Stephanie Mendoza

Functional Fitness Semester Evaluation

Introduction:
Class Mission Statements and Goals
Functional fitness
My mission for this class is to increase the overall strength, endurance, and cardio
of my participants. Well teach the bodies muscles how to work together through
the use of multi joint and resistance exercises. These exercises will not only improve
fitness characteristics but important qualities like balance and proprioception as
well. I want my participants to feel good during the day; to find that walking up the
stairs, gripping something heavy or carrying out other activities of daily living has
become just a little easier!
Goals1- To see a 6% strength increase in my participants at the end of the semester
compared to their overall strength at the beginning of the semester. This will be
measured by administrating a squat, pushup, and crunch test.
2- To retain at least a rate of 70% attendance, that is, to have at least 70% of my
participants present in class every day throughout the semester. I will track this
using my attendance roll.
3- To have my participants rate their satisfaction in me as an instructor with at least
a 7.5 overall average on a scale of 1 to 10. I will measure this by having participants
take a survey using this numerical rating system.

Program Evaluation:
Participant Pre and Post Strength Tests- Class average

Push-ups

Series 1

Crunches

Series 2
Squats
0

20

40

60

80

100 120 140 160 180

Push-ups
Series 1

Crunches

Series 2
Squats
0

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

Shirley

Push-ups
Series 1

Crunches

Series 2
Squats
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Carol
The first chart displays the average number of repetitions the class was able to do
for each exercise. Values for series 1 represent pretesting, which was done at the
beginning of the semester. Series 2 displays values from post testing, administered
at the end of the semester. I then included two more charts, showing individual
results of 2 of the participants. These charts are designed and display the data in
the same way as the first chart.
You can see that the greatest gains were made in lower body muscular strength, as
well as core strength. I was able to surpass my goal of a 6% increase in both of
these areas. However, the class didnt make gains in their upper body strength as

measured by the push-up test. This really surprised me. I included 2-3 repetitions of
3 different upper body exercises within each functional fitness exercise session, so I
expected to see gains in this area similar to the gains seen in the lower body and
core. I wonder if the amount of weight that the participants were using as well as
the number of repetitions done had an impact on this area of testing. For example, I
wonder if the participants gained muscle endurance because they typically used a
low to moderate amount of weight with a fairly high number of repetitions. There
may have been gains made, but because push-ups require a good deal of strength,
the gains made in endurance were not shown with this type testing. Most
participants at least maintained their upper body strength however, which is good.
The class average went from 23 push-ups to 22. Only one participant showed losses
in the amount of push-ups they were able to do.
Attendance
I wasnt able to reach my attendance goal of having
70% of participants present in class everyday throughout the semester, but I was
pretty close. There were only 6 days in the semester that I had less than 70%
attendance. One of these days was right before Thanksgiving and another was at
the very end of the semester. Over the course of the whole semester the average
attendance was approximately 6 out of 8 participants, and totaled 76% attendance.
So although I didnt reach my attendance goal every day, I did exceed 70%
attendance as an average over the course of the semester.
I included the graph below to give an idea of what attendance typically looked like. I
decided to choose weeks 3-10 because this excluded the first couple of weeks when
participants were signing up for and trying out classes as well as excluded the
holidays and end of the semester.
100.00%
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%

Attended
Didn't Attend

Instructor Satisfaction Rating

At the end of the semester I asked my participants to rate their satisfaction in me as
an instructor. I had them use a scale from 1 to 10. 1 being the worst instructor
theyve ever had or the most negative experience, 5 being neutral, and 10 would
indicate that it was the most positive experience they could have with an exercise
instructor. I had them write their score on a note card and place them in a pile face
down, so that their responses would be anonymous. Later, I totaled all of the scores
and found the average.

