Wednesday 28 September 2011

How do i become a personal fitness trainer?

Hello, I am 15 years old and I am obsessed with fitness and nutrition.I have no idea what to take in high school to become a personal trainer and maybe even a nutritionist. The only thing I am taking in High School now is Food for Fitness and Food and Nutrition. What other things do I have to take to become a future Fitness Trainer.

You'll need to be an experienced athlete yourself (which you probably are, with all the athletic activities you are doing) and you will need to take some courses after you finish high school.

You will need the following:

1. AFAA (Aerobics and fitness association of America)
2. NSCA ( National strength and conditioning association)
3. ACE ( American council on exercise)
4. NASM ( American college of sports medicine)
5. A degree from a post secondary institution in one or more of ( Physiology, exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, sports medicine, fitness management.)
6. Experience (two years normally)

What are the fitness requirements for achieving excellence as a footballer?

I know that a footballer needs to have a very high level of fitness to run around for 90 minutes but could someone explain the fitness requirements?

They do things like run up and down step stairs - in a 10 storey building several times a day as well as rigorous training. There is also sprinting, running backwards and other gruelling training.

What healthclub/fitness center should one join in the Bellevue Washington area?

We are considering a move to the Seattle/Bellevue, Washington area.  We are currently Lifetime Fitness Center members and are looking for a club that offers the same amenities.  I see "24 Hour Fitness" but was wondering if that was the best fit.
To know more about Fitness.

How much should a fitness trainer charge and do you need any certificates?

I want to become a fitness trainer but I'm a bodybuilder so I focus more on heavy weights low reps. Can you become a fitness trainer just for building muscle only? I don't do cardio at all!!! and do you need some sort of certification to become a fitness trainer becuase I've been bodybuilding for 3 years and know the different muscle groups and the machines. And how much should a fitness trainer charge I hear they get paid well.
Although there is no law requiring certification, you need a national certification in order to get insurance and/or work for a reputable gym.  A national cert is once like ACSM, CSCS, ACE, NSPA.  Generally, a nationally recognized body where you must take a proctored, closed-book exam.  I say that because there are a number of certifications out there that have take home tests or no test.  Generally, they are a crock.  Expect to spend between $400-1000 USD to get a good personal trainer cert.

As far as practice goes, it doesn't matter what your fitness regimine is, as long as you give clients a workout plan that is tailored to their needs.  Generally, trainers charge between $40-100 per hour for their services.  If you work at a gym, you will keep anywhere from 50-80% of what you take in.  A full time trainer can make around $30,000 per year to start, if you are a good salesperson, and a well trained trainer.  As you develop your business, and your reputation and education increases, you can expect to make more.  If you reach a point where you can own your own business/training studio, you can make some decent money.  But my advice is that you pursue personal training as a side job.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Is it true that when you quit your job your employer is required to continue your Health Care for 30 days?

I live in NY and am qutting my job, my last day is next Friday. I heard that your employer is required to provide you with health care insurance for 30 days after the date you quit, is this true?
Cobra requires that the employer make health insurance available to you for 18 months, but it's at your expense.

There is no law that requires insurance be continued at the employer's expense. There might be a union contract, but not otherwise.

How is US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's health these days? How is his heart? Was he a smoker?

He is 75 years old and ultra conservative. It is highly unlikely he will retire while Obama is in Office.  However, if he were to die from natural causes (say heart disease or lung cancer) then Obama could replace him with a more centrist judge.  That could make a huge difference in balancing out the court decisions, and possibly save the Health Care plan!
The most reliable means of extending life expectancy appears to be appointment to the Supreme Court.
Obama seems to have dropped the ball as far as naming appelate court judges, he should have moved when he had a more solid majority in the Senate, now he has 80 vacancies that he has not made nominations for

Does anyone recall the good old National Health Service days and docs house calls?

Out he came, with gladstone bag, containing all sorts of instruments and his prescribing pad. He always admired the scenery where i came from and my mom always gave him half a dozen free range eggs for his trouble. Funny when i look back, none of my or my siblings illnesses were ever near life threatening but he came, no questions asked. Changed days in Britain in the noughties.
I remember our old doc, Dr. Betty, being called out mainly for me as I was a sickly child especially in the winter months. He was a jolly old man and would listen to my chest with his stethoscope and comment on how rattly my chest was by saying I had either lions or bears in there lol.

When I had the German Measles I recovered only to become covered in a rash several weeks later to which his response was "These look more like German measles than the last lot!"

On one occasion I remember him calling to our house for someone other than me I remember mother leaving 6d on the kitchen table for him, not a word was spoken between them and I always wondered how he knew that tanner was for him lol.

