SCW Fitness: Issue: 11/28/08

SCW NEWS

The holidays can really wreak havoc on our routines and our bodies. Most of us who are conscious of our eating know that the ultra rich whipped cream topped pie served hot over double chocolate chip ice cream is a little over the top. We also know that completely depriving ourselves of our most beloved holiday treats is not necessary. Everything in moderation as the saying goes. Fitness enthusiasts have adapted to smaller portions eaten slowly and enjoyed completely sans guilt! However, when it comes to our beverage consumption, some of us are far less aware and diligent. Review this list of nine popular beverages that pack a substantial caloric blow: SURPRISE!

Long Island iced tea (8 oz): 780
Chocolate martini: (2 oz each vodka, chocolate liqueur, cream, 1/2 oz creme de cacao, chocolate syrup): 438
White Russian (2 oz vodka, 1.5 oz coffee liqueur, 1.5 oz cream): 425
Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps (8 oz): 380
Pina Colada (6 oz): 378 calories
Eggnog with rum (8 ounces): 370
Mai Tai (6 oz) (1.5 oz rum, 1/2 oz cream de along, 1/2 oz triple sec, sour mix, pineapple juice): 350
Coffee liqueur (3 ounces): 348
Godiva chocolate liqueur (3 oz): 310

In order to work off just one Long Island iced tea, one would have to run a 6 minute mile for more than 45 minutes. The other option, of course, would be to cut the 700+ calories from your other consumption, i.e. food; which is one third of what most people eat in a day. The other alcoholic drinks on the list are better, but not terrific in terms of calories ingested. It is therefore extremely important to maintain a normal pattern of exercising while imbibing at holiday parties, which also include calorie laden food probably not part of your every day fare.
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You have been certified for several years, your classes are always packed, you love fitness, live to improve the lives of others, and NOW you want a bigger stage. EXCELLENT! This topic was submitted by a valued SCW member and eNews reader so we would like to take you step by step through the process of moving into the Presenter role.

First, your primary certification must be granted through a nationally recognized body. The gold standards of late have been ACE, AFAA, and ACSM. There are others, especially if you are interested in specific sub-disciplines of fitness. Aqua presenters are almost universally AEA certified. Those who present indoor cycling typically hold a certificate from Schwinn or Nautilus. Mind/body presenters are almost always required to have done extensive study under a recognized Yogi or in a Pilates school. Otherwise, pre-choreographed programs, like those from Les Mills, require that presenters also attain master trainer status through intensive training beyond certification.

If you have those credentials, then you should also know that professionals with at least a Bachelor’s degree are preferred. Depending on the nature of the trade show or educational convention in which you wish to present, this credential may be required. In order for CECs to be granted by certifying bodies for the sessions you teach, approval and/or review of your course material may also be required. Unfortunately, without a degree and proper certification, your submitted sessions will likely never be considered. [Read More]

You reach for the can you would know ANYWHERE. It has been your favorite indulgence since childhood. It is red and white and swirled all over. Look at the drops of condensation roll down... pop the top, take a sip... WHAT? That’s not what you were expecting??? It is the worst possible sort of trickery... imitating a product so closely that it convinces even the most faithful devotee... for a moment. The GENERIC! Ugh!

Generic, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Generic drugs cost less and perform identical functions in the body. “Store brand” cereal, in some cases, can be just as good as the pricier product it is attempting to mimic. Some items of clothing are completely acceptable sans label and hefty price tag. But what about you? You... the product. Is “generic” good enough for you?

Products have three simple categories of existence. Can you still sing that annoying jingle about teaching the world to sing? Yes, you can... that is excellent marketing. A song associated with a product that is forever emblazoned in your mind as being associated with the beverage. The “red, white, and swirled all over” can description immediately resonated with most of you because you know the packaging of a particular cola. What you see in a product, as in our example, is not always what you get. But you set expectations based on the packaging and marketing of the product. The other category is personal experience. It is imperative, however, to perfect your package and speak to your market before many consumers will be persuaded to have that first encounter. [Read More]

A recurring argument among fitness professionals exists about conditioning athletes for specific sports. One side, proponents of this programming, claim that the only way to hit a baseball better is to practice and train as if hitting a baseball. The other side insists that this will lead to overuse injury and “conditioning” should be principally a total body endeavor. Perhaps this is an oversimplification of the topic, but it pretty much sums up the debate. How do you know if your club is implementing these formats properly? Examine your program with the following things in mind, and you should be well on your way to quality sports conditioning, no matter which side you choose. As always, the answer is probably in the middle ground.

Who is your target audience? If you are attempting to enlarge your participant base by creating a program for area athletes, you may want to stay away from sport SPECIFIC conditioning classes and offer a generic, sports based athletic drills class. If, however, a specific coach and/or team requests a class focused on basketball, then you should carefully consider who will be creating it. The trainer/instructor must have credible knowledge of the sport, cross training for injury prevention, and also strength training specific to both the sport AND the age group. Further, the coaches and/or parents should be fully aware of the purpose of the class and the expected outcomes. Leaving this to their imaginations is not a good idea.

What is your purpose? Fitness classes and training sessions are all designed around the goal(s) of a participant and each session likely has a short term goal or measure of achievement. The younger the participant, the less patience he/she will likely have for results... [Read More]