Average Instructor Satisfation Rating

My participants gave me an
average rating of 8.7 which I was
very excited about. This
exceeded
my goal, a rating of at
8.7
least 7.5

Core Semester Evaluation

Introduction:
Class Mission Statements and Goals
Core Training
Having a strong core is so important. In this class we will increase the strength of
the muscles contained in the torso of the body. Gaining strength in the abdomen
and back will reduce the likelihood of back injury, can lessen symptoms for those
who experience back pain, reduce stiffness or sore backs for those who sit at a desk
all day, while also improving things such as posture, balance and stability.
Goals1- To see a 10% increase in my participants core strength at the end of the
semester compared to their strength at the beginning of the semester. This will be
done by administering a plank and crunch test.
2- To have each participant attend at least 80% of our classes, which I will track
through my attendance roll.

3- To have my participants rate their satisfaction in me as an instructor with at least

a 7.5 overall average out of 10. I will measure this by having participants take a
survey using a numerical rating system.

Program Evaluation:
Participants Pre and Post Testing Results

Series 1

Crunches

Series 2

45 50 55 60

Series 1

Plank Test

1.8

Series 2

2.2

2.4

In my core class I only had one participant for the semester. The charts above show
her individual pre and post strength test results. Series 1 displays the values taken
at the beginning of the semester, and series 2 shows her results at the end of the
semester. At the beginning of the semester Cornelia was able to do 50 crunches but
improved this to 60 crunches by the end of the semester. This is a 20 % increase
doubling my goal of a 10% increase in her core strength. For the plank test she was
able to hold a traditional plank position for 2 minutes during pretesting but
improved to 2 minutes and 13 seconds, increasing her time by 10.8 %. This is
exciting; my goal of 10% was reached in both assessments.
Attendance
My participant only missed four days out of the semester; she attended 86.2% of
classes. This met my goal of 80% attendance for her throughout the semester.

Participant Attendance
100.00%
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%

Attendence over the

course of the semester

Instructor Satisfaction Rating

Using the same rating scale as mentioned above for my functional fitness class, I
had my participant rate her satisfaction in me as an instructor. She gave me a
rating of 10 out of 10. Because she was my only participant is was impossible to
keep her rating anonymous. This may have affected her honesty in rating me;
however I do feel like she was pleased with me as an instructor. We had very
positive interactions and she always seemed pleased with my exercise selection.
Getting a rating of 10 exceeded my goal to receive a satisfaction rating of at least
7.5.

Instructor Satisfaction Rating

My participant gave me a 10 out of 10

100

Summary:
Overall, I feel that the PEAK fitness classes as well as the personal training I
instructed this semester where a success. I was able to reach all of my goals in core
training which is very exciting. I didnt end up reaching all of my goals for functional

fitness but this is harder to do when you have more participants. I feel some of the
goals that were not reached had to do with the way that I set my goals and tested
for them. This made my functional fitness attendance goal hard to attain. Had I set
my attendance goal as an average for the semester instead of a daily goal, I would
have exceeded 70% attendance. I do feel that high quality of standards was
maintained. Most of my participants gave me great evaluations and positive
feedback. Some constructive comments I received were that they would like more
variability in exercises chosen. One participant also commented that she would like
me to watch her form more often. Over the course of the semester I saw large gains
in the fitness of my participants which is very exciting and satisfying as a fitness
professional.

Fit Facts:
Stretching
Dont overlook the importance of stretching! Flexibility is a component of fitness
and is important in maintaining range of motion within a joint.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends stretching at least
two days a week. If you feel stiff or have lost some range of motion in a joint
stretching should be done more often, and can be done daily.
Muscles that are commonly tight include the calves, hip flexors, hamstrings and
chest muscles, so make sure to stretch these areas along with all other major
muscle groups.
When doing static stretching hold a position that puts slight tension on the muscle
(but not pain!) and hold this at least for 15-30 seconds. Repeat each stretch 3-5
times & youve got in a good stretching session!
Remember that stretches are most effective when the muscles are warm, so do
them after your warm up or a hot bath.
http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsmissues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise
Hydrating
Its important to stay hydrated during physical activity! Make sure that youre
drinking water before, during, and after a bout of exercise.
According to ACSM dehydration can lead to:

