NESTA Personal Trainer News

NESTA News – November 2007

I. State of the Fitness Industry – The Fight Against Childhood Obesity

According to a joint survey conducted by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and American Sports Data, Inc., more than 1 million kids are now working out in health clubs and gyms in the United States. According to those conducting the study, these teens and pre-teens now account for 17% of all personal training clients in U.S. gyms. Club Business International (CBI) magazine noted that parents are realizing that paying $40-$60 per session is an "investment" and not just a "luxury". As one parent put it, "My kids didn't even realize they were exercising. They had a blast."

On a not so positive note, according to CBI, the number of boys ages 13-19 who have undergone plastic surgery as a remedy for gynecomastia (fuller breast development in men) has climbed more than 20% from 2006 to almost 14,000 procedures this past year. Plastic surgeons are reported to have stated that while the rise in obesity is the contributing factor in seeking plastic surgery, there is widespread acceptance among the general public toward plastic surgery as a general remedy. Yet there are also many medical professionals who believe boys and their parents should wait for "nature to take its course" before "going under the knife". Gynecomastia and obesity have become a common problem for many male teenagers but it is often resolved in later stages of development as testosterone levels reach their peak. But then again, as CBI relates, many young boys "suffering ridicule" are not willing to wait.

Over the past two decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled, and as many as 15% of children ages 6-12 are considered clinically obese. Celebrity chef Rachael Ray has created the Yum-O Foundation to support funding for healthy school lunch programs and feeding underprivileged children. Exercise and health guru Richard Simmons is busy lobbying to reinstate requirements for physical education in public schools. NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal has a new reality show called "Shaq's Big Challenge" that focuses on helping overweight children. However, video games and television shows are just getting better and better making playing outside or exercising less and less enticing. Even celebrities will have a hard time overcoming these technological enticements.

As you may know, many schools institute The President's Challenge, a fitness test utilizing five activities to assess childhood fitness. These tests include curl-ups (sit-ups), a 30 foot shuttle run, a one mile endurance run/walk, pull-ups or pushups, and the sit and reach test. Fortunately, there are individuals like Mark Alexander, PhD, of Oakland, CA who researched the poor performance of local youth on the The President's Challenge tests and decided to do something about it. He was able to achieve local government grants and support from Kaiser Medical to revitalize youth sports by recruiting volunteer coaches, purchasing running shoes, and utilizing nearby high school tracks to entice local kids to join the free track program. More than 2000 kids are now involved and the program is growing.

Not all of us have the means, influence or fame to reach young kids on such a grand scale. But we must understand that we will never earn a higher level of living (wealth AND health) if we do not first give something to others. Not everything we do needs to produce a living wage. If you can't obtain children as client's maybe it's time you reached out and volunteered some of your time to reach out to kids. You just may find that you receive a lot more in return than you could ever have expected.

II. Programs of the Month – Identifying your needs

When it comes to education, there is plenty of information available; it is simply a question of determining what courses best meet your needs. This month, rather than offering one program we decided to invoke the same advice we tell you to ask your clients. What are your goals and what will best serve your needs so that you can achieve them? Are you willing to do what is necessary?

Certification

If it is personal trainer certification you seek, and you want user-friendly education that is enjoyable to read and learn, practical exercise applications you can use right away, with the delivery of business skills training to help you be successful more than any other program, look no further than you're the Personal Trainer Certification Program (link).

Advanced Education

If you are already certified but want to learn more advanced exercise applications, and broaden your perspective on program design to meet the needs of variable populations with distinctive goals, the Elite Training Program includes advanced biomechanics along with advanced programming for core development and functional movement.

Remember, one certification is not enough. Simply fulfilling the necessary CEUs to maintain your NESTA PFT or some other certification is not enough. We are constantly encountering trainers who say, "I'm already certified" as if this were the key to their ultimate success. This couldn't be further from the truth. The trainers who are most successful far exceed the average level of education in addition to working long hours and surrounding themselves with experienced, successful people. While education itself is not the sole key to success, you cannot become a true professional unless you have the technical knowledge to aid your expert application of exercise science principles.

