Articles http://www.groupfitness.org/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:21:54 +0000 43200 Manage articles Motivational Ideas For Getting Fitter http://www.groupfitness.org/_/non-instructors/motivational-ideas-for-getting-fitter-r15
Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic Motivation is based on simple rewards or short term motivators, such as money, winning a bet, material items or scores/grades. This type of motivation is from external sources and tends to be short term. For the purposes of long term lifestyle changes these types of motivation are weak.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation comes from inside and actually being interested in doing the exercise. Being aware of this type of motivation and trying to harness this can help us develop long term results and goals.


Motivational Ideas

With intrinsic motivation in mind, try to think about ways of actually enjoying exercise. As a start, try to do exercises you actually like. There are many different forms of exercise and you don't have to sign up at a gym or purchase home fitness equipment to get fit. For example:

  • Join a sports team
  • Walk the dog/walk with a friend
  • Get out in the garden
  • Horse riding
  • Walk to the shops
  • Running competitions with kids at the park
  • Martial arts
  • Group fitness classes
  • Boot camp programs
  • Yoga/Pilates
  • Swimming


Take a friend along when you exercise or involve the whole family. Consider signing up with a friend at the gym, or trying out something new together. This can be a fun way to spend time with your friends and also meet new people.

Make Goals

Make achievable goals when you work out a fitness program and write them down. Aim to join a charity walk/run in your area, or aim for a certain number of laps in the swimming pool. If weight loss is your goal, avoid focusing on the numbers on the scales and concentrate on positive achievements.]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:21:33 +0000 2b44928ae11fb9384c4cf38708677c48 Personal Trainers vs BODYPUMP http://www.groupfitness.org/_/non-instructors/personal-trainers-vs-bodypump-r21
My belief is that you can have a Personal Trainer (PT) AND do BODYPUMP classes, but it's not all that often that you see people do both. Now I know there will be some people out there who will say "oh but I do both!", but when you generalise there is always going to be a percentage of people that this doesn't apply to.

So what is the problem? Personal Trainer's think that they've got the best formula and get the best results, and they're probably right. BODYPUMP is one of the fastest ways (according to the slogan) "in the universe to get in shape". So which is better?

I say "both".

Pros for Personal Training

Assuming you get a very good PT, your training is going to be targeted specifically for your body and the results you want. The PT will push you that little bit further, back off at the right time and ring you or send you text messages every week to make sure you turn up.

Having a PT you're also going to get one on one technique correction, helping reduce the chance of injury and getting the most out of your exercise. There are also further benefits to doing the sets and lower reps of weight training. Depending on your goals, it's not necessarily better, just different.


Pros for BODYPUMP

Let's face it, PT is expensive. And even if you can afford PT, the chances are it'll be only 1 session per week rather than the recommended 3 weighs sessions per week you need. Some of your PT sessions may include cardio aswell, therefore the number of weights based supervised sessions are pretty limited.

BODYPUMP means you can do a balanced workout, supervised (and if you have a good instructor hopefully they'll correct your technique) and for no extra cost than your regular gym membership.

Each BODYPUMP track also lasts around 4-5 minutes with a lot of repetitions, which means you start targeting the aerobic zone as well (this is the huffy puffy stuff). Going into the aerobic zone will mean slightly higher calorie burn, whereas doing weights will improve your metabolism by increasing your muscle. Doing so many repetitions also means you get more endurance strength, rather than maximal strength, but the good news for girls is that this will be likely to help create a leaner muscle, rather than bulky muscle (I guess that's why we don't see body builders in BODYPUMP?)!


Doing 1 or 2 pump sessions as well as 1 PT session per week is, in my opinion, a perfect formula. Doing the same thing week in and week out is never the best thing for your body (the body adapts to what it's doing and the workout becomes less effective), therefore changing it up a bit will never do any harm. Some PT's will try and claim that their targeted weight training with lower repetitions is better, and they could be right. But doing a BODYPUMP class rates much higher than no exercise at all, and is likely to be far better than doing weights on your own in the gym. Unless you know your technique is pretty top notch, doing a BODYPUMP class is going to serve you better.

