November 2009

CONTENT

PT news & research

High impact boost for ageing bones
A recent US study has shown that high impact physical activity may help to strengthen bone density in older exercisers.

Data gathered from participants in the 2005 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh was analysed for the study. The male and female athletes were aged between 50 and 93, and 560 of them competed in high-impact sports including track and field, volleyball, basketball and triathlon.

Using ultrasound scans, the researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre discovered that the bone mineral density of those who participated in high-impact sports was greater than in their low-impact participating colleagues.

Dr Vonda Wright, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre said, ‘Our study represents the largest sample of bone mineral density data in mature athletes to date. My colleagues and I were surprised to see that active adult participation in the high-impact sports had such a positive influence on bone health, even in the oldest athletes’.

Wright said that although osteoarthritis and other age-related conditions could prevent older people from taking part in high-impact sports, the study findings suggested that high-impact sports may significantly contribute to healthy bone ageing.

‘With a multi-part approach and the appropriate use of high-impact exercises, individuals may be able to make greater strides against bone loss than the current treatment strategies imply’ she said.

Source: Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Exercise should be prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis
A recent Cochrane Systematic Review has concluded that exercise programs designed to improve strength and stamina are safe and effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Researchers found moderate benefits associated with this type of treatment after reviewing dynamic exercise program trials in RA patients.

Lead researcher Emalie Hurkmans of the Leiden University Medical Centre in Leiden, Netherlands, said, ‘Based on the evidence in this study, we would recommend aerobic capacity training combined with muscle strength training as routine practice for RA patients. But we need more research to establish the recommended length and type of exercise programs, whether patients need to be supervised and if these programs are cost effective’.

RA causes chronic pain and inflammation of the joints and affects up to 1 per cent of the Westernised world’s population. In absence of any known cure for the disease, dynamic exercise programs are often recommended to complement drug therapy in a bid to improve physical function.

Data was combined from eight trials involving a total of 575 patients. The results reaffirm the findings of the original study; that dynamic exercise programs are safe and have positive effects on aerobic capacity and muscle strength in RA patients, and when performed long term also have a positive effect on functional ability. The researchers did note, however, that the benefits were only seen immediately after the intervention. They also suggest water-based programs may help to improve functional ability of patients.

Noting the lack of data gathered in relation to length of exercise program needed to maintain the beneficial effects, Hurkmans said, ‘One important omission from this study is evidence for long term follow-up effects, so without further studies we can’t rule out that the obtained effects vanish if exercise programs are not continued over long periods. There are also other types of exercise that weren’t included in our review, such as flexibility and stability training, and it would be interesting to find out whether these also have positive effects’.

Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Coaching is a workout for the brain – behavioural change starts in the mind
The fitness industry has tended to focus mainly on the effects of exercise on the body’s physical capacity for movement and ability to burn fat and build muscle. The emphasis has been placed on prescribing the right type of exercise to achieve the desired goals of the client (or what they believe those goals should be).

Exciting current research is showing that this aerobic exercise can do much more than give us a better functioning cardiovascular system and good muscle tone; it can actually improve our brain power. How does it do this? Put simply, exercise causes the release of neurochemicals and growth factors that lead to neurogenesis and angiogenesis (production of new neurons and increased blood flow to the brain). The mental benefits are now being recognised for people of all ages. At one end of the scale, for children and their learning environments and performance, and at the other end, for people wishing to avoid memory loss and gain better cognitive functioning as they age.

In the world of coaching, we understand that the exercise habit (and other health-related lifestyle changes) cannot be created without consideration of what goes on in our heads – behaviour change starts in the mind. But now research is revealing another interesting fact. Not only can coaching help us create new habits and behaviours that will benefit our physical health, but it will also improve our mental health. Research comparing the effects of antidepressants and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (used frequently by coaches) has shown that whereas the medication will work on the limbic system (emotional connection, arousal and rewards), CBT will work on both the limbic and the ‘CEO’ region of chart the brain. The left pre-frontal cortex is involved when we take part in planning, goal-setting, self-awareness, insight, and decision-making. These are all elements of a wellness coaching model. When we engage in this kind of mental activity, even though our aim is to promote physical health, we are actually training our brains to think in new ways.

