Dan Ritchie
Dan Ritchie, PhD, is the Co-Founder and President of Functional Aging Institute and also owner of Miracles Fitness in Indiana. Dan has a broad background in the fitness industry including training and management in commercial and university/hospital-based fitness, for-profit, not-for-profit and educational facilities. His primary areas of expertise are in personal training for special populations: the athletes, pregnancy, blind, stroke recovery, Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Fibromyalgia, Alzheimers, etc. Dan was the winner of the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year.
BY Dan Ritchie
Nov. 12 2024
When training dynamic balance we like to use a wide range of exercises to force people to change their gait. This is also called Gait Performance Enhancement... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Oct. 9 2024
Use this exercise circuit as a 3-minute finisher at the end of your workouts, or you can use it as a full 20-minute workout. It's really simple — just 4 exercises in total... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Sept. 3 2024
In this video with Dawn the basic movement pattern is the squat, but we will add some more dual-task sequences to add challenges to work brain health as we train... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Aug. 6 2024
Think and talk less about fitness and communicate more about what people want and dream for their lives... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
July 9 2024
Again, we have a series of balance and reaction time drills that will not only challenge our clients' balance system but their cognitive system as well... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
June 12 2024
What are you currently doing to prevent the frailty progression?... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
May 13 2024
So while the front plank is useful, why don't you try a few more variations — the combinations really become endless... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
April 10 2024
The Hurdler warm up exercise is great for static balance on top of warming up our hips for activity... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
March 12 2024
Jumping jacks can be a great warmup exercise, or simply a great transition exercise to get clients heart rate elevated.There are endless combinations and here we show just six varieties... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Feb. 12 2024
Winter is a great time to create extra at-home drills for your clients... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Jan. 9 2024
This exercise is a simple march in place — a simple exercise for most, but it can challenge balance as it prolongs our single leg stance since our foot is off the ground a little longer than normal
BY Dan Ritchie
Jan. 5 2024
At Functional Aging Institute (FAI), we talk all the time about training your clients for ‘need to do,’ ‘like to do,’ and ‘want to do’ activities... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
June 27 2023
When clients say they are now doing things they haven’t done in years or never even dreamed possible, you know you are changing lives!... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
April 17 2023
Personal training has evolved beyond sets and reps. We’re learning more and more that strength is just one component of our program design... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Dec. 15 2022
We say often that mature clients need fitness, but that doesn’t mean they want fitness. If we are really honest, dozens of things sound more interesting and enticing for people... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Oct. 27 2022
The statistics on fall-related injuries and deaths are not getting better. In fact, the trends are quite alarming... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Sept. 1 2022
We are inundated with ways to communicate with one another these days... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
April 20 2022
7 key elements for any program, whether 1-1 training, small group or large group fitness... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
April 20 2019
Helping a potential stream of clients live long, healthy, meaningful lives... View More
BY Dan Ritchie
Aug. 23 2012
In this column, I wanted to share something applicable for both stroke survivors and those struggling with Parkinson's. Keep in mind while we typically associate both conditions with older clients, trainers... View More