Changed days in Britain for sure now. Our docs are shut until Tuesday & if we were to need a doc in an emergency we'd get put through to one in Hull rather than in our area, who only knows the patient from the computer screen and depending on the call would probably send an ambulance to the house without even calling here.

Our surgery doesn't do night calls anymore and hasn't done for a couple of years now in fact we have to give 48hrs notice for repeat prescriptions and woebetide if you don't.

All in all we are still lucky to have our NHS in this country despite the mess it is in and I do not envy anyone who has the worry of not having insurance in other countries for their basic health care.

Are there any serious detrimental health effects from depriving oneself from sleep for two days?

Don't ask why I would do such a thing, I know it is stupid. So, how detrimental to my health would two days of sleep deprivation be.
Sleep deprivation can affect mental heath...alertness and coordination... and prolonged lack of sleep can cause hallucinations.

People who don't get a good night sleep are more prone to obesity, heart disease, and other diseases.

Wednesday 14 September 2011

What is a good yoga video for beginners to use?

I have recently become interested quite interested in yoga. Iv been doing a yoga Pilate's combination video for a while, but im not flexible enough to do it properly. I was wondering if anybody new any good yoga videos for increasing flexibility. Im pretty skinny so Im not really looking for a video that is trying to burn fat or increase weight loss.

I would recommend Shiva Rea's "Yoga Shakti."

Check out some of her sample clips on youtube to get a feel if her style of instruction appeals to you.

If increasing flexibility is your only goal, then I recommend book "Stretching" by Bob Anderson.

There is also a "Stretching" dvd by Anderson, but I have not seen it.

I don't know about Pilates, but would like to comment that being "not flexible enough" should not stop you from practicing yoga asana (poses).

You do not have to do a perfect pose (or even close to it), to derive benefit.

Example, in pose Uttanasana (Standing forward bend http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Lifestyle/health-care.html ) even if a person cannot touch their toes (let alone get forehead to touch shins), you receive benefit by doing whatever creates a "developmental stretch."

A "developmental stretch" is more than an "easy" stretch, but less intense than a painful, drastic (and potentially injury causing) stretch.

If you practice developmental stretches regularly (ideally once a day), you will likely see improved flexibility in two to three weeks.

What types of yoga are best for healing depression?

I think I am depressed, and I have significant lack of interest in my work. I used to do yoga, hatha yoga, and it helped.

I want to start again. What types of yoga are best for healing depression?
When you experienced the benefits of yoga why don't you start it. Just take it easy when you start and concentrate more on static postures like Kati Chakrasana, Tadasana, Vrikshasana Parvatasana plus sit in meditative pose holding Vayu Vardak Mudra also called Gyan mudra.


The mudra is performed by simply touching the tip of the thumb with the tip of the forefingers and keeping other three fingers straight and palms facing upward. This has to be done with both the hands.

How do I become a certified yoga instructor?

I am interested in becoming a yoga instructor, specifically for prenatal and mommy and me yoga (also known as Itsy Bitsy Yoga in some places). I used to do yoga all the time and I am now getting back into it and my love for it keeps growing. I know it will take a long time, and I am starting by taking regular Hatha Yoga classes, I just want to know the steps I will need to take, and any tips from anyone who has been there.

Talk with your Yoga instructor to see how they were certified...and to see "if" they are certified, many are, but quite a few are not...

You could also look online to see what the cert process is...try doing a google search on Yoga Certification and see what comes up...

How much yoga does it take to become a yoga pro?

I've been doing yoga for a while, and I definitly can feel a deference in how I am able to move now. The guys on my yoga tapes are bendy to the extreme though. Any yoga gurus out there, please let me know how many months, years, etc. it takes to have a great range of motion, and a ton of flexibility.
It's a case by case basis.  Being a 'yoga pro' isn't about bendibility.  The fact is we are born with a set range of motion.  The muscles hold about 20% of the flexibility.  The ligaments only 4%.  So, once you've worked out all the flexibility that is being held in the muscules, you only have 4% left to go and if you go over that level, then you can hurt yourself and damage the ligaments (in other words, don't do it - don't over push yourself past pain ).


The other thing about yoga is the spiritual aspect which comes with letting go of expectation, judgement and competition.  This is more important than the flexibility and physical balance that we observe.  So, once we've mastered those inner voices - once we've let go of those things like the ego which hold us back then, we may quite happily say that we've become 'yoga pros'... but at that point, when you've conquered these ego based attachments, you might not want to be a yoga pro anymore - and be just really happy with where you've come in your life.
Write me if you have any more questions.