To overcome depression we need to create new brain pathways and connections, which is why CBT is regularly prescribed as an alternative or an adjunct to anti-depressants. When coaching is used to help a person create new behavioural patterns, they not only benefit physically, but mentally as well. Coaching can then be classified as a workout for the brain and if the coach is helping the client with their exercise routine, they will benefit in both ways. What does this mean to people working in our industry? In a nutshell, if we ignore our clients’ ways of thinking and focus only on what they are doing we are missing out on the possibility of helping them mentally as well as physically. The future of our industry will lie in this direction.

Fiona Cosgrove
Fiona has worked in the fitness industry for over 20 years as a lecturer, trainer, corporate presenter and club owner. She is the managing director of Wellness Coaching Australia, a business that provides coaching services to the corporate world and that runs coach training programs within the fitness industry.For more information, e-mail fiona@wellnesscoachingaustralia.com.au or visit www.wellnesscoachingaustralia.com.au

Will FA’s change to the REPS registration system benefit our industry?
I was very interested recently to see the release of the new exercise professional registration levels by Fitness Australia (FA). This is to be known as the Exercise Professional Registration System (REPS). Since starting in the industry in 1995 this is the biggest change I have seen to registration and re-registration.

So let’s have a quick overview of the changes. The council has introduced levels of registration (applicable to all) based on education, qualification held and years of registration. This will initially be Provisional, then Introductory, then Intermediate with Advanced being the highest level. A typical Cert 4 grad will come in at intermediate, but will need CECs to progress to Advanced for instance.

CECs will also change, in that you will now need 20 (up from the current level) over a 2-year period. The activities you can obtain CECs from will be expanded to encompass seminars, professional reading, conferences and journal/magazine subscriptions. Another change is the removal of the need to submit evidence of CECs at re-registration. It will now move to an audit system.

Fitness Australia proposes many benefits of these changes, to the fitness professional, to the consumer, to the potential employer and to the health and medical community. It also hopes it will prove a clear path for development and progression and hence improve the professionalism of the industry.

In my opinion this is an excellent development for the personal training industry. As an experienced trainer I think it is great that there is now recognition of differing levels of experience similar to that applied to apprentices and master builders, plumbers and other trades. It shows very clearly to clients or potential clients why one qualified and experienced trainer may charge over $100 per hour while a recent graduate may be closer to $80. It will also help referees from the medical and health community differentiate and find appropriate trainers from the large choice they have to refer to.

As an employer of potential new staff it signals immediately how long and how much effort someone has put into their own professional development. FA believes the reengineered system will ‘foster a culture that strives for the optimal rather than the minimum standard’. I see this attitude a lot across the personal training industry and I wait to see if these changes will cause a cultural shift.

For certain sections of the industry, it will be welcomed as an acknowledgement of their efforts, experience and investment in their own careers. In my team of seven, I have several team members with university degrees, postgraduate qualifications and even masters degrees who have not previously bothered with their FA registration. Instead of being registered on a minimum accepted level with FA, they chose to ignore the FA stream and only register with AAESS. Fitness Australia’s introduction of REPS could open the door to them and make it more attractive for them to register with both bodies. This in turn could create a more cohesive and powerful group, with which the medical and health communities would be more likely to forge strong links.

Will the changes work? I think we can only answer that by this time in 2012. I am keen to see what impact the change has.

Andrew Verdon, Dip. Ex Sci
Andrew owns a successful personal training studio in Sydney. He combines a business background with over a decade of hands-on experience in the fitness industry. He also held the position of strength and conditioning coordinator for the 2004 and 2008 Australian Olympic sailing teams. For more information, call 02 9908 2499 or visit www.beyondstudio.com.au

Group Exercise, Mind Body News

Aerobic exercise good for expectant mother and child
A Norwegian study has shown that low impact aerobics could not only assist pregnant women in staying healthy, but also help to prevent their newborn baby being overweight.

A heavier birth weight (known as fetal macrosomia) increases risk for both mother and baby. In newborns with a weight of more than 8.8 pounds (4kg), the risk of delivery problems, C-sections, postpartum haemorrhage and low Apgar scores (a simple method of quickly assessing the health of newborns) increase. Links between heavier birth weights and obesity later in life have also previously been drawn.

Data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study, which included information on nearly 37,000 women, was used. Two-thirds of the subjects were of normal weight, while 20 per cent were classified overweight, but not obese.

