strutology marketing pack · pressure on your back). if you are already experiencing postural...

MARKETING PACK

© Zoe McNulty 2016 �1


CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE

FAQs About Sturtology® 3

What is Strutology® 3

What Happens In A Strutology® Class 3

Is It Safe? 3

What Benefits Will I Get From The Class 4

Who Is The Class For? 5

What Do I Need To Bring With Me? 5

FAQs About Wearing High Heels 6

Are High Heels Bad For You? 6

Do Heels Lead To Back Problems? 6

Will Wearing High Heels Strengthen My Muscles And Core? 7

Are There Other Benefits To Wearing Heels? 7

FAQs About School Of Strut® 8

Who Founded It And Why? 8

What Is The Ethos? 10

Where Can I Find Out More Information? 10

History Of Heels 11

Example Poster 12

Personalising Marketing Materials 13

FAQS ABOUT…

STRUTOLOGY®

WHAT IS STRUTOLOGY®?

"Strutology®: The art of "strutting one's stuff": to parade, prance, flounce or sashay; to proudly show off one's best features or talents”.

Strutology® is the sassiest dance class in the STRUTosphere!

WHAT HAPPENS IN A STRUTOLOGY® CLASS?

It is a dance class with simple but fabulous moves always with an element of strutting. A dance routine is taught in trainers initially. Once the routine has been learned, the high heels go on (totally optional but advised), there's some strut practice (the Strut-Off) and then the routine is danced wearing the heels. The music is sassy, upbeat, on trend and motivational.

IS IT SAFE?

There are always risks involved in any form of exercise however sufficient precautions have been made to ensure participants are as safe as possible. The high heels only go on at the end of class. We minimise the risk of injury by advising not too high a heel and coach the Strutters well. Scientists claim that physiological problems occur over long periods of time wearing heels, however in class we only wear the heels for maximum of 20 © Zoe McNulty 2016 �3

minutes in one session. Even if we did this every day we would still not be causing any long term damage.

WHAT BENEFITS WILL I GET FROM THE CLASS?

It is designed specifically to help women (not exclusively) find and release their inner diva and to really allow themselves to be feminine and show off their best features and assets.

There are physiological benefits to the class including improved ankle stability, increased heart rate, conditioning of the lower body and improved coordination, however the spiritual and emotional benefits are what are most notable about the class. The results are powerful!

Here is an overview of reasons to take part in Strutology® sessions:

• To boost self-confidence

• To release the inner diva!

• To empower

• To have fun

• To feel fabulous

• To sweat a little

• To tone the legs

• To improve core strength and stability

• To improve joint strength and stability

• To increase confidence in heel wearing

• To spend time with other women who want to feel fabulous


WHO IS THE CLASS FOR?

• Anyone who struggles with their body confidence• Anyone who wants to learn how to be sexy• Anyone who wants to learn how to carry themselves • Anyone who wants to be feminine• Anyone who loves to dance • Anyone who feels they can't dance• Anyone who loves to wear high heels• Anyone who can't wear high heels• Anyone who wants a giggle with their mates

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME?

• Comfy clothing to dance in - avoid jogging bottoms which are baggy at the ankle or too long

• Trainers • High Heels: Although these are optional, we advise that unless you have a

medical condition or injury, you give it a go with heels. There are certain restrictions however when choosing your heels in order to be as safe as possible:-

• The shoe must be secure to the foot (with a strap or boots would be ideal)

• The heels should be high enough to affect your gait but not so high you cannot walk

• Avoid wedges as these restrict movement in the foot • Avoid platforms as they also restrict movement in the foot and put the

ankle at greater risk• Block heels are safer than a stilettos heel due to the greater spread of

mass and larger area of support.• No metal-tip heels as they damage floors.

• Water • Snacks if required• Towel


FAQS ABOUT…

WEARING HIGH HEELS

ARE HIGH HEELS BAD FOR YOU?

This is a much debated question and there is a lack of research into this. Some recent studies suggest that, clinically, they can have a negative effect on your posture because of the increase of the normal lumbar lordosis (greater spinal curves which can put greater pressure on your back). If you are already experiencing postural problems even without wearing shoes (such as arching your back and allowing your stomach to fall forwards), then of course stilettos will make that problem worse as they add pressure to the lower back. To combat this assume the right posture before you slip on the heels and continue to be mindful of your posture; try to keep the core tightened by scooping the navel in and slightly up (as if trying to move it underneath your ribcage) to keep the lordosis at a minimum.

