With The World Cup fresh in our minds… We thought we could review one of the most common types of injury… The almighty hamstring Strain! Of course, this isn’t just relevant to football… It’s a common problem in virtually any active sport. 
 
The hamstring is by no means a “single string”. It is in fact a group of three muscles that run across the back of the thigh.  The hamstring is basically what allows you to bend your leg at the knee. 
 
Symptoms of a Hamstring Injury
 
The symptoms of a hamstring injury are quite easy to spot. It will typically cause a sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh that could potentially stop you mid-stride. After such an injury, the knee may not extend more than 30 to 40 degrees short of straight without intense pain. Hamstring Injuries (like most strains) are simply caused by excessive stretching or tearing of muscle fibre beyond their limits.  
 
How Severe is a Hamstring Injury?
 
The severity of a hamstring strain can vary like anything else. Strains are classified as mild, moderate and severe degree depending on the extent of the injury. Please find the symptoms of each level below:
 
Mild (Grade 1)

• Muscle stiffness, soreness, and tightness in the back of the thigh
• Little noticeable swelling
• A normal walking gait and a range of motion with some discomfort
• Flexing the knee to bring the heel up

Moderate (Grade 2)

• Gait affected, may have a limp
• Muscle Painsharp twinges, and tightness in the back of the thigh
• Noticeable swelling or bruising
• Painful to the touch
• A limited range of motion and pain when flexing the knee

Severe (Grade 3) 

• Pain during rest which becomes severe with movement
• Difficulty walking without assistance
• Noticeable swelling and bruising

How is a Hamstring Injury Caused Exactly?
Football players quite often suffer with hamstring injuries because of the amount of running they do for example. Here are some of the main contributing factors:

• Poor flexibility
• Poor muscle strengths
• Weak glutes improper or no warm up 
• A history of hamstring injury
• Doing too much too soon

How do you treat a hamstring injury?
The severity of the injury will determine the method for healing. This is because of the amount of pain and the limited ability to use muscle. A third-degree injury normally results in a trip to the physician for evaluation and professional advice moving forward. Less severe injuries can be treated at home. Here are some of the main pointers: 

• After an injury, be sure to rest the injured muscle, sometimes for multiple weeks. 
• Anti-inflammatory can be effective in terms of treating pain and potential swelling. 
• R.I.C.E – Rest, apply ice, compression and elevate the leg if possible. 
• A thigh wrap can be applied to provide support for the healing muscle. 

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How to Prevent an Injury

• Thorough warm-ups
• Stretching after a workout
• Avoid doing too much, too soon!

When first joining a gym, people are often unsure what they should do once they step inside the building. Struggling to determine which exercises to do is more common that you might think. Group fitness classes are an easy solution for anyone looking to stay in shape, whether you’re a beginner or just need some extra motivation. We have devised four reasons why group fitness classes might be the right choice for you!

1. Structure – group fitness classes are an easy way to get a decent workout without even having to think and plan. You just simply show up, do a great workout, then leave. Each workout has been pre-planned with a basic structure of a warm-up, balanced workout and a cool down. The trained instructor will coach you through each segment of the workout. 

 

1. Motivation – When it comes to keeping fit, it’s normal to struggle with self-motivation. With group fitness, it is extremely inspiring and motivating to be surrounded by dedicated, like-minded people. Not to mention how empowering an encouraging instructor and supportive people can be. Group fitness motivates people and others to push themselves further. 

 

1. Variety – It is safe to say that it can be difficult to stay engaged when training alone. On the other hand, if you regularly attend group fitness classes, a good instructor will want to challenge you and stretch your abilities.

 

1. Team Spirit – Exercising with other people can do more than motivate, it can spark your competitive side too, which will have you pushing yourself to your limits and achieving new things. Not to mention, fitness is a great way to meet new, and like-minded people.

 
There you have it! There are so many reasons why attending group fitness classes can benefit you, not just in terms of achieving your fitness goals and staying in shape but there’s also a big social side to it too. 

Lifeguards are an integral part of the staff at a Swimming Pool. It is safe to say that becoming a lifeguard is a route to a fulfilling job that could lead to you saving someone’s life one day!  They keep everyone safe whilst helping to provide a fun environment.
The role can be offered as a full-time job, within an apprenticeship (that is certainly the case for many Swim UK apprentices), or can be offered on a part-time/casual basis. Flexibility, with different shifts means it is often taken up by young people at college or university.
Becoming a lifeguard also provides an excellent foundation for a career in the leisure industry. For example, Apprenticeships that are offered through Swim UK involve lifeguarding on pool side but gives you the opportunity to progress into roles such as Swimming Teaching, Leisure Operations, Management and much more. 

