Today is a different kind of post, I am going to chat about online fitness business.

Let’s start with something fun.

Look at what I ate on Saturday night:

It was a Tomahawk steak.

I have never had a steak with a handle.  It was good.

Now to the info.

As you know, I was in Las Vegas last weekend where I presented at a conference that was dedicated to fitness business. The conference was full of presenters that talked about online and offline fitness business marketing.

How Much Do I Study Fitness Business Marketing?

Before I get into what I learned at the conference, let me take a minute to let you know how much fitness business info that I study.

Every week I am working on my understanding and technical skill when it comes to exercises and injuries.  I read journal articles (make sure to check out 6 Must Read Journals ), work with clients, read key blogs and look for new exercises to help me out.

Also every week I spend equal or more time understanding fitness business with a strong focus on online.

What I mean with online is blogging, Facebook, YouTube and other social media.

If you want to get your hands on something fast that will help you out, this will:

Spending this time understanding and learning how things work online has allowed me to go from a local trainer to a global trainer.

What I Learned in Vegas

Let’s start off with the Hard Rock Hotel, which is an interesting place.  It definitely attracts a different clientele.

Secondly, let me look into my Black Book.  I have a nice black business notebook that I put all of my fitness business notes into.  I holds all of my ideas and the things I have learned.  You should do the same.

Facebook and Fitness Business

For anyone that is in the fitness business, Facebook is essential for your business.

The big thing with Facebook is to try to create interaction on Facebook.

I try to do that on the EFI Facebook Fan page by constantly giving stuff away.

Other thing is to be consistent and focus on photos.

Plus put your blog posts on Facebook as well.

I will keep it at that.

I go through A LOT more here – 17 Strategies to Getting Medical Referrals Using Social Media:

Importance of Writing in Fitness Business

One of the guys that presented was John Rominello.  John is a trainer in New York City and now mainly focuses on training clients online and writing.

He talked about the importance of writing and how writing can lead to opportunities.  For him it has led to writing for major magazines and also an upcoming physical book.

He encouraged us all to take writing seriously and work on improving the craft so “Great writing = Great opportunity”.

I have taken this to heart and will work harder on improving my writing.

He explained that writing is not just the writing you do in magazines or physical books.  The writing on your blog is also very important as people can check out what you do and an opportunity may come out of it.

SEO and Fitness Business

Now this might be a bit geeky but SEO is search engine optimization which is making it easier for search engines to find you and your website.

Rick Porter talked about this.  He talked about a trend that he is seeing which is social signals.

Search engines are putting more weight on social signals.  Examples of social signals are Facebook Likes, Tweets and G+.  The search engines are feeling that these are better indicators of good content on the internet and more of an accurate reflection of what people like compared to other factors.

The lesson?  If you have a website, ask and encourage your readers to click on  your social signals as they are votes for your site and that specific page.

I hope that made sense.

To finish off.

This is what I finished off with at dinner:

The cake was okay.  I ate about 1/3 of it because it was not worth eating all of it.  The glass of milk was Homo milk which was a shock to my system.  Not sure when the last time I had homo milk was.  I had a sip of milk but I ate the whole chocolate stir stick.

Until next time.

Rick Kaselj, MS

I have been asked to present at the BCRPA 2011 Conference.

I don’t have all the details but they have asked me to talk about muscle imbalances and SI joint post injury rehabilitation.

I will have more details soon.

All I know is it is Saturday, October 1, 2011.

It is at Capilano University in North Vancouver.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Core Stability of the Shoulder

DESCRIPTION:

OBJECTIVES:

I get a lot of email.

Who doesn’t?

It is great to get kind words like this in my email.

Exercises in Shoulder Pain Solved were Very Thorough

“I want to thank you for taking the time to create this Shoulder Pain Solved program.  It has answered some of my questions about shoulder issues.

Also, I appreciate that you were very thorough when you went over the corrective exercises.

Thanks a lot.”

Valerie Parks
Certified personal trainer specializing in working with seniors
City of Newark, NJ.

The Shoulder Pain Solved program has been only out for a few weeks and I am already getting great feedback.  So glad I could help.

Thank Your For All the Presentations

I liked the blackberry workout and found the other presentations to be very informative.

I didn’t realise that there was so much to the shoulder and how its movements can be affected by injuries.

Thank you for the presentation.

Peter T

I call  it my $299 Fitness Education Gift.  One of the fun programs I have in there is the Blackberry Workout.

Plantar Fasciitis Program has Easy and Effective Exercises

“The best thing about the plantar fasciitis program for me is that it is easily understood by the patient and that the exercises itself are very easy but still very effective.

The only thing I hate about the plantar fasciitis program is that I hate nothing at all!  There are no flaws.

I found it very easy to follow, easily understood and very effective.”

Mieke Pistorius
Physiotherapist
Nylstroom, South Africa

I am so glad the Plantar Fasciitis Exercise Solution has been helpful to so many.

