national fitness news e zine september 2015

National Fitness News E-zine 1

Autumn 2015, Volume 4, Issue 3

National Fitness News e-Zine 2

From the Editors Chair

NCEF Autumn 2015 programmes offer you a lot to choosefrom as part of your continuing professional developmentand lifelong learning opportunities. Details of a selectionof opportunities are included in this edition.

As we are now at the start of yet another season let mewish you every success in each and every challenge thatpresents itself to you, be that starting your new classschedule, taking on new clients/ teams or furthering youreducation.We are currently updating our databases. If you are movingaddress please make sure to inform us, so that we can keepour records up to date. The majority of our notifications aresent electronically. Please click on the following link to Signup: for NCEF News & Updates to ensure you stayconnected with the NCEF and receive all the importantnotifications.As always my thanks to all contributors, whose support forand input to National Fitness News e-Zine is outstandingand consistent

Wishing you every success in the later months of 2015.

ÁineManaging Director, Business Operations & Finance

From the Directors Chair

The summer has flown by and Iam sure that as fitnessprofessional you are already outthere planning and implementingways in which you can meet thechallenges of getting your clientsfit and active for the autumn/wintermonths.

World Mental Health Day isSaturday 10th October 2015.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), thisyear they will be raising awareness of what can be done toensure that people with mental health conditions cancontinue to live with dignity, through human rights orientedpolicy and law, training of health professionals, respect forinformed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns. So,it is very timely that the theme for this issue concentrateson Mental Health. Our panel of contributors have writtensome very informative articles on how the FitnessProfessional can raise awareness and promote a healthyand active lifestyle to those suffering with metal healthissues or in the prevention of same.

The NCEF have recently upgraded the Certificate inExercise & Health Fitness (CEHF) & Higher Certificate inExercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) Learning SupportWebsite. This is an excellent learning tool for any student

on the CEHF or HCEHF programme of study. On page 7we have provided you with a link to sample this resource.Watch this space for further updates on the new NCEF e-Learning Hub.

Autumn is generally a time of the year when we start tothink about embarking on new courses to enhance ourprofessional development. NCEF Year 2 Link-In Modulesare currently operating with future dates are advertisedinside. This semester the NCEF will for the first timeoperate all four years of the Flexible Learning Pathway tothe B.Sc. – it will be a busy academic year!

Finally, congratulations to all NCEF/UL students whograduated at the University of Limerick Conferring on 28th

August. All of your hard work and dedication has paid off.Congratulations to all NCEF Co-Ordinators and Tutors whohelped you on your way.

Best of luck with your future studies and fitness careers.

Yours in fitness

MaeveNFN Editor

Welcome to the September 2015issue of National Fitness Newse-Zine.

With “Mental Health” as thefeature topic for this issue we aredelighted to take this opportunityto provide you with what we hopeyou find informative and usefularticles. The focus of mentalhealth takes in many aspects

from nutrition, exercise, and an overall holistic approachbeing discussed with many useful links provided.

Many thanks to all contributors to this edition of the NFNe-Zine, who have taken the time to compose suchinteresting and comprehensive articles we do hope youenjoy each and every one.

NCEF would like to congratulate Team Ireland athletes andvolunteers who did Ireland proud at the world SpecialOlympic Games. What an amazing experience an eventnot to be missed - thank you Noreen for the article.

If you are considering fundraising, don’t miss CarmellDemello’s article which gives you lots of tips from someexperts.

http://eepurl.com/bj4obf




Table of Contents4 News Room

7 CEHF/HCEHF Learning Support

8 Health Report

9 Nutrition Report

10 Fitness Report

Mental Health Features

14 Research: Science Says: Exercise Benefits Mental Health & Body Image

By Ciara Losty

16 Physical Activity & Mental HealthBy Karl Fleming

18 Mind Body: Pilates & Mental HealthBy Richie Walsh

20 Case Study: Physical Health &Emotional Well-BeingBy Maeve Halpin

22 Nutrition: Good Nutrition for MentalHealthBy Brendan Harold

Regulars

24 Report: World Special OlympicGamesBy Noreen O’Connell

NFN is an e-Zine published by the National Councilfor Exercise & Fitness (NCEF).

The opinions and views in the publication are those of thecontributors and are not necessarily shared by the NCEF.While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in thecompilation of this e-Zine, NCEF cannot acceptresponsibility for any errors or omissions or effects arisingthereof. However, such errors or omissions may bebrought to the attention of the Editor. All material iscopyrighted.

25 Personal Training: Client Handout: 10 Minute Tricep Workout

By Maeve Kavanagh

26 CEHF Graduate Profile:By Grainne Murphy

28 CEHF Graduate Profile:By Brid O’Sullivan

31 Group Exercise: The Role of Fitness inFundraisingBy Carmell Demello

35 Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI)

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Connect with us:

NCEF Autumn e-Zine 2015, Volume 4, Issue 3

25 31

Front Cover Credit: Paul Dorrell

https://www.facebook.com/NCEF.Organisation

https://twitter.com/nceffitness


NCEF MISSION STATEMENT

“To provide an outstanding educationalexperience,through courses ofexcellence, whilst meeting the practicaland professional needs of the fitnessinstructor”

Are you a qualified Gym Instructor?Are you interested in hiring an Aerobics Room?

If so Nenagh Leisure Centre is the place for you. We can offer you excellentfacilities for providing fitness classes in comfortable surroundings at anaffordable price. In a prime location, our Aerobics Room, which overlooksNenagh Town Park, has 13 spin bikes, floor to ceiling mirrors and is ideal for allaerobics, dance and fitness classes.

The newly refurbished Leisure Centre also includes a 25 metre swimming pooland a gym with extensive gym equipment which opens up opportunities forpossible package deals.

Please contact Rosemary Joyce at 0761 06 6630 [email protected] for further details.

Our website: www.ncef.ie

Email: ncef.ie

Phone: 061-202829

Mail: NCEF Head Office, PESS Building,

University of Limerick

Connect with us:

NCEF Tutor In-service Conference 2015

The NCEF Annual Tutor In-service Conference took placeon Saturday 12th September 2015 at the University ofLimerick. The theme for this years conference was “OneDestination, Many Pathways”. Over 55 tutors fromnationwide NCEF courses attended. It was theiropportunity to enhance their continuing professionaldevelopment, network with colleagues and receiveoperational updates and new ideas to implement into theirclasses for the 15/16 academic year.

Respecting Your Privacy is Important to Us

Occasionally, we circulate promotional emails pertaining to NCEF courses and events. We only includegraduates of the NCEF. We do not give your contact details to any third party contacts. To ensure that you arereceiving all updates please click on the link below to subscribe to our updates:

Sign up: for NCEF News & Updates

https://twitter.com/nceffitness

https://www.facebook.com/NCEF.Organisation

mailto:[email protected]




On Friday 28th August 2015, theNCEF celebrated the conferring ofstudents from the Certificate inExercise & Health Fitness (CEHF),Higher Certificate in Exercise &Health Fitness (HCEHF) & Diplomain Exercise & Health Fitness(DEHF).

It was a very prestigious day andfantastic to see the graduatesreceiving recognition for all of theirhard work

Congratulations to you all and bestof luck in your future studies andcareers.

1. Emma Hannon, Newbridge, Cpl Kim Turner, Military Police, DFTC, Curragh,conferred with a Certificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness, Prof Paul McCutcheon, VicePresident Academic and Registrar, Sgt Gavin Coventry, Military Police, DFTC, Curraghalso conferred with a Certificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness and Rachel Coventry.

2. Diploma in Exercise & Health Fitness (DEHF) Graduates

3. Inchicore College of Further Education, Dublin, graduates conferred with aCertificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness

4. Waterford College of Further Education, Dublin, graduates conferred with aCertificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness with Tutor and Co-ordinator Sean Twoomey

5. Motions Health & Fitness, Dublin graduates conferred with a Certificate in Exercise &Health and Fitness with Tutor and Course Co-ordinator Linda Gaynor.

6. Trevor, Diane, Paul and Aaron O'Brien who was conferred with a Higher Certificate inExercise & Health Fitness and Donald and Fiona Ward. Aaron is also a member of theIrish Triathlon Team and is heading to America to train full time.

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1. Cpl Kim Turner, Military Police, DFTC, Curragh, conferred witha Certificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness, Prof PaulMcCutcheon, Vice President Academic and Registrar and SgtGavin Coventry, Military Police, DFTC, Curragh also conferred witha Certificate in Exercise & Health and Fitness.2. Kieran Jackson & Aaron O’Brien (U23 Development Squadtriathletes) who were conferred with a Higher Certificate inExercise & Health Fitness with Lynne Algar, Triathlon Ireland HighPerformance Coach who graduated with a PhD.3. Michael Carr, conferred with a Certificate in Exercise & HealthFitness with his wife Brid Carr, Limerick.

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http://www.cehflearningsupport.com/sample_resources.html


There is plentyof help andadvice out therefor MentalHealth. Below isa list of somehelplines andwebsites thatyou might finduseful. Theseprovideinformationservices as wellas emotionalsupport.

Helplines:

· Samaritans 24 hour emotional supporthelpline on 116 123 or email themat [email protected]

· Console’s Suicide Prevention 24 hour FreephoneHelpline on 1800 247 247

· Aware‘s Support Line on 1890 303 302 Monday –Sunday, 10am to 10pm or email themat [email protected]

· Shine’s information helpline on 1890 621 631 or emailthem at [email protected]

· Bodywhys helpline on 1890 200 444· If you are a young person, or you are worried about

someone, you can text ‘Headsup’ to 50424 and youwill receive a menu of options for support in areassuch as mental health, crisis, suicide, alcohol,sexuality, abuse, teen issues, student services.

· St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services has a Supportand Information Service staffed by experienced mentalhealth nurses, which you can contact by phone on 012493333 or email at [email protected] There isalso a drop-in information centre.

Websites:

· The Health Service Executive (HSE)website www.yourmentalhealth.ie has general informationon mental health and wellbeing, as well as podcasts,information on wellness workshops, and a directory ofservices and supports around the country.· Mental Health Ireland has a list of other usefulwebsites on their website - click here· Cairde has developed the website Health Facts,which aims to provide culturally appropriate informationabout health and health services in Ireland to people fromethnic minorities - click here· Aware has a list of other useful websites on theirwebsite - click here

World Mental Health Day 10th

October 2015

The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day,observed on 10 October, is "Dignity in mental health".This year, WHO will be raising awareness of what canbe done to ensure that people with mental healthconditions can continue to live with dignity, throughhuman rights oriented policy and law, training of healthprofessionals, respect for informed consent totreatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, andpublic information campaigns.

