Human Resources annouces fall training programs for faculty and staff
Workshops aim to build job skills, enrich lives
Christopher Cesario has a rather unorthodox chest-building exercise: the “baby bench press.” Yes, as part of his fitness routine he repeatedly lifts his 32-pound two-year-old, and the boy loves it. No, he hasn’t filed for a patent on this resistance-training program.
Cesario, a strength and conditioning specialist at the BU Physical Therapy Center, talks about his unique gym “equipment” in a workshop entitled Fitting Exercise into Your Busy Schedule, a class in the Health Promotion Series offered to BU employees by the Office of Human Resources this fall.
Staff training classes range from half-day sessions to one-hour classes and are designed to enrich lifestyle or improve on-the-job skills. All programs in the Work, Health, and Life (WHL) Series and the Professional Development Workshops, along with Procedural Workshops and Life Enhancement Programs, are free and held on the Charles River Campus.
“Professional Development programs focus on mastering the business skills and University procedures that can lead to more effective work performance,” says Thomas Bagarella, employment and training manager in the Office of Personnel. “The topics in the Work, Health, and Life Series include weight management, elder care, and other lifestyle issues.”
A new WHL workshop, Nutrition Advances and Walk Your way to Health, taught by Diana Cullum-Dugan, clinical coordinator of nutrition and weight management at MED’s department of endocrinology, will discuss the effectiveness of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. “The lecture will also offer health and fitness exercises to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Bagarella.
Bagarella says that the Health Promotion programs, from noon to 1 p.m., are conveniently timed for employees’ lunch hours and offer practical tips for staff to stay in shape.
Cesario’s class, for example, provides exercise routines that don’t require reaching for the wallet or pulling out a credit card. “You don’t have to belong to a gym or have a personal trainer to get exercise,” he says. “I look for creative ways to get a decent workout. Many people think you need an exercise tape or have to buy expensive equipment.” Who needs dumbbells to tone arm muscles? “You can fill a milk container with water,” he says. “A gallon weighs seven pounds.”
For more information on these programs or to register online, visit www.bu.edu/hr/training.