ABC of Fitness News Feed

KC Marathon Health & Fitness Expo

Inspiration, invigoration and a focus on children's health combine in the lead up to the fourth annual Kansas City Health and Fitness Expo, presented by Saturn and BlueCross BlueShield Thursday, Oct. 16 and Friday, Oct. 17.

The Expo is the prelude to the Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon, which follows the two-day Expo on October 18. Located in the heart of the Marathon course at Crown Center Exhibit Hall A (connected to Hyatt Regency Crown Center at Pershing and McGee), the Expo is free and open to the public.

The Expo begins at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 and closes at 9 p.m. The event continues Friday Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. concluding at 9 p.m. Visitors get three free hours of validated parking at the Crown Center Exhibit Hall parking garage. Motivational speaker and Marathon Legend Dick Beardsley will kick off the Expo, which features dozens of exhibitors representing products, services and activities which focus on the mind, body and soul. Limited booth space is available by calling 816-960-3400.

Beardsley ran the fifth-fastest time in U.S. men's marathon history (2:08:53). He is a two-time champion (1981 & 1982) and course record holder (1981) of Grandma's Marathon; champion and course record holder (2:16:20) of the 1987 Napa Valley Marathon; 1981 London Marathon champion and a two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier�1980 & 1988.

His life has been described as "a Greek tragedy with an upbeat ending," due to his survival of several near-fatal accidents, substance abuse and many other challenges. Now a noted motivational speaker, his autobiography Staying the Course, has been re-released in paperback. He hosts an annual marathon running camp in Waubun, MN. His website is located at http://www.dickbeardsley.com.

Other speakers include experts on childhood obesity and fitness. The Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon shed new light on this issue with the addition of the Kansas City Kid's Marathon. Kids trained throughout the year by logging their mileage increments in quarters, halves or miles. Then on race day, participants will complete the marathon by running the final 1.2 miles. Parents are welcome and encouraged to run with their kids.

"When the issue of Childhood Obesity made the cover of Time Magazine earlier this year, it drove it home to us that we should focus on this critical health crisis," said Health & Fitness Expo spokesman Alex Greenwood. "We're thrilled to have health experts from all over the area speaking about this issue at the Expo. We invite parents, teachers, healthcare providers and anyone interested in a healthy mind, body and soul to visit the Expo."

Seminar speakers include Shelly Summar, MSEd, RD, LD, Weight Management Program Coordinator at Children's Mercy Weight Management Clinic, who will inform attendees about Training with their kids--how to make exercise fun for kids and how to meet their nutritional needs. Yvonne Dorsey, CEO/Fitness Consultant of FIT WITHIN will discuss fun fitness strategies for kids. Michael Zeller, Vice President of KCPT Kansas City Public Television will discuss Eat Small and other children's health awareness and social marketing programs.

Other seminar speakers include Eladio Valdez III of Runners Edge, who will offer Kansas City Marathon final training tips and Jack Cady, MPT of Stride Mechanics, LLC. Cady will discuss the secrets of efficient runners and how to make them your own.

Entertainment will be provided by David Kiene throughout the Expo.

The Kansas City Health & Fitness Expo is produced by EventPros. Visit http://www.waddellandreedkcmarathon.org/Expo.htm or call EventPros at 816-960-3400 for a complete list of exhibitors, a seminar schedule, pasta dinner registration and more. Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation: The Sports Commission promotes sports and recreation throughout Kansas City. Since 1990, the organization has had an economic impact of more than $600 million in the surrounding metropolitan area. The Commission sponsors over 25 annual events, including youth clinics, annual community and membership luncheons and community-sponsored athletic events. For more information about the Sports Commission, call Kevin Wicker at 816.474.4652 or visit http://www.sportkc.org.

Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. has been headquartered in Kansas City for 70 years. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning services to clients throughout the United States. Visit http://www.waddell.com for more information.

Source: www.24-7pressrelease.com/

Iron Gym Reclaimed as Innovative Doorway-Gym

This summer 2008 sees the release of the Iron Gym; a brand new training facility which tones abs, arms, backs, stomachs and shoulders and all from a doorway within the home. The �Iron Gym' is the best example of innovative home workout equipment to come out of the US in months. With the competition so high let's look at what makes this piece of exercise gear so different from all the rest.