Further information available here:http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2015/en/

The Irish Heart Foundation 'Red Alert' campaign ran forthe month of September and focused on women's hearthealth. A FREE 24 page magazine covering topics such as

eating for a healthyheart, menopause anddiabetes. It includes reallife stories, an exclusiverecipe from celebritychef Catheirne Fulvioand interviews withexperts such as director& consultant cardiologistDr. Angie Brown anddietitian SinéadShanley. This magazineis available for free here

Heart disease andstroke is the leading

cause of death among Irish Women but....

Just over 1 in 10 women believe cardiovasculardisease is no.1 killer

Only 1 in 5 women know that menopause is a riskfactor for heart disease and stroke

For further information on the Red Alerts for Women, pleasevisit www.irishheart.ie




mailto: [email protected]

http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie

http://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/

http://cairde.ie/mental-health/

http://www.aware.ie/

http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2015/en/

http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2015/en/

http://www.irishheart.ie/media/pub/heartmonth2015/red_alert_magazine_final__print_ready.pdf

http://www.irishheart.ie


Researchers compared the benefitsof consuming a normal-proteinbreakfast to a high-protein breakfastand found the high-protein breakfast-- which contained 35 grams ofprotein -- prevented gains of body fat,reduced daily food intake and feelingsof hunger, and stabilized glucoselevels among overweight teens whowould normally skip breakfast.

Approximately 60 percent of youngpeople habitually skip breakfast up tofour times a week, previous researchhas shown. Although health expertsrecommend breakfast as a strategy toreduce an individual's chance ofobesity, little research has examinedif the actual type of breakfastconsumed plays a significant role inone's health and weightmanagement. University of Missouriresearchers compared the benefits ofconsuming a normal-protein breakfastto a high-protein breakfast and foundthe high-protein breakfast -- whichcontained 35 grams of protein --prevented gains of body fat, reduceddaily food intake and feelings ofhunger, and stabilized glucose levelsamong overweight teens who wouldnormally skip breakfast.

Heather Leidy, Ph.D., an assistantprofessor in the Department ofNutrition and Exercise Physiology atthe MU School of Medicine and leadauthor of the study, says the key toeating 35 grams of protein is toconsume a combination of high-quality proteins including milk, eggs,lean meats and Greek yogurt.

"This study examined if the type ofbreakfast consumed can improveweight management in young people

who habitually skip breakfast," saidLeidy. "Generally, people establisheating behaviors during their teenyears. If teens are able to developgood eating habits now, such aseating breakfast, it's likely to continuethe rest of their lives."

Leidy and her colleagues fed twogroups of overweight teens whoreported skipping breakfast betweenfive and seven times a week eithernormal-protein breakfast meals orhigh-protein breakfast meals. A thirdgroup of teens continued to skipbreakfast for 12 weeks.

"The group of teens who ate high-protein breakfasts reduced their dailyfood intake by 400 calories and lostbody fat mass, while the groups whoate normal-protein breakfast orcontinued to skip breakfast gainedadditional body fat," Leidy said."These results show that whenindividuals eat a high-proteinbreakfast, they voluntarily consumeless food the rest of the day. Inaddition, teens who ate high-proteinbreakfast had more stable glucoselevels than the other groups."

Leidy says large fluctuations inglucose levels are associated with anincreased risk of Type 2 diabetesamong young people, which canmake health complicationsassociated with weight gain moreintense.

The normal-protein breakfast mealwas milk and cereal and contained 13grams of protein. The high-proteinbreakfast meals included eggs, dairyand lean pork that contained 35grams of protein. Participants in thegroups were instructed to reportfeelings of hunger and their dailyintakes of food and beverages. Theirbody weight and body compositionwere measured at the beginning andend of the 12-week period. Inaddition, the participants wore adevice that assessed minute-to-minute glucose levels throughout theday.

Source: University of Missouri-Columbia. "Protein-packedbreakfast prevents body fat gain inoverweight teens: High-proteinbreakfast also improves teens'glycemic control." ScienceDaily.ScienceDaily, 12 August 2015.www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150812165923.htm

NDC SchoolLunch Tips

1. Preparing– involvechildren asmuch as youcan and referto theDepartmentof Health’sFoodPyramid.Makinglunches thenight beforewill give you

more time to work together andshorten the already lengthy list ofthings to do in the morning.

2. Packing - a small colourful coolbag to store the lunchbox may help tokeep food cool and fresh until lunchtime. Try to avoid soggy sandwichesby keeping wetter ingredientsseparate – for instance swap slicedtomato for a little container of cherrytomatoes.

3. Drinks - dehydration may causefatigue and weakness affectingperformance in school. Drinks shouldbe included for small break andlunch. Water and milk are consideredthe best choices. Including strawsand colourful bottles may encouragechildren to drink more.

4. Don’t forget - breakfast is said tobe the most important meal of the dayto break that overnight fast and isespecially important for schoolchildren. Milk and dairy products caneasily be incorporated into yourchild’s breakfast to fuel a hectic dayat school.

5. Encourage your child to takepart in sport or a physically activehobby. All children and young peopleshould be active, at a moderate tovigorous level, for at least 60 minutesevery day.

Source: National Dairy Council (NDC)http://www.ndc.ie/news/NDCNews150812.asp

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150812165923.htm


http://www.ndc.ie/news/NDCNews150812.asp

http://www.ndc.ie/news/NDCNews150812.asp


High-intensity interval training seems all the rage these days, as both anecdotalinformation and scientific evidence support its claims to be an efficient andeffective form of exercise. However, many experts are concerned thatdeconditioned clients may think the programming is too tough. Is there a way tofacilitate HIIT sessions that doesn’t leave novice exercisers feelingoverwhelmed? A new study says yes.

Reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2015; 47 [5], 1038–45),the study included 20 overweight and deconditioned people around 22 years ofage. Participants completed several types of high-intensity training. The first wasa 20-minute continuous workout without a rest. The other three workouts lasted24 minutes each and featured a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio of 30 seconds, 60seconds and 120 seconds, respectively. The goal was to determine perceivedexertion ratings (RPE) for all four workouts.

Before the training began, participants anticipated that the 120-second protocolwould require the greatest exertion. During all workouts, RPE increased from

beginning to end.The highestoverall perceivedexertion resultedfrom thecontinuousworkout,followed by the120-secondprotocol. The30-secondprotocolproduced thelowest RPE ofthe intervalscenarios,despiteproducing thesame volume ofwork as the otherprotocols.

The authorsbelieve thatthese data maybe beneficial inattracting morepeople toparticipate in—and benefitfrom—HIIT.“These findingssuggest that 30-[second HIIT]protocols limitthe perceptualdrift that occursduring exercise,

in comparison to [heavy continuous] exercise,” they explained. “Moreover,performing more intervals of shorter durations appears to produce lowerpostexercise RPE values than performing fewer intervals of longer duration andequal intensity. Because effort perception may influence behavior, these resultscould have implications for the prescription of interval training in overweightsedentary adults.”

Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, September 2015, pg 13 (Author: RyanHalvorson)- www.ideafit.com

RunningMakesUs HappyThe joy of running. That sense of well-being, freedom and extra energy thatrunners often experience is not just amatter of endorphins. A study at theUniversity of Montreal HospitalResearch Centre (CRCHUM) showsthat the "runner's high" phenomenonis also caused by dopamine, animportant neurotransmitter formotivation.

"We discovered that the rewardingeffects of endurance activity aremodulated by leptin, a key hormone inmetabolism. Leptin inhibits physicalactivity through dopamine neurons inthe brain," said Stephanie Fulton, aresearcher at the CRCHUM and leadauthor of an article published in thejournal Cell Metabolism.

Secreted by adipose tissue, leptinhelps control the feeling of satiety.This hormone also influences physicalactivity. "The more fat there is, themore leptin there is and and the lesswe feel like eating. Our findings nowshow that this hormone also plays avital role in motivation to run, whichmay be related to searching for food,"explained Stephanie Fulton, who isalso a professor at Université deMontréal's Department of Nutrition.

Hormone signals that modulatefeeding and exercise are in factbelieved to be closely linked.Endurance running capacity inmammals, particularly humans, isthought to have evolved to maximizethe chances of finding food. Thisstudy suggests that leptin plays acritical role both in regulating energybalance and encouraging behavioursthat are "rewarding" for the person'smetabolism, i.e., engaging in physicalactivity to find food.

To read this study in full visithttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150831085456.htm

http://www.ideafit.com




Q

COURSE DETAILS

Venue for Contact Days: University of Limerick

Sat 30th & Sun 31st JanFri 15th January 2016Sat 13th & Sun 14th FebSat 27th & Sun 28th FebSat 12th & Sun 13th March

Access to online assessments: Thurs 24th-Sun 27thMarch.

Project submission date: Tues 9.00am, 5th April

Full details on entry requirements, course contentand fees are available by clicking here

This course awards 30 European Credit Transfer System(ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate/ Diploma/B.Sc.in Exercise & Health Fitness through a flexible learningpathway and also towards other University qualifications inEurope who follow ECTS credit value system.

Successful students will receive an NCEF Certificate ofCompletion

Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructorswho wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and providesafe and effective instruction in Pilates & Corrective. Thesespecialists can work with clients on a one to one basis or in agroup setting.

Course Details: Four contact weekends - Saturday &Sunday.

Private study and an additional day for final assessments.

Work experience which includes a detailed project andsubmission of a short video

Pilates & Corrective Exercise

NCEF Pilates & Corrective Exericse

http://www.ncef.ie/pilates_instructor.htmlv


Tutor Education or

Advanced Practitioner

Q

FULL-TIME DAY COURSE DETAILS

Venue: University of Limerick

Start date: 27th September 2016.

End date: May 2017

Contact Days: Tues & Thurs 11:00-14:00Mon, Wed & Fri are research & study days as well asTutor Observation and some work experience.

PART-TIME WEEKEND COURSE DETAILS

Venue: University of Limerick

Start date: 1st & 2nd October 2016.

