Fitness Instructor Certification Overview

Mar 10, 2025

Fitness Instructor Specialist - canfitpro

Certification Process

  1. Taking the Course
    • Participation only, no exam.
  2. Theory Exam (March 16)
    • 2.5 hours
    • 75 multiple choice, 15 short answer (bullet points preferred)
    • 80% passing grade
  3. Practical Exam
    • Conducted via Zoom with 2 devices
    • Min. 3 participants in a 45-minute class
    • Completion of a workout plan template

Post-certification

  • Annual CPR certification
  • 4 continuing education credits/year

Chapter 1: Understanding Yourself and Your Class

Optimal Health

  • Physical Activity Benefits:
    • Lowers risk of premature death, strengthens heart, decreases body fat, etc.
  • Mindset: Social, mental, and emotional health aspects.
  • Nutritional Health: Diet's role in health.

Components of Fitness

  • Primary Components: Cardiorespiratory capacity, muscular capacity, flexibility, body composition.
  • Secondary Components: Balance, coordination, agility, etc.

canfitpro Training Principles

  • FITT: Frequency, intensity, time, type.
  • Principles: Individualization, progressive overload, specificity, maintenance, reversibility, recovery.

Transtheoretical Model of Change

  • Stages: Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, relapse.
  • Strategies: Tailored interventions at each stage of change.

SMART Goals

  • Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-sensitive.

Exercise Adherence

  • Strategies to keep participants engaged and motivated.

Chapter 8: Components of a Fitness Class

Rate of Perceived Exertion

  • Using the Borg scale (0-10) to measure effort.

Warm-up

  • Phases: General and Specific.
  • Benefits: Increased muscle recruitment, mental preparation, injury reduction.

Cardiorespiratory Training

  • Phases: Pre-cardio, cardio, cardio recovery.
  • Benefits: Reduced heart disease risk, improved daily activity capacity.

Muscular Conditioning

  • Importance of form over reps.
  • Functions include increased muscle strength and coordination.

Cool-down

  • Includes stretching and relaxation.
  • Benefits: Improved mobility and relaxation.

Chapter 2: Bioenergetics

Energy Systems

  • Anaerobic Metabolism: ATP-CP and Glycolytic systems.
  • Aerobic Metabolism: Glycolytic and Fatty Acid Oxidation systems.

Chapter 3: Cardiorespiratory Concepts

  • Functions of the Cardiovascular System: Nutrient transport, temperature maintenance.
  • Heart Anatomy and Circulation: Pulmonary and systemic circulation.
  • Blood Pressure and Heart Rate: Understanding systolic/diastolic pressure, cardiac output, and HR zones.

Chapter 6: Pre-exercise Screening

  • Importance of PAR-Q+ for safety and professional responsibility.

Chapter 4: Skeletal Anatomy

  • Functions of the Skeleton: Support, movement, protection, storage.
  • Bone Structure: Axial vs. Appendicular skeleton, joint types.
  • Anatomical Terminology: Spatial and joint movement terminology.

Chapter 10: Building Your Class

  • Program Design Elements: Warm-up, cardiorespiratory training, muscular conditioning, cool-down.

Chapter 7: Injury Recognition & Prevention

  • Types of Pain: Mechanical vs. systemic.
  • Injury Management: Acute vs. overuse injuries, prevention strategies.

Chapter 5: Muscular Anatomy and Flexibility Concepts

  • Muscle Types and Functions: Contractions, fiber types, and nervous system interaction.

Chapter 9: Teaching Group Fitness

  • Movement Structure: Balance, variation, and patterns.
  • Coaching & Cueing: Verbal and non-verbal cues for effective teaching.

Textbook Review Pages for Study

  • Optimal health, components of fitness, training principles, energy systems, etc. from specific textbook pages (detailed in the transcript).