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GILBERT, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the worldwide leader in fitness certifications, announced the launch of a new service, NASM Connected, an exclusive and innovative subscription membership program for fitness professionals. By subscribing, members will have immediate access to over 350 continuing education courses, including NASM's industry-leading certifications and specializations. Also, a wide variety of courses will continuously be streamed from some of the most respected content providers in fitness, including the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the American Council on Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

"NASM is a trusted leader in the fitness industry, and it is our mission to provide the most current and relevant resources for the fitness community. We created NASM Connected to empower fitness professionals with instant access to the most trusted and evolving content and information," said Laurie McCartney, President of NASM. "It's 100% online, so everything you need to manage your career and stay up-to-date with your certification is one click away."

NASM Connected membership benefits include:

NASM Connected equips fitness professionals with a vast library of on-demand courses from various providers to strengthen their knowledge across fitness, nutrition, and wellness while earning continuing education credits and helping them stay current on the dynamic and rapidly evolving wellness landscape. Topics covered include corrective exercise, flexibility, nutrition, behavior modification, career development, core training, group fitness instruction, injury prevention, pre-natal programming, virtual coaching, and more.

"I am impressed by the variety in learning styles with the platform," said Amy Davis, an NASM Certified Personal Trainer. "I can learn by reading the information, watching videos, and practicing skills independently."

The annual subscription to NASM Connected is $299, but for a limited time, NASM is offering memberships at a 25% discount, or $225.

For more information on NASM Connected and to subscribe, visit http://www.nasm.org/continuing-education/nasm-connected.

About NASM: Now in its 33rd year, the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has remained the international standard in fitness education due to the high quality of fitness professionals they produce and their programs' scientific rigor. NASM offers a best in class Certified Personal Training program along with major specializations in Nutrition Coaching (CNC), Sports Performance (PES), and Corrective Exercise (CES).

About AFAA: The Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) has led the way in certifying group fitness and personal trainers for over 35 years. AFAA pioneered the first nationally standardized guidelines for fitness professionals and has educated over 350,000 instructors and trainers in 73 countries. AFAA's Group Fitness Instructor Program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the leading accreditor of certificate courses in the fitness industry.

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The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Launches NASM Connected: A New Digital Subscription Membership Program with Exclusive Online Courses...

Chris Skinner, Managing Director of leading equipment supplier HF Industries, believes that the operation of exercise facilities through and after the Coronavirus pandemic demands a new approach.

In a feature, The Way Forward, in the latest issue of Australasian Leisure Management he writes:

If you think we are on the right side of the Coronavirus pandemic, then think again.

While restrictions are starting to ease and life is moving towards some normality, the normal that we were accustomed to is now in the past, and the new normal will be one that sees us all adjust in a number of ways.

One example - the simple greeting of two people with a handshake, kiss or hug - now brings a sense of concern to both parties.

Such anxiety, trepidation and fear are all now bestowed into every person around the world.

Plagues and epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout its existence, often changing the course of history, with Spanish flu, Asian flu, AIDS, Swine Flu, Ebola and Zika among those the world has faced in the last 100 years.

COVID-19, just like influenza and the common cold is here to stay and like all the others it will take a drug to ease such tensions.

However, with finding a vaccine and treatments for COVID-19 being sometime in the future, it is up to each of us to adjust as we have with all other epidemics to survive not only with regards to our health but our welfare as well.

What will such apprehension have on our industry and how do we adjust to survive?

Facilities at the CrossroadsFirstly, we must weigh up if it is possible to survive with the restriction and conditions that are placed on the reopening of aquatic and recreation centres and fitness clubs and how that may differ state to state.

For council aquatic and recreation centres, their role is to provide a service to members and ratepayers while for fitness clubs - it is their livelihood.

In the simplest terms, social distancing although eased will still apply, whether forced or through each individuals personal preference and it is this one sole fact that will determine how many can attend a class and if it will be worth holding.

This alone will have a significant impact on how many can attend one class, be it any form of group exercise or with regards to the general use of equipment in the facility.

The correct/recommended distance is also subjective as one persons distance might not be acceptable to another.

Hygiene is also a major concern. How many times can you clean a machine down after each patron has used it and will it have been cleaned enough to satisfy the next user?

These are all no-win situations, so how do we reduce the odds and still provide the service all our patrons want?

Lets focus on the areas that can provide the greatest returns.

Group ExerciseThis form of exercise involves patrons working out together in an allocated provided space where all that is required is a tailoring of an area within the facility to suit our current circumstances.

Whats wrong with Aerobics? I hear you laughing, but all many patrons want is to move, have fun, some enjoyment and a sense of achievement when they leave.

Classes could rotate every 45 minutes - and there is nothing to clean, nothing to disinfect or spray - just everyone keeping their distance.

As a reminder- it was Aerobics that started the movement of group exercise as we know it.

How many of you have The Original Step stored away?For those who dont remember or are too young to know, the Original Step is a platform and four blocks that can be placed the appropriate distance apart from each patron.

Again - with the same floor space required as above and with no cleaning, spraying or disinfecting classes can rotate every 45 minutes.

Using one piece of equipment for the duration of a patrons visitLets consider Pilates from the simple mat classes to those adding a versatile resistance training apparatus such as an Ultra Lite circle.

Attendees can bring their own mats and/or Ultra Lite circles to each class.

For those patrons who arrive without equipment, facilities can sell them mats and Ultra Lites - then they are the only ones using them.

MOTR classesBalanced Bodys MOTR (MOre Than a Roller), is a complete gym in a manageable one metre cylinder. It combines a foam roller with the challenge of three levels of resistance, easily adjusted with the click of a button.

MOTR offers a simple form of resistance exercise that is new and performed on the same floor area.

Reformer classesThe Reformer isone of the only pieces of equipment in the club that a person uses for the complete duration of their group exercise program.

So, if spaced accordingly provides the perfect program.

Like in Yoga or Pilates Mat Classes, patrons can bring their own mat (often referred to as a Salt and Honey Pilates towel) that covers a reformer and which can simply be taken home washed and brought to their next class thereby alleviating many of the problems we are now facing with hygiene and sanitisation.

In addition, Balanced Body, a leading manufacturer of Pilates equipment, are now making PVC Single and Double Loops that can be fitted to all their reformers. A couple of sets of these for each reformer means that a set could be changed on each reformer after each class with the used ones washed and ready for the next change over.

These two simple additions would mean that reformer classes could operate back to back from the floor space they utilise while allaying patrons concerns.

Weights areaMost facilities today have between 10 and 20 single fixed movement pieces of equipment including strength machines such as a chest, shoulder and leg presses.

One of the main concerns over using these types of equipment is that clients tend to continually move from one to the other doing 10 reps rotating from Upper Body to Lower Body.

The best scenario would be to have machines such as the FreeMotion Cable Column or the FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross that are multi-functional so that one person could do their whole program on the one machine either as part of a group exercise or an individual program.

The Cable Column has a small stack 50lbs in 2.5lbs increments and is on lock down castors so can be positioned on a floor space to set up group classes. The Dual Cable Cross could be considered as the best functional machine on the market for 20 years.

If you have either of these units you just need to set programs for clients to work to for 30 to 40 minutes. If fitted with the Sports Trak Handles these could be exchanged with every client for hygiene.

Another advantage of these units is that everyone is standing up and with no-one sitting down Im sure trainers can work through the benefits of this with every patron.

These are not the only machines to consider, wall pulleys for example would also work well.

During these times of COVID restrictions and a heightened awareness of hygiene, it is time for the fitness industry to think outside the box, and Id suggest that exercisers use one machine per session.

Cardio AreaThe benefit of this area during the current times is that if people choose to stay on their selected cardio machine such as the treadmill, rower or bike for the duration of their workout, then cleaning of equipment will only be required when they are finished at the end of a 30 to 45 minute session.

During this time options for cardio classes might include one person being allotted a treadmill and a rower, facing each other and a class set out between the two machines. So, if you have

10 treadmills and 10 rowers or bikes, you have classes of 10 people every 40 minutes and charge accordingly.

This would then also mean only cleaning down machines every 45 minutes.

To reinforce social distancing for facilities with rows of cardio equipment, where Im aware that some clubs are moving machines further apart or even removing every second treadmill, Id suggest allocating users to every second treadmill for their allocated time while the alternate machines are turned off and cleaned.

At the end of one session, the alternate equipment is then turned back on and the process reversed.

Where in some facilities, the patrons either use the cardio equipment to warm up before a strength session or choose to alternate between cardio and strength equipment, then the facility should supply the patron with a means to disinfect the equipment after each time it is used - such as a spray bottle of disinfectant and a small cloth.

Patrons must accept that their training time needs to accommodate these cleaning processes.

We all need to consider what our facilities have and determine what we must do differently to create the best situation for our clients, patrons and ourselves.

Click hereto contact HF Industries via their entry in theAustralasian Leisure ManagementSupplier Directory.

Click hereto view and subscribe to issues ofAustralasian Leisure Management.

Images: Balanced Body Reformer (top), the Exochair (middle) and theSalt and Honey Pilates towel(below).

Managing Director, HF Industries

Chris Skinner is the widely respected Managing Director of leading fitness supplier HF Industries.

His 40 plus years of achievement in supplying the fitness industry was profiled in Australasian Leisure Management issue 138.

Earlier this year (2020) his bookEverest and Beyond - The Himalayas by Bike was published, chartinga motorcycle journey he and a group of friends undertook from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu to the city of Lhasa, capital of the Chinese region of Tibet.

Click hereto contact HF Industries via their entry in theAustralasian Leisure ManagementSupplier Directory.

Read more from this author

9th August 2020 - Gym owner calls for online protest over new NSW fitness club regulations

7th August 2020 - Fitness First introduces attendee temperature checks at NSW clubs

31st July 2020 - FILEX to return as organisers commit to future fitness trade show

19th July 2020 - Without JobKeeper 60% of Australian fitness businesses will close in less than a month

15th June 2020 - Fitness Australia calls for national consistency in state government gym reopenings

14th June 2020 - Australian Institute of Fitness Steve Pettit says industry will never look the same as it did pre COVID-19

5th June 2020 - HF Industries Chris Skinner publishes account of Himalayan motorcycle expedition

29th May 2020 - Fitness Australia releases Checklist to ensure gyms offer safe environments when reopening

26th January 2020 - Balanced Bodys five decades as an agent of healthy change

6th November 2014 - FreeMotion Fitness introduces new Tour de France Bike

17th June 2014 - HF Industries release Pilates for Fitness Facilities publication

20th July 2010 - HF Industries add to their Balanced Body Pilates products

14th May 2010 - HF Industries named exclusive distributor for FitWall

24th September 2009 - FreeMotion Launches new Cardio Range

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Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printedAustralasian Leisure Managementdiffers from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

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Fitness facilities at the crossroads and demanding new approaches - Australasian Leisure Management

August is officially National Black Business Month and social media giant Facebook has unveiled a series to support and highlight Black entrepreneurs this month.