End date: May 2017

Contact Days: Fri & Sat 09.30 -16:45Research & study days as well asTutor Observation and some work experience.

Application Closing Date: 9th September 2016


This course provides 60 European Credit Transfer System(ECTS) credits towards the the B.Sc. in Exercise & HealthFitness. The Diploma is awarded by the University of Limerickand are placed at Level 7 on the National QualificationsFramework (NQF) and Level 6 on the European QualificationsFramework (EQF).

Aim: To provide Fitness Professionals with the opportunity toresearch, study and practice at an advanced level in the are ofExercise & Health Fitness.

The DEHF Yr 3 has two Module Electives to choose from:

Strand 1 - Tutor Education: Provides fitness professionalswith the skills, knowledge and competencies to carry out thefunctions of a tutor at Year 1 (CEHF) and Year 2 (SpecialistCourses).

Strand 2 - Advanced Practitioner: Provides fitnessprofessionals with the skills, knowledge and competences towork at higher specialised levels within the industry, asspecialist instructors and/or in supervisory managementpositions.

http://www.ncef.ie/diploma.html

Feature Articles Inside:

1. Research: Science Says: ExerciseBenefits Mental Health and Body Image

2. Research: Physical Activity for MentalHealth

3. Mind Body: Pilates and Mental Health

4. Nutrition: Eating for a Healthy Mind

5. Case Study: Physical Health andEmotional Well-Being


Res

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IntroductionExperts offer multiple reasons why exercise positivelyimpacts mental health; most agree it’s likely a combinationof indirect and direct factors. Better circulation and reducedinflammation, boosts in psychological outlook, exposure topositive environmental factors, and perceptual andbehavioural shifts are all ‘side effects’ of exercise thatenhance mental health. One of the key areas that physicalactivity can enhance your mental health is via your bodyimage. Body image is a word used regularly in the world ofphysical activity psychology; however researcher’sexplanations can be extensively different (Hausenblas &Fallon, 2006).

Understanding Body ImageIt is important for a Fitness Professional to gain an insightinto what body image is and how it can be changed, inorder to promote exercise adherence for their clients. Duda(1998) explains that perhaps there is no specific definitionbut body image should be understood as umbrella termwhich includes four main dimensions. These fourcomponents are which encompass body image are;perceptual, cognitive (your thoughts), affective (yourfeelings) and the behavioural (Banfield & McCabe, 2002)choices you make regarding your body image. A positivebody image refers to a person’s satisfaction with their bodyin a physical and functional manner (Homan & Tylka,2014). This person will have positive attitudes andbehaviours about their body. For example, there will be anabsence of negative self-talk. An individual with a positivebody image is less likely to abuse their body in areas suchas diet and exercise. It can also go further into areas ofphysical and mental self-abuse. A positive body image alsoentails having full appreciation and acceptance of thephysical form (Homan & Tylka, 2014). That is, beinggrateful of what the individual has and also acceptancethat they cannot be perfect. This is an importantcomponent, an individual with a positive body image doesnot necessarily have the ‘perfect’ body but they accepttheir body. This shows the importance of being happy withoneself while striving for what they wish to achieve. This isa positive state of mind but can be difficult to develop withexercisers.

Focus on Body’s FunctionalityIt can be seen through research that focusing on what thebody can do and its functionality is greater associated witha positive body image than focusing on aesthetics (Homan& Tylka, 2014). Therefore small incremental goals will helpto develop a more functional type approach to the body e.g.an increase in distance ran over four weeks, a new PB overa certain distance, how quickly the body can recover after aworkout, an increase in energy levels for day to day activitiesetc. However, the modern western society and the epidemicin social media outlets has put in place physical and aesthetic

ideals for males and females (Hausenblas & Fallon, 2002),which are unattainable for the majority of individuals. Thereis now pressure for females to look thin, fit and toned andlean and muscular for males (Duda, 1998).

The Media & Family RoleMedia education is also vitally needed to protect anindividual’s body-image; mostly every image we see on TV,magazines, movies is airbrushed and doctored in some way.Nothing we see is real, yet is may ‘feel’ real as these are thetypes of images we see every day. Internationally (Franceand the UK have proposed legislation to their governments)there is proposed legislation called the ‘anti-airbrushmovement’ that all pictures/averts on TV should have awarning labels on manipulated images both in print and onTV. These images promote a standard of beauty and bodyshape so false that it can only be achieved by manipulatinga photograph. It is common place that women are pressuredto meet an artificial standard of beauty. Theseadvertisements affect men too, giving them falseexpectations of how women should look. There is also agreater emphasis on building muscle on the upper body forthe ideal male physique (Huasenblas & Fallon, 2006) whichis often seen in these images also. In addition to this Duda

(1998) explains the benefits to gaining this physical ideal.People who are deemed physically attractive are seen bysociety as clean, smart and in control of their lives. In contrastto this, people within society often identify overweight peopleas lazy, unattractive and having no control of their behaviours(Duda, 1998). These are the types of social stereotypes thatnow exist within everyday life. The sociocultural theorysuggests that social pressure from the media; peer groupsand family have a role to play in a person’s aspiration tocoincide with unrealistic pressures (Hausenblas & Fallon,2002). This shows that the social circles and family membershave a strong influence (positive and negatively regardingbody image) on an individual; therefore if these ‘pressures’can be used in a positive manner they may bring aboutsignificant behaviour change with an individual e.g. a familydecides to physical activity together and eat more healthy


Feat

ure

as a unit, not just target the overweight child to change theirbehaviours.

Negative Body ImageFollowing on from this it can be said that in today’s societypeople are striving to change their body shapes andbecome physically attractive, fit and toned or muscular(Hausenblas &Fallon, 2006). The majority of people areturning to physical activity for the answer. Researchhighlights that exercisers have a better body image thansedentary people. This can be explained by the fact thatpeople who are physical activity are generally closer toidealistic body and are gaining the psychological benefits(Hausenblas & Fallon, 2006). However this can often be adifficult and long process and genetics will also have a sayin how the body adapts to physical activity. People maybecome discouraged and give up on their fitness journeywhich can lead to negative connotations of failure(Hausenblas & Fallon, 2006) if their body does not adaptrelative to their expectations, therefore having appropriategoals and expectations is important to make sure a clientadheres to their programme. This in turn can causenegative body disturbances and a negative body image if aclient quits. Acquiring a negative body image can haveknock on effects to the emotional and psychologicalwellbeing of a person. If a person consistently has negativethoughts and disturbances about their body, then a numberof other health problems such as depression and eatingdisorders can be developed (Duda, 1998). Physical activityand exercise can create the induction of serotonin anddopamine within the body (Jerstad et al., 2010). This inturn will increase a ‘natural chemical’ positive mood affectwithin the brain and in turn lead to a decrease in the levelsof negative thoughts and depressed/low moods (Salmon,2001). Therefore it is extremely important to gain an insightinto the relationship and mind body connection betweenexercise and body image. There is a connection bothchemically and cognitively.

Exercise benefits Mental HealthRecommendations for prescribing exercise programmesfor those experiencing mental health challenges and thosewho are overweight or obese is an area where exercisebenefits mental health. Presumptions are made that thosewho start an exercise programme do so to alter their bodyimage or physical appearance. While this may be thestarting point in terms of continuing to exercise the motivesoften change. When people see the benefits of increasedphysical fitness and mood related benefits of being activethis becomes their new motive. This is a really importantstep in becoming a regular exerciser. The long termmaintenance of an exercise programme is generallyassociated with the endorsement of physical andpsychological motives for physical activity rather thanmotives related to physical appearance. From an exercisepsychology perspective our client’s motivation will changeand develop the longer they adhere to an exerciseregimen.

Role of the Fitness ProfessionalFitness Professionals need to work with people on whatthey can realistically change rather that draw attention towhat they cannot. Programmes should be focused onimproving physical strength, function and endurance ratherthan change of physical appearance. Prescribing someform of physical activity that the individual enjoys or had avicarious experience with is a good starting point.Encourage individuals to track moods. Mood stateindicators would allow a fitness professional to develop

more comprehensive models of thepsychological processes between therelationship between exercise andbody satisfaction. Research hasindicated thatmoderate-to-strenuous physicalactivity with a focus on the health andenjoyment benefits of physical activityand minimisation of potential weight-loss, shape change, and appearance,

In summaryThere are a number of practical and applied implicationsworth noting. A greater understanding of the precursors topoor body image and situations in which beingoverweight/obese occurs will enable practitioners to bemore aware of such factors and use these contexts inaccessing an individual’s mind set. Efforts to equipindividuals with the tools to identify the cause of the triggershould be complemented by attempts to build a robust self-belief in one’s physical and mental ability. A client needs tofocus on what they can control (their thoughts, feelings andbehaviours) and remind themselves that they cope with therest! Finally, educating individuals in goal-settingprocesses will facilitate their ability to naturally investthemselves in their own journey of the process rather thanthe outcomes of the exercise programme.Training and education for Fitness Professionals is anapproach to reduce bias when delivering programmes toclients (particularly those clients who are overweight/obeseand suffering with poor body image). To understand thebehaviour that weight is not always controllable, weight willfluctuate but it is not necessary for our body image tochange as it does. It is apparent from research thatphysical activity, body image and developing mental healthrequire a multifaceted approach, one that is based on eachindividual’s requirements to promote a sense of overallwellness. As the problem is multi-faceted the solution isalso multi-faceted, exercise and physical activityprogrammes are part of the solution.Bibliography available on request.

Cíara is a lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology on the M.Sc. in Applied Sportand Exercise Psychology in Waterford Institute of Technology. She completed theNCEF Tutor course in 2002. Cíara works as a sport psychology consultant with awide range of athletes and teams at both club, national and international level and isan accredited sport psychology service provider with the Irish Institute of Sport. Ifyou are interested in studying on the M.Sc. please contact [email protected] . The aimis to educate specialists in the field of applied Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Graduates will have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to work in the area of enhancingsports performance, sports/exercise participation and best practice at a variety of age andperformance levels.Further informationhttp://www.wit.ie/courses/type/health_sciences/department_of_health_sport_exercise_studies/msc_in_sport_psychology

http://www.wit.ie/courses/type/health_sciences/department_of_health_sport_exercise_studies/msc_in_sport_psychology

http://www.wit.ie/courses/type/health_sciences/department_of_health_sport_exercise_studies/msc_in_sport_psychology


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IntroductionAs fitness professionals, we haveenormous potential to contribute to thedevelopment and maintenance of ourclient's overall quality of life. Wepromote fitness to our clients as aresult of our keen awareness andeducation that participating in physicalactivity or exercise is essential notonly for the healthy but for thoseburdened with acute or chronicdiseases. Caspersen et al (1985)defined physical activity as "any bodilymovement produced by skeletalmuscle that results in energyexpenditure", whereas exercise can isclassified as a subset, whichincorporates "planned, structured,repetitive bodily movements engagedin for the purpose of improving ormaintaining one or more componentsof physical fitness or health".