If you are not sure which program is best for you or do not feel any of the NESTA programs meet your needs, please email us at cs@nestacertified.com or give us a call (1-877-348-6692). Our job is to serve your needs and we want to know if we do not meet your standards and expectations. If you don't succeed, we don't succeed.

One of the above programs or one of NESTA's many others may offer you what you need to take that next step in your career toward helping others achieve their own goals, health and a sense of satisfaction from a job well done.

Training Performance Tip – Exercise and the Hormone Response

According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) there are over 20.8 million people (7% of the U.S. population) who have diabetes. Perhaps more concerning is that 176,000 of these people are under the age of 20. Some diabetics are insulin-dependent and require shots of insulin but all diabetics have trouble regulating blood sugar levels and poor cellular response with glucose. What is good for diabetics, when it comes to exercise, is good for all of us.

What we don't do, could make us more prone to develop type II diabetes (insulin resistance). Both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training improve cell response to insulin and glucose is more easily regulated by the muscles and liver. A sedentary lifestyle, and not just diabetes, can create poor systemic responses to the foods we ingest by not creating sufficient energy for the body to maintain a healthy body composition and function normally. Diabetes is never "cured" and neither is being prone to being overweight. No one reaches a point where they can relax and stay at a level of optimal health with high work performance. Although it should be common sense, it is often forgotten that going back to old habits of eating and engaging in less frequent or intense exercise will quickly create a return to diabetes, obesity, or a host of other metabolic conditions that wreak havoc on the endocrine system (the intricate system of organs which secrete hormones stimulating cellular communications and responses). The endocrine system is often overlooked in exercise science and training. Working out too intensely or not enough can create an over or under stimulation of hormone secretion which can result in impaired muscle function, muscular and overall body fatigue, increased illness and an increased likelihood for the body to "hold onto" fat as a survival mechanism. We cannot "outsmart" our bodies.

For this reason, it is recommended that everyone engage in at least 30-40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (continuous activity) at least four times per week and resistance training (moderate to intense strength training with periods of rest between sets) for 20-40 minutes at least three times per week. Cardiovascular exercise and resistance training can be performed on the same day but it is recommended that resistance training occur before cardiovascular exercise in order to better maintain glucose stores (as glycogen) for increased energy and greater muscular response during and after exercise. This equates to a minimum of 180 minutes to as much as 280 minutes or more total exercise time per week.

Much effort is made to convince the general population that they can be healthy and fit with as little as 10 minutes per day. Starting at 10 minutes per day is fine. But in one or a maximum of two months after beginning a slowly progressing exercise program, everyone should be exercising according to the time recommendations mentioned previously. Programming variables of intensity, work period to rest period ratios, form and technique, and types of exercise are your responsibility as a personal trainer and fitness professional. Just starting to move is great, but after a short time, it is imperative to seek professional help to ensure that the methods, modes, intensity and frequency of exercise are optimally designed for individual needs. Just remember that your endocrine system drives all your body's responses in communicating between your brain and your muscles, so don't neglect it by working out mindlessly intensely or far too slowly to obtain optimal benefits (that means you or your client). Training is a complex puzzle that only a true professional can put together for each individual. There is no "one size fits all".

Business Success Tip – Identifying Problems and Eliciting Goals

A professional trainer or instructor must be both a "counselor" and a "coach". You must constantly seek to discover what makes your client "tick" and support them in their efforts and help them get past their health or performance problems or concerns. You must also educate, guide and motivate your client. The ability to be an effective coach and counselor as a fitness professional can help clients make fewer mistakes and see more long-term successes. Your career will be the same. That's great. So how do we do this?.

