Some of you may already be working in the industry, whilst some will be joining this space soon. In this topic, we will introduce the Exercise Industry Professional Practice topic, specifically looking at the work experience that you are required to do for this module, and ensuring you make the most of this opportunity.
For this topic you are required to undertake a 40-hour work placement.
The goals of work experience are:
- To provide you with practical, real-world, hands-on experience in the fitness/recreation industry.
- To help you create and maintain networks with industry and aligned industry professionals.
- To give you the opportunity to develop, or assist in developing, exercise and health programmes within your scope of practice.
- To give you experience in observing theory applied in a practical environment.
We’ll also be continuing on with your special populations content and look into the second assessment, specifically:
- Liaising with a health professional.
- Fitness testing for special populations.
We hope you are excited to get started with your work placement journey.
To optimise the value of your work placement and adhere to professional practices, careful consideration must be given to how you conduct yourself during the placement. Going above and beyond is crucial to maximising your impact.
Making a positive impression
When aiming to create a positive impression during work placement, the following tips are invaluable for fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between you and the fitness facility:
- Contribution over entitlement
Instead of expecting privileges, adopt a proactive stance. In the words of a reframed famous quote, inquire not what your gym can do for you, but what you can contribute to your gym. - Embrace discomfort
Stepping out of your comfort zone is an integral part of personal and professional growth. Whether it's covering reception, navigating the gym floor, conducting a session, or leading a class, facing these challenges head-on is an opportunity for substantial development. - Demonstrate initiative
In situations where the work experience lacks structure, take the initiative. Engage with members by walking the floor, participating in group fitness sessions, or contributing by maintaining equipment cleanliness. Managers highly value individuals who show proactive initiative. - Build connections
Aiming to establish relationships with both staff and members enhances the overall experience. Proactively introduce yourself to others, fostering a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Don't solely wait for others to initiate contact; taking the lead in introductions helps you acclimate more effectively to the facility.
By adhering to these principles, you not only contribute positively to the fitness facility but also cultivate a rich and rewarding learning experience for yourself during your work placement.
Check out Assessment 2 for an assessment guide video and instructions on submitting your assessments.
This assessment will require you to apply the knowledge you have learned by completing the following tasks:
- Set up your work placement at an appropriate fitness facility
- Complete your 40 hours and fill out the work duties log book
- Provide a detailed description of the workplace in which you completed your work experience hours in
- Provide a discussion on professional image and effective communication
- Ensure your trainee evaluation is completed by your supervisor
- Discuss at least three key learnings you have taken from your placement
- Suggest two areas for improvement that your workplace facility could employ
- Discuss one key area of improvement that you can now focus on to improve your professional practice in the workplace.
After a thorough pre-screening process with our client and conducting some robust research on our client’s medical condition/s, our next step is to consult a health professional. The purpose of this step is to:
- Get more information from a relevant health professional on your client and their condition.
- Seek a medical clearance for your client to commence an exercise programme (not always necessary).
Types of health professionals
Before we look at the process of making contact, let’s look at different types of health professionals who you could potentially liaise with.