In our role, we purposely endorse anarray of both physical (increasedaerobic endurance, muscle tone andbody composition) and health(decreased risk of CHD, osteoporosis,hypertension) benefits that areavailable to those willing to embarkupon an active lifestyle, but how muchdo we really champion the mentalhealth benefits?

Mental HealthAccording to the World HealthOrganisation 2014, psychological wellbeing is defined as "a state of wellbeing in which every individualrealises his or her own potential, cancope with the normal stresses of life,can work productively and fruitfully,and is able to make a contribution tohis or her community".

In Europe, it is estimated that one infive persons will develop a depressiveepisode during their lifetime. The rateis similar in Ireland, where it isreported that an estimated 450,000people are affected by depression(Aware Ireland 2015). Depression,which can affect people of any age,gender or background, is difficult todefine as it embellishes several mood

disorders, including bipolar ormanic-depressive disorder, mooddisorder due to a medical conditionand substance-induced mooddisorder (American PsychiatricAssociation 2000). Mathers andLoncar (2006) suggest that by 2020,depression will be the secondleading cause of both death anddisability worldwide, rising to firstplace by 2030.

In contrast, anxiety which is definedas "a state of worry, apprehension,or tension that occurs in theabsence of real or obvious danger"(Buckworth et al 2013, p. 161) is themost frequent mental health issueworldwide. In the United States, it isestimated that over 40 million areburdened by one of several types ofanxiety disorder namely, socialphobia, social anxiety disorder,panic disorder, generalised anxietydisorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) orposttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), resulting in an annualeconomic burden of 42 billiondollars.

TreatmentPrincipal treatment for theseconditions follows a pharmacological

approach but due to their lifetimeduration, concerns exist pertainingto excessive cost burden, therebyallowing physical activity andexercise an opportunity to providecheaper, accessible and effectivemethods of support. There issubstantial evidence available froma number of population-basedstudies (Jerstadt et al 2010; Wise etal 2006) to suggest that the risk ofdepression may be reduced byengaging in physical activity. Froman experimental standpoint,research on adults with a chronicillness (Herring et al 2012) andadults clinically diagnosed with ananxiety disorder (Stonerock et al2015), illustrated significantreductions in depression andanxiety symptoms respectivelyfollowing exposure to variousexercise interventions. Furthermore,research by Wedekind et al (2010)identified reductions in anxietysymptoms following a combinationof exercise training and drugtreatment, among patients withpanic disorder.

What can FitnessProfessionals do?Despite the perceived benefits,evidence suggests that personsstricken with mental health issuesparticipate to a lesser degree thanhealthy adults in physical activity(Martinsen 1989), therefore allowingyou, the fitness professional, firmlyplaced in the prime position ofdeveloping and implementingexercise regimes that complementthe pharmacological approach toaugment the overall quality of lifeexperience of persons with mentalhealth issues.

Karl has been working in the Healthand Fitness industry since he wasqualified with the NCEF in 1997. He isqualified as a NCEFT, Pilates andCorrective Exercise Specialist andPersonal Trainer. He recentlycomplete my B.Sc. in Exercise and

Health Fitness, along with an M.Sc. in Exercise andNutrition Science. He is currently enrolled on theFaculty of Education and Health Sciences (EHS)structured doctoral programme (PhD) in UL

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The NCEF became an academic affiliate of the Universityof Limerick in June 2006. All NCEF programmes of studyare now part of Certificate, Higher Certificate Diploma andDegree programmes in Exercise & Health Fitness of theUniversity of Limerick. These awards do NOT requirerecertification.

NCEF Level 1 holders currently due to recertify have aunique opportunity to upgrade their NCEF Level 1 to theUniversity of Limerick accredited Certificate in Exerciseand Health Fitness (CEHF). Due to requests fromstudents, we have recently fully upgraded our CEHFLearning Support website in order to facilitate theoperation of this programme through e-learning only. Thiswill mean that you will no longer be required to travel tothe University of Limerick for a contact weekend.

By upgrading your current NCEF Level 1 to CEHF statusyou will have the benefit of: Holding the only solely focused Exercise & Health

Fitness Professional Instructor, university accreditedqualification in Ireland which is offered as Year 1 of theFlexible Learning Pathway to the B.Sc. in Exercise &Health Fitness.

No other Fitness Instructor course is placed at this levelor University accredited. The CEHF is placed at Level 6

on the National Framework of Qualifications(www.nfq.ie) and Levels 5 on the EuropeanQualifications Framework. The NCEF is audited andaligned to the European Industry standard, Exercisefor Health Specialist (EQF Level 5). Some othertraining providers offer EQF Level 4 standard ofqualification, but the NCEF is the only complete standalone fitness qualification in Ireland, accredited at EQFLevel 5.

Holding an award for life that does NOT requirerecertification.

Broadening your opportunities for recognition, access,transfer and progression within the Irish educationalsystem, within Europe and worldwide.

Spring Semester 2016:

Access to e-Learning Website: Mon 25th January ‘16 Dates for online assessment: 21st-24th April ‘16 Submission of Video Assessment: 28th April

Application Closing Date: Mon 18th January ‘16

Fees: FPI Member €950.00, Non FPI Member €995.00


Certificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (CEHF)

E-Learning - Upgrade Course

CEHF Upgrade Course

http://www.ncef.ie/recertification.html


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Pilates has often been portrayed as holistic and isfrequently associated with physical and mentalwellbeing. Practicing pilates has been shown toimprove quality of life as well as mental health (Vieiraet al., 2013). There are several factors that can affectmental health or cause deterioration in mental health.One major factor is stress. Ideally removing the stresswould be the best course of action but this is not allways possible or practical. Therefore being able toimprove the coping mechanisms could help reduce theeffects of stress. Another factor is cognitive function orkeeping the brain active. The unique principles ofpilates mean that concentration and mental focus isvital in effective participation of pilates, which mayeven improve cognitive function.

While eliminating stress from one’s life can bechallenging, if not impossible, there is the potential toremove it or reduce the things that stress us for a smallperiod of time. Pilates and the pilates instructor canfacilitate a stress free environment that could help reducestress without even doing single ab prep or jack knife.This can flow over into other aspects of a person’s life.

1. Music can be used as a relaxation tool. Choosingmusic with a slow beat and rhythm can allow thebreathing and heart rate to reduce in time to the music.Even using soothing soundscapes such as the sea, riversor rain (or just opening the window) could help aidrelaxation.

2. The Room that the pilates class is taught in can help inachieving relaxation. Insuring the room is clean andwarm, especially if there are new people starting pilatesfor the first time as it gives a good impression and the firstfew sessions might mean that the participants may not beas actives as advanced participants. Getting otheraspects of the surroundings right can really impact onstress such as colour, greens are said to be healing andrelaxing. If you cannot paint the walls try using a greenlight. While on lighting remember that the class will bespending the majority of their time on their backs lookingup at the ceiling. Avoiding harsh lights could besomething to consider.

3. You as the instructor are more than the person givingthe list of exercises. You are the mentor, the leader, youmay even end up as a proxy psychotherapist. Thereforeyou need to be engaging, encouraging, and empathetic.Knowing when to refer someone for counseling couldhelp someone struggling with mental health issues. Oftenthere is a camaraderie that builds between theparticipants of a pilates class. Having a coffee morning orother social activity every so often could allow stressedindividuals to build their social support structures ordevelop other coping mechanisms.

Selling a Lifestyle

Bringing the pilates experience home in the form of ahand-out, DVD or CD can be an effective way of having amini pilates class during the week. This can help inrelaxation as well as allowing for greater physiologicaladaptations between classes.

Reducing Anxiety

One of the main goals in sports psychology is reducinganxiety. There are several physiological techniques usedto reduce anxiety. Some of these are similar to theprinciples of pilates especially concentration, control andbreathing. Further information on the principle of pilatescan be found in the previous article ‘pilates for injuryprevention and the gym’ (Walsh, 2015).Progressive RelaxationProgressive relaxation uses a technique of relaxing andcontracting muscle groups in order to allow an athletereach a state of relaxation easier and quicker. It is builton the premise that tension and relaxation are mutuallyexclusive (a muscle cannot be under tension and berelaxed at the same time). If you draw your shouldersback and down then the trapezius muscle, arguably themuscle most affected by tension, must relax.

Breath ControlBreath control is widely used to improve relaxation inathletes as well as improving performance. Holding one’sbreath can increase tension and reduce coordination andeven performance. Breathing is the bases of pilates andyet can be the hardest to master. Using imagery (coveredlater in this section) can be a very effective tool toimprove breath control.

First visualize pulling the diaphragm down and filling thelower third of the lungs. Then imagine filling the middleportion of the lungs by expanding the chest. Finally, fillthe upper levels of the lungs by raising the chest andshoulders. Inhaling for a count of four and slowly exhalingfor a count of eight can be effective at slowing breathingand deepening relaxation. Spending more time on properbreathing may lead to a better relaxation and even betterperformance of each pilates exercise. A good alternativefor the person who cannot master the proper breathingtechnique is using the yoga pose crocodile breathing.Getting the client to lie prone and getting them to breatheby expanding the ribs out to the side while keeping theirspine pulled down to the floor.

Figure 2: crocodile breathing. Where ‘a’ is keeping spine to the floor, and ‘b’ is breathing with rib out to the side.


Imagery is already used by pilates instructors to facilitatemore efficient movements of a pilates exercises, such as“peel your hips off of the mat.” It can also be used to create apeaceful environment in a technique known as imageryrelaxation. Imagery relaxation scrips typically start withsomething like “You are in a secluded meadow next to ababbling brook . . .” You can come up with you own imageryor there are thousands of imagery relaxation scripts online, afew good ones can be found on the Dartmouth College website.

