INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MEETING FOR FITNESS

Transcript

1 EHFA Update issu e 25 - J U NE 2013 EHFA European Health & Fitness Association MORE PEOPLE MORE ACTIVE MORE OFTEN 4th annual International Standards Meeting (ISM) Cutting Edge: Training the Fascial Network (part 2) Industry Leader Interview - Paul Eigenmann 4th International Standards Meeting November, 2013 Budapest, Hungary INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MEETING FOR FITNESS Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Professional Standards for the Fitness Sector

2 EHFA News 2 Dear Reader As promised earlier this year EHFA is focusing on developing better ways to communicate with our members and stakeholders. The new look Journal has been well received and in this second edition you will notice some changes to the formatting and layout all aimed at improving clarity. EHFA members will also be receiving our new Brussels Bulletin which are a series of short summaries of some of the key activities and events coming from the EU Institutions and there is a lot going at present and we will draw your attention to some of the key policies and decisions that can affect your business. With the ending of the Irish Presidency we saw major reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy, advancing the grants to help support the programmes for youth unemployment and importantly the overall EU budget for the next 6 years. Some of these filter down directly to the activities of EHFA and we aim to keep you well-informed of what is taking place. For example the new Erasmus + Programme will see over 200 million Euros going to the Sport Unit where we already closely cooperate on number of key policies, such as promoting health-enhancing physical activity, education and training of fitness professionals and antidoping in recreation sport and fitness. Our daily Tweets to our Twitter account will alert you to some of the activities, facts and figures, that surround the fitness sector that pass across our new EU Affairs Desk in our Brussels office sign-up at www. twitter.com/ehfa_ereps and you will be amongst the first to know of what is happening. You can also post your messages on our Facebook page at I wish you very pleasant summer recess and look forward to your participation in some of our key events that are coming up and which are detailed in this edition of the Journal. Yours in fitness, Harm B Tegelaars President of EHFA A message from the President Contents p3 p4 p9 p10 p13 p15 4th International Standards Meeting The Global Obesity Challenge Direct Debit Changes First Time Success Making Your Staff Leaders in Cardio Equipment Physical Activity Improves Mood of People with Mental Illness p16 p22 p26 p29 p39 p41 Fitness Senza Frontiere EHFA Member News Interview with Paul Eigenmann Technical - Training the Fascial Network (Part 2) Technical - Short, Intense Workout Goes a Long Way Contribute to the next EHFA Update

3 EHFA News 3 4th International Standards Meeting November, 2013 Budapest, Hungary INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MEETING FOR FITNESS Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Professional Standards for the Fitness Sector Event Registration includes the entire lecture programme, sandwiches lunches, coffeebreaks and Hungarian Dinner. To book your place at the ISM click here As the Chair of EHFA s Standards Council I invite you to come to our 4th Annual International Standards Meeting (ISM), which will be hosted in the capital of Hungary Budapest. This year the ISM will be complemented by the Central European Fitness Congress, which is primarily aimed at representatives from Eastern, Central and Balkan countries. The overall theme of the ISM 2013 will be Sedentary Behaviour, Active Living & Exercise: the Role of the Fitness Sector. As confirmed after the three previous ISM meetings at London (2010), Brussels (2011) and Barcelona (2012), we recognize that we have an agreed global approach to improve education, recognition and social impact of exercise professionals and the fitness sector worldwide, and more importantly is that we have already shown that we can collaborate and work together. The International Standards Meeting has already become the most relevant occasion for cooperation in the worldwide fitness sector. We have had great feedback from experts who want to attend and we will try to represent and include all the most important topics of the day - as well as providing the best networking event for anyone involved in standards-setting and delivering qualifications and certifications in fitness. Accordingly we have adjusted the programme which can be viewed here And remember that the challenge that we defined last year at Barcelona was that for the coming editions of ISM we need to advance our strong vision of international cooperation by working effectively with each other, to build sustainability

4 EHFA News 4 and a clear sense of direction for the Health & Fitness industry. This is mainly supported by our online forum to discuss issues related to the working groups of the previous ISM. The forum can be found here. The location for the 2013 International Standards Meeting at Budapest, Hungary (20th till 22nd of November) will be the Hotel Mercure Budapest City Center (please refer to ISM Conference ). If you want to be part of the most important standards event of the year please make sure you book now. Registration Fees (per attendee) Early Bird before August 31, 2013 Regular from September 1, EURO 245 EURO Special Offer for Training Companies to present a Poster Exhibition 145 EURO plus the Early Bird or Regular Fee (per company) The fee includes the entire lecture programme, sandwiches lunches, coffee-breaks and Hungarian Dinner. I look forward to seeing you in Budapest! Prof Dr Thomas Rieger Chairman of the Standards Council EHFA The European Health & Fitness Association To book your place at the ISM click here INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MEETING FOR FITNESS Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Professional Standards for the Fitness Sector The Globesity Challenge By Colm O Callaghan EHFA EU Policy Officer Photography: Obesity is one of the foremost challenges facing global society today. The prevalence of obesity has tripled in many countries throughout the world since the 1980s. In fact, the World Health Organisation believes that 63% of citizens in the European Union do not reach the minimum recommended levels of physical activity. The proliferation of obesity has become so widespread that 1 in every 3 children between the ages of 6 and 9 are now overweight.