Babies birth weights did not seem to be affected by pre-pregnancy exercise, just by that during pregnancy. The researchers found that in women who were pregnant for the first time and who regularly exercised during their second and third trimesters had up to 28 per cent lower chance of giving birth to a ‘too-big’ baby. Expectant mothers who were still working out regularly at the 30-week stage had a 23 per cent lessened risk of delivering a too-big baby.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Robert Welch, chairman of obstetrics and gynaecology at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan, said, ‘Women often adopt healthier habits before and during pregnancy, like stopping caffeine use. This study suggests that adding exercise to that list may be icing on the cake’.

The results seemed to show that pregnant women who had already had previous children did not achieve the same level of benefit through exercise, although low-impact aerobics appeared to reduce the likelihood of having a too-large baby.

Welch advised that in more progressed stages of pregnancy women should not do any exercise which involves laying flat on their back, as this position can restrict blood flow to mother and baby. He also advises that pregnant women keep their heart rate to below 120bpm, which provides an aerobic workout without negatively affecting blood flow.

Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Yoga helps ease back pain
US research has added credence to the school of thought that says the practise of yoga can help to alleviate back pain.

Between 20 per cent and 25 per cent of medical claims in the US – exceeding $34 billion in medical costs – are related to lower back pain.

Researchers from West Virginia University, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, placed 90 participants with mild to moderate functional disability as a result of back pain into one of two groups.

The first group undertook 90-minute Iyengar yoga sessions twice weekly for six months, while the participants in the second group continued their existing form of medical therapy or treatment.

Through the use of questionnaires which asked about pain levels, medications and difficulty of task performance, a higher proportion of the yoga group reported decreased pain and improvements in functioning at both the three-month and six-month stages.

Study author Kimberly Williams, a research assistant professor in the department of community medicine at West Virginia University, said, ‘The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression, compared with the control group. These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention’.

Dr Todd Albert, chairman of the department of orthopaedics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, praised the design of the study and said, ‘I have found yoga and Pilates are great for chronic low back pain. There is so much concentration on core strengthening, which is critical for people who have been de-conditioned’.

Source: Spine

G'Day to all Group Ex Instructors!
It’s hard to believe that we’re approaching the end of 2009 – where has the year gone? In this November edition of Top Tips, our topic of discussion is geared for all group exercise managers and coordinators, and anyone who manages a team within a fitness facility.

Ask managers of any occupation or industry what gets in the way of progress at work and you’ll hear the familiar litany of responses such as ‘not enough time’, ‘lack of resources’ and ‘there’s no opportunity’. Upon closer inspection, these responses can actually be seen to be excuses. So, the question is, what strategies can managers adopt to help them overcome busyness and help them get the job done while advancing the goals of both the company and their own personal career development? Here are three strategies that managers can apply whenever they feel that their job is controlling them, rather than the other way around.

1. Prioritise your demands
Take a step back and look at the time and attention you dedicate to your various tasks, particularly where there are multiple projects involved. Clarifying your goal, and setting priorities that will support the goal, will ensure that you gain control of your tasks and meet the expectations of stakeholders, rather than wasting time ‘fighting fires’ in your day-to-day work.

2. Innovate through your knowledge and experience
If you expect to approach hurdles in your pathway, then tap into your knowledge and own experience gained from previous roles to identify what alternative processes could be used to work around, or through, a given situation. It is common to find ourselves operating within a confined and familiar work environment, repeating the same processes to overcome the same hurdles. By taking initiative and an innovative approach to managing your work and your team could benefit both yourself and the business in the long-run.

3. Develop resources
In addition to lack of time, it’s not uncommon to hear managers complain about a lack of money, shortage of instructors or the restraints of rules and regulations. Struggling to work with limited resources can lead to great frustration and the feeling that any attempts at improvement are futile. A solution for managers is to develop a long-term plan and approach goals strategically and steadily. The key with this approach is patience, sticking to your goal and not losing sight of your target as you face hurdles that may impede your work progress.

So, to all group exercise managers and coordinators who may be facing obstacles in their work, take charge of your role through implementing these three key strategies – and remember to keep your eye on the big picture.

Until next eNews, stay healthy and happy to ya all Groovy and Inspiring Group Ex Instructors and Managers!

Kinnie Ho

Nutrition News

'Bread and butter' solution to iodine deficiency
The composition of an Aussie loaf of bread has changed, thanks to a new mandatory food standard – backed by University of Sydney research – which demands that bakers replace the salt they have previously used with iodised salt.