The virtual events and programs are designed to highlight Black businesses throughout the month in addition to providing resources ranging from wellness programs to virtual training. One features a partnership with the U.S Black Chambers for virtual programs Black entrepreneurs can use to help their business as the COVID-19 pandemic rages.

This years National Black Business Month is pivotal for countless Black entrepreneurs enduring the pandemic-induced recession coupled with historical Black business closures and unemployment, U.S. Black Chambers President Ron Busby said in a press statement. We know first hand Black entrepreneurs need targeted business support. In honor of National Black Business month weve partnered with Facebook to execute a month-long series of trainings and programs that targets topics and issues impacting Black business owners.

With 145 Black Chambers of Commerce and 326,000 members across the country, USBC provides leadership and advocacy to empower Black business owners through resources and initiatives, said Facebook in a blog post.The topics well cover range from building a thriving online community to adapting in uncertain times to getting access to capital and professional networks.

In addition to the virtual resources, Facebook will launch Facebook Elevate, a community focused on health and wellness for Black entrepreneurs.

Each week, Elevate will connect with Black business owners, who will share stories of their business journeys, the company wrote in a blog post.Theyll also host weekly chats with different creators and influencers, like Kyle Dendy and Kelly Augustine, and host activities ranging from a workout by Ariel Harris Belgrave of Gym Hookyto a cooking exercise fromThe Spice Suite.

The company also announced a partnership media company, The Shade Room, to help provide resources to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a new Facebook Live series.

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Facebook Launches Initiative to Highlight Black-Owned Businesses For National Black Business Month - Black Enterprise

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Cardiff Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRDF), a clinical-stage oncology therapeutics company developing drugs to treat cancers with the greatest medical need for new treatment options, including KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer, castrate-resistant prostate cancer and leukemia, today announced company highlights and financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020. The Company is issuing this press release in lieu of conducting a conference call.

"I am very pleased with the progress we made during the second quarter, as we achieved numerous clinical, regulatory and corporate milestones that have driven our sustained growth," said Dr. Mark Erlander, chief executive officer of Cardiff Oncology. "We announced compelling clinical data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of ovansertib in combination with standard-of-care therapy in KRAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer. Additionally, we announced the positive efficacy and safety results of the Phase 1b portion of our trial in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia and we continue to advance our Phase 2 trial in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, highlighting the broad commercial opportunity offered by the continued development of onvansertib. Notably, in the second quarter, we secured financing of $25 million from equity investments by biotech-focused institutional investors Acorn Bioventures LP and CAM Capital, the exercise of warrants and funding for clinical study commitments, which have left us well positioned to complete our ongoing clinical trials and continue advancing development of onvansertib."

Program highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 include:

KRAS-mutated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) Program:

Presented data further demonstrating the efficacy of onvansertib in patients with KRAS-mutated mCRC at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Newly announced data from a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial demonstrate the safety and efficacy of onvansertib, an oral and highly selective Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor, in combination with FOLFIRI and Avastin (bevacizumab) in second line KRAS-mutated mCRC patients. These data were featured in a virtual poster presentation at the 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting. Data highlights from the presentation included:

Presented new clinical data showing that onvansertib-FOLFIRI-bevacizumab combination therapy led to consistent tumor regression and durable response across KRAS mutation subtypes in patients with KRAS-mutated mCRC at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual conference

The newly announced positive results from our ongoing Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of onvansertib in combination with FOLFIRI and Avastin(bevacizumab) for second-line treatment of patients with KRAS-mutated mCRC were featured in Dr. Afsaneh Barzi's virtual oral presentation at the 2020 AACR annual conference. The ongoing Phase 1b/2 trial has enrolled 12 patients with responses seen in seven of eight (88%) evaluable patients to-date: three patients exhibiting a partial response (PR), and four patients with stable disease (SD). Levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with KRAS mutations in the blood during treatment are used as a predictive biomarker in the trial, with a decrease to non-detectable levels during the first treatment cycle being indicative of subsequent tumor regression and response.

Announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to grant Fast Track Designation to onvansertib for second line treatment of KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer

The FDA's decision to grant Fast Track Designation to onvansertib for the second line treatment of KRAS-mutated mCRC, provides us with the opportunity to seek priority review and accelerated approval in this indication. This designation underscores the urgent need for new treatment options for KRAS-mutated mCRC patients and indicates that the FDA concluded that the investigation of onvansertib, in combination with FOLFIRI/bevacizumab, for second line treatment of patients with KRAS-mutated mCRC, met the criteria for a Fast Track development program.