Another issue with heel wearing is that over time the achilles may shorten and calves may get excessively tight. To be sure to avoid this keep heel wearing to a minimum and stretch the calves and achilles at regular intervals and certainly when you take the heels off.

DO HEELS LEAD TO BACK PROBLEMS?

Top Osteopaths say this isn’t necessarily true. Not everyone will automatically suffer from back injuries as a result of wearing stilettos – only those who are predisposed to back grievances are more likely to have them. Of course, walking on 8-inch heels all week can © Zoe McNulty 2016 �6

lead to postural problems but this should not be a problem if you take care of yourself. Instead of wearing stilettos all day, for instance, wear them only at places such as the office and Strutology® of course and wear trainers while you travel to and from work and go barefoot at home.

WILL WEARING HEELS STRENGTHEN MY MUSCLES AND

CORE?

Wearing high heels causes you to change your posture and therefore you have to activate muscles, especially, in your legs, buttock and low back and core in order to stop you from falling forward. Therefore in theory one could claim that wearing them will help you to strengthen or “tone” these muscles. It is important to activate your transverse abdominis to counter the effect of the increase lumbar lordosis, so again one could claim that the core can be strengthened.

Another muscle which is strengthened when in heels is the pelvic floor. These muscles can weaken with age, childbirth, weight gain and chronic coughing. Many women perform Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, but study by Italian Urologist Dr. Cerruto, discovered that wearing modest high heels of about 2 inches on a regular basis has the same effect as pelvic floor exercises and the muscle tightens naturally when the pelvis is set at a particular angle. Dr Cerruto suggested that results of the study show that wearing heel can improve one’s sex life.

ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO WEARING HIGH HEELS?

Wearing high heels also improves circulation in your legs, which can reduce swelling and the accumulation of fluids, especially in the ankles. Wearing high heels increases your leg muscles, which helps stimulate the veins in your legs to move more blood and fluids back up toward the heart.

But mostly the benefits of wearing heels are for aesthetics and for that empowering feeling of sassiness that they give. In lengthening the line of your legs you will appear taller and you legs more lean. © Zoe McNulty 2016 �7

FAQS ABOUT…

SCHOOL OF STRUT®WHAT IS SCHOOL OF STRUT®?

School of Strut® is a virtual learning establishment which helps women feel fabulous regardless of their shape or size, without having to lose a single pound.

We provide online dance classes, confidence courses, resources live events. We are dedicated to improving negative body image and spreading body positivity and so we also provide instructor training to help continue spreading the message further and into your community.

WHO FOUNDED IT AND WHY?

The Founder and Headmistress of School of Strut® is top UK Dance & Fitness Presenter Zoe McNulty, famed for her super sassy dance classes designed to help women feel fabulous regardless of shape of size.

Zoe had always dreamed of being a backing dancer on Top Of The Pops but due to her being larger than a dancer should be and because she didn't want to be told she needed to lose weight, she avoided the commercial dance scene and the negative body image that she would undoubtedly have developed if she had decided to go down that road.


However Zoe’s body image remained a sore topic for her right through her 20s, her glory days. She was continually yo-yo dieting, permanently trying to lose weight and get a “better” body in order to fit into her industry and into society. But when she reached her 30s she realised that she had wasted so much of her prime being concerned about what others though of her body, being brainwashed by the media. She realised that not only was her body absolutely fine the way it was, she actually rocked her size 16 curves. She carried herself well, had poise and moved with grace.

Zoe founded the School of Strut® in the hope of preventing women everywhere from wasting one more moment worrying about their wobbly bits.

There is more to life!

You are far more than the sum of your wobbly bits!

Zoe is a champion of curves, a Body Image Movement Global Ambassador (BIMGA) and Health At Every Size (HAES) advocate. She would love to see some changes to the Fitness Industry as is saddened by the message which is being pushed that weight loss = health and that if you're not continually doing "meal-prep" and eating only chicken and broccoli then it's your fault that you're failing to lose weight which is simply untrue. And unless you're doing HIIT training and going hard you may as well go home! Pah!

