This document provides information on planning gym-based exercise sessions for clients. It discusses collecting client information through screening methods like questionnaires, interviews and measurements. This information is used to plan appropriate goals and exercise programmes while also identifying any risks or need for adaptations. Specifically, the trainer's role involves collecting screening information, agreeing on goals with the client, planning a safe warm-up, and designing programmes that progress over time and focus on cardiovascular and resistance training exercises. Temporary deferral or referral to other professionals may be required depending on a client's health status and screening results.

1. YMCA
Awards
Level
2
Cer0ficate
in
Fitness
Instruc0ng
(Gym-­‐
Based
Exercise)
(QCF)
Unit
0tle:
Planning
gym-­‐based
exercise
(F/600/9018)

2. Unit
Aims
The
learner
will:
• Understand
how
to
collect
client
informa0on
to
plan
a
gym-­‐
based
session
• Understand
how
to
use
client
informa0on
to
plan
gym-­‐
based
exercise
• Understand
how
to
plan
gym-­‐based
exercise
with
clients
• Be
able
to
collect
and
use
client
informa0on
to
plan
a
gym-­‐
based
exercise
programme
• Be
able
to
plan
a
gym-­‐based
exercise
programme
with
clients

3. Role
of
the
Instructor
The
fitness
instructor
should
be
involved
in:
• Collec0ng
and
checking
client
informa0on
• Analysing
informa0on
• Iden0fying
and
agreeing
basic
short,
medium
and
long
term
goals
• Planning,
instruc0ng
and
evalua0ng
safe
and
appropriate
gym-­‐based
exercise
sessions
• Providing
1:1
or
group
induc0ons
and
general
exercise
programmes
• Selec0ng
relevant
exercises
and
designing
appropriate
programmes

4. Role
of
the
Instructor
The
fitness
instructor
should
be
involved
in:
• Producing
suitable
programme
cards
for
clients/members
• Sugges0ng
relevant
adapta0ons
to
allow
for
individual
needs
• Using
logical
and
progressive
teaching
methodologies
• Selec0ng
and/or
correctly
demonstra0ng
a
variety
of
CV
and
RT
methods
• Providing
clients/members
with
general
advice
on
how
to
progress
• Observing
clients/members
to
correct
unsafe
technique
where
required

5. Role
of
the
Instructor
The fitness instructor should be involved in:
• Producing suitable programme cards for clients/members
• Suggesting relevant adaptations to allow for individual needs
• Using logical and progressive teaching methodologies
• Selecting and/or correctly demonstrating a variety of CV and
RT methods
• Providing clients/members with general advice on how to
progress
• Observing clients/members to correct unsafe technique where
required

6. By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Explain
the
process
of
informed
consent
• Describe
methods
to
collect
client
informa0on
• Describe
how
to
determine
which
method/s
of
collec0ng
informa0on
are
appropriate
according
to
the
individual
• Explain
the
principles
of
screening
clients
prior
to
gym-­‐
based
exercise
to
include
the
use
of
the
PARQ
How
to
Collect
Client
Informa0on

7. Informed
Consent
What
is
Informed
Consent?
Iden%fying
the
associated
benefits
and
risks
of
the
exercise
in
order
to
help
the
client
make
an
informed
decision
to
par%cipate

8. What
is
Screening?
Establishing
an
individual’s
suitability
to
par%cipate
in
an
exercise
programme
Screening

9. Screening
Methods
for
collec0ng
client
informa0on:
• Ques0onnaire
(PAR-­‐Q)
• Health
Commitment
Statement
• Interview
• Observa0on
• Physical
measurements
(e.g.
height,
weight
and
BMI)
Consider
which
method
is
appropriate
to
the
individual

10. Screening
Consider
the
following:
• Suitability
to
par0cipate
• Medical
condi0ons
• Legal
and
professional
responsibili0es
• Confiden0ality
• Data
protec0on
• Verbal
re-­‐screening
• Review
of
previous
ques0onnaires
• Re-­‐check
of
physical
measurements

11. By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Describe
the
factors,
based
on
client
screening,
which
may
affect
safe
exercise
par0cipa0on
• Give
examples
of
how
client
informa0on
affects
the
planning
of
gym-­‐based
exercise
• Iden0fy
the
reasons
for
temporary
deferral
of
exercise
• Explain
the
reasons
for
referring
clients
to
other
professionals
How
to
Use
Client
Informa0on
to
Plan
the
Session

