By: Julie Diep

NSCA 8 EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY FOR THE PERSONAL TRAINER

Regular physical exercise helps relieve both state and trait anxiety disorders

Exercise provides a strong rationale for maintaining participation Effectively alleviates the symptoms associated with anxiety Rhythmic nature of exercise Walking or running for a steady pace for a certain amount of time, stair

stepping and aerobic dance routines Relaxation site in brain stem of the central nervous system causes

quieting in the anxiety and stress state

Stress Reduction

Trait Anxiety Dispositional factor relating to

probability that a person is likely to perceive situations as threatning

State Anxiety Actual experience of anxiety that is

characterized by feelings of apprehension and accompanied by increased physiological arousal by autonomic nervous system

Two types of anxiety

Cognitive Benefits/Functioning

Physically fit people function more effectively than less fit people on tasks involving intellectual demand

Better in men and women in older age groups (55+) Fluid Intelligence refers to reasoning or problem solving Crystallized Intelligence refers to knowledge and ability to recognize words

and recall facts Frontal lobe is the last region to mature and first to show advanced age In older adults things such as speed of word recognition depend on parts of

the brain that age less rapidly Deduces the biological benefits of exercise on the brain

Standards of success (goals)

Standard of achievement (long term goals)

Feelings of success and competency promote commitment and help maintain better exercise behavior

Personal trainer is identifying the clients wants and needs to help them make a goal they can achieve

Goal Setting

Amount of effort applied during a workout

Positive attitude, technique, and exercise form during a routine

Clients can experience success with a high degree of effort regardless of the difficulty

Process Goals

Some clients want to see progress

Exemplified by social comparison as in winning, or beating an opponent

Highly arousing

Induce great intensity of effort for individuals who like to compare themselves to others

Outcome Goals

Self referenced personal performance standard for the client rather than in comparison to another person

Challenges the client to focus on self improvement

Based on the notion of a range or interval goal

Performance Goals

Behaviorism is a view of learning holds that behavior is shaped by its consequences

Positive Reinforcement “gives” something to the client in response for his/her behavior Congratulations or social approval for completing a workout

Negative Reinforcement “takes away” something Relieving the client from a disliked chore because of a successful completion

Positive Punishment implies presentation of something aversive Criticism of a client for poor exercise technique

Negative Punishment implies removal of something in order to decrease the operant Removal of privilege because of poor exercise technique

Positive & Negative Reinforcement

Adding new routines, music, or piece of equipment helps a client become motivated to exercise

Feel either a compulsion to move toward a desire or need to move away from pain

Intrinsic Motivation implies a true love for the experience of exercise & sense of fun

Extrinsic Motivation implies a desire to be engaged in behavior to get an external reward

Means that the client is participating in the activity for his/her own fulfillment

Self-Determination

Amotivation: client has total lack of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation External Regulation: client engages in behavior to avoid punishment not for

personal satisfaction Introjected Regulation: client views exercise and training behavior as a

means to a valued end Identified Regulation: client accepts the personal trainers instructions as

beneficial but primarily follows the leadership of the personal trainer instead of initiating exercise behavior

Integrated Regulation: client personally values exercise behavior and freely engages in it, client and personal trainer agree on goals set for the client

Major points of self determination

All of the following describe how exercise provides cognitive benefits except:

A. Enhanced oxygen supply to the brainB. Greater genetic variation C. Improved neurotransmitter functionD. Heightened neural efficiency

Question 1

B) Greater genetic variation

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The genetic variation decreases as people age, there is not as much variation as when you’re young

Explanation:

Which of the following is an example of an outcome goal? A. “I want to do 60 sit ups in 1 minute”B. “ I want to do my best not to eat before going to bed tonight”C. “I want to be able to bench press more than my friend”D. “I want to lose 10 pounds of body fat”

Question 2

C) “I want to be able to bench press more than my friend”

Outcome Goals: Exemplified by social comparison as in winning, or beating an opponent

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Explanation:

Which of the following is an example of negative reinforcement a personal trainer says to a client who just completed a month of consistently walking three times per week?

A. “Good job! Next month, you do not have to take the time to fill out your own walking workout card- I’ll do it for you!”

B. “Good job! You won the ‘Walker of the month’ club!”C. “Walking? I thought we talked about you riding the bike instead of

walking!”D. “Three times per week? It was supposed to be four times per week, so

next month you won’t be able to keep working out during your lunch hour.”

Question 3

A) “Good job! Next month, you do not have to take the time to fill out your own walking workout card – I’ll do it for you!”

Negative Reinforcement is taking away something they don’t want to do because they completed a workout

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Explanation:

Which of the following points along the self determination or regulation continuum is a client who is highly intrinsically motivated?

A. Introjected B. Integrated C. IdentifiedD. Amotivated

Question 4

B) Integrated

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Intrinsic motivation is a true love for the experience and fun of exercising and integrated regulation is the client freely participating in the exercises and engages in the activities

Explanation:

Using the seven “Practical Principles of Effective Goal Setting”, develop an effective six-month goal setting strategy for a client who says he wants to improve his 1RM leg press from 225 pounds (102 kilograms) to 315 pounds (143 kilograms).

Applied Knowledge

Provided a specific goal of a 90 pound increase in his 1RM (measurable) Stated a six month frame Observable in that the client and the personal trainer can visually see that

the leg press is loaded with the goal weight, either successful or not there is no in between

Use moderately difficult goals Record goals and monitor progress Diversify process, performance, and outcomes Set short range goals to achieve long range goals Make sure the goals are internalized

Answer