News and Updates by Rachel Holmes
This week Jayne and I out in San Diego at the IDEA convention checking out all the latest fitness trends, workouts and equipment. We have been updating Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare with all the news so have a look if you are interested in the IDEA convention. The sessions I am really interested in are Body Back with Lisa Druxman, Gray Instritute Lectures + Practicals, Michol Dalcourt, an so many more Ill be bringing you a full report when we get back.
In this weeks newsletter we have some more great articles from my mentoring students where you can read about their experiences and business ideas plus the amazingly popular Marvin Burton and Sally Ghafoor have also written some great pieces. Sallys articles are becoming UBER popular and generating loads of feedback and interest, so do keep your comments and feedback coming.
C2GOTV Ideas and Choreography
As you know I launched C2GoTV Episodes and VLOGs and here are some of the last few episodes – Each one is about 4 minute long and cotains loads of useful info.
How to be the “Fitness Expert” on the local radio click here
Social Media Tips for FitPros click here
Help – Do you need help with technical “stuff” for your website/newsletter/social media click here
Setting up successful Community Classes part 2
How to set up successful Community classes part 1
What to write for fitness articles, Blogs and Vlogs
Fitness Business Mentoring
As you know, I began my mentoring and coaching programme 5 weeks ago and it’s been one of the most rewarding projects I have ever been involved in. The students have come on in leaps and bounds and together we are shaping their businesses, projects, ideas and goals. This week’s and next week’s newsletter will be featuring articles written by my mentor group as I know you will find their experiences and stories motivating and inspiring. This week you can read about Jill Gardner, Jo Parry, Nina Lancaster and Nicola CarlessTo follow the progress of the mentoring group please add them individually on Facebook and Twitter and you can see their businesses unfold and move forward. If you are interested in the next round of mentoring please email for details RachelLHolmes@aol.com and you can check out the mentor students VLOGS here
Marvin Burtons new Tour – Functional Freestyle 2011
Marv is back on the road again for Autumn and will be showcasing hot new workouts, functional training and biomechanics. I am so excited about his power Bag Training as this is the first group Power Bag Training in the UK. For all the details of Marvs workshop which carries 4 CPD Points check out click here to view details of Marvs Tour
Estrogen Dominance part 2 by Sally Ghafoor
Hopefully you have spent a little time since I last wrote investigating how estrogen dominance can cause disease within the body.
A common cause of estrogen dominance in today’s society is caused by the exposure to estrogen like substances within our environment, these are called xenoestrogens. Xeno means foreign – so these are “foreign” estrogens, man-made chemicals.
Xenoestrogens mimic the body’s estrogen hormone, causing hormonal havoc within our body. These man-made chemicals cause problems with the body’s naturally circulating estrogens, attaching themselves to estrogen receptors within the body and your body treats them in the same way it does the estrogen it has naturally produced (remember last week how I spoke about the balance between estrogen and progesterone was needed, xenoestrogens increase estrogen v progesterone causing estrogen dominance) Xenoestrogens have been linked to the following problems:
Early puberty
Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, PMS, Polycystic ovary syndrome
Increased fat formation
Depressed libido
Disrupted hormonal cycles
Lowered testosterone in men (think Moobs)
Fibromyalgia
Breast and uterine cancer
To name but a few……
These xenoestrogens are found everywhere in the environment – pesticides, sprayed on your food, which you then eat, these pesticides will also drip into our soil and into our water – pesticides are xenoestrogens, when you are pouring yourself a glass of water from your tap xenoestrogens are in there, bottled water isn’t much better – xenoestrogens are found in the plastic bottle which is then released into your water, the meat you eat, pumped full of hormones to make them grow quicker, the food the animals eat contaminated with pesticides, that milk you drink – – more xenoestrogens, your cleaning solutions – xenoestrogens, all chlorinated products – xenoestrogens (bigger list available on my blog). It’s hard to get away from.
Now what can we do about it?
Here is my list of “top tips” that may help:
Choose Organic – obvious really, avoid the pesticides, and any hormones/antibiotics fed to animals to increase their size.
Leave the processed food alone – canned foods – contain xenoestrogen from the can.
Eat Cruciferous vegetables – Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, brussell sprouts contain a phytonutrient which can pull estradioul (a component of estrogen) down a benign pathway – in easy terms these vegetables decrease unhealthy estrogens.
