Charlene Kopansky,
President & Founder,
canfitpro Life
Time
Achievement Award
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Canadian
Aquafitness
Leaders Alliance
Inc. (CALA)
Charlene presents with
creativity, enthusiasm and
commitment.
CALA has launched online
Independent Learning training events through recordings of live ZOOM
events. CALA also offers on-site, zoom and hybrid
(combination of theory on zoom and practical on-site). This is an exciting new way for CALA to
offer CALA training events. Each platform will be a great
opportunity for your participants to learn the theory behind
exercising in water. It will help the participants understand:
the benefits of each exercise, muscles and joints used for each
exercise, proper form and understand the magical properties of
water.
Certifying Internationally Recognized Aquafit Leaders
since 1993
Charlene Kopansky,,
President and Founder
Hons.
B.Sc., Human Kinetics, B.Ed. Sc., P.H.E.,
canfitpro Lifetime Achievement
Award
The Canadian Aquafitness Leaders Alliance Inc.(CALA),
is dedicated to providing a high quality training,
certification and communication network for aquafitness
leaders and aquatic rehabilitation specialists. CALA
promotes professionalism and excellence through
thoughtful integration of the mind, body and spirit.
Charlene received the CanFitPro Lifetime
Achievement Award.
CALA was established by Charlene Kopansky
in 1993. The company grew in response to the
demand from fitness professionals for
focused leadership and training in the
specialized field of aquafitness and aquatic
rehabilitation
Charlene leading a class of
Instructors at a CALA conference
The CALA
organization seeks to enhance aquafitness
leadership through our comprehensive
manuals, intensive training courses,
workshops, conferences and a high
certification process.
The resurgences of aquafitness as a viable
means of enhancing well-being is exciting
and encouraging. People are filling classes,
moving to music and enjoying the challenges
and rewards of the aquafitness experience.
Charlene's Methodology (Mind, Body and
Spirit)
Charlene
believes it is important for participants to
experience a total well balanced body
workout. Participants are encouraged to
listen to their bodies and think about how
and what they feel while performing each
movement. Participants learn about
their body by gaining knowledge about the
muscles and joints involved in each
movement, how varying intensity and lever
length affect each movement, and how
the body benefits from correct form and
posture. The pool is a liquid gym and the 5
magical properties of water play an
important part maximizing the benefit of
each movement.
Charlene continues to bring the "Kopansky
Methodology" to the world.
Recently Charlene was in South Africa
CALA
continues to develop leading edge programs to
increase the diversity of water exercise programs.
Fitness leaders,
coaches and personal trainers are exploring Water Running, Aqua Kick
Box, Aqua Pre-post Natal, Aqua Cycling, Ai-Chi, Aqua Matt, Aqua Liquid Barre, Aqua Infused Yoga,
HydroRider, Group Aquafitness and many forms of Aqua
Rehabilitation. These and other specialty water exercise programs are making their way into private and community based pools.
CALA continues to be the front runner in researching and
developing new programs. The creative spirit that drives this
organization is reflected in the passion and commitment demonstrated by
CALA certified leaders and trainers world wide.
A
young man suffering from a serious back
injury came to the pool with his child.
He kept a close eye on the exercises the
instructor was doing with client. He
asked can you make me walk, the doctors
said I would never walk. I’ve been in
the wheelchair for 4 years now. No
promises the instructor said but if you
want to try we can work together. After
1.5years a miracle happened. Up to then
the instructor moved the man’s legs. One
day he said, I want to do it myself.
With total commitment he started to move
his legs himself. With time the
instructor would tell him the exercise
and he would do them. When he went to
the doctor, the doctor noticed major
changes. He asked what he was doing. The
man said exercising in the water. When
he told the doctor the exercises he was
able to do, the doctor said it is not
possible, your movements are spontaneous
muscle contractions. There is no way you
will ever be able to control your
movements. The man said to the doctor,
the instructor tells me the exercise and
I do them. The instructors mixes up the
movements so I have no idea what they
are going to make me do. How can this be
spontaneous muscle movement. The long
story short is, he now walks with braces
and has returned to work.
Another reason to cross train
– Land Meets Water…Water works!
Water
is magical - buoyancy unloads
the body, and impact decreases
with increasing depth of
immersion.
Athletes and other fitness
enthusiasts who participate in
land based activities that
include a significant amount of
‘landing’ run the risk of
developing a condition called
foot-strike haemolysis. This may
result in rupturing of red blood
cells affecting the ability of
the body to maintain the iron
needed to carry oxygen.
Runners have been found to
develop hemolysis, whereas long
distance cyclists have not.
Schumacher et al, 2002 suggested
that repeated foot strikes
associated with running destroy
red blood cells.