PT MAG

PT MAG\ ISSUE 1

PT MAG

- SIMON ERIKSSON

- SIOBAHNN DUNN - LUDOVICA MUTTINI - MORGANE COLINET -

WRITERS: MANUEL CARDO - BRODIE GETTINS - JAMIE GLOVER-

DESIGNER: MANUEL CARDO

SUB-EDITOR: MORGANE COLINETTE

EDITOR: JAMIE GLOVER

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Contents

“PERSONAL training as a career path has had a rapid expansion since its popularisation in the 80s and 90s. Changing fitness attitudes and societal problems have driven a scientific approach to training clients.

In an aging, overweight and overworked Britain, the fitness industry has evolved to try and tackle these problems.” - EVOLVE

EVOLVE BEING UNIQUE ONLINE INSURANCE IS KEY EMPLOYED VS SELF EMPLOYED ONLINE TRAINING IN THE CAGE WITH NEIL LAIRD BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING BARRE FUSION FOUR MUST HAVE PRODUCTS FOR PT’S SAFEGUARDING THE CLIENT NOURISHING MOTIVATION FEEDING PERFORMANCE GYM CRAZY

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By: Jamie Glover

Evolve PERSONAL training as a career path has had a rapid expansion since its popularisation in the 80s and 90s. Changing fitness attitudes and societal problems have driven a scientific approach to training clients. In an aging, overweight and overworked Britain, the fitness industry has evolved to try and tackle these problems. There has been a drive away from the aesthetic bodybuilding training of the Schwarzenegger era, to improving health.

Rebekah Tonner, a Pegasus Training level three personal trainer from Kilmarnock, recommends learning GP Referral: “This allows you to be able to work with clients with more specific and serious health boundaries. Doctors can refer patients to you to help them. This is beneficial to personal trainers as it allows you too, to gain more clients and build your business by being able to help more people.”

Joshua Douglas-Walton, a representative of Health And Fitness Education (HFE), also explains that GP Referral is an essential prerequisite for more advanced courses: “Before a PT can get to Level 4 however, they need their Level 3 Exercise Referral qualification, also known as GP referral.”

Upon passing Exercise Referral, Joshua also recommends HFE’s level four courses on low back pain and obesity and diabetes: “Level four obesity and diabetes and level four low back pain are two great paths to advance to. Businesses lose a great deal of money per year due to employees suffering from low back pain. Similarly, the UK has one of the worst obesity rates in Europe, and the World Health Organisation have been classing it as an epidemic for a while now.”

In keeping with level three, he also recommends HFE’s level 3 diploma in sports massage therapy: “I would also recommend Level 3 Sports Massage, as a long-distance runner myself I can personally vouch for how effective massage can be. It’s not limited to just amateurs and professionals though, massage therapy can be used to treat a variety of aches and pains including tennis elbow, something that affects a lot of people who have desk-based jobs.”

For the successful person trainer, it is imperative to grow your education. Adapting to trends, new research and the ailments of the population. Of course, sitting further exercise courses, to add areas of expertise to the basic level three qualification, is a great way to do this. However, on a final note, Rebekah underlines that this is not the only way to educate yourself: “Personally I feel that personal training is a job where you learn whilst working with clients. I think it’s always important to keep learning all through life, but you don’t necessarily need to sit a course to prove this unless it was an essential qualification that you need. There are a lot of good books and other more experienced trainers and professionals out there to learn from, so I would take advantage of those resources first. I would say I’ve learned so much more from working and gaining experience with my clients.”

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Being unique online By: Siobahnn Dunn

David McGinty, from Glasgow’s creative agency, Walnut Wasps, explains how valuable the internet is for small businesses: “The internet is the only place that your business can live, (in) terms of marketing, I think it’s THAT important.

I also think to not be aware of how to use it is to remove the single biggest opportunity that you have to talk to customers.

For many small businesses and sole traders it is everything, because everything is online.”

Self-developed marketing expert McGinty describes the first step in taking your business online with branding and what to consider: “Before you start, in terms of branding, I think you should take it

seriously and have a good think about whether you have the skill set to do that yourself especially with sole traders and competition online.”

Business

FROM website hits to social media likes, the internet is at the forefront of business marketing. The medium is widely recognised and used by PT’s, globally.

Though in the ever-expanding fitness industry, what makes the source so popular and how is it best utilised?

McGinty and wife Gail, specialise in taking small businesses to the digital world with branding, digital and web design and explained that presentation is key: “I think if you are in a lifestyle business or an aspirational business, which certainly includes personal training, then you would have to be reflecting back that aspirational lifestyle and that comes with a solid visual presentation.”

What should that visual representation include? “The best thing you can do during or at the start of this process is to really, really try hard to figure what you in particular are bringing to the party, so to speak. So, what differentiates you to other personal trainers? And in some cases, that is very difficult to do. But in order to fuel your marketing generally, you have to understand what makes you

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different from your competition. I think that is the biggest thing in marketing - how you meaningfully differ from your competition, and once you know that you can distil that into your brand, logo and onto your website and social media.”

So, in this vast industry, how different should your online representation be to the PT next door? McGinty explained: “Sometimes it’s not one big thing, sometimes it can be a few little things. Often with sole traders it can be your personality, sometimes it can be a few little things you do that no one else does.”

After establishing your brand and identifying where your business sits in the global market, the next step is deciding what digital platforms you choose to use, and how best to use them. McGinty describes content marketing for personal trainers and what he would suggest you do to integrate this into your social media feeds: “If I am a personal trainer then I would be giving away a bunch of really useful information for free on my social (media) channels, so that I acquire a bunch of followers who are just following me for the free information. The reason I would do that is because that makes my stuff a lot more shareable. If all I am ever posting on social (media) is about my service that you can buy, there’s no actual reason to share. I’m just interrupting your Facebook experience at that point, that’s not giving you anything of value.”

