EuropeActive's Essentials for Personal Trainers

The European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS) uses the EuropeActive standards to ensure that exercise professionals are qualified to offer safe and effective fitness programmes to their clients across Europe. EREPS provides consumers, employers and partners in medical professions with the confidence that registered trainers are both competent and able to work to support its Code of Ethical Practice, which defines the rights and principles of exercise professionals. Referencing the EuropeActive standards and being registered mean that trainers have met the minimum standards of good practice and that they are committed to enhancing their skills and professional status through a process of lifelong learning. EREPS is regulated by the EuropeActive Professional Standards Committee using the official European Qualifications Framework (EQF), which describes the knowledge, skills and competencies exercise professionals need for registration. About the Editors Thomas Rieger, DrRerSoc, has been the chairman of the standards council of EuropeActive since 2012. He holds a doctoral degree in social sciences with a specialization in sport science (German PhD equivalent) from the University of Tübingen and a master’s degree in public health. In 2007, he was appointed as a professor of sport management at the Business and Information Technology School (BiTS) in Iserlohn, Germany. At BiTS, he is the vice dean of the bachelor’s programme of sport and event management and the master's programme of international sport and event management. Previously, Dr. Rieger served as visiting professor at the Real Madrid Graduate School and the European University Cyprus in Nicosia. Before entering academia in 2006, he gained more than six years of experience in the fitness industry, especially in the fields of fitness marketing and quality management. Ben Jones, BSc (Hons), is a founder and director of BlueSkies Fitness Ltd., a company that provides workplace wellness solutions to small- and medium-sized employers, offers learning and development consultancy, and manages the process of provider accreditation for EuropeActive. Mr. Jones has extensive experience in developing standards, qualifications, assessments and learning resources in the UK, Europe and UAE and has written for EuropeActive, Active IQ, VTCT, Lifetime Awarding and other organization. He is a master trainer for MEND, Momenta and TechnoGym and was one of the first PTA global faculty in the UK. Previously, he held the role of teaching and curriculum manager at Lifetime Training. Before entering the fitness sector in 1999 and going on to build a successful personal training practice and hold multiple fitness management roles, Mr. Jones studied physiology at Leeds University. Alfonso Jiménez, PhD, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, FLF, is a professor of exercise science and health and the executive director of the Centre for Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences at Coventry University (UK) and a member of the scientific advisory board of UKActive Research Institute. Previous roles include professor and dean of the faculty of health, exercise and sports science at European University of Madrid (Spain) and main academic leader of the Real Madrid Graduate School; professor, deputy dean and head of school of sport and exercise science at Victoria University in Melbourne (Australia); professor and headd of the centre for sport science and human performance at the University of Greenwich in London (UK); and chairman of the standards council at EuropeActive. He was awarded honorary membership of EuropeActive in recognition of his outstanding service. He is currently a visiting professor and international research associate at ISEAL at Victoria University, visiting professor at the University of Greenwich and chair of the research and dissemination commission at the Healthy & Active Living Foundation in Spain. Before entering academia, Dr. Jiménez focused on management, research and sales in the fitness industry.

Chapter 1. Professionalism and Presentation

Jan Middelkamp

Personal Training

Examining the Sector of Personal Training

Professionalism of Personal Trainers in Business

Presentation and Qualifications in Personal Training

Marketing and Sales

Conclusion

Chapter 2. Planning a Personal Training Session

Davide Filingeri and Thomas Rieger

Principles and Characteristics of Personal Training

Planning Activities

Conclusion

Chapter 3. Delivering a Personal Training Session

Nuno Pimenta

Monitoring and Adjusting Exercise

Maintaining Good Communication and Motivation

Different Personal Training Environments

Extending Frequent and Good Communication to Clients

Conclusion

Chapter 4. Skeletal Articulations and Joint Movement

Daniel Robbins and Mark Goss-Sampson

Connective Tissue

Joint Structure

Lever Systems

Effects of Resistance Training on Joints

Conclusion

Chapter 5. Injury Prevention

Pauline Jacobs and John van Heel

Osteoporosis

Spinal Injury Prevention

Shoulder Stabilisation

Ligamentous Damage

Conclusion

Chapter 6. Muscular System

Anders Nedergaard

Contraction Types and Their Characteristics

Acute Muscle Adaptations to Different Training Types

Chronic Muscle Adaptation to Training

Muscle Functions of the Hip and Thoracolumbar Fascia

Conclusion

Chapter 7. Energy Systems

Francesco Bertiato and Simonetta Senni

Three Energy Systems

Acute Variables and Energy Systems

Effects of EPOC and Interval Training on Metabolism

Fat Burning

METs and Calories

Methods for Monitoring Exercise

Use of Energy from Nutrients

Conclusion

Chapter 8. Cardiorespiratory System

Christoffer Andersen

Cardiovascular System

Respiratory System

Conclusion

Chapter 9. Nervous System

Alexis Batrakoulis

Organisation of the Nervous System

Function of the Nervous System

Nervous System and Exercise

Conclusion

Chapter 10. Hormonal Responses to Exercise

Sabrena Merrill and Cedric X. Bryant

Structural Overview of the Endocrine System

Classification of Hormones

Hormone Interactions with Target Cells

Hormonal Responses to Acute Exercise

Hormonal Adaptations to Chronic Exercise Training

Conclusion

Chapter 11. Health and Fitness Assessment

Nuno Pimenta, Samantha Jones and Ben Jones

Defining Health and Fitness

Preliminary Health Assessment

Fitness Assessments

Conclusion

Chapter 12. Psychological Aspects of Personal Training

Chris Beedie

Role of Psychology in Personal Training

Goals and Goal Setting

Beliefs and Expectations

Emotions, Stress and Coping

Conclusion

Chapter 13. Nutrition

Fernando Naclerio and Robert Cooper

Energy Requirement

Estimating Energy Expenditure

Calculating Energy Needs

Recommended Dietary Intakes

Healthy Eating Patterns

How Dietary Intake Influences Health

Micronutrient Deficiency and Health

Fads and Popular Diets

Food Pyramid and MyPlate Dietary Plan

Developing a Healthy, Balanced Way of Eating

Tobacco, Alcohol and Caffeine

Fat and Lipoprotein

Safe and Effective Weight Loss and Gain

Conclusion

Chapter 14. Training Adaptations

Rafael Oliveira, João Brito and Ben Jones

Adaptations to Training Principles

Adaptations to Resistance Training

Adaptations to Aerobic Training

Adaptations to Range of Motion Training

Conclusion

Chapter 15. Exercise Planning and Programming

Christoffer Andersen, Thomas Rieger and Lars L. Andersen

Planning for Resistance Training

Planning for Aerobic Endurance Training

Applied Training Programming

Examples of Exercise Programming

Conclusion