To begin with, the Iron gym fits snugly and securely onto the top of the door frame, turning the whole doorway into a personal gym in a matter of seconds. It does this by simply being placed there; rather than needing to be attached with nuts and bolts. It might seem like just resting the Iron Gym on the top of the doorframe is unstable, but the device actually rests on the other side of the door frame lower down. The pressure from your body weight makes it impossible to fall down while you do your pull ups and dips. In fact, it is removable only when lifted up.

Secondly, the Iron Gym is entirely portable. It can be conveniently placed over you shoulder and carried as far as you would like or until you find a free-door. Each time you walk past the door you can have a quick go. This means easy and regular workouts to build up muscle without having to take time out of your day. What's more, it comes all in one so there is no fiddling about to be done before you set about working out. Instead, the Iron Gym comes complete with three different grip-hold positions to tone different muscles in different areas of the body (narrow, wide and neutral grip). For example: the back and shoulder muscles are worked on the outer bars when used with the inner wrists facing away from you and the abs and biceps are worked on the inner bars when used with the inner wrists facing towards your body.

Another way to use the Iron Gym exercise equipment is to place it on the floor and use it as an abs roller for sit ups, push ups, dips and crunches. This pioneering model is versatile in that respect, and also it can fit in anyone's house, no matter how big or small, without getting in the way.

With just one piece of equipment it's possible for someone to exercise and tone their whole upper body, and selectively choose which parts of the body they would like to tone more than others. This is gear aimed at people who enjoy working out at home but don't want their equipment to take up a lot of space.

This summer the Iron Gym bursts onto our shelves and brings fitness and toning enthusiasts the ideal way to get ripped within the comfort of their own home and with the ability to develop their very own workout routine. The Iron gym exercise equipment is an arm, shoulder, abs, back and stomach toner with diverse multi-functions and an unobtrusive stance. It's the new, innovative Iron Gym.

SOURCE: Source: www.prunderground.com

Online Certificate in Personal Training

The Online Professional Certificate in Personal Training and Group Exercise Training for Older Adults is a comprehensive Web-based program, with an Optional Field Internship course. It is designed to establish a national standard to ensure the development of safe and effective exercise programs for older adults by personal trainers, allied health/medical and fitness professionals, and the general public. The certificate program has been designed to incorporate curriculum standards from the "International Curriculum Guidelines for Preparing Physical Activity Instructors of Older Adults� in collaboration with and endorsed by the World Health Organization.

The program will supply essential educational pathways and job opportunities to begin a career working with senior/older adults in the emerging fitness/health industry; for established fitness professionals who desire advanced education in working with older adults; and for allied health and medical professionals from all fields seeking to design specialized exercise and wellness programs for their older adult clients and patients.

Graduating students will be prepared for a career working with older adults at senior centers, medically-based fitness facilities, retirement communities, YMCA/JCC's, hospitals, community wellness programs, personal training studios, physical therapy clinics, long-term care facilities, corporate fitness centers, collegiate settings, and private and commercial health clubs. In addition, the certificate will also prepare individual 50+ exercise enthusiasts in the development of a personalized program based on current research and organizational guidelines.

The program is offered in partnership with the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the American Senior Fitness Association (SFA), the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), and Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program. Students graduating from the certificate program will receive a complimentary one-year membership to the ICAA which includes registration discounts to the annual International Active Aging Conference. In addition, graduating students will receive preferred discounts for the SFA's certification exams (Senior Personal Trainer Certification or the Senior Fitness Instructor Certification), the AEA's certification exam (Aquatic Exercise Association Fitness Professional Certification), and for Healthways Instructor Accreditation for Older Adult Exercise.

"With the burgeoning growth of the 50+ "Baby Boomer� market the fitness industry needs qualified instructors that can safely and effectively design exercise programs that take into account the needs and interests of this group," said Cody Sipe, MS, program coordinator for the senior certificate program and past winner of IDEA's Program Director of the Year Award. "Students will learn how to develop programs for older adults based on important factors such as their age, gender, functional level, health status, medication usage and personal interests,� said Sipe.

