Accepting Tragedy

On September 11th, managers at fitness facilities were faced with some tough decisions. They were asking themselves and each other, "Should we stay open or should we close? What do we say to people? Will our instructors be willing and able to teach?" The answers to these questions were varied. Everywhere, people felt the impact of the events of that day; and people at fitness facilities were hard pressed to stay the course, or at the very least to plan on how to respond to their clients---and their needs--- when they re-opened their facilities.

As fitness professionals, you are well aware of the beneficial effects of exercise during challenging situations, such as depression or garden-variety stress. But this new challenge--the fear and stress connected with the ongoing threat of terrorism--is unprecedented in its universal impact. Since the events of September 11th (9/11), fitness professionals have been attempting to respond to their clients' various needs.

This article will examine how fitness facilities are serving the needs of their clients by offering them classes aimed at stress reduction and providing them with a much-needed refuge. We will also look at current trends in the fitness industry, including the growing body-mind movement, how programming has been affected and how individual instructors and trainers are modifying their approach to clients. Finally, specific techniques that can be used to successfully meet the challenge of teaching and training in this climate will be covered.

Immediately after the events of 9/11, the fitness community launched a concerted effort to deploy its considerable resources in the rescue mission. The area surrounding the WTC site, which includes the financial district, is home to several of New York City's fitness clubs. Several of these clubs, notably, New York Sports Club (NYSC), owned by Towns Sports International, Equinox Fitness Club and New York Health and Racquet Club provided various types of shelter and assistance to civilians and rescue workers. The managers at the Wall Street location of NYSC converted the club to a temporary relief center for WTC workers, working with the Red Cross to provide food, cots, medical supplies and water starting the day after the incident. At the same time, the staff at the nearest New York Health and Racquet Club (NYHRC) provided food, showers and massage for rescue workers 24 hours a day for two weeks.

At Equinox, which is across the street from the New York Stock Exchange, managers and staff members catered to the needs of the civilian population--members and nonmembers alike. On that day, they cared for many traumatized people. They remember the grim faces covered with debris and helping people who needed medical attention. As it turned out, the post-9/11 period was equally as demanding and daunting. Catherine King, group fitness manager, was confronted with the task of re-opening her club to members the week of September 17th. With the help of other staff members, including Denise Leonard, general manager at the time, and Alex Mass, maintenance manager, Catherine struggled to re-open the club and regain a sense of normalcy with the goal of providing refuge to an extremely traumatized clientele.

"The Sunday after (the event) we were all maintenance people," says Catherine. According to Alex, "It felt like we had gravel in our eyes." Although the New York Times reported that their building was structurally damaged, they were later told that it was sound. The air was so thick with this strange white dust that breathing was difficult. The top-notch air-filtration system was no match for this disaster. Even now, the air is tested constantly and the filters are changed daily.

September 17th came fast. On that day, people who wandered into the club were greeted with a banner: "Welcome back Equinox members and friends." Catherine and Denise had lugged five gallons of coffee and six-dozen bagels roughly 15 blocks. There was no transportation and no cab service, so firemen and investment bankers helped them along the way. Air quality was still too poor to work out, but people came in. "I was so surprised that the people who came in weren't asking exactly when they would be able to work out. They wanted to know how we were," Denise says.

The following day (9/18)--one week to the day after the event--classes were resumed and instructors were presented with what may very well be the ultimate challenge of their careers. "We had to return to work to normalcy and continuity," says Catherine. "It was really hard for members to come back on Monday and see everything outside so changed. Our clients invest a lot of time down here in their jobs. We are a place to get away from the horror. This is their respite--their outlet. Our environment has not changed." Jodi Cornish, who trains both clients here and works the floor, concedes that the physical environment has a comforting pre-9/11 sameness, but she feels her interactions with members have changed in a way she never expected. "I come around and talk to people on the machines. There are a lot of bankers here who were usually pretty focused and ready to get back to work. Now they want to talk to me and keep talking," she muses.

The Changing Landscape of Fitness

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports that people across the nation are more committed to fitness than before based on new gym memberships. For example, Crunch Fitness, with locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta, saw a 19% increase in gym usage during the two weeks after the World Trade Center attack. Plus, new memberships were up 29% at the same time. In New York in particular, both New York Sports Club and Bally Fitness have benefited from this upward trend in the participation curve. Though there are some exceptions, these trends are repeated to varying degrees around the country as people become motivated to exercise, despite the initial devil-may-care reaction when many people were uncharacteristically indulgent and unconcerned about exercise.

