Includes Functional Movement Screening© and Corrective Strategies for Improving Functional Fitness

This 3-day course is packed with hands-on activity, practical sessions, and case studies in seven of the 11 sessions. Functional fitness trains your body to better handle real-life situations including daily activities of bending, lifting, enhancing job performance, recreation, and/or sports performance goals.

The Cooper Institute has teamed up with Lee Burton, Ph.D. and Gray Cook, MSPT of Functional Movement Systems, Inc., to bring you the latest information on functional fitness. With this knowledge you develop the skills to elevate your fitness knowledge and teaching skills while learning the latest concepts in functional fitness. Upon successful completion of this course, you receive a Functional Fitness Training Certificate and opportunity for additional Functional Movement Screen (FMS) credentials from Functional Movement Systems.

Check out Biomechanics of Resistance Training - 2 days of hands-on training which emphasizes exercise progression consistent with the structure and function of our bodies. Contact us at 800.635.7050 to learn about "back to back" course discounts.

Read student testimonies about this course.

Recommended Prerequisites for Functional Fitness Training:

• Experience in the fitness field
• -or-
• Nationally Accredited Personal Trainer Certification (CPT Credential)
  This course is an advanced course and it is recommended that individuals attending have basic training knowledge and skills in assessments, anatomy, joint actions, exercise physiology and exercise prescription.

Please contact a Program Coordinator at (800) 635-7050 if you would like to have your course manual shipped to you in advance (a minimum fee of $10.00 would apply). Pre-study in the following areas is encouraged:

Functional Fitness Training Topics:

• Introduction to Functional Training – An overview of the characteristics of functional training and the implication on the human kinetic chain.

• Functional Movement Screening© (FMS) – FMS is a simple and effective screening process that is used to identify functional asymmetry or major limitations in basic movement patterns. The FMS tool can be used for individuals in the general population, and athletes. This screening tool helps you identify potential problems, improve performance, and decrease the risk of injury in your clients.

• Corrective Strategies to Improve Functional Fitness – During this session, we use the information obtained during the FMS to provide a variety of corrective exercise strategies. A step by step plan is developed to customize workouts in order to improve movement efficiency, athletic performance and faulty movements that lead to injury and/or impairment of functionality.

• Optimal Flexibility Training – A look beyond the basic definition of flexibility into corrective flexibility, active flexibility, and functional flexibility utilizing techniques such as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, myofascial release and myofascial trigger point release techniques to increase functional mobility.

• Optimal Strength Training & Periodization – An in-depth look at systematic manipulation of acute variables and training systems through utilization of training models is presented with the goal of learning how to avoid and/or overcome plateaus in strength training.

• Optimal Integrated Core Training – Beyond the obliques, rectus abdominus and erector spinae, this session will take an in-depth hands on look at the deep muscles of the lumbar/pelvis/hip complex, how the 3 main sub-systems stabilize the torso and exercises that enhance these mechanisms of the human body for improved functional fitness.

• Power Training & Plyometrics – Application of work is important for all populations. This session will explain the definition of power, how to increase power, and considerations in working power through hands-on plyometric training.

• Interval Training – Previously associated mostly with athletes, interval training can be used with a variety of individuals to improve VO2 max and the lactate threshold. Additionally, interval training can help to increase power, burn more calories and ultimately perform more work with less fatigue compared to continuous aerobic training. After reviewing the research and guidelines, students will gain valuable experience as they learn to design safe and effective interval training programs through a case study approach.

• Program Design – Learn the secrets of systematically creating a functional program starting with traditional assessments and adding in functional assessments, correctives, and other exercise techniques and modalities used in this course. Small group case studies allow students to apply the information and receive constructive feedback from instructors.
   

  *If you attended The Cooper Institute’s Personal Training Education - II, you learned what is offered in this course.
 

CPR Required: Yes

Contact Hours: 19

Price: $430

Note: A partial payment option for this course may be available if a student is unable to make their full payment via our online transaction system.

Continuing Education Credits:

The Cooper Institute is a pre-approved CEC provider for the following organizations. 

Course Check-In/Hours:

Day 1: (Check-in 7:30) 8:00 am - 5:15 pm

Day 2: 8:00 am - 5:15 pm

Day 3: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Needed Items: Please dress in fitness/workout attire. You will need to bring a calculator, #2 pencil, notebook paper and your valid CPR card.