Conduct Exercise Sessions

When planning and organising a fitness session it will be necessary to ensure that all resources are identified and organised ready for use and that they are specific to participant needs. Things to consider when organising resources are:

• Participant numbers - Ensure you have adequate equipment so that everyone is able to complete activities simultaneously. 

• Access - People with a disability (if applicable) may require more space, ramps, supports, level ground etc... 

• Safety - Ensure that all equipment has been well maintained and quality checked prior to the session. Ensure you are aware of each participant's pre-exercise health screening risk assessment and monitor them accordingly.

• Activity types - Some activities will require equipment, others will not, have the equipment ready for each activity to limit waiting time.

• Size and type of equipment - Does the equipment need to be portable? If so how will it be packed-up and transported? Is it easy to carry everything? Is any assembly required?

• Music - Exercising to music can be quite motivating. Ensure you have a suitable playlist ready and have the necessary equipment to play to music effectively ie. Bluetooth speaker. 

• Location - If using a public area, like a park, ensure you have the necessary council permissions. Ensure that you have inspected the site prior to use, identified any hazards that may be applicable and taken appropriate risk mitigation steps. Regardless of the actual location, the exercising area must be set up to allow for sufficient space for each participant and any associated equipment. If large equipment is being used then additional space must be allowed for mounting and dismounting.

It is essential that all manufacturer specifications for the safe use of exercise equipment are adhered to at all times. For example, weight and/or load restrictions may be applicable or there may be specific instructions for the safe usage technique.

Throughout the exercise program, it will be necessary to give clear exercise instructions and demonstrations to all clients and to routinely confirm client understanding in order to ensure a safe and informed fitness session. Information that must be conveyed includes:

• Session components - Which exercises will be undertaken, sequential order, the overall duration of the session as well as types of equipment that will be utilised.

• Safety - Safe range of movement and also any dangerous movements or actions that may cause injury or equipment damage. Risks associated with exercising, specific to their personal situations, should be communicated including any type of pain or symptoms that is considered unusual or extreme. 

• Benefits - Explain which muscles are being worked and how each type of exercise will have positive effects on their health and body composition. 

Once basic instructions have been provided, it is necessary to demonstrate each exercise. There are three main stages of effective demonstration:

1. Demonstrate step-by-step with verbal instruction. This will include mounting (if applicable) or set-up of equipment, safe use, safe dismounting, emergency stop procedures.

2. Demonstrate in real-time. Show how the exercise should look when conducted at normal speed.

3. Allow them to have a go while you watch and offer verbal instruction regarding their technique.

When running a training session it is important to follow these four phases to ensure participants are adequately prepared and to minimise the instance of injury:

1. Preparation / Warm-up  - Light exercise (potentially aerobic/cardio) that builds in intensity over 5-7 minutes. It helps to gradually increase the heart rate and warm muscles by increasing blood flow.

2. Adaptation / Stretching - Most effective when muscles are warmed up, can be done straight after the warm-up period and then again after the full work-out and cool-down period.

3. Conditioning - A series of exercises (aerobic/cardio and/or weight/resistance training) designed to increase fitness, endurance or strength depending on the purpose and focus of the session. This phase should last for at least 30 minutes.

4. Recovery / Cool-down - Helps to decrease the heart rate gradually and allow blood to flow away from the muscles, will help to reduce muscle soreness. Combine with another adaptation set (stretching) for increased effectiveness.

When undertaking monitoring processes you are checking for indications of poor technique, exercise intolerance, and also progression possibilities. Ensure the client's program documentation is updated with any monitoring test results.

Note: Whilst some pain and discomfort is normal during exercise, especially for newcomers who are unfit, there are some instances where exercise should be immediately ceased. These include if the client is suffering from:

• Chest pain.

• Unusual fatigue or shortness of breath/breathlessness (including asthma).

• Significant bone, muscle or joint pain.

Also, be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of exercise intolerance:

Defined as a condition or inability to perform physical exercise at a normally expected level or duration. It is not a specific disease or syndrome but can result from various disorders, some of which can be very serious.

Acute (sudden / immediate) symptoms of exercise intolerance include:

• Fatigue – Organs and muscles of the respiratory system are affected during exercise and can result in dizziness and shortness of breath. As oxygen is no longer being processed efficiently, rest is required. 

