselors Association (AEA). She has been teaching group fitness and personal training for over 20 years and has extensive training working with athletes for sport specific goals, older populations, special populations, obesity, disordered eating and clients with depression and anxiety. Shonna has lectured on fitnessrelated topics all over the U.S.and continues to develop ongoing cutting edge instructor training programs.

In addition, to teaching and personal training, Shonna currently maintains a private counseling practice in Gig Harbor, WA. Shonna's simple, honest and effective approach to incorporate health and wellness into everyday life, has helped hundreds of clients improve the quality of their life, break free from limitations and plateaus, overcome depression and addiction and to attain lifelong health and wellness goals.

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