ACE Functional Training Specialist

As an ACE Functional Training Specialist, you’ll be able to help clients from all backgrounds move more efficiently, prevent injury, improve their balance and flexibility, build strength and improve their overall quality of life. You will be able to work with a wide variety of clients ranging from competitive athletes, to post-rehabilitation clients, to those who need to improve their balance and joint stability.

Course Description

The ACE Functional Training Specialist Program is designed for fitness and allied health professionals who want to gain a deeper understanding of how to train the body to move more efficiently. You will learn how to apply functional movement techniques into your training, including understanding fascia, assessments, the application of appropriate exercise progressions and stretching techniques that will help you train clients to move more smoothly.

Course Outline

Intended for experienced health and fitness professionals, this three-part course covers the fundamentals of functional training and how to use functional anatomy, assessments, and motor learning principles to develop comprehensive workout programs. Based on The Pain-Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain by ACE Certified Professional Anthony B. Carey, the course will help you develop efficient musculoskeletal systems in clients by focusing on structural strength and postural balance.

You will learn:

  • Muscular causes to structural imbalances and movement impairments
  • Functional anatomy and integration of major myofascial slings and systems
  • Assessments using static postural, single-leg stance and overhead squats
  • Application of motor learning principles for corrective functional exercise
  • Logical progressions of corrective functional exercises

Comprehensive postural assessments are essential in creating fitness programs for clients at all levels. Learn to assess posture for muscle-joint imbalances that could cause movement compensations and injury in the head, shoulders, spine, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles and feet.

The following information and techniques for assessing static posture have been adapted from The BioMechanics Method, an educational program created by ACE subject-matter expert Justin Price, M.A.

You will learn:

  • Appropriate timeframes to assess your clients’ posture
  • The right angle rule to body design and alignment to the plumb line
  • How to conduct a postural assessment and identify muscle-joint imbalances and compensations in the head, shoulders, spine, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles and feet
  • Limitations to the model

Proper form is the key to preventing injury and maximizing the effectiveness of exercises that isolate individual muscle groups. Learn specific, in-depth techniques for spotting and cueing so your clients adhere to correct form and control throughout the entire range of motion. Use strategies based on functional movement principles and a better understanding of integrated movement, multiple open- and closed-kinetic chain exercises.

You will learn:

  • How to set up commonly used fitness equipment to properly fit each client
  • Feedback and instructional cues to assure clients demonstrate correct form in stability, mobility and resistance-training exercises
  • Safe and effective techniques for spotting clients during exercise

Learn the three principles of force to help you determine where to place your hands, what direction to push, and how much force to use when helping your clients stretch. Discover safer and more effective ways to stretch your clients to aid in muscle recovery, as well as techniques for specific areas of the body.

You will learn:

  • How the law of action-reaction relates to assisted stretching and how to apply it
  • To identify form errors that occur when principles of force application have been violated
  • How stretching can help alleviate chronic lower back pain and peripheral neuropathies

Gain the knowledge and tools needed to make significant contributions to your clients’ development. This course aims to provide easy-to-implement, level-appropriate drills and training guidelines for you to use with your athletes and clients. You’ll also learn about a dynamic process you can follow to find safe, innovative, and effective training methods to help clients improve their movement skills while increasing strength and explosive power. The ultimate goal is to lead clients toward improved performance in sports and in life. To successfully complete the course, follow the format outlined in the workbook provided.

You will learn:

  • To identify the characteristics of fascia
  • How the fascia and lines of fascia affect functional movement
  • How to train the fascial lines to improve function and performance

Details

Prerequisites

  • Certified Personal Trainer

Student Information

Credits
ACE: 2.5

ACSM: 25

NASM: 1.9

Payment Plan Option(s)

Additional Information



Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance Available - Learn More