Becoming a lifeguard – First Steps

To become a lifeguard, you have to become a qualified pool/beach lifeguard (depending on where you want to work). Bear in mind that in the UK, there are more pool lifeguard opportunities, than beach lifeguard. Beach lifeguard jobs are almost always summer jobs.
In order to become a beach lifeguard, you will need to complete the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ). And in order to become a pool lifeguard, you will need to complete a National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ). These courses are offered by Swim UK through the Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS). For more information on the RLSS, visit: http://rlss.org.uk. Swim UK also offer the opportunity for people aged 15-24 to complete an NPLQ course completely free through our #StepIn2Sport programme! This gives young people the opportunity to get FREE qualifications to get them started in the leisure industry! 
 
NPLQ Requirements:
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• You must be 16+ years of age at the time of taking the NPLQ assessment.
• You must be able to jump / dive into deep water, swim 50 metres in less than 60 seconds, swim 100 metres continuously on front and back in deep water, tread water for 30 seconds, surface dive to the floor of the pool and climb out unaided without ladder / steps and where the pool design permits.

NVBLQ Requirements:
Candidates must be:​

• 16-years-old or over at the time of the assessment
• Have a good level of fitness
• Able to dive to a depth of up to 2 metres without a danger to their hearing
• Tread water for two minutes
• Climb out of deep water unaided and without steps
• Be competent at swimming in the sea
• Be able to swim 400m in less than 7 and a half minutes using a continuous front stroke and showing urgency

 
Once I’ve qualified?
Once you’ve completed your National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), you’re fully qualified and ready to find a job as a pool lifeguard! Take a look at some current lifeguard jobs available in summer 2018(link will go here).
 
Lifeguarding is an extremely dynamic opportunity. It really is what you make it… you can use it as a part-time job or use it to kickstart a career in the very broad leisure industry. 

Now here is a dilemma that has crossed most people’s mind at some point in their lives! Is it more effective to exercise in the gym or at home? Obviously, it’s easy enough to join a gym, but it’s also easy to be paying for a membership and never use it. It’s even easier to start working out at home, but even easier to find a hundred other things more important than your workout – washing up, hoovering, candy crush etc. 
 
Even though we may find excuses to avoid exercise, we all know how important it is for our mental and physical health. That’s why, wherever we choose to work-out, we have to make sure we stick to it and choose the best environment that suits our personal needs and our budget. 
 
We have devised some pros and cons to help you find what’s best for you:
 
Pros of working out at home: 

• Cost effective – obviously, there are no membership fees, and you can fill your home with lots of cost-effective equipment such as exercise balls and weights. 
• Variety – The Gym may have a wide variety of equipment and rooms, but there’s no reason why you can’t match this at home! You can go out for a run, and there are a wide variety of exercise DVDs that are tailored for different levels. In 2018, there are even work-out apps that you can download and work through step by step.  
• Convenient – You don’t have to worry about packing a bag or travelling to the gym after work. You could even work out in your pyjama’s if you wanted to… something that is frowned upon in gyms! It’s also much easier to split your workouts. 

 
Cons of working out at home:

• Space – A lot of people might not have the space to work out at home especially if you want to use certain equipment. 
• Boredom – It can be more difficult to remain mentally stimulated when working out at home. This will obviously vary from person to person but working out on your own at home takes motivation which a lot of people lack when it comes to staying healthy.
• Excuses – This links to boredom… I’m sure a lot of people have tried to work out at home, and then made excuses as to why they can’t (I know I have!). Excuses is always going to be a problem with staying healthy, but it becomes even more of problem when you are working out at home.

 
Pros of going to the gym:

• Wider variety of fitness options – If you’ve ever been to a gym, you will have noticed the wide variety of fitness options. There are cardio machines such as treadmills, stair climber, stair stepper and the list goes on. There may also be other facilities such as swimming pools and tennis courts etc.
• Motivation – Paying for a gym membership, in itself can be motivating but gyms offer many other services that can help to motivate you, such as fitness classes. 
• Energy – There’s something about going to the gym that gives you a personal boost. A big part of this, is getting motivation off of seeing what other people are doing. This makes staying focused in the gym, much easier than you would think. 

