Personal Fitness Professional Fall 2022

WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM FALL 2022

BE MEMORABLE OR BE FORGOTTEN LEARN TO INCORPORATE “MAGIC MOMENTS” INTO YOUR SESSIONS

ARE YOU GETTING ROI ON YOUR CEUS? TRY THESE 4 UNCONVENTIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DISCOVER YOUR IDEAL LEARNING STYLE

SEE OUR AD ON THE BACK COVER!

VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 3 president

chad griepentrog | chad.g@rbpub.com publisher

josh vogt | josh@rbpub.com editor

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josh vogt | josh@rbpub.com

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creative director

kelli cooke | kelli.c@rbpub.com contributing writers

Travis Barnes, Meredith Butulis, CarolAnn, Ben Ludwig, James Patrick, Aesha Tahir, Nick Tumminello featured columnists

Brandi Binkley, Trina Gray, Dan Ritchie, Pat Rigsby, Kurt Weinreich Jr.

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COLUMNS

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The articles in this magazine represent the views of the authors and not those of MadMen3 or Personal Fitness Professional. MadMen3 and/or Personal Fitness Professional expressly disclaim any liability for the products or services sold or otherwise endorsed by advertisers or authors included in this magazine.

Personal Fitness Professional (ISSN 1523-780X) is published quarterly: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. [Volume 24, Issue 3] Published by MadMen3, LLC C/O Chad Griepentrog 708 Mohawk Trail DeForest WI 53532-3035 Tel: 608.241.8777 Periodicals postage paid at DeForest, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Personal Fitness Professional | P.O. Box 259098 | Madison WI 53725-9098.

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By Dr. Adrienne Ione

07 08 08

Training for Function Balance training to prevent fall-related injuries

By Dan Ritchie

Elevate Online Presence 4 ways to grow your business online

Continuing Education Certifications as continuing education

By Kurt Weinreich Jr.

The practice of curiosity

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Career Accelerator Career benefits of live events

By Brandi Binkley Ask the Experts: Physical Therapy

Inside look: The overlooked value of isometric exercises

By Dr. Meredith Butulis

Pat Rigsby

Real Talk: Lessons Behind Success Simple is better

By Trina Gray

Reprints For high-quality reprints, please contact us at 608.241.8777 All material in this magazine is copyrighted ©2022

by MadMen3 All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Any correspondence sent to Personal Fitness Professional, MadMen3 or its staff becomes property of MadMen3.

One-Minute Practice: Present Moment Awareness

DEPARTMENTS

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Letter from the Advisory Board Always Be Learning

By Farel Hruska Spotlight: FitFighter

11 29

Spotlight: Merrithew

New on the Market

SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE

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FEATURES

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How to Get ROI on Your CEUs 3 simple tips for how to choose courses more likely to help you increase your retention and revenue

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By Nick Tumminello

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Be Memorable or Be Forgotten Learning to incorporate the magic moments will create unforgettable sessions

By Travis Barnes

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Hiring a Business Coach?

Whether you choose to spend money or not, an investment is made either way

Discover Your Ideal Learning Style Which of the 7 most common learning techniques works best for you?

By CarolAnn

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Build More Skills, Change More Lives Specialty certifications and continuing education opportunities for fitness professionals

The Macronutrient Eating Plan Learn the 3 components of the macros method

By Aesha Tahir

Subscribe to PFP today.

By James Patrick

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Unconventional Learning Opportunities 4 ways to think outside the box that will help you grow and become more influential

By Ben Ludwig

SOCIAL MEDIA

OUR ADVISORY BOARD

pfpmedia pfpmedia pfpmedia pfpmedia

Lindsay Vastola

Greg Justice

Farel Hruska

Joey Percia

pfpmedia

FALL 2022 | WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM | 5

LETTER FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD

By Farel Hruska

Always Be Learning Remember these moments?  The butterflies you felt as you anticipate a new client coming in for a session.  The cold sweats you have before giving a presentation to leadership.  The nervous feeling coursing through your veins before you take the stage.

Having been in the presentation space, whether it be through teaching, training or educating around the world, I am profoundly familiar with all these moments and feelings. In my mind and body, I immediately go right back to that feeling every time I recall the memory. Those feelings could be seen as a negative, they could be seen as a deterrent. I believe, though, that those feelings are gifts. Those butterflies remind me that what I’m about to do is important and it means that I care deeply about what I’m doing. I want to be sure I touch the lives of the humans in front of me, every single time. It matters.

Because of the immediate memory of these feelings, I know that I must stay at the top of my game and that I must always be learning. In the fitness industry, we have the responsibility to remain credible, current and trustworthy. The level of knowledge we bring can either help or hinder the impact we have on those around us. Our responsibility to our clients, colleagues and to the efficacy of our industry is to seek out what’s relevant and seek ways to share that knowledge through appropriate programming and trusting relationships.

Because there are many ways we can impact our industry, where do you feel you could level up your education?  Are you in need of some updated research in your area of expertise?  Do you need a refresher on the programming that you’ve been training with for 6 months to a year?  Could you use some in-person education with hands-on application?  Do you need to be trained by someone to see the experience from the client’s standpoint?  Are you feeling stressed? Do you need a class on meditation or breath?  Do you feel the way you’re “showing up” is authentic and trusting? Might you need some work on yourself and what might be getting in your way of true connections?  Have you taken the time to understand unconscious bias and where it might be showing up in your work or relationships?

The list goes on and on. Our work in the fitness industry, and the excitement for it, doesn’t stop. Be eager for what’s next while always enjoying where you are. You got this!

“Let everything you do be done as if it makes a difference.” -William James PFP Advisory Board Member Farel Hruska has over 20 years of experience as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and educator. She is presently the Director of Education & Culture at Chuze Fitness. Farel also helped grow FIT4MOM from 2002-2018 as Global Fitness Director and Pre/Postnatal Director. She has presented at fitness conferences around the world including AFC (Bangkok), MEFIT PRO (Dubai), IDEA China and US and has been featured in CNN, New York Times, WebMD, Women's Running Magazine, and Pregnancy.com. Farel’s most meaningful accomplishment, however, is being mom to her three daughters.

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| WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM | FALL 2022

ONE-MINUTE PRACTICE: PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS

By Dr. Adrienne Ione

Yes2Aging.com

Practice Curiosity Fall is a time of transitions. In the Northern Hemisphere there is the Autumnal Equinox.

Yoga sequencing emphasizes the importance of transitions. For some, transitions represent a loss of identity. For others, an opportunity to explore possibilities. Curiosity is one way to mitigate any distress and magnify optimum well-being that may accompany a transition.

Pavlov, a Russian physiologist called curiosity the “what-is-it” reflex. In Zen Buddhism, curiosity is referred to as the “don’t know” mind or “beginner’s” mind. So, why be curious? Are there benefits? A recent discovery connects brain regions responsible for learning and longterm memory to curiosity. Also, by remaining curious, we release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good or a tad happier.

When Einstein was presented with a question and given 10 minutes to respond, he’d say, “I’d spend nine minutes asking questions and contemplating and one minute answering.”

Let’s engage in a one-minute practice of curiosity.

1. Identify an object: say, this magazine for example.

2. Be curious: Ask as many questions as possible about who and what went into the making of this magazine. How many colors appear in this magazine? How many different types of fonts are there?

3. Keep curious: Keep digging. Keep asking.

Keep wondering? What about the press machine that printed this magazine? Who are the people who run the machines or program them? How or where did they gain their knowledge? Who is Gutenburg? Did he have an Aunt?

4. Stay curious: What type of person was Gutenberg? Where are the wooden blocks today that existed 600 years before Gutenberg? Who are the ancestors of Chinese monks who printed on blocks?

Formerly a fitness specialist with the U.S. Marine Corp. and a counselor in residential and clinical settings, Adrienne Ione is now committed to the mind-body well-being of people ages 60 and greater, by utilizing an integrative therapeutic approach.

SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE TRAINING FOR FUNCTION

By Dan Ritchie

FunctionalAgingInstitute.com

Balance training to prevent fall-related injuries

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he statistics on fall-related injuries and deaths are not getting better. In fact, the trends are quite alarming. I remember while I was working on my PhD research, Dr. Atkins died due to a fall at a young age of 72. Then sadly in 2008 on my dissertation defense date, I remember the irony of the front page of the newspaper which listed the death of a well-known person due to a fall. In the past 10 years there has been a 30% increase in the fall death rate, and while that number is staggering, it does not really capture the whole issue.

In 2018 there were eight million fall-related injuries, which required treatment in ERs, urgent cares, or physician offices. Falling now accounts for 25% of all hospitalizations in the US. With 1 out of 4 people over age 65 falling each year and 1 out of 3 over age 70, we are poised to see a massive increase in these numbers in the next 10 years. By the year 2030, it is estimated we will have over 50 million falls per year with over 12 million injuries! The need for greater intervention is critical now more than ever.

Balance training is one of the six domains of human function we talk so much about in our Functional Aging Training model. These six domains are not just for older clients, but should be considered when training anyone over the age of 40.

When we look at balance we see it has four subdomains that each have multiple factors. Training balance requires training postural and center of gravity control, just as much as fitness factors like strength and endurance. A trainer’s approach to training balance should be diverse and include some lower body strength exercises, as well as stepping strategies and multi-sensory challenges.

Here are some great examples that you can incorporate into any training session and take just 5-10 minutes.

Stepping exercises:  Step touches or step taps  Step to a color (you can use agility dots that have various colors)  Step ups, both forward and sideways  Step sideways with a reach  Side-to-side shuffling Marching patterns  Forward marching  Sideways marching  Marching as if stepping over a parking block or sleeping dog  Marching legs straight, high leg marching  Marching on tiptoes Walking patterns  Tip-toe walking  Wide/straddle a log walking  Narrow walk the straight line walking  Tandem walking… heel to toe

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Fact Sheet Older Adult Falls.