He suggest that giving away free information can build relationships for future business gains:“If I’m posting five great runs you can do within a mile of Glasgow, that’s good, shareable Content. That’s useful for people even if they don’t want to spend money. This

gives people a means to keep coming back and gives them a means to tag a friend and to talk about the stuff that you are putting out and this gets your name out there. And then when they do want a personal trainer, who do they already have a relationship with? They already have a relationship with you. It is a long game and takes time to create the content but I think it is very rewarding. “ However, it doesn’t end there. Maintaining your content and being consistent is crucial to keeping ahead of competitors and remaining a reputable, reliable service for your online traffic. This applies to all sources, including your business website: “Enquiries are really important, and sometimes if you create great content on your website you don’t even get them on social (media) they would just click straight through. But although I don’t think engagement is the be all end all, I do think having, healthy, strong, engagement from your existing audience is a good sign of your general social status.”

Though overall, he concludes with explaining that it’s about quality over quantity: “It’s not so much how many followers you have or how many likes you get on a post but if you have 200 followers but you manage to get 40 likes on a post, then that’s a really good sign that you are engaging with 20% of your audience, that’s great. Whereas if you’ve got 5000 followers and you get 15 likes well that’s instinctive that you’re going bit lower, which is not so good.”

In su ra nce is

Key By: Morgane Colinet

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A key aspect to becoming a personal trainer and potentially opening up your own business is the legal side. What insurance is a personal trainer qualified for? Can any trainer get insurance? What options are available? Can you be sued for client injury? Can you get personal insurance if you were to be injured in the course of training? Two insurance companies specialised in covering personal trainers share the ins and outs of the business.

The first and most important thing to realise about insurance is that anyone delivering training should consider getting insured. Protectivity is a company that focuses on personal trainer insurance. Suleman Syal, Protectivity’s Business and Retention Sales manager, shares: “You do not need to be attached a gym or brand to be training, sued for negligence, or to take out insurance. Having the latter in place will ensure you are covered should the worst happen during one of your sessions.” Most trainers will be able to get insurance so long as they are qualified, however different insurance companies might ask for more intense or varied qualifications so it is best to look at what options exist. Some insurance companies will insure trainers as early as sixteen years old while others will only take on eighteen year olds minimum.

Hundreds of insurance policies exist but different providers will focus on different ones.

John Byers, the Business Development Manager of the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) shares: "REPs offers two types: standard exercise professional insurance, or the standard plus additional sports massage cover." It is important to note that if a client is injured after attempting exercises advised by the personal trainer, this does not necessarily mean the trainer is at fault. "If the client’s injury was caused by the personal trainer, or if the personal trainer is blamed for the injury regardless, there is a chance they could be sued and face legal issues," shares Suleman. However, "if the client has not completed the PT instructions correctly then it is not the fault of the PT," John says.

In terms of damaging property such as gym equipment when training, again, different providers will have different policies. REPs, for example, does not insure for this whereas Protectivity does, if the personal trainer has decided to opt for the Public Liability insurance. It is always best to have one insurance per trainer, however some companies will offer business or group insurance which could be useful for trainers looking to start their own company or work in a partnership.

Any insurance will cover the member for what they are qualified to do. Suleman shares: "If they have a qualification to train children, their insurance policy will include coverage for teaching children. The same applies to working with pregnant women, although it is always best to ensure that you have a letter from that woman’s GP to confirm that she is able to train at that time. We also advise that the trainer check with their qualification provider, if they are restricted in any way with training particular clients." John agrees: "If the member has completed an endorsed piece of training to deliver to these special populations then they are covered to deliver but if they have not completed this training then they are not."

In terms of insurance allowed for the trainer, such as personal injury, varying insurances will again have different options. However, most seem to include this.

At REPs, the personal trainer is given thirteen weeks income personal accident cover. At Protectivity, the policy is slightly different: "Personal Accident cover is an optional extra on Protectivity’s policy. This provides up to £50,000 worth of cover for personal trainers if they were to seriously injure themselves whilst training a client. Different benefits relate to different scenarios, such as temporary total disablement which means a trainer cannot work, the loss of sight or a limb, or even accidental death."

Insurance for personal trainers is tricky in that there are a lot of options and not every trainer will be looking for the same policies. The best option is to spend a lot of time researching choice and looking at what is best suited for your personal business goals. Do not be scared to get in touch with insurance companies directly instead of relying on their website or advertisements. Most businesses will be more than happy to answer your phone calls or emails in order for you to ask questions, which relate to you and your business specifically. This means you can get as much information as possible.

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Employed V.S self-employed By: Simon Eriksson

Johnathan Pugh

Employed VS self-employed AS a personal trainer, it is important to consider whether to be independent and build your own brand or to join an already established gym with a contract. These two personal trainers with experience on both sides share the benefits and downsides of the two options.

As a self-employed personal trainer, the biggest difference is the amount of freedom at your disposal. Nobody is telling you what to do or how to do it. If you have the right vision and funding, the sky is the limit. Some personal trainers decide to hire spaces from established gyms, but to not tie themselves up to a contract. In that case, you set your own prices and you do not have to share the money with anybody. Furthermore, the equipment does not have to be maintained or replaced by you and you get to capitalise on the gym’s marketing.

Johnathan Pugh, a self-employed personal trainer in Glasgow, first worked in a commercial gym for six years. During that time, he got engaged, married and had children.

As the responsibilities at home increased, he was finding it harder and harder to achieve any kind of balance between work and life.

Pugh was also getting very frustrated at the ceiling in what you could earn at the gym.

Pugh explains: “I wanted control over my life and business. I was willing to take a leap into the unknown to have that. The freedom is wonderful. I love training my clients - now I get to focus on that instead of being compelled to spend my time on things I do not want to do.”

