Participatory fitness plans should include education on benefits of regular exercise and risks of a sedentary lifestyle, its impact on cardiovascular health and diseases, its relationship with weight control and stress management, and aerobic activity options.
Discussion and practice of safe principles of exercise – warm up, cool down, frequency, intensity, duration, flexibility and strength components. The wellness program follows guidelines by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Safety precautions should include the following –
• Informed consent before beginning exercise with clear and complete written and verbal instructions of possible risk, purpose of exercise, exercise format to be followed, opportunity for questions, and a signed informed consent with date.
• A screening/evaluation of participants to determine when medical evaluation is necessary for exercise such as the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, see forms).
• Measurements of blood pressure and resting heart rate are useful screening information to determine exercise readiness.
• Participants who fail screening are medically referred and should obtain a written clearance from their physician to exercise.
• The basic content of an group fitness program ought to include –
Warm up 5 – 10 minutes
Aerobic exercise 20 – 40 minutes
Cool down 5 – 10 minutes
Exercise instructors should’ve education and training in exercise physiology, physical education, physical therapy or comparable discipline, or possess a current certification by a nationally recognized sports medicine or exercise association, and be CPR certified.
