By Liz Doup South Florida Sun-Sentinel (KRT)
Personal trainer Mike Causadias runs nonstop, working with clients across southern Florida.
But Causadias recently learned how to extend his reach. Now, fitness buffs all over the country, and the world, can work out with him.
They just download his weekly podcast – an energetic mix of strength-building exercises and workout tips – on WhatIWantPodcasting.com.
Count his fitness-focused podcast among hundreds available to anyone looking for free advice and a little motivation. It’s the latest twist in the growing world of podcasting, which has mushroomed with the soaring sales of MP3 players.
Sure, you can get fitness tips from magazines, books and TV. But podcasts are mobile, available any time and usually free.
Causadias’ podcasts demonstrate everything from tummy tightening to building up your lower body. But that’s just one option. A run through podcast directories shows myriad offerings.
Physical therapists give tips on injury prevention. Personal trainers help you build bigger biceps. Veteran runners tell you how to train.
Motivational podcasts are among the choices; ditto, weight loss. Sometimes there’s a single speaker. Others feature two or three people, chatting like radio DJs. A few, including Causadias’, include video so you can see the podcaster in action, if you have a portable player with video capability.
Some hosts post podcasts regularly, say, once a week. Others, only when the host gets around to it. Some podcasters are polished; others stumble and stammer.
But listeners don’t appear to care. Some are even drawn to the non-intimidating, unpolished tone. It’s like listening to ordinary people share their know-how among friends.
You can listen to a podcast on your computer or on the go with your iPod or other MP3 player. When you subscribe to a podcast, it’s automatically downloaded to your computer. Then you transfer the podcast to your MP3 player.
Why people plug into podcasts varies as much as the advice spilling from the ear buds.
Miami attorney Amy Agnoli, 47, a Causadias’ client in the flesh, travels extensively. So she downloads his podcasts to take with her.
“This way I can keep up with my training,” she says.
In contrast, Justin Kavanaugh, 20, isn’t looking for fitness tips when he listens to strengthradio.com. He runs a Miami sports performance company and is already in good shape.
That podcast features interviews with fitness professionals, including nutritionists and strength coaches. It’s done by Jason White, a New York City fitness trainer.
“For me to get my hands on all that information – that’s priceless,” Kavanaugh says. “Once I’ve downloaded it, I can listen to what they say again and again.”
Fitness professionals aren’t surprised that podcasts are growing at a sprinter’s pace. About half the people who frequent gyms own MP3 players, says Gregory Florez, an American Council on Exercise spokesman. So they already have the equipment.
“Whether you’re training or trying to lose weight, you need consistency,” Florez says. “It’s the same with podcasting.”
