Knowing how to approach women and weightlifting can be viewed as a niche skillset in the fitness industry. Many women still fear building "muscle" when discussing goals with their personal trainer. While perceptions do seem to be changing for the better, many women...
Cathleen Kronemer
Cathleen Kronemer is an NFPT CEC writer and a member of the NFPT Certification Council Board. Cathleen is an AFAA-Certified Group Exercise Instructor, NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer, ACE-Certified Health Coach, former competitive bodybuilder and freelance writer. She is employed at the Jewish Community Center in St. Louis, MO. Cathleen has been involved in the fitness industry for over three decades. Feel free to contact her at trainhard@kronemer.com. She welcomes your feedback and your comments!
How to Break Client’s Momentum in Strength Training
“Cheating” with momentum while strength training may feel appropriate in the moment, but ultimately you are only cheating yourself out of long-term gains. As personal trainers, we have the opportunity to bear witness to any number of inappropriate and potentially...
Exercise and Your Immune System
Your “healthy” exercise program might be ruining your immune system. If you or your clients have been consistently feeling exhausted and drained after workouts or suffering too many colds this season, consider this. Exercise has often been touted as the best medicine...
Does Exercise Help Restless Leg Syndrome?
The right exercise at the right time can make a difference for clients suffering from RLS. “Purposeful movement” is typically seen as a healthy endeavor, but erratic restless movement can be less than desirable. Restless Leg Syndrome, or RLS, is considered to be a...
Adenosine and its Role in ATP and Athletic Energy
Adenosine Triphosphate is present in every living cell of the body. It is also available as a dietary supplement. Each year, the supplementation industry spends millions of dollars on researching the best way for athletes to gain that highly coveted competitive...
Physical Activity in Low-Income Communities
What happens when certified personal trainers provide exercise possibilities are brought to marginalized and underserved communities? According to the US Census Bureau, the number of citizens falling within the Bureau’s definition of “poor” increased by 3.7 million...
Does Exercise Improve Sleep Apnea?
We all know that exercise, sleep, and health are interconnected. Exercise can certainly improve sleep apnea, but to what extent and under what circumstances? Knowing about the sleep habits and health conditions of your clients becomes increasingly important when lack...
Tweaking the Training Tempo to Get Results
When the desired or expected results aren't happening it's time to try something different. Especially if someone is working maximally. More is not always the answer. For any seasoned weightlifter, there is going to come a time when falling prey to a “comfort zone”...
The Big Reveal: What a Client Wants
Those who spend a considerable amount of time and money on our services hold the keys to the most valuable knowledge we can absorb as personal trainers. What qualities might a consumer seek in a personal trainer that might not necessarily occur to us? In The 4 C’s of...
The Effects of Alcohol on Exercise and Performance
Is it ethical to recommend alcohol to our clients? An important aspect of professional personal training includes reminding clients of how important clean eating and appropriate hydration are in achieving a healthy body. We often field questions regarding the value of...
Personal Trainers and National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
As a certified personal trainer, maybe you know someone with Alzheimer's disease. If not, it's probable that several of your clients do and that they are impacted by the symptoms deeply. It may be time to ask around so that you can create a ripple effect outside of...
Align Yourself With The Best Option: The Loaded Carry
If I had a dime for every client who has ever told me she doesn’t want to “bulk up”, I would probably be writing this article from a remote tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific instead of at a desk in St. Louis! A great deal of misconception surrounds the...
The 4 C’s of Personal Trainers
If you were embarking on a new workout program, what qualities might you seek in a personal trainer? Does your current level of professionalism fit into such criteria? In other words: Would you hire “you”? Years ago, as I contemplated branching out within my fitness...
Integrating Sleep And Exercise For Mutual Improvements
Can counting your ZZZ’s benefit athletic performance, or does exercise facilitate a better night’s sleep? An inability to sleep and sleep well is a pervasive health concern in our society today. Although every scientific detail of how sleep regulates normal hormonal...
No Pain, No Gain? No Way!
“Part of what makes an athlete an athlete is the ability to play through pain.” DO YOU AGREE? This statement was made by Brian P. McKeon, Boston Celtics chief medical officer during an interview. Staggering Statistics According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control...
Cross-Cultural Personal Training
Learn to become a culturally diverse personal trainer by creating a “melting pot gym” for new clients whether or not foreign travel is within your grasp. Every country across the globe takes pride in its various cultures and traditions. Among those is a unique version...
Clients and Combat Training – Presenting Krav Maga
Offering a client the opportunity to become a human walking weapon simply through proper training might open up new doors for personal trainers seeking to expand their repertoire. Krav Maga is the avenue to follow. Krav Maga, translated from Hebrew as...
Evidence Based Approach to Exercise Programming
There's always something new to learn about exercise and exercise programming. The human body has many mysteries to uncover through both science and experience. The science and research behind exercise support your mission and business as a personal trainer. Getting...