Certified Personal Trainer

Human Movement Specialist

Integrated Manual Therapist

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A better personal training certification by design. Comprehensively evidence-based, outcome-driven, 3rd-party-approved.

Performance Program Design

This is a description for the subcategory Introduction to Functional Anatomy.

Introduction to Functional Anatomy

This is a description for the subcategory Strength and Power Progressions.

Strength and Power Progressions

This is a description for the subcategory Core Progressions.

Core Progressions

This is a description for the subcategory Exercise Physiology.

Exercise Physiology

Training Goals

Acute Variables

Research: Strength and Performance

Learn anatomical position and anatomical directional terms. Essential knowledge for fitness, healthcare, and sports medicine professionals to improve anatomical accuracy.

Lesson 1: Anatomical Position & Anatomical Directions.

Learn the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes of motion—essential knowledge for exercise analysis, program design, and movement assessment in healthcare and fitness.

Lesson 2: Planes of Motion

This course introduces the joint actions of the human body and discusses the joint actions possible for each of the large joints. For example, the hip joint can perform flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, external rotation, horizontal adduction, and horizontal abduction. These joint actions are then used to describe the motions of various common exercises. 

Lesson 3: Joint Actions

Synovial joints are designed for motion. They include hinge joints, ball-and-socket joints, facet joints, pivot joints, gliding joints, saddle joints, and condyloid joints. 

Lesson 4: Synovial Joints

This course defines the study of the human movement systems, including the skeletal, fascial, nervous, and muscular systems. The function, organization, and physiology of the four systems of the body are described. Further, a detailed look at human movement, sports science, and the bones (skeletal system), muscles (muscular system), and nerves (nervous systems) that produce movement during physical activity. 

Lesson 5: Basics of the Human Movement Systems

Joints and joint actions of the scapula and shoulder girdle. Description of the scapulothoracic (ST), sternoclavicular (SC), and acromioclavicular (AC) joints and the scapula, joint actions/motions of retraction, protraction, elevation, depression, and upward and downward rotation. 

Lesson 6: Joints of the Shoulder Girdle and Scapular Motion

Leg strength exercise variations, progressions, regressions, and leg exercise myths: squats, step-ups, lunges, and more.

Leg Exercise Progressions

Back strength training exercises - best progressions for barbell rows, dumbbell rows, pulldowns, pull-ups, cable rows, TRX rows, and band rows. Back movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample back routine.

Back Exercise and Pulling Progressions

Explore top shoulder strength exercises: barbell press, dumbbell press, bands, cables. Enhance endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength with our routine.

Shoulder Exercise and Shoulder Pressing Progressions

Lower body power and high velocity exercises - best progressions for box jumps, depth jumps, long jumps, bodyweight jumps, and a sample lower body power routine.

Lower Body Power Exercises

Functional strength training exercises - best progressions for subsystem integration movements, total body endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample total body routine.

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Chest strength training exercises - best progressions for bench press, barbell press, dumbbell press, push-ups, bands, cables, and bodyweight. Chest movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample routine. 

Chest Exercises and Pushing Progressions

TVA strength training exercises - best progressions for transverse abdominis (TVA) activation, quadrupeds, and bear crawls. Core movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample abdominal, core, and anti-extension routine. 

Transverse Abdominis (TVA) Activation: Quadruped Exercise and Progressions

Glute/hip bridge strength training exercises - best progressions for barbell, dumbbell, and band resisted glute/hip bridges. Core and glute focused movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample core exercise and glute exercise routine.

Bridge and Progressions

Plank and side plank strength training exercises - best progressions for planks and side planks. Core movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample core/abdominal routine. 

Plank Exercise and Side Plank Exercise Progressions

Wood chop strength training exercises - best progressions for wood chops, cable chops, band chops, and anti-rotation core movements. Core movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength and a sample core/oblique routine.

Wood Chop Exercise and Progressions

Defining trigger points (knots), fibromyalgia, referred pain, tender points, whiplash, chronic low back pain, and postural dysfunction. Review of trigger point development, the impact of trauma and pain, posture, and eccentric loading, and prevalence. Muscle fiber changes, adaptations, soreness development from repetitive stress, muscular contractions, and myalgia. 

Muscle Fiber Dysfunction and Trigger Points

Physiology and anatomy of muscle fiber types, differences in structure, adaptations, and contribution to human movement and performance. Detailed description of Type 1 (slow twitch), Type 2a, and Type 2b/2x (fast twitch) fibers. 

Muscle Fiber Types

Muscle cells, also known as myocytes, are specialized cells designed for contraction and force production. This course covers structure, excitation-contraction coupling, sliding filament theory, motor unit recruitment, connective tissue layers, and more.

Muscle Cell Structure and Function

Stability Training: An exercise or rehabilitation program designed to enhance the body's ability to stabilize (maintain or regain balance). A stability training program prioritizes exercise progression over increasing repetitions, sets, load, or speed. 

Stability Training

Power training is a specialized form of strength training that emphasizes the development of high-velocity movements. This course presents an in-depth investigation of power training principles.

Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction

Repetition and exercise tempos for stability, muscle endurance, hypertrophy, strength and power. Effects of training to failure, super slow tempos, tempo vs load, and physiology of tempo training. 

Acute Variables: Repetition Tempo

Repetition ranges per set for stability, muscle endurance, hypertrophy, maximal strength, and power. Effects of repetition range on hormones, muscle size, performance, and upper limits.

Acute Variables: Repetition Range

The advantage of circuit training protocols is a reduction in session time by 35 - 60 %. This is especially true when attempting to allow for an ideal amount of rest between sets for similar muscle groups (2-3 minutes).

