Application
This unit applies to exercise instructors who work in facilities that provide a range of exercise programs and services such as aqua, group or gym-based to general populations including older clients and older adolescents who present with no major health conditions. It requires the ability to recognise and work within professional limitations. This unit is applicable to those working in fitness venues, gyms or other exercise environments. |
Prerequisites
Nil | ||
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Review pre-test screening information. | 1.1. Access and review initial client pre-test screening information according to legislation and regulatory requirements and organisational policies and procedures. 1.2. Advise the client of the relevance of the screening and appraisal process to developing an individualised exercise program. 1.3. Ascertain additional health information about the client prior to fitness appraisal and identify any factors requiring medical clearance according to organisational policies and procedures. 1.4. Recommend client seek medical or allied health professional assistance, where required before proceeding with fitness appraisal according to organisational policies and procedures. |
2. Determine the fitness goals of clients. | 2.1. Determine the perceived benefits clients expect from the exercise program. 2.2. Discuss the client's habits, cultural expectation lifestyle, family situation, likes and dislikes which might impact on the prescription of an appropriate exercise program. 2.3. Provide relevant information on the impact of poor lifestyle behaviours on health and fitness to the client. 2.4. Consult with the client to develop and document short and long-term fitness goals. 2.5. Match fitness goals to products and services available in the fitness industry. |
3. Conduct a basic fitness appraisal. | 3.1. Select appropriate tools and appraisal methods according to the clients' current fitness capacity. 3.2. Organise fitness assessment equipment required for the appraisal as appropriate. 3.3. Conduct basic fitness appraisals ensuring the safety of the client according to organisational policies and procedures. 3.4. Explain the results of the fitness appraisals to the client and recommend an appropriate exercise program. 3.5. Record recommendations for the client's exercise program according to organisational policies and procedures. 3.6. Develop a client profile that can be used to develop an individualised exercise program. 3.7. Identify signs of poor exercise tolerance and reason for discontinuation of a fitness appraisal. 3.8. Use energy, water and other resources effectively when cleaning, preparing and maintaining equipment and activity areas to reduce negative environmental impacts. |
4. Motivate and encourage clients. | 4.1. Determine the client's level of commitment to the exercise program. 4.2. Apply motivation techniques to help the client identify barriers to adherence and to set effective and manageable exercise goals according to fitness levels. 4.3. Assist the client to identify behavioural changes to improve long-term adherence to an exercise program. 4.4. Advise the client on techniques that may increase their adherence to exercise. 4.5. Recognise and use the factors that encourage people to adhere to exercise programs when instructing clients. 4.6. Recognise and apply common reasons for discontinuation of exercise programs when settling program guidelines. 4.7. Discuss habits, lifestyle, family situation likes, dislikes which might impact on writing an appropriate exercise program with the client. 4.8. Use the physical and the psychological characteristics that apply to each stage of fitness, stages of change and the most appropriate form of motivation at each level when instructing clients. 4.9. Direct clients to understand and overcome their own barriers to the continuation of an exercise program. 4.10. Identify the steps involved in establishing a behavioural change that results in their long term adherence to an exercise program to the client and use when instructing clients. 4.11. Take into account people's idiosyncrasies, cultural and social differences, behavioural patterns and industry standards when instructing clients. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: elicit information from clients about their needs and expectations consult with clients about fitness goals clarify screening information provided by clients convey information about the fitness appraisal process and appraisal results problem-solving skills to: select fitness tools and methods appropriate to the client's fitness capacity assist the client to identify techniques to adhere to an exercise program literacy skills to review and clarify information in a health screening questionnaire, determine further information required and develop a client profile ability to recognise and refer to medical or allied health professionals. |
Required knowledge |
organisational policies and procedures to enable ethical and compliant collection, use and storage of client information factors that motivate people to commence and stay with a long term exercise program purpose and process of fitness appraisals to enable accurate information to be communicated to clients and accurate responses to be made to client queries fitness industry standards and practices for the conduct of safe fitness appraisals tools and methods to conduct fitness appraisals that enable client fitness capabilities to be assessed accurately medical and health conditions indicating the need for a medical clearance own professional limitations relating to safe operation and scope of practice physical and psychological characteristics that apply to each stage of fitness (such as preparation, conditioning, recovery and adaptation phases) to enable fitness appraisals to provide accurate information for the development of an appropriate exercise program motivational techniques to support client adherence to the exercise program stages of change and appropriate motivational strategies for each stage exercise adherence and behaviour change general characteristics of the main social and cultural groups in Australian society and the key aspects that relate to their cultural and religious protocols and preferences for exercise. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: develops a rapport with a range of clients based on gender, age, physical capacity, fitness goals and level of motivation treats client information with sensitivity and discretion, displays client empathy and puts clients at ease during the fitness appraisal process undertakes fitness assessments based on the fitness goals and physical capacity of the client and makes informed recommendations on appropriate exercise programs or the need to seek medical or allied health assistance identifies motivational techniques and strategies appropriate to a range of clients with different needs to support and encourage adherence to an exercise program applies effective contingency management techniques to deal with a range of problems and issues that may arise during the appraisal process such as difficult or demanding clients with unrealistic fitness expectations |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure completion of client induction and screening processes for a range of clients with different needs to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance Assessment must also ensure access to: a facility where appropriate fitness appraisal equipment is available a range of clients with a range of real or simulated fitness needs and expectations and fitness assessment equipment to conduct the appraisal documentation such as initial client health screening information, written facility information about available exercise programs and services and organisational policies and procedures relating to client fitness appraisals. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of client consultations to determine their fitness goals oral and or written questioning to assess knowledge of fitness industry standards and practices for fitness appraisal of clients portfolio of completed fitness appraisals third-party reports from colleagues or supervisors detailing work performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISFFIT304A Instruct and monitor fitness programs. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Pre-test screening information may include: | lifestyle evaluation fitness goals time availability exercise history likes and dislikes medical history medications informed consent clearance letter from an allied health professional or medical practitioner. |
Legislation and regulatory requirements may include: | occupational health and safety duty of care privacy anti-discrimination copyright licensing child protection trade practices consumer protection environmental business registration and licences. |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | privacy confidentiality medical clearance risk management client record systems collection and use of client information client referral procedures recording appraisal information. |
Health information may include: | medical conditions injuries prescribed medication medical and exercise history functional limitations. |
Client may include: | experienced or inexperienced various ages screened active or inactive pre-natal post-natal menopausal. |
Fitness appraisal may include: | cardiorespiratory endurance blood pressure range of movement strength body composition waist- hip ratio girth measurements skin folds. |
Medical or allied health professional may include: | sports medicine physician or staff specialist general practitioner physiotherapist accredited exercise physiologist occupational therapist remedial massage therapist chiropractor osteopath accredited practising dietician psychologist aboriginal health worker diabetes educator. |
Perceived benefits may include: | cosmetic health social or recreational athletic. |
Fitness goals may include: | improved health enhanced appearance increase muscle mass body fat reduction cardiovascular endurance improved flexibility increased strength. |
Appraisal methods may include: | heart rate response pulse response blood pressure response respiration rate response skin colour response rate of perceived exertion exercise form work output. |
Fitness assessment equipment may include: | tape measure stadiometer scales sit and reach box bicycle ergo meter heart rate monitor bio-impedance machine camera goniometer stethascope spirometer dynanometer sphygmomanometer (manual and digital) skin fold callipers step up stop watch. |
Exercise program may include: | motivational strategies for a client realistic goals phases specific exercises expected outcomes. |
Motivation techniques may include: | arousal control techniques zone of optimal function. |
Cultural and social differences may include: | modes of greeting, farewelling and conversation body language, including use of body gestures formality of language clothing |
Fitness levels may include: | beginner relatively fit advanced. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Fitness |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor