Special Populations – Fit You Well, Make You Well

Targeting Diverse Populations

Fitness Should Fit You Well and Make You Well!

This course teaches instructors how to modify the poses down below Layer 1 and make the prescribed exercises fit each individual.

“When do I send the participant to their doctor or can they just walk into my class and take it without the a Doctor’s knowledge and/or release?” “How do I modify the exercises/format to fit my participant’s needs?

  • Every WholyFit instructor needs to be able to teach to the general popula,on.
  • Most people are de-conditoned (in the U.S.)
  • When you are planning and rehearsing your workout, target your class toward a decondi,oned popula,on.
  • In this training you will learn how to modify GBP exercises down below layer 1.
  • You will learn how to teach to the lowest common denominator.
  • Specific use of WholyFit exercises and modifications to improve an individual’s quality of life, taking into account any special conditions.

You will use the original Gentle Body Power exercises way below the intensity of Layer One, way below even what would be considered, “gentle” according to the fitness industry. GBP already adheres to special population guidelines for every kind of clinical condition. New certified instructors are advised to stick with the WholyFit formatting. Once platinum certified, instructors will have the experience and intuition to be able to very the format correctly, changing of the format  for specific reasons so that the sessions fit their clients.

Definition

For our purposes, this training refers to those with special needs and controlled diseases that are non-communicable. Seniors do not necessarily have special needs, but sometimes they do. For example,

  • Seniors with special needs like fear of falling
  • Pre/Post Natal (see this course later)
  • Chronic illness
  • Those with controlled NCD, exercising under Doctor’s supervision

Pre/post Natal

The Beatitudes and Love Chapter Heirlooms are an example of a special population condition that requires additional training beyond the modification info. offered in this training. There will be more pre/post natal training on this site.

Pre-class Screening • Liability Release • Health Screening

Expert use of WholyFit-specific exercises and formatting to improve quality of life, taking into account the condi,on of each individual. Chronically Praising: A few instructors have started classes specifically for those with chronic illness. This is a positive name for it we love. Another instructor named her special populations class WholyFit “Olive Fit.” Click here for a form you can use right from wholyfit.com

  • It is more dangerous NOT to exercise than to exercise gently.
  • New health questionnaires updated by ACSM in 2017 encourage people to exercise.
  • The latest health screening forms put up fewer barriers than before.

The basic questions we ask ourselves about an individual who walks into our class is: “Is this person able to do independent exercise?”

  • We are not asking, “Do they like to exercise?”
  • we are not asking, “Do they want to exercise?”
  • Motivation aside, we are asking, “Would it be dangerous for this person to exercise by themselves without guidance?”
  • If the answer is yes, then they need a doctor release and may need additional instructions in how to remain safe during exercise.

In order to prevent unnecessary barriers to exercise, your assessment of your participants needs to be individualized.

  • The more you know about contraindica,ons, signs and symptoms, the more confident you will be in your par,cipants’ ability to exercise.
  • Look up any medica,ons listed by par,cipants.
  • If in doubt, get the doctor release.
  • Get familiar with “risk stratification” (AFAA) (Par-Q) so you have a pattern to follow
  • You determine what health screening form(s) and content to use.

Even once cleared, that does not mean that the client understands exercise technique or safety. Whether they have exercise knowledge or not, the question you ask yourself is,  “Would it be wise for the participant to exercise on their own, without their doctor’s knowledge and consent?”

Scope of Practice

The scope of practice for a group exercise instructor/personal trainer:

  • teach group exercise and personal training to participants who are members of the “general popula,on”
  • teach those with controlled special needs who are cleared by their doctor for independent exercise.
  • determine class appropriateness by the health screening

Pre-participation Screening Basics

Click here and read a good article on scope of practice in our blog.  On this training site, we asked you to fill out the following and it’s a good example we want you to follow. You can find the right form for you on the internet where you will find many resources. Here is what to look for and you can decide what’s best for you and your clients.

  • Informed consent – to tell the participant what your class exercise program is.
  • Liability Release – A document releasing you from liability (and releasing WholyFit, the church or venue as well.)
  • Health Screening to decide if the class is appropriate for the participant with or without a doctor release
  • Assess improvement
  • Part-Q to help the client assess and track their own improvement

We highly recommend giving your clients a self-directed Par-Q form so that they get in the habit of self-assessment. The Par-Q+ is an automatic decision-making algorithm that tells your participant whether or not to get a doctor release.

How to Teach Multi-level Classes.

We liken teaching many different types of people to what it would be like to teach Scuba Divers and Mountain Climbers in the same class. Do you have many different fitness levels represented in your classes? The old saying that “you can’t please everyone” is just not true at all in this case! Yes you can please everyone! That is what being a great instructor is all about! Go to the next section to find out by reading “Scuba Divers and Mountain Climbers” next…

Scuba Divers and Mountain Climbers next…