Fitness Professional’s Handbook Sixth Edition

Fitness Professional’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, meets the demands of the evolving fitness
profession with a fully updated text based on the latest standards, guidelines, and research
from the authorities in the field. With the expanded scope on the study of physical activity and
its relevance to fitness, numerous ancillaries, and material that reflects the American College
of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines, this text will allow both students and professionals to
stay abreast of the latest research and information in the field.
This full-color text serves as an essential resource for those seeking professional certification
and an invaluable reference for those already certified and striving to stay informed amid
ongoing advances in research. It incorporates information from the Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans, the eighth edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, and the American Health Association on exercise and physical activity
recommendations for adults, older adults, children, and those with special needs.
Every chapter has been updated, allowing readers to explore the newest theories and
research findings and apply them to real-world situations. The following are among the most
significant changes to the sixth edition:
• Expanded case studies to ensure that every chapter includes practical learning experiences
for readers
• Addition of the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) designed to
measure aerobic capacity
• Updates based on the most recent dietary guidelines and current standards for nutrient
intake, including information on USDA meal patterns (My Plate), the DASH diet, and
Mediterranean diet patterns
• New sections on how physical activity is measured and how to use the compendium of
physical activities to calculate energy expenditure
• Introduction to the Exercise Is Medicine program of the American College of Sports
Medicine and the American Medical Association, a global initiative to make physical activity
and exercise a standard part of disease prevention and treatment
• Inclusion of some of the newest ACSM position statements, including strategies for weight
loss and prevention of weight gain, the female athlete triad, and exercise testing and
prescription for those with diabetes
• A new chapter on legal considerations that provides a basic understanding of the legal
system as it relates to the fitness profession and describes why it is essential that fitness
professionals develop their knowledge in the area of legal liability and risk management
With this text, students with little or no background in fitness testing and prescription will learn
to screen participants, carry out standardized fitness tests to evaluate major components of
fitness, and write appropriate fitness prescriptions. They will also learn how to apply this
information to special populations, including children, older adults, women, and those with
chronic disease (such as hypertension) or a specific condition (such as pregnancy). To aid
readers in comprehension, the text retains the best features of previous editions, such as
reproducible forms, key points, sidebars, questions and answers to case studies, key terms
and glossary, and extensive references. Instructors will find an array of ancillaries to assist in
teaching their courses, and the text’s attention to detail regarding the most common fitness
tests allows it to be seamlessly integrated into lab experiences associated with fitness
assessment.
Fitness Professional’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, provides comprehensive information on the
fundamentals of fitness, exercise physiology, and biomechanics. Readers will better
understand the role of physical activity in the quality of life and guidelines for screening,
testing, supervising, and modifying activity for various populations. As such, it is a useful text
for students and a valuable reference for practitioners