The new Food Standards Australia New Zealand standard for Mandatory Iodine Fortification came into effect in October 9, in a bid to counter iodine deficiency in the Australian population.

Iodine deficiency causes a wide spectrum of devastating mental and physical disorders, collectively known as iodine deficiency disorders, with endemic goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland) the most visible and well-known. It poses a particular risk for pregnant women, who if iodine deficient, may see abnormal brain development in their unborn child.

The need for the standard was first highlighted by research conducted through the University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital in 1999, led by University of Sydney Professor of Clinical Medicine Creswell Eastman.

‘That research revealed a serious health concern with the re-emergence of an old disease in Australia, a silent epidemic as we coined it’ said Professor Eastman, who is now Vice-Chairman and Asia-Pacific regional coordinator of the International Council for the Control of Iodine Disorders; ‘This led to a national survey which took place in 2003-04 and was the first of its kind ever conducted in Australia’.

The National Iodine Nutrition study in 2003-04 looked at approximately 1,700 Australian schoolchildren aged eight to 10 years. The study found that Western Australian and Queensland children were iodine replete and Victorian and NSW children were mildly iodine deficient, with the differences linked to variations in ingestion of iodised salt, in regional milk iodine content, and drinking water iodine levels.

‘This was a tragedy because Iodine deficiency is the commonest preventable form of intellectual impairment in the world’ said Eastman.

A collaborator on the research, Dr Mu Li from the University of Sydney's School of Public Health said, ‘It was alarming that for many years Australian schoolchildren had mild iodine deficiency and no action had been taken by public health authorities’.

Li and Eastman said the decline in iodine intake in Australia has been due to two major factors – the change from iodine-containing sanitisers in the dairy industry to chlorine-containing or other acid-based sanitisers; and the low consumption of iodised salt.

‘Until the 1950s, epidemic goiter from nutritional iodine deficiency was highly prevalent in Australia's mountainous eastern states and especially in Tasmania. When iodine-containing sanitisers (iodophors) were introduced into the dairy industry, an 'accidental public health triumph' occurred. However, 40 years later, the dairy industry had phased out iodophors, substituting less expensive chlorine-containing sanitisers’ Professor Eastman said.

Professor Eastman and Dr Li were key members of the public health professional group who engaged with Food Standards Australia/NZ on the new standard. They originally lobbied for the trace element iodine to be placed in all salt because they believed many people would not eat enough bread to get sufficient intake.

However a counter-argument was forged that salty diets were not good for health and that analyses had shown salt could end up delivering risky levels of iodine to children. Bread was agreed upon as the most appropriate vehicle to deliver iodine to the Australian population.

The new Food Standards Australia/New Zealand standard will require the replacement of non-iodised salt in all bread where salt is added with iodised salt with a range of 25 to 65 milligrams of iodine per kilogram of salt. The standard will also apply to bread imported into Australia, usually as frozen dough. The definition of bread extends to all products made from bread dough that contain yeast and salt and includes buns, rolls, pita, bagels, muffins and sweet breads amongst others.

Source: The University of Sydney

Brain ‘tricked’ by flavoursome fatty food
Recent research findings suggest that overindulgence in tasty, high-fat foods may be caused by the brain’s temporary inability to detect when ‘enough’ energy has been consumed.

The study team from University of Texas Southwestern carried out trials on rodents, the results of which indicated that molecules of certain types of fat may travel to the brain, which proceeds to tell the body to continue it’s intake of energy.

Assistant professor of internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern, and study senior author, Deborah Clegg, said, ‘Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good. What we've shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets 'hit' with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin [chemicals that tell the body to stop eating]. Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat’.

In the animal tests the overeating effect appeared to last for three days following the consumption of fatty food. The study authors noted that palmitic acid, the fatty acid that seemed to be most damaging, is evident in beef and dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese.

Source: The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Vitamin D deficiency linked to high blood pressure
Researchers in the US have reported further evidence of a link between low levels of vitamin D and high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

At the start of the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study in 1993, vitamin D deficiency (less than 80 nanomoles per litre of blood) was measured in 559 female study subjects. Over 80 per cent of the women tested had vitamin D deficiency. Two per cent were undergoing treatment for high blood pressure and four per cent had undiagnosed high blood pressure.