While there is not much research on the effects of pilates onbody composition, there appears to be some positive effectson percent of body fat and body mass (Aladro-Gonzalvo etal., 2012). This may improve self-confidence and improvedbody image in pilates participants and therefore may lead toa positive mental attitude cycle. Self-Confidence has beenbelieved to play a large role in sports performance since the1980’s.Educating the pilates participants of the benefits ofimproved self-confidante may help them perform better inpilates class and may have a positive effect in the rest oftheir lives.

Confidence leads to positive emotions – if you areconfident you feel calm and relaxed under pressure allowingyou to perform more complex pilates variations.

Confidence encourages concentration – when you areconfident your mind is free to focus on the task at handallowing you to perform better, thus making you more skillfuland efficient.

Confidence allows higher goals to be set – confidentindividuals often set and reach higher goal, thus leading togreater results.

Confidence increases effort – if you can attain higherlevels of effort then greater improvements will occur.

Confidence improves performance – there is a strongrelationship between confidence and performance. Themore confident you are the greater the performance. To apoint, don’t get over confident though.

Confidence can lead to physiological momentum – whydo things seem to go well for great sporting people? Is itluck or is it that they don’t panic and believe that they havethe skill to achieve the performance that is needed.

The use of imagery and concentration can allow improvedcognitive function the positive effects of pilates andexercise can be seen even in an aging population (Pen-nington and Hanna, 2013), Which may help improve theeffects depression and reduce the on-set of dementia(O’Regan et al., 2011).

Pilates can be beneficial both physiologically and psycho-logically. Apart from the obvious “toning up and getting fit”people participate in pilates classes for various reasons,such as: the enjoyment of doing something different, thesocial aspect, the relaxed friendly atmosphere, thechallenge of getting the mind to conquer the body. In atime of ever expanding fitness trends and even more‘cowboy’ fitness instructors on the market, offering anexercise programme in no longer enough to stand out fromthe crowd. A well skilled and knowledgeable fitnessprofessional needs to offer a philosophy and demonstratea deep understanding of what that philosophy is about.References available upon request

Imagery

Improving the whole you

Final Thoughts

Biography

Richie has been working in the fitness industry since2008. He completed the NCEF Personal Trainer,Pilates & Corrective Exercise and the Diploma inExercise & Health Fitness (DEHF). He has alsocompleted a Sports Massage course, which led himto under-take a B.Sc. in Sports Rehabilitation andAthletic Therapy. Richie has a strong interest in

coaching triathlon, and all its disciplines.


Smiling nervously, the anxiousyoung woman with a pleasantdemeanour perched on the seat infront of me. It was Catherine's* firsttime to attend counselling and shewas understandably a bitapprehensive. As she began to talk,she relaxed and her story unfolded.Age 29, she had a fulfilling job andplenty of friends, but had split upwith her long-term partner fourmonths previously. It was herdecision to separate, so she wasn'tprepared for her subsequent “slideinto a decline” as she described it.

“I thought I would get a whole newlease of life – my feelings for Paulhad been dying away for a whileand I felt ready to make the break.But I didn't realise how much I hadcome to depend on him, eventhough we weren't living together,

for small things – he had been my“go to” person for anything I neededand now I feel like there was a bigvoid in my life – I wasn't expectingthat.”

Initially she had enjoyed her newsingledom, freed from a relationshipthat had become stale anduninspiring. But as time went on,she found herself staying in more,comfort eating at night-time,avoiding social situations andbasically just feeling depressed.

“I seem to have lost my enthusiasmfor everything – my pilates and yogaclasses, going out at the weekend,even work seems boring. I've put onalmost a stone in four months – Iused to be really good at keeping fitand healthy. I just can't understandhow I've let it all slide.”

Understanding Loss

Catherine's experience, thoughconfusing and distressing for her, isnot an unusual one. The ending of arelationship, even a dissatisfyingone, can be akin to a bereavement.The companionship, regular contactand familiarity provided by arelationship can be so woven intoour lives that it becomes invisibleand often taken for granted. Losingthis can provoke a feeling of loss oremptiness that gradually erodes oursense of well-being, confidence andself-esteem.

Catherine's response to the breakupwas to retreat into herself, allowingher social contacts to fall away andcomforting herself with food andsometimes alcohol at night. Shebegan to rely on take-aways instead

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of the healthy cooked meals she used to enjoy preparing.She stayed up late watching TV instead of going out toher exercise classes. Though she felt lonely, she couldn'tdrum up the energy to break out of the destructive patternthat she had fallen into. She became harshly self-critical,berating herself for her unhelpful and regressivebehaviour.

When I suggested that what she was experiencing couldbe compared to a type of bereavement, Catherine beganto cry softly. “That's really weird – my father died 10 yearsago. I thought I was over it, but I have been thinkingabout him a lot in the last few months. I'm missing himagain - the split has brought it all back up, for somereason. And after he died, my mother went into herself aswell – it's only in the last few years that she's sort of backto normal”.

By withdrawing into isolation, Catherine wasunconsciously trying to avoid the pain of moving forwardwithout Paul in her life, even at the price of loneliness andlassitude. She was also falling into repeating a familypattern in relation to loss, unwittingly replicating hermother's response to her own bereavement.

Knowing What Affects Our Mood

I explained to Catherine why, when we become anxiousand depressed, we often stop doing the very things thatkeep us well. Healthy food, adequate exercise andregular, consistent sleep are the foundation of physicaland mental health. Together, these three elementsunderpin the optimal functioning of the nervous system,which is the hardware that we use to run the software ofour emotional life.

Though the brain accounts for only 2 per cent of theweight of the body, it uses up 20 per cent of the energythat is derived from the food we eat – far more than anyother organ. This is why consuming natural,unprocessed, nutrient-dense food is essential formaintaining brain and nervous system health. But we alsoneed appropriate exercise to release feel-good hormoneslike endorphins and oxytocin that have proven benefits interms of mood, energy and self-esteem. Regular exercisealso enhances sleep, which is fundamental to feelingbuoyant, optimistic and energetic.

As Catherine took all this on board, she could see howher negative spiral had developed. Falling away from herwell-established habits of cooking, exercise classes andearly nights during the week had depleted her energy andlowered her mood. Inactivity and seclusion had replacedthe active and sociable life she had previously enjoyed.Her self-esteem had dropped as she saw less of herfriends and watched her weight slowly creep up.

Beginning Recovery

The first challenge I gave Catherine was to ease off theself-criticism that was holding her back from evencontemplating positive change. To help restore heremotional balance, she agreed to begin a daily practice ofmorning meditation, starting with just five minutes a day.She also embraced the concept of self-compassion,meaning the development of a non-judgemental andforgiving attitude to oneself, as a salve for the harsh voiceof condemnation in her head.

As she adopted this more benign attitude towards herself,Catherine’s mood began to lift. By our third weeklysession, she had started going out for a walk in theevenings instead of taking straight to the couch. Thesunlight and fresh air helped lift her spirits and even withthis small change, she already felt more in control of hersituation. She confided in a couple of close friends abouthow low she had been feeling and was greatly relieved bytheir kindness and understanding. She also opened up toher mother, who responded with empathy and concern.Coming out of her isolation and connecting with otherswas an important step in rebuilding her inner strength andself-belief.

Slowly, Catherine began to experience the power ofmindfulness in her daily life. “I was living on auto-pilot,using food and TV to switch off and not feel anything. Butthat turned out to be worse than the feelings I was tryingto escape! Now I try to tune in and be aware of what I'mfeeling and not give myself a hard time about it, no matterwhat it is.” This awareness allowed Catherine to live moreconsciously and fully in the present moment, lifting herprevious dullness, apathy and cynicism.

Before long she found she no longer craved theunhealthy, addictive fast food that had become themainstay of her diet. She resumed her evening cookingand quickly experienced an increase in her energy levels.She returned to her gym classes, going back to beginnerslevel in order to gradually re-establish her fitness level.

Moving Forward

As Catherine implemented these positive changes in herdaily life, we continued to work through her emotionalissues in counselling. Six weeks on, she could see realprogress. Her mood and social life had improved and shewas losing the extra weight. “It's like I forgot everything Iknew about keeping well – like I slid down inside a bottleand couldn't get back out. Now when I meditate in themorning, I feel like I am connecting in with myself in adeep way, it sustains me for the day and I don't get sostressed. I am aware of how I use my mind and knowhow to guard against negativity. I can still feel sad andlonely sometimes but I don't let it overwhelm me. I keepall the healthy routines going every day and I'm not afraidto ask for help when I need it.”

Though still in the process of overcoming her sense ofloss, Catherine now had learned practical skills tomanage her physical and emotional health, maintain herwell-being and face life's challenges with renewedconfidence.

Maeve Halpin is a RegisteredCouselling Psychologsist based inRanelagh, Dublin 6. Her recentcompilation, How tobe Happy andHealhty – the SevenNatural Elements of

Mental Health, is published byAshfield Press.© Maeve Halpin August 2015

*Names and personal details havebeen changed to preserveanonymity.


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Good nutrition is important for ourmental and physical health. Thisarticle will outline how nutritioncan contribute to your mental wellbeing.

Eat regular mealsUnlike other organs, your braincannot use fat or protein as fuel – itcan only use glucose. Therefore, asteady supply of low glyceamic indexcarbohydrates (that are broken downin the body to produce blood glucose)throughout the day is essential. Aimto eat 3 meals a day with snacks inbetween to keep your energy levelsup for the day.

Choose more wholegrains, fruitand vegetable foodsWholegrain carbohydrates (brownbread, oats, brown rice and brownpasta), peas, beans, lentils, nuts,seeds, fruits and vegetables are richin a range of vitamins and mineralsthat your body needs in order tofunction well. They are digestedslowly, helping to control the rate ofglucose supply to your brain andbody, and help avoid sugar crasheswhich can contribute to your mentalwell being. These foods are also richin B vitamins, (including folate) andzinc, which evidence suggests areimportant in managing depression.Try to eat at least five different fruitsand vegetables daily to get all thevitamins and minerals you need. Agood way to achieve this is to havehalf you dinner or lunch plate full ovegetables, and go for fruit and nutsas snacks.

