Fitness Instruction Gym Level 2 QCF

Unit 1: Anatomy and physiology for eercise

Understand the structure and function of the circulatory system
The heart is located in the chest(thoracic) cavity, just behind and slightly to the left of the sternum
and in front of the spine. The heart is about the size of a fist and is formed of cardiac muscle that is
able to contract continually ithout getting tired.
!t has to muscular pumps that function to continuously pump blood around the body in to
different circuits" pulmonary and systemic. The right side pump inta#es de$o%ygenated blood from
the body and pumps it out to the lungs here it can absorb o%ygen and then return to the left side
pump. This is #non as pulmonary circulation. The left side pump inta#es o%ygenated blood from
the lungs and pumps it out to the rest of the body, here the o%ygen can be absorbed, before it
returns to the right side pump. This is #non as systemic circulation. The all that separates the
to different pumps is #non as the septum.
The heart has four chambers that form each of the to different pumps. The four chambers are the
right atrium and ventricle and the left atrium and ventricle. There are blood vessels that connect to
each of the four chamber&
The pulmonary veins lead into the left atrium
The aorta leads out of the left ventricle.
The inferior and superior vena cava lead into the right atrium.
The pulmonary artery leads out of the right ventricle.
!t is important for proper circulation that blood cannot flo bac# in the unintended direction as the
heart pumps and for this reason there are valves that separate the chambers. There are valves that
prevent blood floing from the ventricles bac# into the atria and from the arteries bac# into the
ventricles.
'lood then flos through the heart in to stages.
(. )s the heart rela%es both sides ill fill ith blood coming bac# into the heart from the veins.
*. +o the atria ill contract forcing the blood they contain into the ventricles. This is the
first stage.
,. The valves beteen the atria and ventricles then close and the ventricles contract forcing
blood out of the heart and into the arteries. This is the second stage.
-. The heart then rela%es alloing the process to begin again.
.ulmonary circulation begins as de$o%ygenated blood enters the right atrium and systemic
circulation begins as o%ygenated blood enters the left atrium. Through the process described above
the blood is then pumped out of the heart from the right ventricle via the aorta for systemic
circulation and from the left ventricle via the pulmonary artery for pulmonary circulation.
!n pulmonary circulation no the de$o%ygenated blood ill travel to the lungs here it ill absorb
o%ygen and release carbon dio%ide before returning bac# to the heart through the left atrium. !n
systemic circulation the o%ygenated blood ill travel all around the body providing o%ygen before
returning to the heart via the right atrium.
There are three main types of blood vessels" arteries, veins and capillaries. They are the tubes
through hich blood flos around the body.
)rteries carry blood aay from the heart. This is alays o%ygenated ith the e%ception of the
pulmonary artery hich carries de$o%ygenated blood to the lungs. The blood is transported under
high pressure therefore the arterial alls have to be made of thic# and elastic muscle tissue that
e%pands or contracts involuntarily to control the flo of blood. )rteries divide into smaller blood
vessels called arterioles that then divide further into capillaries. ) pulse can be felt through an
artery.
/apillaries are tiny blood vessels that connect arteries and veins. They are densely placed around
organs and muscle tissue to allo the supply of o%ygen and nutrients and the removal of aste
products. The capillaries have alls that are only a single cell thin# to facilitate this transfer.
0eins (connected to capillaries by smaller blood vessels called venules) carry blood bac# to the
heart. This is de$o%ygenated ith the e%ception of the pulmonary veins hich carry o%ygenated
blood to the heart. 'lood is transported in veins under very little pressure and therefore re1uires
valves to prevent blood from floing bac#ards. These valves remain open hen blood is floing
bac# to the heart but ill close if blood attempts to flo bac#ards for any reason. The alls of
veins are thin but you cannot feel a pulse through them.
'lood pressure is the internal force e%erted by the blood against the inner alls of the blood vessels.
There are to measures of blood pressure&
(. 2iastolic blood pressure is the measure of blood pressure going out into the body hen
the heart is rela%ed.
*. 3ystolic blood pressure is the measure of blood pressure going out into the body hen
the heart is contracting.
Understand the structure and function of the respiratory system
The lungs are located in the thoracic cavity behind the ribs, one on each side of the body and just
above the diaphragm. They e%pand and contract to suc# in and e%pel air. This enables the inta#e of
o%ygen from the air into the body and the removal of carbon dio%ide from the body into the air.
They consist of to very thinly alled elastic sacs ith an enormous internal surface area in order
to facilitate the e%change of gases. The large internal surface area is provided by the fractal
structure of the internal air passages.
)s the lungs e%pand and contract they ould suffer from a lot of friction ith the surrounding
tissues in the thoracic cavity. To counteract this the lungs are surrounded by the pleural membrane,
a slippery double s#in. These layers can slide against each other reducing the friction, as ell as
insulating the lungs and #eeping them moist.
4or breathing to occur the lungs must e%pand and contract and the main muscles involved are the
diaphragm, and the internal and e%ternal intercostal muscles.
The respiratory tract is the channel through hich air enters the lungs and has several identifiable
elements.
The nasal passages$ )ir enters through the nose or the mouth, the to being separated by the
palate hich allos for simultaneous cheing and breathing.
The nasal cavity$ 5ere air is filtered by tiny hair, cilia, armed and moistened by mucus.
The laryn%$ )lso #non as the voice bo%, it gives us the ability to produce sound and spea#
as air passes over the vocal chords.
The epiglottis$ this sits at the top of the throat and prevents food from entering the lungs by
closing hen salloing.
The trachea$ This tough tube is ringed ith cartilage to ensure air flo by maintaining its
shape and holding it open.
'ronchus$ The trachea split into to smaller rigid tubes called bronchus that lead into each
of the lungs.
'ronchioles$ The bronchus divide into smaller and smaller tubes inside the lung #non as
bronchioles. 6ather than being rigid these tubes are elastic to allo e%pansion and
contraction depending on the amount of air in the lungs.
)lveolus$ /lusters of capillary covered air sacs found at the ends of the smallest
bronchioles here gaseous e%change ta#es place.
7aseous e%change is the process by hich o%ygen crosses into the blood stream from the air in the
lungs and carbon dio%ide is removed as aste. The very large surface area of the lungs e%ists in
order to allo the ma%imum amount of gaseous e%change to ta#e place by ma%imising the contact
of the air ith the thin alled capillaries that surround the alveoli.
8hen air is dran into the lungs through breathing and ma#es contact ith the alveoli, o%ygen
crosses the single cell all of the capillaries and is absorbed by the haemoglobin inside red blood
cells to produce o%yhaemoglobin. /arbon dio%ide is simultaneously transferred from the blood
across the single cell thic# all into the air in the lungs. This air can then be e%pelled by the body
by breathing out so that the process can begin again.
Understand the structure and function of the s#eleton
The s#eleton has several functions in the body
(. !t provides protection for internal organs. 8ithout a protective layer of bone the brain, the
spinal cord and the internal organs of the thoracic cavity ould all be more vulnerable to
getting damaged.
*. !t provides points of attachment for muscles9tendons to facilitate movement in the body.
8hen muscles contract they pull on the muscles that they are attached to creating
movement.
,. !t produces blood cells. 'lood marro inside the long bones produces red and hite blood
cells hich are used for transporting gases around the body and fighting infection.
-. The bones also act as a store for minerals such as calcium.
The s#eleton can be categorised into to elements" the appendicular and a%ial s#eletons. The a%ial
s#eleton is composed of the s#ull, the spinal column, the sternum and the ribs. The appendicular
s#eleton is composed of the clavicle and scapula in the shoulder girdle, the pubis, ilium and ischium
in the hip girdle, the humerus, radius and ulna in the arms, the femur, patella, tibia and fibula in the
legs, the carpals and metacarpals in the hands, the tarsals and metatarsals in the feet and the
phalanges in the fingers and toes.
'ones can be classified into five types based on their shape
(. :ong bones$ these give our limbs shape, provide attachments for muscle and act as
levers for movement. They are strong but not too dense and are contain bone marro in
the internal cavity. The femur is an e%ample.
*. 4lat bones$ these often protect internal organs and provide attachments for muscle. They
consist of to layers of compact bone sandiching a layer of spongy bone. The ribs are
flat bones.
,. 3hort bones$these are usually short and s1uare in shape and are often found in the hands
and feet. They have a spongy bone layer surrounded by compact bone for lightness and
strength and allo movement in many directions.
-. 3esamoid bones$these are small bones that lie inside tendons and function to ease joint
movements, provide mechanical advantage and resist friction and compression. The
patella is one e%ample.
;. !rregular bones$formed of spongy bone coated in compact bone, these are specially
suited for a specific purpose, e.g. facial bones, and often provide support and protection.
:ong bones are composed of a shaft (diaphysis) ith a bulge at either end(epiphysis) that is
designed to interloc# and form joints ith adjacent bones. The epiphyseal plate that separates the
diaphysis and epiphysis is here longitudinal groth ta#es place.
The diaphysis consists of a central canal surrounded by concentric rings of calcium plates. These
are made of fibres fused together ith calcium salts. This gives the diaphysis the abilty to resist
bending and tisting forces.
The epiphysis is mostly composed of spongy bone ith just a thin outer layer of compact bone.
This spongy bone has a honeycomb li#e structure and as a result is ell suited to ithstanding the
compressive forces e%erted on it by movement and absorbing shoc#. !t is coated ith a layer of
hyaline cartilage that creates a smooth articulating surface in the join beteen the epiphysis and any
adjacent bones.
The entire length of bone is covered in a strong connective tissue called periosteum that lays don
bone cells to thic#en and strength the bone hen e%ercise is performed. !t also connects the bone to
muscle tendons.
The canal in the middle of the diaphysis is filled ith bone marro, a soft yello pulp, that
produces red and hite blood cells. 6egular e%ercise speeds up this production increasing the
efficiency of the blood at transporting o%ygen.
'one groth (<ssification) occurs throughout life in several stages.
(. The basic shape of the s#eleton ill be formed in the foetus by the third month of
pregnancy, although the bones ill be composed only of hyaline cartilage hich ill
gradually become harder and tougher as the baby gros.
*. The bones of the s#ull ill fuse together over the first fe months after birth
,. The process is much sloer for most of the s#eleton although some bone cells ill
start to form at the ends and sides of the bone as the child gros to eventually turn
them to bone. 5oever to bands of cartilage remain at the groth plates here the
bone ill continue to get longer
-. The s#eleton ill continue to get longer and stronger ell into the late teens although
this is affected by lifestyle and diet. The bones of very active individuals can
actually develop in a ay that ma#es them more suitable for the demands being
placed on them.
;. 2uring childhood if too much stress is placed on the bones through very intense
e%ercise such as eight lifting, long distance running or heavy contact sports the
groth plates can become damaged affecting the development of the s#eleton. e.g.
bo legs.
=. <ccasionally the development of muscle strength can outpace the development of
bone strength causing injuries to the bone at the point of attachment to the tendon.
<sgood 3chlatters disease is one cause of this. 'one injuries need to be treated
properly for damage to groth areas to be avoided.
>. ?ven once the s#eleton is fully formed ne bone cells are created by specialised
bone cells called osteoblasts hile other specialised bone cells called osteoclasts
brea# them don. These cells or# in unison to regulate the density of bones, for
e%ample by getting thic#er and stronger in response to the physical demands made
by resistance e%ercise.
@. 'one density can become reduced in old age. !n e%treme cases this results in
osteoporosis here the bone has become so light that it can brea# easily. 8omen are
especially susceptible to osteoporosis as their bones are thinner and less dense
although men can become affected too. 8eight bearing e%ercise to stimulate the
activity of the osteoblasts is a important preventative measure against osteoporosis.
.osture refers to the position and alignment of the body hen standing or sitting. !n physical
activity it can be important to maintain good posture to prevent injury. !n a neutral posture there are
four curves in the spine, one in each of the sections of the spine. The cervical, thoracic, lumbar and
sacral spine. These curves should help to centre the s#ull over the rest of the body as ell as
helping to protect the spine and brain by absorbing shoc#s.
+eutral spine&
stand upright ith arms by the side
chest lifted and stomach slightly dran
place feet hip distance apart and #eep slight bend in #nees
pelvis rotation in middle of 6<A
!n$beteen every vertebrae there is a thic# tough disc of cartilage, e%cept for the vertebrae in the
sacrum and coccy% hich are fused. ?ach disc can compress slightly to allo the vertebrae on
either side to move slightly by either bending forards, bac#ards, sideays and tisting. 8hen
the discs are compressed hoever they are much more vulnerable to injury hich ma#es a neutral
posture especially important hen performing movements that place a great deal of stress on the
spine such as lifting.
There are a number of common deviations to healthy posture and spinal column alignment.
Byphosis is an over$e%aggerated curve in the thoracic spine and can be the results of muscular
imbalances, degenerative or developmental diseases or injury. !n individuals ith #yphosis as a
result of muscular imbalances often the upper bac# is stretched and ea# hile the chest and
sternocleidomastoids are tightened.
:ordosis is an over e%aggerated curve in the lumber spine and can be the result of muscualr
imbalances particularly tightness in the hip fle%ors and ea#ness in the hip e%tensors.
Understand joints in the s#eleton
Coints can be classified into three categories
(. 4i%ed9immovable joints here overlapping bones are fused ith tough fibres. These are
very stable and do not allo any movement. The separate bones in the s#ull are joined in
this ay.
*. /artilaginous joints here the bones are joined by cartilage and held in place by ligaments
that allo some movement. The cartilage can be s1uashed slightly to accommodate the
movement of the joint. !n these joints the cartilage acts to absorb impacts from movement
and to prevent the bones from grinding into each other. ?ach vertebrae in the spine is
connected to the ne%t ith a cartilaginous joint.
,. 3ynovial joints allo free motion in many different planes depending on hich specific
synovial joint they are. Aost of the joints in the body are synovial joints.
'all and soc#et e.g. the hip. The ball shaped end of one bone fits into a cup shaped
depression in another alloing for movement in all directions. :igaments help to give
the join stability.
5inge e.g. the #nee. These allo bac# and forth movement. The bone ends are covered
in hyaline cartilage. 3trong ligaments stabilise the movement and limit the range of
motion
.ivot e.g. the atlantoa%ial joint. This #ind of joint allos rotation only. !t is formed by a
ring or peg on one bone fitting into a notch on another
7liding e.g. the carpal bones in the hand. There is a little movement in all directions
beteen to relatively flat bones ith ligaments preventing too much movement in any
direction.
3addle e.g. the thumb joint. ) bone fits onto the saddle shaped surface of another bone
alloing side to side and bac# and forth movements hich are limited by the shape of
the bone.
/ondyloid e.g. rist joint. )n oval shaped joint that allos bac# and forth and side to
side movement but no rotation.
3ynovial joints have several distinct features
The joint capsule, composed of tough hite fibrous tissue, encloses the entire joint to protect
and support it. !t fuses ith the periosteum of the articulating bones.
The synovial membrane lines the inside of the joint capsule and secretes synovial fluid from
specialised cells to lubricate and reduce friction the inside of the joint. !t has a plentiful
blood and nerve supply.
3ynovial fluid also helps to nourish the cartilage inside the joint. There is normally only a
small amount inside the joint but more is secreted during e%ercise. !f the joint is damaged
then there can be a significant increase in the amount of fluid due to inflammation, causing
selling and tenderness.
5yaline cartilage provides the articulating surface of the ends of the bones in the joint and is
hard, tough and smooth to protect the bones from ear and tear and to reduce friction in
movement.
:igaments are tough and slightly elastic bands of fibre that stabilise and support joints, and
limit their range of motion to prevent dislocation. They can be permanently damaged if
severely torn.
8hite fibro cartilage ithin the joint can come in different shapes and sizes and help to
absorb impact, improve stability and reduce friction. !t can increase in size during arm up
to improve joint function.
'ursae are small sacs lined ith synovial membrane that e%ist to reduce ear and tear
beteen surfaces that ould otherise rub against each other fre1uently during movement.
'ursae can be found in beteen tendons, beteen tendons and bone and even beteen s#in
and bone. 8hen they secrete synovial fluid into the free space inside of them the internal
surfaces of the bursae can slide over each other ith minimal friction. 8hen bursae get
inflamed or infected this is #non as bursitis.
3mall pads of fat can be found around joints to accommodate changes in their size and shape
as they move.
4le%ion occurs in a joint hen the angle beteen the articulating bones is decreased. The muscles
that are responsible for fle%ion are #non as the fle%ors. 4or e%ample the hamstrings are #nee
fle%ors.
?%tension occurs hen the angle beteen the articulating bones of a joint is increased, and hyper
e%tension hen the angle is increased to an e%treme e%tent, usually past (@DE. The muscles that are
responsible for e%tension around a join are #non as the e%tensors. 4or e%ample the 1uadriceps are
the #nee e%tensors.
)bduction occurs hen a part of the body is moved aay from the mid$line, for e%ample hen
raising a leg outards to the side.
)dduction occurs hen a part of the body is moved toards the centre$line, for e%ample hen
bringing a raised arm bac# to the body from the side.
/ircumduction can only occur at the ball and soc#et joints of the hip and shoulder and involves a
circle being dran ith the limb. !t is a combination of fle%ion, e%tension, adduction and
abduction.
6otation occurs hen the bone turns around the long a%is in the joint and it can occur either
medially, toards the body, or laterally, aay from the body.
.ronation occurs at the elbo and involves the medial rotation of the radius relative to the humerus
and the crossing of the ulna over the radius. !t is the motion that, if the upper arm is held by the
torso and the elbo is fle%ed so that the loer arm is facing forards, turns the hand from facing
upards to donards.
3upination is the opposite motion of pronation that occurs at the elbo joint" :ateral rotation of the
radius and the ulna moving to parallel ith the radius. !n the above e%ample it is the motion that
ould turn the hand palm donards.
.lantarfle%ion is the movement of the toes to point forard to be in line ith the tibia and ta#es
place at the an#le joint.
2orsifle%ion is the movement of the toes to point upards to be perpendicular to the tibia and ta#es
place at the an#le joint.
!nversion is the movement of the foot to turn the sole inards toards the midline of the body.
?version is the movement of the foot to turn the sole outards aay from the midline of the body.
?levation is the raising upards of an entire body part. 4or e%ample the shoulders can be shrugged
or the ribcage raised.
2epression is the loering of an entire body part. 4or e%ample the entire shoulder girdle can be
loered or the ribs rela%ed and loered from a raised position.
Understand the muscular system
There are three types of muscle tissue in the body" s#eletal, smooth and cardiac.
/ardiac muscle is only found in the heart and is completely specialised to pump blood around the
body. !t can contract continuously ithout getting tired and is under the control of a pacema#er
system in the heart. The rate of contractions is affected by factors such as drugs, stress and intensity
of physical activity being performed.
3mooth muscle ma#es up the alls of several internal organs e.g. forcing the passage of food
through the digestive system. They are not under conscious control i.e. they are involuntary, and
they provide a sustained contraction hen they are necessary.
3#eletal muscle is the predominant type of muscle in the body. They help to give the body shape
and their primary purpose is moving the s#eleton. They attach to the bones and cross the joints that
they move.
3#eletal muscle has a striated structure, and it is under conscious control. .osture is also
maintained by a constant state of slight contraction in the s#eletal muscles, and they also provide
protection to the internal organs underneath. The by product of s#eletal muscle contractions in
movement and maintaining posture is heat. 8hen too much heat is produced seating helps to cool
the body hile shivering creates involuntary contractions to arm the body hen cold. 3#eletal
muscle can also help to circulate blood.
?ach s#eletal muscle is enclosed in a membrane called the epimysium. The s#eletal muscle is
divided into bundles of individual muscle fibres. ?ach bundle of fibres is #non as a fasciculus and
is enclosed in its on membranous sheath called the perimysium. The fibres in the fasciculi are
sheathed in a layer of tissue called the endomysium. There is a serperate blood supply and nerve
attachment to each muscle fibre. 8ithin each muscle fibre there are many microscopic threads
called myofibrils, hich themselves contain to ros of protein filaments called actin and myosin.
The anterior s#eletal muscles&
sternocleidomastoids on the front of the nec#
pectoralis major, pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior on the front of the chest
the anterior deltoids on the front of the shoulders
the rectus abdominus on the front of the abdomen
the e%ternal obli1ues just to either side of the rectus abdominus
the biceps brachii on the anterior side of the upper arm
the brachioradialis and the fle%ors of the hand and rist on the anterior side of the forearm.
the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris on the front of the thighs
the illiacus on the front of the hips
the tensor fasciae latae on the lateral side of the thighs
the gracilis, pectineus and adductor longus on the medial side of the thighs
the e%tensor digitorum longus and tibialis anterior on the front of the loer leg
The posterior s#eletal muscles
the trapezius, infraspinatus, teres minor and teres major on the upper bac#
the posterior deltoids on the bac# of the shoulder
the triceps brachii on the bac# of the upper arm
the rist and hand e%tensors on the bac# of the forearm
the erector spinae on the loer bac#
the gluteus ma%imus and medius on the buttoc#s
the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus on the bac# of the thighs
the adductor magnus on the medial side of the thighs
the gastrocnemius and soleus on the bac# of the loer leg connecting to the achilles tendon
)nother important group of muscles is the pelvic floor muscles. )lso #non as the pelvic
diaphragm these muscles span the base of the pelvis and and create a separation beteen the pelvic
cavity from the perineum, hile providing support to the organs of the pelvic cavity. 8hen the
internal pressure on the pelvic diaphragm changes, for e%ample hen you laugh, cough or sneeze,
the pelvic floor muscles have to or# to counteract the changes.