The Professional Certificate in Senior Personal Training will include courses in Socio-Physiological Aspects of Aging, Designing Older Adult Exercise Programs, Business Management and Administration for the Mature Market, and Exercise and Aging for Special Populations as well as the optional field internship course allowing students a practical learning experience. The certificate and elective internship course are offered three times per year in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

For more information or to register for the Online Certificate in Personal Training and Group Exercise Training for Older Adults, visit the following link: www.efslibrary.net. Second module courses begin October 27th.

Source: www.theopenpress.com

Online Certificate in Fitness Business Management

The Online Professional Certificate in Fitness Business Management is an innovative Web-based Certificate (with an Optional Field Internship course) designed to teach students how to manage a Personal Training Program &/or a Health-Fitness Department as a Strategic Business Unit (S.B.U.) in both commercial and non-commercial based health and fitness facilities in the United States and/or internationally.

The program was developed to establish an industry standard in fitness management education for allied health and fitness professionals, personal trainers, fitness managers, and entrepreneurs that wish to establish a successful business model and fitness operation. Specific learning topics include fitness management, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance, personnel management, customer service, and business administration concepts.

The certificate prepares students to implement successful business systems in the following settings: private and commercial health clubs, medically-based fitness facilities, community wellness centers, personal training studios, physical therapy clinics, YMCA's, JCC's, college/university centers, recreational settings, and corporate fitness centers. A competitive advantage offered in the program is the optional field internship which enables students to practice fitness management concepts in a health and fitness setting.

This program is offered in partnership with IDEA Health & Fitness Association, Health Club Managers, Inc., and Personal Fitness Professional. IDEA has provided content/curriculum in the program; in addition, students receive a complimentary 6-month membership to the digital edition of IDEA Fitness Journal. Health Club Managers, a Health Club Staff/Management Training company, is providing graduating certificate students a preferred discount on their services, and Personal Fitness Professional is providing students with students a 3 year free subscription which includes 8 print issues per year, a bi-monthly e-newsletter, and access to their digital magazine.

"As a business owner, trainer and manager, I have found that the most important skills missing among Fitness Managers are their core-business knowledge, their ability to manage employees, and their ability to manage a Club's customers. From conference to conference, I hear a distinct disconnect between managers and the real needs of the Club business. This certificate program will prepare current personal trainers and health/wellness professionals who want to become Fitness-Business Professionals,� according to Ken Baldwin, M.ED, program coordinator for the certificate program and past winner of IDEA's Personal Trainer of the Year Award. "This is the first educational certificate program in the country that prepares students to learn to incorporate the business and administrative systems to make a company successful on all levels. In essence, this program is an "MBA in Fitness Management� that will prepare students to take their fitness careers to the next level by incorporating the business skill sets that will establish the business systems and practice standards to set their health and fitness facility apart from their competition. This program has been established to set the "Gold Standard� in the training, education, and development of Fitness Managers and Personal Training Directors for the health and fitness industry�, said Baldwin.

This Certificate Program will include the following courses: Business Development and Entrepreneurship in Fitness; Financial Principles and Business Concepts; Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service Management (CSM); and Fitness Management and Business Administration; and an Optional Field Internship in Fitness Management Course. The certificate and the optional internship course are offered three times per year in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. To register or to learn more about the Online Certificate in Fitness Business Management, visit the following website to locate a school in your area that offers this program: www.efslibrary.net. The second module of classes starts October 27th. Register now before it's too late.

Source:
www.prlog.org

Kids And Adults Worldwide To Virtually Run

A 44-year-old husband, father of four and ultra-endurance athlete pushing a jogging stroller of gear will virtually trek with thousands of children and adults worldwide over a 500-mile course through the rugged terrain of Alaska between April 22 and May 13, 2009. Paul Staso accomplished a 3,260-mile solo run across the United States in 2006 and a 620-mile solo run across Montana in 2008 ─ virtually trekking with teams of children using his unique approach to promoting youth health and fitness. Now he's heading as far north as the Arctic Circle and for the first time will virtually bring adults along on his journey.