| General Practitioners (GPs) | GPs would be our primary point of reference in most instances. They are primary care physicians who provide comprehensive medical care, including diagnosing and treating common illnesses, managing chronic conditions, and referring patients to specialists when needed. They play a vital role in preventive health and overall well-being. |
|---|---|
| Midwives | Midwives are trained professionals who specialize in providing care to expectant mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. They would be a great port-of-call if we had a pre-natal or postpartum client. |
| Dietitians | Dietitians are experts in nutrition and dietary health. They assess individuals' dietary needs, provide personalized nutrition plans, and educate patients on making healthy food choices to manage various conditions and improve overall health. |
| Physiotherapists | Physiotherapists focus on restoring physical function and mobility through exercises, manual therapy, and other techniques. They treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and help patients recover from injuries or surgery. Physios are a great reference if we have a client returning from an injury, they have a great understanding of exercise physiology and tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to exercise prescription. |
| Chiropractors | Chiropractors specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders, primarily through spinal adjustments. They aim to improve spinal alignment and alleviate pain, often focusing on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Chiropractors tend to focus more on natural medicine options. |
| Osteopaths (Osteopathic Physicians) | Osteopaths are medical practitioners who emphasize holistic approaches to healthcare. They use manual techniques to address musculoskeletal issues, but they also consider the body's interconnected systems and their impact on health. |
| Psychologists | Psychologists are mental health professionals who assess and treat emotional and psychological issues. They provide therapy and counselling to help individuals cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Many clients will have mental health issue. It’s important to understand that, whilst we often listen to client problems, we are not trained counsellors and we need to know when to refer to a trained professional. |
| Occupational Therapists | Occupational therapists assist individuals in regaining independence and improving their ability to perform daily activities. They work with people of all ages, addressing physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges to enhance quality of life and functional abilities. |
Making contact with a medical professional
When making contact with a medical professional it is important that we keep communication professional at all times. Firstly, it’s vital to get consent from your client in terms of reaching out to their medical professional (GP, Physio, Psychologist etc).
Once consent is gained written communication in the form of a professionally written email would be the preferred option for making contact. Most medical professionals are extremely busy so a clear, concise and well-worded email is recommended. The below points are suggested when designing an email to a medical professional.
- An introduction. Refer to the medical professional by name (e.g., Dr Edgar) and introduce your name and position.
- Reason for email. Explain why you are making contact with the medical professional. State the client/patient’s full name and your purpose (e.g., more information, medical clearance, questions, concerns)
- Consent/Confidentiality. If applicable, mention that the client has given consent for their information to be shared with the medical professional and that they are aware of the referral. Also emphasise about the importance of confidentiality and respecting the privacy of the client.
- Request for action. Specify the action you are wanting from the medical professional. Whether it’s approval for them to begin exercising, more information or suggestions/recommendations be clear with what you’re requesting from them.
- Thank them. Conclude the email with a word of thanks for the medical professional’s time and assistance.
- Contact information. Ensure you have all contact information (full name, email address, phone number) available to the medical professional if they need to reach out to you.
- Attachments. If necessary, include any attachments to the email. This could be fitness testing results, the proposed exercise program etc.
- Note: Double check your email for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It’s really important to keep any written communication as professional as possible.
See the following example of how an email could be written.
Dear Dr. Edgar,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request medical clearance for my client, Franklin Roach, who has been under your care for hypertension and obesity. As Franklin’s Personal Trainer, it is essential for me to ensure that his exercise program aligns with his medical condition and that we take all necessary precautions to maintain his overall health and well-being.
Franklin's blood pressure reading was 147/98 during his initial assessment. This indicates the importance of consulting with you to determine if there are any specific exercise guidelines or restrictions that we should be aware of. It is crucial for us to establish a safe and effective exercise routine that will benefit Franklin without exacerbating his hypertension.
I kindly request your expert guidance in the following matters:
- Medical Clearance: Could you please provide clearance for Franklin to engage in an exercise program designed to improve his cardiovascular health and manage his hypertension?
- Exercise Guidelines: Are there any specific exercise recommendations or restrictions you would like us to follow in light of Franklin’s condition? Any guidance on exercise intensity, duration, or type of activities would be greatly appreciated.
Your insights and recommendations are invaluable in ensuring the safety and efficacy of Franklin's exercise program. We want to create an exercise plan that complements his overall health goals while addressing his hypertension.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We greatly appreciate your continued support in optimizing Franklin's health and well-being. Please feel free to respond at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
John Doe
Personal Trainer
Feel Good Fitness Centre
Let’s explore fitness testing from a special populations lens. But before we do that let’s have a refresher on why and how we fitness test. Watch the following short video tutorials on both the purpose and the process of fitness testing.
Fitness testing for a special populations client
Like any other aspect of exercise prescription, fitness testing should be special and individualised.
The tests you select should be specific to the goals, aims, and needs of the client. In addition to being specific, the tests you chose should be individualised to the client, particularly their exercise experience and medical history.
