Exercise Prescriptions

Optimal results with fitness programs can only be achieved if such programs are individualized and take into account the varying degrees of physical fitness and the different epidemiological factors that affect a person's health and well-being. Initial physical assessments, establishment of training goals, and identifying modalities that advance different physiological gains are all distilled into an overarching fitness program that accounts for individual differences and promotes the maintenance of results.

Prior to the prescription of a fitness regiment, individuals should submit to a physical fitness assessment in order to determine baseline indicators, which can be used to track progress and establish which forms of exercise would best benefit the trainee. Ranging from sophisticated medical technologies like DXA and Bioelectrical Impedance to low-tech methods like skinfold thickness, BMI and waist circumference, these pre-regime tests are a valuable tool for determining general fitness level and thus the type, intensity, and duration of the exercise prescription. Monitoring daily physical activity, using a spedometer, can further shed light on the amount of exercise that organically emerges from routine activities, and provide a baseline against which gains can be measured and weaknesses diagnosed. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), these initial assessments also serve to identify individuals at risk for adverse exercise-related pathologies, like sudden myocardial infarction or acute musculoskeletal injuries, both of which can be prevented by fitness programs informed by individual medical history and physical needs. In this regard, a person's weight, height, dietary habits and current a...

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