"The Alaska journey, called P.A.C.E. Trek 2009, is my way of trying to make an impact in the childhood obesity issue and the continuing decline of youth health and fitness," Staso says. "The journey through Alaska will require me to average 33 miles per day as I encounter some rugged and breathtaking terrain. I'll be virtually traveling with teams of children and adults from around the world as they access my web sites, pacetrek.com and stepthere.com, and learn about the locations we're trekking through via my writings, pictures and media files."

In May 2008 Staso accomplished the inaugural P.A.C.E. Trek by virtually bringing children with him across the state of Montana. Through rain, wind, heat and snow Staso persevered across Montana, averaging 31 miles per day for 20 days during the east-to-west run. There were 108 teams of children (8,000+ runners and walkers) globally following along with him and cumulatively those teams logged over 42,000 miles during the trek. P.A.C.E. is an acronym for Promoting Active Children Everywhere and that is what Staso aims to achieve through his endeavors.

"Since I completed my 108 days of running coast-to-coast across America, I've had opportunities to speak to many audiences about the purpose of P.A.C.E. and what I believe needs to be done to turn the tide on the growing epidemic of childhood obesity," Staso says. "Kids need to see that if you take care of your body it can take you on some wonderful adventures ─ far more satisfying than staring at a television or computer for hours on end. By the reactions I receive from children, I know that my message and endurance journeys intrigue many."

Staso, a former 5th grade teacher, has developed an extensive web site at www.pacetrek.com so teachers and students from kindergarten through 12th grade can be involved in the trek. There is no cost to register a P.A.C.E. Trek team and teachers can sign up a team at pacetrek.com. For the 2009 endeavor Staso decided that it was time for adults to get involved in the virtual journeys. Therefore, adults can register teams for free via stepthere.com. Staso, who organizes and funds much of the endurance journeys himself, intends to do the treks annually in different locations ─ as long as his body holds up.

"We've set it up so that teachers will have everything needed at the pacetrek.com web site and it would not take any more than 10 minutes per day for 16 school days. That's a commitment of less than 3 hours total," Staso says. "Last year we had teams reaching from Germany to Georgia; Malaysia to Maine; Australia to Alaska; Italy to Iowa... and so many places in between. I'm very excited to also offer an opportunity to parents and non-parents to get involved through stepthere.com."

Once again Staso will push a jogging stroller to carry essential equipment, including: food, water, GPS, running gear, and more ─ even a solar panel for charging electronic gadgets. Lodging will be arranged before the journey begins.

Staso grew up in Alaska, attending such schools as Eagle River Elementary; Gruening Middle School; Chugiak High School; and, Juneau-Douglas High School - from which he graduated in 1983. Montana has been Staso's home for the past 25 years. He is committed to doing what he can to inspire, educate and motivate children and adults toward greater health and fitness. Staso also wants people to set personal goals and reach for their dreams. As he says, "Your dreams are beyond the horizon, and you have to persevere to the horizon in order to realize those dreams."

When not on the road, Staso develops virtual trek curriculums which many schools have either adopted or imitated, including a Run/Walk Across America trek (seeusrun.com) and a fitness journey along historic Route 66 (kids66.com). He also develops corporate web sites and provides Internet marketing services through OnTrack Designs.

Staso is asking all who hear about his latest endeavor, P.A.C.E. Trek 2009 (and the adult challenge called S.T.E.P. There), to share the upcoming 2009 Alaska trek with as many people as possible. "The Alaska adventure will be a fun, educational trek for all involved, regardless of age or where they're located," Staso says. "Since it's a free and unique opportunity I particularly hope that school teachers and coaches will sign up student teams and support the aim of getting kids up, moving and learning."

You can learn more about P.A.C.E. Trek 2009 at pacetrek.com, and the adult challenge at stepthere.com. You can also experience Staso's 2006 solo run across America online at pacerun.com, and his 2008 solo run across Montana at pacetrek.com/montana.

Source:
www.pacetrek.com