Announced initiation of Expanded Access Program (EAP) for onvansertib in combination with standard-of-care FOLFIRI and bevacizumab for the treatment of second line KRAS-mutated mCRC

Initiation of the EAP provides patients with a pathway to gain access to treatment with onvansertib outside of our clinical trial.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Program:

Presented clinical data further demonstrating the efficacy, durability and safety of onvansertib in patients with difficult-to-treat relapsed/refractory AML at the European Hematology Association (EHA) annual conference

Final results of our Phase 1brelapsed/refractory AML study, and positive preliminary data from our Phase 2 relapsed/refractory AML study, were presented as a virtual poster at the 2020 EHA annual conference. Data highlights from the presentation included:

Corporate Milestones:

$25.1 million in equity investments, warrant exercises and clinical trial funding commitments

Second quarter equity investments and warrant exercises to fund current clinical programs and operations:

Second quarter clinical trial funding commitments:

Company name change to Cardiff Oncology, Inc.

On May 8, 2020, we changed our company name from Trovagene, Inc. to Cardiff Oncology, Inc., and our Nasdaq ticker symbol from 'TROV' to 'CRDF.' The web address for the Cardiff Oncology website is http://www.cardiffoncology.com.

Appointment of Dr. Mark Erlander as chief executive officer

On May 8, 2020, Mark Erlander, Ph.D., assumed the role of chief executive officer and Thomas Adams, Ph.D., transitioned from chief executive officer and chairman to executive chairman.

Strengthened Board of Directors with the addition of three industry leaders

Shareholders elected three new independent directors to our board of directors; Dr. James Armitage, Dr. Gary Pace and Ms. Lle White. Each new director brings extensive and relevant experience to the board of Cardiff Oncology.

Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results:

As of June 30, 2020, Cardiff Oncology had approximately $27.8 million in cash and cash equivalents and $2.8 million in clinical trial funding commitments included within stockholders' equity.

Total operating expenses were approximately $4.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, a decrease of $0.2 million from $4.3 million for the same period in 2019. The decrease in operating expenses is attributed to a decrease in costs associated with clinical programs and outside services, partially offset by an increase in stock-based compensation and staff costs.

Net cash used in operating activities in the second quarter of 2020 was $4.3 million, an increase of $0.9 million from $3.4 million for the same period in 2019.The increase is attributed to the net changes in our operating assets and liabilities.

Research and development expenses decreased by approximately $0.3 million to $2.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, from $2.8 million for the same period in 2019. The decrease in research and development expenses was primarily due to lower expenses associated with clinical programs and outside services.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by approximately $0.3 million to $1.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 from $1.4 million for the same period in 2019. The increase is primarily due to an increase in stock-based compensation, staff costs and facilities, off-set by a decrease in outside services.

About Cardiff Oncology, Inc.

Cardiff Oncology (formerly Trovagene, Inc.) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with the singular mission of developing new treatment options for cancer patients in indications with the greatest medical need. Our goal is to overcome resistance, improve response to treatment and increase overall survival. We are developing onvansertib, a first-in-class, third-generation Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor, in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy and targeted therapeutics. Our clinical development programs incorporate tumor genomics and biomarker technology to enable assessment of patient response to treatment. We have three ongoing clinical programs that are demonstrating the safety and efficacy of onvansertib: a Phase 1b/2 study of onvansertib in combination with FOLFIRI/Avastin in KRAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); a Phase 2 study of onvansertib in combination with Zytiga (abiraterone)/prednisone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC); and a Phase 2 study of onvansertib in combination with decitabine in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). For more information, please visit https://www.cardiffoncology.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimated" and "intend" or other similar terms or expressions that concern Cardiff Oncology's expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on Cardiff Oncology's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our need for additional financing; our ability to continue as a going concern; clinical trials involve a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and results of earlier studies and trials may not be predictive of future trial results; our clinical trials may be suspended or discontinued due to unexpected side effects or other safety risks that could preclude approval of our product candidates; risks related to business interruptions, including the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus, which could seriously harm our financial condition and increase our costs and expenses; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; dependence on key personnel; limited experience in marketing and sales; substantial competition; uncertainties of patent protectionand litigation; dependence upon thirdparties; our ability to develop tests, kits and systems and the success of those products; regulatory, financial and business risks related to our international expansion and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. There are no guarantees that any of our technology or products will be utilized or prove to be commercially successful. Additionally, there are no guarantees that future clinical trials will be completed or successful or that any precision medicine therapeutics will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in Cardiff Oncology's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While the list of factors presented here is considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date hereof, and Cardiff Oncology does not undertake any obligation to update publicly such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Cardiff Oncology Contact:Vicki KelemenEVP and Chief Operating Officer858-952-7652[emailprotected]

Investor Contact:Joyce AllaireLifeSci Advisors212-915-2569[emailprotected]

Media Contact:Karen O'Shea, Ph.D.LifeSci Communications929-469-3860[emailprotected]

Cardiff Oncology, Inc.Condensed Statements of Operations(in thousands, except for per share amounts)(unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Revenues:

Royalties

$

43

$

37

$

110

$

99

Services

1

1

Total revenues

43

38

110

100

Costs and expenses:

Research and development

2,476

2,830

5,181

5,479

Selling, general and administrative

1,669

1,428

3,155

2,803

Total operating expenses

4,145

4,258

8,336

8,282

Loss from operations

(4,102)

(4,220)

(8,226)

(8,182)

Interest income

15

70

51

135

Gain (loss) from change in fair value of derivative financial instrumentswarrants

(44)

24

(42)

14

Other income (expense), net

6

1

4

3

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Cardiff Oncology Announces Second Quarter 2020 Results and Highlights - PRNewswire

