Mono Basin Exercise Instruction Internship

with Rehabilitative Movement Specialist/Anatomy in Motion Instructor Margy Verba

This opportunity is available to all Mono Basin Residents!

Overarching Goals:

  • Interns will learn how to teach a well-structured safe exercise class targeting strength, mobility, power, and agility.

  • Provide exercise class opportunities to Mono Basin residents. Classes will address the needs of all spectrums of our local population with a special emphasis on classes for seniors.

  • Expose Mono Basin locals to career paths in the exercise realm — e.g. physical therapist, coach, personal trainer, yoga teacher, etc.

Discussion:

In our small rural community there is a lack of group exercise classes, and in particular a lack of services for our aging population. There is also a lack of exposure to diverse career paths for our youth, which includes exercise/movement oriented career paths such as (but not limited to) physical therapist, athletic trainer, strength coach, yoga instructor, etc.

The guiding principle of the internship is: Movement Optimization. Optimal movement addresses the needs of everyone in the community; it is necessary for alleviation from pain, injury/frailty prevention, and athletic performance. Everyone in our community is somewhere on this spectrum. While the principles that will be taught in the internship are general and can be applied to any population, we will specifically address the needs of an aging population to prevent: frailty, falls/fractures (NOTE: all cause mortality increases 3-fold post hip fracture in those 65 and up), loss of basic function (e.g. getting up and down off the floor, reaching overhead, lifting a heavy object, etc.).

The Interns will learn some basic science about movement:

  • Biomechanics/anatomy
  • Injury prevention
  • Pain science

The Interns will learn exercise teaching skills:

  • Structuring a safe comprehensive class
  • Verbal cueing
  • Exercise demoing
  • Exercise modification
  • Requirements for basic function (pushing, pulling, squatting, lifting, reaching overhead, etc.)

 In short, they will learn how to critically reason about movement: how to observe, how to modify, how to instruct via verbal cuing and demoing.

Structure and time commitment:

Meet once a month for a full day of anatomy/biomechanics and exercise instruction training. Homework in between meetings: reading a chapter, watching a few videos, practice teaching. I will try to get guest speakers to zoom or appear live: PT, personal trainer, athletic coach, yoga instructor, etc. NOTE: I have already lined up Physical Therapist Sheri Pueblo, Lee Vining High School graduate!!

NOTE: for aging populations we can divide into three categories: 

  1. Still able to get up and down of the floor
  2. Struggles to get up and down off the floor, but is able to do standing exercises as well as seated
  3. Seated exercise only

Category 3 is outside the scope of this internship.

Line dancing will be included. There is ample peer-reviewed research indicating dance is beneficial for: cognition, balance, cardio, and social connection.

Typical Day of Instruction 9-5 (7 hours of instruction):

2 hours biomechanics

2 hours exercises and practice teaching includes an actual class

1 hour line dancing

2 flexible hours to be used as needed

Month 1: Introduction

Month 2: Lower Extremity

Month 3: Upper Extremity

Month 4: Trunk/spine/core

Month 5: Full body, wrap up

Tentative Dates: 

10/11/2025

11/8/2025 (this is the one date that is still tentative and might be pushed back one week)

12/6/2025

1/10/2026

2/7/2026

In addition to class time, students will need practice teaching and reading hours.

What is included:

The internship includes all materials needed and the interns will incur zero out of pocket expenses. All interns will receive: an Anatomy of Movement book as well as exercise props and an exercise mat.

Upon successful completion of the internship (yes, there will be a final test), the interns will receive a stipend of $100, and will be eligible to apply for grant funding from the DeChambeau Creek Foundation to complete a National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer certification program.

To apply or for more information:

Please contact me at margyverba@hotmail.com or call at 760-920-2284.

Funded by the DeChambeau Creek Foundation