With the recent push for getting everybody moving, for some, Health Screening, Exercise Testing, Exercise Prescription as well as Fitness Programming are all areas where professional guidance may be necessary. The knowledge and experience of multiple Healthcare and Fitness Professionals combined provides a holistic approach for a lifetime of optimal health and well-being. The professionals will have multiple areas of expertise including: movement medicine and monitoring, mental health and obesity, physical therapy and sports training, exercise testing and risk management, pediatric exercise science and youth strength training, cardiac and lipid disorders, physical fitness and exercise physiology, biomechanics and sports medicine, health/fitness, chronic disease, injury/prevention and rehabilitation, medical fitness and cardio rehabilitation.
The leading causes of death, diseases, the physical outcomes of poor dieting and lifestyle choices and the negative consequences of physical inactivity are all preventable. In general, we engage in many harmful habits that plague much of the population. There are a variety of options and activities for the mixed needs of the community. With the support and direction of a knowledgeable healthcare team, a fitness professional should be able to guide you through a safe and easy-to-follow set of protocols that will lead to a personalized exercise fitness program that is conducive to your individual needs, that are fun and offer lots of variety to encourage a lifetime of personal commitment.
Some stresses on the human body are inherited (genetic), some are due to environmental elements and others are self- induced. A Fitness Professional has a responsibility to understand and identify the dynamics that bring about these stresses as well as their sub-components in order to promote safe and effective screening which will determine if additional or specialized medical professionals should be included in a regular part of the client’s exercise regimen. Once a participant has been properly screened and cleared for testing, a formal system(s) is used to test for components that will help guide in determining the specifics of the appropriate exercise prescription.
The Graded Exercise Test GXT will determine how the body performs under additional stress and overload. It may also help to rule out certain types of exercises that should not be included when writing the prescription.
Some people may have never participated in an exercise program before and find the test challenging. Many people may be overweight or obese and are not likely to be able to move as quickly as someone of normal weight. Some participants may have severe disabilities or may be fragile due to old age. A fitness professional trained in exercise prescription will be able to comfortably test and then provide realistic exercise programs that start slowly and regularly graduate to keep up with the needs and goals of each participant. A number of variables have to be taken into consideration when designing a regular program. Whether one decides to perform their workout indoors or outdoors, on land or in water, and regardless of the season, a mixed program can be created to help achieve individual goals for overall health and well-being.
A Fitness Professional who is qualified to write exercise prescriptions and follow through with the script will also be able to safely operate a facility that will be useful to all members of the community by accommodating individuals and specific groups.
Exercise is Medicine and so is food. What we put into our bodies and the amounts in which we do can have devastating effects on our overall health and wellness. A healthy, balanced diet that includes the daily recommended vitamins and minerals play an important part in bodily functions and weight management. Eating more live foods and less simple sugars are examples of lifestyle changes that could have significant positive effects on overall health and weight management. Specifically, educating the program participants on the various recommended dietary plans and the benefits and harms of particular foods and food related behaviors are also an important aspect of the fitness plan.