Of course, wouldn't it be a perfect world if we could all afford a Personal Trainer 5 times per week (can I hire a cook as well?)!]]> Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:35:58 +0000 4c56ff4ce4aaf9573aa5dff913df997a GymClasses Australia/Lite http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/gymclasses-australialite-r16 Posted Image Gym Classes Australia (Light version)

Description:

"GymClasses Australia provides quick and easy access to fitness class timetables of several Australian Gym chains, currently including (as of 31/10/11) - FITNESS FIRST, FERNWOOD Fitness, Re-Creation Health Clubs (VIC), Broadway Sydney, and SCULPT Training Centre (QLD)."

Recommendation:

This app isn't the prettiest app out there, and I am unable to verify the accuracy of the data, however the developer claims that the timetables are updated daily from the source websites of each fitness chain.

This app could be handy if your club doesn't have a dedicated app for their timetables, but I wouldn't change all your plans based on this app and always double check the times with the club itself.]]> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:09:40 +0000 c45147dee729311ef5b5c3003946c48f Nike Training Club http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/nike-training-club-r17 Nike Training Club

Description:

"Nike Training Club is a training app that gives you your own personal trainer, anytime, anywhere. Get lean, toned and strong with over 60 custom-built workouts, including new training regimens from five professional athletes, while you earn NTC reward workouts from Lea Michele and Rihanna’s personal trainer, Ary Nuñez."

Recommendation:

This app is just beautiful. It's worth downloading just for it's sexiness, but be warned it has a hefty download size at nearly 500meg.

It is easy to use, with plenty of different program options. All the moves in the program have a video to demonstrate the moves, however this can make for a fairly disjointed workout until the moves become familiar.

One major criticism of the workouts is the science behind the programming of the workouts. In workouts that were tested, it seemed like the moves were up/down/up/down without regard for the time it takes to switch between the moves. Being able to choose your own playlist to run in the background is, however, a huge plus for motivation.

Pros:

  • Excellent look and feel, easy to navigate
  • Plays any custom play list you setup


Cons:

  • Very large download size
  • Workouts don't always flow well
]]> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:07:47 +0000 eb160de1de89d9058fcb0b968dbbbd68 Weightbot http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/weightbot-r19 Weightbot

Description:

"Track your Weight in Style
Tapbots~~Weightbot is a weight-tracking robot. Whether you are trying to lose (or gain) weight, tracking your progress has never been more fun. Set your goal, record your weight, view your BMI, and see your progress on a beautiful graph. Weightbot was designed for everyone to use.Features:* Input your weight up to once a day with a streamlined user interface* Easily change or remove your weight from any day* Instantly view your BMI as you set your weight* Set your goal weight to know where the finish line is* Rotate clockwise to view your weight over time on a beautiful and easy to read graph* Rotate counterclockwise to view the goal view. It let's you see you quickly see your progress towards your weight loss/gain goals* Toggle units between lbs/kg for weight and ft/cm for height* Set a numeric passcode to protect your data from being viewed by othersVisit tapbots.com for demos and more information.From the makers of Convertbot and Pastebot..."

Recommendation:

After having been a user of Convertbot and Calcbot, I found it hard to ignore this simple weight tracking app. I guess I'm a sucker for exquisite designs, simplicity and elegant interfaces, and this is another one of those.

There's a myriad of weight tracking apps out there, some which also track calories, require free subscriptions, paid subscriptions or track the number of glasses of water you drink. But if all you want is to track your weight, I don't think there's a better app than this.]]> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:06:57 +0000 07e1cd7dca89a1678042477183b7ac3f Recommended iPhone/iPad Apps http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/recommended-iphoneipad-apps-r20
There is literally a myriad of applications out there, and we try to help you out by recommending those that we've tried and think are great. Please keep checking back as we have discovered more apps!]]> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:05:42 +0000 da4fb5c6e93e74d3df8527599fa62642 <![CDATA[PPCA & Fitness Australia agree on new Licen...]]> http://www.groupfitness.org/_/news/ppca-fitness-australia-agree-on-new-licen-r18 PPCA and FITNESS AUSTRALIA

A new pricing scheme for PPCA licensed music used in fitness classes will come into effect next year following an agreement between peak bodies representing the music and fitness industries.