Muscle fatigue

Loss of coordination

Inability to regulate body temp

Heat illness

Decreased energy and athletic performance

One way you can check your hydration is to take a look at your urine color. Dark
colored urine indicates that you are dehydrated.
ACSM recommends that you:

Drink 3-2 ounces of water every 15-20 minutes if exercising for less than an
hour.
Drink 3-8 ounces of a sports beverage every 15-20 minutes when working out
for more than an hour. The carbohydrates and electrolytes within sports
drinks such as Gatorade help to insure adequate hydration during prolonged
bouts of physical activity.

http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-hydrationfor-fitness.pdf

Exercising outside during inversion or with poor air quality

While aerobic activity is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, air pollution and
exercise can be an unhealthy combination. This is especially true with certain health
conditions such as asthma. Because exercise has clear health benefits, don't give
up on exercise entirely, unless your doctor has instructed you to. Instead, focus on
ways to minimize the risks of the air pollution and exercise combination.
To limit the effects of air pollution and exercise:
Monitor air pollution levels. Most communities have a system for air pollution alerts.
Contact your local or state air pollution control agency, the Environmental
Protection Agency, a local hospital or your doctor for information. Local radio and
television stations and newspapers also often report on air quality.
Time your workouts carefully. Avoid outdoor physical activity or reduce the intensity
and duration of your outdoor exercise when an air quality alert has been issued.
Also avoid outdoor activity when pollution levels tend to be highest, which is often
midday or afternoon. Exercising during rush hour also can expose you to higher
amounts of pollution.
Avoid high-pollution areas. Pollution levels are likely to be highest within 50 feet (15
meters) of a road. Urban environments and outdoor smoking areas also have higher
pollution levels. If possible, avoid these kinds of areas when exercising.

Exercise indoors. Vary your routine with occasional indoor activities, especially on
poor air quality days. Take a fitness class, check out a local gym or run laps on an
indoor track.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/air-pollution-andexercise/faq-20058563

Should you exercise or rest when feeling sick?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) getting up and
moving your body a little shouldnt hurt as long as you dont engage in intense
exercise.
ACSM states that, Mild-to-moderate exercise (e.g., walking) when sick with the
common cold does not appear to be harmful. They explain that, intensive exercise
training may be safely resumed a few days after the resolution of symptoms.
These recommendations are in reference to the common cold, so if you are feeling
severely ill or in doubt about engaging in physical activities ask your doctor.
ACSM puts it this way, In general, if the symptoms are from the neck up, moderate
exercise is probably acceptable and, some researchers would even argue,
beneficial, while bed rest and a gradual progression to normal training are
recommended when the illness is systemic. Whenever in doubt however, consult
your doctor first.
https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/exerciseandcommoncold.pdf?
sfvrsn=4

Resistance training can help to prevent injury

Physical adaptations to muscle, bone, and connective tissue in the body that are
seen with resistance training can help to reduce severity of injuries and provide
protection against injury.
Your bones have the ability to remodel and adapt according to the stresses placed
upon them. Resistance training promotes bone density, reducing done deterioration
and the risk of fractures.
Studies seem to indicate that increases in muscle mass may be met by increases in
the strength and size of connective tissues, including tendons and ligaments.
Stronger & larger connective tissue is less likely to sprain or tear.
Increasing muscle mass and strength has multiple benefits in injury prevention.
Retaining or gaining strength improves a persons functional ability, and decreases
their risk for falls and fractures. Resistance training also helps to reduce
musculoskeletal injuries caused by muscle imbalances.

As you can see resistance training is great, and is not only for the Arnold
Schwarzeneggers of this world but important to health!
https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/rtandip.pdf?sfvrsn=4