Workshops

Our Wellness Team offers live educational workshops, which focus on a variety of general health and wellness topics, exercise and fitness, and diet and nutrition.

Workshops and workshop descriptions are listed below, and categorized under General Health and Wellness, Montana Moves (Exercise & Fitness), Montana Meals (Diet & Nutrition), and FUN Stuff. Workshops are taught by: Neal Andrews, MS, CSCS.

How to arrange a workshop on your campus

Our Wellness Team usually offers workshops in conjunction with Fall & Spring Wellchecks on your campus. If you’d like a special workshop for your department, you can arrange one by contacting us at wellness@montana.edu

For department visits, we ask that you commit at least 10 people to attend the workshop.

Workshop Options

General Health and Wellness:

• Building a Foundation of Well-Being
• Cool Out (Stress Management)
• I don't have time to go to this Workshop! (Time Management)
• Mindfulness & Meditation Basics
• Setting Healthy Priorities
• Tiny Steps, Big Changes
• Zz Workshop

Montana Moves: 

• Advanced Endurance Performance
• Backcountry Fitness
• Balance & Stability
• Basic Lifting Techniques
• Beyond Crunches: Modern Core Training
• Cardio Strength Training (CST)
• Jump Rope Clinic
• Move Better
• Move your Body
• Recess
• SMR/Foam Rolling
• Strong Back, Healthy Back
• The Dynamic WarmUp
• Training with Dumbbells
• Training for Skiing (Fall Only)
• Training for Hiking (Spring/Summer Only)
• Two feet and a Heartbeat
• Winter ADLs (Activities of Daily Living)
• What should I do at the gym? 

FUN Stuff:

• Campus Speed Meet
• Taking a great photo with your phone
• Trivia Time

Workshop Details:  

General Health and Wellness
The following workshops deal with general health and wellness.

Building a Foundation of Well-Being:  Learn about five foundations of healthy lifestyle, and how to bolster the areas you need to improve in order to feel better live longer and boost energy.

Cool Out:  Stressed out?  This workshop will address strategies for dealing with stress, including relaxation and breathing techniques.  Hopefully, you’ll leave feeling relaxed and refreshed.

I don’t have time to go to this Workshop!  We hear you!  In our recent MUS Wellness survey, 70% of respondents said that “Lack of Time” was an obstacle to health goals.  Well, it looks like we should focus on time-management strategies, and ways to include health into your already busy schedule.  That’s what this workshop is about.  Trust us, you deserve it.

Mindfullness and Meditation  Mindfullness is as simple as taking a deep breath and raising awareness of the present moment.  Basic mindfulness practices have many connections to wellness from better mental health to more mindful eating and use of time.  During this workshop learn some basic breathing techniques and exercises to help you build resilience, focus, and awareness.

Setting Healthy Priorities  Have you ever felt like you're constantly losing ground on all of your daily tasks? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed with work and life responsibilities that you don't know where to start? We have a workshop for you. Setting priorities in work and life can save you a ton of wasted time, energy, and stress. This workshop will focus on a practical technique that will allow you to tackle your most important challenges today, and feel good about the progress you make. We'll share some other Time Management tips as well.

Tiny Steps, Big Changes:  If you’re stuck in a rut, participate in this workshop to discuss small healthy strategies that can add up to big changes.  We’ll discuss behavior, motivation, and “triggers” that can help you build healthy habits into your daily routine.

Zz Workshop.  As in, ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz.  Hopefully, you might sleep through this workshop, and it won’t be due to boredom.  We’ll talk about healthy sleeping patterns and habits, strategies for better sleep, and hopefully get to practice a little. 

Montana Moves 
The following workshops deal with exercise, fitness, and movement.

Advanced Endurance Performance:  Are you a weekend warrior or competitive athlete?  Ready to set some new personal bests?  Participate in this workshop to receive tips on training and technique that can help elevate your performance.  Lots of Q and A as well.

Backcountry Fitness:   Hunting, skiing, backpacking and mountaineering—Montana offers a world of adventure for outdoor enthusiasts.  Unfortunately, injury and even heart attacks are not uncommon for those who aren’t prepared for the rigors of the backcountry.  During this workshop, we’ll talk about sport-specific exercise and training to help you be a fit hunter, skier, or backpacker, whether trekking through the backcountry or hauling a prize trophy.

Balance and Stability:  Balance and stability are often overlooked but are vital components of fitness.  The ability to be stable and produce force on one leg increases strength and function while reducing our risk of injury, especially as we age.  During this practical workshop, we’ll practice several exercises to improve our balance, and feel more stable on one leg.

Basic Lifting Techniques:  During this interactive workshop, MUS Wellness Exercise & Fitness Specialist Neal Andrews will teach correct lifting techniques for a few fundamental resistance training movements: the deadlift, the squat, the press, and the row. The workshop will also focus on correct core engagement and breathing technique during lifting, so that you’ll be confident and safe as you lift. Come dressed to move.

Beyond Crunches: Modern Core Training:  “The Core” has been a buzzword in fitness for many years.  Your core includes all the muscles and structures that support the mid-section of your body, and creating a strong, healthy core is much more complicated than just doing sit-ups or crunches.  In this workshop we’ll look at exercises and techniques that are beneficial, as well as some popular exercises that can actually do more harm than good.

