4800 Semester Report

Peak Health and Fitness - Circuit Training and Bootcamp

Mission Statement - Circuit

Training

The mission of circuit training is to improve overall

fitness by creating an environment that is conducive
to learning new skills and becoming comfortable in
the gym setting. In this class we will strive to get out
of our comfort zone in order to facilitate physical and
emotional change. Participants will progress towards a
level of long term healthy routine.

Class Goals
Participants will increase their max leg
extension by ten pounds.
Participants will increase their plank
hold by twenty seconds.
Participants will learn ten exercises
that they are able to do at a gym on
their own.

Leg Extension Graph

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

All participants in my class were women. Their ages ranged from

middle aged to old. The leg extension test was done on the leg
extension machine for both the pre and post test. From Shawnas
results you can see a twenty pound increase in leg extension. I
can attribute that increase in strength to our workouts in class.
From the time Kirsten was in class her leg extension remained
similar. If the machine gave smaller increments I know her post
test would have shown an increase, though small, in strength. It
Pre-Test is important for older individuals to have lower body strength to
help with balance and decrease falls. Our workouts focused on
Post-Test those exercises because all my participants were older
individuals. Attendance and enrollment fluctuated because all my
participants are working individuals and travel for business at
times, or had instances come up that kept them from making it
to class. It is important to know for this class that there will be
conflicts but it is very important to encourage them to come to
class. Tell them youre excited to see them at the next class. In
the future create classes around the things they like to do and
tell them you made the workouts with them in mind.

Plank Hold Graph

Shawnas plank increased by a whole
minute time. I was very impressed. I
tested Kirsten her first week of joining
us. We have done planks every day
this semester. Planks are the great
test of overall core strength. The
standards remained the same on both
the pre and post test. The guidelines
were to hold a plank with proper form
for as long as possible, when form
failed the test ended. The goal was
for everyone to increase their hold by
twenty seconds Shawna exceeded
expectations and Kirsten improved as
well. I would recommend focusing on
core strength in class because it is
the anchor of all that we do.

Kirsten

Carrie

Pre-Test
Post-Test

Shawna
0

10 Exercises Graph
I wanted my participants to learn
exercises they could do on their own
when they completed my class. At pre
testing I asked them to demonstrate
exercises they previously knew and
could do outside of class. Then at the
end of the semester I asked them to
share ten exercises they learned while
in my class that they will continue to
do. It is important that I provide a
service that continues a healthy
lifestyle. They enjoyed sharing their
favorite exercises. One of my
participants travels a lot and is excited
that she will have things to do in her
hotel gym.

12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Exercises
Before
Exercises
After

Analysis
Were high quality standards maintained?
High standards were maintained throughout the
semester. Class started at 6:30am, which isnt easy for
everyone. I arrived early to open the room, turn on the
lights and set up the equipment. I had the workout
written on the whiteboard before the class began. I made
sure I had the music playing and class ready to go before
6:30am.
The participants knew they would get a full workout
every time. I conducted class professionally while taking
into consideration their injuries and preferences.
I expected them to participate in the workout I planned
while they expected me to provide a full workout for
them. This was accomplished.

Analysis continued
Did you accomplish your goals? Why or why not?
I accomplished my goals because I was able to
provide alternate exercises for those with
injuries. That is something I was most worried
about at the beginning of the semester. My
participants enjoyed the class and kept coming
back. One participant dropped out because her
knees were bothering her. That is something I
feel like I could have helped prevent. I would
have rather her stay in class and I could have
provided methods of exercises that wouldnt
bother her knees.

Evaluations

I received strongly agree on all aspects of my exercise program;

warm up, cool down, rapport, enthusiasm, giving feedback,
enunciation, timeliness, knowledge, intensity, modifications.
I had one student agree with the fact that I give helpful fitness tips. I
could work on giving those in a more distinct manner so they
remember the tips and want to follow them.
One student said, She is always happy and energetic. She works
along with us and the workouts vary each day.
One student liked, variety, changing activities every few minutes
and the friendliness of the class.
I often get comments about my enthusiasm and friendliness. I want
to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and excited
to participate.
I was surprised with the support I received from my evaluation. My
participants were always kind and positive about my instructing, but I
didnt know if that was just how they reacted face to face. It is good
to know I am able to get a general idea of what my class thinks
before looking at evaluations.

Participants
Shawna: Shawna is a very active and fit older individual. She came to class at 6:30am,
but had been running or at the gym since 5:30am. She loves running and if the
weather is nice that is how she prefers to warm up for class. She runs marathons and
works extra hard in class. She even does the exercises she hates. Her leg extension
has been harder since she stopped running as much, but she still increased her weight
by twenty pounds. She has amazing core strength and her plank time increased from
two minutes and thirty seconds to three minutes and thirty seconds.
Carrie: Carrie travels a lot for her work, so she comes to class when she is in town. She
has weak pectoral muscles so pushups were hard for her. We used an alternate and
had her do pushups on the wall. She has traveled the world and loves that she now
has exercises she can do while she travels. Teach her things she can use on her own.
Kirsten: Kirsten was my youngest participant- middle aged. She joined the class after
half way through the semester. She was really fun. She is working on increasing her
core strength in her plank. It has been a struggle for her to hold it for a whole minute.
It would be important for her overall health to focus on exercises involving the core.