Get the right balance of fatsOur brains are made of around 40%fat, and our cells need fats to main-tain their structures, therefore an ade-quate supply of unsaturated fat isneeded to maintain health. Try to userapeseed oil to cook with. Add nutsand seeds, and use olive or nut oildressings on salads.As well as increasing unsaturatedfats, try to try to decrease trans fatsas these seem to be harmful to brain

structure and function (as well asheart health). Trans fats are found inprocessed and packaged foods suchas burgers, sausages, processedmeats, ready meals, pre-packedcakes and biscuits. Instead try to usefresh foods and ingredients wheneveryou can.

Include some protein at everymealTryptophan is one of the buildingblocks of protein, and has beenshown to play a role in depression asit helps make serotonin. Studies haveshown that adding pure tryptophan tothe diet of people with depression canimprove their mood. You can’t buytryptophan supplements but you canmake sure that your diet contains itby ensuring you eat enough protein.Protein also contains essentialnutrients and eating it little and oftenhelps to keep us feeling full, which inturn, can prevent overeating. Freshmeat, fish, poultry (especially turkey),shellfish, eggs, milk, low fat cheese,nuts, seeds, lentils and beans are thebest sources of protein. Fill aroundone-third of your plate with a proteinfood.

Include oily fish in your dietSome researchers think that omega 3oils - found in oily fish - may help toreduce depression rates, and theseare important in maintaining a variedhealthy diet. Try to include two to fourportions of oily fish per week (just twoif you are pregnant or breastfeedingor likely to become pregnant in thefuture). Oily fish are salmon,mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchardsand trout.If you don’t like fish you may decideto take an omega 3 supplement. If so,choose a fish body oil (these do notcontain vitamin A) rather than fishliver oils. Too much vitamin A isstored in the liver and can build up totoxic levels and it can interfere withcalcium metabolism. Also make sureit has a high proportion of the activeingredients - eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA). Take up to a total of 1g/day ofthese essential fatty acids.


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If you are vegetarian, sources of high quality omega 3 arelimited. Plant sources do not convert through to DHA andEPA very well. You could buy an algae-based supplement,but these are expensive. Alternatively try omega 3 fortifiedfoods such as eggs and milk.

• Make sure you start the day with breakfast, forexample a wholegrain cereal such as porridge withmilk and fruit, multigrain toast with a poached egg, orfruit and yoghurt and fresh fruit juice or smoothie todrink.

• Include some starchy food (such as boiledpotatoes, brown rice, brown pasta, and granary ormultigrain breads) at lunch and dinner and include aprotein source. Try to make half of your platevegetables. If you are short of time, then go for awholegrain sandwich or jacket potato (filled with fish,cottage cheese, beans and salad).

• Between meals include snacks such as fruit,vegetables, nuts, yoghurts, and oatcakes, crackerswith low fat cheese, meat or fish.

Drink enough fluid

Evidence showsthat even slightdehydration mayaffect your mood.Aim for 6-8glasses (about1.5 - 2 litres) fluidper day. Caffeinemay affect yourmood and maylead to withdraw-al headachesand to low or irri-table mood whenthe effects wearoff. Drinks suchas coffee, cola,energy drinks,tea and choco-late all containcaffeine. Avoidall energy drinks,and try to limit intake to three cups of coffee, or fivecups of tea a day.

Alcohol also has a dehydrating effect. Drinking toomuch alcohol can also lead to B vitamin deficiencies,and can make you more depressed or anxious. Try tolimit intake to no more than two to three drinks on nomore than four days per week.

Should I take nutritionalsupplements?If you have not been eating wellrecently, or rely on ready meals andpackaged foods regularly, you may belacking certain vitamins and minerals. Ifyou smoke or drink too much alcoholyou may also need extra nutrients. Ifso, you may want to take a one-a-daycomplete multivitamin and mineralsupplement. These contain a full range of all the essentialnutrients. Choose one that contains 100% ofrecommended daily intakes. Very high dose supplements(more than 100%) are not more effective than these andjust cost extra money. They may even cause an increasedrisk of ill health. Vitamin A and E supplements in particularare not recommended for smokers. Recent research hasalso shown that folate (one of the B vitamins) supplementsmay increase the effectiveness of antidepressantmedication. If you are thinking about taking any additionalnutrient supplements ask your doctor for advice. Youshould still aim to eat a healthy balanced diet assupplements can’t give you all of the goodness you can getfrom food.

I am gaining/losing too much weight. What shouldI do?First ask your doctor to review any medicines that you aretaking. Some are better than others at boosting appetiteand a change may help you. If you are losing a lot ofweight and are worried, ask to see a dietitian. If you areputting on weight it may make you feel more depressed. Ifyou want to lose weight, try to exercise more. Also, limitfoods that are high in calories, such as pies, chips, pud-dings, cakes, crisps, chocolate, sugary drinks and alcohol.

SummaryEat regularly throughout the day, including low wholegraincarbohydrates, protein and vegetables or salad at eachmeal to make sure your brain has a steady supply ofenergy.Choose wholegrains, pulses, fresh foods, and fruitand vegetables; minimise processed/packaged foods tomake sure you get enough micronutrients to help yourbrain to function properly. Ensure that you have adequateunsaturated fat intake to maintain the cell structure of yourbrain and limit saturated fat intake.Include oily fish (omega 3 fatty acids) in your diet. Drinkplenty of fluid (6 - 8 glasses non-caffeinated drinks) perday as even slight dehydration can affect your mood.

Information adapted from the BDA diet and depression factsheet. Edited by Brendan Harold, senior dietitian andsecretary of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institutedisabilities and mental heath interest group.

Brendan Harold holds an honors degree in biochemistry fromUniversity Collage Cork and a postgraduate diploma innutrition and dietetics from Glasgow Caledonian University.His clinical experience includes working as a dietitian in acuteand community mental health, rehabilitation, neurodisabiltiesand intellectual disabilities. Brendan was nominated for anAstella Healthcare Award in 2013 for his work on improvingthe satisfaction and choice of hospital food in PeamountHealthcare where he currently works, and has authored achapter in the INDI nutrition support guidelines on nutritionalrequirements in adults with andintellectual and neuro-developmentaldisability. He is also the secretary andtreasurer of the disabilities and mentalhealth interest group of the INDI.


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The Opening CeremonyAfter three days we moved to thegames centre and now we were

absorbed into the environment with165 countries, 6500 athletes, 2000coaches, and 30,000 volunteersinvolved in the games. The openingceremony took place in the historicLA Memorial Coliseum, which wasthe site of the 1932 & 1984 OlympicGames, in fact these games were thebiggest sporting event in LA since the84’ Olympics. All the delegations areparaded in to the stadium inalphabetical order and we wereprivileged to have John Tracy who

won his silver medal in the samestadium in 1984, so the energy fromTeam Ireland was fantastic.

Sports FaciliitesWe were staying in studentaccommodation and team Irelandwas split into two camps, with themajority in the University of SouthernCalifornia and the remainder inUCLA. The Sports facilities for all of

the sports was incredible. As one ofthe badminton athletes commented“Wow it’s like playing table tennis inCroke Park”.

My Role - Head of DelegationThe previous twelve months oftraining and team bonding that teamIreland had really showed from thestart. The team spirit andcamaraderie among the athletes andmanagement was incredible. My rolein the lead up to the games was toensure that all of the athletes weretraining and given the opportunity toexcel within their sport. When wereached LA, I was to ensure that allthe coaches were satisfied with all thetechnical aspects of their sports andto ensure that any problems arose Iwas available for them. My mostrewarding role was to ensure that Iwas there to see the athletescompete and achieve their awards.This was a challenge when you havethirteen venues and eighty- eightathletes expecting you to be there toencourage them. Each day started at05:30 with some sports leaving forbreakfast to head out to their venues.My day was travelling from sport tosport seeing the team Ireland athletes

achieve incredible feats within theirsport, to say that I was in my elementwould be an understatement.

In the late evening we would have acoaches meeting where we recappedon the days events. It was fantastic tohear reports of more records beingbroken and lots of personal bests. Iwould then relay this information tothe media department who wouldensure everyone at home knew whatwas happening - the time differenceworked in our favour here.

Medals and Personal BestsThis was the most successful teamSpecial Olympics Ireland has everhad at a games. We left LA to thesound of “Clink clink” of medals.When we arrived home to DublinAirport there over five hundredwaiting to greet us. As the athletesarrived out, there was a rapturousroar from the crowd. In total teamIreland won eighty-two medals, and

had over forty personal bests. What aprivilege to be involved with a superbbunch of athletes and coaches fortwo weeks this summer. There is a lotto be taken from the SpecialOlympics oath. “Let me win, but ifI cannot win let me be brave inmy attempt”.

It had been four years since I waslucky enough to be in Athens atthe World Special Olympics andthis summer I was again affordedthe opportunity to go as the Headof Delegation for Sport.

On July 20th our Special Olympicsjourney started off from DublinAirport. In team Ireland we had aparty of one hundred and forty, whichconsisted of eighty-eight athletesspanning thirteen sports, with forty-six coaches and six management.The atmosphere was electric in theairport with all of the national mediapresent and all of the camerasintensified the hype for the athletes.They were so excited, what anhonour to represent your country wasbeen echoed around the terminal.When we landed in Los AngelesAirport (LAX) we were taken to ourhost town Downey where the athleteswere able to train and getacclimatised to the heat. Theyadapted very quickly and things werelooking good for game time.

Noreen O’Connell is theWomen’s SportsDevelopment Manager atthe University of Limerick.She is a part-time Tutor onNCEF Programmes of

Study. Noreen is the voluntary Head ofSport for Team Ireland Special OlympicsWorld Games and is the Voluntary AffairsCommittee Chairperson for BasketballIreland’s International Programmes.


1. Push-up (Narrow)- Assume the press-up position by placing your handsbeneath the shoulders & keeping the elbow tuckedclose.- Exercise can be performed on your toes or knees.- Back neutral, core engaged, inhale & lower yourchest to the floor, keeping a straight line from head toheels.- Exhale, return to start under control.

2. Triceps Overhead Extension- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor,imprint your spine, extend your arms upward &dumbbell in each hand.- Inhale & lower the weight in the left hand handtoward your right ear by bending at the elbow & keepshoulder still. Exhale, return the weight to startposition & repeat with the right arm.- It’s important to keep the core engaged to keep thebody stabilised when alternating the arms overhead.

