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NSCA-CPT Certified Personal Trainers Provide Specialized Knowledge Needed to Train Older Adults
Lincoln, Nebraska - November 4, 2005. According to the 2004 U.S. Census, more than 63 million Americans are 55 and older. The Department of Health and Human Service's Administration on Aging predicts the trend to continue and projects the size of the older population to double over the next 30 years. This being said, many fitness experts agree that no other age group can experience a greater increase in health from exercise than older adults. A report from the U.S. Surgeon General reveals that the rate and magnitude of the loss of physiological function due to aging may be reversible - or at least made more manageable - with exercise intervention. Older adults who are active can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Type 1 diabetes, low back pain, arthritis, depression, obesity and injuries caused by falls.
The increasing older adult population creates a need for fitness professionals who can design and implement safe and effective exercise programs. The NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) credential enables personal trainers to demonstrate that they possess the specialized knowledge, skills and abilities needed to properly design a low-risk fitness program for older adults. Further, an NSCA-CPT certified personal trainer understands the importance of obtaining both medical clearance and a list of exercise limitations from an older client's physician before developing the exercise program.
Training older adults can be a challenge due to health conditions that can affect the comfort and safety of exercise. An NSCA-CPT personal trainer can recognize these conditions, such as poor balance, sore joints, reduced flexibility and a diminished functional capacity and make appropriate and client-specific modifications to a basic exercise program. An individual who has earned the NSCA-CPT credential has the knowledge to monitor the older client during each workout and make adjustments as needed based on how the individual is feeling and responding to the stress of exercise.
Acquiring the NSCA-CPT credential will help personal trainers increase their clientele and expand their marketability because of their ability to deliver fitness programming that meets the needs of the older adult population. An NSCA-CPT certified personal trainer's expertise in program planning and exercise technique will assure their clients that they are working with a knowledgeable and competent fitness professional.
For more information on the NSCA Certification Commission or the NSCA-CPT credential, please call toll-free 888-746-2378, e-mail commission@nsca-cc.org or visit www.nsca-cc.org.
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The NSCA Certification Commission, which is the certifying agency for the National Strength and Conditioning Association, offers two credentials for fitness professionals. The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) certifications are considered the Credentials of Distinction in the strength training and conditioning and personal training professions. The NSCA Certification Commission is the only fitness-related organization to offer credentials nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) since 1993.
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