By JOHN HOWELL

Ready for some stress relief?Pounding might do it.Selene Byron, who instructs pound classes for Edgewood Fitness for Women, brings stress relief and a lot more to sessions that when the weather is good are conducted Saturday mornings at the park overlooking Stillhouse Cove.Sessions are fast paced and rhythmic as women click (bang?) sticks on Selenes commands and in time with music. The women come prepared for a workout, bringing along bottles of water, towels, and mats and attired in shorts and T-shirts.This is not yoga, Selene says emphatically, sweat breaking from her brow as she pauses to give her students a chance to catch their breath and swig from their water bottles.Indeed, theres no time to meditate or even return the curious stares of early morning walkers, cyclists and joggers. Selene may start the group off with them rapping their sticks three times behind their backs before repeating the sequence above their head, in front of them and then on the ground. Next shell add in some squats, then some jumps before picking up the pace.I feel less like Im working out when Im hitting sticks, says Carrie Pope, who learned of the program because she and Selene are Edgewood neighbors. Pope confides, too, that pound has her doing things she hates like squats.I forget that Im doing them, she said.Another pound regular, Dana Borrelli-Murray finds the exercise gives her the best of all worlds. She is a musician so she is thrilled with the rhythm of the sticks and on top of that she is getting a workout.Theres yet another aspect that appeals to Pope. Its the community that has come together for pound and other programs offered by the Edgewood Fitness for Women. Pope said she has come to know so many people.Its such a great community of women, she said.Selene sees those connections, too. The kids of some members of the group go to the same school and they cross paths in the neighborhood and about town.Located at 1856 Broad St., Edgewood Fitness for Women Also offers small group training in cycle, barre, TRX, rowing, kick boxing, boot camp and resistance cardio intervals. Selene said pound sessions cost $17 and a full schedule of rates is available from the center.For Selene, instructing at Edgewood Fitness for Women is part time. She is a products specialist for Eastern White Cedar Shingles, a Canadian company supplying shingles for the construction industry. Shes versed on the topic and, as one would expect, an advocate for the use of shingles.After an hour of pounding, however, she was ready to save that talk for another time. Packing up, getting home and a shower were on her mind.

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Take a pounding & shed the stress - Cranston Herald

But a Mail & Guardian investigation can, for the first time, reveal where US special operators have been active on the African continent and offer exclusive details about low-profile missions that have been largely kept under wraps.

In 2019, US Special Operations forces were deployed in 22 African countries: Algeria, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Cte DIvoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania andTunisia.

This accounts for a significant proportion of US Special Operations forces global activity: more than 14% of US commandos deployed overseas in 2019 were sent to Africa, the largest percentage of any region in the world except for the greater MiddleEast.

These figures come from information provided to the M&G by the US militarys Special Operations Command and Africa Command (AFRICOM).

An interview with Donald Bolduc, a retired brigadier general and head of Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA) until 2017, shed further light on these operations. He said that as of 2017, US Special Operations forces had seen combat in 13 African nations. Americas most elite troops continued to be active in 10 of those countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia and Tunisia lastyear.

Advise, Assist, Accompany

The military footprint of the United States in Africa is extensive. Previous reporting has revealed the existence of a string of military bases across the continent. Formerly secret 2019 AFRICOM planning documents show that there were 29 bases located in 15 different countries or territories, with the highest concentrations in the Sahel and the Horn ofAfrica.

More secretive still are the activities of US special operators. Their presence in African countries is rarely publicly acknowledged, either by the US or host nations; citizens are not told what these elite troops are doing on theirland.

The US military is tight-lipped about exactly what its elite forces do in each country, but special operators have long conducted missions that range from capture-or-kill commando raids to training missions.

The M&G has spoken to a wide range of sources to fill in the blanks, including US military officers and diplomats; active and retired US special operators; African government and military sources; recipients of US military training in Africa and civilian witnesses. What emerges is a comprehensive picture of US special forces activities inAfrica.

Some operations are conducted under the auspices of the so-called 127e programs, named for a budgetary authority that allows US Special Operations forces to use local military units as surrogates in counterterrorism missions. For reasons of security, Special Operations Command will not release information on 127e programs, said spokesperson KenMcGraw.

However, the M&G has confirmed that in recent years the US has conducted at least eight 127e programs in Africa, most of them in Somalia. These activities in Somalia were conducted under the code names Exile Hunter, Kodiak Hunter, Mongoose Hunter, Paladin Hunter and Ultimate Hunter, and involved US commandos training and equipping troops from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda as part of the fight against the Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

Currently, the US is conducting two 127e programs in Somalia, according to an AFRICOM official.

The number of ground missions carried out by US commandos in Somalia has never previously been revealed, but US Air Force documents obtained by the M&G and corroborated by Bolduc indicate the scale of these efforts. The documents, from the 449th Air Expeditionary Group based at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, show that the US and partner nations conducted more than 200 ground missions against al-Shabab between June 2017 and June2018.

This number is no anomaly. Thats about average, annually, for the time I was there, too, said Bolduc, who headed Special Operations Command Africa from April 2015 to June2017.

Africa Command characterises missions with partner forces as advise, assist and accompany or AAA missions, but such operations can be indistinguishable from combat. During a 2017 AAA mission, for example,Navy SEAL Kyle Milliken, a 38-year-old senior chief petty officer was killed and two other Americans were wounded in a raid on an al-Shabab camp about 65km west of Mogadishu, Somaliascapital.

