Course Aims:

The variety of balls available to the fitness professional is great, allowing fitness professionals to work on the primary elements of fitness, as well as core, balance and power training in unique and highly effective combinations for personal training sessions or group exercise classes. Many instructors find it a challenge to master the physical skills, organize the information and understand how to progress the wide range of exercise options available with fitballs, medicine balls, BOSU Ballast balls and balance trainers in a safe, effective and time efficient manner. Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

·          Discuss how functional and balance training contributes to fitness and health, their characteristics and benefits

·          Demonstrate and cue correct form and technique for up to 80 exercises on various balls

·          Regress or progress exercises to suit the particular needs and fitness levels of students or clients by manipulating one or more of the balance challenge variables

·          Organize exercises into sessions incorporating appropriate warm-up and cool-down sections

·          Correctly and safely lead sessions using a variety of ball-based exercises

Course Description:

The 12-hour practical workshop introduces some brief theory behind balance training before moving onto practical classes leading participants through sample exercises and class routines. It covers the following main topics:

Balance Training and Fitness

Benefits and Characteristics of functional and balance Training

Brief Physiology of Balance Training

Fitball

History, benefits and uses

Regressing and progressing exercises on fitballs

Sample exercises

BOSU Ballast balls

History, benefits and uses

Regressing and progressing exercises on Ballast balls

Sample exercises

Medicine Balls

History, benefits and uses

Regressing and progressing exercises using various types of medicine balls

Sample exercises for core, upper and lower body

BOSU® Balance trainer

History, Benefits and uses

Regressing and progressing exercises using balance variables

Sample upper body, lower body and circuit workouts

Assessment:

Participants learn the exercises and are then required to design and run a 15-minute session of their choice for the rest of the class using a variety/combinations of balls.

Successful completion of the course components results in the award of a Certificate in Complete Ball training which earns ACE 1.5 CECs.