I am Amazing!

“Thanks for part 3 about the core myth workouts.

Thanks Rick. You are an amazing guy.”

Sharon M

Ah, gosh, thanks.

Timely Post

Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:56:25 -0700
From: Sue
Subject: RE: About Your Calf Pain
To: support (at) ExercisesForInjuries.com

Thanks Rick.

This is a great reminder on how to do heel drops correctly.

It sure helps to have all  your video instructions to refer to!

For some unknown reason your timing of each  exercise has been perfect for me along the way.

I  hope we have a nice long weekend weather wise too.

Bye, Sue.

Sue was talking about the high heel pain article I did a few days back.

I would definitely recommend this to All my Colleagues

“I would definitely recommend this course to all my colleagues as I found it incredibly useful and interesting and will likely refer back to the content in the future.

Muscle Imbalances Revealed was exactly what I have been searching around for and I am excited to check out the membership area of the different presenters to see what other information, courses and/or books they offer on their topics. Thank you, Rick”

Amanda McMurray
Practicing Kinesiologist
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Rick Kaselj, MS

Muscle Imbalances Revealed keeps racking up the amazing feedback.  I can not believe how many people this program has helped and the feedback I have gotten.

I am so glad I could help.

That is it for this weeks “mail bag”.  Please do keep the kind words coming and send them to support (at) exercisesforinjuries.com

Until next time.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Core Fusion

Description:

When we think of “core”, we often think of the back, but this is only one of the core areas of the body. As a fitness professional, it is important to address all three core areas in the body. In this hands-on session, weightroom instructors and personal trainers will provide a progressive list of exercises that address all three core areas. You will leave this session with a good understanding of all the core areas of the body and a practical list of exercises that you can use with older adults to young, fit clients.

Objectives:

• Discover the three core areas of the body that need to be addresses in order to prevent injuries, improve fitness results, improve health and overcome injuries.
• Use common exercise tools found in the fitness center to progress and challenge the core areas of the body
• Try out a progressive list of exercises that are safe and challenging for all fitness levels

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Location:  Live2Play Fitness Studio – Unit #200, 5858 – 176th Street, Surrey, BC  V3S 4E2

About the Presenter:

Rick Kaselj, MS, BSc, PK, CEP, CPT, CES

Rick Kaselj is a personal trainer who focuses on designing exercise programs for clients recovering from injuries.

He shares his tips, tricks and exercises with thousands of fitness professionals from around the world through his books, courses, presentation and his active blog.

Rick recently completed his Masters of Science degree focusing on corrective exercise and therapeutic exercise for the rotator cuff.

To learn more about Rick, visit his blog and receive your $299 fitness education gift – http://ExercisesForInjuries.com

You can get the flyer of the workshop and register by CLICKING HERE .

I have an upcoming workshop on foam roller exercises.

Foam Roller Essentials

Foam Roller Exercises to Improve Core Stability, Posture, Strength, Range of Motion, Flexibility, Trigger Points and Balance

Workshop Description:

Every facility has foam rollers but few fitness professionals use them.  The foam roller is a simple and easy fitness tool that can be used in a group or one-on-one setting.  It can be used for variety, to help modify an exercise, make an exercise more challenging or help with recovery from a workout.  Learn the essentials of using the foam roller as part of any client’s total body workout, plus new and exciting ways to challenge and improve strength, core stability, posture, range of motion, flexibility, trigger points and balance. After completing this active, hands-on two hour workshop you leave with a stack of exercises you can use with all of your clients.

What you will learn in this workshop:

• - An extensive list of exercises, reinforced with demonstrations and practice, that will improve your client’s strength, core stability, posture, range of motion, flexibility, trigger points and balance
• - Awareness of cueing and spotting techniques to ensure exercises are performed correctly
• - Guidelines for identifying which exercises can best benefit a specific client’s needs
• - An understanding of how to incorporate the exercises into a class or individual client program, and how to safely progress your clients
• - Knowledge of the correct technique for incorporating foam roller exercises into client and class programs, including proper execution, breathing and recommended repetitions

Registration:  If you want to get this 2 hour video presentation of this workshop CLICK HERE .

About the Presenter:

Rick Kaselj, MS, BSc, PK, CEP, CPT, CES

Rick Kaselj is a personal trainer who focuses on designing exercise programs for clients recovering from injuries.

One tool Rick constantly uses with his clients is the foam roller.

Rick has shared his tips, tricks and exercises with thousands of fitness professionals from around the world through his books, courses, presentation and active blog. Rick recently completed his Masters of Science degree focusing on corrective exercise and therapeutic exercise for the rotator cuff.

To learn more about Rick, visit his blog and receive your $299 fitness education gift – http://ExercisesForInjuries.com

Getting more clients is always a struggle for fitness professionals.

