Personal Fitness Training Program
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Our certification for personal training is done in conjunction with the prestigious National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Students will receive official NASM course materials including a book, study guide, and set of interactive CDs. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a certificate of completion and be eligible to take the NASM certified personal trainer national certification exam.

Program Details

Duration:	12.5 Weeks 6.5 Credits hours - 100 Classroom hours
Schedule:	January 12 - April 8, 2009 Monday & Wednesday evenings 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Cost:	$1850 Includes textbook, workbook, DVDs & 100 hours of hands-on classroom training Private Financial Aid available to those who qualify *$250 CPT Test fee to be paid directly to NASM - not included in tuition cost

Program Classes

Course Title	Classroom Hours	Semester Credits
Anatomy / Kinesiology	20	1.0
Exercise Physiology	12	1.0
Fitness Assessment	10	0.5
OPT Theory	24	2.0
Program & Clinical Design/Theory Application	22	1.0
Nutrition, Behavior and Professional Development	12	1.0
Program Totals:	100	6.5

Anatomy and Kinesiology

20 hours 1.0 credits

This course focuses on the students developing an understanding of functional anatomy. The course begins with study of anatomical terminology specifically related to movement. The course then moves on to cover skeletal system and the joints and the movements that occur at these joints. These are covered in ways that specifically relate them to exercise. The major skeletal muscles are covered in relation to their use in exercise and students learn which muscles will be involved in common exercises used in fitness programs. Students reinforce information be learning and performing exercises and discussing what muscles are involved in these exercises.

Exercise Physiology

12 hours 1.0 credits

This course covers the support systems of the human kinetic chain and their contribution to exercise. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are covered and their interdependence with the muscular and skeletal systems as well as with each other is covered. Students will be introduced to the bioenergetic pathways and their function as a continuum is also covered. Oxygen consumption, respiratory exchange ratio and heart rate monitoring and their role in metabolic testing and exercise prescription are discussed.

Fitness Assessment

10 hours 0.5 credits

In this course students are introduced to the importance of a thorough fitness assessment in the development of an integrated fitness program. Subjective and objective components of the assessment are differentiated. Students learn to perform basic physiological assessments including resting and exercise heart rate, blood pressure and to make body composition estimates using skinfolds and circumferential measurements as well as discussing other forms of measurements. Students also learn movement analysis of the client during basic movements as would be incorporated into a first workout and to relate these to common postural distortion patterns.

OPT Theory

24 hours 1.0 credits

The Optimum Performance Training model of the National Academy of Sports Medicine is presented and an outline of its levels and phases of training is introduced. Students cover the components of the OPT model including cardio respiratory, flexibility, core and balance, reactive and resistance training. Students will cover the scientific rationale for the use of each component, exercise selection and progression and regression for clients at different levels of the OPT model.

Program and Clinical Design/Theory Application

22 hours 1.0 credits

This course covers how to design programs for clients at all levels of training. Students learn about acute variable and exercise selection for all levels of the OPT program and how the different elements of each program can be combined to meet client goals. The concept of adaptation through the theories of the General Adaptation Syndrome and principle of specificity are discussed. The concept of periodization is introduced and students learn how to create complete programs and how to design weekly, monthly and annual plans for clients with goals of body fat loss, muscular hypertrophy or athletic performance.

Nutrition, Behavior and Professional Development

12 hours 1.0 credits

This course includes a general overview of nutrition including the chemical structure, digestion, absorption and use by the body of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Major minerals and vitamins and their use by the body is discussed. The use of supplements and precautions regarding their use are covered. Behavior change strategies for clients are discussed in a way that relates them to personal training practice. In professional development how to provide uncompromising customer service, finding prospective clients, building rapport and closing sales are covered. Students will learn and discuss the NASM code of ethics for fitness professionals.