2. WARM UP  What do you think are some of the pros of having a job as an SCS?  What do you think are some of the cons?  Is this a career you may be interested in pursuing? Why or why not?  Assignment: Interview an SCS and ask them about their job – what is a normal day like, what are the pros, cons, challenges, etc.?

3. What is Physical Fitness?  A person who is physically fit has the strength, endurance, and mental well-being to be comfortable in daily, recreational, and sport activities.  Physical fitness can have different interpretations/meanings from one person to another.  Example: A business woman who works out at the gym three times a week and plays on the company’s softball team requires different physical fitness levels of her body than an Olympic long distance runner. Both may be physically fit to their own capacity.  An SCS’s job is to meet the individual needs of their clients and to help them meet their specific goals.

4. The High Demand for Strength & Conditioning Specialists (SCS)  Americans naturally want to look and feel better.  Americans have a high interest in fitness for many different reasons.  Some are motivated by wanting to live healthy, active lifestyles, while others are influenced by celebrities that are glorified in the media.  Athletes are motivated by gaining strength and endurance to excel in their sport.

5. Are You “Fit” for the Job?  Personal Qualities of a Strength and Conditioning Specialist:  Caring  Motivational  Dependable  Sense of Humor  Fun  Leadership Skills  People Person  Good Listening Skills  Sincere Desire to Help Clients  Compassionate  Positive Attitude  Healthy Body (Practice what you Preach!)

6. Are You “Fit” for the Job?  Job Skills of a Strength and Conditioning Specialist:  Knowledgeable – Anatomy, Physiology, Fitness, Nutrition  Billing/Accounting Skills  Computer Skills  Marketing and Advertising Skills  Entrepreneurial Skills  Organization Skills  Multitasking skills = skills that enable a person to competently perform more than one task at a time.

7. Career Opportunities  Variety of career options involved with fitness instruction.  Job titles will vary depending on the level of education and type of certification.  Education and certification for many of these positions will vary by state and facility.  All must be CPR certified!!  Examples:  Personal Trainers  Fitness Specialists  Exercise Leaders  Health/Fitness Directors  Health/Fitness Instructors  Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists  Strength Coaches

8. Educational Requirements Personal Trainer  National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) An accredited certification program for personal training. Upon passing a challenging exam you will become a NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT). Credentials are widely respected and internationally recognized.

9. Educational Requirements Personal Trainer  American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) An accredited certification program for personal training and many others. ACSM Certified Personal Training (cPT): To take the certification exam it requires - a high school diploma and a current CPR certification. ACSM Health Fitness Instructor (HFI): To take the certification exam you must have an associate’s (2 year) or bachelor’s (4 year) degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university and be certified in CPR. www.acsm.org

10. Educational Requirements Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist  CSCS = Strength and Conditioning Specialist.  Certification is awarded by the NSCA.  Must hold a bachelor’s degree in a health related field from an accredited college or university OR  Enrolled as a senior in a health-related field at an accredited college/university.  CPR certified.  Pass the CSCS exam.  www.nsca-cc.org www.nsca-cc.org

11. Warm Up  ____________ skills are when a person is able to competently perform more than one task at a time.  Educational requirements to achieve a certification in personal training or strength and conditioning will vary, however all require a _______ certification.  True or False – To become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) you only need a high school diploma.  What are the two associations that offer personal training certifications?  True or False – You must pass a challenging exam to receive your personal training certification.  True or False – The minimum educational requirements to become a Health Fitness Instructor (HFI) it a two year associate’s degree.

12. Working with Clients  Important to establish rapport.  Rapport = good relationship.  Build trust  Establish good communication.

13. Evaluating Physical Fitness  Before starting a client on a fitness program, evaluate their current level of fitness.  Using both types of evaluations will help an SCS develop their client’s program.  Can also serve as a pre and post test to track your client’s progress.  Objective vs. Subjective Evaluation  Objective = measurable facts (height, weight, blood pressure, flexibility, etc.)  Subjective = client’s perception of their physical fitness, information that they tell you that is not observable.  See the subjective evaluation example, and fill it out.

14. Factors to Consider When Developing Fitness Programs 1 )Skill Factors:  Eye-hand coordination  Coordination  Balance  Speed  Power  Basic sport background 2) Health Factors:  Strength  Cardiovascular Endurance  Muscular Endurance  Flexibility  Body Composition  Physical Capabilities/Limitations Both are objective – they can be observed and measured!