They control the passage of urine and faeces out of the body and during childbirth they help to pass
the baby out of the vagina. ) healthy pelvic floor is important for good se%ual function for both
men and omen.
8hen muscles contract they generate a force but this doesnFt alays translate into the muscle
shortening. 8hen a muscle contracts and changes in length it is #non as a isotonic contraction.
!f a muscle contracts hile shortening it is a concentric contraction. The shortening can be
described as the origin and insertion of the muscle coming closer together. )n e%ample is the hip
fle%or contracting concentrically during a leg raise.
!f a muscle contracts hile lengthening it is an eccentric contraction. The lengthening can be
described as the origin and insertion of the muscle moving further aay. 4or e%ample the gluteus
ma%imus contracts eccentrically during the donards phase of a s1uat.
!f a muscle contracts but there is no movement because the resistance is e%actly e1ual to the force
being e%erted then the contraction is an isometric contraction. )n e%ample is holding a eight
stationary in the air.
!so#inetic contractions are contractions during a movement here the speed remains the same
across the entire range of motion regardless of the amount of force e%erted. They can only be
performed ith the use of specialised e1uipment that ill automatically adjust the resistance
throughout the movement as the magnitude of force e%erted by the muscle contracting fluctuates in
order to maintain the constant speed.
The s#eletal muscles or# singly or in groups to produce movements in the joints that they cross.
The movement that results from a muscle group contracting depend on the locations of the
insertions and origins on the s#eleton of that specific muscle group. The major muscle groups and
their actions are&
The deltoids create fle%ion, e%tension, horizontal fle%ion, horizontal e%tension and
abduction in the shoulders
The pectorals create horizontal fle%ion and fle%ion in the shoulder
The latissimus dorsi creates adduction, e%tension and medial rotation of the shoulder
The rotator cuff group creates rotation in the shoulders
The serratus anterior creates protraction and depression of the shoulder girdle and fle%ion of
the shoulder
The trapezius creates retraction, elevation and depression of the shoulder girdle, e%tension of
the nec#, and horizontal e%tension of the shoulder
The sternocleidomastoids create rotation and fle%ion of the nec#
The biceps create fle%ion in the elbo
The triceps create e%tension in the elbo
The rist e%tensors create e%tension in the rist
The rist fle%ors create e%tension in the rist
The rectus abdominus creates fle%ion, lateral fle%ion and rotation of the spine
The erector spinae creates e%tension lateral fle%ion and rotation of the spine
The internal obli1ues create lateral fle%ion and rotation(to the same side) of the spine
The e%ternal obli1ues create lateral fle%ion and rotation(to the opposite side) of the spine
The hip fle%ors create fle%ion in the hip
The adductors create adduction in the hip
The gluteals create e%tension and abduction in the hip
The 1uadriceps create fle%ion in the hip and e%tension in the #nee
The hamstrings create e%tension in the hip and fle%ion in the #nee
The calves create fle%ion in the #nee and plantarfle%ion in the an#le
The tibialis anterior creates dorsifle%ion in the an#le
)ll s#eletal muscles are composed of the same three types of muscle fibres although the e%act
proportions ill vary depending on an individual and the muscle group. The three types are slo
titch o%idative (type (), fast titch o%idative (type *a) and fast titch glycolytic (type *b)
Type ( Type *a Type *b
/olour of fibre 6ed .in# 8hite
3peed of contraction 3lo Aedium 4ast
4orce of contraction 3mall Aedium :arge
?ndurance 5igh Aedium :o
Type of activity used
for
)erobic )erobic and )naerobic )naerobic
Understand the life course of the musculos#eletal system and its implications for special
populationsF e%ercise
<ver the course of a lifetime every individuals body ill go through a process of development then
ageing. This ill have different effects on different components of the musculos#eletal system e.g.
joints, muscles, bones ill all change in different ays.
)s an individual ages, they ill begin to lose muscle mass. This is normal although sedentary
lifestyles ill e%acerbate the process. The tendons ill have a loer Gcontent of ater, causing
them to lose elasticity and strength. The heart begins to lose some of its ability to pump large
amounts of blood around the body resulting in reduced stamina during physical activity.
2uring childhood the s#eleton is still much softer than it ill be once fully developed. !n a ne
born baby the s#eleton is still mostly composed of hyaline cartilage and the process of hardening
that it ill go through onFt be complete till the late teens.
!n later life the bones gradually become less dense, due to activity of the osteoblasts sloing don
over time hile the osteoclasts continue to function normally. !n e%treme cases this can result in
osteoporosis ma#ing the s#eleton very fragile. 8omen are generally more at ris# of developing
osteoporosis.
The cartilage in the joints can ear out after a lifetime of use leaving joints painful and arthritic,
and their range of motion can become limited as ligaments lose their fle%ibility.
8hen designing fitness programs for clients aged (-$(= care must be ta#en to ensure that the
stresses placed on the body do not disrupt the normal development of the body, especially the
s#eleton as it is still groing. )ctivities such as very heavy resistance training, violent contact
sports, and too much long distance running can be inadvisable due to the potential for damage to the
groth plates.
4itness programmes for older clients (;DH) must ta#e into consideration any ea#nesses in the body
that have resulted from the ageing process. !t is important to include resistance training into a
or#out routine for this age category in order to protect against the onset of diseases such as a
osteoporosis and to reduce the age related astage of muscle. 5oever at this age the body can be
sloer to adapt and the tendons and other connective tissues are less elastic and more prone to
injury, so the intensity of e%ercise should be slightly loer than for younger clients, especially hen
dealing ith individuals ith loer fitness levels.
.regnancy necessitates that special considerations be made hen designing e%ercise programs.
?%ercise is very important for ante$natal omen especially in order to help them to regain fitness
and bounce bac# after childbirth hoever care must be ta#en not to cause overe%ertion or
overheating. 5eart rate should not be increased to more than (-Dbpm during aerobic activities.
6ela%in is a hormone that is released in greater 1uantities during pregnancy and it has the effect of
increasing the elasticity of connective tissues. !ncreased levels of this hormone can reduce the
stability of the joints so e%tra care should be ta#en hen doing any form of resistance training.
6esistance, reps, and range of movement can all be reduced to prevent injury or over$e%ertion.
Understand energy systems and their relation to e%ercise
The body can metabolise carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the diet to produce )T., adenosine
triphosphate, that provides the energy e use, but it uses the different sources in different
circumstances.
/arbohydrates can be considered the first choice of energy used in e%ercise and the body can only
store a limited 1uantity, no more than a couple of days orth. 2uring digestion comple%
carbohydrates are bro#en don into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. They can then be
absorbed 1uic#ly by the body as blood travels around the circulatory system to be stored as
glycogen in the muscles and also in the liver for use in beteen meals. ?%cess glucose in the
bloodstream after this storage process is metabolised into fat for longer term storage.
4at can be considered the second choice of fuel for the body during e%ercise. 8hen the bodies
glycogen stores are insufficient to provide the body ith the energy that it re1uires the body can
digest fats, stored in the form of triglyceride molecule, into fatty acids releasing energy.
.rotein is only used as a fuel for providing energy hen other sources have been depleted, for
e%ample during very long sessions of e%ercise or during starvation.
)T. is stored in small amounts in the muscles and bro#en don into )2., adenosine diphosphate,
and a phosphate molecule to release energy for the body. The phosphate molecules are held
together by high energy bonds, hich releases the energy hen )T. is bro#en don into )2..
The body hoever only has very limited amounts of )T. in the muscles and )2. must therefore be
converted continuously bac# into )T.. The body has three energy systems to provide the energy to
provide the energy for bonding phosphate molecules ith )2. and although they or#
concurrently depending on the type, intensity and duration of physical activity different energy
systems ill li#ely dominate.
The )T.$./ system is the dominant energy system for very short e%plosive bursts of activity that
re1uire ma%imal or close to ma%imal effort. ) molecule called phosphocreatine (./) is found in
small amounts in the muscles. !t has a high energy bond beteen a molecule of creatine and a
molecule of phosphate and is able to anaerobically(ithout o%ygen) donate a molecule phosphate to
)2. to resynthesise )T.. .hosphocreatine stores ill be used up ithin about =$(D seconds of
intense activity, ma#ing it necessary to rest or reduce the intensity of e%ercise for a period to allo a
free )T. molecule to provide the energy to convert creatine bac# into phosphocreatine. The amount
of energy that this energy system can provide is very limited but its usefulness is the ability to
release energy very 1uic#ly anaerobically in short bursts. <ne molecule of ./ yields one molecule
of )T..
2uring high intensity e%ercise&
./ H )2.$$I)T. H creatine
2uring a subse1uent rest period&
)T. H creatine$$I./ H )2.
)fter the muscles supplies of ./ have been depleted )T. can still be synthesised anaerobically by
the lactic acid energy system. This energy system is dominant hen ./ stores have been depleted
but the intensity of the activity is too great for the aerobic energy system to provide sufficient )T..
This system converts glycogen directly into pyruvic acid through a process #non as glycolysis
hich yields to molecules of )T.. The energy released from the bonds in glycogen is used to
synthesise the )T.. The pyruvic acid must then be converted into lactic acid to allo this process to
continue, but this accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles causes fatigue and pain meaning that
the production of energy through the lactic acid energy system cannot be sustained for longer than a
fe minutes. )fter this time the function of the muscles ill be too impaired and the intensity of
the e%ercise must be reduced to allo enough o%ygen to be transported to the muscles to brea#
don the lactic acid. :actic acid also diffuses from the s#eletal muscles bac# to the liver to be
converted into glucose.
2uring high intensity e%ercise&
7lycogen H )2.$$I)T. H pyruvic acid
.yruvic acid$$I:actic acid
2uring a subse1uent rest period&
!n the muscles&
<%ygen H lactic acid$$Ipyruvic acid
!n the liver&
<%ygen H lactic acid H )T.$$I7lucose
The )T.$./ and lactic acid energy systems are used hen there is an o%ygen deficit, a shortage of
o%ygen inta#e into the muscles compared to ho much is needed. <ver time as activity is sustained
this deficit results in an o%ygen debt, the amount of e%tra o%ygen that the body needs to resynthesise
./ and )T., to replenish and repair tissues in the body and to metabolise the lactic acid that has
built up.
The aerobic, ith o%ygen, energy system becomes dominant in physical activity that is of loer
intensity and over a prolonged period of time, for e%ample during normal day to day movements or
long slo distance endurance e%ercise, or hen the intensity of e%ercise has e%hausted the
capacities of the other energy systems. The body is able to or# in a steady state because the
muscles or# belo ma%imal effort. )s in the anaerobic energy system glycolysis occurs yielding
to )T. molecules and pyruvic acid from one molecule of glycogen, but instead of being
metabolised into lactic acid the pyruvate is metabolised aerobically inside the mitochondria, the
specialised structures ithin the cells that contain enzymes to facilitate this process. This leaves
only carbon dio%ide and ater as aste products and yields appro%imately ,D )T. (out of a
theoretical ma%imum of ,@ ith losses due to inefficiency and energy costs of transporting pyruvate
and )2. to the mitochondria ithin the cells).