If you have wondered on how to use YouTube, Facebook and Your Blog to get them, I go through it here:

How to Use YouTube, Facebook and Your Blog to Get More Personal Training Clients

In the past, business cards and flyers were enough for personal trainers to get clients.  Now it is essential that personal trainers get online in order to connect with their clients and attract new clients.  The challenge of getting online is how to keep it simple and keep the costs low.  In this practical workshop, you will discover how to get online on a shoe string budget and how to use the tools that will get you more personal training clients.

What You Will Get Out of It:

• A 5 step process of getting your fitness business online at little or no cost
• The 7 must have elements your fitness website must have
• The secrets to a successful and growing blog
• Discover the best way to use YouTube to get more fitness clients
• How to set up Facebook to help your friends out and get more clients

About the Presenter – Rick Kaselj – MS., B.Sc., PK, CPT

Rick Kaselj is a fitness professional who uses YouTube, Facebook and his blog to connect with fitness professionals and training clients around the world.  Rick specializes in using exercise to help clients overcome injuries.  Rick shares with fitness professionals and public, the most effective exercises for injuries through courses, books, manuals and DVDs. You can see how Rick uses social media to connect with people around the word by visiting www.ExercisesForInjuries.com

If you are looking for other resources on getting more clients, check this out:

To get more information on the 17 Strategies to Getting Medical Referrals using Social Media, CLICK HERE.

Hope to see you at the course, if not, check out the video presentation.

Rick Kaselj, MS

It was a great weekend teaching Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Body.

Thank you to everyone that attended.

It was great to have so many personal trainers, group fitness instructors and Kinesiologists attend the courses.

Once again, I had great feedback from everyone that attended:

“A good hands on course with a lot of examples for exercises for the rehab client.  You can start using your knowledge right with your clients.”

Stefanie Rogge

“I have really enjoyed the courses I have taken over the weekend.  I found them very interesting and informative.  I feel the information will give me great tools to utilize in my training programs.”

Shea Sargent

“Rick is a very good speaker.  Very knowledgeable, easy to understand, describes the material in a manner that anyone can understand.  I find his courses to be excellent in quality.”

Deana Critchley

“Rick is friendly and easy to approach about course material.”

Pablo Chang

“I recommend the courses offered by Rick to all fitness professionals for optimal rehabilitation of clients.”

Fez Moussavi-zadeh

“If personal trainers want to be more informed, take these courses to get great practical info.”

O.M

Thank you for everyone that attended.  I had a great time teaching and sharing the information with you.

From reading the evaluations, I can see I did the key things that fitness professionals are looking for in a course:

• Great exercises
• Everything was touched on
• Informative
• Course was beneficial
• Learning the right exercises for each injury
• The course moved smoothly
• The course was very balanced
• Course was not intimidating
• Hands-on course
• Lots of great exercises
• Interactive

If you missed out on the Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Body courses, I will be teaching them again in May 2012. Details should be up on the blog very soon.

The next set of courses that I am teaching is coming up in October 2011 and it is the core stability weekend.

Hope to see you at the course.

Take care and have a great day!

Rick Kaselj, MS

I have finalized a presentation in Burnaby for later this month.

It is for the Fitness Blitz 28.

There I am along with the other presenters on the flyer:

Here is the description of my session:

Head to Toe Core Fusion Class

Description:

When we think of “Core”, we often think of the back, but this is only one of the core areas of the body. As a fitness professional, it is important to address all three core areas in the body. In this hands-on session, weightroom instructors and personal trainers will provide a progressive list of exercises that address all three core ares. You will leave this session with a good understanding of all the core areas of the body and a practical list of exercises that you can use with older adults to young, fit clients.

Objectives:

• Discover the three core ares of the body that need to be addresses in order to prevent injuries, improve fitness results, improve health and overcome injuries.
• Use common exercise tools found in the fitness center to progress and challenge the core areas of the body
• Try out a progressive list of exercises that are safe and challenging for all fitness levels

About the Presenter:

Rick Kaselj, MS, BSc, PK, CEP, CPT, CES

Rick Kaselj is a personal trainer who focuses on designing exercise programs for clients recovering from injuries. He shares his tips, tricks and exercises with thousands of fitness professionals from around the world through his books, courses, presentation and his active blog. Rick recently completed his Masters of Science degree focusing on corrective exercise and therapeutic exercise for the rotator cuff. To learn more about Rick, visit his blog and receive your $299 fitness education gift – http://www.ExercisesForInjuries.com

To download the flyer for the Fitness Blitz 28, CLICK HERE.

If you have fitness education event that you need a presenter for, make sure to think of me.  I am working on finalizing some in Surrey.

To see what other fitness education courses that I have coming up, CLICK HERE.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Today I got a guest blog post for you from, Mark Young.

Earlier this week, I did a review on a great product that Mark just finished up called:

==> How to Read Fitness Research Review

In Mark’s guest blog post he talks about what looking at the research has given him.  He is so right.  Enjoy.

