Wellness Programs and Fitness Programs.

Participatory fitness plans ought to include education on benefits of regular exercise and risks of a sedentary lifestyle, its impact on cardiovascular health and diseases, its relationship with weight control and stress management, and aerobic activity choices.

Discussion and practice of safe principles of exercise - warm up, cool down, frequency, intensity, duration, flexibility and strength components. the program follows guidelines by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Safety precautions should include the following -

• Informed consent before beginning exercise with clear and complete written and verbal instructions of possible risk, purpose of exercise, exercise format to be followed, opportunity for questions, and a signed informed consent with date.

• A screening/evaluation of participants to determine if medical evaluation is necessary for exercise such as the Exercise Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, see forms).

• Measurements of blood pressure (BP) and resting heart rate are useful screening information to determine exercise readiness.

• Participants who fail screening are medically referred and should obtain a written clearance from their doctor to exercise.    

• the basic content of an group fitness program should include -     

Warm up   5 - 10 minutes

Aerobic exercise   20 - 40 minutes

Cool down   5 - 10 minutes

Exercise instructors should have education and training in exercise physiology, physical education, physical therapy or comparable discipline, or possess a current certification by a nationally recognized sports medicine or exercise association, and be CPR certified.