Study author Flojaune Griffin, a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, reported that by the time of the follow up fifteen years later, in 2008, 19 per cent of the study subjects had diagnosed high blood pressure and 6 per cent were undiagnosed. After adjusting for the effects of age, obesity and smoking, incidence of high blood pressure was three times higher in subjects who had been recorded as having vitamin D deficiency at the study’s outset.

Although no data was gathered on the study participants’ eating behaviour in the intervening years, Griffin noted that, in general, the recommended intake of vitamin D has risen over the past fifteen years. US guidelines currently suggest the intake of 400 International Units (IU) for those aged under 60 and 600 IUs for those aged over 60.

Griffin said, ‘Exposure of skin to the sun is the most potent way to increase vitamin D levels. The main food sources include fatty fish, such as wild salmon. Also, milk and milk products are fortified with vitamin D’.

Although it is not possible to tell whether increased vitamin D intake may have affected the incidence of high blood pressure, Dr John Forman, an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said, ‘This study underscores a growing amount of accumulated data that low vitamin D levels are associated with high blood pressure’, although he said that no data yet exists to conclusively say whether increasing intake of vitamin D can help prevent high blood pressure; ‘We need large randomised trials on that’.

Source: HealthDay News

Club Corner

2010 Australian Fitness Industry Survey
Following the success of the past two years, outsourced direct debit service provider Ezypay is again coordinating an industry-wide survey – and the 2010 survey promises to be even bigger than previous years.

The survey will capture critical information about clubs across Australia, from both club owners and managers, and from club members. Highlights of the 2010 AFIS include:

The thoughts, feelings and perceptions of thousands of fitness club members
NEW Trends report
Comparisons with 2008 and 2009 surveys
Individual State facts and figures, as well as comparisons
Comparisons with New Zealand fitness club and member survey and other international research.

If you are a fitness club owner or manager, simply go to www.fitnesssurvey.com.au to complete the 2010 survey. By being part of the largest fitness industry survey, you'll find out what your club members really want.

Source: Ezypay

US clubs report solid performance
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association’s (IHRSA) survey of 54 clubs showed consistent performance year-to-date ending 30 September 2009 relative to the same time period last year. Many clubs reported ‘steady to improved’ performance in membership dues (51 per cent of responding clubs), non-dues revenue (45 per cent), and EBITDAR (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortisation and Rent) (55 per cent). For membership dues alone, over 26 per cent of responding clubs reported increases up to 5 per cent. Month-to-month performance was also similar for September 2009 relative to September 2008 with a near majority of clubs (47 per cent) indicating comparable membership dues/fees revenue.

‘Participating clubs in IHRSA’s monthly survey for August expected a profitable fall season, and September has proved to be a good start for clubs’ said Melissa Rodriguez, IHRSA’s manager of research; ‘While membership dues may have dwindled for some clubs in August, strong businesses have proved to be resilient in September with increased membership fees revenue and favourable cost management’.

IHRSA clubs reported steady staffing levels while a majority of club operators plan to maintain and enhance current fitness programs and club facilities. Over half of respondents (53 per cent) indicated a similar number of employees in September 2009 in comparison with September 2008, with a small sample (18 per cent) reporting increased staffing levels. Approximately nine out of 10 responding clubs (88 per cent) plan to maintain or increase their number of employees over the next three months.

Along with planning for consistent-to-increased staffing levels, the vast majority of club operators surveyed plan to maintain (64 per cent) or add (36 per cent) to their current level of special fitness programs. Nearly the entire sample (98 per cent) reported planning to maintain (68 per cent) or add (30 per cent) to their current level of group exercise classes. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of responding clubs indicated plans to make capital expenditures for equipment, expansion, or remodelling over the next three months.

‘Solid staffing levels of qualified employees, outstanding fitness programs, and improved facilities will help drive sales and overall club performance as the year ends. These sound operating plans will help fuel a strong start in 2010, when the industry typically reaches peak performance’ Rodriguez said.

Source: IHRSA

30 years of Good Life
Canada’s GoodLife chain of fitness facilities recently culminated a year of celebrations in honour of its 30th anniversary with a concert featuring iconic Canadian band ‘Tragically Hip’ for over 9,000 GoodLife staff, members, and business associates.

GoodLife began with a single 2,000 square foot club in 1979 and now has over 190 clubs across Canada, making it the largest group of fitness clubs in the country. The chain employs 8,000 Associates and has over 550,000 members.

