February 02, 2010
Students plan presentations for ‘Midwest Fitfest’
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Five student employees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will have the opportunity to be presenters at the Midwest Fitfest, set for Feb. 6-7 at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign.
The conference brings together student personal trainers and group fitness instructors from all over the Midwest for a time of sharing and learning from one another. Fitness professionals of the future have been meeting annually for the past dozen years to learn from their peers.
This year SIUC will be one of just five schools participating in the conference Kick Off. Jake Clough, graduate student in kinesiology from Carbondale and assistant for the University’s Recreational Sports and Services, will lead and the rest of the SIUC fitness staff presenters will assist with the demonstration. Their presentation is “Naked Strength,” highlighting strength training using only your own body weight.
SIUC students James Cain and Robbie Cochrum will make presentations on Saturday morning. Cain’s lecture is “The Role of Genetics in Health and Fitness.” Cain is a kinesiology graduate student from Springfield.
Cochrum will present a lecture entitled “Effect of Strength Training on 5K Run Performance.” Cochrum is a graduate student in kinesiology from Harrisburg.
Cochrum will also present a workout session, “Warrior Training,” on Sunday morning.
Ryan Lott’s Saturday afternoon lecture is “Implementing a Template for Personal Training and Fitness Programs.” Lott, of Jerseyville, is a graduate student in curriculum and instruction/secondary education.
The group from SIUC will offer two presentations Sunday morning also. “Disability Awareness in a Fitness Setting,” by Alan Beck, is part lecture and part workout. Beck is a senior from Steeleville majoring in kinesiology. Clough will present the lecture “Personal Trainer -- The Movement Mechanic.”
Each of the presenters carries certification from one of the accrediting organizations including National Strength and Conditioning Association, American College of Sports Medicine or American Fitness Training of Athletics. In addition, Lynne Thompson-Cundiff, assistant director-fitness for SIUC Recreational Sports and Services, will team with Herman Louw of the University of Missouri to present “Biggest Loser to Healthiest Loser,” a session detailing how to create and host a campus healthy loser challenge.