The 5 year tariff scheme has been agreed between the parties after a judgment of the Copyright Tribunal of Australia was set aside on appeal by Fitness Australia in December last year.

Under the new scheme, fitness centre operators can elect to pay licence fees at a flat rate applicable to all classes or at a two-tiered rate adjustable on the number of participants in each class.

The flat class rate per will be $1.50 in 2012 rising to $2.50 in 2014. The two tiered rate is set out in the table below.

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) representing artists and labels and Fitness Australia said in a joint statement: “We are pleased to announce this agreement which brings to an end a period of uncertainty for recordings artists and labels and fitness centre operators using PPCA licensed music in classes. It means that the case will not have to return for another potentially lengthy hearing before the Copyright Tribunal in order to settle a rate.”

The new scheme comes into effect on 1st January 2012.


For more information on the new PPCA Scheme, go to www.ppca.com.au.]]> Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:42:17 +0000 5ef059938ba799aaa845e1c2e8a762bd North Adelaide Fitness Centre http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/north-adelaide-fitness-centre-r14 Posted Image North Adelaide Fitness Centre]]> Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:32:11 +0000 5fd0b37cd7dbbb00f97ba6ce92bf5add Goodlife Health Centres http://www.groupfitness.org/_/iphoneipad-apps/goodlife-health-centres-r13 Posted Image Goodlife Health Clubs

Our Rating: Fair

This app shows all timetables for all the Goodlife Centres. Reasonably handy app, but it is a poor implementation of what is a great idea. The design is pretty basic, but it does do what it's supposed to do, which is show you the timetables. It's a pity you can't save your own club(s) as favourites. Some of the timetables appeared to be out of date, but update frequency appears to have been fixed.

The "Tips" section is pretty useless as is the "Training" section. The "Clubs" section simply brings up google maps with pins in all the locations of the clubs. If having the timetable with you at all times is useful to you, then download this app, but don't expect anything amazing.]]> Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:37:23 +0000 73278a4a86960eeb576a8fd4c9ec6997 Copyright Tribunal out of tune, says Fitness Au... http://www.groupfitness.org/_/news/copyright-tribunal-out-of-tune-says-fitness-au-r12
The current PPCA license fee is 96.8 cents per fitness class with a capped annual maximum of $2,654. The Copyright Tribunal has today increased this substantially, to either $15 per class or to $1 per participant, which equates to an increase of 1,500%1 for the cost of a PPCA license in a typical fitness centre.
During the judgment proceedings, the Tribunal stated that they had rejected the PPCA’s economic evidence on the basis of consumer ‘willingness to pay’ for music in classes when making this decision. “This means that Fitness Australia’s response against the PPCA claim was technically successful”, said Lauretta Stace, Fitness Australia Chief Executive Officer. However, the Tribunal has turned to ‘other evidence’ and ‘judicial estimation’ to make this determination, which is now the subject of detailed review by Fitness Australia and its legal counsel.
“We are astounded that the Tribunal could reject the economic evidence put before it by the PPCA and still award them such a substantial increase to the licence fee”, said Stace.

“The international record companies, who are represented by the PPCA, have shot themselves in the foot by demanding outrageously high copyright licensing fees from the fitness industry, the majority of which go straight into record company coffers. To mitigate the impact of such a decision, Fitness Australia members are already beginning to use music in their gyms that is free of PPCA copyright,” said Stace.

“Les Mills, the largest provider of choreographed exercise classes has already developed a product that it is PPCA copyright free, allowing gym operators like Fitness First to already move to introduce high quality music that is not subject to PPCA copyright. The reaction from gym members has been highly supportive so we now expect that all gyms will move to alternative music options,” said Ms Stace.

