Strength training to complement team sports
As a football player, (the round ball, the real type) I had always prioritised cardio and kicking a ball around ahead of any other type of training. It wasn’t until I began working as a personal trainer that I began to realise the importance of strength training not only to complement my football training, but mainly to build the foundation to be able to perform to my potential on the football field. Football can be a gruelling game, especially considering how in the ‘Sunday league’ style of game that I play, it is rare that we can pull enough players together to allow...
Autism and fitness breaking down barriers
Originally published in Network Magazine - Fitness Network Australia Spring 2018 http://www.fitnessnetwork.com.au/resources/magazines It is widely recognised that taking part in physical activity not only helps to keeps us fit and well, it can increase self-esteem, develop social skills and improve mental health and general well-being. However, research shows that people with autism are less likely than others to participate in sport or physical activity due to factors related to the condition, including heightened fear and anxiety in social situations, difficulty understanding body language and metaphor, and sensory challenges. In my former role as coordinator of the National Autistic Society’s (NAS) Active for Autism project...
“But I only train general population…”
This is a sentence commonly spoken within today’s health and fitness industry. Many newly qualified Personal Trainers may find themselves thrown into the rat race of a large commercial gym soon after completing their certificate. The reasons for seeking their services may differ from client to client, but the initial perspective of the trainer usually remains the same – ‘most of my clients are general population’. This isn’t to say that this is a negative outlook to have, however when you begin the process of labelling your clients as ‘general population’ then it is easy to make false assumptions about...