5 EHFA News 5 (Rate of increase of levels of obesity in European countries from 1990 to 2000 to 2010) The health risks of obesity are incredibly serious. It is not only a cause of physical disabilities, but also a cause of many psychological problems. In an era where much emphasis is being put on fostering an environment which is helpful to those experiencing mental health issues, this must be coupled with an approach which encourages increased levels of physical activity among the general population. Obesity is a leading cause of many non-communicable diseases in the WHO European Region. It is responsible for the development of between 2% and 8% of health costs in this region and between 10% and 13% of all deaths in various parts of the WHO European Region. The risks of obesity are so shocking that it is essential that more is done to reduce levels throughout the world. Being obesity increases the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes massively. It also greatly increases the risks of developing more than one of these diseases leading to increased levels of comorbidity. With more than 58% of men and 51% of women over the age of 20 being overweight, it is more urgent now than ever before that this issue is tackled in a comprehensive manner. Physical activity and exercise must be fundamental components of any strategy with this aim. Worldwide, more than 1.4 billion adults aged 20 and older were overweight in Of these, over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. The prevalence of obesity has contributed to the current epidemic of non-communicable diseases. In June 2013 the American Medical Association voted to classify obesity as a disease, and at a stroke, a third of the US population became diseased. What exactly is obesity? Overweight and obesity are serious public challenges being faced today. They are defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health They have strong negative health consequences such

6 EHFA News 6 as reduced quality of life, disability and death. Overweight and obesity greatly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, many different forms of cancer, osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes among others. Scientifically, being overweight is defined as having a body mass index either equal to, or over, 25 kg/ m2 and obesity is defined as having a body mass index equal to, or greater than, 30 kg/m2. Physical activity in adults Physical activity is a fundamental component to keeping weight gain under control and to reducing the levels of those who are obese or overweight. People become overweight when their energy expenditure is exceeded by their energy intake. Thus the only way by which people can ensure they are at a healthy weight is by combining a healthy, and balanced, diet with regular physical activity. In the WHO European Region in 2008, a startling 35% of people over the age of 15 did not reach the minimum recommended levels of regular physical activity. Physical activity is defined by the WHO as being any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity is defined by the WHO as being any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure, and they estimate that 41% of European adults do not engage in any moderate physical activity in a typical week. Overweight and Obesity in the European Union Data was available for 19 European Union Member States for the years of 2008 and The main figures found are incredibly shocking. The highest level of obesity in men was found in Malta at 24.7%. The United Kingdom was a very close second with 22.1% of men being obese. In Hungary the result was 21.4% while in the Czech Republic 18.4% of men were obese. The United Kingdom had the highest rate of obesity among women with 23.9% of women being obese. With regard to levels of obesity among women, in Malta it was 21.1%, in Latvia it was 20.9% and in Estonia the level was 20.5% (figure for Estonia from 2006). In comparison to this, Romania had the lowest levels of obesity for both women and men with figures of 8% and 7.6% respectively. The figures in Italy were 9.3% for woman and 11.3% for men. In Bulgaria the level of obesity was 11.3% among women and 11.6% among men while in France it is 12.7% among women and 11.7% among men. Overall, the rates of obesity among adults varied in 2008 and 2009 between 36.9% and 56.7% for women and between 51% and 69.3% for men. So how do levels of obesity differ among a given population? Age: Firstly, a difference can be seen among populations with regard to age. In fact, the share of overweight and obese persons in a given population increases with age. This is especially true with regard to women the older the age group, the higher the proportion of overweight and obese persons within that age group. While there is also a strong correlation between levels of obesity and increasing age in men, the correlation is not as clear as it is with women. With men, generally, the levels