Learn to listen. Listening means paying close attention, not saying a word and not thinking about what you are going to say next when your client is through talking. Listening builds trust, helps your client to open up, and helps you learn more about your client. It may amaze you to find how many people with whom you have hardly spoken a word, but who spoke AT you at length, truly respect and like you. A good listener will help clients identify their own issues and concerns and come to possible solutions while admiring you greatly for caring enough to let your client have their time to talk. It is best to then reiterate (repeat back) what you heard your client say to clarify any miscommunication and for you to be sure you received all the necessary information before moving forward. If you ask the RIGHT questions, you can never ask too many.

Help your client commit to making a change. No matter how many times you try to correct form and technique, scold your client about their poor eating habits, or incessantly call to track them down when they don't show up, it will all be for naught if you do not get them to agree that they must change these habits and patterns. They must at least verbally, if not sign a written agreement as well, to make the commitment to change. They must explain to you in the listening stage what they feel are the obstacles that stand in their way of better health and performance and you must help guide them, through your questioning and listening, to agree to certain actions and habits. This is a must or you will forever spin your wheels in disgust at trying to get your client to "buy into" your training services.

State the actions necessary to ensure their commitment and guarantee an understanding between the two of you. Your client, having now made a commitment, must understand what that commitment means and that failing to meet any of the actions you lay out could keep that client from ever reaching his/her goals. If you do this, and do it well, you will not need to scold, you will only have to remind your client of his/her commitment and what the two of you spoke about by saying, "It's up to you, but if you…then you shouldn't be surprised if you never get to…"

Support your client. Keep your client honest by making sure he/she is honest about the commitment to change, and the steps taken to make that change. Always listen more than you talk, even beyond the first time the two of you meet. Provide recommendations for concerns your client may have regarding a lack of progress or uncertainty of the ability to reach his/her goals. Cut out magazine or newspaper articles, write them emails, call them on the phone, or direct them to other resources or professional services that may help them meet their goals. You cannot and will not be a "one person show". It will take more than your efforts to get your client where they want to go.

Teach and repeat the exercises and habits your client will need to employ. In order for your client to achieve his/her desired goals, he/she is going to have to repeat behaviors and habits until it is no longer a cognitive response (one that has to be thought about before acting) but an autonomic response (automatic). This may take a few days or it make a few months. It depends on the commitment level of your client and your commitment to him/her.

Motivate and discipline. You must always search for ways that motivate your client to drive them toward his/her goals. We are all motivated differently so don't go thinking YOUR WAY will motivate all or even most of your clients. When it comes to discipline you must help your clients focus on their commitment to achieve their goals by varying the challenges of the workout and by holding them accountable in your discussions. When they succeed, find an equitable award that could be as simple as you congratulating them profusely in person or buying them a book that you thought they would like and might prove helpful.

Remember, you must think of your client as a person who needs your help and that you are the best person for the job. Your client, should you do your job well, will think of you as a friend, counselor, coach, and family member not just a professional, and it is your job to exceed their expectations by providing far more and greater service than they ever thought possible. It is a lot more than your exercise programming and teaching abilities. It is about your concern and the incredible steps you take for their improved health and well-being.

Live Training – NESTA PFT and Continuing Education Workshops

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The NESTA live workshops and affiliated seminars scheduled in the coming days and months can be found below. If you do not see a workshop scheduled in your area, please contact us. Live, hands-on training is perhaps the most useful learning form for any professional. You will only be as successful as the effort you give toward improving your knowledge, skills and abilities. Be sure to sign up early as workshops often sell out. Let us know how we can be of greater service to you and we hope to see you at one of our workshops or seminars in the near future. Upcoming workshops and seminars:

November 10-11	Personal Fitness Trainer Workshop	New York, NY
December 1-2	Personal Fitness Trainer Workshop	San Diego, CA
December 8-9	Personal Fitness Trainer Workshop	Costa Mesa , CA

PFT workshops are eligible for NESTA, NASM and ISSA CEUs.

Register today! Seating is limited.

http://www.nestacertified.com