Retrieved January 12, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/STEADI_ClinicianFactSheet-a.pdf

Strength exercises  Lunge patterns, forward, diagonal, sideways  Squatting with dynamic movement, while rowing, pressing, playing catch Currently, you might not have much time for balance circuits in your training. With a little planning though, your warm up or cool down could be a sequence of balance activities, and your strength training components could start to add a few balance challenges. Then you are on your way to helping reduce what is going to become a national crisis as we approach over 12 million fall related injuries every year!

Dr. Dan Ritchie is the president and co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute. Dan also owns and operates Miracles Fitness in West Lafayette, Indiana, where they have trained over 2,500 clients since 2007. Dan was the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year and is a sought-after expert and speaker at national and international events on topics like balance for older adults, fitness business development, the global aging phenomenon, and functional aging training models. Learn more at www.functionalaginginstitute.com.

FALL 2022 | WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM | 7

ELEVATE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

By Pat Rigsby

PatRigsby.com

4 ways to grow your business online

W

hen it comes to online marketing, most fitness business owners are pretty limited in what they choose to do. Typically, they feel like they need to have some sort of regular posting plan on one or two social media platforms, and they deploy some Facebook ads.

That’s all.

There are so many other things that someone can do to connect online with their ideal prospects. Here are a few ideas: 1. Google Business Profile: Google has replaced the Yellow Pages as the place people go to find solutions and service providers, and they allow you to create a robust local listing for your business.

You can augment basic business information with client reviews, answers to questions, pictures from your business and much more to stand out from your local competitors. While most businesses have a profile, few actually build it out to represent their business well.

2. Client Introductions: We all want more referrals and word of mouth business, but we’re usually pretty limited in how we help our clients introduce us to the other people in their lives. You can ask your clients to share content you create on their social profiles. You can offer a free Facebook Group sharing education and motivation that they can invite friends to join. You can post their successes for others to see so their friends see it and other clients can comment or share.

3. YouTube: YouTube has become something of an encyclopedia for people to learn. Your prospects have questions and search for answers online, often on YouTube. Be the one who answers them.

Create a list of the 10-20 most common questions your prospects ask about fitness, weight loss and training programs, then provide the answers. You’ll be making a good first impression by being both knowledgeable and helpful.

4. Networking: It is social media, right? Use platforms to engage in two-way conversations instead of simply making posts. Comment on other’s posts. Engage with people who comment on yours. Use private messaging to answer questions and start conversations. Be social.

Remember, business is about people and your people are online.

Connect with them. Start conversations. Be helpful. Do that and watch your network and business both grow.

Pat Rigsby is one of the fitness industry's leading business coaches and the owner of PatRigsby.com. He has built over a dozen businesses in the fitness industry as a CEO and co-owner, ranging from two-award winning franchises to certification organizations and equipment companies. Now he focuses exclusively on helping fitness entrepreneurs build their ideal businesses.

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| WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM | FALL 2022

REAL TALK: LESSONS BEHIND SUCCESS

By Trina Gray

TeamRockstarFit.com

Simple is better More than ever, simple is better. Simple offers to our clients. Simple plans for our business. Simple decisions as leaders. We do not need to overwhelm.

As fitness professionals, we help people transform their lives. We do this in different ways — from virtual sessions, to outdoor boot camps, to training in the studio. We can help more people when we make our offers more simple. After years of non-stop chaos, and change, people are craving calm and simplicity.

I just relaunched a winning program from 15 years ago, Turning Point. I dusted it off, gave it a new spin and unleashed it. The goal is to help people whose health is suffering. They are sedentary, fighting obesity and are feeling hopeless. Our offer was simple — feel better about yourself and your life with guided, safe weight loss with moderate exercise and simple nutritional improvements.

It worked. Within 72 hours of a soft launch (just two posts on social media), we had 29 applications. After conversations, we determined that 19 fit. They are off and running.

The program is 6 weeks, led by personal trainers, a certified nutrition coach and an exercise physiologist. We provide three in-person meetings, personalized habit trackers, two small group sessions per week and a prescribed fitness plan. We are in a low-income market charging $30 per week. Scale that to your area. We want to reach people who need us most.

In my online Beachbody business, I launched an 8-week strength training program, along with a gut healthy eating. I offered small group mentoring and support, recipe swaps, weekly check-ins on Zoom and daily text accountability. It’s on fire with energy. I made it easy for women to join with a clear, confident offer. I did not bury them with logistics. I told them that the plan was rock solid. It filled up in one week. I am relaunching a second round next month.

People want to feel better. We can make it easier for them with simple offers, programs and support. Bigger is not always better.

Simple is better.

Trina Gray is a 20-year leader in the fitness industry. She won the IDEA Health & Fitness Association’s first-ever Fitness Leader of the Year. She owns Bay Athletic Club in Michigan. She is a top presenter and successful entrepreneur.

She founded a 10X Elite online coaching team with Beachbody, called Team Rockstar Fit. She exclusively mentors women in fitness. Connect with her on Instagram @trinagray.

Attend Trina’s 3-part webinar series, “Finding Freedom: Coach Virtually to Add Income and Impact” on the first Thursday of the month in October, November and December. Stay tuned for more info.

SPOTLIGHT: FITFIGHTER www.fitfighter.com  team@FitFighter.com  971.998.7312

FitFighter: Moving STRONG

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fter FitFighter Founder & CEO Sarah Apgar’s successful debut on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2020, the company quickly established its unique strength training system with clients and partners in the military and public safety markets. It also captured the interest from fitness professionals seeking a differentiator in their programming designed for novice fitness participants to elite athletes. Recently, the company announced it raised $2.5 million in seed round investments to build its sales force, expand its gyms programs and military training, advance product design, add new products, and accelerate production.

Originally designed for the fire service, FitFighter continues its evolution as a fitness company maniacally focused on providing strength training solutions for ALL levels of fitness. In fact, FitFighter’s signature product, the Steelhose®, is now recognized globally as an

invaluable training tool by personal trainers, group fitness instructors, strength & conditioning specialists and physical therapists.

Moving Weight “At FitFighter we focus on transformation through strength. There’s never been a more ripe opportunity to educate the general public on what it really means to be strong, and on the importance of weight loaded movement,” says Apgar.

Of course, lifting weight is a key FitFighter component, but its main training emphasis is on moving weight thus its company mantra MoveSTRONG. Constructed from real firehose, the FitFighter Steelhose® is a versatile strength training tool that allows you to perform traditional, functional, athletic, and tactical movements all within your true range of motion. Available from 5 - 50lbs, fitness professionals use the Steelhose to enhance their 1on1, group fitness and sports performance programming. The opportunities are endless.

With the Steelhose, you can safely move, lift, swing, drag, toss and drop it. The FitFighter Training System also includes a 500+ movement library, virtual fitness classes and a Level 1 certification.

Amplify Your Training Toolbox As fitness and training methodologies continue to progress, FitFighter offers an innovative product that will not only enhance human performance, but also fitness and training experiences. The fact is, most members, clients and athletes are more motivated when they have the opportunity to utilize non-traditional fitness tools.

In addition to its virtual membership platform, the company also provides turnkey training and CEU’s for implementing The SIRT System (Steelhose Instability Resistance Training) into your gym, academy or program.

The Mission Forward Collaboration in the fitness industry has never been more critical. And that’s why FitFighter is exploring strategic partnerships with reputable

fitness companies. One example is teaming up with the heart rate monitor company, MyZone.

“FitFighter’s mission is to help people of ALL levels move stronger,” explains Jarod Cogswell, fitness industry veteran and FitFighter’s VP of Sales & Marketing. “And it’s crucial for us as a fitness company to build community beyond the product and serve as a sincere support system. Myzone allows us to do that by measuring and tracking training progress, as well as, promoting social connections through their fitness journeys.”

As FitFighter continues to grow, the alliances do not stop there. The company is currently building its ambassador program with passionate and purposeful fitness professionals, as well as strategic initiatives with other credible fitness brands, military organizations and first responders.

“We know that strength training is the single most important activity for our long term health,” says Apgar. Now with a force of qualified fitness professionals nearly 350,000 strong in the US, armed with simple, evidence-based training tools like Steelhoses, we can meaningfully move the needle on making the masses stronger. We’re grateful to be central in that movement.”

For more information, please visit https://www.fitfighter.com/

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CAREER ACCELERATOR

By Kurt Weinreich Jr. KurtWeinreich.ISSACertifiedTrainer.com

GetPhysioFit.com

Certifications as continuing education

Career benefits of live events

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Kurt Weinreich has over 22 years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, professional educator and fitness manager. Kurt continues to train full-time in Colorado while developing fitness professionals through consulting, lectures and internship programs.

Brandi Binkley has been an Exercise Physiologist for 19 years. Her first company PhysioFit has been called the Gold Standard for its interdisciplinary approach to technology and the clinical space. She has served as a consultant to the Department of Defense, Alpha Warrior, Technogym, and multiple healthcare companies. Brandi also spends her time serving on the board for End Slavery TN, Tennessee State NSCA Advisory, C12, and The Todd Durkin Mastermind.

anaging your baseline certifications with continuing education is not only a requirement for your field, but also an indicator of your desire to be a competent fitness professional by staying current with the newest scientific research. One way to accomplish meeting these needs in a way that enhances your profession is by utilizing that investment in additional credentials. Instead of just counting contact hours of attendance, you can increase your objective credibility of your resume and be at the forefront of your peers.

Higher-Value CEU: You have already invested hours in continuing education, but by utilizing that same time in an advanced specialization or NCCA-accredited certification, the value of your CEUs is higher due to the testing requirements and potential practical hours.

This will guarantee acceptance by other agencies for credit when petitioning courses for acceptance.

