Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to assess movement capacity in individual clients and provide advice on exercises to achieve optimal movement and safe and effective exercise technique. While this assessment may be completed as a separate dedicated activity, outcomes and recommended exercises may then be integrated into overall fitness programs for individual clients.
Assessment and advice are provided to clients who do not have unstable health conditions, pain or injury identified through pre-exercise screening and fitness assessment. The unit does not include assessment for the purposes of providing advice or treatment of injury or disease. In this case the fitness instructor refers clients to relevant medical or allied health professionals.
This unit applies to personal trainers who work independently with clients using discretion and judgement to provide individually tailored client movement assessments. They practise in settings such as fitness facilities, gyms, leisure and community centres, client workplaces, and homes and outdoor locations.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
• assess the posture and movement capacity of three different clients including:
• a female adult
• a male adult
• a client aged 55 years or over
• for each of the above three clients:
• make observations about static posture using appropriate tools
• assess dynamic posture, balance, movement quality and limitations
• use the following movement patterns during assessment:
• squat
• lunge
• hinge
• horizontal push
• horizontal pull
• vertical push
• vertical pull
• rotation
• explain assessment outcomes and accurately record results in client records
• recommend and demonstrate three exercises to address identified issues
• have client complete the three exercises and observe and modify technique as required to correct technique
• consistently use client-centred communication during all interactions.

Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
• client-centred communication techniques for establishing and building trust and rapport, and how they may vary depending on individual client characteristics
• scope of practice for a personal trainer in assessing movement and posture, and recommending exercises:
• boundaries and responsibilities
• relationship between fitness instructors and medical and allied health professionals in supporting optimum client movement
• situations where referral to medical and allied health professional is required:
• pain during movement and exercise
• static postural deviations outside normal ranges
• client inability to correct dynamic posture
• restricted joint mobility, strength imbalance, and stability concern that is limiting function
• basic aspects of current and emerging evidence-based research about movement and postural alignment and the impacts on movement and exercise prescription
• static posture:
• types of measuring tools and observations used for basic assessments
• recommended alignment and ranges based on individual structural differences
• influences affecting dysfunctional movement patterns and exercise technique:
• abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system including the spine
• damage to bones and connective tissue including ligaments and cartilage
• asymmetrical muscle tone
• poor muscle endurance
• poor muscle strength
• locomotive gait including walking, jogging and running
• deviations in postural alignment outside of normal ranges and functional limitations that can occur at commencement, during, and on completion of exercise and movement:
• spinal curvature including lordosis and kyphosis
• scapula setting:
• winging of scapula
• anterior tipping and tilting
• upward and downward rotation
• hip and pelvis position:
• anterior and posterior
• internal and external rotation
• knee alignment, varus and valgus
• foot alignment:
• rotation
• pronation and supination
• relationship between the following postural variances and potential for injury, and injury prevention techniques when they are present:
• excessive posterior and anterior pelvic tilt
• genu varum and genu valgum
• hyperextension of knees
• increased pronation of foot and ankle complex
• increased supination of foot and ankle complex
• spinal curvature including lordosis and kyphosis
• lateral tilt of pelvis and head
• rotated patella
• rounded shoulders
• winging of scapula
• effective dynamic posture and correct execution for major foundational movement patterns:
• squat
• lunge
• hinge
• horizontal push
• horizontal pull
• vertical push
• vertical pull
• rotation
• normal range of movement for major joints and types of flexibility exercises that support improved range of movement
• characteristics of balance and types of exercises that support improved balance:
• base of support
• centre of gravity and factors that can cause changes to a person’s centre of gravity:
• age
• pregnancy
• being overweight
• limits of stability
• components of balance maintenance
• balance disturbance and key causes.

Assessment Conditions

Skills can be demonstrated in:
• the workplace, or
• a simulated workplace set up for the purpose of skills assessment.
Assessment must ensure use of:
• interaction with clients; these can be:
• clients in an industry workplace, or
• individuals who participate in simulated activities used for the purpose of skills assessment
• measuring tools including at least two of the following: flexometers, goniometers, plurimeters, plumb lines, grids and tape measures
• still and video cameras which can be mobile phone based
• equipment for selected assessment exercises
• visual aids for explanation of movement and postures
• client records which include completed industry standard pre-exercise screening documentation.
Assessors must:
• satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations requirements for assessors, and
• hold a Certificate IV in Fitness, and have a collective period of at least two years’ experience working in fitness instruction, where they have applied the skills and knowledge covered in this unit of competency; the two years' experience can incorporate full and part time experience, or
• be a registered or accredited practising health or exercise professional with a degree and experience relevant to this unit of competency.

Foundation Skills

• {'skill': 'Reading skills to:', 'description': 'interpret sometimes unfamiliar information of varying complexity in client pre-exercise screening records, including health and fitness terminology and abbreviations; interpret potentially complex information about human anatomy, physiology and movement.'}
• {'skill': 'Writing skills to:', 'description': 'use fundamental sentence structure to summarise subjective information in client records and record factual outcomes of observations.'}
• {'skill': 'Oral communication skills to:', 'description': 'ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to elicit information from clients and to determine client understanding; explain information that includes anatomical and physiological references using terms that clients can understand; support verbal explanations using visual aids including diagrams and infographics.'}

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