Personal Trainer Preparation Class II
Department of Rec Sports
General Information
Course Title: Personal Trainer Prep Class
Class Meeting Dates: April 11- May 18
Class Meeting Times:
o Lecture: Wednesdays, 5:30-8:30pm in Dixon Upper Classroom
o Practical: Fridays, 2-5pm (meet in MP2)
Prerequisites: EXSS majors preferred
Text: (not required)
American Council on Exercise (2014). ACE Personal Trainer Manual, 5th ed. Bryant, CX
& Green, DJ (Eds). San Diego, CA: American Council on Exercise.
American Council on Exercise (2010). ACE’s Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness
Professionals. Bryant, CX & Green, DJ (Eds). San Diego, CA: American Council on
Exercise.
American Council on Exercise (2010). Master the Manual, 4th ed. Bryant, CX & Green,
DJ (Eds). San Diego, CA: American Council on Exercise.
Instructor Information
Lead Instructor: Cathy Sullivan, Fitness Services and Education Coordinator
Office: Dixon, 1st floor
Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: (541) 737-3243
E-mail: [email protected]
Assistant Instructor: Brandon Gerosa
E-mail: [email protected]
Course Description
This course is designed to equip potential fitness training associates and personal trainers with
the skills, knowledge, and abilities to program, assess, and deliver fitness training programs to a
diverse breadth of clientele. Building on the foundational knowledge of anatomy, physiology,
and biomechanics from Personal Trainer Prep I or academic courses, students will practice
critical thinking, application, and problem solving as it applies to personal training. Practical
information includes: intakes and assessments, program design for diverse healthy populations,
and instructing and coaching participants in individual and group training programs. Successful
completion of this workshop will make students eligible to complete an audition for a Fitness
Training Associate position, and provide the knowledge needed to successfully complete the
ACE Personal Trainer exam.
Learning Outcomes:
Demonstrate and instruct the execution of two different strength-training exercises for
each major muscle group in the body
Apply ACSM guidelines to develop an exercise program for an individual client
Develop rapport with a diverse group of clients or participants through motivational
interviewing
Analyze client posture, and musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory fitness through various
assessments, and apply the results of the assessment to programming
Develop and deliver programming for small group training, exercise support groups, etc.
Course Objectives
You will read and study the material that will be covered on the ACE Personal Trainer
Exam
You will gain hands-on experience in motivational interviewing and client assessments;
these are both skills necessary for hire as a Fitness Training Associate and Personal
Trainer at Dixon Recreation Center
You will gain practical skills in exercise selection, analysis and cueingYou will gain
exposure to small group training and current trends in the fitness industry, as a means to
equip you for professional experience
Course Requirements
In order to become eligible for hire as a fitness training associate or personal trainer at Dixon, the
following will constitute “successful completion” of this course:
You are expected to be prepared and on time
Dress accordingly (appropriate workout clothes for practical sessions)
Follow all policies and procedures of the department
Complete all assigned course work on time
Be courteous to others
Complete the in-class quizzes (4), exercise library, in-class participation, final written
exam, and final practical exam with an average score of 75% or higher
For missed classes: assignments due in class/for discussion that are missed for an absence
(emergencies/pre-arranged with instructor) can be made-up by posting through the
discussion board on Blackboard. For pre-arranged absences, the weekly quiz must be
made up the week prior, in the 10 minutes prior to lecture or practical. For emergencies,
the quiz must be made up in the 10 minutes prior to the next lecture or practical session.
