Personal Trainer, fitness instructor and gym instructor courses from YMCA Fit. Start you fitness career today by booking a course and gaining fitness qualifications. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk Free one day course of your choice when you refer a friend to take a YMCAfit Exercise to Music course this summer. If you enjoyed training with YMCAfit then why not refer a friend this summer and get a free one day course as a thank you. You will receive a free one day course of your choice when your friend books on a YMCAfit Exercise to Music course before 1st Sept 2010. Your friend will need to quote your student number when they book. Click for more information on this great summer offer. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8830 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8830 In an article about the numerous health benefits of mediation, the mail questions whether it should be offered on the NHS. What do you think? Join the discussion on Facebook. Meditation is enjoying something of a revival with studies claiming it can ease depression, lower blood pressure, treat chronic pain and improve concentration. Doctors are so impressed with the health benefits they have even urged the government to fund meditation courses on the NHS. But many people are put off by a perception that the practice is only for religious devotees and earnest do-gooders. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8827 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8827 Natasha Dickinson at Race for Life says its "an ideal starter event for those new to running and keeping fit or as a challenge for regular runners wanting to gain a personal best time." There are 230 events across the UK taking place from now until the end of July. If you're going to get involved, or taking your clients or participants, share your experience with us on Facebook. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8826 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8826 In a book called Body Moves, Debra Daley looks at more than 50 common health conditions and explains how specific exercises can help to reduce their symptoms and stave off illness. You can read a selection of conditions and exercises covered in the book on the Express website. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8824 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8824 New research in Holland suggests that improving balance and learning how to fall safely could reduce the number of fractures in older adults. Martial arts training in low impact falling could help prevent some of the 230,000 fractures every year. Explore Tai Chi Courses http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8822 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8822 A recent article in the Telegraph states, "when you stretch before exercising, your body may think it's at risk of being overstretched. It compensates by contracting and becoming more tense. That means you aren't able to move as fast or as freely, making you more likely to get hurt." Have your say, continue the debate on Facebook. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8800 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8800 YMCAfit are recruiting. If you'd like to find out more about being a Guidance Assessor, and hold an A1 award, have a look at the job ad and apply. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8799 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8799 Come and join us this Friday, 9th Apr 10 at FitPro Spring Convention with Becci Monington, Katie Bulmer, Sonia Molloy and Adrian Walters. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8798 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8798 Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, W. Va., TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food. Watch his talk. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8797 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8797 Hula hooping has always been popular - and now the media craze is taking off. Michelle Obama hula hooped 142 times without stopping on the White House lawn (see video). More than 3,000 people took part at 13 regional events across the UK for Sport Relief. Wii Fit Hula Hoop game is popular with all ages and Virgin Active health clubs now offer Hulaerobics classes. Are you hooping? http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8796 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8796 Industry expert Denise Page has written this free guide to the world of exercise to music for newly qualified instructors. From writing your CV to covering classes, plus the insider's guide to auditions, these tips will help you to get your career started. Read the free guide here http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8789 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8789 From cheerleading to breakdancing, martial arts to yoga, there will be new lessons for primary school children aged four to 11. Active Lifestyle Coaches will be recruited and trained to deliver these lessons. The unpaid coaches will include teaching assistants, volunteer parents and lunchtime supervisors trained to provide activity sessions. More specialist staff could be drafted in for some lessons. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8788 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8788 Change4Life is organising free dance classes across the country this weekend - 6th and 7th March. Get involved, take your friends, family or clients and get rocking. For more on Change4Life, have a look at their website. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8785 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8785 There are a wide range of career options for Personal Trainers: from PT studios to health clubs; from private clients to theme based training, such as boot camps and outdoor training. Our guest author, industry expert Ian Groves of the National Register of Personal Trainers, has produced a short guide for newly qualified traininers. Read the insider's guide to Personal Training. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8765 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8765 People in the most deprived neighbourhoods die on average seven years younger and suffer about 17 more years of ill health and disability than those in wealthier areas. This is one of the findings from the Marmot review, a government commissioned review into Health inequalities in Briton. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8764 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8764 The first ever consumer magazine to feature an "airbrush-free logo" has been published in response to the nation's concern over image alteration in the media. Healthy Bodies, is published by Central YMCA with contributions from a range of organisations with an interest in body image including Girl Guiding UK, Men's Health Forum, B-Eat (the Eating Disorders Association) and Jo Swinson MP. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/8754 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/8754 YMCAfit's work-based learning qualifications have achieved Direct Claims status from the government-approved awarding body CYQ. This means qualifications will be processed quicker as YMCAfit students' work will now be assessed internally with external verifiers sampling only a small proportion of students' work. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/4524 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/4524 A scheme to tackle the lack of women, particularly from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, currently working in the fitness industry has proved so popular it is set to run again. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/4522 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/4522 YMCAfit, one of the UK's leading trainers of fitness professionals, will be training up local people to inspire communities in Camden to get active outdoors. http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/rss/industry-news/4521 http://www.ymcafit.org.uk/node/4521