Core Knowledge Course

• Historical review
• Fitness today
• The Fitness industry
• Introduction to Fitness - basic concepts
• Directions: Resistance exercise, Group Training, Pilates, Yoga
• Human behavior and health - triggers for changing and maintaining behaviors
• Client classification and functional model
• Design of an exercise program
• Characteristics of a Personal Trainer

• Soft tissue physiology
• Flexibility
• Stretching physiology
• Stretching types and methods
• Static stretching - dynamic stretching
• PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)
• Stretching methods and objectives
• Duration of stretching
• Resistance exercise vs flexibility
• Stretching, muscle pain and injuries
• Stretching contraindications

• Definition of anatomical position
• Anatomical terms for body description
• Anatomical terms describing the movements and the role of the muscles
• Osteology and anatomy of joints
• Ligaments and tendons
• Factors that affect mobility
• Body orientation
• Muscular system
• Anatomical muscle classification
• Mechanics of the human Body
• Myology

• Nervous system
• Cardiovascular system
• Respiratory system
• Myology, osteology and kinesiology of the lower limb
• Myology, osteology and kinesiology of the upper limb
• Myology, osteology and kinesiology of the upper body
• Practical application of kinesiology
• Injuries
• Anatomy of the muscle cell

• Muscle cell
• Metabolic system
• Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
• Effect of exercise on the cardiorespiratory system
• Effect of exercise on the muscular system
• Effect of exercise on the neuromuscular system
• Muscle fatigue
• Resting metabolism
• Synthesis of muscle fibers
• Types of muscular contraction
• Types of muscular exercises

• Cell physiology
• Muscle cell
• Muscle contraction
• Synthesis and properties of muscle fibers
• Energy systems - exercise metabolism
• Effect of exercise on the cardiorespiratory system
• Lactic acid and performance
• Aerobic training and resistance exercise adaptations
• Muscle mechanics
• Neuromuscular adaptations of resistance exercise

• Introduction to nutrition and health
• Nutrients
• Carbohydrate, fat and protein intake
• Alcohol
• Vitamins
• Inorganic ingredients
• Replenishment of liquids
• Nutrients' energy content
• Human energy needs
• Caloric equilibrium
• Myths of nutrition
• Basic nutrition guidelines for people exercising
• Nutrition and health

• Body weight adjustment
• Pyramid of nutrition
• Energy equilibrium
• Direct and indirect calorimetry
• Body mass index
• Metabolic syndrome: recommendations - instructions
• Body weight management
• Methods of body mass measurement
• The role of leptin
• Glycemic index, Insulin index, Saturation index
• Type II diabetes
• Iron, Hemochromatosis, Free radicals
• Eating disorders