Limit your amount of dairy – I have cut it out completely why? Because Cows spend the majority of time pregnant, can you imagine how much more estrogen is produced by a cow than a human when pregnant, you are then consuming this, besides milk is good for you if you’re a calf, not a human. And can I just mention – estrogen dominance is very very related to osteoporosis…….Make yourself some coconut milk, it is soooo much better for you.
Ditch the alcohol – your liver needs all the help it can get ridding your body of estrogen, it needs to be functioning well with no toxins to rid itself of so it can get rid of the estrogen, not have a build up of it due to the need to clear the alcohol you have consumed.
For more reading take a look at Jenni Courts page – “its all gone pear shaped” there are some great tips for pear shaped women and instructors on there, I believe there is even a plan you can download for free, Phil Richards is doing a 2 day seminar on hormones and health in October and another good read is estrogen – the killer in our midst.
Hormones is like opening up a can of worms, and it’s a bit like MSG once you start you cannot stop researching!
‘Are you really DOWN with da kidz?’ Jo Parry
Now contrary to everyone’s beliefs…. I am not that down with the kidz! In Fact, recently when I delivered some dance fitness classes in a primary school in Leeds that statement became very apparent and it quickly made me realise how in front and cutting edge kids really are.
Many of us run successful business’s delivering fitness and dance classes to schools in and around our local areas, Richard Hawke (presenter) from Sheffield does exactly this on a large scale and his demand is ever increasing. I however prefer to take one or two bookings a month so I can be fresh faced, motivating and completely down with the kidz whilst continuing to teach my community classes.
The brief for the day was to teach Zumba and Street dance classes from reception (four years old) right up to eleven year olds! A vast and scary age range to entertain and keep entertained, however after much research with the help of my niece and nephew I felt my play list was spot on, untouchable to be more accurate! Mixing some classic ZIN tracks that my classes love and I know work well in large groups with the most current pop and rnb songs in the charts, I felt I was more than ready to tackle the children. Oh how wrong I was!
Clothes look trendy enough – check! Trainers are cool enough – check! Hair style features all plats – check! Music selection cutting edge – check!
On arrival all the children were nothing but pleasant and excited to see me and throughout the sessions they were interactive, bouncy, fun and polite not to mention LOUD at all the right times. I loved every minute until they spotted my iPod and on a closer inspection saw the contents and just started asking for random artists! ‘Jo please can we have Katy Perry, Tinchy Stryder, Lady Gaga!’ ‘Do you have Bruno Mars? Or Taio Cruz?’.
Privy to this I had already choreographed and taught a routine to Tinie Tempah’s – Pass Out, that just can only be described as X factor Karaoke with the boys rapping and dancing. Beyonce – single ladies had gone down a treat but clearly this was not enough even alongside some fantastic Zumba tracks!
‘Long live’ my ETM exam and the ability to work to verse and chorus music plus add some ‘add libing’ in the bridges of the music I bluffed my way through Bruno Mars – Lazy song with even a spot of musicality in it, Katy Perry – Fire Work, we started on the floor and Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance! Petrified, ecstatic and relief were just a few of the emotions racing around my body after the first session and I had six more to go. Needless to say each group followed the same format apart from we did get a Taio Cruz – Dynamite routine in as well! Ha ha. Now let me tell you if it was not for Rachel Holmes and my music website ww.infitnessmusic.com I would probably, well definitely not know all of these artists let alone pronounce their names! I am an avid music lover but often there is not enough time in the day to listen to music and check out the latest chart smashes.
After my traumatic ordeal I would just like to say I loved it as I learnt so much from the children and was inspired by their passion for music and exercise/dance. I did however sleep like a baby that night, I was exhausted!
Therefore, the moral to this storey is, never under estimate the knowledge, imagination, awareness and interest of a child’s mind! There are no boundaries when it comes to kids, music and dance! Apart from their Mum’s and Aunties going to Zumba classes their knowledge of Zumba was quite low yet their ability to dance it was incredible. On the flip side their knowledge on current modern day music was immense, vast in fact, which thrilled and surprised me.
For future bookings in schools I will be equipping myself with a mammoth play list that I have prepared choreography for and I am sure there will still be a song I have not thought of that they have! Of course I recognise I am the teacher and they are the student but I was so inspired by their interest and interactive ness with myself that I also thought I could take on this challenge and make up routines on the spot!
Thank you for letting me share that with you! Enjoy and good luck. Cheers Jo http://twitter.com/Joparryleeds
Marvin Burton Back to Function
Hi fitness enthusiasts. I think its time I got back on the education rollercoaster and do what I can to keep everybody on track for world domination and improving the industry. Lately I’ve read a few Facebook posts and seen a few videos that are a little “jurassic” in terms of bio-mechanics and exercises creativity. I also have realised the need for simple ideas that are understood better. Let me explain that a bit easier for you.