Future Instructor Information

Make sure you ask what injuries the participants have at the
beginning of the semester. Each one of my participants had different
injuries that required exercise alterations. This was helpful for creating
workouts each week. I knew what exercises they would have trouble
doing and I prepared alternate exercises or modifications for those
exercises.
Ask what goals they have for the class at the beginning of the
semester and then follow up on those goals. Many times my participants
changed goals and knowing those changes were helpful for creating
classes they would enjoy.
One of my participants does a lot of traveling and she was
interested in having a few classes centered around using equipment you
would find in a hotel fitness center. The other participants enjoyed these
focused classes.
Dont be afraid to make the workouts difficult. Many who take this
class are older, but they still deserve a good workout. Challenge your
participants with confidence.
ALWAYS USE A WATCH

Express Bootcamp

Mission Statement Express Bootcamp

The mission of Express Bootcamp is to

provide an opportunity for participants
to engage in high intensity, condensed
workouts. These workouts will stress the
importance of using a variety of drills to
promote full body fitness. In this class
students will strive to push themselves
to accomplish goals and exceed
expectations.

Class Goals
Participants will increase their max
pushups by five pushups.
Participants will increase their plank
hold by twenty seconds.
Participants will hold each other
accountable and there will be 80%
attendance on time at each class.

Max Pushup Graph

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

PreTest
Pos
tTest

The participants who where present for both

the pre and post testing were all women. This
group of women were my most faithful
participants. Many of them completed the
summer semester bootcamp class before
mine. During the summer they were tested
on pushups as well. It was good to see their
improvement not only over the time period of
my class, but their level increasingly
improved from the beginning of summer.
These participants completed the maximum
pushup test on their knees, keeping proper
form for both the pre and post testing. The
goal was to improve the maximum pushup by
five. All participants reached this goal.

Plank Hold Graph

We completed a plank test because plank
is the greatest test of overall strength. I
recognize that core strength is vital to Sam
maintain in order to have proper form
during all exercises. The guidelines were
to hold a plank with proper form for asMonica
long as possible. The goal was for the
participants to increase their plank hold
by twenty seconds. We did planks during
Laura
every workout throughout the semester
to practice and strengthen the core. All
participants were able to increase this Amy
time. They were very proud of themselves
for accomplishing their goals.

Pre-Test
Post-Test

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Attendance Graph
Express Bootcamp Attendance

Express
Bootcamp
Attendance

Attendance Graph Summary

This was my most difficult class for attendance. The
women participants were very good at coming to class
regularly. The two gentlemen came the first day and then
only three more times, but those three classes they were
over ten minutes late. As this is only a thirty minute class
they did not receive the workout as it was intended. Sam
came to the most classes, she worked hard and improved
the most over the course of the semester. Attendance was
around three for the entire semester. Once the
participants got a feel for the class they understood that
workouts build on each other and they saw the value in
coming to each class.

Analysis
Were high quality standards maintained?
High standards were maintained in this class because I was persistent in giving
them challenging workouts. This bootcamp class knew they were going to be
pushed and thats what kept them coming back. We had a few struggles when it
came to our meeting place. We had a spot on the field outside, but when the
weather was poor we didnt have a scheduled spot indoors. We found a corner in
the HPER gym, and agreed to meet there during poor conditions. High standards
were not met in that regard because we were not provided a space of our own.
Did you accomplish your goals? Why or why not?
Yes I did. This class was challenging at the beginning. I had participants show up
late and then complain about not getting a good enough workout. The class is
only thirty minutes, so timeliness is vital. I didnt know how to address everyone's
different requests for the class, but by the end of the semester we had a routine
that worked well for all the participants and myself. My goal was to provide a
variety of bootcamp exercises to give my participants a challenging workout
every time and I did just that.

Evaluations

My bootcamp participants did not fill out evaluations about my class, but
another student observed my class and gave me the following feedback.
She commented on the environment of my class and described it as lively.
She, like my circuit training class, commented on my bubbly, high-energy
personality.
I appreciated her comment on my demonstrations and explanations of
workouts. She noticed that I give modifications for those who may need it.
Overall, she said my class is comfortable for participants and she felt welcome
in my class. She ended by saying my classes are difficult, but participants work
hard and keep coming back because of my friendly personality.
I get a lot of joy from interacting with people. This semester has taught me to
stay positive even when situation out of my control happen. It has been great
to receive such positive feedback and I will continue to keep a bubbly
demeanor while providing a worthwhile workout.