Susan Kingsmill, owner of Hiscoes Fitness Centre said “The fitness industry has traditionally provided a great platform for promoting Australian performing artists but the record companies, driven by greed, seem intent on destroying this relationship.

“This decision will lead all fitness centres to seek more affordable music alternatives to the detriment of Australian performing artists, but the artists only have the record companies to blame for this,” she said.

Fitness Australia responded to the claim by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), which represents the international record companies, on behalf of a united fitness industry, in a fierce battle culminating in a six week Tribunal Hearing in April 2009.

“Fitness Australia’s evidence clearly demonstrated that a substantial increase to the tariff could not be justified under any circumstances, particularly as the fitness industry has access to high quality alternative music that gym goers are perfectly happy with and that is not part of the PPCA repertoire”, said Stace.

“I would like to thank all those members of the fitness industry who have, at a time when many have faced financial challenges, made a contribution to our legal case, especially Fitness First and Les Mills, whose leadership and support has been exceptional”, said Stace.

Fitness Australia’s legal advisers are now reviewing the decision to determine whether there are grounds for appeal.

[1] Based on Copyright Tribunal judgement of an increase to $15 per class.

To keep track of this issue visit www.operationmusic.org.au]]> Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:47:55 +0000 7f6ffaa6bb0b408017b62254211691b5 Guide to Finding a Great Heath Club http://www.groupfitness.org/_/non-instructors/guide-to-finding-a-great-heath-club-r11
1. Location is everything. Try to find a club within 15 minutes of where you work or live. Check the parking situation, nothing worse than driving to the club only to sit waiting for a parking spot. There are some excellent web sites that will make your search time efficient for example thefitmap.

2. Look for Clubs that offer time-effective and efficient workouts like Les Mills group fitness classes. BODYPUMP® and RPM® are are easy choices. Life is too short to spend it in the club, but - of course - you want to look good, too. If your a Baby Boomers and don't have the time or even the inclination to look like fitness models, chances are you still want to be in shape and feeling 10 years younger.

3. Look for Clubs that offer certified and experienced personal fitness trainers (PT's). Sometimes the latter is better, if in doubt ask for testimonials. A PT will accelerate your induction and make sure you get a result. A membership only guarantees you access to the club, your personal PT will guarantee you use it. With a PT you'll get expert coaching and make a new friend. Go on, invest a little more into your wellbeing.

4. Look for Clubs that offer Mind Body classes like Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and BODYBALANCE®. These workouts build flexibility and strength and leave you feeling centered and calm. For the musically inclined try BODYBALANCE® for a unique mind body experience. Also keep an eye out for personal trainers who include Yoga and Pilates moves in their workouts, this provides a more holistic approach to training. For you it means more variety and less boredom.

5. Look for Clubs that offer functional training and core training exercise programming. True core training exercises involve all your core muscles - not just your rectus abdominis - in stabilizing your spine and controlling the relationship between your rib cage and your pelvis. The latests toys to play with include Swiss Balls, Bosus and Kinesis Racks.

6. Look for Clubs that offer Small Group Strength Training . This means you pays a small fee as part of a group (generally 4-6 people) working with a trainer. The power of small group dynamics cannot be understated. What's not to love? Also look for no-frills, boot camp fitness classes.

7. Look for Clubs that offer Youth strength training and general fitness programming for kids. There is huge move toward programming for teen and youth weightloss. Todays exercise options are safe, fun and effective. Today's fitness professionals are making youth and teen exercise options "cool" again.

8. Look for Clubs that offer senior fitness options -sometimes disguised as Baby Boomer programs. Check details of program content when enquiring. We cant stop aging but we can definitely slow the process with effective exercise and nutrition. Its never to late to start.

9. Look for Clubs that offer clean facilities. A personal favourite of mine. Always check the shower and toliet facilities first, this is usually a good benchmark for the rest of the club. Dont except anything less that what you would expect at home. Hygiene is right up there with holiness.