I was out running this week (that’s how I think and relax) and ran past a car, in fact quiet a few cars. It got me thinking, “would I buy a car if I couldn’t drive?”
It would have very little use to me. I’d have paid good money, taken something away, I could polish and clean it, show my friends how nice it was and listen to the radio. But not use it to the full potential. I can’t drive.
How long would it be before I get bored of the car?
How many people would spend money on this?
Why do people spend money on something they can’t use fully and don’t understand enough of to make a difference to their lives?
Now let’s link this metaphor to fitness.
Why do people go on courses and workshops and only want to learn a few ideas and see some different exercises? Within a few weeks you will have used these “short term” ideas and not got the value for your money.
What about if instead of learning a few exercises, you understood more about the product and body so you could implement it for longer, better and to full effect?
Surely that would improve your knowledge more?
Let me try another example.
I’m going to tell you what the best food is to eat in the universe.
If you eat this everyday, on its own, you will lose as much weight as you like. Your skin will be better, hair will glow, body will feel amazing.
Mustard!
Go and buy 10 jars of mustard and eat it. As much as you like and until you improve everything in you life and become an international model.
The strange thing is and what I see everyday, if that statement was an educational course that had accreditation and somebody claiming to be influential was saying it. People would sign up, pay money, follow the diet and tell other people to try it.
Dangerous!
But read the facebook status updates and see what courses are being offered. Same thing.
Without reasoning, nutritional evidence and quality information, I’m seeing this “fraud” being pushed upon our industry daily.
I think we are vulnerable and the nation are an easy target.
I read last week an article on weight loss from a leading celebrity trainer in a woman’s magazine. It consisted on random exercise, dangerous nutritional advice and no explanation at all. Millions of people will now try this. It was the kind of diet that leads to eating disorder and other health problems. But people will try it because the magazine says it make me look like Victoria Beckham!
My last thought was that people are more likely to try a diet they know nothing about for 3 months and accept that it “doesn’t work” but pay money for it and not understand it. Then to learn some exercises they do understand and will make them move better and lose weight.
People want the quick fix without the hard work.
We realise this in personal training but its the same in fitness education.
Have a look at the leading presenters in our industry. The presenters that have been paving the way for 20 years. Did they get there because they had a couple of clients lose some weight on a magazine diet? Or have they been working hard for years to create good information with relevant topics and research.
I have noticed an increase in workshops, programmes, courses, nutritional theories and people starting their own schemes and companies. They all promise the best way to train, eat and be healthy. My problem and concern is that just like buying a car without knowing how to drive, you could be spending quality money on something you cannot use.
So to summaries and get down off my soap box. I suggest that:
We spend more time doing the things we can for free and will help use to highlight and question these “cowboy” workshops. This can be a little as reading 1 article of a topic on the internet per week. Its free, will help and within a year your knowledge will be much greater.
Another solution is why not go back to basics. Buy a pre owned book from amazon each month. I have some brilliant books on fitness that I have made notes in, highlighted statements and taken some key noted that I had neglected or forgotten in the past.
Aim to read 10 pages of knowledge per day and write down 5 things you learnt from the 10 pages and why.
This can be as simple as a dictionary so you challenge your vocabulary to a random google search where you search for references. Just don’t count women’s magazines or newspapers. They seem to be “fraud”
Research the topics you know less about.
Before booking on a course look at the objectives and outcomes and see if they look relevant and well researched by a good presenter you have listened to or found out about. It also helps if that presenter actually has a success record in their field as well. I can name a lot that don’t.
I hope this makes you think and will motivate you to take more command of your education.
If you want any help or advice then please contact me. However this isn’t and offer for me to tell you what I think is a good or bad course. You need to make your own decision on that.
Thanks for reading
http://twitter.com/MarvinBurton
THE 8 WEEK RULE Jayne Nicholls
I recently introduced the 8 week rule into the teaching of Freestyle Fitness Yoga in order to stop FFY instructors modifying exercise for new people entering the class. The premise is that we make them extremely welcome and keep them informed on what to expect from the class but we allow them to progress at their own speed in the first 8 weeks. This enables the client to experience the many changes that are both quick to occur and wonderful to go through on the journey from being not very good to competent. Once they are comfortable and committed to coming back to class we then get our teeth into helping them progress.
As you can imagine cutting out mass modifications for clients frees up a lot of time to concentrate on other aspects of coaching. It does mean that we have to get used to exercise looking different, even ugly on people and resisting the temptation to make it look good immediately. Sometimes we confuse lack of experience, lack of grace and lack of confidence in our clients with risk and modify in fear of them hurting themselves when in fact their performance when entering the class will be modified by themselves to suit how fit they are and how they feel. There is also very little risk of injury from the level of exercise that we generally prescribe.
Try this in your classes and see how your clients progress – in fact most of the time they will shock you by how well they adapt to what you throw at them.
http://twitter.com/Jaynenicholls
Nina Lancaster – Teaching in Schools
Many pupils, particularly older girls are conscious about how they look. When teaching aerobics or any fitness class in schools, you have to make your moves twice as big and then you will get probably half of that in return!
Nicola Caless is sharing with us her advertising and markting for her super successful Bootcamps. Hope this inspires you with your marketing and newsletter text
Nicki’s Fat Loss Bootcamp
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS?
How about making some drastic changes to your health and fitness!
Are you ready to:
Drop a dress size
Feel fitter, leaner and more energised
Totally revamp your eating habits
Look good naked?
YES, then sign up for Nicki’s Fat Loss Bootcamp
The Ultimate Kickstart for the fitness and physique you desire
You’ll be glad that you did?
FAQ: HOW DO I REDUCE BODY FAT?
There are several factors you need to consider in order to lower body fat and you need to incorporate all the factors listed below in order to get the results you desire:-
DIET: Firstly, it is important to look at your overall diet, making sure that you are not consuming more calories than your body burns off.
In order to lose fat, it is really important to eat and not starve yourself. If the body does not get the nutrients it needs from food, the survival mechanism kicks in and starts holding onto body fat to be used for nutrient shortages. If you make it a habit of not eating or just eating small amount of calories daily, the body begins to think that you are in a time of famine and slowly the metabolism slows down. This is just the body’s way of trying to conserve calories because it is getting too little nourishment. In order to avoid this, eat healthy and balanced meals, which will aid in the lowering of your body fat. The body needs constant calories, so try to aim to eat 5 to 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day so you will be eating more often but not necessarily more!
Ideally a fat loss diet contains moderate amounts of carbohydrates, moderate amounts of fats and moderate to large amounts of protein. Protein not only helps to build and repair muscle, but it also aids in increasing the metabolism and enhances the immune system. Some good sources of protein to include in your diet are lean meats, eggs, beans, nuts and protein powders.
WATER: It is extremely important to stay hydrated by consuming lots of pure water. Increasing your water intake is essential to help your body function well and aid your fat loss. In fact, the human body can only survive a few days without water, while a deficiency of other nutrients may take longer to develop!
Nicki’s Bootcamp Fat Loss Detox diet will help you to choose the best foods for fat loss and get the results you are after without feeling hungry!
EXERCISE: When it comes to exercise, you need to combine weight training with interval cardiovascular training for the best results. You need to exercise on a regular basis, ideally 3-5 times per week to see results.
When lowering body fat, weight training is a must. Weight training helps to increase overall muscle mass, which is essential because muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle mass you have the lower your overall body fat. Weight training also tones up the body’s existing muscle, giving you a shapelier physique. As an added bonus, weight training also helps to strengthen the bones and this is important as you age.
Along with weight training, interval cardiovascular exercise is very helpful in lowering body fat but be sure you are working at a level that is challenging for you. Interval cardio training is alternating brief periods of high intensity, such as sprinting with periods of low intensity like walking. As long as the high intensity periods are high enough you can apply this concept to your preferred type of exercise.
Nicki’s Bootcamp sessions are based on interval training sessions working the whole body, including strength and cardiovascular exercises to burn fat and to rev up your metabolism to ensure your body carries on burning fat way after the exercise session!
REST: Lowering body fat is a process, and there is no need to over-train. Over-training does not lead to lowering your body fat faster, but instead can hinder your efforts. It is important to allow the muscles the necessary time to rebuild, so be sure to give yourself days off to rest. Apart from taking time off from working out, it is essential to get the sleep your body needs each night, as this is when the body is able to optimally repair and recovery.
Nicki’ Bootcamp sessions are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to ensure your body gets some rest between the exercise sessions. Nicki also sends out educational and motivational e-mails to you daily to help you stay on track!
SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
CONTACT NICKI NOW ON 07890 978531 TO BOOK YOUR PLACE
Have a Wonderful Week
Love Rachel xxxx
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