)lthough much more efficient and sustainable for a much longer time compared to the anaerobic
energy systems the aerobic energy system produces energy too sloly for very e%plosive activities,
and is also sloer to ta#e effect, as heart rate and breathing has to increase for aerobic respiration to
increase.
7lycogen H )2.$$I pyruvic acid H )T.
.yruvic acid H )2. H o%ygen$$I ater H carbon dio%ide H )T. H heat
3ome sports ill emphasise different energy systems at different times. 4or e%ample in mi%ed
martial arts the )T.$./ system is dominant during very e%plosive ta#edons, the lactic acid energy
system is dominant hen fighters use burst of energy for punching and #ic#ing in combination, and
the aerobic energy system is especially important for the fighters recovery during the rest periods in
beteen rounds.
Understand the nervous system and itFs relation to e%ercise
The nervous system consists of four main parts
(. the brain
*. the brain stem
,. the spinal cord
-. the nerves
These act together to control the movement of the s#eletal muscles. The /+3, central nervous
system, consists of the brain, the brain stem and the spinal cord. The /+3 ma#es the decision about
ho the muscles ill move and these decisions are made in all three parts of the /+3.
The spinal cord deals ith situations here the decision to be made is very simple and refle%ive and
needs to be made very 1uic#ly. 4or e%ample hen your hand touches something hot enough to burn
it you jer# your hand aay almost instantaneously.
The brain stem deals ith slightly more comple% decisions that can be made slightly sloer. The
brain can ma#e the most comple% decisions but as the nerve impulses must travel further they ta#e
the longest amount of time.
+erves are spread throughout the body and create a netor# of connections9pathays that lead bac#
to and communicate ith the /+3. They are #non as the peripheral nervous system. The
peripheral nervous system is formed of different types of nerves because impulses can only be
transmitted in one direction don a nerve. Therefore there has to be nerves hose role it is to
transmit information to the /+3, sensory nerves, and a type of nerve to carry information aay
from the /+3, effector9efferent9motor nerves. ) third type of nerve, connector nerves, carries
information from one nerve ending to another.
lay bac# to the /+3 comes from to sources
(. .roprioceptors receive sensory input from inside of the body e.g. stretch receptors
*. ?%teroceptors receive sensory input from outside the body e.g. the retina
) receptor cannot create a movement or action in the muscle. )ny action that occurs in response to
stimuli is the result of impulses travelling to the /+3 and bac# again. The se1uence of events is as
follos&
(. The receptor receives stimulus
*. The information travels don a sensory nerve to the /+3
,. 2epending on the #ind of stimulus received the impulse ill travel to the spinal cord, the
brain stem or the brain here a decision is made on the appropriate response.
-. The impulses defining the appropriate response travel don motor nerves to enervate the
relevant muscles
;. The muscles ill move in the ay directed by the /+3
?very muscle fibre is lin#ed to the /+3 by motor nerves but the number of muscle fibres that are
enervated by a single nerve varies. Auscles that control fine movements such as the ones that
control the hands have just a small number of muscle fibres controlled by each neuron hile
muscles that control larger less delicate movements such as s1uatting can have many muscle fibres
enervated by a single neuron.
The motor unit is one motor neuron connected the muscle at the motor end plate plus the muscle
fibres that it controls. The muscle fibres in one motor unit ill be spread across the hole muscle.
+ot all of the fibres or motor units in a muscle are recruited hen moving, just the amount
necessary for the specific tas#. 8hen an individual motor unit is recruited hoever it contracts
fully. This is #non as the all or none la. !f a tas# re1uires a constant force to be e%erted although
the number of motor units recruited ill remain roughly constant the specific motor units that are
recruited are rotated on and off to avoid individual motor units becoming fatigued. This entire
process is #non as motor unit recruitment.
The strength ith hich a muscle contracts is dependent on the number of motor units that can be
activated at once and the fre1uency that impulses are sent to each motor unit. The ability of the
/+3 to activate as many motor units and ho fre1uently they can activate each one therefore can
be the limiting factor in an individuals ability to generate ma%imal force in any particular movement
pattern. 'ut ith training the efficiency of the /+3F neuromuscular pathays can be improved.
Unit 2: !or" #ith clients to help them to adhere to eercise and physical activity
Understand ho to establish and maintain an effective relationship ith clients
?%ercise professionals can present a positive image of themselves to their clients in several ays.
2ressing to loo# the part of an e%ercise professional, maintaining good personal hygiene, alays
being punctual for sessions ith clients, giving good demonstrations of e%ercise and shoing a
genuine interest in the clients training, all or# to give the impression of competence and
enthusiasm.
The relationship beteen client and instructor is one of the most important factors determining
e%ercise adherence and a positive e%perience of e%ercise. ) positive relationship ill give the client
a sense of respect for the organisation of the instructor, hile the instructor ill have a better
understanding of the needs of the client. 7reater adherence to e%ercise ill benefit the client in
achieving their fitness goals hile it ill benefit the business of the instructor in improving
membership retention and getting more business from referrals and ord of mouth.
!nstructors ill need to sho a variety of 1ualities in order to build good relationships and to
provide the best possible support to clients. /onfidence, empathy, e%ercise #noledge,
approachability, good communication, organisation and the ability to motivate are all important.
They ill also need to ma#e sure that clients understand hat their role as an instructor means and
hat responsibilities that it entails. This is so that clients can respect the leadership of the instructor
but also feeling able to as# the instructor 1uestions about their fitness, health and safety, understand
that instructors offer confidentiality, and feeling confident in the instructor to plan e%ercise to
achieve their specific goals. /onversely instructors need to be able to understand the limitations of
their role, respecting clients confidentiality and not instructing outside of their on 1ualified areas.
?very client ill present a uni1ue challenge to the instructor and intuiting or learning the best ay
to communicate ith each one is a s#ills that ill be developed and improved over time. /lients
moods9temperament, dialect, fluency in ?nglish, culture and religion ill all affect the specific ay
that instructors should communicate ith them. 5oever there are some guidelines that can inform
effective communication. Technical jargon that the client doesnFt understand should be avoided but
instructions should still be clear and not vague. 3ome clients ill understand verbal instructions
better hile other clients ill be better at copying movements that an instructor first demonstrates.
)lthough over time a client and instructor are li#ely to become closer as they gain a better
understanding of each other and get to #no each other it is important that a professional
relationship is maintained beteen the client and the instructor. )lthough there are different
schools of thought regarding the e%act point to dra the line, after all bonding ith clients can help
ith e%ercise adherence, certain things must be ta#en into account hen defining a professional
relationship ith clients" the appropriate level of touching hen instructing a client, social and
personal contacts ith the client and ho they can affect the or#ing relationship, and ho to
manage attraction beteen client and instructor.
/lients are all li#ely to come from a variety of social, cultural and religious bac#grounds and it is
important for a trainer to be sensitive in dealing ith the implications of this. 0aluing diversity
means providing clients ith e1ual opportunities and treating them as individuals ho they are. !n
fitness specifically it may mean ma#ing alloance or adjustments for an individuals e%ercise
garments or program e.g. a clients that ishes to dress modestly may prefer avoid to simming,
clients that fast during ramadan may have less ability to train as intensely during this time.
/lients may e%perience prejudice in a fitness environment based on gender, race, se%uality, age,
class, nationality, religion, physical appearance or many other factors. 5oever the ay that a
trainer should deal ith these is similar. ) trainer should firstly never discriminate against clients
based on any of these factors and if the client is facing discrimination in the fitness environment
then they should be illing to support their client. The procedures ill vary from or#place to
or#place but discriminatory behaviour and attitudes should be challenged.
/onfidentiality is the commitment that a fitness professional ma#es to not divulge any personal
information that a client has chosen to share ith them ithout consent. !f confidentiality is not
respected then clients could feel betrayed and humiliated ill not have trust or respect for their
instructor.
)ny personal information about clients ill be subject to data protection or confidentiality. This
could include but it not limited to" date of birth, address, phone number or other contact details,
medical conditions or history, aspects of their personal life or relationships,lifestyle choices and
e%ercise history.
!nstructors must ta#e special care not to accidentally divulge confidential information hen trying
to dra parallels beteen different clients e%periences or referring to previous e%perience hen
giving e%planations of fitness routines or concepts. )ny ritten records of confidential information
must be stored appropriately so that they cannot be lost or stolen. !f there is any breach of
confidentiality then the client in 1uestion must be informed promptly.
The 6?.s e%ercise and fitness code of ethical practice lays don instruction for registered members
that ensures diversity and e1uality are practiced. The first principle states ?%ercise professionals
should deal openly and in a transparent manner ith their clients. They should at all times adopt the
highest degree of professionalism in dealing ith their clientsJ needs. /lients ill have differing
needs based on their attributes and beliefs but all must be accommodated according to this first
principle. !f the needs that are related to these attributes and beliefs are not met then that could
effectively discriminate against the client in the e%ercise setting. Therefore the e%ercise setting
must ensure that specific needs are catered for.
The second statement re1uires e%ercise professionals to see# to nurture healthy relationships ith
their customers and other health professionals. !t follos therefore that these relationships must be
based on a mutual respect and understanding of diversity and e1ual opportunities.
:ifestyle physical activity is simply any activity that re1uires movement in a day to day setting,
hile e%ercise is physical activity specifically aiming to improve one of the components of physical
fitness. The difference in the ay that the should be advised is that e%ercise is specifically
prescribed in order to meet a clients fitness goals and therefore must be carefully tailored to an
individuals fitness levels hile physical activity is beneficial to everyone, barring serious illness or
injury, and it can be recommended for everyone to perform at least a little bit everyday.
Understand ho to motivate and support clients to adhere to e%ercise and physical activity
/lients ill have different goals hen deciding to begin an e%ercise routine but some reasons ill
be shared by many. ) lot of people are motivated to e%ercise often in order to lose fat. This desire
is often coupled ith a ish to improve their appearance of being toned ripped or built.
These go hand in hand as fat ill need to be lost and muscle mass increased in order to ma#e
muscle definition more prominent. The degree of muscle mass e%pected by the client ill depend
on their particular aesthetic preferences. <ther clients ill ant to e%ercise primarily for health
benefits and an increased sense of ell being. 5aving fun or overcoming a challenge is also a
major reason to train for some people, and these people ill ant or#out routines that are varied,
engaging and, in the case of people loo#ing for challenge, difficult. 4inally people ill ant to
e%ercise in order to achieve specific fitness improvements, hether strength, speed, poer,
fle%ibility, agility, cardio or endurance. These clients are li#ely to be participating in a sport, and
ill ant fitness improvements in order to ma%imise their sport specific performance. <ther clients
ill ant to meet ne people and socialise in an interesting environment or to get aay temporarily
from their stressful lifestyle.