7 EHFA News 7 of overweight and obesity were found to have increased with age as far as the age of 65. However, differences were found between different countries for the groups on men between the ages of 65 and 74. Out of the 19 countries studied, the highest proportion of obesity and overweight among men was found to be among the age group between 65 and 74 in 7 of these cases. Education: A correlation was also found in some cases between the proportion of those who were overweight or obese when measured against levels of education. However, as with age, the correlation was much clearer with regard to women. Essentially, what was found was that, among women, the levels of those who are overweight or obese reduces as the education level rises. In fact, the difference in the rates of obesity and overweight between those at lower levels of education and those of the higher levels of education was a variation of between 12.8% and 36.7%. Once again, this is somewhat different among men as the differences found are smaller and the distribution among the different education groupings is different. In 8 of the 19 countries for which information was available, the highest share of overweight and obese men is observed for those with the lowest educational level, in six Member States for those with a medium educational level while in 4 countries it is for those with a high educational level. When solely examining obesity, there is not a clear distinction between men and women across the countries examined. The proportion of obesity was found to be higher among women in 8 of the countries, higher among men in 10 of the countries and it was found to be equal in one country. However, there is a distinction when looking solely at the levels of obesity between men and women in each of the countries. This distinction is so clear that, in all of the countries which have been studied, it was found that the proportion of men who are overweight is much greater than the proportion of women who are overweight. What can we do? Fitness is ideally positioned to have an increasing role in introducing and supporting people to become more active and to improve their overall health and wellbeing. Exercise professionals require additional technical, motivational and behavioural skills to work with people who are presently inactive sometimes called community activators and especially those who are overweight and obese. The EHFA Standards Council have already appointed a technical expert group to develop standards to raise the skills of exercise professionals who need to work with obese and overweight exercisers and will be known as Exercise Specialist for Metabolic Disorders. The standards are planned for completion and adoption in early The World Health Organisation European Region Obesity Facts & Figures: health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases/obesity/factsand-figures Dr João Breda, Programme Manager, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity WHO Europe Region Overweight & obesity among adults From: Health at a Glance: Europe 2012: docserver/download/ ec026.pdf?expires= &id=id&accname=guest&checksum=54B8C0FA9E3BAA03 CFE58445F1A039D4 The World Health Organisation Nutrition Facts & Figures: disease-prevention/nutrition/facts-and-figures Eurostat News Release 24 November 2011: eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ity_public/ bp/ EN/ BP-EN.PDF Photography: Tony

8 EHFA News 8 EHFA and Deloitte research report on the leading fitness operators in Europe selling out fast. Limited numbers of the EHFA/Deloitte research report on the leading fitness operators in Europe are still available to order. The report lists some essential developments in the fitness industry and also provides following information per ultimo 2012; Top 10 operators by revenues Top 20 operators by number of clubs and members A detailed description of all top-20 operators Overview of major mergers and acquisitions Interview with EHFA President Harm Tegelaars on his views on the sector s challenges and opportunities The report gives insight into the many different types of facilities the sector now has, with many different business models, from full service large scale sites with fitness, wellness, spa, sauna, swimming pool, racquet sports, etc, to the micro studios catering for a special target group. The 40-page study can be ordered via the EHFA website and costs 299. To order go to;

9 News & Views The Rules On Receiving Direct Debit Payments Are Changing. Are You Ready f so, have you made the necessary modifications to prepare for the upcoming changes to the direct debit payments system? The Single European Payment Area (SEPA) Direct Debit Scheme is going to impact businesses and consumers alike. Businesses may have to adapt their payment systems in order to continue to receive direct debit and card payments. The SEPA Direct Debit Scheme aims to ensure that international payments made by direct debit will become as easy as domestic payments. This will mean that it will be possible to make direct debit payments between any two banks in the European Union. It will also mean that the timeframe on international transfers will be reduced leading to greater efficiency for you and your business. Hidden charges by banks will disappear as banks will now have to identify every charge and the purpose of each charge. What does the SEPA Direct Debit Scheme mean for you? Once the SEPA Direct Debit Payment Scheme becomes fully active, you will be able to handle all of your euro payments from one back account. This willremove the necessity to have multiple bank accounts in different countries throughout the euro zone. All card terminals will accept all SEPA compliant cards and therefore one card terminal can be used for both domestic card payments and payments from foreign cards. Transfers from a non-euro country to a euro country will also be able to enjoy the benefits of the SEPA Direct Debit Scheme. However, due to the fact that currency conversion will have to take place in these instances, transfers may not take place as quickly as they will in cases where money is being transferred from one euro state to another euro state. However, business in non-euro countries will still benefit from the simplification which will take place under the SEPA Scheme and from the transparency rules which will be applied to banks. Photo: Images_of_Money / Flickr What action must I take? The changeover to the SEPA Direct Debit Scheme should be as simple as possible. Banks have the responsibility of making sure that all bank accounts will become SEPA compatible. However, you may have to make some changes to your own payments systems to ensure that they are ready and able to deal with the changes taking place. Payments systems may need to be upgraded to make them compatible with BIC/IBAN payment information and new file formats. Business payment processes may also need to be changed to be in compliance with the SEPA regulation. When is this changeover taking place? All banks within the euro who currently provide direct debit services must become participants in the SEPA direct debit programme by the 1st February All of those in other participating states (outside of the euro) must become participating members by 31st October

