1/08/2012SHMD 249

1

To ensure participants are happy with their

progress and will keep training, it is important

that the trainer is able to design exercise

programs and session plans which are relevant to

the specific needs of the participant.

Pg 248

2

To be able to design a specific exercise program for a specific

individual, you will have to carry out a comprehensive initial

consultation.

This will involve the participant filling out questionnaires about

their health, medical conditions, goals, and lifestyle.

This will be followed up by a face-to-face consultation to find out

more about the participant.

The trainer needs to build up a detailed picture of this

participant and their life so that the exercises they choose and

the program they design will have the best chance of

succeeding.

3

FACTORS TO CONSIDER:

The trainer needs to consider a range of factors to ensure the

program is appropriate and that it will benefit the participant rather

than harm them.

The trainer needs to consider the following:

PAR-Q responses – have any contra-indications to exercise been

identified?

Medical history – do they have any conditions which may affect the

training program and choice of exercises?

Current and previous exercise history – this will give an idea about

the current fitness level of the client

4

FACTORS TO CONSIDER CONTINUED...

Barriers to exercise – do they have constraints such as time, cost,

family responsibilities, or work commitments?

Motives & goals – what is the participant aiming to achieve and

what is their timescale?

Occupation – hours worked and whether work is manual or office-

based

Activity levels – amount of movement they do on a daily basis

Leisure time activities – whether these are active or inactive

5

FACTORS TO CONSIDER CONTINUED...

Diet – what, how much and when they eat

Stress levels – either through work or their home life, and how

they deal with it

Alcohol intake – how much they consume and how often

Smoking – whether they are a smoker or ex-smoker and the

amount they smoke

Time available – the client needs to fit the training into their

schedule and the trainer needs to be realistic when planning the

program

6

CLIENT GROUPS

Clients are the central focus of the fitness industry

It is essential to understand the individual needs and goals

of each client

Each client needs to be treated as an individual

Clients will come from a range of backgrounds, ages,

fitness levels, shapes and sizes.

7

You may see the following groups of people as clients: Varied ability levels – beginners, intermediates, advanced

Varied fitness levels – low, moderate or high

Elderly

Juniors

Athletes

People with specific goals, such as running a marathon or

weight loss

Pregnant women

People with medical conditions such as asthma or diabetes

8

ACTIVITY SELECTION

Once you have gathered information about the client, you

need to select the appropriate intervention in terms of the

exercises you choose. You need to consider the following

factors:

Likes & dislikes – what is the participant comfortable doing?

Why do they not like certain exercises?

9

Consider the following factors continued:

Accessibility – where can they get to for their training? This

may be physical or limited by cost

Culture – are they limited by their culture in terms of

expected roles and responsibilities, and also dress code?

Equipment available – are activities limited by venue and

what it has to offer? You may be training in a gym or at the

clients home

10

To ensure the success of a program, it needs to be specific

to the outcome the client wants

Therefore it is important that you find out exactly what the

client would like to achieve

11

The clients objectives could be any one of the following:

12

ONCE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE ONCE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE

OBJECTIVES, IT IS TIME TO PLAN THE OBJECTIVES, IT IS TIME TO PLAN THE

PROGRAMPROGRAM

13