Research is Freedom

When most people think of reading research they think of being chained to a desk and laboring over boring studies full of confusing information for hours on end.  In fact, to some reading research sounds more like punishment you might impose on someone rather than something you might willingly (and enthusiastically) undertake on your own.

For me, research is the opposite.  Research is freedom!

Research is Freedom from Hype

With all of the pseudoscientific nonsense and misinformation spread by “experts” on the internet in an attempt to differentiate themselves from the rest it is no wonder people are confused.  Fitness enthusiasts and even strength coaches, trainers, and therapists are completely lost because they do not possess the ability to decipher fact from fiction.

Reading research can give you that freedom because you’ll no longer be dependent on anyone else’s interpretations.  You can go straight to the original paper and decide for yourself if something is even close to being worth your time.  Sure, you can learn from others, but you can confirm (or refute) that information so you’re making a smart decision and not getting wrapped up in trends and hype.

Research is Freedom from Rules

I work predominantly with fat loss clients so this may not apply directly to you, but bear with me as the concept will be relevant.

We’ve all heard of the rule that we should eat 5-6 times per day to stave off the dreaded starvation mode that will invariably prevent people from losing fat.  And if you were a slave to industry trends and popular opinion you might tell a fat loss client that this is an absolute necessity.

However, if you were able to read research you would know that fasting for periods as long as 72 hours can actually INCREASE the metabolism.  Imagine telling a fat loss client that they would no longer be tied to planning, preparing, carrying, and eating 6 meals per day.  That is freedom from dogma.  That makes clients happy.  And that will differentiate you from the masses.

Whatever area you are in, if you examine your practices with research I’m positive that you’ll find freedom from many of the “rules” that govern them.

Research is Freedom…But You Have to Read It

I won’t lie to you and tell you that reading research is better than a day at the park.  It isn’t.  It is hard…especially at first.  But like any skill it will get easier with practice.  All you need to do is learn how and start doing it.  Trust me when I tell you…it is worth it!

Mark Young is an exercise and nutrition consultant from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  He is currently working towards the completion of his Masters degree in exercise physiology and has done research in one of the world’s leading muscle protein research labs.  He has also been training clients for over 11 years and had his work featured in numerous magazines.

Rick Kaselj, MS

P.S. – Here are a few other articles that might interest you:

==>  Muscle Imbalances in the Research

In the article I look at some research that has come out on muscle imbalances, single leg squats and core function.

==>  6 Must Read Journals on Exercise and Injuries

In this article, I go through the 6 journals that I look at in order to get the latest on exercises and injuries.

That is it.

Have a spectacular day.

My friend Mark Young, just asked me to review his new product called How to Read Fitness Research.

It is packed with information.

As you know, I am a huge fan of research.  I have mentioned to you that I try to take a look at what is new in the research on a weekly basis when it relates to injuries and exercises.

I find looking at the research, you can see what is new, rather than waiting until it gets into text books or reaches a conference.  Which in many cases can take years.

Where I got my skills and knowledge when it relates to reviewing research was in university.  I had to take a bunch of courses on the topic.  The cool thing now is Mark has filtered down all that stuff that I learned in university in a quick reference format for you.

If you want to go to the source of new information and where the leaders in the field go in order to get what is cutting edge, How to Read Fitness Research gives you the tools to better understand and find the research.

Let me go through each of the parts and give you a bit of a background on what I thought of each part.

Seminar 1 – The Purpose and Process of Research (38 minutes)

In this seminar, Mark goes through the background of a research paper.  It is important for you to understand why research is done, how research if funded, the costs of doing research, how research is approved, what happens with the results of research and how research gets published.

This is kind of like the anatomy, biomechanics and physiology of exercise.  It is a key point to understand in order to maximize the benefits of the exercise.  In this section he goes through all the foundation details you need in order to better understand research.

Seminar 2 – Acquiring and Reading Fitness Research (50 minutes)

During this seminar, Mark lets you know where to go to get research papers, and different ways to get a research paper.

Plus he goes through the components of a research paper so you know the what and why of each component of a research paper.

Seminar 3 – No Snooze Statistics & Research (50 minutes)

In this seminar, Mark goes through how to better understand the statics in a research paper, what all the stats stuff means and what are good or poor stats.  This will help you better understand the results section of a research paper.

Seminar 4 – Interpreting and Implementing Research (26 minutes)

Now Mark puts it all together.  He shows you have to understand the results of the paper and who you can use the results of the paper to better help you and your clients.

Bonus Seminar – PubMed Video Tutorial (13 minutes)

Get a tour of the tool that all fitness experts use in order to get the latest information in training and rehabilitation. Mark does a great job highlighting how to use it and even gave me a few new tips.

Who is Mark Young?

Mark Young has a lot of experience in the research, training and writing world.  Mark is from back east – no, not Toronto, but Hamilton.  He went to McMaster University and did his graduate studies in exercise physiology.  After university he has been in the trenches training for about 10 years and sharing his thoughts on fitness in his blog, MarkYoungTrainingSystems.com .