3. Triceps Kickback- Stand feet shoulder width apart. Hinge at the hipsand lean the torso forward while maintaining a neutralspine and engaging the core muscles.- Inhale and lift the elbows by extending theshoulders. Squeeze the shoulder blades toward eachother.- Exhale and return to start position.- With each repetition straighten and bend the elbowsto work the triceps.

5. Plank - Marching Arms- Assume the plank position on the hands and toes.- Modify the exercise by performing it on your knees.- Engage your core and maintain straight line from thehead to the heels. A good tip is also to keep yourglutes engaged.- Place your left elbow down on to the mat and thenyour right.- Push back up onto the right hand and then on to theleft. This places you back in a hands and toes plank.- Return to the elbows by first placing the left elbowdown and then the right. “March” with the arms likethis for five cycles and then repeat starting with theright arm for five cycles.- It is important to keep your hips still and avoid fromrocking side to side - a strong core and engaging yourglutes will help.- Due to the up and down motion your bum may looklike its ‘popped’ but again keep your core & glutemuscles engaged throughout.

The following handout can be given to clients who are pressed for time andwish to complete a weekly arm workout - targeting and isolating one of thelarge muscles of the upper arm – the triceps. Keeping the triceps musclesstrong is important for for everyday activities like pushing & reaching. Themuscle is worked by extending the elbow against resistance e.g.

straightening your arm with a weight in your hand.Equipment: Mat and DumbbellsWorkout: Repeat this circuit two to three times to fully challenge thetricpes.Repetitions: 10-15

4. Tricep Dips- Position your hands shoulder-width apart on asecured bench. Slide your bum off the front of thebench with your legs extended out in front of you.- Engage your core and straighten your arms,keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tensionon your triceps and off your elbow joints.- Inhale & slowly bend your elbows to lower yourbody toward the floor until your elbows are at about a90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close tothe bench.- Once you reach the bottom of the movement,exhale & press down into the bench to straighten yourelbows, returning to the starting position.- Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raiseyour body. You can bend your legs to modify thisexercise.

1A 1B

2A 2B

3B

4A 4B

5A 5B

5C 5D

3A


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Gráinne Murphy is an Irish swimmer representing Irelandat international level. An accomplished junior athlete, shewon three gold medals and one bronze at the 2009European Junior Swimming Championships and wasawarded Texaco Young Sportstar Award 2009.

Grainne has also been successful at senior level, winninga silver medal in the 1,500 metres Freestyle at the 2010European Aquatics Championships, ahead of ErikaVillaécija Garcíaand behind 09 World Championship SilverMedallist, Lotte Friis. She is also the current holder of theIrish record for that event.

Grainne then competed in the 2010 European ShortCourse Swimming Championships in Eindhoven. She tookbronze in 400 m freestyle and also claimed bronze in the800 m freestyle. She was shortlisted for RTÉ SportsPerson of the Year in 2010.

Gráinne qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics inLondon. However, on 31 July 2012, after swimming in theheats of the 400m freestyle, however she had to withdrawfrom the rest of the competition due to illness.

Prior to London 2012 she was based at the HighPerformance centre at the University of Limerick andenrolled on the NCEF – Certificate in Exercise & HealthFitness (CEHF). She has recently moved to France to trainfull-time and has just returned from competing at the WorldUniversity Games in Korea.

1. You completed the Certificate in Exercise &Health Fitness (CEHF) in 2004. What made youdecide to choose to train as a fitness instructor?

I always enjoyed playing sports and when I startedstudying Business Studies, I quickly found out that thecourse wasn’t for me, so I looked for course that I knewwould involve fitness and sport. The CEHF ticked all theboxes.

2. You then went on to complete the Year 2 HigherCertificate in Exercise & Health Fitness (HCEHF) andchose Personal Training in Semester 1 and two e-Learning courses, Facility Operations and Fit for Lifein Semester 2. Did you enjoy the Personal Trainingcourse?

I really enjoyed the Personal Training course. Being anathlete it was great to get a better understanding of thespecifics of one to one training. I really enjoyed workingwith a client for the project and seeing the progressioneach week. It made study really interesting rather than a

3. Your career as an international swimmer tookyou to France, which meant having to complete theremainder of Year 2 HCEHF abroad. You undertooktwo NCEF e-Learning courses Facility Operationsand Fit for Life. How did you find studying onlinefrom another country?

4. How do you find balancing training and study?

In school, I always struggled studying and training as thedays were long. In college it’s great, as there are somedays I’ve only one session so in the evening it’s great toswitch off and learn about something still related tosport/fitness but not swimming.

I think the main thing for me is staying healthy and beingdisciplined in my lifestyle.

5. What one or two things do you currently do inyour training that you consider are keys to yoursuccess?

Moving to France was a quick decision. I’m very grateful tobe able to study the second half of my year online. It was areally good distraction to have away from the pool.


8. What would be your ultimate achievement in yourcareer?

7. What motivates you to stay studying andtraining?

I really enjoy my training - swimming is my passion so thatmotivates me. The NCEF courses compliment my sportand being an athlete.

I would like to be able to give back to others in sport andhelp others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

9. How would you like to see your involvement inthe fitness industry five years from now?

I’d like to be more involved in all aspects of the industryand presently I would like to gain as much as experienceas I can.

10. Would you recommend NCEF courses to afriend?

Yes definitely. I think it’s a great way to meet like mindedpeople and I’ve made great friends on the courses. TheNCEF provide an excellent flexible learning pathway.

At the start of each year I set goals. I set my long termgoals and then I break it down into smaller goals, whichhelps me to achieve my long term goals.

6. How do you set your goals?

The NCEF would like to thank Grainne fortaking the time to answer our questions. Wewish her the very best of luck in herswimming career and her future work as aFitness Professional.


Pro

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Bríd is an NCEF qualified groupFitness Instructor/Personal Trainer.The fitness industry was a path shestumbled across after falling in lovewith exercise, following a stressfultime in her life. She married young(20) and after having her twodaughters,s he gave up all forms ofexercise. It wasn't until five years agowhen she started to exercise again,that she realised how much she loved

and missed it. After months of exercising, feeling betterand more content, she decided to return to college andstudy about something that she loved.

1. You completed the Certificate in Exercise & HealthFitness (CEHF) at the University of Limerick (UL). Howdid this experience benefit you in your career path?

I completed the CEHF course in UL over weekends in2011/2012. At the time, I had no intention of ever teachingclasses but I had wanted to do this course to enhance myknowledge. I developed a keen interest in fitness & well-being & this course caught my eye. From day 1, I wassurrounded with 25 like-minded people, most of whomwere mature students. There was an instant bond betweenthe group and I have kept in contact with many of themwho are successful instructors today.When I finished the course and received my results, Idecided to set up my own bootcamp in the local sports fieldwhich would involve getting my two daughters fit &hopefully getting more involved in the community., QuicklyI grew to love teaching. I loved the buzz of happycustomers & positive energy & "Brid's Bootcamp" wasborn.2. You have recently completed the Year 2: PersonalTraining course. How did you decide which course tochoose and did you enjoy the experience?

After the CEHF, I completed the "Active Ageing Specialist”module. This was something that interested me a lot, asmy Dad at the time had some mobility issues and was onlytoo happy to be my "victim". This course allowed me tothink outside the box and be confident that there you canadapt all exercises to suit all age groups and abilities.

In 2015, I completed the Personal Training module - againI felt this course benefited me greatly in dealing with clientson a one to one basis.3. How have you used the knowledge you have gainedfrom these courses in your working life?

I find each course gives you more knowledge andconfidence. I work full- time in the Financial Servicesindustry & I run Brids Bootcamp classes twice a week in. Ibelieve knowledge is power and in this line of work youmust be continuously open to learning and developing. Ifyou are willing to learn, nothing can stop you.

4. What is your your main responsibilities runningBrid’s Bootcamp?

My responsibility is to ensure that class is taught in a funand safe environment, while at the same time ensuringclients get the best from their workout & want to comeback.

5. How has the knowledge you gained on the NCEFcourses attributed to the success of your business?

There’s nothing like experience - you can do all thecourses in the world, but unless you put them into practice,that is the real learning. NCEF courses have allowed megrow my knowledge and have access to a great group ofpeople.

6. How do you stay motivated in your own fitness andin motivating others?

Being involved in teaching and fitness has allowed me feelalive. I feel you must practice what you preach. Once yousee exercise and clean eating as a way of life - you will fillyour mind with positive thoughts and your life will change.We have one chance at life and I intend to make it the bestlife possible in a healthy and enjoyable way.

7. A fitness professional needs to be creative andcollaborate with other healthcare professionals – howdo you implement these attributes?

I believe you must be creative and constantly changing orevaluating how you do things. It is important to get to knowother healthcare professionals and not be be afraid to referpeople on. At the end of the day you must have the interestof your customer at heart. Once people know and trustyou, you can only benefit from this method.

8. How would you see your involvement in the fitnessindustry five years from now?

In 5 years’ time I would still hope to be teaching classes - Iwould like to have a nutrition courses completed as I feelstrongly that both diet and exercise compliment each other.I want to continue to make people happy and help themachieve their goals.

9. What advice do you have for Exercise & HealthFitness Professionals wishing to enrol on the UL/NCEFFlexible Learning pathway?

For anyone that's thinking about enrolling in the UL/NCEFFlexible Learning Pathway - I would encourage you to doit. Choose courses that will benefit you and your business.NCEF Office is there to help and guide you. I am so gladthat I choose NCEF back in 2011, it has changed myoutlook on life for the better. I have made the best offriends and am lucky to meet great people twice a weekdoing something I Love.

The NCEF would like to thank Brid for taking thetime to answer our questions. We wish her thevery best of luck in her career as a FitnessProfessional.



Year 2: Personal Training

This course provides 30 European Credit Transfer System(ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate, Diploma/B.Sc. inExercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma andB.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placedat Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)and Level 6/7on the European Qualifications Framework(EQF).

Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructorswho wish to enhance their knowledge and skills and a work asa personal trainer with clients on a one to one basis

Course Details:

The course will take place over four contact weekends withassigned private study

Participants will also be required to carry out assigned workexperience which includes a project submission of a shortvideo showing practical teaching/instructional abilityThe final examination is a written paper.