12. Screening
Factors
affec0ng
par0cipa0on:
• Personal
goals
• Lifestyle
• Medical
history,
for
example:
– CV
health
– Musculoskeletal
injuries
– Pregnancy
• Physical
ac0vity
preferences/history

13. Screening
Ac0on
required
as
a
result
of
screening:
• Possible
deferral
• Adapta0ons
to
exercises
• Provision
of
alterna0ve
exercises

14. Screening
Reasons
for
temporary
deferral
of
exercise:
• Posi0ve
PARQ
• Visual/verbal
iden0fica0on
of
contraindica0ons
Recognise
the
limita0ons
of
your
own
qualifica0on
and
obtain
medical
clearance

15. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
1
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Select
appropriate
teaching
strategies
• Explain
why
it
is
important
to
agree
goals
and
objec0ves
for
gym-­‐based
exercise
with
clients

16. Goal
Seang
Be
Smart!
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realis0c
Time-­‐framed

17. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
2
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Discuss
the
purpose
of
a
warm
up
• Iden0fy
the
risks
of
not
warming
up
properly
• Describe
the
aims
of
the
mobility,
pulse-­‐raising
and
preparatory
stretch
components
of
a
warm
up
• Plan
and
deliver
a
safe
and
effec0ve
warm
up

18. Warm
Up
Consider
the
following:
• Type
of
warm
up
(general
or
specific)
• Warm
up
components:
– Mobility
– Pulse-­‐raising
– Prepara0on
stretches
– Re-­‐warm
(if
necessary)
• Factors
affec0ng
a
warm
up

19. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
3
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Iden0fy
a
range
of
exercises
for
individual
clients
to
develop
cardiovascular
fitness

20. Cardiovascular
Fitness
Select
exercises
to
develop
cardiovascular
fitness:
• Upright
cycle
• Recumbent
cycle
• Treadmill
• Stepper
• Rowing
machine
• Ellip0cal
trainer
• Cross
trainer

21. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
4
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Iden0fy
a
range
of
exercises
for
individual
clients
to
develop
muscular
fitness
using
resistance
training
machines

22. Resistance
Machines
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
resistance
machines:
• Seated
chest
press
• Seated
row
• Shoulder
press
• Lat
pull
down
• Bench
press/
seated
chest
press
• Pec
dec

23. Resistance
Machines
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
resistance
machines:
• Triceps
press/
triceps
pushdown
• Biceps
curl
• Leg
press
• Seated
adductor
• Seated
abductor
• Leg
extension

24. Resistance
Machines
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
resistance
machines:
• Leg
curl
• Ab
machine
• Lower
back
machine

25. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
5
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Iden0fy
a
range
of
exercises
for
individual
clients
to
develop
muscular
fitness
using
free
weights
(with
dumbbells
and
barbells)

26. Free
Weights
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
free
weight
exercises:
• Front
raise
• Single
arm
row
• Bent
arm
pullover
• Shoulder
press
• Lateral
raise
• Upright
row

27. Free
Weights
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
free
weight
exercises:
• Bench
press
• Flyes
• Prone
flyes
• Supine
triceps
press
• Single
arm
triceps
press
• Biceps
curl

28. Free
Weights
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
free
weight
exercises:
• Lunge
• Dead
lig
• Squat

29. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
6
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Iden0fy
a
range
of
exercises
for
individual
clients
to
develop
muscular
fitness
using
body
weight
exercises

30. Body
Weight
Exercises
Select
exercises
to
develop
muscular
fitness
via
body
weight
exercises:
• Chins
• Press
up
• Lunge
• Squat
• Abdominal
curl
• Oblique
twist
• Back
raise

31. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
7
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Iden0fy
a
range
of
exercises
for
individual
clients
to
maintain
or
develop
flexibility

32. Flexibility
Select
stretches
to
maintain
or
develop
flexibility:
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Adductors
• Abductors
• Hip
flexors
• Gastrocnemius
• Soleus

33. Flexibility
Select
stretches
to
maintain
or
develop
flexibility:
• Pectorals
• Trapezius
• Obliques
• Deltoids
• Triceps
• Erector
Spinae

34. Flexibility
Select
exercises
to
develop
flexibility.
Consider:
• which
muscles
need
to
be
stretched
• when
muscles
need
to
be
stretched
• types
of
stretches
appropriate
to
the
session