GoodLife’s founder and CEO, David Patchell-Evans, was master of ceremonies for the celebration, and at one point during proceedings he acknowledged a group of people who had been members for the whole 30 years. One member in attendance was wearing a GoodLife promotional shirt from 1984, which still fit. Patchell-Evans remarked that this was an example of the lasting power of exercise.

Source: GoodLife Fitness & IHRSA

Star Trac® and Blue Fitness Australia team up in equipment, finance and marketing deal
From 2010, Star Trac will be represented in Australia by Blue Fitness (AUST) PTY LTD. Rose Bravin, managing director of Asia and Middle East for Star Trac said, ‘Star Trac is excited to make the appointment of Blue Fitness in Australia as it brings together three talented industry professionals; Emmett Williams and Dave Wright, co-owners of Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM) and Ben Davies, owner of Blue Fitness in New Zealand and Star Trac business development manager for South East Asia’.

Blue Fitness has over eight years experience in sourcing, delivering, and servicing commercial gym equipment in the Asia Pacific region and will be focusing on delivering Star Trac products with unique marketing and financing strategies. Blue Fitness’s unique approach will help Australian independent club owners to cost effectively bring new equipment, competitive financing, and creative marketing strategies together into a single growth initiative.

Industry veteran Emmett Williams, co-owner of Blue Fitness Australia and CFM, and owner of three independent health clubs, said, ‘We have an innovative plan to help Australian club operators through the integration of Star Trac equipment, competitive financing, and CFM membership drives. Our financing arm will be able to access capital with as little as 10 per cent down on equipment for independent clubs. CFM membership drives (with no outlay to the club) will provide the monthly cash-flow to pay for the monthly finance payments, which of course pays for the equipment. It is a combined product offering never seen before in Australia, and one that will be sure to deliver a new level of value to clubs. This combination of services is designed to help the industry grow their facilities to the next level with almost no risk’.

More specifically on the equipment side, Blue Fitness will be bringing all of Star Trac’s product line to the market, including Inspiration Strength featuring Lock N Load, the complete line of Spinner Bikes including the eSpinner, and the E Series line of cardio products featuring the industries most complete entertainment offerings. In addition, Blue Fitness will also be representing Hoist Fitness and their unique line of Rocket Strength equipment.

For more information, please contact Emmett Williams direct on 0438 989 726

Source: Creative Fitness Marketing

Announcements

New look Australian Fitness & Health Expo for 2010
The new look Australian Fitness & Health Expo will descend on Darling Harbour for three days between 30 April and 2 May 2010.

Taking place at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and running alongside the FILEX Convention, the Australian Fitness & Health Expo (previously the Australian Fitness Expo) will provide access to around 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest in fitness and training equipment, nutrition and supplements, apparel, music and training aids, business solutions and more.

Featuring a diverse range of international and local exhibitors, continuous stage demonstrations and opportunities to network, the Australian Fitness & Health Expo is the ultimate place to discover new products and review the latest trends in fitness and health from Australia and around the world.

For further information, visit www.fitnessexpo.com.au

The Move Movement launched to raise funds for Westmead
The Westmead Medical Research Foundation has launched a major fundraising project for medical research and clinical care at the Westmead campus in western Sydney.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, launched the initiative, known as The Move Movement. The project blends exercise such as walking, jogging, running, cycling and swimming with popular technology such as Facebook and Twitter, to improve individuals’ health while they raise funds. It will be conducted each year, starting in January 2010.

Participants will choose their form of exercise and nominate a target for performance within six months and for associated fundraising. For a nominal fee, they receive a pedometer or bike meter, a cap, water bottle and, most importantly, their own profile page on The Move Movement website. There, their progress will be logged graphically and they’ll be able to get advice on such things as nutrition and exercise routines, and see the results of others in the program.

They will use the social networking sites to recruit sponsors, report progress and urge supporters to spread the message further. There is provision for individuals, groups and corporate entities to take part, plus a Charity Challenge that could see groups undertaking guided overseas adventures such as trekking up Mount Kilimanjaro.

All funds raised will go to research and clinical care at the Westmead campus. The Westmead Medical Research Foundation supports a research institute on the campus with almost 500 researchers and peer-reviewed grant funding of $20 million in 2008.

It has a $140 million capital works program for the next two years to expand its activities.

Australia’s largest teaching hospital, The Westmead complex services one million patients a year, many from outside Sydney, and 43 per cent of Sydney’s population.

