Program Design for Personal Trainers : Bridging Theory into Application

From The Critics

Reviewer: Patricia A. Pierce, MS, CSCS(Slippery Rock University)
Description: This book offers a practical, easy to follow format for personal trainers to provide individualized fitness prescriptions and lifestyle education to their clients.
Purpose: The author provides a link between current scientific exercise principles and practical application to help personal trainers develop programs to meet clients' individual needs. Clients benefit by maintaining motivation for safe, effective, and multidimensional programs encompassing both fitness and lifestyle.
Audience: This book is primarily geared toward personal trainers. Undergraduate exercise science students may also find it an excellent resource for practical course work.
Features: This book organizes exercise program design into a ten-step format. Chapter 1 lists and briefly explains the ten steps. Each step is then referenced by a "Quick Index" that denotes the chapters in which the information on the specific step is found. Chapters have several "Key Points" sections that highlight important facts. Information on program design meets the standards and guidelines for exercise prescription according to the American College of Sports Medicine . Examples of guideline modifications based on the individual client's profile and needs are given. Alternatives to programming are offered instead of a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Case studies provide examples of alternatives. In addition, this book includes many useful tables, questionnaires, and forms for use in program design.
Assessment: Many books on personal training are modified textbooks containing chapters of abbreviated versions of specific content including exercise physiology, anatomy, fitness assessment, and exercise prescription. This book not only addresses the content areas in a simple yet informative manner, it also provides the application of the content in a variety of practical situations. This is particularly useful for practitioners. One limitation is the lack of content and specific examples of techniques for motivation and adherence to programs. Overall, this book is well written, and I would highly recommend it as a practical resource for fitness professionals.

Patricia A. Pierce

This book offers a practical, easy to follow format for personal trainers to provide individualized fitness prescriptions and lifestyle education to their clients. The author provides a link between current scientific exercise principles and practical application to help personal trainers develop programs to meet clients' individual needs. Clients benefit by maintaining motivation for safe, effective, and multidimensional programs encompassing both fitness and lifestyle. This book is primarily geared toward personal trainers. Undergraduate exercise science students may also find it an excellent resource for practical course work. This book organizes exercise program design into a ten-step format. Chapter 1 lists and briefly explains the ten steps. Each step is then referenced by a ""Quick Index"" that denotes the chapters in which the information on the specific step is found. Chapters have several ""Key Points"" sections that highlight important facts. Information on program design meets the standards and guidelines for exercise prescription according to the American College of Sports Medicine . Examples of guideline modifications based on the individual client's profile and needs are given. Alternatives to programming are offered instead of a ""one-size-fits-all"" approach. Case studies provide examples of alternatives. In addition, this book includes many useful tables, questionnaires, and forms for use in program design. Many books on personal training are modified textbooks containing chapters of abbreviated versions of specific content including exercise physiology, anatomy, fitness assessment, and exercise prescription. This book not only addresses the content areas in a simpleyet informative manner, it also provides the application of the content in a variety of practical situations. This is particularly useful for practitioners. One limitation is the lack of content and specific examples of techniques for motivation and adherence to programs. Overall, this book is well written, and I would highly recommend it as a practical resource for fitness professionals.

3 Stars from Doody