How to Choose Your Next Fitness Conference

Deciding what your next fitness conference is going to be can be one of two things: incredibly overwhelming or random. There are so many educational opportunities available both online and offline that it’s mindboggling. Though you may decide online is it so you can skip logistics, travel and the additional time onsite education takes, there’s a missing component for personal trainers gathering information that way.

The interaction and networking of an onsite even provides a motivation and energy that no online program can regardless of how good.

If you agree with that, there’s still much to consider about the reason you’re going and the kind of conference you’re going to attend. Do you need marketing and sales training? Do you need a depth of information in a specific programming area to set you apart as a credible expert?

This episode is all about a conference that is the latter. If medical fitness is your area your next fitness conference should be for and about medical fitness. We know the world is aging and the number of 50 and over clients is increasing. They’re educated, experienced, and they’re looking for trainers who are the same. In this episode I share highlights of the recent medical fitness tour – a special in depth fitness conference for those fitness professionals who want to serve those between medicine and standard fitness prescriptions that no longer fit.

My guest

Tony Berlant is a consultant, a published researcher, an author coach, and a veteran of the health and fitness industry with more than 20 years of leadership experience. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Psychology, and his Master of Science degree in Exercise and Movement Science (focusing on Exercise and Sport Psychology) from University of Oregon. He has served as a certified personal trainer (NASM-CPT), a multi-club regional fitness manager, and a corporate-level Director for some of the most well-known companies in the industry.

He is currently acting as the Director of Education and Programs for the Medical Fitness Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and delivering education and practical application for fitness professionals and other allied healthcare practitioners in the areas of chronic disease and other medical conditions. He consults for the organization, assists in the production conferences called the Medical Fitness Tour, and is involved in all areas of operations.

Questions we discussed in this episode:

How did your career with the Medical Fitness Education Foundation begin?

What is Medfit's mission?

How is Medfit's mission important to you?

New projects include Medfit TV, webinars, and the Tour- when was the tour "born?"

What makes the MedFit Tour a different kind of fitness conferece?

What cities are on the Tour?

• Phoenix
• New Jersey
• San Francisco
• Chicago (in conjunction with Club Industry) 

What’s the presenter and topic selection process for Medfit events? 

Our virtual fitness conference recap

Tony and I did a recount of the recent Medfit Tour in San Francisco and talk about highlights of topics and speakers offering medical fitness education during the 3-day event including:

Phil Kaplan

We have a broken, “I am…”

~Phil Kaplan

Andrea Leonard

Dr. Joel Fuhrman

“Exercise is the only way to speed metabolism without accelerating aging.”

~Dr. Joel Fuhrman 

Dr. Tonya Butler, (Functional Biomechanics in Special Populations) TriggerPoint Performance Therapy

Dr. Evan Osar, Co-founder, The Institute for Integrative Health and Fitness Education

“Every single medication has side effects.”

~Dr. Evan Osar 

Dr. Kevin Steele, President PTonthenet, and PTAglobal

Dr. Jessica Knurick, Toolbox Genomics (DNA Testing)

Danielle Spangler, Founder of Coremoms

Dr. Christian Thompson, Dept. of Kinesiology, U of SF

Is this your next fitness conference?

Learn more about the Medical Fitness Education Foundation and ways to access medical fitness education online or live:

Your FIRST next step:

MedFit Network  | medfitnetwork.org

MedFit Education Foundation | medfited.org

ATTEND:

Medical Fitness Tour | medfittour.org