Personal Training and Group Exercise Training for Older Adults GES 116 » 200 hours

The Personal Training and Group Exercise Training for Older Adults Program is suited for people who are interested in a career working with seniors and older adults in the health and fitness industry, for established fitness professionals who want advanced education in working with older adults, and for allied health and medical professionals from all fields who want to design specialized exercise and wellness programs for their older adult clients and patients. And if you're an exercise enthusiast over 50 yourself, this program will help you develop a personalized program to meet your own goals.

This certificate program includes:

• Examination of the social and physiological aspects of aging
• Current theories of aging
• Common conditions and diseases associated with aging
• The role of exercise in improving health, fitness, function, and quality of life in older adults
• Current recommendations for cardiovascular, flexibility, resistance, mobility, and balance training
• How to attract, serve, and retain the mature market by means of age-friendly facility design, equipment selection, and fitness management
• How to design safe and effective exercise programs for older adults by taking into consideration critical information such as a client's age, gender, health history, current health conditions, and exercise history

You can also choose to participate in an Optional Field Internship Program to get practical experience in the profession. Internships are six weeks, 60 hours long. Graduating students will be prepared for a career working with older adults at senior centers, medically based fitness facilities, retirement communities, YMCAs, JCCs, hospitals, community wellness programs, personal training studios, physical therapy clinics, long-term care facilities, corporate fitness centers, collegiate settings, and private and commercial health clubs.

The program is offered in partnership with the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the American Senior Fitness Association (SFA), the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), and Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program. Certificate program graduates will receive a complimentary one-year membership to the ICAA, which includes registration discounts for the annual International Active Aging Conference. In addition, graduating students will receive preferred discounts for the SFA's certification exams (Senior Personal Trainer Certification or the Senior Fitness Instructor Certification), the AEA's certification exam (Aquatic Exercise Association Fitness Professional Certification), and for Healthways Instructor Accreditation for Older Adult Exercise.

Continuing Education Credits
The following national organizations and associations have approved each Personal Training and Group Exercise Training for Older Adults program  for CEC/CEU's:

• The SFA: 2.0 CEUs per program
• The Health and Fitness Professionals Association (HFPA): 30 CECs per program and 60 CECs for the Optional Field Internship
• The National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF): 10 CEUs per program
• The National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT): 1 CEC per program, equivalent to an entire six-month CEC requirement
• The National Strength Professional Association (NSPA): 2 CEUs per program

Upon registering, you're given an initial six months to complete this program.  Should you need more time beyond the six months, an extension of six months is available with a fee of $300.