)lthough most people ould be interested in having one or more of the above physical benefits
relatively fe people manage to successfully attain them. The obstacles to participating and
adhering to an e%ercise program are numerous. 4inancial barriers may prevent people from having
ade1uate access to nutrition or training facilities. !njuries and illness can hinder people from
participating in e%ercise. 8or# and family commitments may leave people ith either too little
time or energy to begin or maintain training. The single largest barrier to peoples participation in
e%ercise though is motivation. Training can be difficult, and the reality that results ill only come
gradually and ith hard or# can discourage clients from adhering to their e%ercise programs.
!t is part of a fitness professionals role to be able to help clients to understand the barriers they are
e%periencing to full participation in e%ercise and to help them to overcome them. Trainers can tal#
to their clients to try to understand the problems that clients are e%periencing and can dra from
their on personal e%perience of similar problems hen encouraging them.
)dherence to e%ercise ill improve hen clients are given reards and incentives and these can
ta#e many forms. ?nthusiastic praise and motivational ords from instructors are normally useful.
3ome reards ill simply be the result of the client achieving their fitness goals" feeling more
confident(internal reards), improved performance in sport of choice or losing eight and
benefiting from being more attractive or improved health(e%ternal reards) etc. !nstructors can also
organise social events, fitness challenges or revie sessions to ma#e things more fun and varied for
clients.
/lients ill have preferences for e%ercise based on their fitness goals such as hether they are
loo#ing to burn fat, increase muscle mass, or improve sports performance. They may also have
preferences for their e%ercise even ithin these broad categories. ) preference for using cable
e%ercises or bodyeight e%ercises for improving strength, a preference for simming over running
for /0 fitness, a preference for dynamic stretching movements over static etc.
) client ill need to be made aare that in order to achieve their fitness goals that they ultimately
are the ones that are responsible for ma#ing it happen. )n instructor can help by trying out different
teaching styles, creating different reards and incentives, setting realistic and achievable goals but
the client must ultimately follo through themselves.
7ood communication is an important part of motivating and supporting clients and involves many
different elements. )s#ing open ended 1uestions gives clients the opportunity to give their on
input and to voice their concerns and feelings. <pen ended 1uestions are 1uestions that do not have
a clearly defined anser e.g. instead of as#ing 2id you have a good or bad sessionK as# ho did
you find that training sessionK. :istening s#ills are important in order to properly understand and
empathise ith a client and to sho them genuine interest. 6ather than just passively listening
active listening techni1ues can be used to emphasise this. 4or e%ample smiling, a small nod or
verbal comments such as uh huh and as#ing 1uestions for clarification periodically sho
engagement ith the points they are ma#ing. .ersonal information can be gathered either by
directly as#ing 1uestions or 1uestionnaires or indirectly through conversation. .aying attention to
the non verbal clues the clients are giving off is important hen motivating clients too. 'ody
language that shos annoyance, anger, embarrassment or lo confidence ould indicate that
different motivational strategies should be adopted.
?%ercise has many health benefits hen performed regularly, and adherence to e%ercise can be
improved hen these can be communicated clearly to clients
stress can be relieved and mood improved
energy levels can be increased
combats various illnesses and improves health. 2iabetes can be prevented or managed,
cholesterol levels in the blood improved leading to loer ris#s of heart disease, high blood
pressure can be prevented, and stro#es some #inds of cancer and osteoporosis can all be
averted.
e%ercise can promote better sleep
eight can be controlled and body composition improved
se%ual performance and enjoyment can be improved
e%ercise can be fun
5ealth benefits can be achieved from only ,D minutes of lifestyle physical activity everyday,
although to achieve specific fitness goals or to ma%imise health benefits e%ercise must be done
regularly as ell.
.hysical activity simply means any type of day to day activity that re1uires movement. 8al#ing to
and from or#, climbing up stairs, gardening, cleaning, lifting and moving household objects
around, and cycling as a form of transport are all forms of physical activity.
!nstructors can help clients to develop strategies for improving their motivation by relating their
on e%periences, or those of other clients, to those of the client and sharing strategies that have
been successful for others. !nstructors can advise clients on setting goals that are attainable as part
of a motivational strategy so that they ill not become discouraged by failing to meet unrealistic
goals.
Understand ho to provide ongoing customer service to clients
!f client care is inade1uate then it is li#ely that customer retention and referrals ill both be lo. )
fitness professional or organisations success or failure is going to be determined by its reputation"
for delivering fitness goals but also for 1uality customer service. /onversely clients need to have
support from their instructors in order to reach their fitness goals and feel confident enough to
adhere to their e%ercise program. )s catering to the client needs is so important to both client and
fitness provider it is necessary for this service to be provided both 1uic#ly and effectively.
/lients ill sometimes need information to support their e%ercise participation.
They may re1uire information about fitness and e%ercise e.g. the correct techni1ue for a
specific e%ercise
!nformation about nutrition e.g. good post or#out food
!nformation about pricing or the services available at the gym e.g. the cost and timetable of
group e%ercise classes
information about medical problems related to training e.g. rehabilitation of an injury
8hen clients ma#e re1uests for information and advice the first thing to consider is hether you are
1ualified to give that advice or hether they should be referred to a colleague or different
professional. 4or e%ample a gym instructor may be 1ualified to give e%ercise advice for a healthy
individual but should refer a client to a physiotherapist or doctor if they are severely ill or injured.
The information that clients re1uest may be found by a number of ays
The fitness professional may already be 1ualified and #noledgeable enough to provide the
information
The client may be referred to a colleague in the gym hose role is to provide that
information
The client may be advised to see# the opinion of an outside professional. 2octors,
physiotherapists, massage professionals, osteopaths all have their on area of e%pertise. 4or
e%ample if a customer has complained of angina during training then they should be referred
to a doctor, hile if they have strained a muscle then a physiotherapist may be more
appropriate.
!f there is a delay in dealing ith a client then it is very important to give a satisfactory e%planation.
The best ay to do so is to use a placating tone of voice and apologise sincerely and offer better
customer service in future.
Unit $: %eflect on and develop o#n practice in providing eercise and physical activity
Understand ho to reflect on and develop on practice in providing e%ercise and physical
activity
The 6?.s code of ethical conduct is the most important code of practice for UB fitness
professionals. 6?.s is a government supported charity that regulates the UB fitness industry. )s
the industry ide recognised standard for accredited 1ualifications, it is very important for fitness
professionals to abide by this code of practice.
The fitness professional has the role of directly interacting ith the client on the gym floor and
guiding and motivating them to achieve their fitness goals and to adhere to their e%ercise program.
They ill ensure that clients can e%ercise safely and effectively to improve their health and fitness.
4itness instructors, mirroring their role of motivating clients to achieve to their ma%imum potential,
must reflect in their on professional practice the desire to better themselves and achieve to their
full potential. They must therefore alays be striving to improve their s#ills and #noledge and to
improve the service that they offer to clients through reflection on their successes and failures in
previous training sessions.
6?.s actually has a re1uirement of it members to earn *- continuing professional development
points in every to year period. These points are earned by studying online articles and attending
courses to e%pand their fitness #noledge.
The fitness industry has several main aspects. 6?.s effectively functions as a government
supported regulator for the industry, although membership is not a legal re1uirement as for doctors
to be in the 7A/.
Then large private chain gyms dominate a big section of the mar#et, offering e%ercise facilities,
simming pools, group training and spa9e%tras. :ocal authority sports centres compete ith these
gyms, sometimes offering older more basic facilities but at slightly loer prices. 4olloing the
trends toards privatisation of public infrastructure management of these gyms are increasingly
being ta#en over by private contractors.
3mall independent gyms then usually fill niche mar#ets rather than compete directly ith the big
players. They sometimes offer budget no frills training, sometimes more hardcore training
cultures that appeal to poerlifters and bodybuilders rather than mass appeal, omen only facilities,
or sometimes specialised training in specific sports, martial arts or e%ercise systems.
4inally self employed personal trainers offer a more personal, private training e%perience often
travelling directly to clients homes or or#ing from very small studios.
)ll of these avenues provide potential sources of employment for fitness professionals.
Understand ho to reflect on on professional practice
4itness professionals should reflect on every aspect of their service that can be improved, as the
improvement onFt come ithout reflection. Aotivational and communication s#ills can be
reflected on to understand ho to create better relationships ith clients and to improve client
retention. Aar#eting and business practice should be reflected on to increase the client base and
encourage more people to bring fitness into their lifestyle. Training methods and training program
planning should be reflected on to evaluate the degree of success in delivering clients success in
achieving their goals.
The process of reflection should ta#e the form of an honest appraisal of performance but also a
constructive e%ploration of the possibilities to improve moving forards ta#ing on board the
relevant information. 8hen ne ideas have been formulated through this process it can be very
useful to discuss them ith other fitness professionals, ho may have themselves come to similar
conclusions through the development of their on practice. 'y doing this it ill be possible to
dra on and learn from the professional e%perience of others.
The information that ill be used to measure the above elements of professional practice can be in
the form of verbal feedbac#, ritten feedbac#, data of clients e%ercise performance9fitness
improvements, records of client numbers and retention, measures of the number of referrals from
e%isting customers etc. This data can be gathered informally in conversation ith clients and other
fitness professionals, through direct re1uests for feedbac# via 1uestionnaires or otherise, and
through financial and business record #eeping.
Understand ho to improve on professional practice and career opportunities
.rofessional practice should be revieed on a constant basis and lessons ta#en on board henever
there is space for improvement. )ll aspects of fitness instruction and customer service can
potentially be revieed including communication s#ills, e%ercise and fitness #noledge and
motivational techni1ues.
) personal action plan is one method for revieing professional development. <nce a process of
critical self reflection has been underta#en a personal action plan can ma#e it easier for the changes
that have been identified to be made.
They can allo for a big goal to be bro#en don into clear, realistic and attainable steps
They can help in prioritising tas#s
They can be used to set deadlines and create a timetable for changes to be made by
The personal action plan should be regularly updated to reflect any progress and further insight into
areas of improvement. ) personal action plan that is not regularly updated can 1uic#ly lose
relevance.
The internet can provide a great resource in accessing information on developments in e%ercise and
fitness. 3ports science research can be accessed through online academic resources, and forums
e%ist for fitness professionals and practitioners to share their collective e%perience. )ttending
courses to train in different aspects of health and e%ercise is another source of ne #noledge and
can also contribute toards the /.2 points that a fitness professional must accumulate. The 6?.s
ebsite contains a list of all accredited /.2 courses.
Unit &: 'rinciples of eercise( fitness and health
Understand the effects of e%ercise on the body
/ardiovascular adaptions to /0 training all act to increase the performance of the body during
aerobic activities.
The size and thic#ness of the chambers of the heart, especially the left ventricle, increase
(hypertrophies) in order to increase stro#e volume and ma%imum cardiac output. This has
the effect of reducing 656 as a loer number of '.A is sufficient to provide the bodies
resting needs.
The density of capillaries in the muscles increases to allo improved blood supply to the
muscles.
