female fitness fitness expo

Megan Solloway, NASM CPT

Erin McCleary, NASM CPT

Megan Solloway

Erin Mccleary

Megan

Spring 200917 years old

113 lb

Fall 201119 years old

125 lb

Fall 201321 years old

135 lb

ErinFall 201320 years old

135 lb – Dress Size 4Jean Size 26/2

Spring 201016 years old

140 lb – Dress Size 8 Jean Size 29/6

Female Fitness For the Fitness Professional

Objectives

• Acknowledge the common reasons women avoid the weight room.

• Identify methods that encourage participation in weight training.

• Form a foundation for a similar program at your recreation center!

Get to Know the Gym

Fitness 2 – Cardio & Machine Equipment

Fitness 1 - The Weight Room

JMU UREC Atmosphere

• Two distinct, separate areas• “Men’s” Weight Room downstairs• “Women’s” Cardio Equipment upstairs

• In some opinions, it may not always reflect JMU’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere

UREC Participant Feedback

I feel…..

• Ladies• “Judged for lifting smaller weight”

• “That I’m always in the way”

• “Visually violated”

• “I don’t know what I’m doing”

• “INTIMIDATED”

• Guys• Where are the girls at?!?!

The Beginning: Fall 2012-Spring 2013

• 3 Saturday mornings/semester• 10am-11:30am

• 1 hour lecture + 30 min free weight basics/weight room tour

• Lecture = some myths + diet tips + exercise form

• 1 female, 1 male instructor

• 10 seat max• Turnout = 2-7 participants

Fall 2013

• 3 Saturday mornings/semester• 10am-11:30am

• 1 hour lecture + 30 min free weight basics/weight room tour

• Lecture = more myths + extensive diet tips + programming + exercise form

• 2 female instructors• Both very familiar and comfortable with the weight room

• 10 seat max• Turnout = 7-10 participants

Female Fitness 2014!

• 3 weeknights/semester• 7:00pm-8:15pm

• 1 hour 15 min lecture

• Lecture = 10 myths + confidence + programming basics

• FITT and Workout Buddy Programs

• 2 female instructors

• 36 seat max

• Turnout = 30 participants

FITT = Fitness Instructor Training Time

Fitness Instructor + Participant

• Fitness Assistant/Instructors= watch the fitness floor, provide spots and equipment orientation• Fitness Instructors = completed KIN170 or have a PT certification

• Provide a FREE workout session to FF participants!• Facilitate or complete a workout with the participant

• PAID for working with participants and for mandatory training

FITT – Participant Match

• Participants complete a survey to match up with an FI• Classified as:

• Beginner – no experience with free weights, possibly some experience with machines

• Intermediate – some experience with free weights

• Advanced – experienced, want something new

• Matched with Megan or Erin (CPTs)

FITT – Training the Instructors

• Trained by a CPT (Megan or Erin)

Two Training Sessions

• Lecture Training• Informal group lecture to instructors

OR

• Formal FF lecture

**Bonus** - FI provide extra help on presentation day!

• Free Weight Training• Goals

• Correct form is priority!

• Must be able to provide spots for bench press, squats, etc.

• Trained to work with beginners and intermediate participants

• Basic exercises for each muscle group

Workout Buddy Program

Participant + Participant

• At the end of the lecture, they can fill out a survey• Fitness level

• Weight lifting experience

• Fitness Interests

• We match the participants with each other• Combining like-minded individuals = new friends!

• Accountability

• Increases the “fun” factor for beginners

• Less scary

The participant.

Female Fitness For the Participant

Goals

Lecture

• Dispel the myths

• Encourage confidence

• Weight training basics

Applied Instructor Workout

• Get them in the weight room.

• Establish gym etiquette

• Nail the form

Information overload.

Dispel The Myths

#1 – I’ll get too muscular • General weight training vs. physique competition

• Eating + training + supplements become your life

#2 – Lifting will make me unattractive • Other than a hot bod, lifting shows:

• Confidence, self-respect, dedication, discipline

#3 – I don’t want to lose my curves• Can (and will!) gain curves

• GAIN curves by lifting HEAVY (hypertrophy – 8-12 rep)

Dispel The Myths

#4 – I can “tone” my muscles with high rep, low weight exercises

• But what is “tone”

• Muscles grow or shrink (bigger = more tone)

• Requires HEAVY weights and LOWER reps (8-12r)

• Must decrease total body weight as well!

#5 – Crunches will give me abs• No such thing as “spot reduction”

• 70% diet 30% exercise

• Decreasing body fat will reveal the muscles underneath

“Toned”

“Un-toned”

Dispel The Myths

#6 – Guy exercises are different from girl exercises• Exercises girls NEED but tend to avoid

• Squats, deadlifts, pushups, pull-ups

• Teach the basics

#7 – The number on the scale is all that matters • Muscle is more dense/compact than fat = smaller dress size

• Muscle increases metabolic rate

#8 – The elliptical is the best way to burn calories• Machines overestimate calorie burn

• Leaning on equipment doesn’t help

• Give other options for cardio (GFIT, but push HIIT)

Dispel The Myths

#9 – I’ll have to diet to lose weight• High-fiber, plant foods = base of diet

• Increase protein intake

• Decrease sugar consumption

• Looking to gain muscle? Will need to eat MORE

#10 – The only reason I should lift is to look good

• Lift to:

• Gain confidence

• Increase physical AND mental strength

• Improve mood and relieve stress

• Health prevention

Encourage Confidence

• Strut yo stuff and pretend you know what your doing

• Dress to impress• Workout gear doesn’t have to be expensive!

• Use buying new gear as an incentive over food

• Come prepared• Know your workout

• Bring music and snacks

Weight Training Basics

• Sets, reps, hypertrophy, muscle strength, muscle endurance

• Progressive overload = gradually increasing the intensity• Increase amount of tension

• Increase weight

• Increase length of tension

• Increase duration of repetition (tempo)

• Add more repetitions

• Add an extra set

• Add an extra exercise

• Fitting in workouts on a tight schedule

Are YOU ready?

Get Them in the Weight Room

• Create a foundation of weight training knowledge• The lecture establishes this

• Helps build confidence

• Acknowledging that everyone was a beginner once

• Pairing them with a Fitness staff member or Workout Buddy• Moral support

• Accountability

• Less “embarrassing”

Establish Gym Etiquette

• Pet Peeves of Regulars• Multiple girls standing in a circle doing the same exercise

• Excessive gossiping

• Wasting time – Have a plan!

• Not cleaning up your weights

• Lifting directly in front of weight racks

• Rules of our specific gym• Not allowed to bring dumbbells upstairs

• No overhead barbell movements outside

the squat rack

• Gym Terminology/Bro Slang• Assess the situation…

• “How many sets do you have left?”

• “You mind if I work in?”

Nail the Form

• After the weight training knowledge is established…

• Match the participant up with a Fitness Instructor• Teach them the basics of weight lifting in

the real-life setting

• Teach them at least one exercise for each muscle group

• Emphasize proper form, tempo, sets, and reps

• Encourage a total body workout to start, then split-workout, etc.

• One informational session in the weight room, followed by one full workout lead by the Fitness Instructor

Megan Solloway, NASM CPT

sollowme@dukes.jmu.edu

Erin McCleary, NASM CPT

mccleaek@dukes.jmu.edu

James Madison University Recreation Center

Thank You!