The physical, mental, spiritual and emotional damage being done by this elitist approach simply cannot go on.


Zoe is on a mission to put things back into perspective and regain some sanity and compassion within the industry.

WHAT IS THE ETHOS?

We believe that all women can come to appreciate their bodies by learning to carry themselves well and move in ways which make them feel graceful, powerful and sassy!

In a society where we’re subjected to images of slender, toned, airbrushed perfection, we can often feel inadequate, unsexy, undesirable and irrelevant. School of Strut® have had enough and advocate that in this situation it is perfectly acceptable for a lady to say “Sod that!"

The classes on the School of Strut® curriculum allow you to embrace your imperfections, stop body shaming yourself and love your figure.

Every woman has the right to feel beautiful in her own skin.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

The School of Strut® website has all you need to know.

www.schoolofstrut.com


A HISTORY OF HEELSThe shoe has been a marker of status and class throughout the ages, with the height of the shoe signifying stature within a community. The earliest record of elevated shoes appear on murals dating from 3500 BC in Ancient Egypt, with both male and female wearing the shoes thought to be for ceremonial purposes. Also, Egyptian butchers would have stacks under their shoes to avoid walking in the blood drained from the meat. This was also the case in the Middle Ages where shoes were elevated to raise people above the debris in the streets. Chinese concubines and Turkish odalisques wore high heels not only for the aesthetic appeal of the longer, more slender looking leg but also, it is thought that the restrictive footwear was to keep them from running away from the harem. The more practical use of a heeled shoe in terms of functionality has been evident in cultures where horse riding has been prevalent, to stop the rider’s foot from slipping through the stirrups.

Riding heels in the 1500s became increasingly thinner and higher. But then Catherine de Medici commissioned a pair of high heels as a fashion statement for her wedding to King Henry II in 1533 which altered her posture, her gait which enhanced her enviable curves and the fashion spread.

In the 1950s Roger Vivier designed the Stiletto which gave Marilyn Monroe her famous wiggle, whilst Audrey Hepburn was championing the kitten heel. In the 1970s the Platform was worn by men and women and had a playful, androgynous feel. Then in the 80s and 90s heels became sexy again with fashions led by shoe legends Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, who have continued to make women feel fabulous in heels right through the Naughties. Now, the high street chains are producing cute heels at a fraction of the cost so we can afford to indulge in our passion for fashion... possibly to the point of obsession!


PERSONALISING MARKETING MATERIALS

In order to personalise your poster and subsequent marketing materials with your own information about your classes you will need a Canva account. It is free and easy to set up and also easy to use.

• Download and save the poster to your downloads, documents or desktop (or wherever you usually save items for use)

• Go to www.canva.com, create an account and log in

• A row of “All Your Designs” templates will be across the top (the background colour will be different as we work with the upgraded business account, also possibly the images will be different as it is responsive to what you use most)

• Click on the square with the plus to the right of the screen

• Scroll down and find either “A4” (21cm x 29.7cm) or “Poster” (42cm x 59.4cm) and click on it

• Over to the left you will see the button to “Upload” - see in the pink circle. Click on it.


• Then you will see the green button to “Upload your own images”. Click on it and find the poster file you saved. Click on the file and hit “choose” or “upload”, whichever option is given.

• You will see the poster file loading into the uploads section and you can now drag the the image across to the white block in the middle of the screen, waiting to be filled.

• Drag the corners to reposition if necessary

• Now you can add text into the relevant spaces


• Hit the “Text” button and the options of font will appear (although it will look different to this picture due to the business account). When you chose a font a text box will appear which you can amend and drag into the designated spaces.

• Amend the font, size, colour etc with the tool bar which appears when you’ve clicked on text.

• Once you’re happy with the text, you can download and save it ready to send to your local printers. Be sure to save as a PDF for printing (bottom option) and check the “Crop marks and bleed” box.


This same procedure can be done for any of the fresh marketing materials sent through via email. Please do ask if you have a need, we will create something.

Please note that ONLY the poster and images we send through are to be used in your marketing. We have spent a long time working out how we want the brand to look and anything which deviates from that will dilute the strength of the brand. We do however invite you to make suggestions, which we may well consider.

HAPPY STRUTTING!


strutology marketing pack · pressure on your back). if you are already experiencing postural...

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