Fitness Professional’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, meets the demands of the evolving fitness profession with a fully updated text based on the latest standards, guidelines, and research from the authorities in the field. With the expanded scope on the study of physical activity and its relevance to fitness, numerous ancillaries, and material that reflects the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines, this text will allow both students and professionals to stay abreast of the latest research and information in the field.
This full-color text serves as an essential resource for those seeking professional certification and an invaluable reference for those already certified and striving to stay informed amid ongoing advances in research. It incorporates information from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the eighth edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, and the American Health Association on exercise and physical activity recommendations for adults, older adults, children, and those with special needs.
Every chapter has been updated, allowing readers to explore the newest theories and research findings and apply them to real-world situations. The following are among the most significant changes to the sixth edition:
• Expanded case studies to ensure that every chapter includes practical learning experiences for readers
• Addition of the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) designed to measure aerobic capacity
• Updates based on the most recent dietary guidelines and current standards for nutrient intake, including information on USDA meal patterns (My Plate), the DASH diet, and Mediterranean diet patterns
• New sections on how physical activity is measured and how to use the compendium of physical activities to calculate energy expenditure
• Introduction to the Exercise Is Medicine program of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association, a global initiative to make physical activity and exercise a standard part of disease prevention and treatment
• Inclusion of some of the newest ACSM position statements, including strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight gain, the female athlete triad, and exercise testing and prescription for those with diabetes
• A new chapter on legal considerations that provides a basic understanding of the legal system as it relates to the fitness profession and describes why it is essential that fitness professionals develop their knowledge in the area of legal liability and risk management
With this text, students with little or no background in fitness testing and prescription will learn to screen participants, carry out standardized fitness tests to evaluate major components of fitness, and write appropriate fitness prescriptions. They will also learn how to apply this information to special populations, including children, older adults, women, and those with chronic disease (such as hypertension) or a specific condition (such as pregnancy). To aid readers in comprehension, the text retains the best features of previous editions, such as reproducible forms, key points, sidebars, questions and answers to case studies, key terms and glossary, and extensive references. Instructors will find an array of ancillaries to assist in teaching their courses, and the text’s attention to detail regarding the most common fitness tests allows it to be seamlessly integrated into lab experiences associated with fitness assessment.
Fitness Professional’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, provides comprehensive information on the fundamentals of fitness, exercise physiology, and biomechanics. Readers will better understand the role of physical activity in the quality of life and guidelines for screening, testing, supervising, and modifying activity for various populations. As such, it is a useful text for students and a valuable reference for practitioners.
