What Is Programming? And How To Get Started
January 28, 2025
Article
This course is part of NASM Personal Fitness Trainer Professional Certificate
Instructor: Casey DeJong
Included with
Recommended experience
Beginner level
Learners should have completed Courses 1 and 2 in the PFT specialization to enhance their understanding and success in this course.
Recommended experience
Beginner level
Learners should have completed Courses 1 and 2 in the PFT specialization to enhance their understanding and success in this course.
Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic exercises and design personalized training programs using the FITTE-VP principle.
Integrate flexibility and strength training to improve dynamic range of motion and stabilize force production.
Apply stage training principles to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness and prevent overtraining.
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November 2024
26 assignments
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In this course, you will learn to identify appropriate exercises to meet each client's specific needs and objectives. This involves understanding a client’s current fitness level, any limitations or health concerns, and their desired outcomes. By selecting the right exercises, you can help clients achieve their goals safely and effectively. It is also important to be able to identify appropriate exercise modifications for specific client requirements. This may involve adjusting the intensity, duration, or type of exercise to accommodate the client's needs. By making these modifications, you can help clients continue to progress toward their goals while minimizing the risk of injury. It is also essential to be able to coach and cue clients through exercises they have never performed before. This involves providing clear and concise instructions, demonstrating proper form and technique, and providing feedback and encouragement to help clients perform the exercises correctly and safely.
By the end of the course, you will be able to: • Identify appropriate exercises to meet client needs. • Identify appropriate exercise modifications for specific client requirements. • Build safe and effective exercise programs. • Coach and cue clients through exercises they have never performed before.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is arguably the most important component of physical fitness, is the best indicator of overall health, and is necessary to sustain the energy requirements of everyday life. Effective cardiorespiratory fitness levels help maintain recommended body weight. Upon completion of this week’s lessons, the aspiring fitness professional will be able to:
6 videos9 readings6 assignments2 plugins
Flexibility training addresses the growing postural imbalances caused by sedentary lifestyles, enhancing overall musculoskeletal health. Essential for fitness professionals, flexibility training reduces low back pain, joint pain, and overuse injuries. Flexibility, defined as the normal extensibility of all soft tissue allowing full joint range of motion, is optimized through dynamic range of motion, integrating flexibility and neuromuscular control. Effective flexibility training involves various techniques, such as self-myofascial release and static and dynamic stretching, each contributing to improved neuromuscular efficiency and overall physical function. Understanding the benefits and appropriate application of these techniques is crucial for designing comprehensive fitness programs. Upon completion of this week’s lessons, the aspiring fitness professional will be able to:
6 videos8 readings6 assignments3 plugins
Core training is a vital component of fitness that goes beyond strengthening the abdominals to enhance overall body function. It plays a critical role in improving posture, performance, and resistance to injury by engaging a variety of muscles in and around the trunk region. The core, which includes the pelvis, lower back, and associated muscles, is the body’s balance point and the origin of all movement. A well-structured core training program targets both the movement and stabilization systems, ensuring optimal joint function and dynamic stability. Understanding and implementing core training principles is essential for fitness professionals to help clients achieve better physical performance and prevent injuries. Upon completion of this week’s lessons, the aspiring fitness professional will be able to:
2 videos8 readings6 assignments5 plugins
Resistance training is a fundamental component of fitness programs, crucial for helping clients achieve their performance and health goals. Effective resistance training programs are built on key principles such as adaptation, specificity, and periodization, which ensure progressive overload and proper recovery to maximize benefits and prevent injuries. Understanding these principles enables fitness professionals to design customized, efficient resistance training programs that cater to individual needs and enhance overall physical performance. This comprehensive approach helps maintain high exercise adherence and reduces the risk of injury, ultimately leading to better fitness outcomes for clients. Upon completion of this week’s lessons, the aspiring fitness professional will be able to:
5 videos10 readings7 assignments3 plugins
The final quiz is designed to assess you understanding and mastery of the key concepts covered throughout the course. It will include questions from all the major topics discussed in Weeks 1 to 4, ensuring that you have a solid grasp of the principles and practices of exercise programming. The final peer-reviewed assignment assesses your practical skills in comparing aerobic and anaerobic exercises, designing personalized workout plans, and applying theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. This assignment will provide hands-on experience tailoring fitness programs to individual needs, a crucial skill for personal fitness trainers. By completing it, you will demonstrate your ability to differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic exercises, use the FITTE-VP principle, and implement stage training principles to design a comprehensive cardiorespiratory training program.
1 assignment1 peer review
For 34 years, the National Academy of Sports Medicine has been world-renowned for the quality of our personal trainers and the scientific rigor of our program. NASM offers an online Certified Personal Training program as well as NASM specializations to take your personal training skills to a whole new level. NASM courses were developed using our proprietary Optimum Performance Training™ (OPT™) model, a system based on scientific, evidence-based research. These courses maximize your skills and ability to help your clients excel beyond ordinary expectations, while improving your career opportunities.
Specialization
Case Western Reserve University
Course
Rice University
Course
American Council on Exercise
Specialization
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