Acute Variables: Circuit Training

How long should you rest between sets to optimize set performance and maximally improve strength, hypertrophy, and power?

Acute Variables: Rest Between Sets

One-set per muscle group (2 sets/lower body muscle group) is recommended during an initial training period (6-12 weeks), followed by a progressive increase up to 3 - 4 sets per muscle group. Individuals with the goal of optimizing hypertrophy, strength, and/or power should likely not exceed 5-6 sets/muscle group. 

Acute Variables: Sets Per Muscle Group

Acute Variables: Training Frequency and Recovery Between Sessions

Selection and progression of power exercises based on ground reaction forces, peak force, landing impulse, EMG, and explosiveness. Exercise comparison of single-leg jumps, box jumps, tuck jumps, depth jumps, countermovement jumps, squat jumps, and cone hops in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) division 1 volleyball, track and field, and wrestling athletes.

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 1

Selection and progression of power exercises based on kinetic, neuromuscular measures, time to stabilization, mean sum peak power, ankle joint peak power, knee joint peak power, and hip joint peak power. Exercise comparison of single-leg jumps, box jumps, tuck jumps, depth jumps, countermovement jumps, squat jumps, and cone hops in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) division 1 swimmers, soccer, lacrosse, and recreational sports athletes.

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 2

Unlock optimal movement with the Overhead Squat Assessment. Evaluate dynamic flexibility and neuromuscular control in major joints. Start your journey to better fitness now!

Overhead Squat Assessment: Signs of Dysfunction

Self-administered joint mobilizations for the ankle, knee, and hip. Addressing feet flatten, feet turn out, knee bow in, knee bow out, excessive forward lean, asymmetrical weight shift, and anterior pelvic tilt. Joint mobilizations and traction techniques for lower extremity and lumbopelvic hip complex dysfunction.

Joint Mobilizations: Lower Body (Self-administered)

Knowing ankle plantar flexion release and lengthening techniques can reduce ankle pain, Achille’s tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, etc., and improve fitness performance.

Plantar Flexor: Release and Lengthening

Knowing hip flexor release and lengthening techniques can reduce hip pain, lower back pain, etc., and improve fitness performance.

Hip Flexor: Release and Lengthening 

Gluteus medius exercises for improving movement dysfunction, posture, knee pain, back pain, and performance. Great clamshell, leg raise & side-stepping variations.

Gluteus Medius Exercises (Activation)

Tibialis posterior exercises for improving movement dysfunction, posture, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, ankle pain and sports performance. Great ankle plantar flexion and inversion exercises, hopping, and calf raise variations for the tibialis anterior.

Tibialis Posterior Exercises (Activation)

Choose from any of the courses below to earn your elective credits.

Introduction to Functional Anatomy

Lesson 1: Anatomical Position & Anatomical Directions.

Lesson 1: Anatomical Position & Anatomical Directions.

Lesson 2: Planes of Motion

Lesson 2: Planes of Motion

Lesson 3: Joint Actions

Lesson 3: Joint Actions

Lesson 4: Synovial Joints

Lesson 4: Synovial Joints

Lesson 5: Basics of the Human Movement Systems

Lesson 5: Basics of the Human Movement Systems

Lesson 6: Joints of the Shoulder Girdle and Scapular Motion

Lesson 6: Joints of the Shoulder Girdle and Scapular Motion

Strength and Power Progressions

Leg Exercise Progressions

Leg Exercise Progressions

Back Exercise and Pulling Progressions

Back Exercise and Pulling Progressions

Shoulder Exercise and Shoulder Pressing Progressions

Shoulder Exercise and Shoulder Pressing Progressions

Lower Body Power Exercises

Lower Body Power Exercises

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Total Body Exercises and Functional Exercise Progressions

Chest Exercises and Pushing Progressions

Chest Exercises and Pushing Progressions

Core Progressions

Transverse Abdominis (TVA) Activation: Quadruped Exercise and Progressions

Transverse Abdominis (TVA) Activation: Quadruped Exercise and Progressions

Bridge and Progressions

Bridge and Progressions

Plank Exercise and Side Plank Exercise Progressions

Plank Exercise and Side Plank Exercise Progressions

Wood Chop Exercise and Progressions

Wood Chop Exercise and Progressions

Exercise Physiology

Muscle Fiber Dysfunction and Trigger Points

Muscle Fiber Dysfunction and Trigger Points

Muscle Fiber Types

Muscle Fiber Types

Muscle Cell Structure and Function

Muscle Cell Structure and Function

Training Goals

Stability Training

Stability Training

Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction

Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction

Acute Variables

Acute Variables: Repetition Tempo

Acute Variables: Repetition Tempo

Acute Variables: Repetition Range

Acute Variables: Repetition Range

Acute Variables: Circuit Training

Acute Variables: Circuit Training

Acute Variables: Rest Between Sets

Acute Variables: Rest Between Sets

Acute Variables: Sets Per Muscle Group

Acute Variables: Sets Per Muscle Group

Acute Variables: Training Frequency and Recovery Between Sessions

Acute Variables: Training Frequency and Recovery Between Sessions

Research: Strength and Performance

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 1

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 1

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 2

Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 2

Electives

Overhead Squat Assessment: Signs of Dysfunction

Overhead Squat Assessment: Signs of Dysfunction

Joint Mobilizations: Lower Body (Self-administered)

Joint Mobilizations: Lower Body (Self-administered)

Plantar Flexor: Release and Lengthening

Plantar Flexor: Release and Lengthening

Hip Flexor: Release and Lengthening

Hip Flexor: Release and Lengthening

Gluteus Medius Exercises (Activation)

Gluteus Medius Exercises (Activation)

Tibialis Posterior Exercises (Activation)

Tibialis Posterior Exercises (Activation)