Mark has be a great resource for me.  I have been reading his blog and learning from him plus he has given me a lot of feedback on my blog and the products that I have put out so I know he is a quality guy.

Who is “How to Read Fitness Research” for?

1. If you want to get better results for your clients
2. If you want to learn how the leaders in the field learn
3. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide to help you better understand research
4. Those who want to know what journals to read for fat loss and muscle gain
5. To understand the tool that all fitness leaders use, PubMed
6. Fitness professionals that want to understand how research papers are put together

Well that is it.

Make sure to check out Mark Young’s How to Read Fitness Research.

Have a great day.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Core Stability of the Lower Back

DESCRIPTION:

OBJECTIVES:

This past weekend, I was in Orange County, California at Fitness Business Summit.

At the conference there were well over 400 fitness professionals from around the world, learning how to improve their fitness business.

I really didn’t know what to expect from the weekend but I wanted to share a few things that happened.

#1 – The Power in Giving

I work hard to keep updating my blog and sending out information on exercises and injuries.

It is amazing to hear from people that read my emails and blog about how much it has helped them and their clients.

Thank you everyone for the kind words and feedback.  It just motivates me to give more.

#2 – Are You Rick?

I still feel weird when people recognize me and ask to take a photo with me.

The above photo is with Alex from Florida.

It is nice that I have been able to help so many fitness professionals and then have them help their clients when it relates to exercises and injuries.

I am so happy when I hear that something they read on the blog or in one of my products helped them or their clients.

#3 – The Best Part of a Conference

The best part of the conference was meeting so many of the fitness professionals that were there.

It was great to meet fitness professionals for the first time and reconnect with so many from all over the world.

It is incredible to hear the different work that fitness professionals are doing to help clients reach their goals.  I was talking to one fitness professional Saturday night who is helping army vets recover from head injuries in Colorado – very cool.

#4 – Loosen Up and Be More of Who You Are

This guy did a great presentation on letting your personality out:

The guy in the photo is Elliott Hulse.  I could not find the video of him dressed up as the Incredible Hulk but it is great.

During his presentation he talked about letting your personality come out.  I know, I have got some feedback on being a little dry when it comes to presenting.  I need to work on relaxing and letting a little more of who I am come out. Thanks, Elliott, for that reminder.  (Sorry, no plans on dressing up as the Incredible Hulk.)

#5 Even Fitness Professionals Have Injuries

When fitness professionals hear that my focus is injuries, they always share their injury story with me.

I enjoy hearing them and am happy to help.

The injuries that I chatted about on the weekend were patellofemoral pain syndrome, lower back pain, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, knee pain and concussions.

#6 Something That May Have Help Me Be a Better Basketball Player

I ran into my friend, Alex Marako, while out in Cali and we got talking about basketball ball handling.  I think if I knew this tip, it probably would have helped me be a better basketball player.

I know there is so much more I can say but maybe I will leave that for another post.

Take care.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Yesterday, I headed to the big city (Vancouver) and did an in-service for the personal trainers that are part of the personal training department at the Arbutus Club.

The week before was a private in-service in Richmond and this week it was Vancouver.  It has been a lot of fun doing these small and personal in-services.

I just got another invitation from the City of Burnaby to share some of my tips, tricks and exercises to their group fitness instructors, weight room instructors and personal trainers.  I am looking forward to hearing what they would like me to share.

If you would like me to come out to your fitness facility to share some information on exercises and injuries, just send an email to support(at)exercisesforinjuries.com .

While I was out in Vancouver, I had done a video for you after my in-service at the Arbutus Club.  I thought I had the camera on the right setting for video recording but I guess I just took a picture of myself.

Here is the goofy photo:

I had done the video on a foot issue that one of the trainers had and what she can do about it.  I will re-do the video and get it to you next week.

Now lets get to a question that came up during the in-service.

One of the trainers asked:

What do you do when your client just wants to work on their 6 pack?

#1 – Education on 6-Pack and the Core

Start off with education on the 6-pack and the importance of the core as a whole.

I know this can be tough.  With many of our clients, it is hard to change 20 year old beliefs.  Change needs to start somewhere and you can do your best to get it moving.

Rectus abdominis (6 pack) is important for a healthy body, but equally important are all parts of the core.

Take some time to educate on what the 6 pack is, what the core is and how they work individually and together.

I go through this in detail in the Core Stability of the Rehab Client (Focus on the post injury client) and Core Stability of the Back (Focus on the fit and healthy client) courses.

#2 – Muscle Balance and Imbalances

The world will not end and the client will not break if they do some 6 pack or abdominal training but we want to balance out the body by working out all parts of the core.

Focusing on one part of the core will lead to muscle imbalances which will lead to pain, injury, decreased fitness results and poor performance.

#3 – Plane of Movement Core Training

When it comes to training the core, I look at training the core in three planes of movements for the healthy and fit client.

