Oh Baby! Fitness: Certification Exam

Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.

After hours of reading, a LIVE hand on workshop, and another 48 hour review, I finally felt ready to conquer the Oh Baby! Fitness online exam.

Preparation

The OBF website estimates it will take approximately 16 hours to get through the online manual.  That is actually pretty accurate. I tried studying 2 ways: PDF and online course modules. I pulled the PDFs and save them to my laptop so that I could review the content anytime and I had the option of printing it off if i wanted to or highlighting directly on the PDF. It turns out using the online modules was much easier. The content is broken down into digestible chunks and the creator do a geat job of highlighting key elements during the chapter and at the end of each section. It took me about an hour per section. 

                     

Attending the live workshop really helped me to retain the most pertinent information. I highly recommend attending the live training in preparation for the exam.

Taking the Test

You have 2 hours to complete a 50 question, multiple choice exam. You must pass with at least an 80% to be eligible to receive your certification. You do have the ability to navigate to other questions through out the exam and you can go back and change your answers if you need to. I recommend writing down the number of the question your unsure about on scratch paper, that will make it easier to go back and update your answers at the end of the exam. It took me 60 minutes to get through all 50 questions. I spent an additional 35 minutes going back through each answer and making sure I didn't make any marking/selection errors.

Post Test Results

I passed! 94% 

                     

You will get a results analysis where you can review any content you missed. 2 of the 3 I missed were my interpretation vs the way it was actually presented in the text. But, I'll take my 94 ;-)

After you complete the test save your results and forward it to the OBF training email. I am awaiting my certificate suitable for framing :-)

I am actually teaching my 1st Prenatal class next week as part of an 8 week series with a corporate client. I look forward to following up with OBF and hopefully teaching some classes at their locations here in Atlanta.

I highly recommend attending the OBF training if you are interested in Pre/Postnatal fitness. They use the most up to date ACOG (American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology) guidelines to create a curriculum that is in depth, safe, and client centered. I have a background in exercise science and multiple certifications, but I believe when you are working with special populations it is always worth while to get specified training for that population. Combining what I already know from my degree program and ACSM with what I have learned through OBF gives me the confidence that I can lead safe and effective prenatal and postnatal classes.

If you are interested in learning more about the OBF certification comment below or use the following link.

Or if you want to try one of their classes use the following link.

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

Oh Baby! Fitness LIVE: Atlanta

Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.

Oh Baby! Fitness is a certification to help people interested in prenatal and postnatal fitness develop their expertise. You can complete the class the completely online, at your own pace. Then you have the opportunity to attend a LIVE workshop, meet the founders, and apply what you have learned. You can learn more about the Oh Baby! Fitness program in my previous post. I was so excited for the opportunity to meet the Oh Baby! Fitness founders and have the opportunity to apply everything I learned online. 

Building Community
One of the core values of OhBaby! Fitness is creating an environment where women can feel comfortable and build a community. We kicked off our day with intros, among us were a labor and delivery nurse from New Orleans, 2 new moms - sisters from Tennessee and Virginia, an Oh Baby! Fitness pilates instructor, an OBF Yoga instructor, a mom to be/fitness enthusiast, me, and founders Kathleen and Clare. If you have not read their stories you should, OBF founders. They both have amazing stories and are so passionate about creating a supportive community for moms.

Prenatal and Postnatal Key Points
We covered all the benefits of exercise during pregnancy, psychological changes, physiological changes, possible ailments, recommended modifications, and goals for each trimester. Here are a few highlights from the workshop.

Benefits of Exercise During and After Pregnancy

• relieves common pregnancy complaints
• quicker recovery from labor
• less postpartum depression

Physiological Changes

• increased hormones
• changes in weight
• postural changes

Psychological Changes

• adjusting to pregnancy
• fatigue
• changes in mood

We had the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on any of the subject matter that was new to us. The founders did a great job elaborating on some complicated physiological changes and using examples that we could easily relay to our clients. All of the information was very specific no fluff, they taught us exactly what we would need to know to feel comfortable assessing clients, educating clients, and providing modifications.

Practical Application
Let me just say I love hands on learning. It can be intimidating to be put on the spot in front of a room of people you just met, but that is the reality of teaching classes too. Kathleen would present symptoms of 1 of the conditions we had discussed and we had to assess the possible condition, educate the client about what was going on physiologically, and provide appropriate modifications. As she went around the room to each participant I would listen to here present a symptom and practice how I would asses, educate, and modify. When it was finally my turn to go I was surprised by how nervous I was, but we did such a thorough job reviewing the material I was able to recall most of the information immediately. Each person was able to practice at least 3 times during the practical, we covered more than 15 possible conditions. Everyone was very supportive and if we missed anything in our assess, educate, modify demonstration Clare, Kathy, and fellow classmates provided additional prompts. It was a very supportive environment. It was great practice for what we would be expected to do during an actual class.

We also practiced self assessing and partner assessed diastasis recti. Diastasis Recti is abdominal separation occurring  along the rectus abdominus. It is fairly common in pregnancy and occurs as the baby grows and your abdominal muscles reach the limit of their elasticity. Detecting this separation can help you determine appropriate modification for abdominal exercise.

Kathleen also demonstrated a few Mom and Me exercises that we could incorporate in a postnatal fitness class.

What's Next
There are many ways to incorporate your new found knowledge. Apply what you have learned and incorporate it in your own fitness routine. Combine your new knowledge with your group fitness or personal training certifications. Become a licensed Oh Baby! Fitness Instructor. Here is more information on the licensing process if that is something you're interested in pursuing, Oh Baby!Fitness License . For me, I'm incorporating my new found prenatal expertise into my personal training, group fitness, and health coaching. Oh and for making sure me and baby have a happy healthy pregnancy.

                      

Are you a prenatal/postnatal fitness specialist?
I would love to hear about your experiences in the field.

I look forward to the new doors this experience will open for me.

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

New Cert Alert!: Oh Baby! Fitness

Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.

Excited to announce I have chosen my first Certification of the new year, Oh Baby! Fitness. The majority of my clients are women. Some of my clients took a break from training when they got pregnant, most were unsure what was safe pre/post natal. Now many of our friends are having kids, and as the resident fitness geek they come to me for tips. I knew a little and I knew where to find the info when and if I needed too, but I never felt fully confident in my ability. So now I have decided to expand my knowledge on the topic, and Oh Baby!Fitness was the perfect opportunity.

Why I Chose Oh Baby!Fitness(OBF):
They are local and they offer a hands on training. Those were 2 huge selling points for me. Their curriculum is all online so I can go at my own pace and can access the info whenever I need it. They are also local with locations in Georgia and Texas. So I can drop in on a class and see the format in person if I need to. They host periodic live trainings so I can also get my hands on experience as well, That is really important to me. I retain more information and learn faster when all of my senses are engaged.

Classes Offered:

OBF offers classes during pregnancy and post pregnancy as mommy and me classes:
- Pilates
- Prenatal Combo Classes
- Toning
- Water Aerobics
- Yoga
- Pushing
So there are so many opportunities to teach at all levels. What a great opportunities for fit mamas to find community and support.

The Process:

I have received my access code and I have started navigating my online modules. On site they estimate the entire course could take around 16 hours. My goal is to test for my exam at the end of March, before the live training in April.

Wish me luck!

Are any of you teaching  pre/post natal specialty classes?
Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

My Atlanta SoulCycle Target Experience

SoulCycle and Target teamed up to offer FREE classes around the US!

An opportunity to try 1 of the biggest fitness trends for FREE? You know I was in!

About a week before the class a registration link is activated for your city. You set up an account and choose a date and time. I was on right at 3PM! I chose 3 times just to be sure I would get in. Then I impatiently waited to find out if I got in.

Then on Monday I got my reservation. I was in!

The SoulCycle Experience!

Arrive early is the advice I got from friends who had already attended. So I got there 30 minutes early, perfect timing. I was able to choose a bike in the front row, bike 8! I strapped on my shoes, sipped on some water, and waited for the show to begin.

Then the curtain opened. One by one they led us in to dimly lit room. It was all about the ambiance. I don't usually clip in when I ride so I had one of the SoulCycle assistants set me up on a bike. Shortly after our instructor Selena Watkins came in and introduced herself to those of us who were already set up. Then a few minutes later the ride began!

The instructor was motivating and so was the music! Loved. loved, loved the music. The beat was easy to follow and the cues were clear. The workout included sprints, hills, rhythm work, and some upper body conditioning. I loved that I could feel the changes in the music and the transitions to next phase of the workout.