Validated Qualifications: The industry is full of trainers that enjoy a certain modality of technique, which usually translates to them being perceived as an “expert” in that field. However, the fitness professional that takes that interest to the next level and actually goes through the certification process becomes qualified in that specialization. Attending modules at a seminar, watching an online class or even being trained by another coach does not count as much as the proficiency demonstrated by going through an entire curriculum, proving practical knowledge and passing an administered test.

Higher Industry Credibility: Terms like “master,” “elite” and even “distinction” are utilized to differentiate fitness professionals, usually for rates. But if these terms come from a nationally accredited agency, having these earned titles gives the credibility in the industry that can be explained to potential clients.

Marketability: By combining the above attributes of utilizing certifications for continuing ed, you have the objective value needed to add to your portfolio of services to not only increase the confidence of the prospective client but proficiency in programming for those results in your presentation.

Today’s fitness customer has the knowledge, and the right, to ask about the credentials of the fitness professional that is to be hired, especially if specializations are presented. Utilizing additional certifications in your educational portfolio can be a purposeful way to make use of the time commitment while expanding the services you provide in a professionally credible way.

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By Brandi Binkley

| WWW.PERSONALFITNESSPROFESSIONAL.COM | FALL 2022

hen you think of career advancement, what comes to mind? For many of us, professional development can seem expensive, time consuming and intimidating. Instead of pursuing professional development, they stay in the trenches, hustling on programs, training clients and maintaining a facility — never seeing the opportunities outside of their current life/job. Unfortunately, these great coaches often leave the industry because they feel stuck and unable to progress in their career.

Instead, what if you took a practical approach to your career and planned annually for events that would help you grow personally and professionally? You can start by looking at your calendar, setting a budget for the coming year, and picking one or two events to start with. I recommend at least one of the events to NOT be industry specific. Choose an event where you work on personal development or with people in other industries. Planning your year gives you something to look forward to AND is a great way to see the benefits of investing in yourself. Some of those benefits are: 1. Sparking creativity and inspiration: Being around other people who also choose to work on themselves personally and professionally always inspires us to work towards our best self. It also sparks innovation by being in a new space and around new ideas. Some of the best ideas in the world were birthed out of being around others who also are pursuing growth.

2. Renewed or fresh perspectives: No matter how long you have been in the industry, you can always learn something new. It could be a coaching cue or a new recovery modality; either way, having a different outlook helps you level up your skills.

3. Networking: Some of the greatest opportunities for fitness professionals and their careers have come out of “being in the room.” You will meet so many wonderful people. The opportunities are endless when you actually choose to put yourself out there!

4. Accessibility to emerging technology and market trends: There’s no better place to see what’s coming in fitness trends and technology than attending talks, panels and exhibit hall events in the industry. Access to these opportunities have spurred many to adapt ideas that have changed their clients’ lives.

Now, get that budget in line, calendar out and ink some events you want to attend in the coming year. I hope to see you at a few!

SPOTLIGHT: MERRITHEW™ www.merrithew.com  Educationadvisor@merrithew.com  800.910.0001

Merrithew™: Harness the Power of Pilates to Grow Your Business

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ilates is a foundation-building workout that improves muscle strength, enhances flexibility and improves balance.

While Pilates is the new “it thing” among celebrities and in the world of social media, there’s much more than meets the eye. Sure it is glamorous, but Pilates is also the perfect full-body workout to improve strength and flexibility, and is accessible to injured or mobility-challenged clients. From professional dancers and new mothers to seniors and NBA and NFL players — Pilates is for everybody regardless of age or fitness level.

Pilates Is Booming With its rise in popularity and people looking to diversify their workouts, fitness enthusiasts are adopting Pilates as part of their regular routine.

From small private studios with one-on-one instruction to national franchises that offer a wide array of virtual classes, it's clear Pilates is having a moment (Pilates has been used more than 1.71 million times in the past year alone.)

Optimal health and wellness is achieved by moving our bodies mindfully. That’s why Pilates, which emphasizes the importance of breath and moving with awareness and intention, goes beyond skin deep results. As more people discover the importance of the mindbody connection to ease stress and anxiety, we expect that to translate to more consumers wanting to participate in mind-body movement.

But while it’s true that you can do Pilates on a restorative level, it has the potential for transformational results. Elite athletes do it to build stamina and ultimately improve their game, be it their golf drive, tennis serve or baseball pitch.

Why Should Personal Trainers Consider Training in Mindful Movement?

“If your clients are like mine, they want a well-balanced workout schedule that includes cardio training, strength training and at least one mind-body modality like yoga, Pilates or barre,” says Carol Earle, Merrithew™ Lead Instructor Trainer and personal trainer.

A leading authority in Pilates, fitness and mind-body education programs, Merrithew offers plenty of convenient and flexible online and in-person learning options — including STOTT PILATES® certification programs and other course offerings and workshops through over 200 Training Centers around the world.

Merrithew Instructors — more than 65,000 in 100 countries — are internationally recognized for their expertise. A Merrithew education opens up career opportunities, helping fitness professionals and health care practitioners grow their businesses through mind-body movement with studios, fitness facilities, and professional sports teams around the world.

Increase Your Marketability “The more skills you have as a trainer, the more marketable you are and the more options you’ll have to teach and find work. A lot of people stick to one specialization, but you can’t just be one thing anymore,” says PJ O’Clair, Merrithew Master Instructor Trainer.

Merrithew believes that effective, responsible, and mindful exercise should be accessible to everyone. Its innovative education programs cater to diverse populations with unique needs, from elite athletes seeking enhancement to at-home fitness enthusiasts, active seniors or rehab patients wanting to restore movement.

Set yourself apart by becoming a Merrithew Specialist. You can choose from nine specialty categories including programming for the active aging population. Or you can opt for the pre- and post-natal track or post-rehabilitation conditioning for those with injuries or special conditions. Several NBA and NHL players credit Pilates and Merrithew equipment with helping them improve their athletic performances.

Ready to turn your passion into your profession? Let Merrithew Education experts help! Visit Merrithew.com, email us at Educationadvisor@merrithew.com or call 1.800.910.0001.

ASK THE EXPERTS: PHYSICAL THERAPY

By Dr. Meredith Butulis

MeredithButulis.com

Inside look: The overlooked value of isometric exercises

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eyond doing planks, the value of isometric exercises is often overlooked. In fact, isometrics have gained an unfavorable reputation in many training ecosystems with phrases like:  “Why would you want to cut off blood supply to a working muscle?”  “There are much better exercises to burn calories.”  “Isometrics aren’t functional, so they are a waste of time.”

Instead of evaluating isometric exercise value based on common gym phrases, let’s consider what isometrics can do for your clients. Once benefits are clear, isometric exercise selection toward client goals becomes transparent.

Client benefits from isometric exercise selection can include: 1. Stabilizing hypermobilities 2. Restoring spine motion 3. Activating underperforming muscles 4. Minimizing compensation in multi-joint exercises 5. Building endurance Now, let’s discover what clues clients present to help hone in on specific techniques.

GOAL: STABILIZING HYPERMOBILITIES Client presentation: Clients that benefit from stabilizing hypermobility typically complain of increasing incidents of their “back going out,” or concern that their chiropractic adjustments never seem to hold.

Some may have underlying genetic hypermobility. One of the most common underlying diagnoses is Ehler-Danlos.

Key variables to stabilize hypermobilities include:  Joint specificity: Joint-specific stabilization requires the force to be placed close to the joint of interest. There should not be another joint between the joint of interest and the force application point.  Very low load: Less is more. Typically, stabilizing isometrics require forces that are a tiny fraction of body weight. The further the resistance is away from the target joint, the lower the force required.  Multi-angle: Isometric exercises only have a 10-degree carryover.

This means that the motion will be strong at the angle at which it is trained, and 10 degrees on either side of the trained position. This is why isometrics typically need to be repeated at several angles throughout the joint’s range of motion.  Increasing duration: The progression variable is duration. Start with 2-10 second holds, gradually progressing to 30-60 second holds over several weeks.

GOAL: RESTORING SPINE MOTION Client presentation: Clients present with complaints like “my spine

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is stuck.” They can show you a spine motion and demonstrate their limitation in one or more directions. If you look closely at each segment of the client’s spine moving, you can often find a segment that doesn’t quite line up with the spinal curve at the sticking point. This is often termed a hypomobile segment or subluxation.

Isometric exercise prescription to restore spine motion Exercises in this category are often very specific and most typically utilized by allied health providers. These isometrics typically go by names like “osteopathic approach” or muscle energy techniques.

Key variables to restore spine motion include:  Very joint-specific: Allied health providers will work through a process of “locking out” a joint in all three planes of motion, followed by an isometric. After this, the allied health provider takes up any joint slack in each plane, then repeats the process.  Very low load: Forces applied are barely enough to palpate local muscle action around the affected area.  Sets and reps: 1 set of 3 repetitions with a 6-10 second isometric followed by passive movement into the new range is typical for muscle energy techniques. This series is typically followed by carefully controlled active assisted motion, active motion and, finally, lightly resisted motion to encourage normal joint mechanics.

GOAL: ACTIVATE UNDERPERFORMING MUSCLES Client presentation: Underperforming muscles bring out a variety of client presentations. The power athlete might complain of decreased height when jumping or slowness when performing high-speed lifts. The endurance athlete might complain of a sluggish feeling in working muscles, decreasing speed over time, unusual muscle cramping or the sense that they just can’t feel a muscle performing or activating. On the rehab side, clients present with overuse injuries and biomechanical dysfunction like bursitis, tendinitis, tendinopathy and patellofemoral syndrome.