AFRICOM does not disclose the number of advise, assist and accompany missions by country, but in an email to the M&G, the command acknowledged 70 such missions in East Africa in 2018, 46 in 2019 and seven in 2020 as of earlyJune.

Among the other special ops-oriented efforts that are still active in the region as of February this year is Oblique Pillar, an operation that provides private contractor helicopter support to Navy SEALs and the units of the Somali National Army whom they advise; Octave Anchor, a low-profile psychological operation focused on Somalia; and Rainmaker, a highly classified signals intelligenceeffort.

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Exclusive: Inside the Secret World of US Commandos in Africa - Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

Rory Bickler, Pacelli Class of 2020, was recently recognized as the state champion of the Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest.

On Aug. 7, Mike Embrickson, Grand Knight of Austin Council No. 1201, presented Bickler with a check and certificate to honor her achievement.

Mike Embrickson, Knights of Columbus grand knight, presents Rory Bickler, Pacelli Class of 2020 with a check and certificate while Kane Malo, Pacelli principal and Jean McDermott, Pacelli president look on. Photo provided

The Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest, part of the Knights of Columbus Faith in Action community programs, encourages todays youth to be more connected to their community and their faith. The goal of this program is to involve young Catholics in grades 8 to 12 (public, private, parochial or home schools during the current school year) in civic discourse and instill in them religious and life-affirming values.

The essay is 500-750 words on a specific topic, changing every other year. Entrants are judged on grammar, style, and how clearly they present the theme in a way that showcases creativity, imagination and overall development of the topic.

This years topic was The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. What does the free exercise of religion mean to you?

Bicklers essay connected these words of the Constitution to the words of the Catholic Catechism.

What do you think of when you hear the phrase religious freedom? Maybe you think of being able to go to Mass on Sundays or being given the option to go to a Catholic school, but religious freedom is much more than that. Being able to embrace your core beliefs and values means that you are able to be your own person. Our religious freedom is our ability to think and believe what we feel. We are able to be true to ourselves and not just follow those around us or what the government says we must believe. As stated in the Catechism, Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. the right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order. (CCC 1738)

The 2020-2021 essay contest topic asks students to discuss how trusting in God during a difficult time has helped you or someone you know find the strength and hope to endure it. Consider especially those times when it was a challenge to understand why something was happening. Consider also sharing any lessons about faith and hope you or someone you know may have learned from this experience. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8).

Council No. 1201 in Austin is one of the 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the worlds largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally and internationally with financial contributions and hands-on service.

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Knights of Columbus recognizes Pacelli State Essay Winner - Austin Herald

Parkinsons disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Its daily impact on people diagnosed with the disease is far reaching. Physical, cognitive functions and mental health are affected.

Eventually, the disease affects a patients ability to conduct daily activities safely.

Although the disease is not currently curable, and is progressive, in Montrose, people diagnosed with Parkinsons have a program that can give the disease a punch.

Thanks to Knock-Out Parkinsons, a boxing program provided by Montrose Memorial Hospital at Mountain View Therapy in Montrose, Parkinsons patients are able to disguise work as play and improve quality of life while slowing the progression of the disease.

Boxing is really fun and really interactive for [patients], said Jedd Beros, exercise physiologist at Mountain View Therapy.

The program, which began in the summer of 2018, is designed to improve quality of life by improving aerobic endurance, muscular strength, balance and coordination for patients diagnosed with Parkinsons disease.

Beros manages and supervises the program, working with patients in one hour blocks through a variety of aerobic exercises with stationary bikes, ellipticals and speed bags. The patients also work through strength training with weights and machines, and participate in bodyweight exercises and balance and coordination exercises.

The program has helped patients reduce tremors, improve walking patterns and increase blood flow to the brain that helps with the maintenance of Parkinsons symptoms. Every patient has basic things where improvement is needed in certain areas, but for a patient with a troublesome hip or back, the therapy center tries to individualize the program as best it can for the patient.

For example, if a patient has more trouble with balance, more time will be spent focusing on improvement in that area, or if a patient is struggling with aerobic fitness, muscular strength, they will spend more time with a NuStep, an exercise machine aimed at strengthening the muscles.

Parkinsons disease is progressive, irreversible and currently incurable, but exercise can help slow the progression of the disease, and can be a tool for maintenance, according to a written summary from Beros.

Another important note about the disease is its role in secreting dopamine. A part of the brain, basal ganglia, regulates movement, and within the basal ganglia is the substantia nigra, the part that releases dopamine. A patient with Parkinsons, Beros said, doesnt have as much dopamine release because blood flow to the brain isnt functioning normally.

But when exercising, patients are releasing more dopamine, and through the exercise, can improve walking speed, strength, endurance and balance. This will help reduce the chances of falls and improve quality of life.

Also, if the patient can tolerate the intensity, a high intensity exercise followed by moderate intensity combines together to release more dopamine affected by Parkinsons, and stays in the brain longer.

When a patient goes through all the movements, the boxing itself incorporates different components of exercise into one activity.

We do a lot of mitt work, so thats things like throwing out different punches jabs, hooks, uppercuts and really working on some reaction type issues. But also, because were going sometimes as long as two minutes non-stop, theyre working on aerobic fitness, and by throwing those punches, hard punches, theyre working on strength and power, too, Beros said.