Sagittal Plane (Forward and Back Movement)

If your client wants to work 6 pack with traditional abs exercises, that is fine but I want to balance things out by working the opposite direction of the sagittal plane.

I would get them to work on the lumbar extensors (lower back).  For example, I would get them to do Superman’s and back extension exercises to neutral.

Therefore we have balanced out the sagittal plane and we have countered the forward bending (flexion) movement that has been done with the abs exercises.

Frontal Plane (Side to Side Movements)

I would follow up the sagittal plane movements with frontal plane movements (side-to-side movement).

One of the exercises that I like are side planks.

Transverse Plane (Rotation Movements)

Lastly, I would move to transverse plane movements (rotation).

One exercise that I like is moving from a side plank to a front plank.

Sum It All Up

It is always a difficult balance between providing what your client wants, preventing injury and future benefit.

If your client does the 3 sets of exercises above, they will feel their core and get a better burn than if they just did crunches.

Rick Kaselj, MS

P.S. – If you want more resources on abdominal training, core training and back injuries, here are some for you.

Live Courses that Will Interest You:

• Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Back

• Core Stability for the Rehab Client

Some Core Products that May Help:

• Core Stability for the Rehab Client DVD course

• Core Stability of the Back

That is it.

Have a great day.

Lets talk about trigger points today.

I want to share with you a tool that I use for my trigger points and for self myofascial release (SMR) while I am traveling.

Quick Traveling Tool for Trigger Points

In the video, I am coming to you from Orlando, Florida.

I share with you in the video:

1. A tool that I travel with.
2. Why I am a huge fan of foam rollers.
3. Why a 1 foot foam roller is useless to travel with.
4. Something a foam roller can’t do, but helps.

Sitting on the plane for hours does not help the body out.  So it is nice to land and take a few minutes in the hotel room to relax. I find if I roll out for a minute are two, it makes the stretching more effective.

Take 128 seconds to watch the video on:

==>  Travel Tool for Trigger Points

If you are looking for a trigger point course, make sure to check out the upcoming course on the topic in April.

Muscle Imbalances Revealed Review

Muscle Imbalances Revealed 2.0 has been out for 4 months and the kind words about the program keep coming in.

I just got another great review for MIR2.

“Product Muscle Imbalances Revealed by Rick Kaselj is complete and is an important tool in my repertoire of works in practice. It is easy to use and understand. The various presentations allow us to touch a wide variety of muscle imbalances that may apply to both a general sports population. Its content will be definitely very helpful to me to optimize the training of my clients.”

Xavier Roy
Montreal, Quebec
Performance Specialist

Xavier did a detailed review of the MIR2 resource.  To read the full review from Xavier, click here.

The cool thing was Xavier’s review was all in French.  I am from Western Canada and did learn French in grade school but it has been some time since I have had to use it.  I used an online translator to help me translate things.

Thank you for the kind words, Xavier!

Helping People with Shoulder Pain

As you know, I am very passionate about helping people with their shoulder injuries and pain.  It is great to hear when those with shoulder pain follow my Scapular Stabilization Exercise Program and get the results they are looking for.

“I used Scapular Stabilization Exercise Program on myself and it was very helpful. My right serratus anterior is a lot bigger than my left, probably because I kept training while I had problems with my supraspinatus.  My right scapula used to move really bad, I would feel a tingle around the medial border when I would abduct my arm. I used the program and no more tingling anymore. My right shoulder complex still isnt 100%, but it’s a lot better.”

Thanks again,
Nick Mudaliar

Few Kind Words for the Exercise Rehabilitation Courses

I have a little break from courses but here are a few kind words from a Pilates instructor who attended my Exercise Rehabilitation of the Lower Back and Shoulder.

If you are looking for upcoming courses:

==>  Upcoming Fitness Education Courses

That is it.

If you have any feedback, positive or negative, make sure to send it to me at support(at)exercisesforinjuries.com .

Take care.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Balance Training for the Rehab Client

DESCRIPTION:

OBJECTIVES:

I think it is Friday . . . well, maybe it is. Maybe not.

Here are some random things from the past week:

Muscle Imbalances Revealed 2.0

I received some surprise feedback from a hockey coach - very cool!

What a Hockey Coach Says About MIR:

“I found the ideas presented in Muscle Imbalances Revealed as a comprehensive way to reach trainers who are just starting out, right up to those of us who have been at it for years. I see this as a great tool for trainers and strength coaches. If this is an area where you are lacking, I suggest you check this out.”

Maria Mountain, MSc
Owner/Strength & Conditioning Coach
HockeyTrainingPro.com
London, Ontario

You can see the article HERE, where she talks about how MIR2 can help ice hockey goalies.

here are some more kind words about MIR2:

“Being a personal trainer, it’s difficult to set yourself apart from the “Norm”.   The Muscle Imbalances DVDs I received through the mail are fantastic, and I find ExercisesForInjuries.com invaluable. I constantly refer to the information you post and send in your newsletter daily.”
LuAnne Platt

Hey, People Read My Stuff

Some days you wonder if anyone is reading your stuff and if it is helping anyone.