The density and size of mitochondria in each muscle cell is increased in order to increase the
ma%imum rate of aerobic respiration.
The density of red blood cells in the blood and the total volume of blood in the body
increase to allo for more o%ygen to be transported in the bloodstream.
The chest becomes able to e%pand further increasing lung capacity.
/apillarisation of the alveoli increases to allo more efficient gaseous e%change.
Tidal volume increases reducing resting respiratory rate.
0ital capacity increases due to improvements in inspiratory and e%piratory reserve volumes.
2uring aerobic e%ercise systolic blood pressure increases significantly but diastolic blood pressure
does not. !n the long term as the body adapts to aerobic e%ercise both systolic and diastolic blood
pressure ill decrease slightly at rest compared to before adaptions.
'lood pooling is a potential effect of not loering the pulse gradually after /0 training and instead
stopping e%ercise suddenly. !t is caused by the heart still pumping a high volume of blood to the
legs hile the legs have stopped contracting reducing the volume of blood s1ueezed bac# through
the veins to the heart. !t can cause faintness or even, in e%treme cases, heart irregularities.
'ones and joints adapt to the demands placed on them during e%ercise in order to improve their
abilities to ithstand these stresses. 'ones become stronger and denser particularly in response to
resistance training that place longitudinal stresses on them. 'ony plates and calcium deposits are
placed along the lines of stress.
Coints become stronger and able to ithstand greater forces during e%ercises ithout injury as the
tendons and ligaments become stronger and the hyaline cartilage layers thic#en. 3tretching can
increase the 6<A of joints by ma#ing the ligaments slightly more fle%ible.
2elayed onset muscle soreness is the pain and stiffness felt in the muscle from a fe hours to
several days after e%ercise. !t is usually most intense beteen *- and >* hours after e%ercise then
fades in intensity. !t is most noticeable hen muscles are either stretched, contracted or touched
rather than hen completely at rest.
)ny e%ercise that the body is not sufficiently conditioned to can cause 2<As but heavy resistance
e%ercise, especially if it has a strenuous eccentric element, is the biggest cause.
2uring e%ercise the muscles become prepared for intense e%ertion. There is an increase in blood
flo to the muscles to allo more o%ygen to by absorbed by the muscle. The temperature of the
muscles increase and they become able to contract faster, stronger and more fre1uently.
8hen e%ercise is done regularly there are physical adaptions to the muscles that increase their
capacity in strength, endurance or fle%ibility. )erobic e%ercise causes hypertrophy in the cardiac
muscles and improve capillarisation in the s#eletal muscles, delaying the onset of fatigue during
e%ercise. 6esistance training ma#es the individual muscle fibres get thic#er increasing the strength
and size of the muscle, improving performance in poer and strength based activities. )ll of these
benefits ill be lost hen training stops.
8hile all s#eletal muscles have muscle tone in maintaining a normal healthy posture, some muscles
are specially important or commonly cause problems in a persons posture. 5aving a ea# erector
spinae, upper bac#, gluteals or abdominals is fre1uently an issue and tightness in the hip fle%ors and
hamstrings, the result of spending large amounts of time sitting don, can also cause problems.
The gluteals and spinae erectors can be strengthened by any e%ercise that targets the posterior chain.
This ma#es deadlifts, barbell s1uats, bridges and 6oman chair hyper$e%tensions all possible
elements in a solution. !mproved strength of the loer bac# e%tensor muscles ill ma#e it easy for
clients to maintain an upright posture and avoid slouching.
<ften individuals ill focus strongly on improving the size and strength of the pectorals at the
e%pense of other muscle groups because of aesthetic preferences. This can lead to the shoulder
girdle being in a state of permanent protraction. To remedy this e1ual care must be ta#en to
strengthen the antagonist muscles to the pectorals, the trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids and
the latissimus dorsi. Upper body pulling motions such as the chin up and barbell ro are possible
solutions.
The four major components of health related fitness are&
(. 3trength$ the ability of the muscles to apply force as they contract
*. 3tamina$ the ability of the energy systems(primarily the aerobic system but also the others
depending on the intensity of the e%ercise that must be sustained) to provide enough energy
to meet the demands of the body during sustained movement, and the ability of a specific
muscle group to contract continuously ithout fatiguing.
,. 3uppleness$ the range of movement possible at the joints.
-. 3omatype$ an individuals body type. ?ctomorphs ho have narro shoulders and hips and
less muscle and fat, endomorphs ho have pear shaped bodies ith ider hips and narro
shoulders and carry a lot more fat, and mesomorphs ho have proportionally ider
shoulders, narroer hips and more muscle ith little fat.
The si% components of s#ill related fitness are&
(. )gility$ the ability to change body position and movement direction 1uic#ly and precisely
*. 3peed$ the ability for the body or body part to move over a specific distance in as short a
time as possible
,. .oer$ the combination of speed and strength
-. 'alance$ the ability to maintain the bodies e1uilibrium either during static holds or during
dynamic movements
;. /o$ordination$ the ability of the body to move accurately and precisely through comple%
motor tas#s. !t can involve several s#ills in se1uence.
=. 6eaction time$ the time ta#en for the body to respond to sensory input
3ome factors that can influence health and s#ill related fitness are" ta#ing regular physical activity,
regular e%ercise, healthy diet, sufficient rest and sleep, not smo#ing, limiting consumption of drugs
and alcohol, coping ell ith stress.
Unit ): 'romote health safety and #elfare in active leisure and recreation
Bno ho to promote health, safety and elfare in active leisure and recreation
The 6?.s code of practice for fitness professionals, and the 5ealth and 3afety at 8or# )ct both
provide guidelines on health and safety for the fitness industry.
The 5ealth and 3afety at 8or# )ct gives both employers and employees legal responsibilities in
relation to health and fitness in any or#place. !t states that L!t shall be the duty of every employer
to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and elfare at or# of all his9her
employees. This covers providing a or#place and or#place e1uipment that is safe and free from
hazards, the safe storage of harmful articles and substances and the provision of ade1uate health
and safety training and e1uipment.
?mployees are re1uired to act in a manner that is beneficial for their on and for the people around
theirs health and safety, and to co$operate fully ith the health and safety measures ta#en by the
employer.
Aanufacturers guidelines for the safe usage of their fitness e1uipment ill usually be displayed on
instructional stic#ers on each piece of fitness e1uipment for the benefit of any users. They ill
normally also e%plain the muscle groups activated in a particular e%ercise.
!t is important to maintain high standards of health, safety and elfare for many reasons in a fitness
environment. !njury and accidents can hold people bac# from achieving their fitness goals and
discourage them from participating in e%ercise. This ill reduce client satisfaction and damage
client retention and referrals.
!n a fitness environment everyone has responsibilities to maintain health and safety although the
specific responsibilities ill be different. The employer must put a health and safety policy into
place, and ensure that employees have ade1uate training and e1uipment to put that policy in place.
?mployees must carry out their or# in accordance ith those policies and clients must use the
fitness space folloing the health and safety practices promoted by the gym.
3ecurity measures that can be useful in a gym environment ould include having a reception des#
that is alays staffed to engage ith people coming in and out of the building, //T0 cameras so
that video footage of any incidents can be revieed, ade1uate loc#s and doors to secure the building
hen closed, loc#ers so that customers can #eep their belongings safe, and not alloing the number
of staff on shift in the gym to be too little.
Bno ho to control ris#s in active leisure and recreation
5azards can be identified by loo#ing around the or# environment and going through the basic
health, safety and security chec#s for anything problematic.
4ire e%its should be chec#ed to ensure that they are not obstructed
?1uipment should be chec#ed to ensure that it is all or#ing correctly
/ables should not be left trailing across the floors
8eights and other trip hazards should be cleared aay from the floor
8eights should not be resting on benches and other raised surfaces
//T0 cameras should be in or#ing order and recording
3tore cupboards should be #ept loc#ed
.osters giving health and safety reminders for clients should be up on the alls
There should be an ade1uate number of staff on shift
!f you are unsure about hether or not something that you have concerns about in the or#place
can be considered a health and safety ris#, alays as# a manager, supervisor, or any person
designated to be in charge of health and safety, for advice. This is important to ensure that there is
no uncertainty about hat constitutes a hazard so that steps can alays be ta#en to reduce ris# in the
or#place.
/olleagues and customers should alays be encouraged to behave in a safe manner to create a
culture in the gym that minimise the ris# of injury or accidents. This advice should be given in a
diplomatic ay hoever . ) very direct or harsh9critical tone of voice may be less effective at
influencing their behaviour in a positive ay than being friendly, informative and constructive.
3uggestions about health and safety issues should alays be made henever you recognise that
there is space for improvement. 3ometimes even the official or#place policies regarding health
and safety may even be inade1uate or inappropriate for the actual health and safety needs of the
gym. This is especially important as it ill act to perpetuate and normalise bad practice and must
be remedies asap.
8hoever is responsible for health and safety should be informed so that the changes can be made to
general or#place practice and to the official guidelines and operating procedures that govern it.
Bno ho to help to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable adults
3afeguarding is the act of putting measures into place to prevent harm or damage. )nyone that is
considered to be vulnerable ill need to have safeguarding measures put into place to protect their
elfare. /hildren, the sic#, the elderly, the disabled, and adults ith special needs all ill be
considered vulnerable, therefore procedures ill have to be implemented in order to ensure their
ell being.
4itness professionals have a responsibility to ensure that safeguarding measures are ta#en in their
or#place any time that vulnerable individuals are in the training environment. They must alays
be vigilant for any signs of abuse.
)buse can come in different forms and all can sometimes have indicators that they are happening
(. financial abuse might become noticeable if a client seems to be lac#ing in nutrition or
clothing, or they suddenly seem stressed about money or training e%penses.
*. physical abuse could be spotted if a client has burns, bruises or other physical injuries, or if
a client is shiying aay from physical contact
,. se%ual abuse is a possibility hen clients appear ithdran, depressed or if young children
use very se%ually e%plicit language or gestures
-. neglect of a vulnerable client could become apparent in similar ays to financial abuse
.otential abusers of vulnerable people are a ris# to their happiness and ell$being. 0ulnerable
people could have their physical or emotional and psychological health harmed, their self esteem
and independence damaged, and their financial situation ruined through abuse.
)ny fitness organisation that has clients that can be considered vulnerable needs to have procedures
in place to ensure safeguarding. .roper training for staff in recognising the signs of abuse ill
improve the chances of abuse being e%posed and effective and easy reporting procedures ill then
ensure that appropriate action can be ta#en. .rocedures ill also have to ensure that concerns about
abuse that has been reported internally ill be then be passed onto the relevant agencies.
)ny time that a fitness professional is concerned about a potential case of abuse it should be
reported to the relevant person in the operating procedures in the organisation. !f the suspected
abuser is in fact that person, or action is never ta#en despite proper reporting then the authorities
could be notified directly. The employer should alays ta#e the concerns seriously but if they donFt
the fitness professional shouldnFt allo it be a barrier to the concerns being reported.