 
 
 
Cons of going to the gym:

• Money – Going to the gym may be very effective for some people, but it’s going to cost you money! However, you do get what you pay for!
• The people – whilst this can be good for motivation, for some it could be a negative. Especially if it’s a well-known brand, there is always going to be people.
• The hassle – Anyone who has been to a gym before will be aware of how annoying it can be packing up a bag and filling up with water, especially if you’re going early in the morning or after work.

 
So, there you have it! This is always going to come down to your personality and you budget. If you are easily distracted then the gym might be your better option and if you are quite self-motivated, and if you are on a budget, then perhaps working out at home is your best option.

Tell us a little bit about yourself... How old are you? Where are you from? 
Firstly I'm 22, I'm from Newhaven and I've been an amputee since the age of 3, when I was born I was missing certain muscles so the best option for the doctors was amputation.
 
How did you hear about the NPLQ course?
Through being an amputee, I haven't been very lucky job wise so I heard about Swim UK through the job centre. I had also read some positive review on the company.  I swim for Lewes Swimming club and some of the people I swim with have done the NPLQ also.
 
What was it that interested you about the NPLQ course offered by Swim UK?
Being a strong swimmer and talking to a few lifeguards at my local pool I decided to apply for the NPLQ. I thought that being a strong swimmer would help me search for a new career path. 
 
How have you found the tutors? Were they supportive of you? 
My tutor was Steph, and she was very supportive and made sure I understood everything, as some things I couldn't get first time. 
 
What do you hope to do with your qualification?
I hope to get a job lifeguarding. I have gone to Wave Leisure and handed in my CV and a copy of the NPLQ results sheet, and hope to hear back from them soon.
 
 
Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
I love sport, I play for Brighton & Hove Albion amputee team as well as having a season ticket at the Amex.  I swim for Lewes swimming club twice a week and I help run a table tennis club three times a week teaching people of all ages and abilities to play. 
 
Would you recommend the NPLQ course to a friend? 
I would really recommend this course as it's a great qualification to have and it's something that is vital in life and not many people have it.  As I have now shown, anyone can do this course even with a disability like myself!

How did you get started in the fitness industry?
I’ve always been more of a sporty person, however I started by going to university and doing a teaching degree. After my third year, I decided I didn’t really want to be a teacher but during my time at university, I had been going to the gym a lot, so I knew then that fitness was a passion of mine. After uni, I went to Australia and did some work up there, but when I got back I remembered that I liked being in a gym/fitness environment so I did my courses such as Level 2 Fitness Instruction and Level 3 PT, and literally got started straight away.
 
What is your job title and what is a normal day at work like for you? 
I currently work at two gyms… One is where I train one to one, and the other is where I teach group sessions. 
 
I start the day by getting up at 5am, get to work by six, have a couple of clients in the morning from 6:00am – 10:00am. Then I would come off shift, have lunch. Normally in the afternoon at about 12:00pm – 14:00pm I work with my NVQ apprentices. I get back in the gym around 16:00pm – 17:00pm and do more one on one sessions until about 20:00pm. On Fridays I work until about 16:00pm and I work mornings on Saturdays.
 
How do you keep your fitness training knowledge up to date?
I go into quite a few different gyms all the time so you’re always seeing other people use different methods of training. The fitness industry is more about learning from other people. For example, you’d see another trainer do a particular warm-up with a specific type of person, so you learn from things like that really. Aside from that, there’s lots of stuff online i.e. social media so there are plenty of sources that can help you keep your training methods up to date.
 
Do you have a fitness goal for yourself?
Especially as a self-employed trainer, you’re your own product, so it’s very important to stay in shape, and do everything yourself, that you tell clients to do. One of the most important things about being a personal trainer is that you have to be self-motivated.
 
How long have you been in post with Swim UK?
I’ve been involved with Swim UK for about two or three years now. I started off just teaching the courses such as the Level 2 Fitness Instruction. The more I’ve progressed, the more NVQ apprentices I have in my cohort, which is good because it mixes the role up. I always have different clients and different apprentices so the role in itself is quite varied. 
 
Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
Like I said, I’m quite sporty. I play Golf, just given up cricket, used to play football, and obviously I go to the gym. 
 