So while the popular press is confirming what most fitness professionals already know, the picture behind the scenes is more complex. First of all, people who are joining gyms or using the gym more frequently in response to increased fear and stress have special needs that may not always be met by pre-9/11 programming. Though the motivations for initiating or intensifying personal fitness regimens vary from person to person, in this situation, fear, stress and anxiety are common denominators. Secondly, although many individuals were grateful for the tremendous role played by fitness facilities during the crisis, not everyone agrees that focusing on fitness and working out is an appropriate response to the grave chain of events set off on 9/11. Fitness professionals everywhere are formulating different ways to deal with the first problem. And, as for the second problem, differences in opinions about what is appropriate are hallmarks of healthy democratic discourse. Fitness facility managers made certain decisions based on numerous factors including their clientele's needs and the resources available to them at the time. With no discernible damage to business or reputation, these fitness facilities continue to offer their clients refuge, access to equipment and class schedules tailored to changing needs.

Fitness Facilities Provide Refuge

On September 11th, the Huntington YMCA in Long Island, New York stayed open until its normal closing time. Though they received criticism from some people, the YMCA serves many purposes in the community, including providing daycare to working parents, who had a very difficult time getting home that day. Kathe Burlage, fitness coordinator, worked with her colleagues to offer classes in the days that followed while opening up the club as a depot for members bringing supplies to be sent to ground zero. During the first several weeks after 9/11, the club became a touchstone and a point of reference as people moved through various stages of grief. "The most difficult thing was to function as professionals," says Kathe. "We had to come in and be supportive knowing that everyone was touched in some way. Everyone's emotions were open and unguarded. We had to try to do and say the right things and be there for people."

Kathe also teaches. In one class she has a student who is pregnant with a two-year-old child. When Kathe found out that her student lost her husband in the attacks, she felt the full force of what had happened to her community and decided to use her classes as a healing vehicle. Her class, Bodypeace is a combination of tai chi with yoga-influenced breathing. Kathe describes the class as a feel-good class that is gentler than yoga. She reports that attendance in all classes, especially yoga-based classes like Bodypeace, is way up. Also, while attendance in cardio-kickboxing classes was faltering prior to 9/11, those numbers are really picking up. Now several months later, Kathe says that people are still affected. "It's an attitude and an emotionality. People are nicer and friendlier. Really, it's just that people are happy to be here." (See sidebar for description of Bodypeace.)

When asked about how they dealt with the immediate aftermath of the crisis, fitness professionals have remarkably similar responses. Across the board, fitness professionals have focused on bringing peace to clients---allowing them to release anxiety through motion. And the trends are remarkably similar as well--an increased demand for yoga-like classes and a renewed interest in cardio-kickboxing and the martial arts.

In fact, for the last several months, fitness facilities have become a refuge for people in many ways. In the broadest sense, the pursuit of physical fitness and spiritual well-being with the help of fitness professionals is a quest to counteract the stress and fear associated with the recent unprecedented events. Terror-induced anxiety is not a geographical phenomenon, and although New York City's ground zero is a deep wound that permeates the city's consciousness, the impact of the events on 9/11, the subsequent war and the ongoing threat of physical and biological terror go beyond the boundaries of the New York metropolitan area. The abrupt shift in geopolitical reality is affecting people around the United States and the world.

Liz Neporent, director of special projects for myfitnessexperts.com, a Web site that provides one-on-one training to clients around the country and the world, interacts with clients from Alaska to Maine to Pakistan. "I couldn't believe how sympathetic and emotionally generous people everywhere have been," she says emphasizing that the sense of fear is widespread. "This has been a catalyst for change. It's as if people have a "now or never" attitude towards their fitness goals. Also, people may now realize that stamina, reflexes, coordination, reaction time and lung capacity may mean the difference between life and death" she adds. Liz, who is based in NYC, estimates that there's been a roughly 25% increase in traffic to the site since 9/11. "People everywhere want to be mentally, spiritually and physically prepared for whatever may come, but there are not fitness facilities everywhere," she concludes. Myfitnessexperts.com provides a figurative space for people to meet fitness needs that otherwise would probably go unmet.

In addition to training clients online, Liz interacts with corporate clients through Plus One Fitness, the offline onsite equivalent of myfitnessexpert. Prior to 9/11, demand for yoga from corporate clients lagged behind the commercial market, but that's changing. Liz concedes that previously her corporate clientele tended toward more "type A" activities like cardio-kickboxing. They wanted to burn calories and get their workout, but suddenly, they too want more yoga.