8hen someone chooses to disclose abuse its very important to respond appropriately. Mou should
listen calmly and offer to go to a 1uiet place, tell them that you believe them and reassure them that
disclosing as the right thing to do, listen to hat they have to say and let them ta#e their time and
finally ensure that it is reported to the appropriate people.
)ccording to 3ection -> of the /hildren )ct (N@N :ocal authorities have a statutory responsibility
to investigate reports of abuse of children. !t is appropriate to contact them directly hen you feel
that the needed action hasnFt been ta#en by your employer despite you raising concerns. The
appropriate local authority and department to contact ith safeguarding concerns, and their contact
telephone numbers, can be easily found online. !f it is unclear ho to contact then the local police
can be another option, ho ill then ensure that all other responsible agencies ill be informed.
/oncerns about abuse must be shared ith the relevant individuals in order to prevent any abuse
from continuing. !f abuse is never reported it may never be challenged and stopped.
)lthough a client may choose to confide in their fitness professional, they should not act outside of
their professional capacity or area of e%pertise once by deciding to investigate the claims, provide
therapy or other services to the victim or confronting the alleged abuser. <nce the concerns have
been reported relevant authorities ill ta#e over all necessary tas#s.
) fitness professional ill have responsibilities to respect the individual ho has come forards
confidentiality. The appropriate individual or agencies can be informed but otherise no$one else
should be unless the client decides. !f confidentiality cannot be ensured then it ill discourage
victims from coming forard hen they have been abused.
Bno ho to deal ith injuries and signs of illness
) ide variety of accidents, injuries and illnesses may occur in a fitness environment
Auscle9tendon strains
Auscle9tendon tears
:igament sprains
Tendonitis
'ruises
'listers
)brasions
/ramp
/uts
3titch
8inding
/oncussion
)sthma attac#s
3hoc#
5yperventilation
5ypothermia
5yperthermia
5eat e%haustion
2ehydration
5eat stro#e
?%haustion
!f a client or colleague is e%periencing emotional distress then it is important to respond in a calm
and positive ay that ill help the situation, being a#ard or an%ious is li#ely to ma#e the
situation orse. The best ay to provide comfort and reassurance is&
(. )ssess the situation and determine the cause of their distress. !dentify if there are any
hazards that should be dealt ith first
*. )ssess your on state of mind, if you have been affected to by the source of distress then
you may not be calm enough to offer assistance.
,. !f you determine yourself to be able to help then introduce yourself 1uic#ly if they do not
#no you and just say that you ant to help
-. :isten to hat they have to say and hat they feel could help themselves. !f they as# for
things that are practical to do immediately then you can help them if not just continue to
listen to and reassure them.
;. 2o not crod their personal space as although some people may respond ell to hugs for
comfort for others it may increase physical an%iety because it has croded their physical
space to move
=. !t is best to create an atmosphere of security and calmness to help to soothe their emotional
state
8hen accidents and injuries occur in the gym environment it is a fitness professionals responsibility
to remain calm, ensure that the casualty and others are protected from further harm, to call for
1ualified assistance, provide reassurance and comfort to those involved and finally to give the
1ualified assistants clear and accurate information about the incident hen they arrive.
?mergency services should alays be called immediately if the incident is suspected to be an
emergency. !f you are unsure hether the incident is an emergency or not then emergency services
should still be called as a precaution, then the designated first aider should be located. There are
many signs that an incident could be considered an emergency but unconsciousness, major
bleeding, or severe pain are signs.
The designated first aider should alays be made clear during every shift to all members of staff,
and can be contacted via the reception des# and if necessary an announcement can be made to
locate them.
The emergency services can be contacted by dialling DDD. !f the fitness professional is not carrying
a phone on their person then the phone at the reception des# or office should be used. <nce the
ambulance service has been re1uested then they should have as much details about the situation as
possible e%plained to them, for e%ample as the incident a fall, is there bleeding, is the casualty
conscious etc. The address of the gym should be clearly e%plained, including the location of the
front entrance if it can be unclear, and contact details left ith emergency services.
.reventing further harm, to the casualty and to others, until 1ualified assistance can be received is
one of the most important jobs for a fitness professional in this situation. !f the injury or illness
becomes more severe it can ma#e the medical prognosis much orse for the casualty, hile if
others become injured too it ill only increase the pressure on the first aider or emergency services
leaving them more strained to provide ade1uate care. 3teps can be ta#en to prevent further harm by
ensuring that the individual ceases any further e%ercise, by preventing onloo#ers from croding
around the casualty or source of danger, and by preventing the casualty from moving if they are
injured. 2uring this time comfort and reassurance should be provided to #eep the casualty as calm
as possible until medical attention can be received. 8ithout reassurance and comfort a client may
panic, ma#ing it more difficult to provide medical assistance, and may ma#e attempts to move
causing further injury. !f this panic spreads to onloo#ers then it can increase the chances of harm
coming to other as ell.
4itness professionals have a responsibility to report accidents according to the or#places standard
operating procedures. 2epending on the severity of the accident the appropriate course of action
may be contacting the emergency services, the designated first aider, or just to ma#e a note of the
incident in the accident log boo#.
Bno ho to follo emergency procedures
The emergency procedures in a fitness or#place ill be documented in the procedures and policies
set out by the gym management. 2epending on the emergency in 1uestion it may involve
contacting emergency services, evacuating the gym, and contacting designated first aiders. !t ill
specify assembly points and have full details of evacuation routes and also ill have contact details
for all staff.
!f an evacuation is re1uired, for e%ample hen a fire alarm has gone off, then staff ill be e%pected
to inform all of the clients hile encouraging everyone to remain calm and to evacuate in an orderly
manner and assemble at the fire assembly point. 3taff should ma#e sure that clients in all parts of
the gym are informed e.g. changing rooms, and announcements can be made over the intercom.
<ne member of staff ill need to contact emergency services.
)fter an emergency, although emergency services ill already have been informed, senior
management ho ere not on the site should be contacted and made aare. They may launch an
investigation into the circumstances leading up to the emergency to try to prevent similar
emergencies from occurring in the future.
.roblems can sometimes be encountered during emergency procedures especially if the situation
becomes intense and chaotic. /ommunication can be difficult if the environment is noisy,
telephone lines or electricity may cease to function, panic#ed groups of people may form crushes to
escape, or individuals may struggle to be located.
)ll such problems should be reported to senior management so that emergency procedures can be
improved in future to have contingency plans in place to deal ith similar situations in the future.
Unit *: 'lan and prepare gym+,ased eercise
Bno ho to plan and prepare gym$based e%ercise
8hen creating an e%ercise programme for a client it is important to thin# carefully and consider the
options hen designing the programme in order to ensure that the programme is safe and effective
in achieving the clients fitness goals. ?ven ithin a programme each individual session should be
ell prepared so that the instructor is able to deliver the most professional and complete instruction.
The client ! am training for this assessment is /ordell, ho ishes to improve his strength, cardio
and fle%ibility. !n other ords he ants to improve his all around fitness levels. Therefore the
programme must include e%ercises that target each of these areas of fitness. 2ue to his age he falls
under the category of older clients and special considerations must be ta#en to consider his age
hen implementing a programme for him. 5is age and fitness levels mean that he may struggle
initially to adapt to an e%ercise programme so a good fitness programme must anticipate that.
!n /ordellFs case he can be helped ith motivation to adhere to his e%ercise program by
implementing a number of teaching and motivational techni1ues.
(. Trac# his progress each session to monitor increases in fitness levels. 5aving evidence of
improvements can help ith motivation.
*. :ong term goals can be bro#en don into a se1uence of achievable short term goals
,. <ver time becoming familiar ith his moods and temperaments, and learning hat sort of
attitudes, tone of voice and encouragement he ill respond to best and using them in order
to improve his motivation
For additional evidence see attached exercise programme
Bno ho to collect and analyse relevant information
'efore any client is accepted to begin e%ercise in a gym or as a personal training client a screening
process ill be implemented in order to ensure that the clients health is suitable for e%ercise
participation and to protect the fitness professional from liability. This screening process can
include 1uestionnaires, conversations ith the client, a gym induction and basic fitness9health
assessment that might include measurements of eight, height, aist circumference as ell as
observation and recording of clients during light aerobic activity etc. 4actors that can affect the
suitability of the client for e%ercise participation can include current fitness levels, age, eight,
diseases and health problems, injuries9chronic pains, medication and disabilities.
!n order to plan gym based e%ercise the above information ill need to be ta#en into consideration
as ell the clients fitness goals. !n order to create an e%ercise programme all of this information is
re1uired so that the trainer understands both the clients current ability and and hat e%ercises to
include to achieve their fitness goals.
!f hen client fills out the .)6O, physical activity readiness 1uestionnaire, they indicate that they
have some health concerns or injuries then e%ercise participation should be deferred until a doctor
can confirm that the client is able to participate in gym based e%ercise. !f a client is sic# ith a flue
or other mild illness then e%ercise participation can be temporarily postponed just long enough for
the client to get better and return to full strength. The .)6O is designed to indicate henever a
client ill have any of the most common concerns that should be addressed before commencing an
e%ercise program.
!f the client indicates through the .)6$O or any other aspect of the screening process then they may
need to be referred to another professional before beginning an e%ercise programme. This is to
protect both the clients from illness or injury from participating in an unsuitable e%ercise
programme and the gym and fitness instructor from any liability resulting from harming a client.
The .)6$O forms should be stored and filed safely as evidence that can be referred bac# to if
necessary.
)n informed consent form is given to a client so that they can confirm in riting and ith their
signature that they have fully understood the facts, implications and potential conse1uences of
engaging in an e%ercise programme. !t does not e%cuse an instructor from responsibility caused by
improper e%ercise instruction or programme design but it does sho that a client accepts
responsibility for the ris#s inherent to even a safe e%ercise programme.
!n an emergency situation, there ill be an evacuation here individuals ill leave the building and
gather at the assembly point outside. .eople can be chec#ed off the visitor list to ensure that no$one
is still trapped inside the building. The emergency services ill be called, and any injured people
can be treated by designated first aiders until the ambulance service arrives.
Bno ho to plan a safe and effective gym based e%ercise programme ith clients
8hen all the information about a ne client has been gathered it should be loo#ed over to see if
there is anything concerning. 4actors such as eight, aist measurements, age, disability or
hereditary health problems may all influence the type of e%ercise programme that a client should
underta#e or the fitness goals that ould be most beneficial to them, although the clients on
personal e%ercise preferences or goals must also be ta#en into consideration.
2epending on the clients fitness goals and potential the specific activities included in an e%ercise
programme ill be different and ill re1uire different e1uipment. The e1uipment used for building
strength, free eights and resistance machines, ill be different than the e1uipment used for
building /0 fitness, cardiovascular machines.
Aany environmental factors ill have to be ta#en into consideration hen determining the safety of
a group or individual or#ing space.
