The Complete Guide to Personal Training: 2nd Edition

Morc Coulson

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Sport
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781472953612
• eBook ISBN: 9781472953605
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Sport & Exercise Science

A revised and updated second edition of the popular Complete Guide to Personal Training. Expertly written and suitable for anyone working as, or training to be a Personal Trainer.

This is a complete reference guide for fitness professionals who prescribe exercise programmes to clients. This guide contains practical tips for designing a range of appropriate client exercise programmes. Importantly, it focuses on the best ways you can sustain a financially successful business in this area and how you can stand out from the crowd.
It includes:
- The foundations of personal training
- Planning and delivering exercise programmes
- Training methods and exercise techniques
- Nutrition
- Health and safety
- Setting up
- marketing and growing a successful business.

The book also includes all Level 3 requirements detailed within the Health and Fitness National Occupational Standards and the Qualifications Framework relating to personal training and has been awarded 3 CPD points by the Register of Exercise professionals.

PART ONE THE FOUNDATIONS OF PERSONAL TRAINING

1 Professional practice

The national occupational standards (NOS) level 3 personal trainer criteria covered in this chapter are:

•The values or codes of practice relevant to the work you are carrying out and their importance

•The role of the fitness professional in the industry and the structure of the industry

•The importance of reflection and continuing professional development in helping to develop client fitness and motivation

•Industry organisations and their relevance to the fitness professional

•Appropriate registration systems and continuing professional development requirements

•Employment opportunities in different sectors of the industry

•The difference between advising on exercise participation and lifestyle physical activity

•How to present a positive image of yourself and your organisation

•Why the relationship based on trust and openness between the instructor and client is important

•The type of instructor/client relationship which will assist client progress and adherence to physical activity

•The types of personal qualities that instructors need to develop in order to help and support clients

•Why your clients need to understand your role and responsibilities, and the roles and responsibilities of other professionals

•The extent/limitations of your own role and responsibility when working with clients

•What is meant by a ‘professional relationship’ between instructor and client

•What is meant by ‘valuing diversity’ in a practical context when working with clients

•The types of prejudice and discrimination that individual clients might experience and how to overcome these

•What is meant by ‘confidentiality’ and why it is important when working with clients, other staff and professionals

•The types of information that may be covered by confidentiality agreements

•How to maintain confidentiality

•How to manage conflict and disagreements with colleagues

•Procedures to follow in the event of client complaints

•How to establish rapport with your clients and the communication skills you need

The industry

The health and fitness sector is made up of both private (commercial) and public providers (such as local authority leisure centres) and has grown substantially over the years to a club membership of almost 5 million (mainly in the private sector). This figure can be misleading, however, as there are many public-sector participants but on a pay-as-you-go basis. A number of leading chains have developed with fewer and fewer ‘stand-alone’ clubs across the sector. There appears to have been a shift in focus over the years from physical fitness to health and wellbeing. This shift was emphasised in 2007 when Nuffield (a health care company in the UK) took over Cannons Health and Fitness Clubs. It is also emphasised by the additional services offered by clubs including physiotherapy, massage, relaxation, clinics and homeopathy, etc.

However, despite the high club membership across the public and private sectors, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to gain employment in the health and fitness industry, especially for those individuals who do not possess appropriate qualifications. In order to aid individuals in this process and help make the industry more professional, organisations such as the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) and SkillsActive played a lead role. The FIA was founded in 1991 to drive up participation and address concerns in the industry relating to safety and unfair codes of conduct. The FIA now works closely with government to help deliver its public health targets and represent the interests of health and fitness organisations across the United Kingdom. FIA members include operators from the public and private sector, service/product suppliers to the industry, training providers, independent professionals and affiliated bodies. SkillsActive was licensed by government as the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Wellbeing until 2017. Charged by employers, SkillsActive led the skills and productivity drive across the sport and recreation, health and fitness, outdoors, playwork, and caravan industries – known as the active leisure and learning sector. SkillsActive worked with health and fitness professionals across the United Kingdom to ensure the workforce was appropriately skilled and qualified. To this end, National Occupational Standards (NOS) were developed by SkillsActive and approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). These standards help define job roles and offer descriptions of skills and knowledge required to perform various roles within the industry. Qualifications in the industry are closely aligned with the NOS so that individuals who hold specific qualifications will have demonstrated the NOS skills specific to their qualification.

The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

In many industries there is a requirement for a professional body membership before an individual can practise. Currently in the health and fitness industry there is no requirement for membership to practise, however, the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) has been set up to help safeguard and to promote the health and interests of people who are using the services of exercise and fitness instructors, teachers and trainers. Most employers are now looking for membership of REPs in their potential employees. REPs uses a process of self-regulation that recognises industry-based qualifications, practical competency, and requires fitness professionals to work to a Code of Ethical Practice (see appendix 1) within the framework of National Occupational Standards. In other words, any individual who is accepted onto the Register of Exercise Professionals will have demonstrated appropriate competency relevant to the level to which they hav...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• About this book
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Part One The Foundations of Personal Training
• Part Two Plan Exercise Programmes
• Part Three Deliver Exercise Programmes
• Part Four Manage Exercise Programmes
• Part Five Working with Special Populations
• Part Six Nutrition, Exercise and Weight
• Part Seven Health and Safety In Practice
• Part Eight Sales and Marketing In Practice
• Appendices
• Glossary
• References
• eCopyright