MELT Online Training in System Test

In the past, I have been a sceptic whenever somebody brought up the issue of online personal training. It seemed a contradiction in terms to me. Yet, I now find myself giving it serious consideration, and I need to explain what brought on this transformation.

Among other things I each MELT, a self-treatment technique for connective tissue, which has great potential to help people to manage or even get out of daily pain. It is really difficult to hurt yourself when you try to MELT. It is, in theory, easy to learn but, after having taught it for more than five years, I have seen enough people who have a hard time following the proper technique even in a live class, and I cannot imagine it to be any better when they try to follow DVD instructions. However, I have also seen that people do very well with individualized verbal corrections.

Enter Skype. Well, I know, it’s not exactly a new discovery of mine. It has been around for a number of years already but it is new to me, and it answers the technical requirement for online training. And it is new to me. I am currently exploring the logistics of this system. Today I taught my first Skype MELT session with one of my existing clients and was amazed how good the picture was. This enabled me to see her body position very accurately and to assess which verbal corrections I needed to give.

Who can benefit from online training? If there is no qualified instructor anywhere near you and you are not sure whether you are doing the techniques accurately, this may be a great option. There is more to MELT than is in the book, and online training can give access to additional techniques. As a seasoned instructor, I have been talking large groups of people through MELT techniques, and this gives me the confidence that I can also do it when I see a person online.

So off into the 21^st century we go. Online MELT Training coming soon to a computer near you!

Women, Ballet and ACL Tears

According to the National Institute of Health, young women athletes are two to eight times more likely to suffer an injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) than male athletes. One reason is the increased level of participation in sports which by itself is great news. But this increased injury risk is a serious downside, and one wonders whether there are ways to prepare young girls to minimize the risk.

There is one form of physical activity where ACL injuries in women are almost unheard of, and that is a sport where leaps and bounds are a substantial part of the program: BALLET! So what is it about ballet that creates this shield of protection?

It is believed that ACL injuries in girls are often the consequence of improper landing mechanics. Unless properly instructed, girls tend to land flat-footed which is one of the risk factors for an ACL tear. Because jumping is such a big part of ballet, proper mechanics here are a major part of the training so that they become second nature. Even if a girl decides that her athletic future is on the soccer field rather than in the ballet studio, the lessons learned during ballet practice will have a positive carry-over effect into other athletic endeavors.

An ACL injury at a young age predisposes the person to an earlier onset of arthritis which can have a major impact on the quality of life as we are getting older. And while young athletes cannot possibly imagine anything but being indestructible, those of us who know better can give them a better chance at a successful and healthy career by giving them the necessary athletic skills.

Ballet training can be one such option, and it also teaches them to stand up straight!