There is also the option of building your own gym or arranging a suitable workout space. Ross S tewart, founder and coach at the personal training studio Improve Glasgow, did just that: “I opened my own gym because I was paying more rent in the gym for three trainers than I would be to rent a unit. I wanted to create an environment where I had full control over so that I could change the way personal training is delivered and the way that personal trainers are hired and paid.

That in itself is the best bit about being an independent gym owner and trainer.”

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THE PROS OF BEING SELF EMPLOYED

THE CONS OF BEING SELF EMPLOYED With freedom also comes a lot of responsibility and hard independent work. Without a job contract, you do not get holiday or sick pay. All administration is done by you and nobody else. The same goes for scheduling and marketing. If you rent a space at a gym, you do not have any control over how the gym is run and you cannot control the constant competition from other personal trainers you will have at the same gym. Stewart also mentions that it can be hard to make plans with friends or family, due to the fluctuating work hours: “Contrary to popular belief, you do not get to choose your own hours. You work when your clients want you to work.”

Even as an independent gym owner, there are drawbacks to consider, he explains:

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“There are constant, never ending bills such as wages, rent, VAT, corporation tax, marketing spend and reinvesting in new equipment. Balancing the books and maintaining profitability may seem very easy when it is ‘just you’, but difficult with four full time staff. Having to manage a team, as well as a membership base, is also difficult.”

Pugh argues that the freedom can be overwhelming at first: “There is a big learning curve in learning to manage a business well and things will go wrong.

In my case I have had many setbacks and been tested to my limits. Realising it is just me is both liberating and scary at the same time. Without help in this area I do not think I would have made our first six months.”

Pugh explains that he hired a start-up specialist and a licensing specialist solicitor to learn about managing a company.

He built a training studio for 20 thousand pounds, a process that took four years. To keep the costs down, he was always on the lookout for deals and giveaways when it came to equipment.

PROS OF BEING EMPLOYED When a gym decides to give you a contract to work as a personal trainer exclusively for them, it gives you a set structure – a certain number of hours per week, a salary, holiday and sick pay, access to all equipment, a venue to work in and a supply of customers. This may feel

relieving for many and a less daunting choice, especially for new personal trainers. Another benefit is that you get to use the facility to kill time during slow days. The bosses or other trainers at the gym may act as mentors which will help you become better. Furthermore, the gym may pay for educational courses to help you progress.

Pugh argues that one of the best parts is that there is no paperwork to think about: “When you work as a personal trainer in a commercial gym you never think about legalities as forms and waivers are provided by the gym.”

CONS OF BEING EMPLOYED Being employed at a gym can feel restrictive for some personal trainers and impact their ability to develop by not being allowed to test new ideas. You may not like their rules or even the people. There may be the work in the evenings or during weekends. Often, there are other duties to be done outside of the training, such as cleaning or helping gym members at the reception. Although the gym’s marketing for in-house personal trainers may attract clients more easily, you are required to help the promotion further by attending events and handing out flyers. The gym wants you to reach a set number of clients each week and this may take some effort on your part. You will most likely not be the only trainer at the gym, either.

Stewart argues that it is not always easy to compete with other trainers at a gym: “At commercial facilities, you have got bodybuilding trainers, gymnastic/bodyweight style trainers and powerlifting trainers - all conflicted over whose method is better. All that does is confuse the gym member who is already confused as to where to start and what to do.”

Pugh says: “There are difficulties and worries as an independent trainer as it is harder to build a client base without a member base, but at the same time having the control to direct our business where we want it to go opens so many opportunities.”

WHAT IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE? For new personal trainers, it may feel comforting to have rules, guidance, a place to be, set working hours and a steady income. The employed option is by many considered a safer choice. For experienced personal trainers with a clear vision, who are confident they will attract a loyal client base and do not mind managing everything themselves, it could be more fulfilling to take the self-employed route. Keep in mind that these are guidelines and that there are people who successfully start out as a self-employed personal trainers and people who stick to being employed at gyms their whole careers.

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By: Ludovica Muttini

Business

WHETHER you are an established personal trainer or you are just starting your career, it is never too late, or too early to expand your business and make some extra money.

Online personal training is an exciting option that can be very beneficial to your career. It offers you the chance to keep training people from your neighbourhood, but also to start training clients from all over the world from the comfort of your own home.

POSITIVE ASPECTS OF ONLINE TRAINING Italian Personal Trainer and physiotherapist, Tommaso Ulivi, says that online training gave him the opportunity to keep training clients he could have never kept training because of distance: “I have some Russian clients I used to train only during the summer when they came to Italy for holidays.

When I decided to go ‘online’ they were the first ones that supported me.

Now, I am able to train them all year long.”

He adds that since he became an online trainer, his business developed from a locally-oriented one to one that manages to work with clients in five different countries. The 25 year old started his online training business with a website and now has almost 50K followers on Instagram.

“I think that online personal training can be a fantastic tool. It can allow clients to work with a trainer that they have followed for years and highly respect. It means that for those who are capable of going to the gym and working out on their own, they can have all their programme and diet worries handled by some of the best coaches around the world,” says Ricky Ross, who is a Personal Trainer based in Dundee.

He admits that it did cross his mind to start an online training business, but he finds that with his one on one sessions, he doesn’t have the time to commit to creating enough online content to build a strong online reputation, and that is why he did not go forward with an online business.

“Good content that you put out there for free, builds trust and reputation, and through that your online clients will come. It is not enough to put up a

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selfie and a tempting offer. People want to know who you are and what you can offer them,” says the Dundonian.

To become an online personal trainer is not an easy task. It takes time, dedication and mostly patience. It will take a while for you to get your first clients on the internet.

Ricky explains that online training should be taken as seriously as one to one session and not as a way to make extra money: “I do not have the time to work as an online personal trainer so I don’t even try because I know that I won’t be able to dedicate my online clients the attention they deserve and pay for.”

NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF ONLINE TRAINING However, if on one side online personal training has many benefits, Tommaso confesses issues arise with clients who have no previous fitness experience: “Online training doesn’t give me full control over my clients because I am not physically there when they exercise and for me, this is the negative side of this business. I need to be very careful with clients who (have) never trained before as this may cause injuries.”

What counterbalances this negative side: “Is to maintain good communication and offer great client support,” says Tommaso. “Whenever I send programs to my clients, I attach videos in which I perform the exercises I listed, explaining how to best execute them all. I also make myself available 24/7 for clients, whether it is a text message or a video chat.”

For Ricky, what he likes about his job is creating a connection between the trainer and the clients and mostly being able to see his/her transformation: “The downsides obviously are that you never get to be hands-on with your client, at best you can assess exercise form via video feedback, and discuss training via skype, but I feel it loses that personal touch.”

MARKETING STRATEGIES Starting an online business with the goal of getting extra clients is fine as on one side, that is the main reason to start in the first place. However, you should always keep in mind to take this business seriously otherwise you might cause damages to your own clients.

Ricky says: “I have heard many tales about Instagram coaches who will provide

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a cookie-cutter-template workout with a chicken and broccoli meal plan.

These plans are not taking the individual into account and often leave many clients feeling deflated when they can't keep up with the rigors of the overly taking exercise regimes and bland diet.”

If you want to have better chances to succeed, make a plan, set your goals and stick to it. Tommaso spends a vast amount of times creating online content that interests the public and educates them. He is already very busy with his one on one sessions but he likes the challenge of having to take care of a website and an Instagram account with 50K followers: “I use social media, especially Instagram, to showcase my skills and to sell my fitness advice. Instagram is a great tool and my recommendation is to be consistent like you would be with your workouts routine, post something meaningful every day at least three/four times a day. The public wants to know who you are and why they should choose you over another coach.”

Nowadays, Instagram is a goldmine to find fitness motivation and inspiration. It is an easy and direct app to keep in touch with your clients, to find new ones, and push them towards their goals.

“My biggest advice to everyone who wants to start this journey is to make yourself known on social media, especially Instagram. Share the work you do during your one on one sessions, share your passion and your work philosophy. Use Instagram wisely, checking which hashtags are on trend and knowing what your typical clients would like to see on your profile is key,” Tommaso shares.

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In the cage with Neil Laird By: Jamie Glover

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Business

In the cage with Neil Laird FORGED in the fires of the Scottish Hit Squad, Kilmarnock fighter Neil Laird has built an impressive reputation as a personal trainer. The professional mixed martial artist is well aware of the marketability of his MMA expertise: “A lot of clients come to me to learn different martial arts, and a lot of my other clients come to me for fitness, because they know I have a good fitness background, getting myself fit for fights.”

Certainly the mental strength and self-motivation needed to succeed in combat sports leaves Laird with a unique insight into the mind. He believes in a flexible approach to motivation, adapting his style and personality to suit the needs of each client: “It comes down to the individual, the clients that come to me for general fitness I try and be as friendly as possible, I don’t want to be too strict with them. The guys that come to me that fight, you can be stricter with them. But I want people to enjoy the sessions.”

The 26 year old has taken full advantage of his contacts in the fight game, basing himself in Thai boxing gym Wassobama Gym 2.

He plans to add another branch to his expertise to better condition his fighting clients: “I plan to do my level four strength and conditioning. My long term goal is coaching pro fighters.”

Laird has certainly built a strong base of clients and enjoys the friendly environment of the small

gym. However he admits that a more corporate chain of gyms are a better starting point: “I worked in a bigger commercial gym. I would say that’s a better place to get your business started because you have access to plenty of clients. But once you have built a client base, I think you are better working in a smaller gym.”

Another issue he highlighted was the set rate commercial gyms would impose on personal trainers.

No matter how many or how few clients he had he would have to pay a set fee each month. Of course this has its advantages. However for a fighter, the threat of injury is very real and may affect his ability to coach clients. A threat he faced head on after tearing his rotator cuff. He was forced to take months off while continuing to pay fees. He now works on a client percentage fee basis which gives him an extra layer of protection.

This mirrors his final piece of advice for potential personal trainers about the importance of managing finances in a capricious industry: “I started doing 30 sessions a week, went and bought a car got a new house and then it got to Christmas/December time and I was back to 10 sessions a week. So I was mega, mega skint.

So be prepared for it (client numbers) to go up and down, don’t get a busy month and go nuts.”

Trends

Blood flow restriction training

Neil Laird

By: Brodie Gettins

NEW trends and training techniques are constantly sweeping through the fitness industry. One muscle gaining technique that is becoming increasingly popular in British gyms despite being around since the seventies, is blood flow restriction training (BFR). But just the name itself can lead to wincing if you’re unfamiliar with the term. So if that’s the case, then here’s everything you need to know about BFR training, whether you’d like to try it alone or with a client.

Blood flow restriction training, also known as vascular occlusion training and formally as Kaatsu, involves limiting the flow of blood to an area of muscle while exercising. The idea of blood flow moderation was first discovered by Japanese doctor Yoshiaki Sato in the sixties, after accidentally blocking the flow of blood in his calves due to sitting directly on his feet. Following this, Dr Sato thoroughly experimented with bands, different pressures and developed Kaatsu until the early nineties when he first used it on patients bound in hospitals and unable to exercise. Since then, bodybuilders have been using the technique, and now most recently any type of gym-goer has been using it not only for gains but also for bouncing back from injuries.

So how exactly does restricting blood flow to an area of muscle help increase its size?

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BFR training helps the muscles grow as a result of confining lactic acid and other waste. By restricting the blood flow, the metabolic byproducts build up and the pace of which they are released is slowed down. This results in cellular swelling – a key part in stimulating muscle growth.

