5.5 Program: Fitness and Health Promotion

Program Fit

What academic skills do I need to be successful in the program?

This list does not replace the admission requirements you must have for admission to the program.  Please see the Fitness and Health Promotion program page.

Literacy – Strong written and verbal communications skills are needed.

Math & Science – Basic math needed for calculations. Anatomy and nutrition courses require background in biology.

Technology – Basic computer skills recommended (Microsoft Office suite, Internet, checking student portal daily).

What personal qualities should someone interested in this career have?

• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Confident
• Outgoing and likes being in continual contact with people
• Helping/coaching /organizing
• Good at multi-tasking
• Good problem solving and decision making skills
• Open-minded
• Flexible
• Able to hold others accountable for their performance
• Able to providing feedback to people
• Enjoy fostering positive relationships
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Able to set priorities
• Able to take ownership for learning
• Self-motivated, committed to learning

Useful background experience for this program would be

Coaching experience, participation in high school athletics, and /or leadership experience in youth activities.

Typical working conditions for this kind of work:

• Work in a variety of settings
• May meet clients at fitness facilities or in the clients’ homes
• The work is physically and mentally demanding; lifting items (for example, weights) weighing up to 20 kilograms is required
• Trainers are responsible for the safety of their clients and must ensure they and their clients perform exercises correctly to prevent injury
• Early morning, noon hour, evening, and weekend work is common
• Personal trainers spend a considerable amount of time preparing for client sessions and revising training plans.

Tasks a graduate may do in the workplace

Personal Trainer

• Assess client needs, abilities and goals
• Measure body composition, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, muscular strength and endurance, joint flexibility and postural alignment (which may include measuring blood pressure, heart rate and heart recovery rate)
• Develop personalized health and exercise plans
• Demonstrate correct exercise techniques and proper use of exercise equipment
• Ensure clients exercise safely, teach proper breathing techniques
• Lead clients through exercise routines
• Monitor client progress and adapt programs as needed
• Regularly increase the level of difficulty to challenge clients
• Provide resources regarding nutrition, weight control and lifestyle issues

Group Exercise Leader

• Plan routines and choose appropriate music
• Choose different movements for each set of muscles depending on participants’ capabilities and limitations
• Help participants gauge their levels of exertion to get the maximum benefit from their exercise routines
• Offer alternatives during classes to accommodate different levels of fitness

Facility worker or manager

• Recording member information
• Promoting the facility through membership sales
• Teaching and demonstrating the use of equipment (for example, treadmills, weight machines)
• Cleaning and maintaining equipment
• Advising clients about proper clothing and shoes

Becoming A Fitness and Health Promotion Graduate

The Fitness and Health Promotion program at Fanshawe College is a 4 term, 60 week Ontario College Diploma program starting in September each year. The program workload is considered to be moderate with:

Seven courses in your first semester

• 1 – 2 hours of study/assignments for each hour in class
• 21-24 hours of class each week (42-48 hour/week commitment)

As a student in our health and fitness program, you’ll study exercise science courses in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, principles of fitness, training with weights, exercise physiology, athletic injuries, and personal training. Additionally, you’ll experience a variety of health and fitness courses to help you learn the valuable business skills that you’ll need to start a successful career in fitness club management, or how to manage a club of your own. Our health and fitness program provides great hands-on, practical experience at Fanshawe’s on-site fitness centre. You’ll also get two extensive on-site work experiences at one of the employers or community partners of the program.

Opportunities for further development or education:

Graduates may apply for advanced entrance into the Fanshawe College Recreation and Leisure Services program.

Course work may be used as a basis of university admission or credits may transfer to a university degree at many different schools: Pathways and Credit Transfer

If you’re interested in furthering your studies, the health and fitness course will also give you a great foundation to pursue a degree in kinesiology or nutrition. There are also several articulations in place that give you a head-start on a university degree or a second college diploma! One of the transfer agreements is with Hartpury College in Gloucester, England.

The courses you would take at Fanshawe can be found on the Fitness and Health Promotion page.

Fanshawe Pathfinder: Fitness & Health Promotion © Fanshawe College used with permission, All Rights Reserved