35. Cool
Down
Consider
the
following:
• Cool
down
components:
– Pulse-­‐lowering
(or
re-­‐warm
if
required)
– Post-­‐workout
stretching
• Maintenance
stretches
• Developmental
stretches
• Factors
affec0ng
a
cool
down

36. Planning
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
8
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Describe
how
to
plan
gym-­‐based
exercise
using
circuit
formats

37. Gym-­‐Based
Circuit
Formats
• Ac0ve
recovery
• Set
periods
of
work
and
recovery
• Aerobic-­‐biased
• Resistance-­‐biased
• Mixed
• Timed
• Repe00on
based

38. Example
of
a
CT
Format
1.
Shoulder
press
7.
Seated
lever
row
2.
Leg
press
8.
Leg
curl
3.
Lat
pulldown
9.
Triceps
pushdown
4.
Calf
raise
10.
Abdominal
crunch
5.
Chest
press
11.
Biceps
curl
6.
Leg
extension
12.
Back
extension
Work
period:
45
seconds
Rest
period:
30
seconds
Resistance:
Approx
50%
of
1RM

39. Collect
and
Use
Client
Informa0on
to
Plan
a
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
Programme
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Use
appropriate
methods
to
collect
informa0on
to
plan
a
gym-­‐based
programme
• Check
the
informa0on
is
accurate
and
up
to
date
• Iden0fy
client
needs
and
poten0al,
and
any
possible
risks
from
par0cipa0on
in
a
gym-­‐based
programme
• Maintain
client
confiden0ality

40. Collect
and
Use
Client
Informa0on
to
Plan
a
Gym-­‐Based
Exercise
Programme
Workshop:
• In
pairs,
take
it
in
turns
to
be
the
instructor
and
the
client
• Collect
informa0on
from
your
‘client’
using
one
or
more
of
the
methods
described
earlier
in
the
programme
• Iden0fy
any
contraindica0ons
to
exercise
and
recommend
deferral
or
alterna0ves
where
required

41. Plan
a
Safe
and
Effec0ve
Gym-­‐Based
Session
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Agree
objec0ves
with
clients
• Select
gym-­‐based
ac0vi0es
• Plan
how
to
minimise
risks

42. Training
Variables
Meet
the
needs
of
clients
by
using
any
of
the
following:
Reps
Training
frequency
Sets
Workout
0me
Rest
Exercise
order
Workloads
Speed
of
movement
Intensity
Range
of
movement

43. Reps
and
Resistance
for
Specific
Goals
Goal
Repe00ons
Resistance
Muscular
strength
1–8
V.
Heavy
80–100%
of
1RM
Muscular
fitness
(strength
&
endurance)
8–12
Heavy
60–80%
of
1RM
Muscular
endurance
12–25
Moderate
40–60%
of
1RM

44. Cardiovascular
Training
Methods
• Con0nuous
training
– Con0nuous
short
– Con0nuous
long
(Long
Slow
Distance
or
LSD)
• Interval
training
• Cross
training

45. Resistance
Training
Methods
• Single
set
training
• Circuit
resistance
training
• Basic
sets
• Delorme
and
Watkins
10
RM
system
• Berger
6
RM
system
• Pyramid
systems
• Super-­‐seang

46. Plan
a
Safe
and
Effec0ve
Gym-­‐Based
Session
By
the
end
of
the
session
you
will
be
able
to:
• Plan
how
to
minimise
risks

47. Timing
and
Sequences
Plan
realis0c
0mings
and
sequences
appropriate
to:
• Fitness
level
• Environment
• Type
of
session
• Dura0on
of
session
• Programme
goals

48. Risk
Management
Plan
for
appropriate
checks
to
minimise
risk
in
rela0on
to:
• Equipment
• Environment
• Emergency
procedures

49. Programme
Cards
• Format
may
vary
from
gym
to
gym
• Include
a
warm
up
(including
stretches
if
appropriate)
• Include
resistance
ligs,
detailing:
– Reps
– Sets
– Rest
– Resistance
• Include
cardiovascular
training,
detailing:
– Rate
(RPM/SPM/KPH/MPH)
– Level
– Resistance
– Dura0on
• Include
a
cool
down
with
stretching
(including
maintenance
and
development
stretches