Kusha Karvandi, creator and owner of company BFR Bands, explains that a common misunderstanding is that the blood flow is being cut off, when in fact you’re only regulating the flow. “When you’re doing it correctly, you want to make sure that you’re only constricting or slowing the blood flow of the veins that carries the blood flow out. It’s actually quite the opposite of cutting off the blood flow.

It’s enhancing the pump, and there’s a lot of mechanisms that are triggered and cascaded as a result of that increased pump,” he says.

Blood flow can be regulated using restriction bands made from elasticated material. These can be tied and tightened to a certain level around muscle areas such as upper arms or legs. Not everyone in the fitness industry would opt for occlusion training.

Shannon Laing, a sports massage specialist and student sports coach wouldn’t recommend the technique unless properly monitored. “If done properly it could work, but if not then it can be really dangerous. I wouldn’t do it myself or with a client,” she says.

If bands are wrapped too tightly, this could potentially occlude all local circulation and cause numbness. If used for too long, Kusha, expert on the bands, says you’d probably experience the type of consequences you would when overworking a mus-

cle normally. This is why research from medical and sports journals recommend that bands should be tightened to a level 5-7, out of 10 (being the tightest) and keeping them on for a maximum of twenty minutes. There is currently little evidence to suggest severe consequences.

But what a lot of people don’t realise is that they may have already tried BFR training. “Anyone who’s done weight training has actually already done occlusion training without even realising it. Your body is internally including as the muscles swell, they’re expanding and you’re getting an internal occlusion even though you’re not wearing any bands,” Kusha reveals.

Karvandi who has a background in neurology, has also developed a theory that this type of training can enhance the brain’s map, as well as the muscles: “The brain’s job is to provide a clear map.

When you wear the bands you’re providing tension and you’re actually activating receptors such as strength, pressure and even chemical. By activating these, you’re giving feedback to the brain, which is sending it better information. That is then going to improve the brain’s map and reduce the threat levels of the brain, which theoretically should help increase strength.” He says he has seen the enhancement first-hand with clients.

So with all of the information provided and the extensive research that has been done, there is no reason why personal trainers couldn’t do this alone or with clients. Like any form of exercise, blood flow restriction training can be effective if practiced correctly and sensibly.

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Barre Fusion – Dance like no one is watching By: Ludovica Muttini

Kayleigh Hodson, who is a Barre Fusion instructor in the United States, describes this workout as: “…A mix of slow movements that focus on lengthening, stretching and toning your muscles using light weights but doing many reps.”

She explains that during a Barre Fusion class you are using your body throughout, engaging core muscles like in Pilates, adding the stretching and flexibility of Yoga and using ballet techniques to give the body a lean and toned look.

While Barre Fusion offers a type of workout for everyone, the typical clientele is definitely a female one. “In all my classes the 95 percent of students are women however, I did have few gentlemen joining my course few times,” said Hodson.

Despite Barre becoming more and more popular recently, it is not new. Lotte Berk opened the first Barre studio in London in 1959 but it was not in such demand as it is today. Berk’s idea was to fuse her ballet training experience to a rehabilitation therapy method. In fact, the good thing about Barre Fusion is that you tone and strengthen your muscles reducing pressure on joints, tendons and spine.

work different types of muscles is really beneficial for the body. Also, many of my clients are looking to get a toned and lean silhouette without having to stress too much their bodies and that is what you get with a Barre workout.”

Trends

BARRE Fusion is a ballet-inspired workout that combines elements of Pilates, dance and Yoga. One of the latest fitness trend in the industry that brings a twist to your usual exercise routine. Every movement follows the rhythm of the music and students use the barre as a support to balance their bodies while exercising.

Becoming a Barre instructor is challenging but it will allow you to remain competitive in the marketplace and definitely, it will give a boost to the client list of yours. Some institutions, like Barre Concept, IBBFA, or Barre Works release a certification recognised in the majority of Western countries. The first step is to go through a two days (16 hours) workshop that will follow a guided three months period of practical evaluation either at the studio you selected or through frequently video submission.

Moreover, a theory quiz will be mandatory to grade your muscle and anatomy knowledge.

“Of course, it always depends on where you get your certification from,” says Hodson, “However, from my experience you go through both a written and practical assessment. The written one asks you questions about your body such as anatomy or muscles. Meanwhile the practical test requires you to perform a Barre class, doing the exercises and following the music.”

Including Barre Fusion in your area of expertise will make yourself a more unique and marketable personal trainer. It is also a useful skill to have for the option of taking classes out with personal training.

Hodson says: “I think people are realizing that mixing different types of formats which

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Four must have products for personal trainers By: Simon Eriksson

When training with tyres, you work on a well-rounded body strength. A tyre is versatile enough to be used for several different exercises, such as flipping, lifting and dragging.

Furthermore, it is easy to incorporate in competitions. What differentiates the Tiyr from regular tyres is that it is made out of recycled foam and shaped without sharp edges, which makes the usage much more comfortable. The Tiyr can be bought in 40 kg, 60 kg, 80 kg and 100 kg. For personal trainers that can afford to spend between 800-1200 pounds, it is a good option for clients who are serious about building strength in all areas.

will not collapse under your body weight. It massages firmly due to less foam than in many of the competitors. Online instruction videos are included to teach your clients appropriate usages. Any personal trainer can afford a foam roller and it is a must have.

Trends

THE TIYR

(https://www.tptherapy.com/product/grid_ foamroller) THE FLEX DISC

The Flex Disc is best described as a rolling platform that will increase your mobility, stability and core. It can be used while standing to balance on, or by lying on it. The wheels ensure that the challenge of balancing is kept (http://www.escapefitness.com/uk/new-prod- up, no matter the exercise, and it can be rolled ucts/tiyr) in any direction. It is a good way to have the clients work with their own body weight and THE BULGARIAN BAG to train areas of the body that they not usually reach.

