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Why is CPD so important?

Have you finished your qualifications?  Are you fully certified and industry ready?  Well done!  Your journey in the professional world has just begun.  Stepping into the health and fitness industry can be exciting and rewarding since it is constantly changing and developing. So, as a fitness professional, how do you gain more knowledge and continue to learn and grow along the way?

 

This brings us to the topic at hand. What is CPD and why is it so important? Continual professional development (CPD) ensures that individuals maintain and enhance the knowledge and skills needed to continue delivering a specialised service to your customers.  It ensures your knowledge stays relevant and up to date all the while opening new possibilities and empowering you with new skill sets.  CPD activities also encourage you to stay interested in your field of work, which can be extremely beneficial for you personally and professionally in the long run.

 

So the question is, what happens now? Where and how do you get started?  First of all, you need to do a bit of research and have a look at what courses are available – a lot of them are relatively short, very affordable and happen frequently.  If you can’t find the time to attend courses face to face, there’s always the option for online learning.  Seminars and workshops are also interesting as they attract a range of people from different backgrounds.  Whichever route you decide to take with your CPD, it will always be a great opportunity to network and meet like-minded people in the health and fitness industry.

 

At CareerSport Fitness Academy, we try to ensure all of our learners have a variety of CPD courses to choose from.  CareerSport has two branches, one in Belfast, Northern Ireland and another in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  Here is a list of several CPD courses we offer:

  • Level 2 Award in Instructing Circuit Sessions
  • Level 2 Award in Instructing Kettlebells
  • Indoor Group Cycling
  • Level 3 Award in Business Skills for Fitness Professionals
  • Level 3 Award in Designing Pre and Post Natal Exercise Programmes
  • Level 3 Award in Nutrition for Sport and Exercise Performance
  • Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral
  • Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy
  • Level 4 Certificate in Strength and Conditioning
  • Level 4 Certificate in Obesity and Diabetes
  • Level 4 Certificate in Low Back Pain
  • Level 4 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy

 

If you are interested in expanding your knowledge in a vibrant learning environment, contact us and get started!  All courses and upcoming course dates are promoted on our website www.careersport.net and social media pages. Stay up to date with our products and services by following us:

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Instagram: careersport_fitness_academy

4 ways to lead a healthier and more active lifestyle

Insufficient physical activity worldwide has become an epidemic on a monumental scale.  According to a WHO report, an estimated 1.4 billion people are not doing enough exercise to maintain adequate levels of fitness which puts them at greater risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and various forms of cancer.  To help combat these important issues, we’re going to look at 4 different ways to keep ourselves fit and healthy.

 

Resistance Training

Resistance training involves working against some type of force that resists your movement.  Workouts can include using weights (machine and free weights), bodyweight, suspension cables, kettlebells, medicine balls, resistance bands and many more interesting and fun pieces of equipment.  Benefits associated with resistance training include improved posture, increased bone mineral density, improved sleep, increased self-esteem and increased muscular strength/endurance.  Resistance training also helps prevent or control chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, obesity and depression. Participating in some form of resistance training at least once a week can help kick start these benefits.

 

Healthy Eating

Developing healthy eating habits can seem like a daunting or tedious task for a lot of people, but it doesn’t have to be at all.  Nowadays, everyone seems to follow a different diet. Many people swear by the paleo-diet, the blood type diet, veganism, vegetarianism, the keto-diet or just normal home-cooked meals. However, everyone seems to agree on a few key principles.  First off, it is essential to make sure you are getting an adequate supply of macro-nutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fats, and micro-nutrients – vitamins and minerals. Most people would agree that we should avoid processed foods as much as possible, and that our macro and micro nutrients should come from nutritious and natural/organic sources.  A few tips to consider: 1) Keep an eye on the portion size. 2) Eat plenty of produce and a wide variety of foods. 3) Get more whole grains. 4) Choose food over supplements (unless needed). 5) Stay clear of trans fats.

