Instructor Newsletter 29th March 2012

I’m still buzzing from the IFS this weekend. I do LOVE fitness conventions. I love the chat, I love to see everyone, I love walking through the trade stands 5 million times, I actually enjoy feeling physically sick leading up to my presentation,( the nerves that never ever go away no matter how long you have been presentin). But the sessions were frankly amazing. The Step room especially was huge, there were hundreds of die hard steppers loving the choreography and sessions, it was a joy to watch.

I’d like to thank everyone who came along to my sessions. I just loved teaching the Beyonce Chair Dance and team teaching with Steve, Ceri and Jo is always hilarious. I am always laughing so much when we are on stage teaching as I can never quite believe I’m in the world famous Empress Ballroom in Blackpool where so many acts have performed over the hundreds of years the Winter Gardens has been in existence. It’s pretty crazy when you think of it like that.

There were so many amazing sessions. If you did miss the event, then really do consider it for next year. Even if the sessions aren’t what you teach, the networking, the chatting to fellow Fitpros, Fitness Entrepreneurs, Business owners, Personal Trainers and Bootcampers is second to none. That’s where I think you really come away enriched and inspired. Just talking and listening to people has given me another raft of ideas I want to work on and implement. Before IFS I knew what I was working on, but I needed a spark and confirmation that I’m on the right track.Talking and listening to fellow fitpros is helpful and worth its weight in gold.

I don’t think I stopping yakking from the minute I walked into the Winter Gardens on Thursday until Sunday afternoon when I left. The atmosphere is always very friendly, happy and inspiring everyone mixes together – delegates, presenters, tradeshow, companies which makes for a great atmosphere..

There were a few things that came hurtling at me whilst I was there – Branding, Marketing and Packaging. I call it BMP (not the greatest acronym!)

We have been hearing murmurings of Piloxing (Pilates mixed with Boxing mixed with Dance) and seeing the Youtube clips and adverts of the very attractive girl in the pink gear, but we didn’t really know much about it. The same with Bokwa. Yep, I know there have been training courses and people are now jumping on it, but it’s still pretty new. Two relatively unheard of new trends launched massively in Blackpool, people were clamouring over themselves to buy the merchandise – the clothes, DVDS and music before they had even taken part in a class! In 25 years in fitness I’ve never witnessed that before. The content appeared to be secondary, it was all about getting involved in another brand, buying the t shirt and THEN doing the training course……….. B.M.P at its very best!…Interesting huh?

So where does it leave us mere mortal Instructors that don’t want to jump onto another trend?

Guess what?

We have got to up our B.M.P game……. make sure our merchandise is high end, top quality, bright, fun and dare I say it sexy, and that’s before you even get to the content.

YOU how much I want YOU to get your brand out there. I know you can just make sure your packaging and marketing is as good as the content, its vital in 2012.

I’d love your thoughts so tweet me, email me or Facebook me

It’s Fitpro in a few weeks ,so if you missed IFS why don’t you make the effort even for a day and come along, network and see some amazing sessions. You can always chat to me I’ll be hanging around!

 

Its All about the Branding –

Here are 2 VLOGS I made this week about the IFS and Branding I hope you enjoy them.

What can we learn from Bokwa and Piloxing Click here

Why is IMPERATIVE you get along to a convention this year Click here

 

New Downloads

This week I have released a new Complete Metabolic Conditioning Download Using a Body Bar

Full Metabolic Conditioning using a Body Bar with Rachel Holmes

Code: FBB1
	Again this is a 10 minute Full Body Workout using the Body Bar. I use 10 exercises working for 50 seconds on and 10 seconds rest, I\\\’m using less jumping exercises and more sculpting to reshape the body. Click here to view
	2 Tokens	Length: 10 mins
	£ 3.99	Size: 67.0 MB

 

Fitness Pilates News and Updates

I had some new FP Batwing tops that have come intoday so I get them up online later todaye, they are slouchy and super cool. Look out for those later today.

If you are looking for new FP Ideas then do Check out the FPVIP Club for monthly downloads and content. Click here

 

Connect with me

I post my Videos and Blogs most days and always welcome feedback and comment.https://www.choreographytogo.com/news/blog/

If you are on Twitter follow me and I’ll follow you back @RachelHolmes

And of course check in with me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Choreographytogo

Jayne Nicholls

I get my best ideas after caffeine, I crave sugar, I cheat on my perfect diet plan and I haven’t been running in 2 months. The reasons that i feel so bad about this is that I see the most perfect plates of food posted on face book, I see everyones perfect workout complete, in the bag, owned! and I read about the ups and downs of my ”friends” in time lapses that come and go in seconds. It is not surprising that I might feel so un perfect so much of the time OR am I getting caught up in the quick fix lifestyle that suits the 2012 disposition of having and owning every single thing in the presence of a computer audience. I chatted about this to so many people over the weekend in Blackpool at the IFS convention. The convention that I returned to after my first presentation 20 years ago and one that i had not attended for the past 5 years at least. What was wonderful is that i bumped onto the same people, the same fit people grafting and adapting to the changes that the fitness industry has brought about. These are the true pioneers of our profession. The ones who keep their feet fully grounded in the practical and physical act of teaching.

