Fitness Leaders Certificate

Fitness Leaders may be a dime a dozen, but exceptional fitness leaders are far less common.

If you want to earn more and be more successful in the fitness industry; you need to learn more, know more, and be able to do more than the average fitness leader.

The course goes beyond the scope of some other fitness certificates.

ACS has also developed arrangements with well established insurance companies that allows graduates to obtain professional indemnity insurance, to cover them working in the health or fitness industries.

Why study Fitness through ACS

CONTENT: Our courses are longer and provide more than what is the prescribed minimum for Fitness Leaders in both the UK and Australia. In particular we teach more human biological science.

EXCEPTIONAL TUTORS: In other fitness courses you may find you are being tutored by a tutor who holds only basic qualifications, and may have very little industry experience. ACS tutors by contrast hold university qualifications, and have extensive industry experience.

PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE: AJG welcomes Professional Indemnity insurance applications from ACS graduates across all disciplines including Fitness Leaders. Click here for more details.

TO SET YOUR SELF APART FROM THE COMPETITION! It is well known that the key to success in any career is to be different in some way to your competition. We offer just that to our graduates by designing a course that delivers to you a set of skills and knowledge that surpasses those of your “average fitness leader”. This course is for those who strive to be better than ordinary, and want to come out of their qualification with more specialised knowledge than other graduates. As with any career, a qualification will get you the interview, but it is your knowledge, attitude, capacity to do the job, and your uniqueness that will get you the job. Choose ACS and set yourself apart.

SUMMARY

To obtain a Fitness Leaders Certificate, students must meet the following four requirements:

1. Complete the Fitness Leader's Certificate Core Theory which incorporates key sections of Human Biology IA, Human Biology IB, and Health and Fitness I.
2. Undertake 40 hours of practical at an approved fitness centre (under the supervision of a reputable instructor).
3. Obtain a current First Aid Certificate that includes resuscitation (Red Cross, St. John's Ambulance for example).
4. Sit and pass two examinations

COURSE OUTLINE

AIMS:

The aim of the Fitness Leaders Certificate is to elevate the standard of core knowledge and competency for people working in the field of fitness through the provision of a pre-service education program.

On successful completion of this module you will have developed:

• Abilities in describing the nature and extent of the health and fitness industry.
• Abilities in explaining exercise and its importance to health and fitness.
• Skills in preparation and delivery of basic fitness programs.
• An ability to explain basic human anatomy and physiology.
• An ability to describe bioenergetics and environmental aspects of human biology.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are two parts to this module (Part I and Part II), each of which comprise two units. Each unit in turn contains several lessons. (See below for details).

Part 1

UNIT ONE – Anatomy and Physiology and Exercise

Lesson 1. Introduction to Health and Fitness

Lesson 2. Exercise Physiology

Lesson 3. Exercise Principles and Cardio-respiratory Programming

Lesson 4. Physiology: Digestion, Excretion, Physiological Systems

UNIT TWO - Biomechanics

Lesson 5. Introduction to Biomechanics: The skeleton and muscles

Lesson 6. Biomechanics and Risk

Lesson 7.  Aquafitness, exercise, routines, and equipment

PART 2

UNIT THREE – Program Design and Performance

Lesson 8. Fitness Program Design

Lesson 9. Delivering A Fitness Program

Lesson 10. Ergogenic Aids to Performance

UNIT FOUR – Safety, Injury, and Body Physiology

Lesson 11. Regulating Body Physiology

Lesson 12. Safety, Injury and General Wellbeing

Lesson 13. Fitness Programs for Special Groups

THE LESSONS IN MORE DETAIL

LESSON 1. INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH and FITNESS

AIMS

• To explain the nature of the health and fitness industries.
• To explain the human body at a microscopic level, including the structure and function of cells, tissues, and membranes.

Topics covered include:

• The components of fitness
• Fitness
• Physical fitness
• Cardiovascular fitness
• Muscular strength and muscular endurance
• Flexibility
• Motor fitness

LESSON 2. EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

AIM

To explain the relationship between the body and health, fitness and exercise, with reference to physiological processes, including energy pathways during resting, work and recovery, and how energy is used in the human body to create work and power.

