Product Description

Fitness Professionals: The Fitness Instructor's Handbook is the essential guide for anyone working in, or wishing to enter, the fitness industry. It covers every component of the industry standards for both level 2 and 3 qualification, and offers the perfect blend of theory and practice on every aspect of health and fitness. The book has been written with the specific needs of trainers in mind - it covers every aspect of the theory and places it in a practical context. Topics covered include: the skeletal system muscles and tendons the energy system circulation and respiration components of fitness safety issues customer service screening clients planning and programme design exercise evaluation. Packed full of illustrations, case studies, revision questions and sample programmes, Fitness Professionals: The Fitness Instructor's Handbook is the ideal book for both those new to the industry and experienced trainers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29077 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

About the Author
Morc Coulson is senior lecturer and the programme leader of sport and exercise science at the University of Sunderland. He worked in the fitness industry for a number of years, both in gyms and in the design and delivery of training courses, before moving into an academic position. He regularly contributes to industry magazines and journals.

Customer Reviews

A Fitness Masterclass
A great book. I completed a BSc in Sports Science several years ago, but I am only recently working in the industry. This book is informative and comprehensive. Be prepared for details, diagrams and technical terms; it is the complete antithesis of the celebrity work-out programs so popular over the last few years. The book ties in nicely with current industry standards and has a series of example questions and answers after each section. It's well written so despite the in-depth information it is easy to read. If you are or want to work as fitness instructor or have a serious interest in fitness this is a must.

Good text, shame about the illustrations!
The potential usefulness of this book has in my view been spoilt by poor quality, badly labelled photos and illustrations.

Having just started a YMCA Fit Gym Instructor course, I was delighted to find a fitness instructor book aimed at the UK market and specifically at the fitness industry level 2(my course) and level 3 qualifications.

The author, Morc Coulson, clearly knows his stuff as a senior lecturer and programme leader for sport and exercise science at the University of Sunderland, but, assuming he left production of the photos and illustrations to the publisher, he has been badly let down by them.

It was disappointing to find almost all the photos in my copy (and these are black and white only) were very dark with little contrast. It was virtually impossible to see the subjects carrying out the exercises against the often equally dark equipment and backgrounds.

On looking closer at the book, there are more glaring and worrying errors, for example:-

There are 2 sets of 3 photos, labelled a to c, to illustrate the correct postures for standing and sitting. In every one of the 6 descriptions, the letter given identifies the wrong photo (the "back too straight" description may refer you to the "too curved" photo, and "too flat" to the "correct posture" photo, and so on). I for one would not want my posture assessed by someone who had learnt from this book!

The diagram of the full skeleton shows the clavicle (collar bone) as an unbroken loop curving around the shoulder, over the top of the scapula (shoulder blade) and joining seamlessly with its inner edge (the one nearest to the spine) - (!!!) - At least there is a correct diagram on the facing page showing a joint between the two bones on the tip of the shoulder - but the student should not have to read the text to find out which is correct!

A diagram of the spine indicates that there are 7 thoracic vertebrae when there should be 12. OK - so it's a technicality - you could count them, but it makes you wonder what else is incorrect in the book.

The list of errors, unfortunately, goes on.

The book should have been properly proof-read to ensure it can be relied upon by the student. This is after all intended as a reference work for level 2 and level 3 fitness training qualifications.

Either the publisher was slap-dash, or the author was . . .
. . . In either case, I cannot recommend this book.

A wise investment for fitness students
This book was recommended to me by a friend when I did a Studio Instructor course in February as a general guide to the theory side of the fitness industry. I have just completed a Personal Trainer course as well and find I have referred to this book time and again throught each module of the course.
Ideal for anyone either entering the fitness industry.