10 News & Views 10 First Time Success Mary Fitzpatrick, B.Sc. Director & Owner of HealthFitz Your new client sits before you. For the purpose of this article let s call your client Mr. X. Only really, this is not his first session, in all likelihood. No, this session has been played out, over and over, once, twice, ten times in Mr. X s head. Coming to you, a Personal Trainer. Never in my life, he s thought, would I have imagined enlisting the service of a Personal Trainer. Sure that s for the likes of Tom Cruise and Madonna. He s had many conversations like this one, running through his head. But the reality is that Mr. X is here. With you. Enlisting the services of a Personal Trainer. Mr. X is most likely nervous. He may have played out how this first hour in his new life will transpire, oh a dozen times: what he ll wear, where ll he ll sit or stand, his story up until this point in time. But this is real life, and there is no script. Can we, as trainers, honestly imagine what this must be like for Mr. X? Make no mistake - this is the first hour of his New Life. A newborn to the world he s been looking in on from the outside for sometime - possibly for years. What s the Story? For the most part, our clients arrive with a chronic i.e. long term issue or issues to be addressed. Lacking fitness after years of inactivity, post-rehabilitation after an injury really brought about by ingrained poor posture, or in need of re-balancing themselves towards a healthy weight. In most of these cases a long time has gone into creating the fitness or health issues in Mr. X. Never in my life, he s thought, would I have imagined enlisting the service of a Personal Trainer. Sure that s for the likes of Tom Cruise and Madonna. article kindly supplied by Another period, often side by side that just mentioned, has been spent by Mr. X promising himself to sort out that old injury, get his work posture corrected or get fit again. But the promises turned days into months and now years have slipped by. He wants out of that old life. He wants in to the world of pain-free, healthy weight, and fitness. Listening Is Key Like the judges on The Voice of Ireland, mine and your s first job with Mr. X is to Listen. More importantly it is to Hear. The story, the timeline, the goals and the dreams of Mr. X are not to be pooh-poohed. Oh it s the same as any other weight loss, neck aching client. We might think - wrongly. Calories in, calories out...

11 News & Views It s not the same story. It never is. Lesson No. 1 for you and I dear Trainer. Treat Mr. X as your first and only client. His story is his alone. The subtle clues he gives as you prepare his case history are his alone. Stressful job = comfort eating. Old injury = lack of confidence in the strength of his knee = loss of activity and of the social outlet that playing his sport gave to him. Listening is Key. Hearing the gaps between the words is even more important. In the first session, therefore, quietness, time to converse, to fill forms to a level of high detail, with questions and time to listen to those answers are the first roles of us trainers. Setting Out Your Stall At the point of first meeting, there has in the most part, been one or more communications with our Mr. X, at the time of enquiry. At this point however, it is only right to outline again the methods, testing, goal setting and roles and responsibilities of each party during the professional time together. We must be clear with clients (ideally on a standardised information sheet) regarding the following items. 11 Time of session, time keeping etc. A particular note to draw attention to is the cancellation policy if one applies to your operation, and the method of payment for sessions. Make clear that the information shared is confidential to the client and that clarity and disclosure is of paramount importance - particularly in the area of record keeping be it of the exercise undertaken or of food diaries etc. Your methods of testing, setting of the exercise programme must also be outlined, and in this way Mr. X knows exactly what to expect on each session and how the goals which have been discussed will be aimed for, and ultimately reached. Responsibility The responsibility for the success of the programme lies with Mr. X. As the Trainer we are the instrument to point to the direction of change, to steer the course that has been heretofore rudderless. We re-point the compass; lay in place the tools to aid the journey, but the journey can only be taken by Mr. X himself. Be clear, be motivating and be specific. You will do x sessions of this type yourself at home/gym etc. This is how great things are achieved. The Session When getting down to the business of the session in exercise terms, explain, explain, explain. Humans thrive on knowledge. We can take in new information and we do make sense of it. So at all times, explain your reason for the test (Blood pressure, heart rates, and into the more complex of your testing also). These nuggets provide not just you with a starting point and aid in programme design, but are central to Mr. X knowing what exactly is happening, and why this is relevant to him and his programme. He can take solace in perhaps good flexibility, while the not so good numbers with the skinfold calliper when explained can provide him with a roadmap to where his effort is going to

12 News & Views 12 pay off. Always refer back, where relevant and appropriate, to information given in the screening form and in discussions earlier. How despite having no previous experience in weight training, the introduction and development of those skills in his programme will be the cornerstone of muscle toning, but also enhanced strength and will aid ay his golf game, or strengthening the knee to be able to rejoin his 5-a-side soccer team. Making the connection between your testing, their results, the programme design and the end benefit to Mr. X makes him integrated in the process and he can now see the value of his future effort at this very early stage. Connection & Community These may sound so very simplified, and a bit too mundane. But as human beings we seek out connection and community. If Mr. X has not been an exerciser, or has but has most recently been unable to with injury, then these are very basic things will set you apart as his trainer. Creating a professional relationship that will benefit him, and you. Knowing this alone, and creating an atmosphere of calmness, privacy and openness will enhance the experience - not just for Mr. X but also for ourselves. Homework: Less is More Remember too, that less is more in the line of the client s homework. If X says he has an hour free to exercise - plan his session away from you for minutes. If he has a half hour, make it for 20 mins. We often overestimate our actual commitment and time allowances. If less is requested, but the quality is high, this will engender better commitment and compliance with the programme and the long-term effort that is required to reach one s goals. Feedback & Feed-Forward Ending the session with an invitation to comment by Mr. X will tell you how this first step on the journey has been - has he any thoughts on the results, on the plan for the week ahead you have set out jointly with him, is he clear on his own responsibility for the week ahead until the next session? A suitable wrapping up of this first session is of paramount importance so that the clarity you both require to take this to a successful outcome is on the right path. Remind Mr. X of this first, life-changing step he has taken. Take the first step in faith. You don t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step - Martin Luther King, Jr The NCEF is an academic affiliate of the University of Limerick, offering the only university accredited Health/Fitness Professional Instructor qualifications in Ireland. Certificate, Higher Certificate, Diploma & Degree qualifications are awarded at Levels 6,7 & 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and at Levels 5 & 6 on the European Framework (EQF). The NCEF is a registered FAS Trainer and is accredited by the European Health Fitness Association.