Topics covered include:

• The cardio-respiratory system
• The heart
• The cardiac cycle
• The vascular system
• Circulation
• Energy systems
• Objectives
• Energy
• The ATP cycle
• The phosphocreatine, lactic acid and aerobic energy systems

LESSON 3. EXERCISE PRINCIPLES and CARDIORESPIRATORY PROGRAMMING

AIM

To explain the relationship between the body and health, fitness and exercise, with respect to risk involved in exercise.

Topics covered include:

• The cardio-respiratory system
• The heart
• The cardiac cycle
• The vascular system
• Circulation

LESSON 4. PHYSIOLOGY SYSTEMS

AIM

a) To explain different physiological systems of the body.

b) To explain movement of materials in and out of living cells.

Topics covered include:

• Osmosis and Diffusion
• Digestive system
• Urinary system
• Endocrine system
• Respiratory System
• Breathing action

   

LESSON 5. INTRODUCTION TO BIOMECHANICS

AIM

• To explain features of the human skeletal system, and the human muscular system, in terms of structure and basic function.

Topics covered include:

• Bones and joints and Muscles and muscle actions
• The skeleton
• Four types of bone
• Factors affecting bone structure
• The three types of joint
• Synovial joints
• Joint movement terms
• Muscles
• Muscle group actions
• Muscle group actions on the joint(s)

LESSON 6. BIOMECHANICS and RISK

AIM

• To evaluate body movements during different exercises.
• To explain the human nervous system, in terms of structure and basic functions.

Topics covered include:

• Nervous system
• Training and risk
• Injury prevention tips

LESSON 7. AQUAFITNESS

AIM

• To develop an understanding of how aquafitness activities differ from other fitness activities.

Topics covered include:

• Physiology of an aqua fitness session
• Stretching
• Types of exercises
• The components of a warm up
• Components of a cool down

LESSON 8. FITNESS PROGRAM DESIGN

AIM

• To design fitness programs, which are both safe and effective, to fulfil specified requirements of an individual.

Topics covered include:

• Design process
• Developing Physique
• Basic Conditioning Exercises
• Cardiorespiratory (Aerobic) Endurance
• Structure of an aerobic training session
• Weight Training
• Qualities of A Professional
• Leadership Communication
• Communication Barriers

LESSON 9. DELIVERING A FITNESS PROGRAM

AIM

• To deliver a fitness program to a small group of clients.

Topics covered include:

• Customer service
  
• Your communication skills
  
• Dealing with customer complaints
• Self Esteem
• Communicating for effective relationships
• Key communication strategies

   

LESSON 10. ERGOGENIC AIDS TO PERFORMANCE

AIM

• Explain ergogenic aids to body performance during activity/exercise.

Lesson topic:

• Ergogenic aids are substances which improve performance which can include Drugs, Vitamins, Water, Warm up activity, and Motivational talks.

LESSON 11. REGULATING BODY PHYSIOLOGY

AIM

• Explain body regulation processes

Topics covered include:

• The acid base balance
• The effect of changing atmospheric pressure
• Temperature regulation
• Acid Base balance
• Acidity

LESSON 12. SAFETY, ETHICS, INJURY and GENERAL WELLBEING

AIM

• To manage the well-being of participants in a fitness program, including safety and injury.

Topics covered include:

• Ethical practice
• Safety and injury
• General well-being, which can cover psychological as well as physiological wellbeing.
• Sample Screening Questionnaire
• Sample Medical Clearance form

LESSON 13. FITNESS PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL GROUPS

AIM

• To design fitness programs, which are both safe and effective, catering to needs of special populations (weight control programs, handicapped/disabled persons programs or for the elderly).

Topics covered include:

• Program management
• Exercise variables (frequency, duration, intensity)
• Four zones of training
• Programs for weight control and evaluation of cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength and endurance

How Do You Get Someone To Start and Stick With an Exercise Program?

Establishing the habit and maintaining the commitment applies in nutrition as much as in exercise.  Not only do you need programs that meet the needs and goals of the client safely and effectively, you need to make it enjoyable enough that they stick with it in the long term.  A number of factors affect the likelihood of a person sticking with a program, or dropping out.  It is important to take these into consideration when planning a program for someone.

Lifestyle 

Energy and Motivation

Social Support

Comfort and Facilities

Personal Factors

Changing Behaviour