Key variables to activate underperforming muscles include:  Muscle-specific: Each muscle has a specific 3-dimension-specific position at which its EMG firing pattern supersedes surrounding muscles. In this position, practitioners guide clients through positional isometrics to help the nervous system better recruit the called-upon muscle.  Progressive low load: The load is often progressed within the set over a series of repetitions as follows: 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). 100% maximal voluntary contraction is the point at which the fitness or allied health provider can feel or see the client properly contracting the muscle to stabilize the joint of interest without any compensation into nearby muscles or joints. Many times, this force is less than one pound

SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE Figure 1: Isometric Exercise Quick-Reference Guide

when it is applied close to the muscle of interest. If the force is applied further away, the force is adjusted downward.  Sets and reps: Sets and reps vary based on the exact positional isometric technique used. 1 set of 4 in a cycle of 4-second isometric hold: 2-second relax represents one common method used by fitness professionals.  Progression: Since isometrics only have a 10-degree carryover, professionals often include multiple increasing joint angles within the isometric section of their program.

GOAL: MINIMIZE COMPENSATION Client presentation: Compensation is often first detected by the fitness or rehab professional. Continued slight movement deviations despite changes in exercise specifications or cueing appear persistent, even after the client has become aware of more ideal movement patterns. The client simply can’t will his/her body to perform what you ask.

Key variables to minimize compensation include:  Selecting the right activation technique: While all of the techniques work, selecting the ones within the professional’s training level, and the one that creates immediate and lasting change for the client are top choices.  Timing: With the key goal of neuromuscular activation directed at specific joints and muscles, the selected activation technique should immediately precede the desired workout movements.  Cueing: Isometric techniques enhance neuromuscular activation without providing the joints or muscles any instruction on how to work. The subsequent exercise selection, environmental setup, and cue selection should support more ideal movement with less compensation than before the isometrics were performed.

GOAL: BUILD ENDURANCE Client presentation: Clients often present with postural syndromes like upper-crossed, lower-crossed or pronation distortion syndrome.

These are not medical diagnoses, but rather sub-optimal postural patterns associated with the development of pain over time. Many times, clients can be cued out of these postures, but they cannot maintain them for any meaningful duration.

Key variables to build endurance include:  Position: Endurance builders are often multi-joint exercises. Select a position variation that the client can hold with proper muscle recruitment.  Duration: Duration is the most common progression, beginning with 1-3 sets of 10-second holds and progressing toward 1+ minute. Once a client can hold a position for 1 minute without compensating, a gradual external load can offer further progression.  Frequency: Since isometrics do not move joint surfaces, joint sheer and soft tissue breakdown associated with concentric and eccentric exercises are not present. This makes isometric exercise a viable daily option to improve postural and core support muscle endurance.

Putting it all together While isometric exercise is likely not the best choice for goals like burning a high number of calories in a workout, we can see that different kinds of isometrics can increase movement efficiency. Save Figure 1 above as an isometric exercise quick-reference guide to incorporate the ones that match your client’s goals.

Dr. Meredith Butulis, DPT, OCS, CEP, CSCS, CPT, PES, CES, BCS, Pilates-certified, Yoga-certified, has been working in the fitness and rehabilitation fields since 1998. She is the creator of the Fitness Comeback Coaching Certification, author of the Mobility | Stability Equation series, Host of the “Fitness Comeback Coaching Podcast,” and Assistant Professor the State College of Florida.

She shares her background to help us reflect on our professional fitness practices from new perspectives that can help us all grow together in the industry.

Instagram: @Dr.MeredithButulis.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

By Nick Tumminello

www.NickTumminello.com

HOW TO GET ROI ON YOUR CEUS

3 simple tips for how to choose courses more likely to help you increase your retention and revenue | By Nick Tumminello

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ou can take all of the business courses you’d like to help you with marketing and sales, but you still have to be a great trainer to keep your clients satisfied beyond the initial sale, and to build your reputation for providing a high level of service that attracts more clients.

That means you need to take technical education-based courses because they show you how to become a better coach and design better programs. Unfortunately, many of the CEU courses we do for our technical

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education don’t help us make more money because it’s not well connected to what our clients are looking for.

Here are three simple tips for how to choose CEU courses that are more likely to help you increase your retention and revenue by keep your clients happier and helping you to get more new clients by becoming more sought-after.

1. Invest in Courses for Your Clients, Not Your Own Fitness Hobby Trainers say they want to help their clients

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achieve their goals, but they often spend most, if not all of their educational time and money learning about the training concepts and techniques they think are cool or aligned with their own training goals.

Not every personal trainer is truly a fitness “professional” because many don’t treat their job as a true profession when it comes to learning the technical aspects of the trade.

You see, when it comes to personal trainers, there are fitness professionals and fitness hobbyists. One common identifying trait of the fitness “hobbyist” who also happens to

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work as a personal trainer is, although they’re well-intentioned and passionate about helping people, they spend most if not all their continuing education money and time on learning about their own pet fitness hobby; about learning how to better train for their own personal goals and interests. Whereas, the fitness professional spends most if not all their resources on learning how to better design programs/workouts and individualize exercise prescription for their clients.

Getting an ROI from your CEUs starts by making sure the fitness education you’re pursuing is actually something that will benefit your clients and help them achieve their goals.

Then, you can spend the money and time remaining to pursue the educational ventures in which you are personally interested.

they crave to stay interested while also giving them enough of the consistency they need to improve. Or, a course on fat loss without cardio because many clients want to lose fat and hate cardio. It comes down to picking subjects that help you better solve the problems your clients care about, and therefore will value you more highly for.

In other words, it’s great to add more tools to the toolbox. The point here is to prioritize adding the tools to our toolbox that are most likely to provide us the most ROI because you can’t pay for more courses if you can’t afford them.

On the flipside, you use the ROI you gained from the higher ROI tools to allow you the financial ability to add more tools to your toolbox because you’ve got a more successful business.

2. Focus on Program Design Courses, Not on Mastering Pieces of Equipment Two glaring examples of courses that focus on using a piece of equipment are Kettlebell certifications and TRX certification. Of course there is value in these courses, but it’s often very limited. In that, outside of doing goblet squats and swings, most clients aren’t doing kettlebell cleans and snatches because they take so much skill to learn, therefore not needed to improve fitness, and they beat the heck out of your wrists and arms in the process.

Sure, you can do a bunch of exercises with a suspension trainer, but what most of us trainers end up doing with it on a daily basis with clients and athletes are rows, fallouts, Ys and inverted skull crushers.

In other words, we take a course on Kettlebells and TRX because we think they’re cool and enjoy the fitness challenge, but in everyday practice with the majority of clients, we end up only applying a few exercises that we could have learned from YouTube. Thus, we get no real ROI on it for our business because it was never driven by our clients’ goals; it was for us.

To get ROI, a course should help us solve real world problems that we have from training clients, such as how to design programs that keep your clients interested while also progressing. This is because you need to know how to give clients some of the variety

3. Learn to Speak Like a Client If you can’t communicate well, you can’t coach well. Your training knowledge is no good if you’re unable to communicate it in a clear and concise manner your clients can easily understand. “Exercise is medicine.” But we are all much more likely to take our medicine when the medicine tastes good to us.

Speaking like a client means, instead of trying to impress people with your language, tailoring your language in order to make the medicine taste good to each client. It means meeting each client where they are and giving them the respect they deserve by speaking to them in ways that they can related to, get excited about and buy into.

ty-wise, you can be taught what you need to do on the programming design and assessment side of things to be a great trainer. The ultimate goal is to be a superstar that also has a plan better than the rest.

Nick Tumminello is known as the “Trainer of Trainers.” He is the 2016 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year and has been a trainer for over 20 years, working with clients from NFL and NBA, professional MMA fighters to everyday fitness enthusiasts of all levels. Nick’s online courses are available at Strength ZoneTraining.com.

SIDE NOTE: I’m not saying the courses on TRX, Kettlebell and other equipment don’t also include some

Better Reactions = Better Revenue To our clients, the product isn’t just the information trainers provide them. It’s the reaction our clients have to the info and training experience they have with us. Every session and interaction must establish a positive emotional reaction. People run towards what makes them happy, and they run away from things that don’t.

If the trainer’s plan is mediocre, but that trainer is a superstar, clients are in! This is because it’s all about presentation and emotion — the perceived value.

Now, you still need to have a great training plan. If you have what you need personali-

discussions of anatomy, using it in programs, etc. Nor am I writing this section in the spirit of being negative towards such certifications.

My motives for writing this article are to help trainers avoid the frustration and confusion that often occurs when they spend their limited money on a course, only to find it doesn’t help them make more money, get more clients.

I’ve talked with so many trainers, some being driven to the verge of tears, because they’re so frustrated from spending countless money and time taking all kinds of courses, struggle to get and keep clients. While they watch other trainers who don’t possess half their knowledge have a full book of clients because that trainer has some kind of hook that consumers are attracted to.

Oftentimes, these trainers have taken all these courses, and don’t have much money to begin with, without ever considering if they’re learning about things the free market places value in. Thus they end up highly educated yet frustrated because they feel undervalued.

I wrote this because I care about trainers and I want to see them succeed and thrive. In doing so, I’m simply pointing out how we can gain value in ways that we feel strongly about from a course but still not get much ROI on money to stay in business and thrive because we never considered if it gives us plenty to use in a way that adds perceived value to the free market.

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SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE FEATURE ARTICLE

By Travis Barnes

TravisBarnesSpeaks.com

BE MEMORABLE OR BE FORGOTTEN Learn to incorporate the magic moments will create unforgettable sessions

By Travis Barnes

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s fitness professionals and business owners, we have only two choices: Be memorable or be forgotten. Every moment we have a customer in our business is an opportunity to be memorable.

Every day we experience approximately 100,000 moments. Groups of moments create discreet experiences that can be either good or bad. Some experiences have emotions tied to them and those get stored as memories. The memories we have about a business form our relationship to that business. If we are going to make moments count, then we need to recognize the moments as they arrive.

Dale Carnegie taught us in the book How to Win Friends and Influence People that “a person’s name is the sweetest and most important sound in any language to that person.” In the 80s there was a TV show called “Cheers,” and when Norm walked through the door everyone yelled “Norm!”

For Norm there was home, work and Cheers,

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the place where he enjoyed being the most.

For the fitness enthusiast there is home, work and their gym. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Do they look forward to walking through our door as much as Norm looked forward to walking through the door of Cheers?”

The first opportunity to be memorable is how you welcome your guests. At my business, Journey 333, we sometimes play the Cheers theme song at the beginning of our group sessions, and as each member introduces themselves, we yell their name as if it were Cheers. We also deliver energy tunnels — “I’m sexy and I know it” cat walks and have had our Phoenix Mascot waiting outside to greet our members.

In most gyms, once your guest has been greeted and they put their things away, the warmup begins. Typical goals for a warmup include mobility preparation, range of motion and increasing body temperature. However, the magic is missing if the warmup does not include raising the energy level of the person.

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The warmup is more than a warmup. It is an intention-setting session, and it is our second opportunity to be memorable. To help our clients do this we must cue them to leave the stress of the day at the door. We must help them to be here right now, reminding them that they can’t be anyplace else. They can’t be where they came from. They can’t be where they will go next. To get the most out of the present moment, the moment must have our presence. Once we have their focus, then we can ask for their energy.

At Journey 333, we like to remind our clients that, “It is easier to act your way into a new way of feeling than it is to feel your way into a new way of acting.” This means if we are going to get our clients fired up and have a great workout then we need to act fired up.

At Journey 333, our niche is group training, and our warmups include energy lineups, choreography to certain songs and huddles, to name just a few things. The energy lineup is where our group members

TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE PRESENT MOMENT, THE MOMENT MUST HAVE OUR PRESENCE. ONCE WE HAVE THEIR FOCUS, THEN WE CAN ASK FOR THEIR ENERGY. are partnered up, standing across from one another, performing a pair of exercises and encouraging one another. Choreography to certain songs could be as simple as adding the resistance of a miniband to the cupid shuffle. And the huddle, like all good huddles, includes clapping and “an all hands in” type of breakdown with the breakdown word or phrase connecting to the intention of the session. The key here is that you must move more than just their body. To make it memorable you must also move their soul.

After the warmup, it is common for demonstrations to begin. In just about every gym, a demonstration will include the what and how (i.e. “Today we will be doing an X band walk with a superband. You will step on the band, twist it one time to make the X, hold your arms at 90 degrees to activate our biceps and step laterally leading with our heel to activate the hip and glute.”) That is a good description, but it doesn’t make the client want to do the exercise. The description teaches from the outside in and doesn’t even get to the why.

If you want your clients to want to do the exercise and go talk about what exercises they did with you, then we must teach from the inside out and make it memorable. Here is an example. “Today we are going to work Buns and Guns. We will do this by stepping on the band, twisting it one time to make the X, holding your arms at 90 degrees to activate our biceps and stepping laterally, leading with your heel to activate the hip and glute. This just happens to be called a Superband X Walk.

It is all too common to put more emphasis on what the exercise is called and how we will do it and too little on why we will do it. On a side note, you may want to do this with how you talk about your business as a point of differentiation. For years I told people we do group training and how we do it is, “We put the FUN in FUNctional fitness.” That is our brand promise. Then I learned to dig deeper for the why and I started talking about our business differently.

Today when I talk to people about our business, I start with the why. I say, “We add

years to people’s lives and life to people’s years.” We keep them on track by putting the fun in functional fitness, and our main form of training is group training. I find this makes people much more interested in what we do than if I had just started with talking about us as another form of group training.

We must remember that it is not enough to just be good. Your customers hired you assuming that you were good, so no special moments are created when you are what was expected. Magic moments create memorable sessions and that comes from doing more than what is expected.

Travis Barnes is founder and franchisor of Journey 333. He is an ACE-certified personal trainer and author of Journey Fitness and co-author of 52 Amazing Journeys. Barnes is also an international presenter and teacher of FitBiz Mastery. Barnes is an overcomer and it is his passion to help others overcome adversity and live their dreams. Learn more about how he can help you at travisbarnespeaks.com.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

By James Patrick

JamesPatrick.com

HIRING A BUSINESS COACH?

Whether you choose to spend money or not, an investment is made either way

By James Patrick

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he prospect of hiring a business coach can seem like the secret key to unlocking unimaginable success, the most terrifying investment that may not work, or (more honestly) both of those extremes simultaneously.

As someone who has worked with nearly a dozen business coaches, guides and mentors I can attest that the truth often falls somewhere in the middle of that chasm.

However, this duality can leave aspiring entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed, thus creating even more uncertainty than they had before they started to look into hiring a business coach.

The real fear of hiring a coach is placing that significant financial investment which may not provide us the return we need it to.

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However, regardless of sif you choose to spend money or not, an investment is made either way. In order to cultivate the growth of your business you can invest in a coach to help speed up your progress, or you can invest the time in figuring out the path yourself.

There is no right or wrong answer to this choice. Don’t listen to those who tell you that hiring a coach or working with a guide is the only way to get where you want to go within your business. You personally have to decide if the speed of which you can get to that destination is worth the investment versus doing it on your own.

But what if it does not work? That is the main question you have, right? It is the right question to ask. Although there is no guarantee when it comes to working with a coach,

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there are some important steps to mitigate the risk of your investment while increasing the likelihood of getting a return. It comes down to asking the right questions and paying attention to the right details.

The first is to question the coach’s specific approach and methodology. There are no perfect, secret, hidden, unknown formulas for success. No coach has the silver bullet that is unknown by everyone else in the industry. It is a matter of understanding what their specific system is and if you see that technique working for you and your business. Do you feel there is an alignment between their work and teaching style and how you personally prefer to learn?

The second is to request case studies of their past client work. It is one thing for a coach to show a variety of glowing testimo-

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In order to cultivate the growth of your business you can invest in a coach to help speed up your progress, or you can invest the time in figuring out the path yourself.

nials on their website which were personally selected and curated to build trust and confidence. A case study, on the other hand, reveals more of the client’s journey and how the coach was able to support them in overcoming obstacles and finding solutions.

The third is a bit more opaque but truthfully the most important thing you can do

when evaluating a potential coach. Watch and study how the coach markets themself.

Study how they present themselves on social media, their sales pages or even in the advertisements they run. Not only is it an effective way to assess if they are practicing what they preach, it reveals how they will likely be teaching you. Is there a synergy between how they

market themselves and how you would want to be marketed?

When you pay attention to the right details and ask the right questions, you significantly increase the likelihood of making the decision of hiring a coach, yes or no, with more confidence.

Lastly, remember that an investment which gives you a return ended up costing you nothing.

James Patrick is an award-winning photographer with more than 600 published magazine covers, entrepreneur coach, podcast host and best-selling author of Fit Business Online and Fit Business Guide. He is the founder of FITposium, an annual conference and online education network for fitness entrepreneurs to thrive in their careers. His work can be seen at JamesPatrick.com/Coaching or on Instagram @JPatrickPhoto.

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SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE FEATURE ARTICLE

By Ben Ludwig

CrossPointNow.net

UNCONVENTIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

4 ways to think outside the box that will help you grow and become more influential | By Ben Ludwig

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s a fitness professional, what comes to mind when I say learning? What about continuing education? Maybe workshop?

All of these buzzwords come across our email, social plugs under sponsored ads and even direct messages with a generic invite telling us the huge value of the content and networking opportunity!

None of these are bad opportunities.

Perfecting your craft, learning how to handle specialty groups and getting to meet other fitness professionals are all wonderful opportunities to grow. The biggest issue with all these opportunities is they often leave us with little real-world experience.

Now that you know how to train a cancer patient, how do you ensure people know about you? Now that you know how to better create new member goals, how do you sell your product to more people? This is where we need to reconsider how we approach learning in a classroom setting, and start considering how we can really create true lasting value in what we learn and how we learn.

Years ago, while running multiple full-service gyms, I held a training for all personal trainers as we were going to change to a subscription-based personal training model, moving from a paid-in-full session purchase model.

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One of the trainers that had been a part of the team for many years had reason after reason as to why the change wouldn’t work. I found myself getting more and more frustrated with his responses thinking, “This guy is going to give the whole team a bad attitude!”

I met with him after the meeting to get to the heart of his problem to find out that he had more certifications than he had actual clients!

It turns out, he was so afraid to ask for the sale because he didn’t really know how and was too proud to ask for help. He didn’t need another certification, or more CEUs, he needed sales training — how to truly feel like he was helping people by asking better questions.

Being the best at getting clients results is the backbone of our industry and the sustainability of your business, however, your learning should be a healthy mix of classroom learning, networking and real-life experiences. Let’s look at 4 different ways to think outside the box when looking for new ways to learn that will help you truly leave a legacy within the fitness industry: 1. Consider Business Education Most fitness professionals tend to over-value fitness knowledge yet fail to understand how to truly operate a business. So how do I educate myself on business? There are so many resourc-

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es for mentorship, mastermind groups that are niche-focused on how you run your business and resources available from certification agencies that are evolving toward helping the fitness industry create sustainability through sales training and retention management. This is often the scariest and least sought-after form of education because most business owners in fitness have such a positive attitude. If I simply give the best customer experience, then my member base will just grow and everyone will bring their friends, right? Not necessarily.

Learning how to truly manage and run your sales process can be a game changer for most.

Consider hiring a business coach, consultant or checking out some of the tried and true fitness business systems to help you create more structure in your model.