13 News & Views Making Your Staff Leaders In Cardio Equipment article kindly supplied by Benefits Of Staff Uploading Personal Workouts For Exercisers To See 13 New technologies and customization capabilities in cardio equipment have changed the way people exercise. From custom workout options to adjustments for an individual s specific needs through a touch of a button, users of cardio equipment have benefited from technology that tells them precisely how they are exercising. The digital advancements in cardio equipment shouldn t primarily be for the exerciser, however. an in-demand product. The public s interest in digitally-advanced cardio equipment began several years ago when gyms and other facilities started carrying the smarter machines. More than 50 The new digital and customizable capabilities in cardio equipment are just as beneficial for a facility s staff as they are for the same facility s customer base. More importantly, your staff s ability to take advantage of advancements in cardio equipment can lead to a larger bottom line. Here s why: If staff members regularly create and upload shareable workouts for use on your facility s cardio equipment, they not only set themselves up as leaders in your company, but give you a better chance to gain new customers for personal training sessions. The more familiar a customer is with a staff member, the better chances that trainer has to land a personal training session. More personal training sessions mean you re able to better serve your clients needs, which will keep your company growing and thriving. Why Cardio Equipment Works To understand the importance of your staff creating and sharing workouts, it is beneficial to grasp why exercisers have made cardio equipment About 33 percent of adults in the U.S. don t engage in any type of leisurely physical activity at all, even if it is only for 10 minutes. million people use treadmills in 2009, as well as 26 million for elliptical trainers, and those numbers have continued to grow. Moreover, a recent survey found that 72 percent of exercisers use technology to support their workouts. The popularity of cardio equipment isn t a fluke. More people use cardio equipment than ever before, because the digitally-enhanced consoles and other advanced features give the exerciser an ultimate personalized experience. They can download personal workout plans from home and transport them to the gym. They can adjust resistance and incline to mimic various terrains, and they can customize their runs or bike rides to unique programs designed for specific training zones.

14 News & Views 14 When the options are varied, personal and dense, research shows people are more inclined to exercise. Facilities should use every advantage they can to encourage more robust and rich exercise options for clients, too. By having your staff upload their own workouts to your cardio equipment, you re able to use your staff as motivators for healthier lifestyles, which is vital to the fight to against an at times inactive, unhealthy populous. Take these recent statistics from the American Heart Association as an example: Only 21 percent of adults meet the federal guidelines of exercising with moderate intensity for at least two and a half hours a week. About 33 percent of adults in the U.S. don t engage in any type of leisurely physical activity at all, even if it is only for 10 minutes. A 2012 report from the association showed less than one percent of American adults have an ideal healthy diet, which includes a daily balance of fruit, vegetables and whole grains with a focus on limiting intake of sodium and added sugars. The country s population without even including the growing health issues of children is getting heavier and less active. Make sure your facility s staff encourages cardio equipment use not only because it is helpful for your business, but because it also helps a larger cause. On The Forefront Since exercisers are demanding their facilities come equipped with digitally-advanced cardio equipment, staff members have to position themselves as experts of the equipment. Make sure your staff is equipped to go over each piece of equipment in detail not everyone is used to a piece of cardio equipment that lets you log onto Facebook, stream a movie and upload a personal workout all at once. When taking a facility user through the equipment, the staff should carefully go over each programmedworkout option, explain how the user can create a personal program and finally walk the user through the staff s specific programs. The latter will help build rapport between the staff and client base. By acting as leaders with the cardio equipment, your staff will build a trust with your facility s users that benefit not only them, but your business as well.

15 News & Views 15 Physical Activity Improves Mood of People with Mental Illness Chalk up another benefit to being active, as even meager levels of physical activity can improve the mood of people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) such as bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia. The new study from Indiana University both reinforces earlier findings that people with SMI demonstrate low levels of physical activity and supports the consideration of physical activity as a regular part of psychiatric rehabilitation. We found a positive association between physical activity level and positive mood when low to moderate levels of physical activity are considered, said study author Bryan McCormick, associate professor in IU s Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies. Physical activity interventions that require lower levels of exertion might be more conducive to improving transitory mood, or the ups and downs people with SMI experience throughout the day. McCormick said physical activity often is advocated in addition to psychiatric treatment for people with SMI because of the significant health concerns common to this population. Article courtesy of psychcentral.com By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor We found a positive association between physical activity level and positive mood when low to moderate levels of physical activity are considered, The low levels of physical activity also common to this population poses a major hurdle, however. For this study, physical activity is considered most forms of sustained movement, such as house cleaning, gardening, walking for transportation or formal exercise. The challenge is how to use naturally motivating activities that people have in their everyday lives to get them out and engaged, McCormick said. About the study: For seven consecutive days, researchers randomly paged study participants, who then filled out questionnaires about their mood and recent activities. The responses were matched with data collected during the previous 10 minutes using small, lightweight accelerometers worn by the study participants. The equipment measured activity levels and duration. McCormick said this is the first time these research methods were combined, allowing researchers to look at study participants daily ups and downs as they occur rather than trying to average the experiences. The study involved 11 people from the U.S. and 12 people from Serbia. Central Europe is experiencing