On top of that, were working on balance, moving them around, side to side. So [were] really incorporating all the different components of exercise into one activity. Thats the fun thing about boxing. We can really have some fun with it, but at the same time were really doing good work and working on all the things they need to improve upon.

Strengthening legs is a focus for patients. Numerous patients have shown difficulty getting out of chairs, Beros said. Due to the disease affecting the part of the brain that controls body placement and moving patterns, patients often struggle with feet placement and getting in the right position. By improving length strength, patients are able to get out of chairs more comfortably and receive more strength and support when walking.

Mountain View Therapy also helps patients with home exercise programs with packets and ideas that a patient can sift through and try from home.

Thats the nice thing. Being able to see how they feel more comfortable and confident going about their daily activities, Beros said.

When we can try to improve anything, and something as easy as leg strength, thats a good way to help them tolerate the disease and the condition a little bit better, he later added.

Along with the benefits of the exercise, the group atmosphere gives patients a chance to have some interaction. The disease tends to limit social activity when the disease progresses. Through the program, some members have become friends, and outside of class, meet up for coffee and get-togethers, including spouses.

Having that atmosphere of getting out and seeing friends and having interactions is really good for, on top of their physical health, their mental health, too, Beros said.

Josue Perez is a staff writer for the Montrose Daily Press

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Knock-Out Parkinson's aiding patients at Mountain View Therapy in Montrose - Montrose Daily Press

With the explosion of lockdown-friendly home exercise programs and advice, it may seem as if its never been easier to work out at home. But the reality is, its probably never been harder. For every person posting a sweaty crushed it selfie on Instagram, theres another one (or four) just trying to endure pandemic-induced stress. Add in constant access to the refrigerator and a pantry overstocked with panic buys, and the guilt about what weve eaten or the exercise we havent done piles on faster than you can say Quarantine 15.

So youve gained weight, said Elyse Resch, a nutrition therapist. So what? Youre alive. Were doing the best we can with the resources we have. (Not to mention many others straining under severe challenges, like significant health concerns and financial worries.)

You, too, can shrug off minor or moderate weight gain or the loss of your pre-pandemic fitness level. Read on.

Above all, have compassion. I dont think most people change their minds by being yelled at or punched in the face, but thats how we talk to ourselves, said Phoenix Jackson, a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma. When Ms. Jackson is having trouble speaking to herself as kindly as she might a beloved friend, she likes to find a photo of herself as a child and think of how gently shed like that person to be spoken to.

Next, recognize that weight and ambitious exercise regimens may offer the illusion of control in a world that seems out of control, but the anxiety they produce is not helpful. This is part of a larger problem: Most of us feel pressure to achieve or maintain a certain body size because weve been taught that its important. Excess weight has been linked to considerable health risks, though it does not, by definition, mean a person is unhealthy. Unfortunately, fatphobia promotes just the opposite: Fat people are denied health care, earn less money at work and have a harder time finding work in the first place, research has shown.

Break the cycle by asking yourself where you learned that weight gain was something to be ashamed of, Paula Freedman, a clinical psychologist who specializes in eating disorders, wrote in an email. Ask: Does this belief help me be the type of person I want to be? (Dr. Freedman added that you may have to break this down further: What type of person do I want to be? How do I want to treat myself and other people?)

Christy Harrison, a nutrition therapist who examined the issue of excess weight and the virus in a Wired article published in April, said in an interview last month that few of the early research studies on the matter controlled for race, socioeconomic status or quality of care social determinants of health that we know explain the lions share of health disparities between groups of people, she wrote. Nor did they control for how doctors biases influence the way they care for higher-weight patients. But strong evidence exists that obesity (defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher) puts you at greater risk of dying from Covid-19.

At the end of the day, regardless of what the science does or doesnt say about Covid and weight, we still dont have any way for people to lose weight and keep it off, Ms. Harrison said.

She suggested asking yourself: What am I getting out of worrying about food and my body right now, and what am I losing? What could I be doing with that time and energy? One survey suggested women fretted for 21 minutes a day and men for 18 minutes a day. (And to some people, that number may sound awfully low.) Still, thats a lot of time that could be devoted to anything from guilty pleasures to relationships or to life- and world-changing causes.

Fearing weight gain and feeling bad about your body takes you away from what really matters and being able to participate in this cultural moment, Ms. Harrison said.

One tenet of diet culture or wellness culture, which is really just the rebranding of diet culture is that eating for any other reason besides screaming biological hunger is a bad thing. This belief came from the rise ofdiet clubs in the 1960s, where women went to talk out their feelings so they could avoid so-called emotional eating.

You have to be starving to deserve to eat in this culture, Ms. Harrison said. But we are designed to get pleasure out of food and connect over food.

Lets say food really is giving you comfort. Go with it, love it, be grateful for it, Ms. Resch said. With one caveat: Youll need to stay present to get the actual comfort and satisfaction. If youre too busy judging yourself when you eat, youre not savoring the texture and flavor.

So youre not working out enough, or as hard as you did pre-lockdown, and you think this is a problem. This may be because, for you, exercise is about controlling your body or compensating for what youve been eating yet another belief to be discarded.

Exercise is its own pleasurable thing you can do for joy and for mental health benefits, Ms. Harrison said. Its hard to tune into that when you have all these voices in your head saying, But if I cant get my heart rate to this Im not going to get the benefits.