Venue Contact Day : University of Limerick

Contact Dates 2016:

Sat 6th Feb & 7th Feb 2016

Fri 22nd January 2016

Sat 20th & Sun 21st Feb 2016

Sat 5th Mar & Sun 6th Mar 2016

Sat 19th & Sun 20th Mar 2016

Final Summatives: 2nd April

Submission of Project & DVD: 9am Thurs 7thApril '16


http://www.ncef.ie/personal_trainer.html

Gro

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Introduction

The amount of charity eventsinvolving fitness in Ireland hasincreased dramatically over time.There are so many worthy causesthat require fundraising and we asFitness Professionals are fortunate tohave an excellent platform in whichwe can fundraise through.Participation in an event gives asense of achievement, and focus isenhanced if a person is training with apurpose or even just attending. Theycan really feel like they are there forthe benefit of others, (or in somecases the memory of). From warmups at events in both Ireland & theUK to becoming Chairperson for theKillaloe Pink Ribbon for Action BreastCancer & The Irish Cancer Society,this is a topic close to my heart, so it’sa pleasure to share a few thoughtswhich I hope might help.

During a downturn in any part of theworld, social behaviour is bound tochange. In the case of Ireland, morepeople took up outdoor exercise. Co-incidental to the demise of the CelticTiger was the explosion of the Irishrunning scene. More people becamerunners, and then charity fundraisingevents made participation in eventswidely available. This became a newaddiction. A number of communitiesbegan to organise 5k or 10kWalk/Runs, as a means offundraising, naturally tapping intocurrent trends, and easily gainingsupport. People will support a cause,especially if you give themsomething… Fitness fundraisinggives them experiences…

We could probably busy ourselvesand support an event every weekendwith the availability of multi distancewalks, running races, cycles,triathlons, paint runs, colour runs,electrics runs and the list goes on.Distances vary, but the fun elementand whole family involvement seemsto be becoming greater, however theimportance of the cause alwaysremain the same.In photo L to R: Niamh Briggs, International Rugby Player, David Mahedy, Director of

UL Sport, Carmell Demello, Group Fitness Manager, UL Sport


In this article, I have compiled someuseful tips that I learnt along the wayfrom organising fundraising events.

1. Choose your causeIt’s not necessary to have a personalconnection to the cause for which youwish to fundraise for, but it cancertainly help.

2. Hand-pick your organising team.Not a fan of the word ‘committee(more prefer Team) but, as yourevent planning gets underway, astrong ‘group’ is needed. Choosepeople who are ‘do-ers’, people whohave energy and drive. It’s alwaysbeneficial to have people who arewell connected and who will rise tothe challenge and inspire others to doso. Try to get people who areexcellent in their fields and have apassion and natural flair for what theydo. Appoint roles and encouragestaying within the parameters of eachrole. Communication is key. Egosshould be left at the door.

3. Importance of your volunteers.Events can only run with volunteers.Value them, praise them and avoidany unnecessary pressure. They’recontribution is key to the success ofyour event.

4. Social Media Powers.It goes without saying that you needto use Social Media to maximise thepotential of your event. Consistencyis vital. You need to have someonewho can come up with quirky ways toget the message out there. Try not toassume that everyone will see thepostings, which is why you need tohave a good social media scheduleand campaign. The more publicityyou can generate will help the eventgather momentum and this also goeshand in hand with encouraging earlyfundraising. If you securesponsorship, encourage the sponsorsto come on board early, to furtherincrease awareness of the event.

5. Use your (Fitness) connections.Cliché, it may be, but if you arefundraising for a worthy cause - useyour connections. First and foremost,your fitness friends have energy,stamina and an interest in fitnessevents and that’s just what’s neededwhen running an event. Whenlooking for a new ambassador for theKillaloe Pink Ribbon Walk in aid ofAction Breast Cancer (Yearlyfundraising walk that takes place inKillaloe, Co.Clare), I was fortunatethat Niamh Briggs, who had just beenmade Captain of the Irish Ladies

Rugby team trained at UL SportArena. I approached her one dayand asked if she would come onboard. She was delighted to beinvolved in raising awareness andfunds for Action Breast Cancer. I wasalso fortunate that my own boss,Dave Mahedy, Director of Sport at ULSport Arena supported the PinkRibbon Event. His support meant wehad more males running than anyother year. Two fantastic role modelsand all I had to do was ask!! Seenext point.

6. Don’t’ be afraid to ask.This is something I learned at aconference given by the AmericanCancer Society. Asking forsomething can be daunting, however,once you get over your nervousnessyou will be amazed at who wants tohelp and contribute. Remember helpcomes in so many ways.

7. Appoint a Good LogisticsManager.Delegation is vital and this goes handin hand with trust and respect, sowhen it came to my choosingsomeone to head up the logistics ofthe Pink Ribbon 10k - given that wewere anticipating 1,000 walkers &runners on an undulating landscape.I needed someone who was nostranger to being out in the field….. Ihad someone in mind, I planted theseed and then waited for the athleteto agree……..

Andree Walkin (Marketing Managerat UL Sport Arena & Head ofLogistics for the Killaloe Pink RibbonWalk 2015) is a very accomplishedIrish Triathlete and is no stranger toevents. This year she put all herexperience into the responsibility forensuring a smooth running of thetechnical part and logistical side ofthis fundraiser.

The Importance of Good LogisticsLogistics, the dictionary definition isas follows “detailed organization andimplementation of a complexoperation” Not all events are complexand in most cases having aknowledgeable and supportive teamaround you can be key to any eventsuccess. Here are Andree’s toptips for successful event logisticmanagement:

L – Lists, make lists & keep adding,when a job is complete tick it off thelist.

O – Organisation is key, beorganised, remember its’ never tooearly to start planning.

G – Gain momentum, once you getgoing with a task don’t stop until its’done.

I – Invite others to share theirknowledge and experience fromprevious events with you.

S – Staff, make sure you look afteryour event staff and volunteers,without these people the eventcannot run.

T – Talk, talking through the wholeevent plan from start to finish withsomeone else can help greatly; theywill most likely think of something youhadn’t.

I – Invest in things that can make theevent and the event staffs life a littleeasier, e.g. event equipment whichcan be used for future events.

C – Check, check and check again,confirm and re-confirm everythingand keep written copies ofconfirmations.

S – Smile, no matter what ishappening a smile will help the mostdifficult situation.


As you can see from Andree’s tips there is a lot to considerin terms or logistics when planning an event. I askedothers who have been involved in planning fitness eventsfor fundraising for their feedback. Here’s what some ofthem had to say:

Joanne Murphy Irish Cancer Society CommunityFundraiser said:“I believe fitness and fundraising go hand in hand, withmany people taking up the challenge to achieve personalfitness goals or participate in bucket list activities such ascompleting a mini marathon, a triathlon, a marathon or anIRONMAN. Not only do they take on the actual challengeof doing the event, but they do so for something other thanthemselves, raising funds for a cause that is close to theirheart. The challenge is not only in participating in an eventthey might not have considered previously achievable butit's the added bonus of doing something that will be ofbenefit to others. The sense of achievement is magnifiedand the double benefit is that the participant is fitter &healthier than they started out and the charity is benefitingfinancially so they can continue their essential support andwork in the community, it’s a win win situation foreveryone”.

Rebecca Lloyd has proven community fundraisingexperience for many causes and as an overview said“What I find the most amazing is that we are seeing peoplethat may never have done much exercise before. Theyfind themselves a cause, something they believe in andthey start to train, they enter the walk/run and they just doit!. They achieve in many ways, for themselves, for their

cause, they create a synergy and an energy that can movemountains; you can feel it, its tangible, and amazing. Youcan see all this in their smiles their faces light up they knowhave been part of something extraordinary. So manypeople come up to me and say this is the first time I havedone anything like this, why didn’t I start sooner?, thenthey sign up for the next one. In my mind it is now theorganisers’ responsibility to try and engage as manypeople as possible, to keep events affordable, engagingand relevant. If this is done people will keep coming andcoming and coming (simple)”.

SummaryI believe that Ireland’s growth of Fundraising via fitness issomething for the country to be incredibly proud of.Despite the downturn where people had less disposableincome they have been out walking, running, cycling,swimming etc.. their way to supporting Irish Charities.

If there is a small part of you that thinks you havesomething you could give to an event then don’t waste thefitness knowledge and energy you have, go and translate itinto something meaningful… you won’t regret it.

Carmell Demello is the Group FitnessCo-ordinator at University of LimerickSport Arena. She is also Chairperson forthe Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk and avolunteer in the Irish Coast Guard - Search& Rescue Administration Office. Carmell is

a published fitness writer and writes weekly for a localnewspaper.



Year 2: Strength & Conditioning for Sport

This course provides 30 European Credit Transfer System(ECTS) credits towards the Higher Certificate, Diploma/B.Sc. inExercise & Health Fitness. The Higher Certificate, Diploma andB.Sc. are awarded by the University of Limerick and are placedat Level 6/7/8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)and Level 6/7on the European Qualifications Framework(EQF).

Aim: This specialist course is for qualified fitness instructorswho wish to enhance their understanding of the key concepts,theories and practical application of strength & conditioningtraining and performance. The Strength & ConditioningSpecialist will be capable of providing safe, effective &appropriate fitness training programmes to teams or indivdualsport/athletes.

Course Details:

The course will take place over four contact weekends withassigned private study

Participants will also be required to carry out assigned workexperience which includes a project submission of a casestudy and short video.

Venue Contact Day : University of Limerick

Contact Dates 2016:

Sat 3rd & Sun 4th Oct

Fri 11th Sept

Sat 17th & Sun 18th Oct

Sat 7th & Sun 8th Nov

Sat 21st & Sun 22nd Nov


http://www.ncef.ie/strength_and_conditioning.html


Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI) – is the NCEF Graduate Directorywhich recognises the qualifications and expertise of fitnessprofessionals in Ireland. FPI aims to provide the highest possiblestandard of services and benefits to all its members.

Benefits of FPI Membership:

Discounted Professional Insurance

e-Zines circulated three times per year

Access to Continuing Professional Developmentcourses

200 CEC’s awarded to PEAI/NCEF Graduates

Discounts on fitness equipment

Electronic Membership Certificate

JOIN TODAY - VISIT THE OFFICIALFPI WEBSITE

www.ncef.ie

http://www.ncef.ie

national fitness news e zine september 2015

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