IDEA Personal Trainer Institute™ - Lecture Sessions

From stabilization exercise to core training, the literature is loaded with buzzwords and catch phrases. The body doesn’t know, or care, about these descriptive titles. A thorough understanding of spinal mechanics and resistance forces is necessary for good exercise design. Gain an understanding of the rules by exploring the intricate world of joints, forces and muscles. Learn to see beyond the skin. This exploration will enable fitness professionals to make informed exercise decisions based on fact, not rhetoric.

Purposeful management is critical when working with a team made up of several different personalities. This session will explore five common mistakes managers make when setting goals and interacting with their staff. In addition, we will pinpoint five strategies for identifying risk, effecting change, recruiting with confidence and gaining recognition for staff that is consistent and credible. Managers of all experience levels will walk away with information and tools that can be used right away.

Experienced trainers who are consistently booked know that there are only so many hours in the day/month to train clients. Increasing your income once your client base is full is a real challenge for most trainers. Take the necessary steps to secure your business and increase profits by developing multiple revenue streams. In this course, you will get tips on how to diversify your business, maximize your profits and locate and implement multiple revenue streams.

“Stabilization training” has become the latest buzzword in health and fitness. However, many people do not yet realize the scientifically-validated importance for its use within a programming scheme. We will discuss the research that points to why stabilization should be the foundation from which all training programs progress into strength, hypertrophy and power. Please also join us for Part 2, Session #220.

The Pelvic Core: Did you know that 25 million Americans suffer with some type of pelvic floor/girdle dysfunction every year? And that poor pelvic core strength can lead to biomechanical dysfunctions from neck pain to knee pain and everything in between? The research will examine core strength and the pelvic core neuromuscular system. You will change your clients’ lives with the information you learn from this session! plus, Prenatal and Postpartum Research Update: Women who exercise during the prenatal and postpartum transitional phase are especially vulnerable to injury due to the vast changes in anatomy and physiology. As a result, personal trainers must understand the hormonal changes, cardiovascular and respiratory changes, and weight changes that occur during pregnancy. This session investigates the four reports published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and how these guidelines affect your prenatal and postpartum clients. AND Weight Management—Past, Present and Future: Research shows little promise for our ability to present weight management as a realistic and pragmatic experience for women. Peri- and post-menopause, mystified metabolism and a host of other factors, have left women in a quandary as they seek the best program for optimal health. Weight management remains at the forefront of our society’s consciousness. An examination of the research will show our desire for movement is not really moving us forward, but rather away from ourselves.

Quick! Name a dentist, chiropractor or hairstylist in your area. Imagine if your name is the first that comes to mind when someone is seeking a personal trainer. This can be done effectively through a mode of marketing called TOMA: Top of Mind Advertising. This workshop will take you through the steps needed to get your name and your business to the forefront of referrals. Top of Mind means being on top of your business!

This presentation addresses the problems of muscle loss, metabolic slowdown and fat gain associated with sedentary aging. We’ll take a look at the limitations of diet programs and endurance exercise for reversing these debilitating processes. Dr. Westcott will also share the research-based benefits of strength exercise for reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, back pain, arthritis and other degenerative diseases.

Research has demonstrated that power is the most important fitness factor affecting independence and fall prevention in older people. This lecture, by one of the pioneers of power training in older individuals, will thoroughly explain every aspect of power training, from benefit to application.

The vibrant movement of positive psychology is validating interventions to support life satisfaction and happiness, and provides the foundation for the best fitness professionals to become trained coaches of PEAK performance and well-being. This workshop will provide introductions to positive psychology, coaching psychology, the concept of PEAK, as well as engage you in a coaching demonstration.

Fitness professionals and medical providers need one another! And more importantly, clients need to know they are receiving exemplary care. Trainers are recognizing the need to align themselves with the medical community, but these relationships can be tricky, and they require thoughtful analysis. Honoring scope of practice and developing trust and mutual respect are foundations for establishing, building and sustaining medical–fitness relationships. Learn simple techniques for making contact and earning trust with the medical professionals in your community.

Nutrition is an important part of any fitness program. As a fitness professional, are you confused about how much and what type of nutrition information you should give to your clients? This lecture will discuss scope of practice and give practical tips to help you educate your clients about healthy eating while staying within your professional boundaries.

Personal training is big business! As entrepreneurially-minded personal trainers open practices and studios, run health club departments and expand their services, the need for business development training is critical. If you want to elevate your training to the next level, it is absolutely necessary to run your personal training practice like a successful business. This session will teach you how to successfully build a solid client base while driving profits.

The difference between teaching and “prescribing” exercise lies in the knowledge of the instructor. This lecture provides an extensive overview of all of the key principles of posture, flexibility, muscle testing, local versus global stabilization AND the recommended six stages of functional exercise design. Note: This lecture is for the experienced fitness professional with a good understanding of posture and anatomical terminology.

Effective corrective exercise program design obviously requires an understanding of the imbalances you want to correct. Another essential aspect involves choosing and teaching exercises in such a way that your clients learns to adapt these new movement patterns as their own. Discover how to design outstanding corrective exercise programs based on the principles of motor control, neuromuscular coordination and effective client communication.

Everyday consumers, who can potentially be or who are actually utilizing the services of a fitness professional, are becoming better educated. They are better able to assess their own needs and discern substance from hype! In this session, you will see how easy it is to master the art of building relationships and sell without really selling—so much so that your clients might actually be “happy” about spending their hard earned money.