Personal Fitness Professional - May 2008 - (Page 21)

Potential new clients are individuals with home pools who prefer to train in the comfort of their own environment. They ﬁnd it diﬃcult to locate a personal trainer with aquatic ﬁtness skills and an internationally recognized personal training certiﬁcation. The fact that there are approximately nine million privately owned home pools in the United States should open one’s eyes to this opportunity for aquatic personal training and smallgroup aquatic training. Some ﬁtness professionals have been getting their feet wet with the concept of dividing aquatic group exercise classes into personalized formats based on individual client needs and goals. The problem? Not enough certiﬁed personal trainers are taking advantage of the incredible opportunities found in aquatic-based programming. Now more than ever, an individual’s commitment to ﬁtness is strong. More and more people are realizing that regular exercise is a key factor to better health and quality of life. The perception of exercise has signiﬁcantly changed. Over the past 25 years, ﬁtness has exploded. Personal training was once only available to the elite or to the “in crowd” living within the higher income brackets. Now, many middle-class Americans have added ﬁtness expenses to the monthly budget, and for many, it is considered a regular household expense. WHAT’S HOT IN THE WATER The water provides a comfortable environment for many types of individuals — most importantly, potential new clients. It is an appealing medium for children, the obese, post-rehab clients, baby boomers, seniors (both active and sedentary) and pre- and post-natal women. Aquatic exercise is a top pick for women over the age of 45, with women up into the 90-year age bracket continuing to ﬁll aquatic ﬁtness classes each day. Men, including professional athletes and sports teams, also train in the water. The variety of aquatic training modalities is why the pool is appealing to a wide range of exercisers. Speciﬁc formats range from children to baby boomers, pre- and post-natal to post-therapy and alternative relaxation sessions to specialized senior training. The options are endless. Although all groups mentioned are active in aquatic ﬁtness one way or another, the potential for growth and expansion in personal training is greatest with children and women. >Children: Current Demand and Future Prospects Scientiﬁc research has shown that childhood obesity is a major concern, not only with regards to social implications but also health. Childhood obesity can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. It can cause sleep apnea, high cholesterol and other health-related problems. USA Today reported that government data indicates approximately 25 million children are overweight or on the brink of becoming a statistic within this category. It is imperative that we assist our children in becoming healthy adults to keep the United States demographically vigorous. Children of all ages, with motivation from parents and adult mentors, can initiate physical activity to lose weight and gain self-esteem. Most kids love the water, helping to make exercise fun. Creative props, cool aquatic equipment options and simple things commonly seen in the pool are great ﬁtness tools to keep kids moving on the road to a healthier lifestyle. >Pre and Post-Natal: Continued Trend and Getting Stronger In 2007, the US birth rate hit a milestone after 35 years and has brought our demographics in the United States back to a healthy level. Over six million women are giving birth annually in the US. The comfort and stability the water provides for both mom and baby puts aquatic ﬁtness high on the list for these special ladies. Exercise helps reduce pre-natal ➤ MAY2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM 21 http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Personal Fitness Professional - May 2008

Personal Fitness Professional - May 2008 Contents Letter from the Editor, Writers Live Your Supertrainer Legacy Current Controversies Effective Employee Manuals Product Profiles The Coolest Training Zone The Making of a Top-Notch Boot Camp Instructor Mark Your Calendar Caffeine Exercise Spotlight Product Profiles New on the Market [Spotlight] Trish Muse

Personal Fitness Professional - May 2008

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