16 News & Views a shift from institutional care to community care for its citizens with SMI, similar to the shift seen in the U.S. in the 1970s. McCormick s research has been examining this, too, in comparison to U.S. populations. The findings were surprising in this particular study. I was expecting a higher level of physical activity within the population of Eastern Europeans, he said. We didn t see any differences. The average physical activity level for both groups was comparable to that of sedentary adults, less than that of adults with a developmental 16 disability and considerably less than that of active adults, according to earlier research by study co-author Georgia Frey, associate professor in IU s Department of Kinesiology. The least active experiences captured in this study correlated with less positive moods. The study notes that walking is one of the most frequently advocated forms of physical activity in psychiatric rehabilitation programs. Such programs, according to the study, would appear to afford both physiological and psychological benefits. The study is published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Source: Indiana University Fitness senza frontiere Nascono nuove attività e modi d interpretare l allenamento, si diffondono tendenze. Si diverse forme di esercizio, si ritorna alle origini del movimento, si punta su divertimento e socializzazione. Facciamo insieme un volo di ricognizione su un settore capace di rinnovarsi continuamente di Davide Venturi ll mondo fitness continua a girare e a evolversi, ampliando e diversificando la propria offerta per conquistare nuove fasce di mercato e soddisfare la voglia di novità del suo popolo. Oggi i club hanno la possibilità di offrire ai soci anche, e soprattutto, a quelli potenziali un ampia gamma di attività, in grado di soddisfare gusti ed esigenze di ogni tipo, che valicano quelli che fino a pochi anni fa potevano sembrare limiti fisiologici. E senza dover sostenere grandi investimenti, puntando sulla semplicità, sul ritorno alle origini del movimento, sui fattori divertimento e socializzazione, proponendo attività coinvolgenti, capaci di adattarsi, in virtù della loro versatilità, a diverse esigenze, compresa la disponibilità di tempo, una risorsa scarsa per molti consumatori di fitness. Oggi nei club si può ballare e persino cantare, cimentarsi nel poliedrico functional fitness che coniuga la varietà all efficacia, così come allenarsi a corpo libero o utilizzando attrezzi di ogni tipo, in solitudine o in compagnia, guidati da un istruttore o da un personal trainer. In queste pagine proponiamo una panoramica ampia, ma per ovvi motivi non esaustiva non ce ne vogliano gli esclusi delle principali tendenze in atto e delle ultime novità che caratterizzano un

17 News & Views 17 settore la cui resilienza al difficile momento economico è palesata anche dalla sua capacità di rinnovare costantemente il proprio prodotto e lanciare tendenze su scala internazionale. Fornendo in questo modo nuovi stimoli a mettersi, e mantenersi, in moto. Spopola il ballo e ora si canta anche Zumba Fitness continua a essere un fenomeno di portata mondiale che oggi, stando ai dati diffusi dai vertici del noto brand statunitense, conta qualcosa come 14 milioni di partecipanti, duecentomila a settimana solo in Italia. Dopo aver presentato, alcuni mesi fa, Aqua Zumba, la versione acquatica della disciplina ideata da Beto Perez, ora lancia sul mercato Zumba Sentao che trasforma una sedia in un coinvolgente compagno di ballo con il quale tonificare anche i muscoli della parte superiore del corpo, bruciare calorie e ovviamente divertirsi accompagnati da ritmi esotici. Oggi non è difficile vedere migliaia di appassionati che, come negli anni d oro del fitness, si muovono all unisono a ritmo di musica, incalzati da istruttori pieni di energia. Gymtopia Harnesses Global Health and Fitness Clubs to Help Good Causes The altruistic capacity of the global health and fitness industry is being harnessed to help the wider community, thanks to the launch of Gymtopia: a digital story-telling platform designed to capture the social impact of projects powered by gyms and gym-goers world-wide. Gymtopia encourages health clubs to collaborate with their members in fundraising, collecting food, donating shoes and clothing, and many other projects that create a positive social impact. In turn, health and fitness clubs can make themselves more attractive to new members by doing something positive for society, as well helping existing members to be healthy and feel good. for more details visit Vitasnella WellDance è il nuovo metodo d allenamento sviluppato da Annarosa Petri coreografa e ballerina professionista insieme a un étoile del firmamento mondiale della danza classica come Raffaele Paganini (in primo piano nella foto della pagina accanto). È una fusione di danza classica, contemporanea, hip hop e jazz il cui obiettivo è consentire a tutti di mantenersi in forma danzando. Si basa su un metodo riconosciuto e certificato dal punto di vista didattico dall Associazione Insegnanti Danza (AID&A), ideato per far ballare le donne e gli uomini di ogni età che desiderano non solo bruciare calorie e migliorare il tono muscolare, ma anche divertirsi imparando una vera coreografia di danza. Bokwa, altra new entry nel panorama del group fitness, si sta diffondendo in ambito internazionale proponendo un approccio diverso all esercizio fisico. Non si tratta esattamente di danza adattata al fitness poiché non è prevista alcuna coreografia e i passi non devono essere contati. I partecipanti disegnano lettere e numeri con i piedi, muovendosi simultaneamente a tempo di musica, a ritmi variabili. Si rivolge a persone di ogni età che possono muoversi sulle note dei brani più in auge del momento, disegnando decine di passi, tra i quali figurano lettere e numeri quali L, 3, J e K. Macumba si presenta come l evoluzione del fitness latino, definendosi l unica attività al mondo che utilizza, per la realizzazione delle proprie coreografie, musica dance, rock, trans,

