Welcome to special populations and exercise adherence! In this module, you will explore the relationship between exercise and different populations, including elderly clients, adolescents, and those with obesity and other health conditions. You will also develop the skills necessary to research common conditions, learn about exercise risks and benefits, and prescribe a meaningful and appropriate exercise programme to target specific client goals.
You'll learn about the unique challenges that special populations face when trying to adhere to an exercise programme and how exercise can positively impact their quality of life. As a health and fitness coach, you will adopt strategies to critically evaluate a programme and make necessary modifications to enhance client participation, comfort, and goal achievement. You will understand how to design and implement exercise programmes that are safe, effective, and enjoyable for special populations.
On completion of this module, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who face unique barriers to exercise. So, let's dive in and discover more about the role you play when coaching special populations to enable exercise adherence.
We’ll cover:
- Exercise risks and benefits
- Collaboration and referral
- Common conditions
- Programme modification
- Exercise adherence
The fine print
When you have completed the learning and assessments for this module, you will have shown a clear ability to adapt programmes for apparently healthy people and common at risk groups using exercise science and testing, and apply motivational and communication techniques to enhance individual participant commitment to a personalised exercise programme.
To break this down further, you will have demonstrated the ability to:
- Apply industry recognised pre-screening tools such as Exercise New Zealand endorsed pre-screen or equivalent and exercise adherence strategies to ensure safe and effective outcomes for clients.
- Apply the use of measurement tools and assessment documentation relevant to an individual client’s programme goals.
- Modify an exercise programme and apply relevant progression, regression and appropriate modification parameters for common conditions that could include obesity, arthritis, diabetes, pregnancy or age specific individuals, groups or communities.
- Review and update exercise plans or programmes.
- Monitor progress of client and apply appropriate intervention strategies for continued involvement in programme.
- Developing strategies to support and optimize client performance.
Let's check how much you already know about special populations and exercise adherence.
Is there an area that you are already feeling confident with? How about a topic you may need to allow for extra study time?
