Exercise Interventions for Healthy Populations

This unit discusses the design and delivery of exercise and physical activity services for apparently healthy individuals, including athletes. Students develop an understanding of client-focused exercise delivery, and the challenges of behaviour change that are often needed for long-term participation in exercise and physical activity. The unit investigates how variables including the client's history of exercise, physical activity and injury, the client's goals, likes and dislikes, barriers and opportunities (eg. sociocultural, socioeconomic factors, socio-psychological), and the client's current exercise and functional capacities affect program prescription and uptake. Students learn the importance of cultural competence in the design and delivery of services. Students also develop technical expertise in assessments of exercise programs and the functional capacities of clients and how both of these capabilities can be used to plan and evaluate exercise interventions. Students are exposed to the importance of developing a safe and effective demonstration and leadership of appropriate exercises and training regimes.