It is great when you get surprise Facebook messages like this.

Thank you, Nicole and please keep them coming.

“I always love your posts and hearing what you are up to with writing. Very inspiring and informational to fellow fitness pros, like myself.”
Nicole Ciarlelli Almeida
Personal Trainer

I work I do what I can to help fitness professionals work with injuries and exercises.  I am so glad that I am helping out.  It looks like it is helping Dannielle as well:

“I find your products really useful & recommend you to my trainers, instructors, & clients. (Although I haven’t posted feedback for you yet – I’ve been spreading the word.)  Thanks Rick.”
Danielle Briggs
Personal Trainer & Fitness Director

What People Think of the Scoliosis Manual

I just shipped out manuals to Taiwan and Hawaii, so I am happy to report that the program is helping people around the world.  Here is what one fitness professional said:

“After completing Effective Exercises for Scoliosis,  I will use the information from the course to help my clients with scoliosis incorporate proper exercises for their situation.  I will be better educated now about how to address clients with a scoliosis issue”
Kathleen D Thomsen

What is New on Facebook

I took a break from Facebook for a bit, but now I am back.

It is great to see things like this on my wall:

I think that’s it for today.

Have a great one.

Rick Kaselj, MS

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Thank you for everyone that attended the Postural Assessment & Exercise Prescription course or the Injury-free Running course this past weekend.

It had a lot of fun presenting and sharing information with all of you who attended.

The courses were recorded.  I will let you know how things turn out with the recordings and when they will be available.

The next course I have coming up is with Justin Price - it is called Structural Assessment and Corrective Exercise Program Design

It is unfortunate, but the number of registrations for this course are very low and I am thinking of canceling it.

I hate canceling a course, but if people are not interested in it, that is what I have to do.

I have until Friday to decide on what to do about this course.

Let me share with you why I am looking forward to the Justin Price course:

1)  Unique Perspective

I have been reading Justin’s articles and watching his presentations for years.  He has a very unique perspective on corrective exercise and what he presents is information that I have not heard anyone else talk about.

2)  Strong Focus on the Lower Body and Ankle.

A lot of what Justin does is focus on the foot, ankle, and lower body.  This is an area that I want to learn more about, and I often get questions about this  asked in my fitness education courses.

3)  Convenience & Cost

It is much more convenient to have international presenters fly to Vancouver then for me to fly to one of their courses.  It is much cheaper and I don’t have to take time away from my family.

To get more details on the course, you can CLICK HERE.

Here is a little clip from Justin on the foot and ankle:

If you are waiting to register for the course, let me know.  I am going to decide on Friday if I am going to cancel the course or not.

Thanks a lot.

Feel free to forward this to co-workers or colleagues that maybe interested.  I do what I can to bring great international presenters here at a very affordable price.

Have a great day.

Rick Kaselj, MS

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I received another email asking how to start teaching fitness education courses.

I think that this is the third one I have received.

I am guessing it is a sign that I need to do a blog post on it.

So let’s give this a go.

Where it All Started

Way back in 1997, I graduated from university.  I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University.

While I was working in a physical therapy clinic, I realized that I had not learned much about practical skills while in school.  I learned quite a lot about anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, etc.  But I did not learn much like this: you have this injury or problem, so do this exercise.

I learned a lot about the exercise side of things on the job, from the physical therapists I worked with, from other Kinesiologists, and from my own research.

My boss at the time saw all of the work that I was doing and asked if I wanted to do an in-service for the physical therapy clinic.

I said, “Sure” and gave it a go.

I worked on a presentation about exercises with the stability ball for clients with injuries.

I was worried about presenting in front of all the physical therapists. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to answer their questions.  I worried if they would like what I had to present.  I worried if they would care about what I had to present.

My worries were wasted, as the in-service went well and was well recieved by all.

I found that I really enjoyed the research, turning the research into practice, and the teaching side of things.

Since I already had the first presentation done, I contacted the university I graduated from and asked if they would like me to present a two-hour course to the Kinesiology students at Simon Fraser University.

The university like the idea and so did the students.  We set aside an evening and I presented the same course that I had presented at the physical therapy clinic.

The students had fun.  I had fun.  I really enjoyed presenting and wanted to find out how I could do more.

That led to all of my courses and then to the creation of Exercises For Injuries.

I think now I have 14 main courses with a focus on exercises and injuries.  I can’t remember how many courses I have taught and how many fitness professionals have attended, but I still look forward to each presentation that I do.

It’s funny to look back at the two pictures above.  In the one at the very top, you can see me demonstrating some of the exercises to the students.  In the one just above this, you can see me chatting about the shoulder.  Even way back then, I was excited about the shoulder.

Let me share some tips with you on how to get started teaching fitness education courses.

#1 – What Is Your Specialization?

