Weekend's Football Results

QLD Cup: Tweed Heads Seagulls 36 def Ipswich Jets 10
FOGS Colts: Tweed Seagulls 26 def Ipswich Jets 6
FOGS Cup: Tweed Seagulls 24 def Ipswich Jets 6
Under 19s: Ipswich Jets 22 drew Tweed Seagulls 22

Geelong Triathlon

Our very own Matthew & Tiffany Sheerin and Melanie Gillespie all participated in the Geelong Triathlon that was held between the 18 – 20 of February. The Geelong Triathlon is a combination of cardio and muscular endurance which tests the mental and physical capabilities of our bodies. Melanie finished the triathlon in a good time of 2:27:17; while Matthew finished it in 2:43:06. Tiffany only completed the swim in a fast time of 31:08. Congratulations to Emma Moffatt & Brad Kahlefeldt who won the triathlon

Brisbane Personal Trainer Position Available

RARE OPPORTUNITY: PT Required for outdoor Brisbane fitness boot camps

- No locked in contracts
- No rent
- $30 - $70 / hr

Our established Boot Camp business is expanding around the Brisbane suburbs and an opportunity has arisen for a bright, enthusiastic Personal Trainer to join our fantastic team.

- Paid training and equipment provided
- Bonus incentives and social days
- No sales or marketing required so you can do what you do best: train clients!

Must have:
- Certificate IV (preferably from Fitnance)
- Own insurance
- ABN
- Reliable car
- Be available weekday mornings

Please send your CV, photo and a brief cover letter to jobs@seriouslyfit.com.au

Exercise as a part of rehabilitation of ankle sprains

For many years the medical world has worked on the principle that “Rest is Best” when it comes to injuries. This philosophy does hold merit for some conditions (e.g. broken bones); however there is a new way of thinking when it comes to rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries.

The idea of exercising to get over an injury may be foreign to many people but it is gaining more credit as studies have shown it to be the most effective method in returning an athlete to training. The term exercise when linked with rehabilitation includes strength training, stretching, proprioceptive and balance training, power training and sport specific exercises.

Ankle sprains are among the most common sporting injuries estimated as accounting for up to 30% of all sporting injuries. They also have an extremely high occurrence rate with some experts estimating around 70%. Historically, the treatment for ankle sprains has been to rest, ice, compress and elevate (RICE) with no weight being taken through the foot for days if not weeks, until the ankle has become relatively pain free. The RICE principle is still extremely important, especially during the initial stages post-injury. The immediate aim must be to minimise swelling. Several recent articles have suggested however that physical therapy applied during the first few days post-injury improves return-to-sport time in athletes significantly. Physical therapy involves putting the ankle through its range of motion under the guidance of a health professional. Not only did the athletes who received physical therapy return to sport quicker, they also reported decreased levels of pain at set intervals post-injury when compared with those athletes who simply rested.

So what forms of exercise should be taken into consideration when rehabilitating a sprained ankle? Firstly, the ankles natural range of motion (ROM) must be restored. This is done by either actively (the patient does it themselves) or passively (someone does it for them) putting the injured ankle through that ROM. This is what physiotherapists are for. Once ROM has begun to be restored, the ankle must redevelop strength and proprioception (awareness of where the body is in space). Ligaments in the ankle are used as sensors to tell the body about its position in relation to the ground surface. When the ligaments are stretched or injured this is often lost or becomes incorrect. Therefore exercises like wobble-boards and even simply single leg balance become crucial in the rehabilitation process. Before the athlete returns to sport it is essential that sport specific exercises have been performed to ensure the athlete is fit and able to compete/train at their full potential. Sport specific activities include agility sessions where the athlete must shift their weight from side to side at pace.

So next time you sprain you ankle follow the RICE principle initially to try and minimise the inflammation however as soon as possible try and start moving your ankle to maintain its range of motion. Even something as simple as writing the alphabet in the air with your foot will go a long way to minimising your rehabilitation time.

Eiff MP, Smith AT, Smith GE. Early mobilization versus immobilization in the treatment of lateral ankle sprains. Am J Sports Med. 1994;22;83-88

The Effects of Alcohol on Recovery

The culture of having a beer after a footy match may well have been phased out of the elite level you will still see at any local club many players consuming alcohol immediately following a game. There is strong evidence to suggest that heavy intake of alcohol may interfere with post exercise recovery in a variety of ways.

The consumption of alcohol has been shown to significantly increase urinary losses during the post-exercise phase. The higher the alcoholic content the greater the urinary losses. When test subjects consumed alcohol as part of their post-exercise recovery they displayed close to 20% less net retention than those athletes who consumed no alcohol. During post-exercise recovery a 20% less retention of water can be extremely detrimental to an athlete, especially if they are intending on competing/training at a high level within the next 48-72 hours.

Most sporting activities are associated with muscle and soft-tissue damage, either as a result of physical activity or due to tackling and collisions in contact sports. Effectively the soft-tissue has been injured or traumatised and must heal. The standard first-aid for soft-tissue injuries is to apply vasoconstrictive techniques (rest, ice, compression, elevation). Alcohol is known to be a potent vasodilator and therefore has the potential to cause or increase undesirable swelling around damaged sites. This excess swelling and inflammation is then likely to impede the repair process.