What advice would you give to a young person looking to enter the fitness industry? 
I’d say approach it with an open mind, be enthusiastic and willing to learn. Once you’ve finished your qualifications, don’t think that you know everything because the industry is constantly changing. You learn a lot from working in the gym, especially working with clients all the time. 

The world is changing rapidly to say the least. The concept of improving wellness is something that won’t ever lose popularity, but that doesn’t mean the industry isn’t changing. In order to be successful in any industry in 2018, it is absolutely essential to be aware that things are going to be a lot different a few years down the line. The fitness industry is constantly coming out with programs to improve wellness in new and innovative ways. Here are five fitness trends for 2018:
 

• Brain Training – In 2018, there seems to be increasing popularity in wanting to boost brain performance through exercise. Trainers are introducing programs that are specifically designed to enhance focus and memory. “Well-controlled experiments in children, adults and the elderly show that the brain structure grows as people get fitter” – The Guardian. There is even talks of being able to monitor cognitive function through fitness trackers – impressive right?

 

• Fitness is more of a lifestyle in 2018 than ever before – “Working out” is fast becoming a big part of a mainstream way of life. Gyms are making a wide range of classes accessible to more people than ever before. For example, Instagram is ram-packed with fitness inspiration (#fitspo); because of social media, working out is now seen as more of a social activity and an act of taking care of oneself. Social media has had a massive impact on a lot of industries, but it’s safe to say that the reputation of the fitness industry has only become more positive. 2018 is seeing this inspirational fitness mindset become a lot deeper than ever before!

 

• Community – Training as a group is very much a growing popularity as more and more personal trainers open up their business to offer group workouts. “Training with others is a proven way to ensure you’re likely to stay accountable” – The Daily Mail. The camaraderie of taking part in a group work out can help us to work harder, push ourselves beyond what is expected and ultimately enjoy ourselves a lot more two.

 

• The world is turning digital and taking the fitness industry with it – More than ever before, 2018 is filling fast with online, interactive fitness classes. It is safe to say that a lot of people don’t have the time to go to the gym… Therefore, people are starting think that there is no need to physically go to the gym, when you can just tune into any fitness class you like from the comfort of your own home. Leading fitness organizations such as Fitness First, now stream their amazing workouts so they are available to the public anytime and anywhere.
  

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• Wearable Tech – Garmin, Apple watch, Fitbit or any form of wearable tech was rated the top trend for fitness in 2017. They are in fact, a revolutionary piece of technology that has definitely had the biggest impact on the fitness industry as a whole. In 2018, people can see their progress and set goals by just pressing their watch. “You can’t open a fitness magazine without seeing a Fitbit, or Garmin” – The Daily Mail 

Are you considering becoming a Fitness Instructor?  Great stuff! But you’re probably wondering what it is actually like being a Fitness Instructor and whether or not you’ll actually enjoy it. We have devised five main reasons as to why you will love working in fitness… Enjoy!
 

• Be your own boss – Being a Fitness Instructor will give you the opportunity to work your own flexible hours. How does that sound? There are many different ways that you can do this… You might want to set up your own service further down the line or you might want to go into employment with a company that you admire. It’s quite liberating knowing how many ways there are to get into fitness, the world truly is your oyster.

 

• Fitness is an ever-growing industry – Health and wellbeing are becoming a more and more important part of people’s lives now more than ever. This means that there has never been a greater demand for Fitness Instructors and Personal Trainers. Why not get the training you need to take advantage of a massively trending industry? FACT: By 2020 it’s predicted the number working UK wide in sport and culture will have risen to 611,000.

 

• Lots of perks – There are many added benefits to working in fitness.  Being a staff member of a gym, it is likely that you will have access to the general facilities. You may even receive discounts through your employer. Of course, if you’re working as a freelancer, you are able to set your own schedule and work whenever suits you. Also, you’ll be working closely with many of your clients – and could potentially make some good friends through your role.

 

• Extremely rewarding – Becoming a Fitness Instructor or Personal Trainer is known as one of the most rewarding careers purely because you are giving people the motivation to better themselves and their health and wellbeing. Working in the fitness industry gives you the opportunity to encourage and guide people as they spend some precious time doing something positive for themselves.

 

• Career opportunities are endless– The continued rise in people who are overweight has caused the fitness industry to skyrocket. FACT: 24.9% of British adults are “obese”, whilst 62% of adults are classed as “overweight”. This means that fitness professionals who can help clients reduce their weight and reach their goals safely and efficiently are currently and will continue to be in high demand.