Requirements for hire as a Personal Trainer at DRS
1. Successful completion of all requirements of the Personal Trainer Prep class
2. Submit application, resume, and cover letter
3. Interview with Fitness Coordinator
4. One term working under a lead trainer
5. Passing a full audition
6. Completion of ACE or other nationally accredited certification (ACSM, NSCA, NASM)
within 3 months (1 term) of hire date
Course Outline
Week/ Homework
Lecture Practical
1:
I. Syllabus/ expectations
II. Assessments
a. Physiological
b. Mobility/stability
III. Mobility/Stability programming
I. Program Design
a. Structuring assessments
b. Mobility/stability
II. Coaching, managing
expectations
2:
I. Quiz #1
II. Resistance training
a. Considerations for
multiple fitness levels
b. ACE phases of training
i. Program design/
implementation
III. Cardiorespiratory Training
a. Physiological adaptations
b. Components of training
session
I. Resistance Training a. Programming for multiple fitness levels b. Coaching intensity
II. Cardiorespiratory training a. Programming for multiple fitness levels b. Coaching intensity
3:
I. Quiz #2
II. Performance training
a. Prerequisites
b. Skill/agility III. Assessments: when and how to
assess
a. Strength
b. Cardio
c. Skill/agility
d. Functional flexibility
I. Coaching performance training II. Conducting assessments
a. Strength
b. Cardio
c. Skill/agility
d. Functional flexibility
4:
I. Quiz #3
II. Small group training:
programming/coaching
a. Strength
b. Cardio
c. Skill/agility
d. Functional flexibility
Program overview: EIM, Dam Fit, etc.
I. Programming/Coaching Small
Group Training
a. Strength
b. Cardio
c. Skill/agility
d. Functional flexibility
5:
I. Quiz #4
II. Assigned to training program
a. Receive training
handbook for assigned
program
b. In-class: using handbook,
create training program to
include (appropriate to
program):
i. Term-long
macrocycle
ii. First week
workout: warm-up,
cardio, strength,
skill/agility,
flexibility
I. Conduct practice training session
6:
I. Written Final I. Practical Final: Conduct practical
training sessions with volunteers (other
times TBD)
* ACE certification (ACSM/NSCA),
interview, and one-on-one audition for
hire as a personal trainer
* next steps: 75% or higher in the class,
and successful completion of the practical
final/audition provides eligibility for an
interview for a Fitness Training Associate
position
Assignments
1. Weekly in-class quizzes (10 pts each x 4 weeks) = 40 points
The weekly quizzes (10 questions each) assess comprehension from the previous week’s
lecture, practical, and assigned reading
Quizzes will be multiple choice and true/false
2. In-class participation/ discussion (5 pts each x 5 weeks)= 25 points
Each week, I will post a discussion prompt on Blackboard following our Wednesday evening
class. At the beginning of the following week’s class, we will spend approximately 30-45
minutes discussing and/or debating the topic.
3. Final Written exam= 60 points
Your final written exam will be a simulation of the ACE Personal Trainer exam. The exam will
be 60 questions in length, all multiple-choice.
4. Final Practical exam/audition = 50 points
You will be evaluated on the following, for the final practical exam:
Program design (15pts): Students will be assigned to program for a group of HIIT
participants or a group of novice participants. Program design, respective of the group,
will constitute 20 minutes of programming, when executed, and will be evaluated on:
safety, effectiveness, and comprehensiveness.
Knowledge and education provided: Students will be evaluated on their ability to provide
participants education on one aspect of their programming, as a means of developing self-
efficacy in their participants (5 pts)
Teaching/coaching exercises (15 pts): You will be evaluated on your explanation,
demonstration, and feedback provided to participants, as applicable.
Employment
This class provides students with the information and application of information to successfully
develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities for qualified application for a Fitness Training
Associate position. In this position, students program and lead individual and small group
training under the supervision of a NCCA-accredited personal trainer.
Fitness Training Associates are eligible to purse professional development funding for the ACE
personal trainer certification through Recreational Sports, after _____ of employment.
Students who wish to pursue to ACE personal trainer certification, can find more information at:
http://www.acefitness.org/getcertified/pdfs/CPT-Exam-Content-Outline.pdf
Format: 150 questions, 3 hours
Exam cost: $249 ($209 w/student discount), $184 retake
Where: testing centers at University of Oregon and Portland State
Scheduling: at least 2-3 weeks in advance
