Over the past month, I had the pleasure of listening to a medical professional describe the ramification of the practice of the hip position “tucked/tilted/clenched” while standing. He confirmed that neutral is the most structurally safe place that your cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine are in alignment. As you know from my previous blog posts, I […]
We are constantly bombarded by an overwhelming amount of false information. As a 30-year veteran of the fitness industry, I have seen some pretty silly stuff sold with over-the-top marketing. From spot reducing to fad-diets, it is hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. Finally, we have an article written by Amanda Vogel, MA and […]
One of the most common causes of injury while working out is that a person can strain a muscle. This can be caused by a lack of proper stretching. Repeating a strenuous motion required in a lot of exercises only exacerbates the problem. Flexibility is a key part of any strong and well-rounded fitness regime. […]
When talking about strength training, most people immediately think of barbells, free weights, and single-joint actions. But Barre Bands are easily more functional, as well as infinitely more mobile, than those options. Single-joint actions are not functional in daily life. Instead of focusing on simple motions, we should be training multiple muscle groups at once, […]
Barre fitness classes are hot right now. These group fitness classes focus on muscular endurance, while incorporating standing Pilates, yoga, and ballet-inspired movements. The fitness barre movement does not have actual ballet motions, as a ballet barre class would, but instead focuses on repeating a strength exercise to the level of fatigue, while moving to […]
As a barre, Pilates, and group fitness instructor, I have tried various pieces of equipment to enhance my clients’ experience in my class. Bands have always been essential to an efficient and effective class in which you can regress and progress movements on the spot. But sometimes the bands provided are inadequate as they break, […]
Last week, I wrote about the three types of cuing and how to use cues to connect with your class. But have you ever noticed that in your group fitness classes that there are people who can immediately correct themselves based on one cue while others take months of correction to understand? While there are […]
When you walk into a group fitness class, what do you see? Beginners to athletes, males to females, experienced to newbies, a group fitness class population truly can run the gauntlet. Yet, we as instructors must connect with each student while providing a safe and effective workout for everyone. How do we juggle so many […]
Last week, I wrote about my journey from fitness performer to coach in my blog Be a Coach in Your Group Fitness Class. This week, I want to expand upon this thought and introduce you to the three C’s of success. These three tips will help you grow as a fitness professional, earn the respect […]
In a recent social media post, I offered a reminder to fitness professionals that we should be coaching and not performing. I loved the feedback, comments and questions. The post’s interactions has inspired me to share my own story, as well as more of what I have learned from teaching for over two decades. Also, I […]