Lay a Foundation Towards Becoming a Fitness Professional
If you are interested in health and fitness but wish to know more about the science and hard facts which underlie the benefits of exercise on health, then this science based course could be ideal for you.
In addition to the core subjects you can choose elective modules that suit your specific goals
and learning needs.
THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN FITNESS
Extensive education for the serious fitness professional and those looking to extend their knowledge - so that they can offer well-structured fitness programs and informed advice to their clients.
WHAT WILL THIS COURSE DO FOR YOU?
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Provide knowledge of the science of human fitness.
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Develop solid foundation skills for a lifelong career in fitness or a related industry.
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Place you ahead of people with less skills and knowledge in the field.
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Give you the opportunity to be in a well-paid career.
The fitness industry is huge, and increasingly sophisticated.
Today's leaders in the fitness industry are increasingly entrepreneurial business people with a sound understanding of exercise science and thousands of hours of formal education in human biology, health and exercise science. This course is designed to distinguish you from the average fitness professional (most of whom have done a short fitness leader's certificate), and equip you with the knowledge and skills that tomorrow's fitness professional needs.
Modules
Note that each module in the Advanced Certificate in Fitness Science is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
How to Become a Fitness Professional
To be a competent fitness professional, you do need a substantial level of training.
Short fitness leader certificates may get you a job as a gym instructor; but that type of work is nowhere near what is needed for a sustainable, well paid, long term career as a fitness professional.
This course would be close to two years of full time study at most colleges; however, under our system you may fast track it or take it slow. Some may complete it in one year, while others may take many years to finish the course.
To give yourself the best chance of success in this industry, a substantial course (around 1500 hrs or more) together with experience, is what is needed.
How Do You Plan a Fitness Program?
If you are a fitness instructor, programming should become second nature to you.
Be SYSTEMATIC and WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN!
The proper way to develop a program will involve going through a step by step process, and writing down what you decide at each stage.
A TYPICAL PROCESS MIGHT INVOLVE:
Deciding who your program is being designed for:
Is it for yourself alone; perhaps yourself with a small group of friends or perhaps an exercise class which you are going to lead. You need to know a little bit about the participants. If the participants don't exercise regularly already; it is generally wise to carry out a fitness test before settling on too many details in the program. This enables you to plan a program which fits the participant’s capabilities. (See the pre-screening check list in the chapter on safety).
Deciding what the aim of the program is
Any program should have a warm up and cool down phase; but the main body might aim to achieve any combination of the following:
Improving/Maintaining Cardio-respiratory Fitness
To achieve this, participants need to keep their heart rate at 70 - 85 % of their maximum heart rate - for at least 20 minutes of the class. The longer this remains high the more the individual is increasing their fitness.
For people who do not exercise regularly, they should start with a THR of 55% (exercising a minimum of 3 times per week). For people who are of medium fitness who are trying to maintain reasonable fitness a THR of 60-75% is appropriate for 20 to 60 minutes 3 or 4 times weekly. For athletes, an 85% THR 5 times per week, for 1 hour each time is appropriate.
To find what your maximum heart rate is and how to work at 70 - 85% of this try and utilise the following formula.
220 minus Age = Maximum Heart Rate Range
Multiply this by 0.7 and 0.85 = Target Heart Rate Range
Example: 25 year old person
220 - 25 (years of age)
195 x 0.7 and 195 x 0.85
= 136 and 165
This particular person needs to work between 136 and 165 beats per minute to achieve a cardio-respiratory training effect.
To find out if this is occurring, an individual may take their heart rate either by placing their pointer and middle finger on the radial (wrist) or carotid (neck) pulse. Once the pulse is found the beats are counted for 15 seconds and then multiplied by 4 to calculate for 1 minute. The result is to fall between 135 and 165 for the example above. If this is outside the range the participant needs to either work harder or slow down. Working above 85% is achieving results in the anaerobic (sprint) fitness component and cannot be maintained for a long duration therefore getting very puffed quickly.
Building Strength in Specific Muscles
Increasing the strength in major muscle groups can be achieved through designing workouts specific to that particular group. Let’s say the aim is to tone the legs and increase strength then a series of leg exercises would need to be performed; squats, tuck jumps, leg kicks and general jogging through the water.
Building General Muscular Strength
Some workouts can be designed to allow the body to have a complete body workout, therefore increasing overall muscular strength. This can be achieved through big movements of the entire body, with large leg and arm actions.
Improving Flexibility
This can be achieved primarily at the beginning and the conclusion of the class. After the participants have warmed, up a series of stretches take place to decrease the risk of injury. These exercises can also be very effective in increasing flexibility. Stretches need to be held for at least 20 - 30 seconds and often repeated. Sometimes a stretch may be performed with the assistance of another person who will increase the resistance applied. If flexibility was to be one of the aims of the aqua fitness class, then more muscle groups would need to be stretched, the stretches would be held for longer and repeated; more than one repetition would be performed. This could begin in the warm up and continue into the main body of the class. Exercises specific to the particular muscle group being stretched, could be included. For example an intense leg workout could be performed, followed by a series of gluteal, hip flexor, quadriceps, hamstring and calf muscle stretches.
Relaxation
A pool class provides a warm and comfortable environment where relaxation may be a primary focus of the participants and instructor. Whilst exercises are still being performed throughout the class, they may not be as intense or vigorous as a class designed to increase muscular strength would be.
LET US HELP YOU INTO YOUR FITNESS PROFESSIONAL JOB
While many people enter the fitness industry by doing a short fitness
leaders certificate - the jobs available to such graduates are often competitive, relatively low paid, and with limited opportunity for advancement. This learning bundle will set you apart from lesser trained fitness professionals -
our recommended learning package consists of 2100 hours of study.
Start any time, study at your own pace under a team of university trained and experienced professionals.
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