10. Look for Clubs that have staff with an inclusive and positive attitude. Great staff can make your experience life-changing. Unless you desire minimalistic attention find a club with staff that makes you feel comfortable. Know clearly what level of attention you want and seek it out. The acid test is to ask 3 different members in 3 different areas of the club. If you get 3 negatives responses , strike three, your out!

Steven Renata
Steven Renata has been a partner in Les Mills International Ltd since 1995, and a Director since 2005. He brings vast experience to roles as business consultant, educator and presenter. A former rugby player and iron man triathlete, Steven holds the 1999 Guinness World Record for indoor stationary cycling. Described as one of the world's most experienced group fit experts, he covered over 2 million miles presenting BODYPUMP® between 1996-2003. He has been a key figure in the development of other Les Mills programs including sales and group fitness management. Steven's expertise ensure a constant demand for his services as an industry consultant and commentator.]]> Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:47:10 +0000 698d51a19d8a121ce581499d7b701668 Welcome to the NEW LOOK of groupfitness.org! http://www.groupfitness.org/_/news/welcome-to-the-new-look-of-groupfitnessorg-r10
For those that wonder where the forum has gone, NEVER FEAR........it is still here! It just now incorporated with a design which we think will be better in the long term.
We have organised the design of this site to make it possible to deliver to you new and interesting information about the group fitness industry. We will target this information for not just participants looking for information about exercise, but also for Group Fitness Managers and Club Managers around the world. This will include articles on things like:


  • How to become a better instructor?
  • Designing a group fitness timetable for your club
  • Exercise techniques

We hope you will enjoy the new website and look forward to our new exciting content!
Regards,
Mel]]> Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:40:56 +0000 5f93f983524def3dca464469d2cf9f3e 10 tips to becoming a better Les Mills instructor http://www.groupfitness.org/_/instructors/10-tips-to-becoming-a-better-les-mills-instructor-r9
1. Quarterly Workshops
One of the single best things about going to the Quarterly Workshops is that you get to experience what your participants experience when you first launch the new release. It’s a great way to ensure you can fine tune the bits that might be difficult to cue, to know which sections of choreography that might need more practice. Going regularly to quarterly workshops is one of the best ways to keep improving as an instructor and it also is a great way to pick up ideas or to ask questions from the trainers. If your not searching for more and asking questions, then you may not be improving upon your current teaching ability.

2. Watch the education session
If you can’t go to the Quarterly Workshop then it’s absolutely essential to watch the education session! If you do go to the Quarterly Workshop watch it anyway. Les Mills International continually does research and this is the way they pass on their research to us, any changes, updates in the field of fitness knowledge. It’s all too easy to keep on teaching what we’ve been teaching and let the latest and greatest information slip under our noses. It’s there, you’ve got it, use the information to allow you to give more to your classes.
3. Video your classes

Was the last time you ever videoed your class for your certification video? Most of the time we avoid videoing our classes because it tells us the things we don’t want to hear and shows us the things we don’t want to see. We feel dismayed and absolutely horrified at what we see so we get the certification video out the way and never ever video ourselves again. However, isn’t it much more embarrassing to leave those minor faults exposed for 10, 30, 70 people to see in our classes? Get the camera out and look at yourself objectively. We are always highly self critical by nature, but instead of being terrified by what you see instead use this tool to critique yourself ask yourself, how can I improve myself and become an ever more amazing instructor?

4. Regular assessments by a pro-instructor
After you’ve videoed yourself, you could get an objective assessment from a certified Pro-Instructor or Trainer. Pro-instructors cover assessing and feedback within their module and are taught how to give objective feedback. Get one to sit in on your class or show them your video and ask them to give you suggestions on what could be better. Or alternatively, do the Pro-instructor training yourself and get feedback direct from a Master Trainer.