 

 

Congratulations to our KBC

My dear friend and coaching student Katie Bulmer walked away with Personal Trainer of the year award, which is fantastic. I am immensely proud of Katie and everything she has achieved. Well Done KBC what a champion!

 

 

Crisis in The Weight Loss Industry by Rachel Holmes – Part 2

Alcohol and Fat Burning by Rachel Holmes

 

Thank you all so much for your colossal feedback from last week’s newsletter and in particular my article on Crisis in the Weight Loss Industry. I will continue to look at topics over the coming weeks but now, as the sun is out and it’s nearly Easter, I wanted to touch on Alcohol and Fat Burning.

Today we are examining the effects of alcohol on the body and how you can still enjoy your favorite tipple from time to time without it taking permanent residence on your hard earned abs and 6 pack.

Let’s quickly review how nutrients are stored and burned after food.

1. Carbs and protein suppress fat oxidation via an elevation in insulin. However, these macronutrients do not contribute to fat synthesis in any meaningful way by themselves.

2. Since fat oxidation is suppressed, dietary fat is stored in fat cells.

3. As the hours go by and insulin drops, fat is released from fat cells. Fat storage is an ongoing process and fatty acids are constantly entering and exiting fat cells throughout the day. Net gain or loss is more or less dictated by calorie input and output.

If we throw alcohol into the mix, it gets immediate priority in the substrata hierarchy: Alcohol puts the brakes on fat oxidation, but also suppresses carb and protein synthesis

This makes sense considering that the metabolic by-product of alcohol, acetate, is toxic. Metabolising it takes precedence over everything else.

In a nutshell, if you want to maintain a lean body avoiding alcohol is a good choice. It’s not just the added calories (alcohol offers seven calories per gram compared to carbs and protein, which contain four each) but the effect alcohol has on fat burning and storage..

Alcohol affects metabolism because when you drink it your body puts all other metabolic processes on hold until it has processed the alcohol. Your body can’t convert the calories from the alcohol to fat, meaning it needs to use them up, and will delay all other fat burning and energy use until the alcohol has been processed.

Drinking alcohol affects your hormones as well, increasing cortisol and modifying steroid metabolism in the liver. This results in lower androgens for both sexes. Women with higher levels of androgens and men with lower levels are equally at risk for belly fat gain, and for men, lower androgens mean less testosterone.

Not Good!

Drinking Alcohol – In a nutshell ( or a bombshell)

1.Greatly increases your daily calorie intake.

2. Massively spikes cortisol.

3.Greatly increases sugar consumption so you will crave carbs and sugar the following day.

But Rachel I’m going to a party on Saturday Night and I want to enjoy a drink?

Of course you do and why not.

Here are some strategies to help you.

1.Make the night of the party your cheat meal – and drink whatever you want!

2.Choose Dry White Wines – Dry being defined as less than 1.4 % residual sugar.

3.If you can choose between White and Red go for Red and the best Reds are Spanish Reds due to resveratol.

4.Avoid Champagne and White Zinfandel form California.

5.Drink spritzers or follow every glass of red with a glass of water.

6.On the day of your party eat a protein rich breakfast, lunch and dinner.

7. Take your usual supplements – Greens Drinks / High Quality Fish Oils.

8. Eat a protein rich breakfast the following day to minimise carb and sugar cravings.

Wine Varieties

Red Wines include:

Pinot Noir. Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Marlbec ( Argentina), Merlot, Red Zinfandel.

White

Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino

Avoid

Champagne, White Zinfandel, Riesling

The body can’t store alcohol, so it has to use it up first. All the other metabolic processes- i.e. the metabolizing of fat and glucose- have to be put on hold while the body gets rid of the alcohol.

Alcohol turns off fat burning at the cellular level.

So all in all a little depressing, but if you stick to Dry White and Red Wines the occasional drink wont sabotage your fat loss just ensure you eat your protein rich meals before and after.

Go easy and tread carefully. Remember alcohol makes you lose your inhibitions and you might not need much encouraging to hit the chip shop, kebab shop or 24 hour Asda for god knows what else!

Enjoy!

I would love your thoughts and feedback.