Participants
Sam: Sam was my most faithful participant. Many times it was just Sam in the class.
Those classes seemed to be the best. Sam works well when she is pushed and it was
rewarding to see her meet the challenges of the class. She is super flexible, but
needs to be coached on form because it is easy for her to over extend. She doesnt
like jumping because she needs new shoes, but I still did them so she can work on
her weaknesses. Sams improvement from pre to post tests made me very proud.
Monica: Monica loves a challenge. She worked really hard and contributed to class.
She is fit and has learned to push herself harder throughout the semester. She also
improved from her pre to post testing.
Amy: Amy loves lower body exercises. She was my participant who would complain
about the exercises but would always complete them anyway. She just needs a little
extra motivation. She didnt come to class a lot at the beginning of the semester, but
once she understood that I wasnt wasting her time she came regularly.
Laura: Laura is a fun participant. She always showed up about five minutes late, but
was a great participant. She is very fit, but quiet. She didnt interact with the class as
much as the others, but she is very sweet. She also improved in her pre and post
testing and that was good to see since she was very fit when she began coming to
my class.

Future Instructor Information

This class is fun! Have fun with the participants. Get creative.
Bootcamp can be as versatile as you would like it to be. Use the cones,
large ropes, tires, and make it a game.
My participants didnt respond well to races/competitions, but yours
might. Mine really liked partner exercises. For example, one person
would do lunges to a cone I set out a few yards from the starting point,
while the other partner did crunches. As soon as the partner who was
lunging returned to the starting point they would switch. This made the
exercises fun and interactive.
This was an express class, so you really have to respect their time.
Let them know the first day they need to show up on time and that you
will get started on time. This way you will have the time you need to get
a full workout in the thirty minute time period.

Weekly Health Tips

WEEK 1: Is your energy lagging? Though it may be the last thing you
feel like doing when you're tired, exercise -- even a brisk walk -- can be
more effective than a nap or cup of coffee at fighting fatigue.
WEEK 2: If you suffer from dry eyes, up your seafood intake. Salmon,
sardines, and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the body
uses to produce tears, among other things. Research suggests that
people who consume higher amounts of these fats are less likely to
have
eyes.
WEEKdry
3: To
ease stress and prepare for bed, soak in a hot bath spiked
with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Play soothing music while
you bathe to unwind further.
WEEK 4: Running with music is a great way to get in a groove (just make
sure it's not blasting too loudly, or you won't hear those cars!). To pick
the ultimate iPod playlist, think about what gets you going. Don't feel
like you have to download Lady Gaga because her tunes are supposed
to pump you upgo with any music that you find uplifting.

Health Tips
WEEK 5: BUY COMFORTABLE SHOES. You shouldn't buy kicks that hurt,
bottom line! "Your shoes should feel comfortable from the first step. Sop
in the eveningyour feet swell during the day and stop in the late
afternoon, so you want to shop when they're at their biggest. Also make
sure the sneaks are a little roomyenough so that you can wiggle your
toes, but no more than that.
WEEK 6: It's best to step on the scale in the morning before eating or
drinkingand prior to plunging into your daily activities. For the most
reliable number, be sure to check your poundage at a consistent time,
whether daily or weekly.
WEEK 7: People are never too old to start exercising. Even frail, elderly
individuals (70-90 years of age) can improve their strength and balance
with exercise.

Health Tips
WEEK 8: Almost any type of exercise (resistance, water aerobics,
walking, swimming, weights, yoga, and many others) is helpful for
everybody.
WEEK 9: Avoid eating a large meal before sleeping to decrease gastro
esophageal reflux and weight gain.
WEEK 10: Take time to relax.
WEEK 11: Does your steak take up more than half your plate? Think
about cutting your serving of beef in half. That's because it's best to try
and fill half your plate with veggies or a mixture of veggies and fresh
fruit so that it's harder to overdo it on the more caloric dishes, like
cheesy potatoes.
WEEK 12: Wear helmets, seat belts, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

Health Tips
WEEK 13: A study of fast food restaurants published in the journal Psychological
Reports found that customers who dined in a relaxed environment with dimmed
lights and mellow music ate 175 fewer calories per meal than if they were in a
more typical restaurant environment. That may not sound like a dramatic savings,
but cutting 175 calories from dinner every night could save you more than 18
pounds in a year!
WEEK 14: Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from
your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm rather than hot
water.
WEEK 15: A recent study published online in Health Promotion Practice found that
people who received weekly text reminders of their daily calorie budget and
motivational emails made healthier meal and snack choices. A simple hack to
help you slim down: set up reminders on your smartphone, so when 6 a.m. rolls
around, its: You make 1200 calories-a-day look so good! And at lunchtime: Salad
for the six-pack, baby!
WEEK 16: Feeling connected and close to others is an important aspect of good
mental health. In this section you will learn tips for healthy relationships and also
learn about the number of opportunities on campus to meet students who share
similar interests and lifestyles.

Summary
The programs I instructed taught me to have confidence. My participants
relied on me to create an exercise program tailored to their needs and I was able
to provide that service.
I felt successful when I saw my participants improving. It was rewarding to
present a challenging workout and have them push themselves to complete it.
They gained more confidence in themselves by participating in my classes.
It was great to see the relationships formed in the class as well. The
participants encouraged each other and held each other accountable for coming
to class. It seemed that they were not only participating for the workout, but for
the social interaction as well. I like to approach healthy lifestyle holistically and
social health is a big component of total health.
Overall, this experience was successful because it taught me to act
professionally, be ready in any situation that may arise and it gave me the
experience I will need as I continue instructing fitness classes.