We have all heard it many times before — regular exercise is good for us. But life can sometimes get busy, maybe even sometimes, too busy. From managing a household, going to work, having family responsibilities, finishing school work, or even figuring out time for some self-care, getting into the habit of exercising is hard for many people. And that’s where people, like you, can come in. Maybe you’ve known that the benefits of a good exercise lifestyle go beyond just breaking a sweat. Maybe you’ve found yourself with an overwhelming need to help others get in better shape. Somewhere along the way, there’s a chance you’ve realized the importance of promoting exercise and health habits and are deeply interested in helping others manage their weight, improve their sleep, increase their energy, reduce their stressors and overall improve their mood.
If you’re someone who enjoys being someone’s accountability partner, training coach or even point-person for all things nutrition and diet, getting your degree in Exercise Science might be just the thing for you!
As a student enrolled in ACU Online’s Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science program, you can begin your long-awaited journey to explore how movement and nutrition can prepare you for an entry-level fitness career. Aimed to teach you courses from a multifaceted scientific perspective, our program helps students approach health holistically by first teaching the many physiological and psychological aspects that make up a human being. Want to learn more? Here are three quick things you’ll learn as a student in our B.S. in Exercise Science program.
How To Become A Leader and Accountability Partner
Accountability is considered one of the most important traits to have as a personal trainer, instructor or coach. Whether you’re planning to hold someone accountable for their daily exercise, planning to join your client on a run or asking your client about their eating habits for the week, being a leader and accountability partner takes serious dedication and a clear understanding on how to set realistic goals for both parties to work toward. In classes such as Exercise Testing, Evaluation and Prescription, you can expect to learn practical theories of exercise science in order to provide your future clients with proper goals to evaluate their fitness levels. Alongside courses like Leadership and Management for Health Promotion, students like you can expand their understanding of how accountability really begins by taking leadership and ownership of your client’s general health goals. Designed to help you explore the various facets of leadership and management theories, this course is intended to show you how you can apply leadership skills in the world of health promotion, sport and recreation by staying true to your word, your client, and the plan you’ve laid out together.
Maintaining your accountability is essential to your success as a health and fitness professional. Some of the best trainers and health experts will not only hold their clients accountable because of their goals but also because of the personal relationships they build. By understanding the physical and mental limits clients face, future fitness and health professionals can often offer clients a comprehensive approach that is vital to their overall success.
How To Work With Various Populations
Whether you’re interested in working with younger children or older adults, learning about the fundamentals of health and wellness is essential for any future fitness professional. Perhaps you have your heart set on being a high school coach or are looking forward to becoming a fitness instructor at your local gym. Whatever your dream career or environment is, fitness and health professionals should know the physiological and anatomical makeup of their specific population in order to provide the most useful techniques and exercises for their client’s overall needs. Through kinesiology-based classes like Structural Kinesiology and Motor Behavior, you can observe the anatomical foundations and mechanics of human motion including the major theories for motor control and development. After all, as bodies begin to age, complications can arise. It’s crucial to understand these basic mechanics to ensure your client(s) are gaining the exercise they need while not hurting themselves in the process.
As a future fitness professional, you might be surprised at the variation of your work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 14 percent from 2023 to 2033, with about 73,000 openings for fitness trainers and instructors projected each year. Ranging from school coaches to fitness and wellness coordinators to corporate wellness professionals, the possibility of working with a wide variety of people, ages and groups is highly likely.
How To Effectively Train and Motivate Others
The motivation and engagement of trainers can heavily influence the effectiveness of training. In many ways, motivation is more than just being someone’s cheerleader. Motivation involves actively working and challenging your clients or students to reach their fullest fitness potential without crushing their attitude or effort. No matter the type of fitness professional you want to become, being a supportive trainer includes delivering training in an easy to understand format, involving other trainers in decisions related to workouts and nutritional health plans, offering constructive feedback on efforts and overall, engaging with your client on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to ensure the relationship remains solid. In classes like Strength and Conditioning for Performance, you will learn how to apply scientific principles of strength training and conditioning for performance enhancement in sport and tactical populations. Taking a deeper look at how testing, evaluation, exercise techniques, exercise prescription and program designs can benefit your client(s), you will learn what applicable and motivational training can look like – all to grow your career and the livelihoods of those around you. Plus, with the added benefit of learning about the various certifications within health and human performance, you can expand your learning and earning potential; a great advantage for our online students.
Take your love for fitness and training to the next level with ACU Online’s B.S. in Exercise Science. No matter what area or population group you want to help with, you can become the fitness professional you always wanted to be.
Are you interested in learning more about our exciting new Exercise Science program? Visit our website today and talk with one of our admissions advisors.