If a deconditioned client with no gym experience wanted to reduce body fat and improve cardiovascular fitness, you wouldn’t conduct a one-rep max deadlift test on them, that test is neither specific nor individualised.
Like any client, the general principles of fitness testing should remain the same. Fitness testing should be performed with Specificity, Reliability, Validity and Accuracy.
After we’ve established the fundamental principles for fitness testing let’s consider it for a special populations client.
Fitness testing can be a daunting experience for most new clients, but for someone new to exercise, obese or with another medical condition it can be a really stressful situation. If we focus on, first and foremost, making them feel as comfortable as possible then it’ll mitigate some of that stress for the client. Ways to put your client at ease include:
- Breaking the ice and having a general chat with your client
- Outline the entire process for the fitness testing and let them know that if they don’t feel comfortable with any of the tests, they do not have to do them.
- Go through the individual procedure for every test that you are going to perform
- Try to always stay within your client’s peripheral vision, even when doing girths and skinfolds.
- Maintain positive body language and eye contact.
- Never label your client with a certain normative data rating like ‘unfit’ or ‘obese’, the focus should be on making progress before the next assessment.
The following is an example of a good and bad way to communicate fitness testing results.
Selection of tests
There are literally thousands of health and fitness tests we can choose from and by now we should be proficient at conducting a lot of different. We will need to focus on our manner and communication during the fitness assessment process to help keep our clients at ease emotionally, however, it is also needed to ensure that we use appropriate tests for our clients. This is so we minimise the risk of causing issues physically.
It’s always best to err on the side of caution of selecting the tests for your client. Again, it comes back to what they want to achieve with their training (specificity) and their current capabilities (individualisation).
Try it out
Click on the following heading, “Case Study: Franklin”, to expand a case study that you will use to complete the activity that follows.
Meet Franklin!
Franklin has come to see you in a Personal Training capacity. He wants to train with you twice a week for 45-minute sessions.
Franklin has not been feeling himself lately so, after being prompted by his wife, he went to his GP for a check-up. The results from the doctor alarmed him considerably.
Let’s have a look at the key information discovered during his check-up.
- Age: 56
- Height: 178cm
- Weight: 104.7kg
- Waist Girth (Navel Level): 112.7cm
- BMI: 33.0 (Obese category)
- Blood Pressure: 147/98 (Hypertensive)
- LDL Cholesterol: 165
Franklin has a high-stress corporate job in the CBD. He often performs 60-hour work weeks and has really let his health slip.
His way of managing his stress levels is to have a few drinks each night. He averages around 20 alcoholic beverages each week.
He doesn't have very healthy nutritional practices. He usually doesn't eat breakfast and has fast food (pizza, fried chicken) for lunch. His dinners typically consist of large portions of meat and minimal vegetables. He drinks a minimum of four coffees a day to get through the workday.
Franklin played rugby when he was at college and went to the gym during his university days but has primarily been sedentary since his early 20s.
He is married with two adult children and has a fair amount of disposable income.
Franklin is expecting his first grandchild in a few months. The doctor had warned him he may not be around to enjoy his grandchild if he continues with his current lifestyle. The GP doesn't want to put him on any blood pressure medication initially. He wants to see if he can turn things around by following an exercise routine and focusing on healthy lifestyle habits.
Franklin was a little shocked and greatly concerned at the findings. He is committed to focusing on his health and motivated to do whatever is necessary to turn things around.
We'll revisit Franklin and use this case study to perform practical activities throughout the content.
Now that we’ve covered liaising with healthcare professionals and fitness testing for special pops, it’s time to put it into action. Check out Assessment 1B for an assessment guide video and instructions on submitting your assessments.
This assessment will require you to apply the knowledge you have learned by completing the following tasks:
- Identify 3 health professionals that are (or could be) involved in the treatment of your client’s condition.
- Attempt to make contact with 2 of these health professionals.
- Identify and describe at least 3 assessments you will use to measure the progress of your client.
- Conduct these assessments on your client and provide photographic evidence.
Please Note: You are encouraged to use the NZIS Fitness Testing sheet if you do not have your own purpose-developed sheet.