Sandbag training is made smarter with the Bulgarian Bag that has several handles for (https://flexdiscfit.com/shop/flex-disc-rolla range of exercises. When it comes to grip er/) strength, arms, torso training and cardio, this type of product is a great choice and comes in a wide variety of different weights and sizes. It is easy to pick up and use, even for beginners, and very useful for one-on-one personal training. (http://www.escapefitness.com/uk/new-products/bulgarian-bag) THE TRIGGER POINT GRID FOAM ROLLER It is important to provide tools for clients which helps the healing and recovery of the body. For releasing muscle tightness by putting pressure to different points of the body, a foam roller is a good choice. The Trigger Point Grid Foam Roller is very durable and

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Safeguarding the client

By: Siobahnn Dunn

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Body and mind

Safeguarding the client SAFEGUARDING clients from injury is paramount to gaining full advantage of their one on one sessions.

Most common injuries will however only occur when they are either training solo or simply going about their daily routines. So, how much guidance are you as their personal trainer responsible for and what is the best way to go about this?

Sport massage therapist and personal trainer Toni Kane talks about the most common injuries his practice sees and what advice a PT should be giving clients to eliminate these complaints.

He starts by identifying the main strain players and their causes: “Lower back pain or knees. People with general sore knees, overuse injuries of the knee or just a general sore back. With the knees, a lot of the time it’s when people go back to a sport and do too much too soon and they need to align things a bit better.”

Sports massage is only one part of the cure and he explains that as a PT he is able to identify the cause of discomfort and then guide clients how best to avoid it reoccurring: “A lot of the time clients come in and present me with a prob-

lem and the cure isn’t with a massage, that’s first aid, the cure is going and doing exercises. From this I can form a follow up, like a rehab programme.”

Despite his expert knowledge in sports massage, the fundamental values of what personal trainers do are essential to Toni’s clients avoiding injury in the first instance. He explains the key considerations to take: “Core strengthening and biomechanics, alignment of exercises making sure that knees aren’t collapsing is a big one. The lower back is not either too lordotic of too kyphotic, you’re trying to make sure that it’s neutral. Core programme is massive because the core counts for everything you do and biomechanics. So, when you are doing any exercise you would be looking at how the bum’s supporting at the glutes and how the knees are working.”

With the average one on one session lasting typically between 45 minutes to an hour once a week, this leaves a lot of free time for unguided training, which may lead to a client moving out with their physical capacity, resulting in strains. To further safeguard out

touch with his clients using simple though effective methods: “Usually email support is good and sending YouTube videos to them in case they have forgotten something or if they are finding something sore then I link in with them and I send sources that will help them.”

Though this isn’t to say that training injuries are a majority. Discomfort can occur in occupational settings he explained: “With the lower back its usually occupational. People like heating engineers, joiners, or people sitting at a desk. That’s what I find in the practice.”

Occupational hazards such as manoeuvring into tight spaces, bending too much and these days most commonly - sitting at a desk, have all been linked to lower back pain and Kane explained that

advising clients to recognise both posture and core strength can illuminate these types of injury: “There is a core programme you can do but more often than not it’s thinking about safe posture when you’re working because no matter how strong you are if you are going to just bend over all day then it’s not going to work. So you are going to have to think about what you are doing when you are at work. It’s really about safe posture when you are working because no matter how strong you are if you are going to just go in and just bend over all day then that’s not going to work so you need to try and think about what you’re doing when you’re at work and about doing things the right way.”

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Nourishing motivation By: Manuel Cardo

The issue here is that human beings are as complex as it comes, and our intentions, and especially our behaviours, are constantly being challenged directly, and subconsciously, by a wide range of societal factors.

This is where you come in as a trainer. “Everyone needs a reminder of why they are doing what they are doing,” says Dr McEwan.

It is important that you understand that is not your job to define what the intentions of the client are. These are personal and must come from within. However, it is definitely your job to try and make the client understand what their intentions/ goals are and then devise a plan to help them achieve them.

Helping the client understand and develop clear goals is of extreme importance. Dr McEwan stresses that: “Humans are goal-driven. Individuals need a relevant goal for them to focus and direct their motivation and sometimes to generate motivation.”

This is all well and good, but surely having a goal is not enough to develop rocky-like-5amwaking-marathon-running motivation, is it?

Body and mind

HOLLYWOOD is often synonymous with extreme portrayals and over dramatizations.

Sports in the big screen are no different. Underdogs with an unshakable sense of self succeed against all odds, pulling through with gritted teeth, a pinch of luck and a lot of moral righteousness.

Interestingly however, these overdramatized sports tales appear to have gotten something right about the path of an athlete and what separates the hero from his adversaries (let’s ignore the good guy factor here… for the sake of science). So have you guessed what the golden factor is? The clue is in the title.

Yes. Motivation is, according to most sports psychologists, one of the main aspects determining sports performance. Dr Hayley McEwan, sports psychologist and lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland, says: “Motivation and confidence are the foundational psychological constructs that determine performance.”

Psychology Today wrote: “To become the best athlete you can be, you must be motivated to do what it takes to maximize your ability and achieve your goals.”

This article will try and share with you some tricks and tips that will, hopefully, help you better understand the theoretical and practical aspects behind the art of motivation. This way you can better monitor and encourage your clients in a professional setting.

Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is motivation? Well, Dr McEwan describes it as: “That which directs our intentions and our behaviours. It is the will and desire to pursuit a course of action.”

Let’s focus on this definition for a moment: “That which directs our intentions and our behaviour.”

Well, no.

Having a goal is no good if that goal stops making sense for the athlete or is forgotten amongst other aspects of life and competing personal pursuits. How do you ensure that this does not happen then? Mostly, you don’t. The coaches’ role here is limited.

Dr McEwan talks self-motivation as the single most important factor in an athlete: “So having personal images, words to think about and focus on before and during training. If you watch 6 Nations Rugby, focus in closely on some of the taped wrists of players and notice key words

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and phrases that players use to focus on. Some of these words will be instructional to remind them of their job but many are motivational to encourage them to increase effort at key moments.”

Dr McEwan then proceeds to illustrate self-motivation in sports with an odd tale about how Muhammad Ali used to keep himself going, by thinking of the thief who stole his bike, when a fight got too hard, or training was too intense.

This anecdote carries an important message for coaches and reinforces the previous point. A lot of the motivation to compete or train is massively personal and dependent on the athlete himself.

Although humbling this shouldn’t belittle the coach’s job. The coach is a monitor.

That said, what should you look for when monitoring your athlete’s psychological performance?

Dr McEwan says that creating a strong coach-athlete relationship is the first step towards understanding the client, and therefore be able to more efficiently monitor and direct him/her.

According to Dr McEwan there are, however, common signs of low motivation: “Effort is one typical example (i.e., a coach can visually determine how motivated an athlete might be by behaviours such as arriving early for a training session, or chasing a ball that is a lost cause, or completing an extra rep of an exercise). But verbal signs are also important to determine why someone is doing what they are doing; what is the connection or narrative they construct around the activity – this can

determine their type and direction of motivation.”

And you should pay attention to these signs as they’ll come up sooner or later. Low motivation or periods of fatigue are, according to Dr McEwan, inevitable: “Recent research by Collins and MacNamara demonstrated that the talent pathways of Olympic and World Champion athletes was never smooth. They all followed a rocky road to the top. It is thought that traumas (e.g., not getting selected, getting injured) created an environment to develop psychological characteristics like resilience, and robust confidence in one’s ability. It is not necessarily that ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ but sport is about problem-solving and if training isn’t a taxing environment then people may not progress to advance their skills.”

Periods of low motivation usually happen for a wide array of reasons, but the main culprit is usually what Psychology Today calls “the grind”.

The term describes the periods where training becomes boring, repetitive or painful. The grind can also refer to moments in competitive sport when the athlete is faced with the overwhelming possibility of defeat. It is the trainer’s job to guide the athlete through these moments keeping them focused on their goals and this way; ensure they’ll keep performing at their peak.

In the end, Dr McEwan talked about the two types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and external regulation.

In simple terms, intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation to do an activity either for enjoyment, or for the joy of self-improvement. External Regulation refers to the motivation to do something for what you’ll get back out with the activity itself.

Examples of the latter are competing for money or a sense of glory.

Dr McEwan says: “There is no problem with someone being active for health benefits, often this is the starting point for many (e.g., a health scare) but people can learn to enjoy the activity for the sake of it (i.e., external reg turns to intrinsic motivation) – it is a question of finding the right activity for the person.”

This is also an incentive for the coach to keep the training interesting and fresh, as the intrinsic and simple joy of it is what keeps us all going.

After all, and quoting a Portuguese saying: “the one who dances for the pleasure of it does not tire.”

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Feeding Performance

By: Brodie Gettins

EXERCISE plays a huge part in helping clients reach their goals, but personal trainers should also remember the importance of nutrition. It’s highly likely that your clients will have all different body types – therefore they require different nutritional needs and diet requirements. While one may struggle gaining muscle and weight, another may have difficulty losing it. This is why it is vital to know everything you can about nutritional and dietary information to support every type of client.

Body and mind

STRUGGLING TO GAIN? Consuming protein is a key nutrient for various reasons. However if someone is weight training, or taking part in endurance sports then it can be beneficial to increase protein intake.

Sports Dietitian Clare Thompson says: “20-40g protein, combined with some healthy fats and carbohydrates regularly throughout the day is the best way to get plenty of calories (from healthy fats), carbohydrates to stimulate insulin response and anabolism, and protein for muscle growth.”

Some healthy fats include: Avocado, salmon, walnuts, almonds, nut and seed butters, olives, tuna, dark chocolate, tofu and eggs. These can all be effortlessly added to meals.

It can be easy for clients to get caught up in restrictive diets and tricked into think-

ing consuming protein and healthy fats will make them fat. As a personal trainer for someone aiming to gain muscle, you should stress the importance of avoiding this.

“Restrictive diets tend to reduce your overall calorie intake, which will limit how the body utilises the protein you consume.

With inadequate calorie intakes the body will use protein as a fuel source,” Clare explains.

“The main key to gaining muscle with this body type is consistency. Stick to a balanced diet, with meals centred on healthy fats, protein and some carbohydrates. Add veggies or fruit to each of your meals,” she added.

STRUGGLING TO LOSE? People trying to lose weight will often chop and change between various diets in hope that they’ll help shed some pounds.

However, Clare recommends that the diet you’re able to stick to is the best one for you, as shifting from one diet to another will only make it more difficult to maintain the weight you’ve lost.

Like those trying to gain muscle, protein can also promote weight loss. Clare says: “Filling up on protein is a good way to decrease overall intakes as it promotes more satiety than high fat or high carbohydrate foods.”

Nutritionist Shannon Quigley also rec- If you would like to find out further nuommends to not totally cut out a food tritional and dietary information you can group, but instead cut down on sugar, contact sports dietitian Clare Thompson salt and unhealthy fats. Cutting out food at www.theroamingdietitian.co.uk. groups entirely could lead to nutrient deficiencies.

“Meals should be made up of starchy foods (carbs), preferably whole grains as they keep you fuller for longer and can help with bowels,” says Shannon.

Clients can easily increase their whole grain intake by making simple changes; white bread to brown bread, white rice to brown rice, brown pasta and oat cereals.

With fad diets becoming increasingly popular - some promising quick weight loss - Clare says: “There are no fad diets I would recommend. Fad diets come and go, they are very difficult to stick to in the long term.

“It is also worth being aware that if you are being overly restrictive for a length of time this can lead to a slowing of metabolic processes. So a moderate reduction 85% of the time is the ideal balance for sustainable weight loss,” she adds.

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Gym Crazy Body and mind

By: Morgane Colinet

So you’ve started working as a personal trainer and the clients just keep coming in.

