IOL Strength and Conditioning

Fitness conferences like the IDEA event in Las Vegas last month, originally created for group exercise instructors, have come a long way from the 80s’ aerobics classes toward providing material for the information-hungry personal trainer. Today’s presenters are extremely knowledgeable, and the trainer who won’t learn from them are few and far between.

Put your toe in the water: Those readers here in California within easy driving distance can cheaply expand their knowledge of the corrective exercise and movement pattern fields next month at Mindy Mylrea’s FitFest 08, September 26-27 in nearby Los Gatos.

In fact, the casual fitness enthusiast would have a great time participating in the classes and sitting in on a few lectures, as well — think of it as a major-league fitness bootcamp class.

I’ve put together a sample session line-up for a personal trainer who hasn’t been to a conference like this and might not know where to start. Look here:

Friday, 12:00-6:00pm
Session 1: Best Workout with Mindy Mylrea
Session 2: BOSU Ballast Ball with Rob Glick
Session 3: Nutrient Timing with Len Kravitz (or Group Xtreme with Corey Sobas; this one’s a toss-up depending on the attendee’s interest)

Saturday 7:00am-5:30pm
Session 1: Pick something you’ve never tried for a morning wake-up workout
Session 2: Keynote with Skip Jennings
Session 3: Movement Science and Corrective Patterns with Yoga with Robert Sherman
Session 4: Medicine Ball Training with Robert Sherman
Session 5: Lactate Threshold Training with Len Kravitz
Session 6: Assessments: Imbalances and Corrective Movements with Robert Sherman

Now, of course, if I was just going for the fun of it, I’d choose sessions using implements I’d never used or hadn’t been taught how to use, like a BOSU or a variety pack in one of the sports training classes, where they’ll use tools such as kettlebells, med balls, bands, tubing and such.

Speaking of cool tools, Mindy’s conference last year was where I first met Marc Lebert, the guy who designed those nifty Equalizer dipping bars I later ordered. In fact, if you wanted a set and hadn’t yet pulled the trigger, you can get a $10 discount when ordering from the Lebert Equalizer site by using the coupon code 0807LD.

Friday single-day price is $119; Saturday one-day cost is $139; both days is $189. As a personal trainer who needed to choose a single day, Saturday’s the big-payoff day.

If you need to update your CPR, they’ll do that, too, on Friday evening, $29.95 for a two-year certification. Trainers needed continuing education credits will be offered CECs for both ACE and AFAA.

Take an extra fifty – there’s a trade-show expo where all the toys you play with that day will be sold on discount. The expo is open to the public for those who need a stability ball but don’t have all day to spend goofing around at the conference.

Grab the 11-page registration and session description pdf here from Mindy’s conference page.