2. Study How to Teach Topics I often hear experts in our industry speak in a way that the better they understand their craft, the more successful they will be, but often what I have found in my career is just because someone can execute a process, doesn’t mean they can teach it or lead it. I all too often have seen, and have even been the one promoting, high-producing fitness sales advisors or personal trainers into management roles, only for them to produce less and manage

SEEKING TO PROVIDE VALUE TO EVERYONE AROUND YOU GOES SO FAR BEYOND JUST YOUR LOCATION’S FOUR WALLS. their team poorly because they often don’t understand why they are successful. They simply manage by asking people to mimic them or do what they do. When considering your career 10 years from now, what do you want to be doing? The better I can delegate, hold accountability and grow others, the more successful I will be. Think, “how would I teach someone else this principle,” not just “how can I use this on my clients.” This not only will help you become a better manager, but will also help you develop a long-term career path that allows you to make an impact so much larger than your client base.

3. Learn Outside Your Industry Leadership, sales, retention, customer experience are all buzzwords in fitness today, yet none of them are exclusive to fitness. We tend to pigeon hole our learning to niche topics, which is great for the most part, but it is also a huge benefit to take a leadership course from someone who specializes in leadership, or sales from someone who specializes in psychology of sales. This provides fresh perspective and allows you to hear different minds and different ways the same principles are presented, all allowing you to

become more of an expert. Fantastic books that helped me become who I am are How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss — both wonderful, principle-based books that not only helped me become better at my craft, but a better communicator, husband, dad and friend. Seeking to provide value to everyone around you goes so far beyond just your location’s four walls.

4. Simply Ask Other Professionals One of the best things I have found about learning in our industry is that the absolute best operators freely discuss their best practices. They know that it’s not about having the process that is the key, but how to execute the process which is gold. Because of this, most of these operators also love networking and connecting with other fitness professionals, knowing that the more they give the better connected they will be as well as seeing the bigger picture of changing more lives by helping those that aren’t as far along as them.

This will often create an even better longterm growth path for you as you make these connections because you will naturally have sounding boards and peers that can help you

make the best decisions for your business based on the evolution of the industry.

Conventional learning paths are still around for a reason, because they work. But if this is your only path of learning then you are missing out on the best opportunities to grassroots grow your network, challenge yourself to the best of your abilities and also become even more influential to the industry as a whole. The fitness industry can be an extremely rewarding career path, but the future will need more thought leaders and content developers to take the reins. The real question is, will you be an industry icon?

Ben Ludwig is a leadership, sales and strategy expert. He currently acts as a stakeholder, shareholder and senior team member with the fastest-growing fitness franchise in the world: F45 Training Headquarters; serves as the Growth Pastor for CrosspointNow Network of Churches across Kansas; and owns multiple fitness businesses, including those featured on Good Day Kansas and KWCH Channel 12 News. He also contributes regularly to fitness business magazines, podcasts and speaking engagements across the globe. Ben also volunteers his time serving on multiple Boards of Directors.

Email him at ben.ludwig@crosspointnow.net.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

By CarolAnn

www.CarolAnn.Fitness

DISCOVER YOUR IDEAL LEARNING STYLE

Which of the 7 most common learning techniques works best for you?

By CarolAnn

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hen two (or occasionally more) brands put their heads together and work on a project, something beautiful can happen. Strategic marketing and product partnerships is about two businesses combining skill sets, audiences and, normally, budgets while working to their respective goals. Cultivating partnerships can snowball your brand utilizing the bandwidth of other companies.

WANT TO GROW FASTER AND STRONGER? As a health and fitness professional, you are on a continuous path of learning, developing

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your craft and implementing new techniques with your clients. Currently, there are countless continuing education opportunities both in-person and online via conferences, workshops, webinars, courses, certification programs, etc. This industry is ever-evolving, and you as a consummate professional must keep up to remain relevant, effective and safe. Therefore, what is your process for learning, absorbing, retaining and applying information that is ever-changing? Not only is understanding the method in which you process learning important, but also, understanding your clients’ learning styles so you can effectively coach them.

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A learning style is the theory that individuals can be classified depending on how they process and learn information. Therefore, in theory, teaching individuals according to their specific learning styles will result in improved learning. While there is no concrete evidence to support the success of these learning styles, many educators believe that students learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style. These learning styles originated from Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. There are three overarching categories of learning styles: personal, sensory and informational. These three categories are then further divided into

SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE how one processes information. Discover your ideal learning style by reviewing these seven most common learning techniques.

Personal Learning Style The personal category depends greatly on the learners’ surroundings and whether they are studying with or without people.  Social/Interpersonal: Social, or interpersonal learners work best when they participate in study activities with other people such as quizzing each other or having a study group. You appeal to this learning style if you like attending online or in-person workshops with other attendees. You enjoy the interaction and the opportunity to study and prepare for certification exams with other participants. Your fitness clients who prefer to learn this way may enjoy group classes to learn a new fitness skill. Even working one-on-one with a personal trainer appeals to this learning style because of the social interaction and the constant feedback that is given during coaching.  Solitary/Intrapersonal: Solitary, or intrapersonal learners work best alone. Making notes and reciting them back are useful activities when studying by yourself. You appeal to this learning style if you like viewing on-demand education going at your own pace, taking notes while reviewing the videos, and answering study questions.

Your clients who prefer this learning style work well with home workouts that you give them when they are not training with you. If you give them an article to read or an assignment of logging their meals, they typically do well.

Sensory Learning Style The sensory category uses the senses. In the general population, according to various studies of the sensory learning styles, the distribution is 65% visual, 30% auditory and 5% kinesthetic. However, many students show traits of multiple learning styles. In addition, because learning exercise training techniques is physical, the percentage of kinesthetic learning style more than likely ranks higher among health and fitness professionals.  Visual/Spatial: Visual or spatial learners retain information best by viewing pictures, images, charts, diagrams and idea illustrations. They also respond well to colors.

Those with visual-spatial intelligence can recall knowledge and details when it’s

pictured in their minds. For example, you appeal to this learning style if you find it easier to retain how the energy pathways work in the body if it was represented with a graphic of a flow chart within the body. Your client who appeals to this learning style is more likely to learn healthy nutrition habits with the ChooseMyPlate.gov icon. This icon is a colorful symbol of a plate divided into four sections representing protein, fruits, vegetables and grains with an offset circle of dairy. In addition, a demonstration of an activity is helpful for these learners.

Therefore, it is helpful for your client to see you demonstrate a movement so that they can replicate it.  Auditory/Aural: Auditory or aural learners retain the most information after hearing it.

Those who fall under this category process lessons when presented to them vocally.

Some examples of this type of learning style include lectures, podcasts and talks. Auditory learners prefer vocal communication where they read out loud to absorb the information in their head. If you can listen to a webinar while doing other things and still retain the information, then this learning style would appeal to you. To test if you are an auditory learner, listen to a podcast. Do you tune out and need to read the transcript or do you retain the information? A great example of an auditory learning client is one who can simply listen to your cues and be able to perform the movement. However, that just means you must be very skilled at cueing.  Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic learners are all about doing things physically, i.e., moving and touching. It is also referred to as experiential learning. This is the learning style that more than likely appeals to most health and fitness professionals. They tend to want to get their body into action and move around. They are “hands-on” learners who prefer doing rather than talking.

These learners require active learning exercises. Group fitness instructors tend to appeal to this learning style because of having to learn new steps, choreography, etc. Personal trainers learn new training techniques by first trying them out on their own bodies. The majority, if not 100%, of your clients will learn to become kinesthetic learners because the majority of what you do with your clients is movement.

Informational Learning Style Informational refers to how the brain analyzes

information, mainly in the form of language or data. These learning styles do not depend on the senses or the learner’s social surroundings.  Verbal/Linguistic: Verbal learners recall details better through reading, speaking and writing. Those who have this learning style tend to create study materials such as flashcards that help them understand and memorize ideas. These learners also use tools like rhymes and acronyms. You appeal to this learning style if you enjoy answering the study/quiz questions at the end of each module in a certification manual. You’re the type of learner who will create flashcards and quiz yourself over and over before taking your certification exam. You have an ability to analyze information and create education involving oral and written language such as presenting workshops or authoring books.  Logical/Mathematical: Logical learners investigate the different patterns to create a connection between information that makes sense to them and not necessarily to others. Highly logical learners are skilled at recognizing relationships and retaining ideas through critical thinking exercises, statistics and facts.

Blended It is very rare for one to be boxed into just one learning style. Learning through many different methods will maximize the opportunity to process, absorb, retain and apply new information that you can implement with your clients and students. To discover your ideal learning style, take the VARK Questionnaire (https://varklearn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/). The VARK model of learning styles suggests that there are four main types of learners: visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetic. You may or may not be surprised by your results.

Known as the trainer’s trainer, CarolAnn has become one of the country’s leading fitness educators, authors and national presenters.

Combining a Master’s degree in Exercise Science/ Health Promotion with several fitness certifications/ memberships, she has been actively involved in the fitness industry for over 3 decades presenting at FiTOUR, Club Industry, MedFit Network Tour and SCW Manias. As one of the leading experts, she has served on several health advisory boards, performed as a wellness fitness coordinator, owned her private studio and operated several gyms. She moved her programming online as the creator and star of “The Steel Physique Fitness on Demand” series (www.CarolAnn.Fitness).

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BUILD MORE SKILLS, CHANGE MORE LIVES Specialty certifications and continuing education opportunities for fitness professionals

Lead the Way Toward Wellness Did you know that interest in wellness is rapidly rising in America? According to the 2022 Mindbody Wellness Index: Fitness Report, nearly 80% of Americans reported in a survey that their wellness is more important than ever.

With You Every Step of the Way For decades, American Council on Exercise (ACE) has been driven by the fundamental belief that people are resourceful and capable of change.

By meeting clients where they are on their wellness journeys and employing evidence-based strategies, you can facilitate the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors for the long term.

