Learning Objectives

1. Identify and educate potential candidates for hormone balancing exercise prescription related to stages of menopause.
2. Identify benefits of exercise programming specific to stages of menopause.
3. Discuss the difference between traditional, conventional fitness, and Hormone Balancing Fitness prescription.
4. Understand the anatomical, biomechanical, and physiological concerns of the menopausal client.
5. Understand the state of balanced hormone function.
6. Identify hormones that influence, and are influenced by, exercise during menopause.
7. Identify changes from hormone imbalance to balance in order to educate clients on progress.
8. Gain understanding of factors in hormone balance (e.g., exercise, nutrition, lifestyle, HRT, etc.).
9. Integrate hormone status assessment with applied skills of function assessment, health and activity history.
10. Be skilled in the development and delivery of exercise programs for this population.
11. Discuss the advantage or disadvantage of various modalities for this population (e.g., functional exercise, corrective exercise, and group workouts such as Barre, yoga, pilates, bootcamp, etc.).
12. How to develop and work with an interdisciplinary team for all stages of client management.
13. Analyze typical client records inclusive of logging, signs and symptoms, labs and assessments.
14. Demonstrate skillful, technical competence related to this subject matter and this population.
15. Gain awareness of common obstacles to participation (e.g., compliance), and develop strategies for overcoming them with this population.

Course Delivery and Assessment

This is an online course; all materials are delivered virtually.

This course is delivered through a variety of digital mediums, including video narrated slide presentations, sample forms, interviews, and more. Comprehension of the material will be measured along the way via quizzes and at the end via a mandatory competency assessment, each requiring a minimum of 80% correct responses.

Prerequisites

All of the online courses on MedFit Classroom which lead to a Certificate of Specialization are considered advanced level education, and are meant to be taken by fitness professionals who have previously acquired education and experience as a professional within the health and fitness industry. In order for one to receive the Certificate of Specialization conferred upon those who obtain and complete this Fitness Specialist course, one must be able to demonstrate that he or she has the following:

1. Evidence of a current certification, or vocational credential, from a reputable certifying or credentialing organization, and within the health and fitness industry; OR an associate’s degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university in the field of exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, fitness, or a related field; AND
2. Evidence of current professional liability insurance.

Maintaining this Specialization and Continuing Education Credits

The completion of this specialization course, and the passing of its corresponding competency assessment, leads to a Certificate of Specialization. This Certificate of Specialization will be considered valid for a period of two years. To keep the certificate current, you must complete 10 hours of continuing education, on relevant subject matter, and formally renew the certificate prior to the date of its expiration. As with many certifications and specializations in our field, professionals should anticipate some costs to continuing education and renewal of this certificate.

Continuing Education Credits

Students must pass the competency assessment exam at the end of the course to be eligible for CEUs. If your certifying body is not listed, you will be provided with a Certificate of Specialization at the end of the course that can be used to petition your certifying body for credit.

This course is approved by:

• Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) for 8 CEUs.
• canfitpro for 4 CECs.
• International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) for 8 CEUs.
• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) for 0.8 CEUs.

This course is pending approval by ACE. If your certifying body is not listed, you will be provided with a Certificate of Specialization at the end of the course that can be used to petition your certifying body for credit.

About the Course Author

Wellness Coach and Fitness Expert Debra Atkinson has helped 145,000 women “flip” their second half with the vitality and energy they want through hormone balancing exercise. She’s the bestselling author of You Still Got It, Girl: The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women; Navigating Fitness After 50: Your GPS For Choosing Programs and Professionals You Can Trust;and Hot, Not Bothered. Debra hosts Flipping 50 TV and the Flipping 50 podcast.

Debra has 34 years fitness experience and is a prior Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology at Iowa State University.  She’s an International fitness presenter for associations including the International Council on Active Aging, IDEA, NSCA, and Athletic Business, and a Subject Matter Expert for the American Council on Exercise. Debra is also creator of the Flipping 50 Specialist program for fitness professionals. She’s a frequent contributor at HuffPost, ShareCare, and other featured outlets.

Debra holds a B.S. in Kinesiology and an M.S. in Sports & Exercise Psychology and the following certifications: CSCS, NSCA; Medical Exercise Specialist and Health Coach, ACE, CCG CoachU. She serves as a consultant to fitness businesses and trainers in the areas of programming, marketing, and social media.