Core Stability and Fitness Balls

There are many ways to improve your muscular health, fitness or sports and minimise risks to injury one of the major ways to do this is to improve your core stability. It is indeed the most important area is you core, all the limbs hang off the core and if the core is strong all the other muscles and joints work that much better. When I refer to the core of the body it is the shoulder and the hip girdle that make up the core. Many people think it is the six pack, and seek to develop rock hard abs unfortunately this will create an imbalance in muscle structures and not actually develop strength in the entire core. The six pack is the outer layer of abdominal muscle know as the rectus abdominus. We are not talking about building up bulky muscles here, the core muscles are much more subtle and need to be fine tuned in many situations.


Many people visit me in the clinic with dodgy hips, dodgy knees or dodgy backs and it is mainly due to a weak core. To help you improve your core stability there are many activities you can do, e.g. ViPR fitness, Nordic walking, Gym Fitness to name but a few . This can be as simple as sitting on a physio ball and lifting one leg at a time. This can feel quite wobbly at first but as your core muscles start to develop, you will be come more stable. The great thing about having a physio ball at home is you can use it while sitting watching the TV and it can also double up as a seat if your out of chairs and you have loads of visitors round. There are endless activities based around the physio ball. When you choose your physio or gym ball look for quality rather than the cheapest after all you want it to be withstand bursting and do the job it is supposed to do.









Of course there is no point having a ball without a pump so buying a ball with a pump is a good investment and of course you need to know what to do with it once you have bought it. Above you will see a useful selection of physio balls and recommended books to help you improve your corse stability for fitness, injury rehab or sports training.


Another useful bit of kit for your home gym is a foam roller this can help you with fascial release and core stabilisation and other activities. Again you may wish to work with your trainer to help you develop some exciting activities to develop your core.


Finally, should you require one to one help to develop a routine that is right for you then do think about a personal training program to help get you started. You will benefit from the expertise and knowledge of the fitness instructor, your confidence will grow and the support and motivation will enable you to get it right first time round and you will avoid going back to rehab. To find out more about personal training, contact Sue: http://www.activeedgesolutions.co.uk/

Is your Fitness Instructor Registered?

The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) is the independent public register which gives recognition for industry qualifications and expertise of fitness and exercise professionals in the UK. One of the key functions of REPs is to provide a systematic regulation for exercise and fitness professionals. This ensures they meet the agreed National Occupational Standards (NOS) for health and fitness industry.

Is your instructor registered?

All REPs Registered Exercise Professionals:

• Have met agreed NOS.
• Hold approved and recognised qualifications.
• Are competent to deliver at their recognised levels.
• They are committed to on-going continuous professional development.
• They are legally covered by appropriate insurance.

REPs registered instructors offer a wide range of experience and skills and will hold qualifications and have gained entry to the register through a a wide range of options such as:

• Gym Instruction
• Group Exercise to Music
• Water based Exercise
• Zumba Fitness Instructor
• Nordic Walk Fitness Instructor
• ViPR Fitness Instructor
• Advanced Fitness Instructor/Personal Training etc.

Groups of people that recognise REPs as the professional body for the health and fitness industry include bodies such as the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Department of Health (DH).

It's strongly recommended by REPs that the general public ONLY use the expertise of a Registered Exercise Professional…
If you are a member of health club, or attend a community fitness class or wish to hire a personal trainer. DO check to see if the instructors are REPs registered.

By choosing a REPs registered exercise and fitness professional your health and safety is always paramount in the delivery of the class or fitness instruction. To find a registered professional visit: www.exerciseregister.org.

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YOU-TUBE AtoZFitnessbySJB

How exciting, just been creating a YOU_TUBE channel my very own channel. Through this channel my aim is to provide a Health and Fitness education from A to Z . Each video clip will provide you with some insights into health and fitness, tips to improve your fitness, it will provide you with inspiration to help you take action to get moving more often. Helping you to keep active for longer and get the most out of life. Check out the video channel , I look forward to helping you have a happier, healthier life at a pace that suits you. Enjoy!

P is for Pears

Juicy plump pears are ripe for the picking and in plentiful demand. There has been a complete glut of apples and pears this season. This article was brought on by a friend who came to me with the biggest bag of pears you can imagine. "Far too many for me" and he said he had another 10 bags of pears at home and was looking for some inspiration as to what to do with them. Ripe juicy pears such as pear Williams are so rich and delicious and are just right for blending into a simple smoothie, wheras the harder Conference pear the variety my friend donated to me are fantastic for juicing.

The pear is very cleansing rather like apples, and are packed full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. To get your pears ready for juicing, wash well, remove the stalk and cut into chunks small enough to fit in your juicer. Some may take the whole fruit. If you want to make a smoothie just chop and core your pears.
JUICE breakfast pears

3 Conference or Comice Pears
2 Stalks celery
1/2 an inch ( 1 cm) root ginger
The salty taste of celery combined with the hot bite of ginger makes it a refreshing morning juice to wake up the taste buds.

NUTRIENTS beta-carotine, calcium, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulpher and vitamin C.
This refreshing pear juice will provide you with oodles of energy, it is detoxing, it will boost your immune system and aid digestion. An all round refreshing way to start your day. Enjoy!

3 ways to get a Wii Bit Fitter with Zumba

Wii Fit Zumba

You may not be ready to join a Zumba class yet or the classes are not in your area or at the time you want to do it.  There is a solution, perhaps you have a Wii fit device?  Why don't you pop on a Zumba Wii Fitness CD instead of watching Strictly come dancing. You will move more , have more fun and have a laugh too. Do bear in mind your personal fitness levels and take it slowly. Watch out for hazards, like small toys, sharp objects like table legs or other pieces of furniture.

Zumba gold and Zumba basics Fitness classes

At Active Edge Solutions we offer you an introduction to Zumba Fitness and continuing fitness program based on the Zumba fitness program.  We design and blend the the class with Zumba gold and Zumba basics tracks to suit the group it is isn't one pace fits all. We realise that you need to take it steadier, at different levels,  you want less impact and you want easy to follow moves in a fun filled environment with out pressure.  


Personal Zumba Fitness Program
 Another alternative fitness program for you to consider  is to reserve your own private instructor for your Zumba training program. This will enable you to enjoy the Zumba experience at time that suits you and have the class set at a pace that suits you. Whether you want a train at home budget plan or you need to have more personal plan there will be one to suit you.   A program that is done regulary and safely will definately help you get a wee bit fitter. What ever you choose, have fun and keep moving.

To book your personal Zumba Fitness Training program. Contact Sue: http://www.activeedgesolutions.co.uk/

6 of the Best Ways to Prepare for Interview!

Today it is important to prepare well for an interview and ensure your success.  The job market is tough and to make sure you are thoroughly prepared and stand out for the rest there are certain areas to brush up on.  These ideas come from my own experiences and desire to help me become better prepared.   Here are my best recommendations to help you be prepared :


1. Cover letters


 




2. 7 Keys to writing an Award Winning CV













3. Brillaint Interview ( Business)







4. Brilliant Interview : What employers what to hear and how to say it!











5 Brilliant Answers to tough interview questions







6 Join Toastmasters International . Find a club near you , get your group to try interview quesitons and techniques during a table topics session. By practising interview questions in advance in a safe environment your confidence will grow and you will be ready for all those tough questions.


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