You need to focus on something.  As you know, mine is exercises and injuries.  There was a time that I lost focus and started doing all kinds of fitness education courses.  Doing everything will end up spreading you too thin and makes it difficult for people to know what you are best in.

You need to find out what your specialization is.

You can do this by:

1. Looking at the clients that you love working with.
2. Figuring out what aspect of fitness excites you most.
3. Deciding what part of fitness you want to be the leader in.

After you have done this, it will be easier for you to determine who you can approach to help out.

#2 – Do Some In-services

Now that you have your specialization, you can ask some fitness centres, physical therapy clinics, or recreation centres if they would be interested in an in-service on your specialization.

Let’s say you love dumbbell training.  You like thinking of different and unique ways to use dumbbells to exercise with.  You find most people use dumbells for boring bodybuilding exercises but you have developed ways that you can use dumbbells that are exciting, fun, unique, different, and which lead to faster results.

You can approach a fitness centre and ask if you could talk to the person in charge of staff education.  When you meet him or her, introduce yourself, let them know your specialization, share your idea with them, and ask if you could do a free in-service for their staff one evening.  Most fitness centre managers are always looking for fun and exciting things for their staff  – especially if it does not cost them anything.

Yes, at the start, you will have to do things for free or for a small honorarium.

Doing a few in-services at no charge will give you practice on presenting, will give you a chance to test things out, and will allow you to get feedback from people so that you can improve.

If I were to do it over again, this is how I would start.

From this point, you can have your own weekend courses or present at conferences.

Let me know if you want me to talk about the next step in presenting fitness education courses.

Rick Kaselj, MS

P.S. – If you want to check out the fitness education courses that I present:

==>  Fitness Education Courses

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I am so excited to have this international presenter come to Vancouver and share his knowledge with the fitness professionals out here!

It’s Nick Tumminello - he is one of the heavyweights in the fitness industry.

Nick promises to deliver the “mother load” of courses and to give us an amazing weekend of learning and hands-on practice.

Click here to hear what Nick has in store for you at the seminar in Vancouver in November.

This is what Nick Will Be Covering During the Weekend:

The Secret Training Continuum for Maximal Client Results and Performance

As a trainer and coach, do you ever ask yourself:

• Are the techniques that I am using the best they can be?
• Are the exercises I am using leading to maximal performance?

In this two-day course, Nick Tumminello will provide a comprehensive overview of his approach to getting client results and improving performance.

Over the 14 hours of hands-on learning, Nick will take you through his unique approach to working with his clients and athletes.

Nick will share with you the 5 areas of training that are misunderstood when training clients but are essential to getting maximal results.

1. Joint mobility to achieve performance improvements
2. Self myofascial release (SMR) for accelerated recovery and improved movement
3. Easy-to-follow dynamic warm up system to ensure optimal performance every time you train
4. Smart and effective abs exercises for increased strength and performance, and
5. Joint friendly strength exercises for maximal results

This is not your regular normal weekend course.

This course will challenge your learning from regular fitness education courses and you will leave having discovered new and unconventional techniques and exercises that you won’t see anywhere else. These techniques will ultimately lead to improved results and performance with your clients.

‎What will be covered in the course:

• Timing and technique for self joint mobilization for personal training and sport performance
• Assessment of joint mobility to quickly increase functional ranges of motion in the body
• What trainers and coaches are doing to causing injury and dysfunction using SMR
• SMR progressions and regressions for all levels of clients and athletes
• 10 key factors to designing an effective no stretch time efficient warm up
• Popular warm up exercises that are dysfunctional and why they should never be used
• A 3D approach to abdominal training
• Understanding of which type of corrective exercise protocol will work best and which won’t
• The best exercises for bad knees, shoulders and back.

INSTRUCTOR – Nick Tumminello

Coach Nick Tumminello is the owner of Performance University – Speed Strength & Conditioning in Baltimore MD, where he works with a variety of clients from professional Bodybuilders and Figure Models to athletes from the NFL and NBA. He is a nationally recognized coach and educator who is known for his innovative exercises and smarter approach to strength & conditioning.

DATE: Saturday, November 19 & Sunday, November 20, 2011

TIME: 8:45 am to 5:00 pm (14 contact hours over 2 days)

LOCATION: Vancouver College – (Cartier & WEst 38th Ave) – Vancouver, BC, Canada

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: 1.4 NSCA CEUs (J1098), 14.0 BCRPA CEC, 14.0 BCAK CEC, 14.0 CMTBC CE/PD, 14.0 CSEP PDC.

COST:

- $449 plus HST

To register, click the “Add To Cart” button  ==>

To download a flyer with all the details of the course, click here .

Important Things to Remember,

• This is the first time Nick has come to Vancouver
• This will be the only time Nick will be coming to Vancouver to present this seminar
• Nick rarely does full weekend seminar.  He usual only does 2 hour talks at various conference

Look forward to seeing you there.

Rick Kaselj, MS

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