The purposes of assessment are to gather baseline data and to provide a basis for developing goals and effective exercise programs. Gathering and evaluating the various pieces of information give the personal trainer a broader perspective of the client. The process and the data collected assist the trainer in identifying potential areas of injury and reasonable starting points for recommended intensities and volumes of exercise based on the goals and fitness outcomes.
Personal trainersTesting and EvaluationClient Consultation|Assessmenttests and assessmentexercise prescriptionstrength trainingtactical athlete
Coaches can also benefit from understanding the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement and positive and negative punishment as they relate to motivation. Although coaches use a mixture of both reward and punishment, using rewards and a positive approach is arguably the best approach because it focuses on what athletes should do and what they did right.
Field tests have become popular in applied exercise science and sport performance enhancement programs because of their simplicity and ability to generalize results. However, numerous confounding factors may influence the validity of test data from such evaluations.
CoachesTesting and Evaluationsport performance trainingfitness trainingfitness testsfitness testing
By understanding the means by which athletes encounter risk, strength and conditioning professionals can integrate exercise programs that may offset one of the steps toward injuries.
Endurance sports are typically not thought of as highly technical endeavors, but proper movement during training and competition for endurance sports can affect both performance and health.
Scientific research has identified lactate threshold (LT) and maximal exercise performance as being very important contributors to endurance performance. A well-designed endurance training program can lead to improvement in both LT and maximal exercise performance within a single season and from season to season.
When integrating resistance training, endurance athletes must ensure that the sessions or workouts are sequenced in the context of the overall workload. Giving careful thought to these factors when designing the training plan will increase the chances of success.
CoachesExercise ScienceProgram designendurance trainingstrength trainingweight training
Static and dynamic conditioning of the core musculature is important in activities of daily living and in sport. This book excerpt includes sample static exercises to strengthen the core muscles responsible for stabilization against, or movement through, the four basic movement patterns.
Diets moderately higher in protein and slightly lower in carbohydrate may be beneficial when it comes to weight loss and improving body composition, as well as for sport performance.
CoachesNutritionLow carb high protein dietlow carb diethigh protein dietprotein sourcesweight gainhow to gain musclehow to lose fathow to build musclehow to gain massprotein shakesprotein barsprotein supplementssupplemental protein