In Del Mar, California, Summer Autio, a group fitness instructor at Del Mar Workout, teaches a class called SpiritDance, which she describes as a "cultural explosion of sounds and music infused with yoga and expressive movement." Summer who is being treated for hepatitis C and melanoma understands the power of using movement and community to heal. "On September 11th, I felt alive and I walked into the gym and watched my students fall apart," says Summer. She continues, "I decided to teach and told people that they could leave if they wanted." As it turns out, those who stayed were beneficiaries of a class where a tremendous amount of healing and release took place.

During this time, Summer started every class with a nonreligious prayer and an acknowledgement that something was happening. Her goal was to open her students' hearts--both literally and figuratively. By using yogic "heart-centered" movements to open up the chest, she helped her students release stress. Subsequently, she encouraged a forward bend to balance this movement. Forming a circle with her students, Summer exhorted them to express their fear, sadness, grief and even joy by sobbing, yelling and laughing. The response was tremendous and her students left feeling lighter and less stressed.

The Los Angeles-based studio, Groove, run by Gillian Marloth and Teigh McDonough opened their doors on September 8, 2001. This small 1000-square foot boutique holds 35 people per class, but on 9/11, no one came. In fact, no one came for the next three days. Their signature 90-minute class, Yoga Booty Ballet, is a hybrid of yoga, body sculpting and ballet barre without the bar. Using funk, hip-hop and r&b, Gillian and Teigh start the class with a 20-minute expressive dance warm-up. Gillian refers to this as the "booty aspect" of the class. Then they move into the workout. Gillian says, "You get hot, you get strong, you get focus, you get loose." The first couple of days they opened, Gillian and Teigh were teaching classes with five to six people. This was in line with their expectations, which were that they could be out of debt in eight months.

As it turned out, people started feeling safer by November and by then many had found Yoga Booty Ballet and told others in their Hollywood community about it. Now their classes are packed, and Gillian attributes their success to people looking for deeper meaning in their lives. "I think a lot of people are turning on to their bodies, because it connects them to the earth. The body is a gateway to the spirit, and I believe that this class connects the body thoroughly to the spirit."

Krista Popowych, program director of The Fitness Group in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada had to teach a 9 o'clock class on 9/11. After she received the phone call at 7:30 that morning alerting her to the tragedy unfolding, she felt deflated. She explains, "It was really hard. We didn't know how to respond. It was all so new, and I thought to myself how can I be chipper, energetic and motivated?" She decided to teach, but she wasn't chipper. As she warmed her class up, she took a minute for silence and acknowledgement and gave her students freedom to modify the workout based on their feelings. Krista explains her gym's philosophy. "Our goal at The Fitness Group is to create a fitness haven filled with great energy, positive experiences and a commitment to educating your body and mind while rejuvenating your spirit," she concludes.

The Psychological Impact: Understanding Your Clients and Yourself

Along with the growth spurt in the industry has come a lot more responsibility. Within the last few months, fitness professionals have been thrust into the role of counselors. Everyone agrees that fear manifests physically and that one way to counteract the fear is through mindful physical activity, even in cardio-intensive workouts. The goal is to make movement more intentional. Not surprisingly, having to provide clients with emotional sustenance can be taxing for group fitness instructors and trainers. This is true for Marcelo Ehrhardt, group fitness manager and instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in midtown Manhattan. Like his peers he has become a therapist of sorts tending to the needs of his clients and instructors. He likens himself to a parent.

"I'm not capable of teaching a class that is not one hundred percent," he says. "So I have to go in there and put everything into it and at the same time let them project their feelings onto me. It's difficult, because there's not always someone I can turn to." Initially, Stacey Lei Krauss, group fitness manager and fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs in downtown Manhattan, was overwhelmed trying to help instructors and clients cope. "Some of my best instructors were approaching me right after the tragedy and saying 'I don't want to teach'," she confides. "But I had to sit down with them and tell them that they should teach and that I'm here and the club is here to support them."

In response to mounting stress levels, the corporate management at Equinox decided to offer training in the Five Tibetan Rites to all instructors--especially those who are not yoga instructors. The Five Tibetan Rites are taught as 15-minute classes at Equinox. These classes give clients who may be intimidated by hour-long yoga classes, a concise, effective and invigorating introduction to the power of yoga---as well as a good workout. For a description of the Five Tibetan Rites, please see the sidebar. (Christopher S. Kilham . The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power. Inner Traditions International, Ltd., January 1994)

Apparently, the Five Tibetan Rites have been well received and have found a permanent spot on the schedule. Stacey says, "The five Tibetans have been a wonderful way to bring some 'non-yogis' into the yogic world of spirituality and movement by offering a small taste of yogic movements without a full commitment to a 60 or 90-minute class. Also, since this mini workout engages so many muscle groups, it enhances circulation and warms the body. This has been so helpful in these stressful times both for members and staff. Initially, after the event in September, stress was having such an impact on people's physical state, that many were unable to sustain their regular workouts. The five Tibetans enabled folks to take 'baby steps' back to fitness. Many people began to do this workout at home, first thing in the morning, as recommended. For trainers and instructors who are not yoga based, it gave us the opportunity to bring our more 'hard core' clients down to a softer, more mindful workout, without reminding our clients to 'slow down' or back off until they got back to normal."

Brett Hoebel, an instructor in NYC at Equinox, Chelsea Piers, Sports Club LA and Reebok took the cue early on and expanded these principles into his intense Urban Motion cardio-kickboxing class. He also uses yogic principles to ground himself. "To help relax a class or group of people is it essential that you yourself give off a calming energy that they may emulate. The volume of your voice and body language are an integral part as well. It's important to smile and speak slowly and clearly. And your movements should be gentle, graceful and quiet." He admits that this takes work, but ultimately students feel better about being in class and working hard. Fitness professionals are not alone when it comes to encouraging demoralized people to exercise. Charles Strozier, PhD, a New York City psychoanalyst and professor of history at the City University of New York promotes exercise as a coping mechanism. "There's no question that when one is the survivor of a trauma, and particularly in the middle of it, it's important to tend to normal functions like eating and exercising. You can't let your body shut down," he says.

Dr. Charles Strozier, author of Apocalpse: Psychology of Fundamentalism in America (Beacon Press, Boston, 1994) asserts that what we have lived through evokes an ongoing sense of threat, because the aspirations of the attackers are apocalyptic. He explains why exercise may be the most important way to promote normal sleeping and eating even when these basic needs seem impossible to meet. "There is a whole spectrum of possible responses to trauma--closing down, feeling numb, being jittery or crying. To exercise is a way to begin re-integrating the self."

The body-mind movement continues to gain currency among fitness professionals. Most health facilities have at least one if not several types of yoga on their schedules, and new hybrid classes that incorporate yogic movement are becoming popular. By integrating yoga with different types of music or even aerobic modalities like boxing, instructors are making yoga-based exercise more accessible and attractive to those who might not have been interested before. According to body-mind specialists, the growth of this trend makes sense. But, just because yoga is more popular doesn't mean that cardio-intensive classes are less popular. People continue to flock to these classes as well. Despite an awareness of these trends, it can still be difficult to understand the needs of individuals.

Robert Butterworth, PhD, a Los Angeles-based clinical psychologist and trauma specialist relies on patterns to understand how fear is impacting the nation citing markedly restrained spending, traveling and socializing as signs of terrorist-induced national fear. This is a byproduct of what he calls "anticipatory anxiety." Dr. Butterworth, a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), is concerned about increased levels of depression saying that a recent APA poll shows that up to 80% of the population is experiencing some form of depression. In response to this startling figure, he too recommends exercise as the antidote. On a positive note, he makes the point that event-related depression should resolve fairly soon after the initiation of an exercise regimen.

As fitness professionals, you may have witnessed a wide range of responses from your clients ranging from those who express their distress outright to those who are completely closed to acknowledging the impact of the events. You have probably also noted the evolution of emotions. According to Kathe Burlage, members at the Huntington YMCA tended to eat more initially, especially "feel good" foods like cookies, mashed potatoes and ice cream; but now she reports they "cherish their workouts." She's seen an attitudinal shift from "I don't have to be here" to "I am fortunate to be here."

According to Deborah Kern, PhD, a speaker, author and wellness consultant based in Cullman, Alabama, everyone across the nation is being affected by the events of 9/11--- and the implications of those events. Dr. Kern, who teaches in Alabama and around the country, suggests that the mind-body approach to fitness can be applied in any fitness setting. "Right now fear is the dominant emotion and also a feeling of lacking security. From a mind-body perspective, if people don't allow fear to move through their bodies, it will manifest as disease. The people in the worst position are those who don't realize that they're affected. They are at the highest risk. As fitness professionals, you should create opportunities for them to be in their bodies consciously," she says.