• Muscle cramps – They can happen to anyone, however, if they occur in individuals with a minimal amount of exertion this may indicate an issue. Exercise intolerant clients (after stretching) may feel stiffness and pain a few minutes after beginning exercise which can be experienced for days. Other clients may experience these symptoms hours after exercise has ceased. Athletes will experience muscle cramps also, however when a client is exercise intolerant, they experience these symptoms for a longer period requiring a reduction in intensity or a break from exercise.

• Insufficient heart rate – When the client’s heart rate does not increase to meet the intensity of the physical activity. Weight, age and medical history may add to this resulting, however, depending on the clients’ risk profile, this may be an indication of exercise intolerance.

• Vomiting and nausea - Nausea may be caused by overeating before exercise, dehydration or overexertion during exercise but can also be due to something serious, such as a cardiac event or lung condition. Sufferers should be monitored and seek medical attention if feeling unusually ill.

• Blue extremities or face - Discoloration of the extremities and face, appearing as a bluish pallor, can indicate abnormally oxygenated blood. This is a very visible sign of exercise intolerance but also a serious call for intervention. Sufferers should seek medical attention in the event of serious blood-flow disruption.

Other more chronic or moderate signs and symptoms of poor exercise tolerance which may indicate an underlying condition and therefore should be referred to an appropriate medical or allied health professional include:

• Recent rapid weight change - Can be related to extreme and potentially unsafe dieting, therefore a referall to a dietitian may be warranted. Other causes can include medication reactions, hormone disorders, and heart, kidney or liver conditions.

• Frequent or persistent headaches - Can be caused by misaligned spine or muscle injury, therefore a referall to a chiropractor or physiotherapist may be warranted. Other causes can include nerve damage, dietary related, or neurological.

• Visual problems such as diplopia (double vision) or visual aura (blobs or lights obstructing the client's vision) - Double vision can indicate a serious condition such as stroke, head injury, or brain tumour. Can also be due to severe dry eyes or corneal irregularities. Visual aura is commonly associated with migraines.

• Balance or coordination deficit - Can be caused by problems with the inner ear such as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or Meniere's Disease or Vestibular Neuritis. Can also be caused by migraine, motion sickness, or a head injury.

Exercise intolerant clients should be closely monitored and collaboration sort from medical professionals however they do not necessarily need to cease all exercise activity. If their medical professional is aware of their exercise program and has indicated that exercise will be beneficial for their condition then they can continue. 

Ensure that you monitor these clients closely and be on the look-out for any of the conditions/injuries where the cessation of exercise is advised. Monitoring may include the use of technology such as heart rate monitors or apps on smartphones to help determine if the client is stable. Clients must also be aware that they are considered a moderate to high-risk client and that they must not overexert themselves and preferably not exercise alone.

Methods used to monitor clients during a fitness session include:

All exercise programs will need to be evaluated and modified from time to time. Evaluation is the process of taking the information that was collected during the monitoring process and using this to assess a range of factors including:

• Progress.

• Successes.

• Challenges.

• The need for modification.

Fitness program evaluation may occur as often as each session, or at set intervals like monthly or quarterly. An evaluation may consist of the following activities/discussions:

• Fitness tests.

• Intensity tests.

• Feedback.

• Body measurements.

• Endurance tests.

• Strength tests.

• Motivation / Exercise adherence discussions.

When holding an evaluation discussion it is important to use positive communication and constructive feedback. If a client hasn't achieved their planned goals then they may be feeling disheartened, they may need to realign their objectives or adjust their program specifications.

Ensure you are always approachable and supportive, build rapport with the client by asking them details about their social life or family (and remembering the details later) and/or complimenting them. Feedback is also a two-way process, if the client provides you with a suggestion or complaint then ensure you thank them for the feedback, consider what they have said and if necessary make adjustments to try and improve the situation.

Undertaking a self-evaluation process is always a good tactic. Critically review your performance over a period of time. Things to consider include:

• What was done well?

• What areas need improvement?

• What actions resulted in client fitness progression?

• Where there any clients that regressed? If so why?

• What was the overall feedback received? Positive / Negative.

Some easy modifications that can be made include adjusting the length of the session, changing the types of activities/exercises, improving explanations and demonstrations, purchasing new equipment, and building rapport.

If, during an evaluation process, you determine that client motivation is beginning to decline you may need to engage methods to boost their enthusiasm. Clients are often motivated at the time of developing a fitness program, however, this level of enthusiasm may diminish due to work or family commitments or if desired results are not evident as quickly as they had hoped. 

Some methods you can use to increase motivation include:

There are three main systems which are most affected by exercise, each has specific types of training and exercises which best target them: