NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations

Book excerpt: The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) has long been at the forefront of aiding aspiring and established exercise professionals in working with clients from special populations, such as children, aging adults, and clients with temporary or permanent physical or cognitive conditions and disorders. Clients with special conditions often require modifications to general exercise recommendations, specific exercise facility design, and particular training equipment. They may also require exercise programming supervised by exercise professionals with specialized training. NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations will help exercise professionals design customized programs for clients with unique considerations. It is an ideal preparatory resource for those seeking to become an NSCA Certified Special Population Specialist (CSPS) as well as professionals who work in collaboration with health care professionals to assess, educate, and train special population clients of all ages regarding their health and fitness needs. Editor Patrick L. Jacobs, who has extensive experience as both a practitioner and scholar, and a team of qualified contributors provide evidence-based information and recommendations on particular training protocols for a breadth of conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular conditions, immunologic disorders, and cancer. The book discusses the benefits of exercise for clients with special conditions and the exercise-related challenges they often face, as well as the importance of safe and effective health and fitness assessments for these clients. With an emphasis on published research, NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations reviews the pathology and pathophysiology of numerous conditions and disorders, including the known effects of exercise on those conditions and disorders. Each chapter includes tables that provide exercise recommendations for specific conditions, complete with training modifications, precautions, and contraindications. Also included are case studies with practical examples of the application of these population-specific recommendations, as well as a summary of the commonly prescribed medications and their potential effects on exercise responses and adaptations. NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations includes a number of learning aids designed to assist the reader. Chapter objectives appear at the beginning of each chapter, study questions are at the end of each chapter, key points in easy-to-find boxes summarize important concepts for the reader, and key terms are identified and defined throughout the text. Recommended readings are also provided for readers wishing to learn more about a topic in general or specifically in preparation for the CSPS exam. For instructors using NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations in a higher education course or for a training symposium, ancillary materials are available to make class preparation easy. The materials are designed to complement the content and assist in its instruction. The ancillaries consist of an instructor's guide, test package, and presentation package plus image bank.