To help your clients and participants get fit and active while they raise funds for charity, visit
www.themovemovement.com.au to find out more.

Source: Westmead Medical Research Foundation.

Live Earth Run for Water
Live Earth, the environmental awareness organisation formed in partnership Al Gore, recently announced plans to implement the largest worldwide water initiative on record to help combat the global water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water – to take place on 18 April 2010 – will consist of a series of 6 km run/walks (the average distance many women and children walk every day to secure water) taking place over the course of 24 hours in countries around the world, featuring concerts and water education activities aimed at igniting a tipping point to help solve the water crisis.

Water scarcity is an issue affecting countries, communities and families all over the world. One in eight people don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. Eighty-eight per cent of diarrheal cases worldwide are linked to inadequate and unsafe water. These cases result in 1.5 million deaths each year, mostly among children under five. In these areas, women and children are forced to walk 6 km (3.7 miles) each day to secure water that is likely unsuitable for drinking.

‘The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will bring people together around the world, raising awareness about the sources and consequences of the water crisis, locally and globally’ said Alexandra Cousteau, global water advocate and founder of Blue Legacy International; ‘It captures perfectly the interconnectedness of life on our water planet and drives home the message that the water crisis is a global issue that isn’t going to be fixed by scientists or policymakers alone. It’s up to each of us’.

Everybody counts in helping to solve the water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a global movement focused on the actions individuals can take to effectively address the issue. People are encouraged to start solving the problem today, run in a Dow Live Earth Run for Water run/walk in their community or organize their own run/walk through the Friends of Live Earth program, save water in their home and local community through conservation efforts, give money to support clean, safe water projects and speak up by signing the Live Earth petition to add water as a basic human right to the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.

Melbourne has been named as a Dow Live Earth Run for Water city, along with Mexico City; New York, Singapore and Toronto among others. A full list of Dow Live Earth Run for Water cities is available online at http://liveearth.org/run. All participants will receive a free online ActiveTrainer plan to help them prepare for the event. Ten per cent of all registration fees go directly to the NGO selected for their country.

‘The world water crisis is the single greatest avoidable health challenge of our time’ said Paul Faeth, president of Global Water Challenge, the lead beneficiary and non-profit partner for the Dow Live Earth Run for Water in the US; ‘There is a solution. With appropriate funding and scaling simple technology, we believe we have the ability to ensure universal access to clean and safe drinking water. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will serve as a catalyst to rally the world community around the critical issue of water scarcity and empower citizens to be part of the solution’.

Kevin Wall, founder and CEO of Live Earth, said, ‘Building on the massive success of the Live Earth: Concerts for a Climate in Crisis in 2007, the Dow Live Earth Run for Water will mobilise the global community to once again come together on one day and take action on one of the most serious environmental issues today, the global water crisis. Water scarcity affects everyone whether they are aware of it or not, and the goal of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is to raise the profile of this issue, educate the world’s citizens about its challenges and offer opportunities to be part of the solution’.

For more information about the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, visit http://liveearth.org

Source: Live Earth

Book review

Title: Cycling Anatomy
Author: Shannon Sovndal, MD
RRP: $36.95 – Network member price $33.25 (if purchased at http://www.fitnessnetworkcentre.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736075879)

See what it takes to maximise cycling power, speed, and endurance! Cycling Anatomy will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscular strength and optimising the efficiency of every movement.

The text features 74 of the most effective cycling exercises, each with clear, step-by-step descriptions and full-colour anatomical illustrations highlighting the primary muscles in action.

Cycling Anatomy goes beyond exercises by placing you on the bike and into the throes of competition. Illustrations of the active muscles involved in cornering, climbing, descending, and sprinting show you how the exercises are fundamentally linked to cycling performance. From steep inclines to slick terrains, Cycling Anatomy will ensure you’re prepared for any challenge that comes your way.

You’ll also learn how to modify exercises to target specific areas, reduce muscle tension, and minimise common cycling injuries. You’ll then be able to pull it all together to develop training based on individual needs and goals. Whether you’re training for an upcoming century ride or just want to top that killer hill with strength to spare, Cycling Anatomy will make sure you get the most out of every ride.

‘Cycling Anatomy answers the basic and complex questions and gives you an array of options for improving your training both on and off the bike’.
Connie Carpenter Phinney, 1984 Olympic Champion