Cardio Strength Training (CST):  Whether you are wanting to improve your endurance, lose weight, or add some variety into your training routine, Cardio Strength Training should be part of your program.  CST is characterized by resistance training circuits that are intense and involve little rest.  You will sweat.  Learn strategies to build these types of circuits into your current routine.  

Jump Rope Clinic: It’s simple, it’s cheap, it’s portable, it’s fun, and it’s really great exercise. It’s the Jump Rope.  Whether you haven’t jumped rope since grade school, or you’re a super athlete who wants to learn some new tricks, join this clinic to learn everything you ever wanted to know about how to use this classic piece of fitness equipment.

Move Better:  Our health and fitness can be limited if our bodies aren’t moving well.  This workshop will focus on mobility and flexibility through static and dynamic stretching, and self-myofascial release (SMR; i.e. foam rolling).

Move your Body:  Your body is the greatest machine ever designed!  Learn how to use just your body weight to build fitness.  No equipment necessary!  This workshop will teach basic body weight exercises and movements you can utilize anytime, anywhere: at home, in the office, or on the road.

Recess:  Play. Remember that feeling of running wild as a kid? Not wanting the bell to ring to go back inside during recess? Exercise and fitness are based in play, and we don't need to forget that just because we've all become responsible grown-ups. During this workshop, we'll do some fun, movement-based games. You'll be having too much fun to notice that you've exercised, and we'll send you back to the office with a little less stress! Come dressed ready to play and move.

SMR/Foam Rolling:   Self Myofascial Release (SMR) is a therapeutic modality involving the use of an implement, often a foam roller, hard ball or other piece of equipment, to massage and release tension from muscles and connective tissues.  SMR is most often used to increase mobility and circulation, and reduce pain.  Attend this workshop to learn foam rolling and other SMR techniques that you can use daily in order to feel better.

Strong Back, Healthy Back:  80% of Americans will report lower back pain at some point in their lives.  In this workshop we’ll teach strength and mobility exercises focusing on the back and hips.  We’ll also talk about proper movement patterns and strategies that will take some stress off your back—literally

The Dynamic WarmUp:  A proper warmup is an essential part of any exercise program. The warmup portion of our exercise sessions prepares our bodies and minds for movement, optimizes performance, and reduces risk of injury. As a bonus, we can do things like increase our mobility, and burn a significant amount of calories, even before we begin our normal exercise routine. During this 30-minute “hands-on” workshop, Exercise Specialist Neal Andrews will lead the group through a dynamic warmup focusing on mobility, movement prep, and raising your heart rate.

Training with Dumbbells:  The Dumbbell.  It’s one of the most common, and most versatile pieces of free weight equipment, and you can get a great workout with a pair.  Attend this workshop to learn some basic and more advanced movements with dumbbells that you can utilize at home or at the gym.  Please dress to move.

Training for Skiing (Fall Only):  We all know that skiing is fun, and it’s also fantastic for our health. Whether you prefer downhill, backcountry, or cross-country, there are many strength and conditioning exercises that can help you have your best season ever on the slopes or trails. During this workshop, participants will learn sport-specific exercises to incorporate into an exercise program in preparation for an outstanding ski season!

Training for Hiking (Spring/Summer Only):  One of the best things about living in Montana is our access to mile after mile of some of the best trails in the world. Don’t let your fitness limit where your hiking boots can take you this summer—join this workshop to learn how to build an exercise program to prep you for great summer adventures on the trails.

Two feet and a Heartbeat:  This workshop will focus on walking, hiking, and running.  Whatever you do, whatever your pace, in this interactive workshop we’ll discuss strategies about how to take your bipedal exercise to the next level.  We’ll also talk about training, progression, minimizing injuries, and have a lot of Q and A.  Wanting to create a meet-up group on your campus?  We can help with that as well.

What should I do at the gym?:  Do you ever feel intimidated, lost, or unsure of what to do at the gym? Do you wonder how many sets and reps to do? Or which exercises to choose? This practical, lecture-style workshop will offer general guidelines of basic resistance training, including plenty of room for Q & A.

Winter ADLs (Activities of Daily Living):  Montanans are tough—we have to be to survive.  This workshop will focus on three ADLs that are common in the winter:  Snow shoveling, Wood chopping, and lifting.  Each one of these “functional movements” involve proper technique—perform them correctly, and you’re not only working more efficiently but actually getting great exercise; perform them incorrectly, and you could have a back or shoulder injury in your future.  This workshop will focus on correct techniques for these activities, and some supplemental exercises for each.

Healthy Weight Basics:  With so many fad diets and misinformation in the media and online, it can be difficult to determine the safest and most effective way to manage your weight through nutrition. This workshop will cover the basic concepts of achieving healthy weight loss, along with strategies for making it happen.

Fun Stuff

Campus Speed Meet :  This one's just social and fun. In a university setting, it's easy to get stuck in your silo and miss out on interacting with your coworkers across campus. Come to the Wellness Speed Meet and get to know your fellow campus-mates, make new friends and acquaintances, and maybe even win some prizes!

Taking a great photo with your phone :  Learn some basic photography concepts and more about the editing tools on your phone so you can create stunning photos that you can't wait to share!

Trivia Time :  Everyone loves a good round of trivia! Brush up on your health and wellness knowledge and join in the fun with your coworkers for some friendly competition.  You might even learn some important stuff along with the, well, more trivial stuff, plus you could win prizes too!