Ms. Resch prefers the word movement to exercise.

Exercise connotes something you have to do, she said. You want to take out the sense of doing it for a purpose like weight loss or keeping muscle on. Instead, ask yourself what makes you feel good in your body. It could just be standing up and stretching.

Channel your energy into something more productive than obsessing about weight and exercise like working to change diet culture, such as calling out thin-promoting or fat-shaming comments on your social networks. Suman Ambwani, an associate professor of psychology at Dickinson College, said people are sometimes reluctant to challenge these sorts of statements. But we found in one study a couple of years ago that someone who called attention to this issue and rejected appearance-related self-worth and the thin ideal was actually seen as more likable than someone who just colluded with body-shaming, she said.

Dr. Ambwani suggested following the health-at-every-size movement a nearly 20-year-old movement that promotes weight inclusivity and social justice to educate yourself, and then looking for ways to get involved. If you live in Massachusetts, for example, you could write to lawmakers in support of a bill underway to make weight discrimination illegal.

Finally, look at feeling bad as the canary in the coal mine the indicator that something might be ready to change, said Elizabeth Hall, an intuitive eating coach in Farmington, Conn. Although people often respond by vowing to buckle down or work harder, she said, the way to end the guilt and shame is actually just to notice those feelings, and to ask yourself if they are serving you or causing suffering.

Feeling bad is actually an invitation to expand and shift our consciousness and let go of expectations and old programming, she said.

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Don't Be Ashamed of Your Quarantine 15 - The New York Times

The widespread changes brought to student life in fall 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be limited to academic shifts. Recreational and athletic pursuits for members of the William and Mary community will also be profoundly altered as the administration and campus at large seeks to limit the spread of COVID-19.

For some, a key part of their college experience involves attending sports games and cheering on the Tribe or letting off steam at the Student Recreatuion Center. Although intramurals and casual recreation may not be as they were in years past, there are still lots of opportunities for students to exercise, have fun and get their athletic fix during the upcoming semester.

Chief among them is the Student Recreation Center re-opening its doors, albeit in a very different capacity. The Rec plans to open to limited hours for the first three weeks of the semester, but after Labor Day they are planning to go back to regular hours, or as close to them as possible.

To make everything as safe as possible, the Rec will adopt a new hourly system. To use any of the equipment you have to first sign up for a 90-minute window on the Colleges Wellness app. After you sign up you are free to get your exercise fix in, as long as you wear a mask at all times.

Another key component of the Colleges campus recreation facilities and program is intramural sports. Though theyre going to look a little different this year, there will still be lots of competitions for you to sign up for, like a punt pass and kick competition. Outdoor programs, like camping and bike trips will also be present, but on-campus only.

And even though the Tribe may be taking a hiatus from intercollegiate competitions, sports are slowly re-emerging from their pandemic-induced hibernation. At long last, many of the professional sports so coveted by fans have returned and have brought with them opportunities to enjoy them with friends with social distance precautions in mind.

Each league is using some combination of a shortened season and expanded playoff pool. The great thing about sports is being able to watch them with friends, and during the semester there are tons of ways to get creative with your watch parties. You can use Zoom to watch games, using the Cox Contour cable tv subscription you get through the College. Just type tv.wm.edu into your browser, and youll have access to all of the major TV channels and sports games.

The NHL playoffs have already started, and the NBA plans to start playoffs Aug. 17. The WNBA and MLB will have their regular seasons go for a little longer, with playoffs starting in early September and early October respectively. Dont let being stuck inside your dorm restrict your ability to bond over sports with friends and start planning your virtual playoff watch parties now.

However, sports activities do not need to be restricted to a screen. Though to some Williamsburg may be a swamp-town, it does give one huge advantage, which is its warm albeit humid weather. If you went to school in a northern state, come September and October temperatures would be dropping, and it would be near impossible to enjoy the outdoors for long periods of time without wearing layers and experiencing uncomfortable weather conditions. However, in Williamsburg you can be outside, socially distanced and safe, for at least the first few months of the semester. This is great, especially now when one of the few places you can safely go to escape your dorm room is the outdoors. There are lots of outdoor exercise options in and around the College that allow you to be socially distanced with your mask on.

If you enjoy running, walking or biking, try exploring Colonial Williamsburg one day. Not only will you get a nice workout but you can also see all of the different animals, including cows, sheep and horses.

The College also has lots of great fields around campus that offer a great space to engage in whatever athletic activity you want, as long as you wear your masks and stay socially distanced. There are lots of sports-related activities you can do without people, from kicking a soccer ball around to practicing passing a volleyball to yourself. Not only will some outdoor activity give you a nice mental break from being inside your dorm room and working, but it also provides a great opportunity to relax and focus on your mental and physical health, something that is super important during the school year.

Its safe to say that no one is more bummed about fall sports being cancelled than the sports editors, but that doesnt mean sports still cant be enjoyed by everyone this semester. Whether you decide to use some of the information in this article, the most important thing is that no matter what athletic or outdoor activity you participate in, you do it in a way thats safe for you and for others. Your health and the health of everyone else around you is the most important thing. Well be looking forward to seeing you at a Tribe game next year.

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Exercise in the time of COVID-19: The best ways to get your sports fix on campus during a semester without fall athletics - The Flat Hat

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