At 1 point during the workout we used 3 pound weights for some upper body movements while still cycling. We weren't maintaining a fast enough speed to really get a cardio benefit, so I'm not sure why we stayed on the bike for this part. A 3 pound weight is not enough stimulus to get the sort of results I would want from weight training, anything heavier would be unsafe while trying to maintain balance on a bike. I'll just get in my weight training on my own.

The finale for the ride was great. We moved into a hill that included really powerful lyrics, followed by a down hill sprint, and finished with 1 more rhythm ride. The perfect end to our workout.

SoulCycle and Target did a great job creating a fitness "experience". They even had goodie bags waiting for us on our way out. A cute SoulCycle tote, KIND bar, and Suja Juice. I was so glad to have that KIND bar, I managed to leave my protein bar on the counter at home, so I was in desperate need of post workout fuel.

Overall, I enjoyed my first SoulCycle experience. I am not a cycling junkie I am more of a weight training girl these days. So I like my weights heavy and my cardio has to be fun. If you prefer a pure road ride this is probably not the class for you. Appropriate for beginners, not sure, during this sample class there weren't any options or modifications offered. But, if you are healthy/injury free and enjoy dancing along to the music while cycling, you might give SoulCycle a try. I would try it again, I was completely unfamiliar with the SoulCycle brand prior to this and I would be interested in trying some of their other instructors styles.

Have you tried SoulCycle? What was your experience like? Comment below

Til Next time,

Health and Happiness,

L

Accountability Calendar for January 2016

Helping my 2015 clients get ready for 2016. Created a monthly calendar for 1 of my clients, now she can check off her goals daily. She loved it and I loved it so I made 1 for myself. Do you need a January calendar to help you hold yourself accountable?

The calendar includes check boxes for cardio, flexibility, water, and resistance training. Don't forget to pick at least 1 day for rest and recovery.

In the borders you can find a spot to write in your total cardio, your resistance goals, and any other notes.

Get you FREE printable January calendar HERE

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

Resolution Solutions 2016

Join me this Monday and get ready for a fit and healthy New Year! 

I am hosting a FREE 5 day web series to help you set your 2016 health and fitness goals. This FREE series includes 5 different topics and science based strategies to help you shape a resolution that is strategic, attainable, and personalized to you! 

1. Setting SMARTer Goals in 2016
2. How to figure out your nutrition needs and macros
3. Selecting the best cardio program to meet your goals
4. Selecting the best weight training program to meet your goals
5. How to maintain your progress throughout the year

Register now and receive messages via our private Facebook group or choose to get tips sent directly to your inbox.

Register Here: 

I Want to Get Fit and Healthy in 2016!

I look forward to helping you make 2016 your healthiest year!

Health and Happiness

L

Thousands of Lights and Thousands of Steps at Garden Lights

All the steps!

Last year we were rained out on the last night of Garden Lights at The Atlanta Botanical Gardens. This year it was a beautiful night to explore the lights! I was excited about the lights but I have to admit I was even more excited to see how many steps I could complete.

Parking

We paid waaaay too much for parking. If you time it correctly you can get $10 parking onsite. Parking clears out in waves, when we drove by it was full, by the time we walked back the lot was open again. You can try and find street parking but this event draws a pretty big crowd, street parking is scarce. But, I'm not too mad, the walk from the lot started our night out with +2K bonus steps.

Walking the Garden 

The light displays were gorgeous, my 2 favorites were the "Ice Goddess" and the "Orchestral Orbs".  The "Orchestral Orbs" were synchronized to all of my favorite holiday songs. I could have sat and watched the Orbs all night long.

Orchestral Orbs and Skyline Photos

The garden seems huge. Every turn we take I want to double back and make sure I haven't missed anything. There are trains, a smore's station, music, and moving lights. So much to take in.

The Ice Goddess, Festive Drinks, and Group Photo

Mom and Anthony sipped on hot chocolate, I went a lil more festive with the "Rudolph": champagne with a splash of cranberry and fresh cranberry garnish. That kept me warm the rest of the night. 

+2K steps to Garden, +3K steps through Garden, +2K steps to the car

Fitgeek Features

• Beautiful lights
• 90 minutes of leisure activity
• Fun with family
• More than 7K total steps

We saw thousands of beautiful lights and we logged thousands of steps in the process. A great way to combine family time, the holidays, and some physical activity. 

What is your favorite way to mix fitness and the holidays?

Health and Happiness,

L