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“You can make a difference. For many of us, an underlying goal when making career decisions is to have a positive impact on others. What area of life is more important than health? The term healthspan has been used to reflect the years of healthy living without being hampered by diseases. To promote good health, the value of moving more is firmly supported by research. The evidence that regular physical activity and structured exercise are good for health and fitness is overwhelming—and is a theme running throughout this book. Fitness professionals are uniquely qualified to help individuals, as well as whole communities, develop the habit of exercise in order to reap the benefits of improved physical fitness and prevention of (or treatment for) chronic diseases. Fitness professionals can make a real difference! In this role, being knowledgeable and current with information in the field is key, with the understanding that this will take an ongoing commitment as new research leads to updated recommendations and guidelines. This text will help you learn the foundational information that fitness professionals need. You will learn how to screen participants for exercise programs, evaluate the various components of fitness, and prescribe exercise to improve each fitness component. In addition, you will learn how to promote safe and effective exercise programs in various situations. Throughout the book you will become familiar with guidelines from governmental sources (e.g., Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans) as well as professional organizations (e.g., American College of Sports Medicine); organizations regularly release updates that will become resources in your ongoing quest to remain current. Rather than being daunting, the constant growth in knowledge is an exciting aspect of our field.”
Who is the book written for?
Having taught at the university level for 27 years, my approach as editor and author is from the perspective of a teacher (i.e., what do I want students to know and what skills do they need to develop), as well as a person who personally loves fitness and the science behind how the body responds to exercise. Broadly, the book is written for aspiring fitness professionals, as well as those who are already working in the field. As noted in the Preface, the text provides comprehensive information on fitness testing and prescription, including aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and neuromotor fitness. Additional assessments are included related to body composition and ECG. Content is presented clearly, with a focus on application. For example, when discussing energy costs of physical activity, inclusion of a question-and-answer format (showing step-by-step how calculations are made) helps readers to fully understand how to make the determinations.
This book’s target audience is upper-level undergraduate or beginning graduate students who have a background in anatomy and physiology, although several chapters are included to provide a quick review of anatomy, biomechanics, and exercise physiology, as well as nutrition. The book also can serve as a resource for fitness professionals who work with clients in a variety of settings, as evidenced by the detailed explanation of fitness assessments, including how to interpret test results. The extensive list of references used in each chapter can be used to gain additional insights and are clear evidence of the scientific foundation of the material presented.
What’s new in the this eighth edition?
As with prior editions, the book is divided into six parts (introduction, foundations, fitness assessments, exercise prescription, special populations and conditions, and exercise programming considerations), although there has been reorganization of content to enhance presentation of the information. For example, the pharmacology content previously found in separate chapters has been combined into a dedicated section that describes common medications and has summary tables highlighting medication effects on heart rate, blood pressure, and response to exercise. Content on pregnancy is now found in a single chapter with expanded content, including new screening tools and content on pelvic floor training. A single chapter on chronic diseases pulls together topic areas from the prior edition on cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, plus new material on cancer. In addition, two new chapters have been added to provide an overview of assessment and considerations for comprehensive program design.
Throughout the book, each content area has been extensively updated and revised to reflect the most current standards, guidelines, and research. To highlight this, case studies, application points, and research insights have been added throughout the book. New photos have been incorporated to show various assessments and exercises and 25 videos on a variety of topics are available through HKPropel. The use of the book within the classroom setting is augmented by the extensively updated instructor resources (e.g., course outline, test package with 720 questions, PowerPoint presentation package with over 800 slides, practical exam checklists, and lab assignment grading sheets).
Having used prior editions for so long within my university class, I approached the development of the new edition from the perspective of a long-time fan of this book and am proud to continue the legacy of the Fitness Professional’s Handbook with this comprehensive and thoroughly updated book.