15. Health Factors - Strength  Strength = the ability of a muscle to exert a maximum force against a resistance.  One of the most visible aspects of fitness because when muscles increase in strength they also do in size.  Balance of strength is very important!  For example, if a client works the biceps for 3 sets of 10, the triceps should be worked the same.

16. Health Factors – Cardiovascular Endurance  Cardiovascular Endurance = the ability of the heart, blood vessels and lungs to perform efficiently during sustained physical activities.  Most important aspect of physical fitness!  The heart is a muscle that pumps blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.  Examples: Jogging, swimming, cycling, walking.  Enables a person to develop the ability to perform daily or athletic tasks without getting excessively tired.  Helps prevent injuries – fatigue is a contributing factor to injuries.

17. Health Factors – Muscular Endurance  Muscle Endurance = the ability of a muscle or a group of muscles to apply repeated force over a period of time.  Example: The number of push-ups a person can do in a minute or the number of pitches a person can throw before fatigue sets in.

18. Health Factors – Flexibility  Flexibility = the ability to stretch a muscle through its full range of motion (ROM) without causing pain.  Most overlooked aspect of fitness.  Prevents injuries.

19. Health Factors – Body Composition  Body Composition = the ratio between lean body mass and fat. Generally read as body fat percentage.  More useful than weight in determining level of fitness.  Muscle is more dense than fat, therefore weight alone can be misleading.  Example: 2 men who both weight 200 lbs. can have different body fat %.  Excessive fat can lead to increased risk of health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

20. Health Factors – Physical Capabilities/Limitations  Does your client have?  Physical Capabilities = physical health characteristics that increase one’s physical abilities and that must be considered in the development of a fitness program.  Physical Limitations = physical health characteristics that inhibit one’s physical abilities and that must be considered in the development of a fitness program.  Examples: High blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, past injuries, etc.

21. Ways to Motivate Clients  Goal Setting  Positive Verbal Cues  Music  Appearance of the Facility  Are Your Clients Having Fun?

22. Goal Setting - Some Common Goals  Weight loss/gain  Increased strength  Increased endurance  Improved diet  Rehabilitation of an injury  Improved physical appearance  Better job performance  To have fun  Socialization  Learn a new sports activity  Improve performance in current sport

23. Helping Clients Set Goals  It is the duty of the SCS to help their clients set realistic goals.  If goals are unrealistic clients will become frustrated and most likely quit.  Get to know your client’s fitness needs, desires, and abilities before setting goals.  Use this information to set reasonable and achievable goals.

24. Helping Clients Set Goals  Short Term Goals vs. Long Term Goals:  Short Term goals are the primary means of motivation.  Encourage clients to write down short term fitness goals, such as increasing the number of reps or losing 1 lb./week.  Then help the client achieve that goal in a one to two week period.  These are reasonable and visible goals that a client can achieve.  The client will see the results and feel motivated to continue becoming fit.  Continuing to achieve short term goals will lead to accomplishing long term goals.  Review goals and fitness progress records with your clients.  Write an example of 1 short term goal and 1 long term goal for a client.

28. Warm Up  What are some fad diets, supplements, and/or trendy fitness programs you have heard recently heard about?  Why is it important as an SCS to research and become familiar with current trends in fitness and understand the facts behind them?

29. Positive Verbal Cues  All client and SCS interactions should be POSITIVE!!!!!  Praise your client’s efforts while they are working out.  Give positive feedback.  Provide encouragement.  Show enthusiasm toward their progress!  Give an example of a positive verbal cue.

30. Music as a Motivator  Use music to motivate clients and keep them moving!  Experiment with different kinds of music to find out what works best for each different client.  What works for one client might be completely different than another. Why?  Different tempo music can be used for different parts of a work out session.  For example: Fast paced and upbeat for cardio and classical for cool downs/stretching.  What are some examples of songs that can be used at motivators?

31. Appearance of the Facility  Bright colors!  Good lighting.  Motivational posters.  Informative posters to help educate and motivate clients.  Overall, a facility should be a motivational atmosphere!!

32. Are your Clients Having Fun?  How would you make your workout session fun?  Good Humor  Fun Music  Motivational Verbal Cues  Enthusiasm  If clients are not having fun they will not be motivated to continue working out!  This can make or break your career as an SCS!  Leave clients looking forward to your next session!