The Les Mills Phenomenon!

By far the most popular form of group exercise offered today, Les Mills has become a phenomenon in the Fitness Industry. Originating in New Zealand Les Mills has revolutionised group exercise practices in gyms all over the world.

Les Mills created eight choreographed group exercise-to-music programs each delivering an hour-long workout in one of the classic exercise genres, such as weight training, mind-body, martial arts, step and dance. These classes are easily identifiable by their trademark prefix of “Body” before the class name, for example; “Body Pump”, “Body Balance”, “Body Combat, “Body Step” etc.

The Les Mills Program Directors create a new class, with new music and choreography, every three months, drawing on the latest trends in music and the latest developments in exercise science. When the new classes are perfected, they are filmed for DVD and dispatched with choreography notes, education sessions and licensed music CDs to the 10,000 qualified Les Mills instructors working in facilities which have licensed one or more of the Les Mills programs from Les Mills Asia Pacific.

Today it is estimated that over one million people a week attend a Les Mills class around Australia and South East Asia. This is testament to the power of Les Mills’ programs and its mission to create life changing fitness experiences every time, everywhere.

Excerpt from the Les Mills website for more info see: www. lesmills.com

10 hot tips for getting the most our of your gym membership!

People quit going to the gym for various reasons, but here are a 10 ways to keep your motivation going.

1. Be realistic with your goals – You can have the overall goal to lose 15Kg, but break that down into realistic mini goals, for example aim to lose 1Kg a week for 15 weeks.

2. Work out with a partner – If you know someone else is counting on you, you’re more likely to get up and get going. Sometimes it’s ok to work out with someone who is on the same level as you, sometimes you’ll want to work out with someone who does go to the gym frequently because it will motivate you to do more.

3. Set a routine – don’t just go to the gym whenever you remember. Set and stick to your gym schedule like you do your class or work schedule. If you’re a morning person, schedule your gym time in the morning. If you’re a night person, schedule your gym time at night. Plan enough time for getting there, changing clothes, warming up, working out and showering. No block of time big enough? Split your workout in two – do cardio in one interval and weights in another.

4. Get a locker at the gym – Showering at the gym saves you time from having to go home and means you can do as intense a workout as you want even if you have to get to work right after. Even if you don’t have anything to do right after, it refreshes your muscles and keeps you feeling great!

5. Ask for help when you need it - This tip goes for the newbies and the oldies. If you don’t know what exercises to do to work certain muscles or you need a spot, ask a gym trainer. That’s what they are there for.

6. Forget that other people are there –Too many people, guys and girls, are worried about what other people think of them at the gym. If you focus on your own workout, you’ll feel better and do better. The gym gets dangerous when people start paying way too much attention to others and not enough to their own behaviors. Guys try to lift more than they can to impress girls (or guys), girls are afraid to try new workouts because the guys will be ogling at them (or vice-versa). Who cares! At the end of the day if you didn’t get your good workout in for trying to impress or not look bad, that’s on you.

7. Bring water with you during your workout – Replenishing yourself with water during your workout is a great benefit because it lets you keep going strong and finish out. Drink water and maybe a sports drink after to keep yourself from dehydrating.

8. Incorporate variety into your workout - If you do the same thing every day it will get boring after a while. If you’re always on the treadmill, try riding a bike. If you usually do three specific abdominal exercises, try three more. Mix it up every once in a while and change your regimen once a month to keep your muscles happy.

9. Have rest days – Be sure to have rest days in your workout schedule. Muscles need time to repair between workouts and proper rest is the only way to achieve this. Overworking muscles can lead to injury, prevention is the best cure.

10. Enjoy it! Don’t go to the gym because someone else tells you to go. Go because you want to. When you find something you like there, stick with it and live it up!

WANT TO BE A PERSONAL TRAINER??

Becoming a personal trainer in Australia

Want to become a personal trainer and are not sure what certifications are required in Australia?
The first step is to attain the right personal training certification. Once you have your personal trainer certification, you can then use your qualifications and find work as a personal trainer both here in Australia and overseas. There are plenty of fitness training organisations in Australia that offer personal trainer courses.

One of the best ways if you are thinking about becoming a personal trainer or want more information on how to become a personal trainer, is to contact a registered fitness training organisation in your area that offers courses in personal training such as TAFE or the Fitness Institute of Australia. They will be able to advise you on all the steps involved in obtaining a personal training qualification and how to become a personal trainer.

Generally for becoming a personal trainer in Australia you need to complete a certificate 3 in fitness which provides you with the basic foundation knowledge for becoming a personal fitness trainer. Once you complete the certificate 3 in fitness you can then do the specific personal training qualification, the certificate 4 in fitness.

In recent years, the number of people wanting to become a personal trainer throughout Australia has grown significantly. This is a result of the large growth seen within the Australian fitness industry as more fitness centres, and personal training studio’s open their doors.

With the Australian obesity rate on the rise, becoming a personal trainer could be the perfect career change you are looking for. A career as a personal trainer can be both personally and financially rewarding.

For more information see Connect Fitness.

POWER SHOT RECIPE

Ingredients:
1 Cup Raspberries
1 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder
¾ Cup Spring Water
2 Tblsps Honey
2 Scoops Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream
Squeeze of Lemon

Method:
Place the raspberries, protein powder, honey, low fat ice cream, water & squeeze of lemon juice into a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses as serve.

Serves:
4 People