  

Picking up a sport or active hobby

Don’t like training in a gym?  Pick up a sport or active hobby that you can participate in several times a week.  Staying active by playing a game of football with friends, or doing some indoor rock-climbing can increase the likelihood of long term adherence to exercise. If team sports aren’t your thing, try out cycling, swimming or jogging. The main thing is that you stay active and preferably by doing something you enjoy. Playing sports or doing something active can aid in disconnecting from work and other stresses in our day to day lives, which in turn reduces stress, improves overall creativity and helps your mental health.

 

Long Slow Distance / High Intensity Interval Training

People usually tend to like training for long distances at lower intensity, while others enjoy training for shorter periods of time at much higher intensities. Long slow distance (LSD) training is a form of aerobic endurance training that usually involves running or cycling.  It is performed at a constant pace of low to moderate intensity over an extended period of time. Some of the benefits include: 1) Increased utilization of fat for fuel. 2) Decreased risk of heart disease. 3) Improved cardiovascular function. 4) Improved VO2 max. 5) Stronger muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones.

If you opt for something else, then High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) might be the remedy you seek.  Usually performed for 20-30 minutes, these workouts can be short but difficult and gruelling. There are many types of interval training systems out there, but most of them include a minute or less of high intensity physical exercise followed by a rest period. Usually the work : rest ratio is 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and in some cases where the client might be extremely fit, a ratio of 0.5:1 is used as well. It is performed at 85-100 percent of one’s maximum heart rate. HIIT training has many benefits such as 1) Increased muscle tone. 2) Boosted metabolism. 3) Reduced body fat. 4) Wide variety of exercises to choose from to keep things interesting. 5) Improved energy levels.

Find out how Level 4 qualifications can help you with your clients

Specialist courses-Level 4 qualifications

Specialist courses including Level 4 qualifications have become a must have in the ever-growing fitness industry. There are many options for fitness professionals to continue learning new things such as knowing how to deal with clients struggling with low back pain, weight loss, or improving their overall sporting performance.  Therefore, the following courses in managing low back pain, obesity and diabetes and strength and conditioning can be extremely helpful for fitness trainers and clients alike.

 

Almost everyone experiences low back pain at some point in their lifetime. This could be a result of past or present injuries, muscle imbalances, lifestyle choices, stress, limited rest and many more potential reasons.  If a client approaches a trainer with lower back pain, it is important to have a qualification that enables them to deal with the client professionally to manage or improve their condition.

 

The aim of a Level 4 Low Back Pain qualification is to allow trainers to plan, conduct and review programmes to address the needs of clients with low back pain.  It is about supporting clients to change their lifestyle behaviours and physical activity to aid in the management of chronic non-specific low back pain.  The course will also help learners understand the pervasiveness of low back pain and will help them describe the different classifications of back pain diagnosis.

 

Obesity and diabetes has also sky-rocketed in recent years.  With busier workloads, unhealthy fast-food options have grown exponentially.  The cost of obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes is also putting a huge, unsustainable drain on public health care resources. Treating obesity, type 2 diabetes and diabetic problems are very expensive, and with new cases of obesity-related type 2 diabetes increasing each year, these costs are expected to keep rising.

 

To confront this issue, there is a need for widespread education that informs the population of the risks associated with poor eating habits and not exercising regularly.  The Level 4 in Obesity and Diabetes trains learners to a professionally competent level, enabling them to plan, conduct and review programmes to address the needs of clients with obesity and/or diabetes.  This enables them to support clients to change their eating behaviours to aid in the management of obesity and/or diabetes.

 

In the world of sports, improving overall performance has been the centre of exercise research.   Refining strength, agility, speed and explosiveness has always been the cornerstone of every athlete’s programme.  The position of a strength and conditioning coach is to be part of the athlete’s support team. Learning how to carry out performance-related needs analysis, measurements and assessments is essential.

 

Being able to implement strategies to analyse and evaluate assessment results are crucial to develop short, medium and long-term performance goals. If your aim is to help advance the overall performance of athletes in various sports, then find out how to plan, deliver and evaluate periodised strength and conditioning programmes with the Level 4 in Strength and Conditioning.

