Fitness, Business, Fitness Business, & Achieving Life Goals

Kettlebells, if you were to believe the hype, this is the only equipment you would need in your club.  Everyone thinks they should be using kettlebells. They are the flavor of the day. Yet another retro training device that gets all the press. In example, http://www.kettlebells.com.au/touts “Kettlebells: The ultimate hand held fitness tool for strength, weight loss and well being” WHATTA CROCK!

There, I’ve said it. Now I’ll get tons of people telling how wrong I am. I don’t care. Kettlebells are a nice piece of equipment. They offer some variety. But truthfully, there’s very little of real value that you do with a kettlebell that you couldn’t do just as effectively with a dumbbell. There are a couple of differences that I think have merit, but not enough to buy a whole set of kettlebells to appease the masses. 1) Because of the weight being below the handle, two-handed grabs are more comfortable and 2) an overhead lift is slightly easier and KBs may promote more shoulder flexibility because the weight sits on the back of the forearm. That’s about it in my eyes. Add to it that the techniques involved in flipping the KB are an extra curricular layer that is unnecessary for functional or sports performance and the religion that is kettlebell training seems all the more pointless.

Let it be said that I love my toys. I love having a wide array of training equipment even just to offer some mental variety for my clients. Know what and why you use the things that you do. Don’t get caught up in hype. No one training methodology or implement is THE WAY or THE THING. It’s all just tools.

Mark

While the economic state of the country seems to be on the rise, people are still looking for inexpensive ways to get their company’s name out to their market. Running an ad, a standard business card kind of block that tells what your company offers, has always been an expensive proposition. And…THEY DON”T WORK. Not as far as your Return On Investment (ROI) goes.

The new marketing plan goes where the people are, web 2.0, the interactive, user driven content medium. It’s where you can inform, help, and interact with your market. Creating a permission based relationship with current and possible future customers/clients that can cost little to nothing except the time you invest in it is the where smart businesses are now going. Some companies have even created new positions in their company for a social media relationship builders. (Take a look at mashable.com job postings).

You and your business need to get out there and create a web presence. Connect with your audience. The books listed below (as well as many online friends) helped me to understand just how to use the marketing tools that are now available to us.

Along with this blog, you can connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The New Marketing Books:

This book really helped me figure out social media and it’s place in business. Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

Another great book on connecting with your market: Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force

This book is a little overkill, but certainly covers everything you need to know about Twitter and how to use it to drive your business. Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time

Rounding out my top four best books on using social media for marketing your business, this one’s an absolute must have. Just finished it and loved it. Covers everything from Facebook to vlogs. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Greg Nockleby gnockleby@nsca-lift.org 800.815.6826 

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Celebrates Mark Nutting To Receive The 2009 Personal Trainer of the Year Award LAS VEGAS, NV – Strength and conditioning coaches, sports scientists and fitness professionals from around the world converged on NSCA’s 32nd National Conference in July 2009 to discover cutting edge research and practical applications in strength and conditioning, presented by the industry’s most elite and respected experts. One of the many exciting events during the conference took place during the Award Ceremonies where distinctive honors were given to several fitness professionals for outstanding achievement.

Accepting for the prestigious Personal Trainer of the Year Award was Mark Nutting, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT-AR*D. Nutting earned this special honor in recognition of excellence in service to the personal training industry and the NSCA. Robert Jursnick, NSCA’s Executive Director states, “It is a privilege to honor Mark and recognize his achievement,” says Jursnick, “Mark’s well-earned award and his contributions shape NSCA into what it is today.” The NSCA National Conference and Exhibition featured more than 50 educational sessions and research presentations, all designed to help those attending to expand their knowledge and further their careers. The NSCA is the worldwide authority on strength and conditioning, and for more information regarding NSCA and their awards, please visit www.nsca-lift.org.

Media Note: To schedule an interview with Mark Nutting, or to arrange to cover the NSCA’s Conference, contact Greg Nockleby at 800.815.6826.