Becoming an ACE Specialist means joining a nonprofit leader that’s been working to get people moving across the globe for over 30 years. ACE is proud to offer numerous Specialist Programs designed to serve specific populations, many of which are un-

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derserved. Take your expertise, and your career, to the next level, while making an even greater impact on your clients’ health and well-being as an ACE Specialist.

How to Boost Your Wellness Credentials  As an ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist, you’ll gain an understanding of how to pair behavior change strategies with science-backed nutrition information. This will help your clients learn more about their nutrition and develop life-long habits that lead to better health.  The ACE Behavior Change Specialist Program will teach you the key tools to promoting behavior change and creating a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. You’ll learn how to help clients recognize counterproductive behaviors and coach them to discover new methods to move more, eat better and make healthier decisions.

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 Helping clients who struggle with weight management requires a whole person approach. The ACE Weight Management Specialist Program explores all aspects of each individual, ultimately providing a roadmap to effectively train, motivate, support and educate clients from a variety of backgrounds and abilities.

For maximum flexibility to pursue specialized knowledge that boosts your business, check out CEC Power Pass. From in-depth Specialist Programs to short courses on trending topics, one low monthly price gives you unlimited access to the knowledge you need to be the best trainer, instructor and coach you can be. acefitness.org/PowerPass

Your ConEd Resource for Almost 30 Years "Everyone needs continuing education courses, but no one wants to go broke buying them." If you agree with that statement, then you need Exercise ETC for your continuing education needs. We are your onestop shop for high-quality, deeply discounted continuing education programs for fitness professionals.

No matter how you learn best, or what your budget is, we’ve got you covered: Do you like traditional “live” workshops? We offer them in cities all over the USA. Our topics for 2022-23 include “Strength & Conditioning for Seniors;” “Primal Exercise,” “Func-

tional Aging” and more! And our live programs protect you by offering a 100% refund on your registration fees if you must cancel — even at the last minute — no questions asked.

Do you prefer a book-based continuing education course? We have a huge selection of home study courses and they all offer free, instant grading; in addition, all of them are now available as eBooks so earning CEs has never been faster, and with prices as low as $79 for 20 CEs you won’t find a better price!

In a hurry? Then our recorded webinars-on-demand are just what you’ve been waiting for. Each webinar-on-demand is a self-contained 2-hour presentation that you can

watch on your computer or tablet at your own pace; when you’re done, simply print out your CE certificate.

Simple!

Exercise ETC has been offering quality education programs at reasonable prices since 1993, and with so many programs you’re sure to find something that appeals to you, but, in the unlikely event you’re unhappy, we offer a 100% refund guarantee. So why not visit our website today:

Certification and Education for Training Mature and Affluent Clients The FAI Functional Aging Specialist is the complete certification program for the serious fitness professional who is ready to become an expert in functional aging and training of older adults. You will receive in-depth training on functional training strategies and movements, how to conduct meaningful assessments of function, how to create and develop effective exercise programs, and critical skills to be an effective professional with this client base.

You do not need to be a certified personal trainer from another organization to take this course. Whether you have been in the industry for years or this is your first certification, the Functional Aging Specialist will prepare you to be the local go-to expert on training mature clients.

There is not another certification in the fitness industry that utilizes the Functional Aging Training Model for how to approach training for the mature population.

This will be the credential of choice for years to come for those specializing in the 50+ market. This certification is approved for 12-16 hours of CECs from all the major organizations! And now for the first time ever we are including an extra bonus 5-hour CEU approved Business Academy!

We are excited to help grow, kickstart or launch your business! Not only can you get world-class certifications from FAI, but we want you to have the skills to attract more clients and change more lives!

 The Global Aging Opportunity: The Biggest Opportunity in Fitness Business History  How to Launch or Jumpstart Your Business  Active Aging Trends the 5 Big Things Coming in the Next 10 Years  Secrets to Successful Studio/Business Owners, Plus 10 Ways to Market for Zero to Minimal Cost  Sales Process, Pricing models, Packages and Knowing Your Value

exerciseetc.com

functionalaginginstitute.com/ become-certified

Here are the five bonus business sessions included:

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MoveSTRONG with FitFighter’s World Class Education Program FitFighter’s signature training tool, the Steelhose®, is a one of a kind 5 in 1 functional strength system.

A pliable, durable, safe, easily transportable, and versatile product, the Steelhose comes in weight increments of 5-50 lbs and is an ideal tool to be used indoor, outdoor, on the court, field, gym, or at home, supporting your individual, group, semi-private, and virtual clients with a turnkey strength training solution.

The FitFighter Level 1 Certification is a comprehensive introduction and education on the application of the Steelhose®. This certification teaches Fitness Professionals how to effectively move with, coach, and transform strength to MoveSTRONG with their clients. The FitFighter certification provides you with training modalities to incorporate into your strength and conditioning

programs, team training and group fitness experiences, semi-private, and personal training offerings.

This hyper versatile and effective product and training certification will equip you with the knowledge and tools that you need to satisfy every strength and mobility goal that you may come across as a Fitness Pro. Our world class curriculum focuses on foundational strength movements, how to implement and progress loaded movement, and the well-researched benefits of Instability Resistance Training (IRT), which is the most important exercise for our long term health. FitFighter’s Steelhose weights are a transformative method to help people focus on moving weight, instead of simply lifting weight.

Born from the line of service, FitFighter has taken flight over the past few years, especially after FitFighter’s founder, Sarah Apgar,

made her appearance and secured a deal on ABC’s Shark Tank. FitFighter is focused on exceptional product design and building a community that focuses on incorporating functional strength training into the lives of people of all ages, and always giving back to the community.

FitFighter is a proud sponsor of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and a portion of every sale is donated to this important cause.

Whether your clients are athletes, new to fitness, soldiers, coaches, parents, professionals, on the frontline, or anything in between, the FitFighter Level 1 Certification delivers simple, superior equipment and robust training for your mission to MoveSTRONG.

Introducing FiTOUR® Primary and Advanced Nutrition FiTOUR® Certifications' latest programs are a step in the right direction for fitness professionals who are looking to confidently expand their scope of practice and help clients attain wellness goals. Since 1989, FiTOUR® is known for affordable, comprehensive, cutting-edge certifications grounded in exercise science and guidelines for safe and efficient health and fitness practice. This year, FiTOUR® brings two new certifications to market with FiTOUR® Primary Nutrition Certification: Theory Application; and FiTOUR® Advanced Nutrition Certification: Practical Application.

Trainers can make a real, quantifiable impact on clients’ lifestyles by working one on one or in a group setting to apply basic or athletic performance nutritional coaching. Trainers can address objectives of nutrition like: mindset to successfully reach goals, energy balance to accomplish goals,

portion and service size control, how to read nutrition facts labels and why proper nutrition is important.

Before getting started on a nutrition course, understand and follow the appropriate state provisions. To remain compliant with local laws, it is important to be knowledgeable of what is outside the scope of practice for a nutrition coach: creating individualized meal plans, nutritional assessments, specific recommendations for nutrient intake, caloric intake, or specialty diets, nutritional counseling aimed to prevent, treat, or cure a disease or condition, recommending or selling supplements, and promoting oneself as a nutritionist or dietitian With FiTOUR®’s latest nutrition courses, trainers will be equipped to help clients looking for expert advice on nutrition and movement to maximize results. Trustworthy nutrition coaches provide balanced, comprehensive nutritional information and advice. There are six key areas that

fitness professionals can address with clients after completion of the FiTOUR® Nutrition Certifications that fall within the scope of practice:

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www.FitFighter.com

1. Principles of nutrition and food prep 2. Food necessary for a balanced daily diet 3. Essential nutrients and the action of those nutrients on the body 4. Effects of deficiencies or excesses of nutrients 5. How nutrient requirements vary through the lifecycle 6. Information about nutrients contained in foods or supplements By adding a nutrition certification, personal trainers and fitness instructors position themselves as true experts in the field and will, undoubtedly, open doors to strong career opportunities.

FiTOUR.com

Accelerate Your Career with Merrithew™ Specialty Tracks Merrithew™ is a leading authority in the Pilates, fitness and mind-body equipment and education industry, equipping more than 65,000 instructors in 100 countries around the world with the knowledge, skills and expertise to make a meaningful difference in their clients’ lives for over three decades now. We firmly believe that mindful movement can be practiced by all ages, fitness backgrounds and abilities and is an integral part of healthy living that impacts your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Our programming covers every aspect of mindful movement, from athletic conditioning to post-rehabilitation, including STOTT PILATES®, ZEN•GA®, Total Barre®, Halo® Training, Merrithew™ Fascial Movement and CORE™ Athletic Conditioning and Performance Training™. Explore our mind-body modalities regardless of

where you’re located by signing up for a free 14-day trial of Merrithew™ Connect, our unique, digital platform.

What Sets NSCA Certifications Apart?

Even the most accomplished trainers can still benefit from certification— what better way to complement your expertise and ensure your skillset remains relevant? Although it’s easy to get swept up in the sea of certifying agencies claiming to have the best offer, it’s simple to see why the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is the choice of top-level professionals.

We’re internationally respected.

Founded by a group of dedicated strength coaches in 1978, the NSCA is an established nonprofit educational organization that grew into a global influence. Today the NSCA consists of more than 35,000 members and 60,000 certified professionals furthering industry standards across 72 countries.

We’re advancing the profession. We’re committed to sharing cutting-edge research and evi-

dence-based resources that help trainers like you improve your craft through five peer-reviewed publications and educational articles. The NSCA Foundation is also one of the few to fund research and education for all levels of professionals.

Our certification was first. Developed to meet the demand for a credible certification in 1993, the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) was the first of its kind to earn accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). This distinction attests to our ongoing mission of delivering the highest standards of excellence for professional development and education.