Dr. Kern is a teacher and practitioner of Nia, or Neuromuscular Integrated Action. Nia is built around the principle of awareness and self-study through movement and uses a variety of combinations of movements blended with the conscious use of mind and energy. The most important components of Nia are awareness, experience and release. For example, students in classes or a client in a one-on-one training situation should be encouraged to be aware of what they're feeling. Perhaps they're feeling that they can't complete the exercise or that they're angry or bored. Using verbal cues, instructors or trainers should allow them to experience these feelings and move through them. Finally, they are free to release the feelings as they move through the workout. Dr. Kern explains, "You can always use your body as a metaphor. Interestingly enough, on September 12th, people in classes could not stand on one foot. They needed to find balance." In group fitness situations, you can't focus on each and every person, but you can still use Nia techniques effectively. For example, by asking, "What's happening now?" instructors can help students become more body-centered, so that if they find themselves holding their breath, for example, they know that they're having a hard time letting go of something.

Dr. Kern travels around the country teaching Nia-based classes. Since 9-11, her experiences from Alabama to Illinois and Wisconsin to New York have reinforced the idea that fear drives people. By recognizing and harnessing the energy associated with this fear, fitness professionals can help their students work through toxic emotions.

However, while most medical and psychological specialists recommend exercise as a first-line treatment for stress and depression, there's another side. Ralph LaForge, MS, managing director of the Lipid Clinic and Disease Management Training Program at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, cautions fitness instructors to watch for over-intensity in their stressed-out clients. "If you've experienced grief, I don't think that exhausting yourself in a spinning class is the answer," he counsels. Instead, he suggests that clients who have suffered a loss, are depressed or are extremely stressed, benefit more from tai chi and chi gong. He also advises that exhaustive exercise may exacerbate the problem for people with clinical depression. Conversely, those who are more removed from the stress but still subject to the general malaise that surrounds us can benefit greatly from intense aerobic exercise. Treat each person individually. Dr. LaForge is keen on the idea that yoga is effective therapy. In fact, he suggests that one-on-one yoga therapy every two weeks is extremely effective, but if that's not an option, limiting group classes may have comparable results.

As much as yoga-based, breathing-centered and relaxation-oriented classes have taken off in the last few months, there are still those who find rejuvenation and positive energy sticking with their aerobic routines. Not all people have the same temperament when it comes to fitness preferences. Fortunately, there are instructors out there who have always focused on classes like boxing, body sculpt, or plain vanilla aerobics---and they continue to do so. Despite the adherence to intensive aerobic regimens, these instructors confide that they too have modified their classes in light of the recent events.

We're Still Kicking

Dennis Reilly's approach to fitness is a singular example of an instructor whose boxing and conditioning classes are not only therapeutic and effective, but also full of emotion and spirit. Dennis, a firefighter out of Engine House 156 in NYC, lives in two separate but interrelated worlds. On 9/11, he was engulfed in heat and chaos as he used his physical strength to answer the most challenging call he's received in his 20 years as a firefighter. Maryann Donner, group fitness director of New York Health and Racquet Club's (NYHRC) seven NYC-based locations, understood when Dennis didn't make it in to teach his classes, which include aeroboboxing, bodysculpting, aquabox and abdominal strengthening classes, for several weeks. In fact, NYHRC was deeply involved with their efforts to support the firemen and the National Guard. Of course, Dennis's students understood his absence and called him to offered support.

Though his techniques may be unconventional, Dennis, who's been an international instructor and presenter for 20 years, has a strong enthusiastic following. As former New York Giant and heavyweight fighter, he brings a lot of real-world fervor and a lot of heart to his classes. "When I came back to teach my boxing class," he says, "I kept saying 'punch like you're punching a terrorist'. Our theme in class has become one of overcoming and victory--victory in the face of challenge." He teaches a full schedule and is also co-owner of a gym, the Waterfront Club, which features professional-style boxing classes, notably the Fire and the Fury. Between his classes and training sessions all over the city, Dennis has been attending memorial services for lost friends---about 20 in all. So, when he walks in the room, the energy goes back and forth between him and his students.

