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Course Syllabus

EXSC 2500 Personal Training

  • Division: Social and Behavioral Science
  • Department: Physical Education
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 2; Lab: 1
  • Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2023
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2028
  • End Semester: Summer 2029
  • Optimum Class Size: 15
  • Maximum Class Size: 20

Course Description

This course is designed to give students the knowledge and understanding necessary to prepare for the ACSM Personal Trainer Certification Exam. Students will be taught skills, such as exercise programming and nutrition planning, that will help them to facilitate lifetime changes in clients as well as help them improve in posture, movement, flexibility, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance. In addition, they will be taught keys to helping clients adhere to nutrition and behavior changes that will improve their overall wellbeing. Upon completion of this class, students will have the option to register for and take the ACSM Personal Trainer Exam through the ACSM’s website and testing programs. (Certification is not available at Snow College.)

Justification

This course helps to prepare students to sit for a nationally recognized Personal Training Certification exam. By obtaining a Personal Training Certificate it places students in a position to obtain meaningful employment both as a student and if they so chose as a starting point in a health and fitness career. Obesity and other health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle are of major concern in our society. This class will help students to understand how to safely implement healthy lifetime fitness and wellness skills into their own lives as well as the lives of the clients with whom they will work.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to identify the importance of Personal Training as a profession and the different career tracks for personal trainers.
  2. Students will learn functional applications of Anatomy, Kinesiology, biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, and Nutrition and Human Performance.
  3. Students will learn theories of Behavior change as well as coaching techniques that will help to elicit positive perceptions and adherence to exercise.
  4. Students will be able to explain how the business of Personal Training is conducted including business planning and legal issues and responsibility.
  5. Students will demonstrate their ability to perform a client screening and consultation and fitness assessments.
  6. Students will show proficiency in developing exercise programs including but not limited to resistance and cardiorespiratory training, designing flexibility programs, and functional movement assessments.
  7. Students will show an ability to provide programming for a wide variety of individuals based on the particular needs and goals of the client.

Course Content

This course will provide students an education in personal training. Knowledge will be learned and applied in the following areas: An introduction to Personal Training and Career TracksHuman Anatomy, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, and NutritionBehavior Modification and AdherenceClient ScreeningDeveloping Exercise ProgramsThe Business of Personal Training