Our exam isn’t easy. Candidates consider the NSCA-CPT exam challenging compared to similar industry certifications; passing proves you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to educate and train clients at the highest

Set Yourself Apart and Gain Access to a Whole New Client-Base With Merrithew Specialty Programs, you can focus your training in the field of your choice and learn specific needs, modifications and cueing for unique groups. You can also explore how market segments differ from one another and address the repertoire necessities in each case.

From specialized programming for the active aging population to pre and post-natal programs, you get the chance to navigate through the hundreds of workshop opportunities and create a bespoke experience for your fitness and rehab clients. Our nine Specialist categories include Active for life, Athletic Conditioning, Dance, Golf Conditioning, Group Equipment, Group Matwork, Interdisciplinary, Pre

and Post-natal and Post-rehabilitation conditioning. There’s something for everyone!

So how do you become a Merrithew Specialist? Commonly referred to as the ‘Ivy League’ of Pilates education, Merrithew's education method is unparalleled in the industry for its thoroughness and quality. You’ll need to complete a minimum of 8 workshops in a particular category to qualify as a Merrithew Specialist in that specific designation. A current STOTT PILATES Certification at any level is required to be recognized as a ‘Merrithew™ Specialist’.

Ready to turn your passion for Pilates into your profession? merrithew.com/specialtytracks

level. The prestige of earning the title of NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer is invaluable as a fitness professional.

We’re trusted by the best. There’s a reason top commercial fitness companies and the biggest names in collegiate and professional sports require or prefer NSCA certification for positions. Your certification shows you’re committed and capable of performing a notch above the rest.

We’re invested in you. NSCA certification is just the beginning of our investment in you, as the NSCA is committed to top-shelf continuing education and professional development to support your future as a fitness professional.

Take advantage of career-building certifications and resources created just for personal trainers. nsca.com/nsca-cpt

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CONTACT INFO Your Continuing Education Partner for Fitness and Integrative Health Enhance your integrative health and fitness opportunities with Salem University degrees and certification programs! Since 1888, Salem University has been providing high-quality educational programming for over 135 years. Fitness, health, and wellness professionals can explore Salem University’s bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, and certificates in programs like health and human performance, biology, and healthcare management, as well as opportunities at Salem’s Integrative Health Institute (IHI). Salem’s IHI programs will help transform the education of health professionals, educators, and other inquisitive adult students through an innovative curriculum in the science, tools, and skills of health care and education.

The fitness, wellness, and integrative health curriculum include master’s programs in health and human performance, as well as certificates in integrative health coaching, integrative health and healing, and continuing education programs for individuals and organizations.

Our featured programs: Health and Human Performance — The Master of Science in Health and Human Performance (MSHHP) offers an in-depth curriculum that challenges students to explore those significant areas of health, human performance, and the exercise sciences and to prepare for success and advancement in technical careers or to pursue terminal studies in professional

health, fitness, wellness science and sport coaching industries.

Integrative Health Coaching Certificate — The program will foster self-awareness and self-discovery through exploration of mindfulness and personal growth to create an integrative approach to wellness. Students in the program will learn the facilitation of client self-awareness and coaching for behavior modification strategies through the application of wellness assessment tools and motivational skills. The program is designed to serve and educate professionals interested in coaching others to optimal health and wellness.

Integrative Health and Healing Certificate — Students will examine health, wellness, and illness from a holistic perspective. This approach involves comparing, connecting, and integrating conventional, alternative, and complementary approaches to promote health and wellness to prioritize prevention, well-being, and healing. Students will explore the five major types of complementary and alternative medicine including alternative medical, mind-body, biology-based treatments, energy therapies, and more.

Explore these programs, and others at salemu.edu/integrative-healthinstitute/. salemu.edu/integrative-health-institute

American Council on Exercise (ACE) acefitness.org/PowerPass renew@acefitness.org 888.519.9844

Exercise ETC exerciseetc.com 800.244.1344

FAI functionalaginginstitute.com contact@functionalaginginstitute.com

FitFighter FitFighter.com team@FitFighter.com 971.998.7312

FiTOUR FiTOUR.com clara@fitour.com

Merrithew Merrithew.com Educationadvisor@merrithew.com 800.910.0001

NSCA nsca.com/nsca-cpt blake.brightwell@nsca.com 719.632.6722

Salem University salemu.edu/integrativehealth-institute salemadmissions@salemu.edu 844.462.9128

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SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE NEW ON THE MARKET The latest trends in fitness equipment

STRONG OVER 50

FITFIGHTER STEELHOSE® Move stronger with the FitFighter Steelhose®, a versatile strength training tool that allows you to perform traditional, functional, athletic and tactical movements all within your true range of motion. Available from 5 to 50 pounds, fitness professionals use the Steelhose to enhance their 1on1, group fitness and sports performance programming. Constructed from actual firehose, you can safely move, lift, swing, drag, toss and drop the Steelhose… the opportunities are endless! The FitFighter Training System also includes a 500+ movement library, virtual fitness classes and a Level 1 certification.

FitFighter.com

SPORTSART FRONT-DRIVE ELLIPTICALS

MEDFIT CARE: EXERCISE PRESCRIPTIONS

SportsArt is releasing not one, not two, but three new front-drive ellipticals this summer. SportsArt extends their innovative, energy-generating ECO-POWR™ line with the G866 Front-Drive Elliptical.

It delivers the durability and reliability you expect along with greater accessibility than typical rear-drive ellipticals.

The low step-up height, rear entry and adjustable stride length (16 to 28 inches) offer a customizable experience that can be tailored to a wide range of individuals and physical abilities.

GoSportsArt.com

Become a verified MedFit Care Fitness Professional and accept medically necessary exercise prescriptions from your clients! An exercise prescription provides clients an alternative way to pay for your services, allowing use of tax-free or tax-deductible funds. Once you’re verified with MedFit Care, you can send your clients to the website to set up a virtual appointment with a MedFit Care Physician, and if deemed appropriate, get their exercise prescription. Learn more at MedFitCare.org

Strong Over 50 is a program designed to help your body build and maintain the 3 main things you lose as you age: Strength, Flexibility and Balance. The Strong Over 50 program utilizes the Body Weight Bar suspension fitness training system to deliver a safe and effective workout for the Boomer/Senior population. Trainers and facilities can also become Strong Over 50 certified with an online course that qualifies for CEUs with most personal training organizations. For more information, visit strongover50.com or email customerservice@bodyweightbars.com StrongOver50.com

HAPANA SOFTWARE Hapana, the platform for fitness businesses that wants to drive insane engagement and growth, has relaunched with a complete end-to-end solution to help power the growth of multi-location fitness businesses and health clubs. Hapana is comprised of the following tools: CORE-day-today scheduling, billing and member management, LINK-your branded mobile app, CAST-digital content suite, GROWmarketing and sales automation and DASH-advanced analytics framework. See your business operating with the power of Hapana. Request a demo: Hapana.com

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SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE FEATURE ARTICLE

By Aesha Tahir

ToneAndStrengthen.com

The Macronutrient Eating Plan Learn the 3 key components of the macros method

C

ounting macros, short for macronutrients, can assist your clients in achieving their nutrition and fitness goals. Protein, carbohydrates and fats are the three primary macronutrients accounted for while following the macros eating plan.

As a runner, I have used the macros eating plan to fuel my workouts properly, and most of my clients like using the macros method for weight loss and muscle gain. After using the macros method for a few weeks, my clients like the fact that they learn how to fuel their bodies without depriving them of nutrition. They start incorporating foods with good macronutrient balance into their diets. As time goes on, they know the macros composition of foods they are eating without weighing it or looking at the labels.

Take a look at the three key components of the macros method: 1. Calculating the Macros: The macros ratio for your clients will depend on their health and fitness goals and their sensitivity to foods. Some of your clients who want to gain muscle will do well on a high-protein plan, while high carbohydrate plans will be best for endurance athletes.

Technology has made calculating macros for your client's fitness goals and energy needs easy. IIFYM, MyFitnessPal and Chronometer apps are suitable for calculating macros. If you'd like to create a custom plan for your clients, you can use the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation.

2. Counting Macros: Once you've figured out the macros, you can count the macros easily. It's basic math — buy a food scale and measuring cups. Weigh your food ingredients or measure them with a cup. Start with the allotted macro for the day and subtract as you eat your meals and snacks. You can use an app like MyFitnessPal to count your macro intake or keep a spreadsheet.

3. Eating Whole Foods: Macros are a great way to eat primarily whole foods without feeling deprived. Recommending that your clients consume whole foods is vital — quality of food matters. One research study found that ultra-processed foods with the same macronutrient profile as whole foods resulted in two pounds of weight gain in stable-weight adults over two weeks, whereas whole foods resulted in one pound weight loss. Weight loss and fitness gains aren't always a numbers game. The source of macronutrients and micronutrients is much more important.

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One of the advantages of the macros eating plan is learning about the nutrient deficiencies in your diet. Most of my female clients are protein deficient. After following the macros eating plan, they've found foods that help them increase protein intake and prevent muscle atrophy. Counting macros can help your clients learn how the foods make them feel and how their bodies react to certain foods.

It can help your clients develop long-term healthy eating habits by consuming enough of all the macronutrients your body needs. Macro counting can be time-consuming, and it's not ideal if counting the amount of food to the tiniest amounts leads to obsessive thoughts about counting calories.

It's important to remember to eat mindfully and enjoy the food while on a macros eating plan. Using it only as a tool that aids in gaining strength and fueling properly for athletic and daily activities.

Aesha Tahir is an exercise scientist and has many years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, professional educator and entrepreneur.

She is the founder and operator of ToneAndStrengthen.com. She has helped many clients reach their fitness goals and attain better posture. Aesha is also guest DEI columnist for PFP. Follow her on IG @tone_and_strengthen.