You’re busy and the business is booming. Great. You start to notice that one client in particular has been asking to come in multiple times a day for intense training. You worry that they might be pushing themselves too hard, and that it could negatively impact their mental health. How do you react?

Tony Dingwall, a personal trainer that runs a gym in Kilmarnock, shares his experiences with gym crazy clients and the best way to approach the situation.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH A CLIENT THAT WAS GETTING ADDICTED TO THE GYM? HOW DID YOU KNOW? Over the last 14 years of working in the fitness industry, I have seen countless gym goers who have been addicted to the gym. I have worked with a few clients who have become obsessed with working out and dieting. Spending 2-3 hours in the gym 5-6 days a week and obsessing over progress with weights being lifted, how many calories they burn in a session, and weighing themselves not just daily, but before and after a workout session.

Telltale signs can be this obsession with how many calories they are burning in a workout and obsessing over the numbers on the scales.

WHAT ARE SOME WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN A CLIENT IS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AT THE GYM? IS THERE SUCH A THING AS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AT THE GYM? It is important to have a healthy balance of both activity and rest when working out.

For the average person who works, has a family and goes to the gym, I would say three to four 45-60 minute sessions per week is plenty, providing they are working out with the correct intensity.

This means getting enough heart raising activity but also adequate rest around the workout sessions. This is where a healthy and balanced diet with a good balance of calories is important for recovery, and also to help assist in the goal the client is trying to achieve.

If you are training too much and too often without the correct rest or calories and macronutrient balance (macros) then you can definitely spend too much time in the gym, which can have the opposite effect on progress and both physical and mental fitness.

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IS IT HEALTHY FOR A CLIENT TO DO MULTIPLE TRAINING SESSIONS IN ONE DAY? If the training sessions are not excessive then it is possible to workout and recover enough to train more than one session per day. Again, if the rest and recovery is enough and the adequate calorie intake and fuel for performing and recovery is in place, then it can even be beneficial.

However, for the everyday man or woman, one training session is plenty. Sustaining multiple gym sessions can be very taxing if you are not resting or fueling adequately.

CAN DIFFERENT CLIENTS HANDLE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF PRESSURE IN THE GYM? Definitely, everyone is different and can handle different pressures. Some people are mentally strong and very driven, others are not. Age, weight, sleep, nutrition and jobs can all have positive and or negative effects on progress.

What works for one person might not work for the other.

I have many clients who require different styles of training from the other to achieve the results they are looking for. If everyone did the same thing it might not give the same results, or be beneficial to each individual. Having too much pressure on achieving progress for some people with an “all or nothing” attitude can be detrimental to their results and progress. They will go all in and burn out very quickly. Slow and steady wins every time.

HOW DOES GETTING A PERSONAL TRAINER AFFECT A CLIENT’S MENTAL HEALTH? This is something I would say depends not only on the client but the personal trainer as well. On one side, many personal trainers sell services to their clients that they want to see get results, often to the detriment of the clients. This leads to unrealistic workouts and diet plans that can have a negative effect on the client’s mental health, all because the trainer is mainly focused on seeing results.

However, a good trainer will understand that sometimes the results are not just physical changes but positive mental ones also. Teaching clients good exercise and nutritional habits and having a healthy balance of exercise, nutrition and a social life. You can have cake, make positive body and mental progress and feel good doing it.

HOW WOULD YOU LET A CLIENT KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TOO HARD, POTENTIALLY HARMING THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH? Simply by having a chat with them about their progress, highlighting the amount of work they are doing versus the results and how they might be feeling. Asking what they are trying to achieve and sacrificing along the way and is there a more effective way of progressing without burning out physically and mentally. A good trainer will be able to identify this and speak to their client about it.

WOULD YOU REFUSE A CLIENT SESSIONS IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO? Definitely, the client’s health is the most import thing after all. I have personally sent clients home on countless occasions for things like turning up to work out when they are ill, this will have a negative effect on their body for recovery and performing.

Not eating enough throughout the day and then having a low blood sugar crash during a workout, again performance and health can be affected here. Even for spending hours in the gym. Explaining to them why it’s not going to benefit their results and speaking to them about why they feel they need to be there for 2-3 hours. I have a great relationship with my clients and they respect that I have their best interest at heart, so they tend to always listen and take my advice on board.

A client’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and should be treated as such. Tony, having been in the industry for several years, realises how much impact pushing a client too much could have. It is key when being a personal trainer to look out for signs and ensure you form a good relationship with your clients to facilitate conversations about having their best interest at heart.

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Instagram @HEALTHYFITNESSMEALS: Account owner Rena Awada teams up freelance recipe developers to create recipes which she then tests. There are a range of meals frequently posted, from healthy shrimp teriyaki stir-fry to the occasional cheat meal. A great page for personal trainers to take tips from when creating client food plans with clear and easy guides to follow. @SHREDDEDACADEMYOFFICIAL: A motivational Instagram page, featuring work-out videos for both men and women. Not only do videos demonstrate various different routines for all muscle areas, they also show the correct way to perform them. If you run out for routines for your client then this is the account to go to. @MAZERFITNESS: Your complete guide on exactly what foods will help with weight loss and muscle gain, the best sources of protein, best pre work out meals/snacks and tips on how to manage overeating.

Mazerfitness which is run by an online personal trainer will provide you with heaps of nutrition information.

Podcasts 1. JONATHAN GOODMAN. The Head Coach at the Personal Trainer Development Centre in Toronto gives advice on how to offer a great personal training service online.

2. SMALL BUSINESS SAMARITANS. Host Philip Saxon and Victoria Navarrete of SPS and Seven Social Media discuss leveraging social media to get more customers.

3. ELITE MUSCLE RADIO. Philip Graham is joined by Pete Cohen, a leading corporate performance and motivational speaker to discuss the importance of getting your mind set before doing business with others.

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