Many experts agree however that the most detrimental effect of alcohol on athletes is loss of inhibition and impaired judgement. There are strong correlations between excess alcohol consumption and increased rates of drowning, spinal injuries, problems with recreational water activities and is a known major contributor to road accidents.

There are many issues associated with excessive consumption of alcohol post-exercise. In summary, the major impact of heavy alcohol intake post exercise is the failure of the athlete to follow guidelines for optimal recovery.

Burke L, Deakin V; Clinical Sports Nutrition 2nd Ed; 2000

Chris Watson

Hi, my name is Chris and I’m currently in my 5th year at QUT completing a dual degree of Podiatry/Human Movements. Why the dual degree you may ask? Well when I was in grade 12 at school looking through the QTAC book podiatry caught my attention. Below the podiatry course was the dual degree and, as I’ve always been involved in sport, the Human Movements side really appealed to me.

I’ve been involved in sport my whole life. My passion really lies with Track and Field however. I started Little Athletics at age 6 and have continued to compete until just recently after having to undergo surgery in an attempt to correct an injury caused by running. Since 2004 my event has been the 400m hurdles. I have represented Queensland at schools and open nationals as well as representing Australia at the 2004 Youth Olympic Festival.

My goal whilst here on prac at Fitnance is to absorb as much knowledge and practical experience which will undoubtedly help me in the future.

New Toy - The Prowler

Come try out the newest addition to the Fitnance stable: The Prowler! Guaranteed to make you queasy!

Here is a video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ieOBgyq88E

Energy Drinks Pose Serious Health Risks for Young People

Energy drinks all over the world are recieving more media attention due to their high levels of caffeine. Self report surveys indicate that energy drinks are regularly consumed by 30% to 50% of children, adolescents and young adults.
Energy drinks are categorized as nutritional supplements and therefore avoid the limit of 71mg caffeine per 12 fluid ounces which the US Food and Drug Administration has set for soda. Some of these energy drinks contain as much as 75 to 400mg per container coming from additives such as guarana, kola nut, yerba mate and cocoa with addition caffeine not included in the listed total.
A study in New Zealand found that on average all children, teenagers and young men would exceed the adverse effect level of 3mg/kg per day of caffeine after consuming a single retail energy drink. The recommended daily caffeine intake of 2.5 mg/day for children and 100mg/day for adolescents.
The consumption of energy drinks posses a variety of health risks including, liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders , confusion, seizures, psychotic conditions, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hypertension, heart failure and death. People with cardiac conditions, attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, those on diabetes, those taking medication or consuming alcohol are strongly advised to not consume any kind of energy drink.

Chris F’Sautia

My Name is Chris F’Sautia. I was born in New Zealand but raised in Australia. My parents are from Samoan heritage and I am proud to be brought up by the Samoan culture. I am currently attending Brisbane State High School finishing off my final year of my senior studies. I am grateful for the opportunity that Fitnance has given me to complete my Cert III, and hopefully pursue my Cert IV. I love to play physical activities, my favourite being rugby and volleyball. One of my goals is to make a future out of rugby, to help my family as they are the most important aspect of my life besides church and my faith.

Samuel Kerevi

My name is Samuel Kerevi. I was born in the Pacific Island of Fiji. I moved to Australia at the age of 7 and have been living here since. I have been attending Brisbane State High School since 2007 and I am currently finishing off my senior studies. The most important things in my life are my faith and family. I love to play physical activities such as volleyball, badminton, and swimming. My favourite is rugby and I hope to make a future out of it. Thanks to Fitnance, I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to complete my Cert III in fitness and would also like to gain my Cert IV in the future.

Birrigan Young and Jordan Tighe played against the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles at Gympie. It was a good hard game but they lost 20-12. A few mistakes during the game gave sunshine coast the opportunities to get down the field and score tires. It’s still early in the season to fix the mistakes. Well done to Jordan Tighe he scored the only two tried for his team, good game.

Steve kanowski

Steve Kanowski ran the line for the bronco’s vs titan’s game. Well done running the line, keep up the good work. Do something next time kanowski!

Jets/East vs Storms

The Ipswich Jets and the East Tigers played the Melbourne storms on the weekend. The Jets played and ordinary game losing 34-0 in the first half. The second half was a different story with the East Tigers having a good game winning 10-0. Fitnance Junior Ahio played for East Tigers and had a good game. It wasn’t hard to miss Junior with those white boots.

Brisbane Roar Grand Final Winners

The women’s Brisbane Roar team had a 2-1 win over the reigning premiers Sydney FC in a tight clash at Campbelltown stadium on Saturday. Brooke Spence, Lauren Colthorpe, Amy Gillespie and Kim Carroll all contributed to the teams second grand final win in three years. Congratulations girls!

Welcome Birrigan and Jordan.

Welcome to Birrigan and Jordan and good luck to the boys this weekend as the Under 20 Broncos take on the Under 20 Titans.

Players Profiles


Birrigan Young
Date of Birth : 27 July, 1991
Height : 192 cm
Weight : 110 kg
Position : Prop/second row
Junior Clubs : Lower Clarence Magpies
Previous Clubs : Manly Sea Eagles


Jordan Tighe
Date of Birth : 1 February, 1993
Height : 180 cm
Weight : 78 kg
Position : Five-eighth/fullback
Rep. Honours : QLD u/16s
Junior Clubs : Tamworth City Lions