Initial Conditioning Stage

The first four to six weeks of an exercise program are the initial conditioning stage.It is best to have clients in this stage exercise at a relatively low intensity to help them avoid the muscle soreness, discomfort, and discouragement that may accompany intense physical exercise. As a client progresses through this stage, the frequency, intensity, and duration of workouts can be increased gradually.

Choose Your Food

And check with your airline in advance to see if food is being offered .If given enough time, the airline can prepare a special high carbohydrate, low fat meal that would fit into any athlete's training plan.However, it is still a good idea for athletes to have pre packed snack foods available just in case.

Creatine Supplement

Some young athletes now use creatine, a supplement that claims to improve athletic performance.Creatine use is not recommended in individuals younger than the age of 18. Likewise, young athletes should be cautioned against using amino acid supplements because the long term effects of these on growth and development are not known.Furthermore, these supplements increase an athlete's risk of dehydration. If 15 to 20 percent of a young athlete's diet is protein, he or she will have more than enough to aid in the repair and maintenance of bone and muscle tissue.Educating young athletes regarding supplement use and keeping them properly fueled and hydrated are the first steps to ensuring their safety in and enjoyment of an active lifestyle.

Activity Level

A second process that requires energy is physical activity.The energy a person requires to support his physical activity is calculated as a percentage of his resting metabolism needs.For example, an inactive person who sits most of the day and is on his feet or moving slowly less than a total of two hours will need approximately 30 percent of his resting metabolism expenditure to support his activity level.


People who walk or stand for two to four hours during an average day but do no strenuous activity need 50 percent of their resting metabolism for activity, while those who engage in four or more hours of physical activity each day require 75 percent.

Water Weight

Water weight is the percentage of body weight made up of water .Water make up more than 75 percent of your body without enough water, your digestive system doesn't work smoothly, and you blood doesn't flow properly.In a typical day, you lose about 10 cups of water from your system through sweating, evaporation, breathing, and waste removal.Food contains some water, but you still need to drink about eight cups of water a day. As you exercise, your rate of water loss goes up, and, therefore, so does your body's need for water.

Muscle Fiber Types

Our muscles are composed of two main fiber types.The first type of muscle fiber is referred to as slow  twitch fibers and is used heavily during aerobic activity activities that use oxygen and can be sustained for a fairly long period of time.Slow twitch muscle fibers have a large number of mitochondria.Remember, it is those mitochondria that let them generate ATP so efficiently.This, in turn,lets slow twitch muscle fibers fuel the repeated muscle contractions that are used in aerobic activities.Examples of aerobic activity include biking, swimming laps,and jogging.The second main type of muscle fiber is called fast twitch fibers.Fast Twitch Fibers are better suited for anaerobic exercises that require short bursts of intense activity.This is because they don't contain the amount of mitochondria that slow twitch fibers do,so they aren't as efficient when it comes to generating ATP.Remember, anaerobic activities are performed with insufficient oxygen, and examples include power lifting and short sprints.

Bone Tissue

Much like the skin, bone tissue is made up of layers, like an onion.The solid, outermost layer of none tissue is termed compact bone.It is made up of cells called osteocytes.The innermost, center part of bone tissue is hollow and is called the marrow cavity.The tissue that lies between the outer compact bone and the inner marrow is called cancellous bone.

Plantar Flexion Of The Ankle

Plantar Flexion is the movement at the ankle joint that occurs when the toe is pointed.For instance, when the foot is stepping on an accelerator pedal in a car, the ankle is in a plantar flexion movement.Ballerinas and gymnasts frequently have their feet in a plantar flexion movement.

Range of Motion or Rom

There are two types of ROM.Active ROM is a motion you can do yourself just by telling yourself to do it.For instance,you know your favorite book is at the top of the stairs, so you decide to walk up them to get your book.For people with unrestricted ROM,this movement requires only the thought and initiative to move one foot in front of the other.

Passive ROM,on the other hand, occurs when someone or something else move a joint.For example, you can bend your wrist backwards by telling yourself to perform this active ROM.However, if you apply pressure to further hyperextend the wrist, you are performing a passive ROM that cannot be achieved without the added pressure of your other hand.

The interaction between synovial joints and muscles is what allows us to dance, play, work,and even bend over to pick up a penny! When ROM is restricted, people's lives are restricted.Helping to restore a person's ROM and therefore improve the quality of his or her life can be a big part of the satisfaction of being a personal fitness trainer.

Swimming and Water Exercise

Swimming and other water based aerobic activities provide excellent benefits for people who have joint problems or who have been injured doing some other activity.This is because the water buoyancy allows for free movement without the hindrance and extra stress of body weight.Swimming requires greater skill than some other sports, however,water exercise usually is performed while the body is upright in the water,requires relatively little skill, and can provide an excellent cardiovascular workout.

Mind Over Matter

Sports psychology is a growing field that studies the relationship between an athlete's psychological state and her physical performance.Many of the ideas that sports psychologists use also can be applied to the work of personal fitness trainers and nutritional specialists.Clients who are happy, feel positive toward their fitness plan,and can be open with their trainer are much more likely to achieve their fitness goals.Simply going through the motions of a wellness program is not nearly as effective as engaging both the mind and body in a healthy lifestyle.personal fitness trainers can teach their clients to view the mind as another body part that, when exercised daily, contributes greatly to their overall fitness success.