 

KSFL2012 Leader by Rachel Holmes

Of the back of Crisis in the Weight Loss Industry and my KSFL I have now signed up 25 new KSFL Leaders who are going to help me get the most updated fatloss research out to the masses using social media. It’s high time the general public actually get the real facts about how to lose body fat. Not the facts according to Sainsburys or Nestles or Kellogs or outdated information saying you need to eat 5 small meals a day and eat 5 pieces of fruit every day etc etc- The real deal about Detoxing, Hormones, Meal Frequency, Fasting, Liquids, Sleep and Stress.

People think they are eating “healthy” and they are not because the advice we are given is slanted in every way but the true facts for many reasons.

How many times do you hear your clients ” But I eat Healthy and I’m gaining weight”

In the past I have thought ..yeah right I bet you have snacking up on crisps and chocolates but they probably are not. They most likely eat a “wholesome” breakfast, a piece of fruit and a bag of nuts mid morning, another “healthy” lunch, snack again at 4, “Healthy” Dinner at 7 and a glass of white wine and a cup of low fat cocoa at bedtime.

This style of eating will soon pack on the pounds not in the short term but over the months and years.

There is SO much overwhelming information out there when you really dig. We need to get it out there. As shocking as it will be, nearly everything that is pushed in the media, by government and a lot of what we know and teach to our clients is actually fiction not fact.

Let me know your thoughts – Tweet me @RachelHolmes

 

Katie Bulmer PT of the Year

Hi C2Goer’s,

I hope my article this week finds you well!

I’ve got some amazing news to share with you…

Last Saturday, at IFS in Blackpool, I won the Personal Trainer of the Year Award.
I can honestly say I have never been so shocked, and I have never seen my mam cry so many tears of joy! It feels amazing to have my work with my clients, contribution to the industry and business growth recognised on such a huge scale. I want to say thank you to everyone who has congratulated me via email, Facebook and Twitter, it’s been truly overwhelming.

As a way of celebrating my win and my birthday (I turn 26 today!) I wanted to share my Birthday Bundle with you all…

1. Katie’s Real Results DVD
2. A Resistance Exercise Band
3. A 7 Day Meal Plan
4. The Little Black Dress Club E-Cook Book (packed with 20 recipes that make healthy food taste naughty!)
5. BONUS: Mindset Article

It’s only available TODAY over at www.katiebulmer.com/birthdaybundle

So whether you’re looking for new ideas for your classes or PT clients or a way to get focused and get some great results yourself, it’s a super pack.
Thank you again to everyone for your ongoing support and a very special thank you to Rachel for all the help she’s given me on her mentoring program- it’s taken my business to new heights!

Have a lovely day and remember…

It’s cool to be YOU!

KBC xxx

Please follow me on Twitter @katiebulmer1 and help me reach 1000 followers for my birthday!

 

What time should I run a postnatal class and why?

By Claire Mockridge

Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert

Hi there everyone,

Today, I’d like to answer a quick question that comes up quite frequently amongst Ante/Postnatal Fitness and Pilates Instructors when they first embark on this field which is: “What time should I run a postnatal class?”. Sadly, there’s no right or wrong answer to this query, but here are some factors you might want to consider before diving in, head-first:

Competition Do some research into your local area, and see what other mummy activities are on around you. Research any other fitness/baby yoga/Pilates/buggy workout-type classes, and if you have a day/time already in your mind, find out about other classes that will operate at the same time as your class. What age group are these classes aimed at eg young babies eg 12-20 weeks, older babies eg 6-18 months, or toddlers. If you live in a big city, you probably won’t have too much to worry about here, but, if you live in a small village with very few mums, choose the time and day wisely, so as not to clash with regular coffee mornings and/or weigh-in days at the Health Centre etc.

Feeding times Realistically here, for a postnatal fitness or Pilates class, you want the babies asleep, ok? A lot of other baby-related activities and classes new mums attend, they need their baby awake, because they’re actively participating eg baby massage (no one wants to have to practise on a doll whilst their baby peacefully sleeps!), or baby music/singing classes (try not to look unhinged, singing along to a nursery rhyme whilst your baby is out for the count!) etc. Anyway, I find a 10:45/11:00am start time suits the majority of clients who have young babies, because although baby wakes early, mum can give them another feed before their class starts, and it’s not massively early if they have an errand to run on the way. I also run a class at 1:30pm which suits a lot of young babies too, because they’ve had their lunchtime feed and are pleasantly full enough to sleep throughout mum’s Pilates class in the afternoon. Once baby gets put on solid food (that’s things like mashed banana etc) when they’re 6 months or older, they start to get a bit cranky if they don’t get food if they’re on a strict routine (some babies aren’t on any routine though!), and you’ll find most mums give them a lunchtime meal at some point, hence the reason I do a late-morning class at 11am, and an after lunch-time class at 1:30pm.

Don’t try and please everyone “I don’t know the key to success, but I know the key to failure, is trying to please everyone” ~ Bill Cosby. This is one of my favourite quotes. It’s true though, isn’t it? Some new mums can be a bit pushy, and will, at times, make demands on you to change the time or day or your class because “my baby normally has a feed at the time of your class” etc. Try and handle this with diplomacy, obviously. I’ve been running one particular postnatal class on the same day at the same time for coming up on 6 years this year. It’s always full, with a waiting list, so I must be doing something right, for the vast majority new mums with this day and chosen timeslot, ok?

Evening classes Oh my lord, if I had a free evening timeslot on my timetable, I would literally KILL for a postnatal-specific Pilates-based class for new mums (without babies present) to be set up. I have mainstream classes that my new mums can attend where I give postnatal options, but, it would suit me better to have them all in one class, so consider setting something like this up, long-term. Personally, I don’t mind teaching 3 evenings a week till 9:30pm. You may be different though, and family and life commitments mean you can’t give up another evening, but, long-term, if you think you could run a class in an evening at say 8:15/8:30pm start time, I’d highly recommend it. My classes at these start times are always well-attended, and postnatal clients make up the vast majority in attendance, because by the time dad’s got home from work, mum’s got baby fed, watered, bathed and hopefully settled in bed, it is 8pm or later.

And there you have it, my top tips on choosing the right time to run a postnatal class for you, and your clients. I hope it made good reading.

If working with pre/postnatal clients appeals to you, why not not join my Private Facebook Group for FitPros who either a) want to get qualified to teach pre/postnatal or, b) are already qualified, but want hints and tips on making their business more successful: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/clairemockridge/

Tour date for my Pre/Postnatal Exercise and Marketing “Bridging the Gap” Workshop is 19-20 May 2012 at David Lloyd in Derby. It’s not just pre/postnatal exercise content you’ll learn here, it’s also the marketing and business acumen skills required to find, retain and build rapport with pre/postnatal clients. For more details of this Event, see: www.facebook.com/ClaireMockridgeBridgingTheGap

Or, connect with me here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clairemockridge1

Twitter: www.twitter.com/clairemockridge

Blog: http://clairemockridge.wordpress.com/

 

Fellow instructors - friend or foe? by Cori Withell Let's face it. This industry can be really bitchy. Other instructors slating your classes, taking your posters down, throwing away your leaflets at halls, putting their leaflets over yours, trying to poach your clients, handing out their leaflets to your clients, copying your marketing, passing off your articles and newsletters as their own - the list goes on and on and if you are the one under 'attack' it feels awful.

The first thing I noticed when I got into this industry is that there are two types of instructors. Those that will help and those that won't. Now, I don't mean this as an insult.

It isn't that they won't help because they don't want to, normally it is because they are scared of losing business and at the end of the day none of us really know anyone else's circumstances. That instructor that is trying to poach your clients could be really struggling financially and about to lose their house. No, it doesn't make what they are doing right, but it does give you a little insight into why they may be behaving the way they are. They might be very insecure and doubting their own ability. There are a multitude of reasons but the one very important point remains - most of this is because we don't speak to fellow instructors. We are too busy secretly checking their Facebook and Twitter updates to see what they are up to. Why can't we just talk to them? Surely a team of instructors working in the same area as friends has got to be good for business? Think of the advantages! Cover when you go on holiday or are ill, great bug charity events where you all get to promote all your classes, hold workshops together with each of you speaking in your own area of expertise. Hold mastermind events, brainstorming, choreography jams, set up a local networking meeting together with other local businesses and then combine a welcome pack with everyone's information in. This is not only great for you this is fantastic for the client. They get a ton of information across a wide spectrum giving them more choice than they thought possible, maybe vouchers off for a beauty salon or hairdresser and free samples. The possibilities are endless. I know in my first year I got together with some self employed clients and we did exactly this and we are constantly referring business back and forth as we all have our own areas of expertise. So, how do we get over this 'paranoia' that all instructors are out to steal your business? Well, stop focusing on their business for one thing. Concentrate on doing what you are doing and do it well. People don't just come to your class for your class, they come because of you and no other instructor can be you so what are you worrying about! Yes, as you network you may lose people to other instructors but you will gain some too. Everyone is different and everyone is unique. Just because you operate in an area does not give you the monopoly on that area. It doesn't give you the right to have all the classes and all the clients. Remember too, that working out in the community can be a very lonely business so befriending local instructors can help on that score too. Meet up, bounce ideas of each other, whinge and whine about the clients and classes that drive you nuts and have fun and relax. Some local instructors have become my very good friends and I cannot believe that in the beginning I tried to alienate them! They are not your energy, they are just someone else trying to earn a living and there is room for all of us. You can follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/cori.withell and Twitter www.twitter.com/CWFitness and check out my daily blog www.cwfitness.co.uk/blog Health and happiness x Cori x

 

Have a wonderful day

Love Rachel xxxx