 

It is clear the relationship between the fitness industry and the health care sector has grown in recent years.  Therefore, the need for upskilled trainers that can deal with a wide array of clients is becoming more of a necessity.  Provided the trainers are already qualified with certain Level 3 pre-requisite qualifications, they can apply for these Level 4 courses and join the growing group of specialized and highly qualified fitness professionals.

What makes a great personal trainer?

Personal training is an exciting, sociable, and active job.  People often think that anyone can be a Personal Trainer.  Now, obtaining the certificates and qualifications needed may be possible for most people, however becoming a good, or even great Personal Trainer is an entirely different story.

If you’re new to the industry but are a tad worried about what is expected of you, don’t worry, you’re not alone.  If you are extremely confident, then that’s splendid.

We know there are plenty of things that make an amazing personal trainer, however we’ve tried to narrow it down for you.  These are the 7 most important things you need to become a great trainer:

 

  1. Passion and enthusiasm!

Loving what you do for a living should be the case.  It’s too exhausting to fake enthusiasm in this line of work and people will eventually find out and see right through you.  If you pour your heart and soul into your job, people will feed off that energy and benefit from it.  Be proud of the fact you are part of an incredibly supportive community of fitness professionals that are trying to help people adopt healthier lifestyles.

 

  1. Empathy and understanding client needs

Let’s face it, everyone has a few flaws.  For some, it’s a cheat meal everyday or a few times a week.  For others, it might be depression, family obligations or a heavy work schedule that keeps them feeling exhausted most of the time. Whatever the issue may be, having the ability to empathize with people is a definite must.  That’s not to say you cannot give them a bit of tough love if they mess up a little bit, however trying to understand their situation and where they are coming from will help you deal with them in a more effective and caring way.

 

  1. Be creative

It’s in our DNA to want something new occasionally, and to change things up.  Clients generally get bored easily if the routine becomes monotonous.  Of course, there needs to be some sort of routine for progressive overload and consistently recording results, however, being able to vary up the cardiovascular and/or resistance training methods is an important skill to have.  There is a plethora of ways to also make your sessions more enjoyable such as adding games or challenges, playing music, and adding incentives/rewards.

 

  1. Flexible and adaptable

People underestimate the demands of fitness related jobs. There are long hours spent at the gym and at times it could get quite busy. A lot of clients will also occasionally postpone or cancel sessions last minute so being flexible will come a long way.  Of course, there are rules and regulations we all need to abide by, but we must consider when a client has a genuine excuse for not being able to make it.  If we charged all our clients for every missed session, we’d probably be left with very few.

 

  1. Specialize

Identify and use your passion, or area of expertise more frequently.  This ensures you get results for clients that you can properly support and generates interest within your circle of influence. It will also enable you to promote yourself on social media platforms, magazine, and conventions which could influence your reputation and enhance your business skills.

 

  1. Practice what you preach

I think it goes without saying that you need to maintain your own fitness and set a good example to those you wish to inspire. Studies have shown that people tend to gravitate towards trainers that look fit and represent themselves in a positive and healthy image.  However, if not managed carefully, the demands of working as a trainer sometimes leaves you with very little time to train.  With proper scheduling and being organised, you’ll be able to ensure you stay in tip top shape.

 

  1. Continually learn and grow

Knowledge is power.  Focusing on your strengths and “specialisms” is always great to hone your skills as a trainer.  However, it is also important to realize growth occurs when we open ourselves to new ideas and concepts. Unless we attempt to learn something beyond our scope of work, we will never grow. Luckily, trainers have the opportunity gain a certain amount of CPD (Continuous Professional Development) points every two years, by undertaking new courses or workshops to keep them up to date with the latest standards in the fitness industry.

 

Some of the fitness qualifications CareerSport offers include:

Level 2 Fitness Instructor

Level 2 Exercise to Music

Level 3 Personal Trainer

Level 3 Diploma in Fitness Instructing and Personal Training

Level 3 Pre & Post Natal

Level 3 Exercise Referral

Level 4 Obesity & Diabetes

Level 4 Low Back Pain

Level 2 Circuits

Level 2 Kettlebells

Level 3 Nutrition for Sport and Exercise Performance