Fitness Professionals:

 

Identify what is a fitness professional and the job description 

-Fitness professionals help clients and participants reach their health and fitness goals by way of assessing, gathering, and applying information about a person’s fitness and sedentary behaviour levels in order to develop a tailored physical activity and lifestyle plan. 

-Generally, fitness professionals work with seemingly healthy populations of people with stable health conditions but may work with those with certain medical conditions if it is within their certifying body’s scope of practice.

-Fitness professionals may also offer nutritional and health advice in conjunction with their physical activity plan if they are qualified and trained to do so.  

 

Standard of Practice

 

1. Consent

-Informed consent: Provide sufficient information to the client or participant so that they understand the purposes, risks and benefits of engaging in a physical activity program. 

-Ability to withdraw consent at any time: Clients and participants also need to understand that consent is an open-ended contract and that they can withdraw or decline at any time. 

 

2. Assessments and Health Screenings

-Conduct a pre-participating health screening and gather relevant information about a client or participant’s physical activity and lifestyle behaviours. The PAR-Q is a great example. http://eparmedx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ParQPlus2022ImageFile.pdf 

-Professionals may administer fitness assessments such as submaximal aerobics tests or mobility screening in order to develop an appropriate physical activity program. 

 

3. Discrimination

-Do not discriminate against a client or participant on such grounds such as race, age, weight, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity etc. Professionals will strive to expand their own worldview, understanding how one’s cultural and life experience can influence one’s values and beliefs, including prejudicial attitudes. 

 

4. Dual Relationships

-Avoid if possible, dual relationships with clients and participants that can impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation. Oftentimes in small communities and at the start of a professional’s career, it is common to have clients and participants who are family members, friends, or colleagues. Be aware of conflicts of interests and potential favoritism that may harm the professional and the client. 

 

5. Touch

-Never touch a client or participant without informed consent. Only touch when appropriate and if it helps the client or participant. 

 

6. Competence

-Be open to give and receive feedback, collaborate with other health and fitness professionals in the best interests of clients, stay up to date on professional development and improve professional knowledge and skills. 

-In the event that the needs of a client or participant is beyond one’s capabilities or expertise, refer out to another professional. Please refer to the specific scope of practice of one’s certification body. 

 

7. Confidentiality

-Respect and protect confidentiality of all professional fitness relationships at all times.  

-Ask the client or participant’s permission to share testimonials, photos or videos, and personal information.

 

8. Financial Integrity

- Disclose and explain all financial arrangements including charges for cancellations or missed sessions

-Do not abandon clients or participants without making reasonable arrangements such as referring to another professional or refunding for unpaid sessions and classes

 

9. Advertising

-Be accurate in their advertising. Do not make false or misleading claims or claim to specialise in an area that is beyond one’s education or experience. 

 

10. Manner

-Act in a manner that is professional at all times. Understand that Fitness professionals represent the fitness and health industry. 

-Respect business, employment, and copyright laws

-Communicate in an honest, caring, and professional manner

 

References

Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (2021). Standards of Practice, Second edition

 

Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (2022). CSEP-CPT Scope of Practice. https://csep.ca/csep-certification/csep-cpt-scope-of-practice/ 

 

Canfitpro Inc (2022). Policy and Codes - Professional Member Code of Ethics. https://www.canfitpro.com/policies-and-codes/