He has also decided to teach several classes based on skills needed by firefighters. For example, in his Firefighter's Boot Camp class, Dennis has his students do plyometrics to simulate climbing a ladder. They also go through exercises that evoke the physical reality of moving through a burning building and going through narrow spaces. Maryann Donner supports Dennis unequivocally. She feels that there are many ways to help clients find what they need in a workout. "You must find a balance in your life that includes working out," she insists. She's definitely a fan of cross-training, but appreciates the ability to incorporate spirituality into any workout regardless of its aerobic intensity. She suggests that a way to do this is to sandwich the workout between stretching and deep-breathing warm-ups and cool downs, so instead of only cooling down at the end, you "start the way you end." It all works together.

Dave Draper has also chosen not to change the offerings at his gym radically or his overall message that motivating people to come to the gym consistently is the most important thing that any fitness professional can do. Dave, former Mr. America (1965) and Mr. Universe (1966), owns two World Gums in Santa Cruz, California. His long tenure in the business gives him the perspective to judge the potential long-term impact of 9/11 on gyms and people's adherence to a fitness regimen. "After the WTC event, the gyms thinned out a little bit at first. But now things are picking up and energy is good," he explains. He's concerned that it may not last. "A small percentage of people love fitness and stick with it. Once you have people in the gym, apply the basics and motivate them to stay. Without motivation, desire deteriorates and lack of motivation drains energy, strength and creativity," he says. He advises other fitness professionals to recognize what brought the new people into the gym and use that to motivate them over the long term. By giving them a structure like three hours a week, you can keep them there and help them benefit.

Nonetheless, Dave concedes that at least for now, something's different. "I don't know that the war we're in sucks people in. It works on a more subtle level than that. However, there is now a sense of an ever-present threat, and you need consistent exercise to counteract this and promote everyday well-being, strength and discipline," he explains.

Fit For Life: Darwin Comes to the Gym

With all of the endless media coverage of the events of 9/11, one of the most compelling images was that of people literally running for their lives. Just beneath the surface of many conversations with fitness professionals, there is a tone of possibly needing fitness to survive---a sense that the world is more hostile. Taking it a little further, the message is "relax, but be strong and fast." The sheer physicality of terrorism--and the random nature of violence--suddenly makes the skills needed for cardio-kickboxing seem like a necessary part of life. After all, suppose you have to run for your life or crawl from underneath a collapsed building? Being fit improves your chances of surviving. Fitness professionals are providing some relief from anxiety simply by empowering their clients with a sense of physical readiness.

Chris Rappold, founder and CEO of Personal Best Karate, has always focused on helping people develop an enlightened sense of being able to defend themselves. He himself is a fourth degree black belt and a two-time world champion (1995&1997). His three karate studios in Massachusetts---South Easton, Norton and Foxboro---are community-based and provide adults and children with curriculum-driven courses. On 9/11, Chris chose to keep his studios open, but it wasn't an easy choice. "We broke attendance records on that day. We knew when we decided to stay open that our students, especially the children, would look at us to see our response and our perception of what was happening. We sought to make our facility an oasis. After all, when you are feeling stress, it can manifest itself as positive or negative energy," Chris confides.

Chris, who has a degree in exercise science, references Maslow's hierarchy of needs to make his point. Maslow, a behavioral psychologist who became well known in the middle of the twentieth century, asserted that after air, food, water and sex, the most important needs for any human being are safety and security. According to Chris, several factors enabled Personal Best Karate to fulfill their mission of providing that feeling of security and belonging to their members. One important factor is that the studios are set up as controlled positive environments where people commit to a schedule. Students know who's in their class and that others are counting on them to show up. This really fosters camaraderie and a sense of commitment. Most importantly, the staff is trained to treat clients the way they want to be treated. Chris elucidates this point and says, "Relationships are forged and people gravitate towards us." He continues, "We train people's focus. The three things that determine how they feel are beliefs, focus and physiology. We work on their belief system around how they feel about themselves. In martial arts, you can not have an arsenal of techniques without a powerful physiology."

Forging Your Path

As trained professionals, you have developed many ways of helping your clients. Of course, as you continue on your career path, those skills are constantly upgraded and honed. You become more effective and it shows, but then something big happens and your job description takes on a new dimension. Your job description changed on September 11, 2001. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to you to help you understand dynamics that you may face in the fitness setting. By recognizing the importance of the mind-body connection, fitness professionals are providing an important refuge for people seeking shelter. Moreover, by being available to clients, you stand to gain a tremendous amount of valuable experience and depth.