The availability of health and safety e1uipment such as a first aid #it or defibrillators
.roper ventilation
Aatted floors for floor based e%ercises
)de1uate fire alarms, fire e%tinguishers and fire escapes for the building
The amount of space available for each participant to train safely ithout colliding ith or
obstructing each other
4itness goals must alays be ultimately agreed to by the client even if an instructor might already
have his9her on ideas about hat ould be most beneficial. !f a client does not agree to their
e%ercise goals then they are less li#ely to enjoy and adhere to their e%ercise program and to achieve
fitness goals and enjoy the benefits of improved health and fitness. They ill also be much less
li#ely to refer friends to the same instructor.
8hen planning a e%ercise programme for a client there should be a procedure for dealing ith ris#
assessment9management. !t ill involve loo#ing for hazards in the training environment,
determining the ris# they pose, and implementing any steps that can reduce the ris# as much as
practical. 5azards that cannot be easily rectified should be brought to the attention of management
so that they can ma#e changes to the training environment.
!f health and safety is managed poorly it can have sever conse1uences for all parties. /lients and
staff can become injured, client retention and referrals ill be poor, there may be legal
repercussions for the gym etc.
Bno ho to prepare self and e1uipment for a gym based e%ercise program
?1uipment must be chec#ed on a very regular basis to ensure that it is functioning correctly and to
chec# if replacements or repairs may be necessary. )ny e1uipment that is faulty in a gym
environment must be disabled so that clients cannot continue to use it and become injured, then
replaced or repaired promptly.
Typical guidelines for maintenance of e%ercise machines ould be
/lean upholstery ith a mild solution of ashing up li1uid in ater for light soiling or a
light solution of bleach in ater for more heavy soiling. 8ipe ith a damp cloth to remove
residues from cleaning products afterards.
3eat can be corrosive in the long term and therefore all frames on e%ercise e1uipment
should be iped don on a ee#ly basis although abrasive cleaners should be avoided as
they can create openings in protective coatings
:ight scratches can be minimised by being polished
?nsure that all nuts and bolts are tightly secured
)ll belts and cables should be replaced at least once a year but should be inspected
thoroughly more often. )ny fraying, arping, narroing and stretching, peeling of coatings
mean that the belt or cable should be replaced.
!nstructional posters and stic#ers should be replaced hen they begin to peel off or ear out
grips should be inspected for ear or damage and replaced hen appropriate
.oered /0 machines should be chec#ed before use to ensure that there are no uncovered trailing
ires that may create a trip hazard. )ll resistance machines, free eight rac#s and benches should
be chec#ed to ensure that they are functioning correctly (see maintenance procedures above).
8eights, dumbbells and barbells should be stored in the correct locations in the gym so that they do
not create clutter and hazards in the gym space. .rotective floor mats can either be pre laid out in a
space designated for clients to use, or stac#ed up to the side of the room so that people can lay them
out hen they specifically need to use them.
4ree eight e1uipment should be stored in built for purpose rac#s placed firmly on the ground.
'arbells and dumbbells ill also have purpose made rac#s for storage, and should, if they have
adjustable eights, be stored ithout any eight plates on them.
8hen lifting and moving eights and e%ercise e1uipment around the gym safe manual handling
techni1ues should be employed. 4irstly the necessity of the tas# and the ris# involved must be
assessed. !f the tas# is necessary but constitutes a ris# then a number of steps can be ta#en to ma#e
it safer&
(. 4irst the load should be reduced if possible, for e%ample a fully loaded barbell can be
unloaded and each eight plate moved individually
*. )ny obstacles that could ma#e the lifting tas# more hazardous should be cleared aay
,. The load can be lifted together by to or more people
-. The load can be lifted ith correct lifting techni1ue and posture
'efore a gym instructor can instruct gym based e%ercise they should be 1ualified, have liability
insurance and be registered ith 6?.s. .ossessing a 6?.s certified 1ualification shos that an
instructor has the necessary level of #noledge, hile membership of 6?.s constitutes an
agreement to operate according to their codes of practice and to continue professional development.
?nsuring that fitness instructors can provide evidence of the above ill help to ensure that they are
fully prepared.
For more evidence see unit 5 learning outcome 1, unit 5 learning outcome 2, and the risk
assessment form
Unit -: Instruct and supervise gym ,ased eercise
Bno ho to prepare clients for gym based e%ercise
The arm$up is a crucial part of any or#out, hatever the age of the e%ercise participant. !t
functions to prepare the body for the more demanding training that ill follo. 3ynovial fluid ill
be secreted into the joint capsule reducing friction and hite fibro cartilage ill become increased
in size to absorb the shoc# and impacts of movement. The heart ill beat faster and harder to pump
blood to the lungs and to the muscles and breathing ill become deeper and more rapid to ma%imise
the transfer of o%ygen to the blood. The muscles tendons and ligaments ill have increased blood
flo and become more fle%ible, alloing greater range of motion at the joints, and able to handle
larger forces. ?ndorphins, adrenaline and other hormones ill be released into the bloodstream to
improve performance and alertness. and the nervous system ill become prepared to trigger more
e%plosive movements.
/lients need to understand all of these physical benefits of the arm up during e%ercise so that they
ill alays arm up ade1uately before training.
) arm up should begin ith mobilisation e%ercises to gradually get the joints moving through a
larger range of motion, and encourage the lubricating of the joint capsule ith synovial fluid. +e%t
a /0 arm up of about ; minutes should be prepared, bringing the clients 56 to about ;;$=;G of
A56, and bac# don slightly. This /0 e%ercise could be running, cycling or any other aerobic
e%ercise. 4inally gentle stretches,dynamic or static, can be incorporated to prepare the joints and
muscles for movements through a larger 6<A.
4itness advice is important to ensure that e%ercise participants ill do or#outs that are appropriate
to reaching their training goals and that are safe and suitable for their fitness levels, and to ensure
that injury can be avoided by practising good techni1ue and e%ercise programming. The best ay
to offer it to someone in a gym environment is by being friendly, clear, #noledgeable and avoiding
being patronising.
Bno ho to instruct gym$based e%ercise
The e%ercise programme has been designed to improve the all round fitness levels of a ne client.
Auscular strength, aerobic fitness and fle%ibility are all being targeted through the use of resistance
machines, free eights, /0 machines, bodyeight e%ercises and stretches.
/lients co$ordination can be built up gradually through a se1uence of e%ercises of increasing
difficulty or intensity in both a single session and over the course of an entire e%ercise program.
2uring a single e%ercise session, a complete arm up ill prepare the clients muscles and /+3 to
perform more strenuous or comple% movement patterns. <ver a number of regular e%ercise
sessions the muscles, joints, and /+3 ill all undergo a series of adaptions to improve
co$ordination during e%ercise. Auscle strength and fle%ibility, joint 6<A, /+3 efficiency, balance,
agility and proprioception ill all improve.
8hen transferring a client to another fitness professional, or hen multiple trainers are involved in
a training program there must be a handover of information to #eep everyone up to date about the
program. The session plans for the or#outs, performance evaluations, long and short term fitness
goals, any injury concerns and the full e%ercise programmes should be shared.
For additional evidence see attached exercise programme
Bno ho to observe and supervise gym based e%ercise
The needs of the client are safe and effective e%ercise routines in order to achieve their specific
e%ercise goals. The potential of the clients is the limits for intensity, duration or other factors in
their e%ercise programme that their fitness level gives them the ability to perform.
5azards that can occur during a training session may be as a result of the physical e%ertion itself.
This can manifest in asthma attac#s, dehydration, overheating etc. The ris# can be managed by
ensuring that clients ith pre$e%isting health conditions are referred initially to their doctor before
any e%ercise programme begins, by ensuring an appropriate level of intensity of e%ercise for the
clients fitness level, and by ensuring proper hydration during training.
3ome hazards ill be from environmental factors" trip hazards, fire escape obstructions, people
getting too close and #noc#ing into the e%erciser, and faulty or e%posed e%ercise machinery ill all
come under this category.
<ther hazards can result from the tiredness during e%ercise leading to poor motor co$ordination and
reduced mental focus, hich increases the ris# of injuries from performing e%ercises ith poor
techni1ue.
4itness professionals should direct their health and safety concerns to their employer, hose role it
is to create the health and safety procedures that staff ill follo. )ccidents ill probably need to
be logged in an accident boo#, and the designated first aiders ill need to be alerted hen there are
injuries.
'efore a ne client is trained for the first time it is important to e%plain basic postural concepts that
are fre1uently used in e%ercises before commencing the e%ercise program itself. +eutral spine, hip
girdle rotation, rist to forearm alignment, #nee hip and an#le alignment must all be e%plained so
that the teaching points can be communicated more easily in the middle of fitness instruction.
!f a client is struggling ith an e%ercise due to insufficient fitness levels, injury or hatever reason
it is better to ma#e adaptations rather than continuing and ris#ing injury. e.g. a ne client initially
struggles ith press ups due to ea# muscles or joints a program of gradually harder press up
variations can be implemented over a number of ee#s9months as their fitness level increases. <r a
clients is injured but has been advised by a 1ualified professional to continue pressing type motions
ith smaller resistance as a form of rehab.
(. all push up
*. push up on the edge of a ledge9table
,. #nee push up
-. full push up
;. close hands push up
=. uneven push up ith one hand on a medicine ball
>. etc.
8hen motivating clients during a fitness session it ill be important to ensure that different tones of
voice, volumes and pitches can be used. 2epending on the clients personality they ill respond
ell to different instruction" one client may li#e being shouted at drill sergeant style hile another
might prefer encouraging positive reinforcement. )ssertive, aggressive, upbeat, calm, passionate
and easy going ays of projecting the voice are all appropriate for different clients and fitness
professionals ill ideally be fle%ible in their teaching style.
Bno ho to bring a gym based e%ercise session to an end
The cool don functions to allo the body and the 56 to return to its normal resting state gradually
rather than suddenly. 'y inding the heart rate don gradually enough blood flo can be
maintained to the s#eletal muscles to aid in repaying the o%ygen debt, metabolising any lactic acid
build$up in the muscles or transporting it to the liver. !f the cool don is not performed then blood
can also end up pooling in the legs as the heart continues to beat fast hile the muscles do not
s1ueeze as much blood bac# through the veins as they are contracting less. This pooling of blood in
the legs can cause fainting or dizziness or even, in e%treme cases, heart irregularities.
The cool don stretches, performed after the pulse loering, are done to maintain and increase
fle%ibility at a time hen the muscles are arm and pliable from the or#out. They also can aid in
1uic# recovery and reduce the severity of 2<A3.
/lients need to understand the purpose and value of a cool don as they ill not be motivated to
perform one if they do not.
)ny form of cardiovascular e%ercise is suitable for the pulse loering element of a cool don e.g.
treadmill, cross trainer, step machine. 8hatever e%ercise is selected the intensity is gradually
reduced to allo the heart rate to come bac# to resting levels gradually. 3tatic stretches held for
beteen (;$,D seconds are suitable for use in post or#out stretching.