In this issue

• Pelvic Floor – the new hot topic.
• Upcoming workshops
• Exercise of the month – Abductors

DID YOU KNOW??

Your tongue is the fastest healing part of your body

Gymstick Muscle

Gymstick Muscle is a unique muscle conditioning class because it incorporates multiple fitness principles:
• Muscle strength
• Muscle endurance
• Balance
• Joint stability
• Coordination
• Postural awareness

Gymstick Feedback

Thanks to Debbie for this great feedback proving Gymstick is fantastic for any age!
“It has now been a couple of weeks since the launch of our Gymstick classes. Members are enjoying the classes and are coming back to do more, I am sure the word will spread. I have started using them in my over 60’s classes 4-5 exercises teaching how to use the stick and put it on and off their feet, etc.”

You tell us!

If you have a testimonial or story you would like to share in this newsletter, please email [email protected] and include a picture

Pelvic Floor – the new hot topic

Core training has been the hottest topic in the fitness industry for the past decade. I remember…yes have been teaching long enough, that the rectus abdominus aka six pack, was the main focus at the end of any training program or group fitness format. In fact, the number or repetitions and time spent on this area, would surely lead to the highly desirable rock hard abs or flat ‘stomach’. Then came the CORE. We then gained an understanding that there was more to this area of the body than what we had originally thought. Ah ha, we were onto something that had more to do with posture and back care. Internal obliques and the transverse abdominus were the main focus. In fact, if you did not use TA in your conversations about CORE, you did not know what you were talking about. The conversation sometimes included some muscles of the erectus spinae and maybe, just maybe, the diaphragm.

All good stuff, but one very important muscle was missing. If we were talking about the core as muscles around the mid section that supported, assisted and were integral to how the body moved optimally, what was holding all of this up. Basically, what was the foundation?

And here lies the missing muscle – the pelvic floor. To find out more about the pelvic floor click here.

Pelvic floor education has been one of the most fascinating, rewarding and powerful messages that I have been involved with delivering. The Continence Foundation of Australia and Victorian Continence Foundation have been amazing to work with. Not only are they passionate about awareness and strategies to help men and women, they opened their arms to the fitness industry to work alongside to achieve one goal – To reduce the number of men and women who experience pelvic floor dysfunction as a result of inappropriate exercise regimes by empoweing people with knowledge, skills and resources to make a powerful difference in their lives. Pelvic floor training is part of core training. You simply can’t talk about core training without including the pelvic floor. They go together and for the fitness professional who thinks that it is a woman’s muscle not to be concerned about (males, I am talking to YOU), you are greatly mistaken. Pelvic floor, my fellow males colleges, is where it is all at. You talk core – you have to talk pelvic floor. It is not a choice because it is uncomfortable, or unpleasant, or ‘just not your thing’. It is something that we all need to take seriously.

What has it been like for me? Well, I can now say, after 23 years in my beloved fitness career, that I am making a real difference. The numbers of people I have seen flock to education seminars, had come to me personally before and after my classes or educations, or simply stood around at the end of a class simply to hear me talk about this topic has blown my mind. Clients have shared tears of joy, tears of new awareness and tears of frustration that no one has ever mentioned it to them before. Its’ time my fellow colleges to learn about pelvic floor to empower our clients to have fuller lives and enjoy exercise without the embarrassment or discomfort of a weak or tight pelvic floor.

Upcoming workshops

Gymstick for Older Adults Melbourne – Sat 6th Oct Click here for more info and bookings

Gymstick for Personal Trainers Melbourne – Sun 7th Oct Click here for more info and bookings

Tricks, Tools and Trades of Program Coordinating Perth – Thurs 18th and Fri 19th Oct Click here for more info and bookings

Gymstick Muscle Perth – Sat 20th Oct Click here for more info and bookings

Gymstick for Personal Trainers Perth – Sun 21st Oct Click here for more info and bookings

PT with Balls – Sunday 11th Nov Click here for more info and bookings

Exercise of the month – Abductors

Abductors

Teaching tips

• Keep the head down on the shoulder to avoid excessive lateral stress on the cervical spine
• Place the top hand on the floor in front to stop the body from rolling back and ensure that the top hip is directly over the bottom hip.
• Ensure participants do not roll back, straighten their torso and  extend the hips as this will decrease the intensity significantly
• Encourage participants to turn the toes downwards, to incorporate more gluteus medius and minimus.
• Once the exercise has commenced, encourage participants to keep their knees apart when returning to the starting position.
• To ensure that the intensity is maintained in the abductors, ensure that the lifting action is no higher than the hip height

Movement phase

• Flex knees and hip to 90 degrees
• Extend the lower arm along the floor and allow the head to rest down on the shoulder
• Keeping the top knee directly above the bottom leg, lift the knee to just above hip height
• Lower the leg down but keep approximately 10 cm between the legs.
• Exhale as the leg is lifted and inhale as the leg is lowered.

Variations

• Level 2: Lift the knee up, extend and flex the knee. Perform single and triple leg curls.
• Level 3: Extend the knee so that the leg is a longer lever and lift up and down. Keep the knees over each other
• Level 4: Keep the leg extended, bring the leg closer to the chest. Take the leg back to the starting position

Testimonial of the Month – Dianne Edmonds

Thanks for coming to Boddington to present to the women here. It was great to have that time working with you, and I must say you have integrated so much so well, taking the best out of everything to put that presentation together the way it was. I like your style, and your insights that have been gleaned along the way from all the different dimensions that you cover.

I was really touched when you said re: that Bulgarian weight lifter that you worked with – from all the things we did and you’ve done, and to hear how far it can impact – it’s amazing! Thank you again!

Need ideas for the swiss ball?

Get the Bounce Right and Hard Core Core both use the swiss and can take you from beginners exercises all the way to intense and Hard Core!

Get the Bounce Right $25

Find out how to teach beginners basic bouncing and lift off exercises and how to implement different levels of cardio exercises to suit all skill levels. Click here to buy a copy now

Hard Core Core $25

This unique approach to fitness uses the Swiss Balls amazing properties to challenge not only the heart and lungs, but also the deep core and postural muscles whilst incorporating balance and stability.
This DVD is split into two sections:
1-  Hard Core Core masterclass
2- Exercise directory and easy to follow guide. Click here to buy your copy now