18 News & Views 18 urban, burlesque, reggaeton, 80 s, 90 s e persino le hit del momento. Grazie a questa confluenza di tutti i generi musicali che ora comprende anche samba, reggae e country intende essere una moda continua per essere sempre al passo con le novità musicali. Bioginnastica, da anni impegnata nella rieducazione e rigenerazione di persone con rigidità e patologie che impediscono il libero movimento, ha lanciato il Biofolk per far ballare tutti utilizzando le musiche tradizionali legate all identità italiana, alla passione e alle emozioni.questa Zumba Fitness, la disciplina ideata da Beto Perez (al centro nella foto), è disciplina, innovativa nella sua capacità di svolta da circa 14 milioni di persone nel mondo, duecentomila alla settimana recuperare la cultura popolare, abbina il in Italia ballo sulle note della musica folk ai principi fondamentali della Bioginnastica, ovvero l armonia fisiologica e biologica legata al corpo inteso come unità psicofisica. Il risultato è un attività aerobica che aumenta gradualmente la circolazione sanguigna, che mantiene il giusto equilibrio fra contrazione e rilassamento dei distretti muscolari evitando sovraccarichi funzionali e prevede anche movimenti posturali semplici e divertenti. Il Biofolk può essere svolto anche a piedi nudi, possibilmente sulla sabbia, per scaricare tutte le tensioni verso terra, a un ritmo che da lento diventa sempre più incalzante. E tutto ciò individualmente, a coppie e in gruppo. Freddy ha recentemente presentato DansYng, l innovativa combinazione di danza e canto da praticare in gruppo, trasportati dalle emozioni regalate dalla musica. Ci si muove sulle note dei più celebri brani pop cantandone i testi riprodotti sullo schermo, in perfetto stile karaoke. «Guardando un video senza audio ha raccontato Carlo Freddi, Presidente e fondatore di Freddy mi sono chiesto perché non esistesse ancora una lezione di fitness in cui si potesse anche cantare. Partendo dal presupposto che il canto è una delle massime forme di liberazione In primo piano Raffaele Paganini, étoile del firmamento mondiale della e svago, ho avuto l intuizione di unirlo danza classica, durante una lezione di Vitasnella WellDance al movimento, creando un attività di gruppo tanto semplice quanto naturale, alla quale, tuttavia, nessuno aveva ancora pensato». I programmi d allenamento e le coreografie sono state messe a punto da Giulio e Paolo Evangelista, presenter di fama internazionale che hanno elaborato un percorso suddiviso in 4 livelli, corrispondenti a differenti intensità dal punto di vista psico-fisico. Il ritorno alle origini Un trend in costante ascesa nel mondo