Some would say that getting fit and staying in shape is 90% motivation with the remainder being hard work and nutrition! With this in mind, it’s YOUR job as a personal trainer to keep your clients on that positive path toward betterment. Here are a few tips to help you push your clients to their full potential:
 
Stay positive – A positive mind-set goes without saying when you’re a personal trainer. However, we all have our good and bad days but it’s important you know how to compartmentalize. This is definitely one of the hardest parts of being a good personal trainer, but remaining positive is absolutely essential.
 
Set short and long-term goals – Eating well, or being physically active can be considered goals but it’s safe to say that hardly anyone wants to simply “be active”. Being and staying active is actually means to an end. People simply want to “live longer”, “look better”, “weigh less”. These are the real goals here but they are often seen as overwhelming. This is why it is crucial to set short and long-term goals for you clients. Setting a long-term goal to lose 50 pounds of fat or gain 20 pounds of muscle is easy enough but these goals can take a long time to realise. You should set short-term goals like lose 5 pounds by the end of the month. This way, your clients will notice their progress and that alone can maintain a positive mind-set.
 
Make workouts fun – Everyone knows that workouts are supposed to be tough but they should still be good fun! Try to make sure that every workout has a good peak and a good ending with workout plans that are varied and interesting. This could involve varied timing or rearranging sets and saving a favoured exercise until last. Simple things like this will ensure your clients remain engaged.
 
Talk to your clients – You might be surprised to hear that a lot of personal trainers fail to develop a personal bond by communicating with their clients. For example, if you can see that you client is feeling down, then you should call them out on this and find out why they are feeling the way they do. Sometimes clients need to be reminded of the reason they took up training in the first place and the amount of progress they have made over a specific timeframe. 

How did you hear about the apprenticeship at Brighton Swimming School?
 
“I am on my second apprenticeship, I heard about the first one through my sister’s boyfriend who was doing an apprenticeship here and was raving about it. So, with that in mind, I thought why not as I’m not really the classroom type.”
 
How long have you been in post here and are you enjoying it?
 
“I’ve been working here for just over one year, and I’m on my second apprenticeship so I am really enjoying it, the people are nice and I very much enjoy the work side of it which is always important.”
 
What courses have you completed so far?
 
“I’ve done my NPLQ quite a while back with Stacey, Level 1 and 2 Swimming Teaching with Mick, Level 2 Pool Plant course which was very interesting and a few CPDs. I hope to get a few more in this year.”
 
What’s the best thing about your apprenticeship so far?
 
“In general, just the fact that I am working whilst getting loads back from it, it’s not like most jobs where I’m just plodding along not getting anywhere, I’m progressing faster than I would in any other job, I am getting loads of qualifications, loads of input from my peers and getting plenty of support.”
 
Is this your first proper job, and how do you find the transition from school into work?
“I am nineteen, so it’s my first full time job but I’ve done lots of different part-time things since I could work, from gardening to café’ work, to paper rounds, so a bit of everything. School I really enjoyed, college I enjoyed but I wasn’t very successful at it. I got to the end of college and realized I couldn’t hack another three years of sitting in a classroom and really wanted to get out there and start learning properly so I found it really easy to transition because it was just a lot easier and a lot more realistic.”
 
What do you hope to do after your apprenticeship?
 
“I am not really sure yet, I am taking it as it comes. I am currently doing a management apprenticeship so my general idea is to go into management in the leisure industry. I think I need to do a lot more looking to really work it out but no one really knows exactly what they want to do.
 
How have you found the tutors so far?
 
“Really good, that’s probably one of the biggest jumps from school into this has been the fact that you understand the teachers on a more personal level purely because you’re there because you want to be there and the tutors are just really friendly, When I see them walking around the Centre, I always try to have a little catch up. They are really nice and really know what they’re talking about and you can tell when they’re teaching that they are very experienced and passionate.
 
Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
 
“Yeah, a few, I play guitar, I cycle a lot (more for practical reasons), I am learning Latin (I thought as I am not doing much academic stuff, I’d give myself a bit of a challenge).
 
Was Swim UK helpful during the induction process?
 
“Very much so, I didn’t really feel like it was much of a process, I just went straight into work. Robin popped up asking me to sign a few things and then it was done.”