5. Listen to feedback
Feedback comes in many forms. Sometimes it is good source of useful feedback and sometimes it’s from a negative participant that doesn’t give us much we can build on. Take in all forms of feedback and try not to be upset by it. Feedback gives us an indication if we are doing something wrong, or right. If you’re never getting any negative feedback or even getting no feedback at all, this could mean that you’re not attempting to step outside the square to be an amazing instructor. Don’t be afraid of negative feedback, because all excellent instructors get good and bad feedback alike. Sometimes just those things that make an instructor amazing are actually annoying to some other participant. Trying to take the middle road and please everyone will most like just land you as a “middle-of-the-road” instructor.

6. recognise your weaknesses
Listening does not involve opening your mouth. Instructors are by nature friendly, talkative, energetic, laugh lots, passionate, positive and good at projecting their voice right across a stadium. Fortunately that makes us great instructors. However most instructors also tend to be distinctly ‘I’ type personalities on the DISC profile, which means they struggle to take criticism and fear being unsuccessful. For this reason it can be difficult to take feedback either from a GFM or from members. Be aware that most people usually want to help you. Listen to everything that participants might want to share from comments like “the music was too loud” to “I can’t stand that track” (with your mouth closed remember). Be approachable and if you’ve got members coming up and chatting with you after class then that is one sign that you might be doing ok. It makes me cringe when I hear instructors say things like “I’m the instructor so I can do what I want!”

7. Remember the 5 key elements
Remember the 5 what? Oh, key elements….oh yeah, um, choreography, physical execution, communication, coaching, fitness magic.
Right.
Remember what it means?
It takes only 2 of the key elements to create a good class. Imagine if you are excellent at all FIVE?

8. Keep your qualifications up to date
Each country has different requirements for fitness qualifications. Some countries require participation in 3 out of 4 quarterly workshops. Other countries enforce stricter certification policies and yet others require formal fitness qualifications before being able to become a Les Mills instructor. Find out what the requirements are in your country and make sure you keep up to date. The more workshops and trainings you do, the more you can gain respect as a knowledgeable quality instructor. These trainings and workshops don’t necessarily turn a poor instructor in a great one, but they are there to improve the lowest common denominator.

9. Participate in other classes
Participating in instructors classes gives you the opportunity to focus 100% on just one of the Les Mills 5 key elements..........’technique’. Use other classes to forget about cueing, crc, coaching etc, to watch what you’re doing with your technique and make sure you’re not beginning to slack off while teaching. This single element can easily begin to slip while we’re busy focusing on the other elements of teaching and showing options to new members for example.

10. Work on your own fitness levels
You need to be fitter than your program. Seriously, to look authentic and get credibility as an instructor, you need to be able to do all the advanced options and be fit enough to do it all again after the class. This is hardest for new instructors who are trying to get from being an average participant to becoming an instructor. This is where shadowing in other instructors classes can help. But aside from just doing classes it is essential to cross train. Do weights in the gym, run on the treadmill (or outside), get a Personal Trainer or participate in a class you’re not used to. What training program you undertake really depends on the programs you teach, but the main point is to aim for a level higher than what you need for your class.
The next step....
If that’s not enough for you, then do further study and courses. Read, read, read magazines and books, ask questions, get personal training. More is never enough. You don’t HAVE to, but then you don’t HAVE to be an awesome instructor either. It’s your choice ;-)
“If nothing ever changes, then everything stays the same”

Mel (Pro-instructor)
Mel Huikeshoven is a Les Mills Pro-Instructor and teaches 5 of the Les Mills programs. Born in Soutch Australia she has lived around Adelaide all her life and is now currently living and working as an instructor in The Netherlands. She is also qualified as a Personal Trainer and Les Mills BODYTRAINER. Her passion for teaching Les Mills programs has brought her to participate in the Les Mills filmings twice and she also runs 2 websites dedicated to fitness as well as her own blog. These websites have brought in knowledge and information from instructors about real life issues world wide for the last 5 years.]]> Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:40:04 +0000 1f0e3dad99908345f7439f8ffabdffc4