Personal Training is a relatively new profession, and because of its rapid growth, it can be difficult to find the best course of action to become qualified to train individuals. Canfitpro (Canadian Fitness Professionals) provides the answer with the Personal Training Specialist course and exam. You will learn the skills needed to teach a client without special health concerns. A Canfitpro certified PTS is qualified to evaluate, design and monitor individual and small group training programs in a health club, home, and workplace setting. This course provides comprehensive program content and a wide range of practical skills that will ensure success to those who hold the designation. Canfitpro has collaborated with Human Kinetics Publishing Inc. to create a multimedia learning experience for personal trainers!

NEW…to The Steinbach Arts Council with Instructor Eddie Miller!

Power animals are those who will aid and guide you through different phases of your life. Finding your power animal is attainable through many means, whether it be by meditation with this specific purpose, being aware of which animals appear in your dreams, or being conscious of your surroundings while taking a walk through nature. If you decide you want to search for your animal it is important to remember this one rule, you do not choose the animal, the animal chooses you. Once you are able to find yours, it is important to educate yourself on how it relates to you. Embodying and imagining your animal will connect you to its wisdom and guidance so that its power can be used to your advantage. You will have more than one power animal, each coincides with the different journeys and phases you will experience during your lifetime.

September is like a brand new year when it comes to our schedule and routines. The busy energy of summer is softening and mellowing as we move into shorter days and cooler weather. It’s time to fall back into a more regular rhythm, to embrace a slowing down, to find our breath, and to ask ourselves what we will continue and what we would like to change. Where are we at in our bodies? How is our stress level? Is this the season we finally make some time for ourselves? Fall is an excellent time to come back to or take up yoga as part of your wellness routine. Whether you are an absolute beginner, looking for a new way to move your body, or want to address chronic neck and shoulder tension, there’s a yoga class to fit your schedule and your lifestyle. It’s time to fall for yoga!

Your Lymphatic System, or drainage system, consists of vessels, cells, tissues, and organs. The lymphatic vessels transport fluids and plasma proteins, passing through lymph nodes, which clean and filter the lymph fluid that is then emptied into the blood circulation at the subclavian veins. The lymphatic system protects the body by making sure the lymph nodes filter out harmful material before returning the fluid to the blood. If your lymph vessels get damaged, water retention or edema occurs in the area normally drained by them. There are hundreds of lymph nodes in the body found in clusters in your neck, armpit, groin, and behind the knee. The Reflexology Lymph Drainage technique can provide relief from symptoms of secondary lymphoedema and can help alleviate the swelling, pain, and stiffness associated with this condition.

Sciatica is leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. The sciatic nerve sits underneath a muscle called the piriformis, which is located beneath the glutes. When the piriformis muscle gets tight, it pinches the sciatic nerve, causing tingling and numbness down into the leg. A Massage Therapist can help eliminate the pain by applying pressure to irritated and inflamed areas, or trigger points, in the piriformis muscle, as well as in muscles in the lower back and glutes. Moving is usually the last thing people want to do when they have sciatica pain, but it’s important to be physically active. Exercise increases blood flow to the disk and the nerve, helping to get rid of the chemicals causing the inflammation. Take 15- to 20-minute walks. If that hurts too much, give swimming or water aerobics a try; there’s not as much pressure on the back when you’re in the water.

The foot is a complex structure composed of bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. They bear and propel the weight of the body during walking and running, and help to maintain balance during changes in body position. It is not surprising that at some point you may experience foot pain. The cause of most foot pain are shoes that do not fit properly. High-heeled shoes can create problems in the toes and the balls of the feet. Wearing flip-flops or shoes with no support can also create foot pain. Plantar fasciitis can be a result of overuse of high-impact exercise and sports and poorly fitting shoes. Besides supportive footwear and getting insoles and orthotics when needed, a Foot Reflexology session can help. Taking good care of the feet, through regular reflexology treatments, exercise, proper footwear, foot care, and hygiene will contribute to keeping the foot strong and healthy.

Remember, when you were a child, colouring and painting and singing and dancing? You didn’t care if you were good at it. You enjoyed it and that was all that mattered! As an adult, do you still express yourself through art? Creating art has real benefits for wellness, no matter what your age. It relieves stress, encourages mindfulness, provides a venue for self-expression and teaches us to let go of perfectionism and self-criticism. Creative hobbies offer so much more than the distraction we get from watching TV or browsing the Internet. They provide interest, leisure, focus, practice, confidence, growth and a respite from our daily grind. But for many people, the doors of art and creativity are closed at a young age, due to self-criticism, lack of opportunities or lack of understanding about the benefits art provides. The good news is that anyone can learn, at any age—it’s never too late. No experience required!