19 News & Views 19 del fitness è l allenamento funzionale che punta sulla completezza e sulla varietà, assicurando il miglioramento dell equilibrio, della coordinazione motoria e della resistenza, anche per svolgere le attività quotidiane senza alcuna difficoltà. Crossfit, il programma d allenamento basato su movimenti funzionali ad alta intensità, oggi riscuote grandi consensi anche in Italia. Creato negli Stati Uniti da Greg Glassman per poi essere ulteriormente sviluppato e diffuso da Reebok, è sostanzialmente un mix di sollevamento pesi, esercizi a corpo libero e cardiovascolari svolti in un unica sessione, sempre diversa e non specifica. GRIT Strength, una delle nuove attività rivolte a piccoli gruppi ideata da Les Mills, si basa sui principi dell interval training ad alta intensità in virtù dei quali i partecipanti ottengono risultati tangibili in tempi più brevi L obiettivo non è tonificare o potenziare specifici distretti muscolari, bensì rinforzare tutto il corpo e raggiungere uno stato di forma completo. Non a caso prevede corsa, vogatore, salto della corda, arrampicata e spostamento di carichi pesanti, così come l impiego di manubri, anelli da ginnastica, sbarre per trazioni e kettlebell. L allenamento come sfida Da qualche anno a questa parte gli allenamenti che s ispirano all addestramento militare, definiti military fitness o boot camp, rappresentano un fenomeno interessante nell ambito delle attività di gruppo, svolte prevalentemente all aperto a diretto contatto con elementi naturali come erba, fango e sabbia, ma anche all interno del club. Che si tratti di corsa zavorrata con lo zaino, flessioni o percorsi a passo di leopardo, l obiettivo è proporre un attività funzionale, in gran parte a corpo libero, che consenta di raggiungere e mantenere una buona forma e diventare più forti anche mentalmente sfidando se stessi. A tutto ciò va aggiunto un altro beneficio importante: il rafforzamento dello spirito di corpo, inteso come capacità di socializzare con altre persone condividendo con loro fatica, divertimento e obiettivi. E a proposito di sfide, Fitnesseurope ha recentemente presentato Warrior Dash, un modo nuovo di fare attività fisica nato negli Stati Uniti e coerente con i principi fondamentali dell allenamento funzionale. Si tratta di una gara che richiede una preparazione raggiungibile tramite il functional fitness, aperta ad atleti di qualsiasi livello, risultando ideale anche per i frequentatori di club e, più in generale, per tutti coloro che desiderano mettersi in gioco. Questa attività, che culmina nella giornata in cui si svolge la gara, risulta ideale come componente del personal training di gruppo e offre ai club un occasione in più per creare nuovi protocolli d allenamento e nuovi circuiti che fungono da preparazione specifica alla gara, con influssi positivi sulla motivazione e fidelizzazione sia dei soci sia dello staff. Piloxing, appena sbarcata in Italia dagli Stati Uniti, è invece la nuova fusione di standing Pilates, boxe e danza che spinge a superare i propri limiti. Questa singolare attività combina alcune tecniche del fitness con un innovativo stratagemma per bruciare il maggior numero possibile di calorie, rafforzare la muscolatura e migliorare la resistenza. Prevede l impiego di guanti appesantiti che intensificano il lavoro

20 News & Views 20 muscolare e aerobico, richiedendo energia, velocità e agilità tipiche della boxe e la flessibilità del Pilates. Oltre a tutto questo sono previsti anche divertenti passi di danza che rendono l allenamento ancor più coinvolgente. È frutto dell intuizione della ballerina svedese Viveca Jensen, nota anche come personal trainer di alcune celebrità, la cui missione è rendere le donne più forti, sia fisicamente sia mentalmente. Cresce l intensità L Interval training ad alta intensità, più sinteticamente noto come HIIT, è un altra nuova faccia del fitness che sta guadagnando terreno nei club di tutto il mondo. In genere prevede allenamenti della durata di 30 minuti nel corso dei quali vengono svolti esercizi ad alta intensità che assicurano un dispendio calorico superiore rispetto alle sessioni tradizionali, migliorando significativamente le capacità cardiovascolari e aerobiche. Les Mills ha recentemente lanciato tre nuove attività di gruppo basate proprio sui principi dell interval training ad alta intensità, ovvero gli allenamenti GRIT strength, GRIT cardio e GRIT Plyo, rivolti a piccoli gruppi e della durata di 30 minuti. E lo stesso principio lo ha applicato ai tre allenamenti acquatici che ha presentato alcuni mesi fa, ovvero i corsi Planet Aqua, nello specifico Aquadynamic, Aquawork e Aquabodybike che inducono i partecipanti a uscire dalla propria zona comfort. Il vantaggio risiede nel conseguimento di risultati tangibili in tempi più contenuti. Un altro allenamento ad alta intensità di L allenamento svolto a piedi nudi, o indossando innovative calzature recente comparsa è l H.D.P., acronimo di minimal, si sta affacciando sul palcoscenico mondiale del fitness High Definition Power, che induce chi lo pratica ad ascoltare le proprie sensazioni di limite, generando uno stress psicofisico positivo. Prevede sedute d allenamento brevi e intense che stimolano l organismo a produrre alti livelli di ormoni anabolici che regalano energia supplementare al corpo e alla mente, rallentano il processo d invecchiamento e favoriscono il dimagrimento e la tonificazione muscolare. Parola d ordine: functional Oggi il mercato offre un ampia gamma di attrezzi e accessori per l attività funzionale svolta nel club, dalle stazioni polivalenti proposte dai maggiori produttori di attrezzature che consentono a più persone di allenarsi contemporaneamente svolgendo esercizi diversi, utilizzando ad esempio cavi, corde, sbarre e fitball al TRX e altre varianti dell esercizio svolto in parziale o totale sospensione, ai pavimenti funzionali che consentono di effettuare un ampio ventaglio di attività svolte prevalentemente a corpo libero, ma anche con l ausilio di piccoli attrezzi e accessori che fungono da sovraccarico. Sellfit, ad esempio, propone X Ground, il sistema di pavimentazione dotato di icone e indicazioni per lo sviluppo di allenamenti funzionali a circuito, ideali per l allenamento individuale e di gruppo e per