I want you to be prepared.....What to expect during your fitness assessment

Hey Team,

I want you to be prepared.....

I've recently been completing a lot of fitness assessments for adaptive training as well as personal training and thought it be a good idea to list what you should expect out of your initial visits with your personal trainer/adaptive trainer so that you can make the most out of your first visit and make an informed decision on committing to sessions with your new trainer.

So you've found a trainer and have set up an initial visit, here are some things to expect out of your first visit.

• This is an information gathering meeting: Be prepared to have information ready to provide to your trainer, this includes: Emergency contact info, your medication lists, recent injuries or ailments, etc...

• You will be presented with release forms to be signed before any physical activity begins: Consent forms, confidentiality forms, and medical release forms are the norm.

• The trainer will conduct a question/answer period including your past exercise history, medical history, current nutrition habits and will discuss realistic short term and long term goals that as a team you will strive to meet.

• You may have your baseline body fat, heart rate, blood pressure, and body measurements checked.

Once you have completed the above, you will now move onto the physical assessment portion of the visit.

This will include an assessment of your current strength and endurance (ie, push up test/sit-up test) form and function (squat test) Balance and cardio endurance (Step test)

If your living with a disability an adaptive training assessment will be performed. This will include an assessment of your abilities to perform tasks such as sitting balance, transitioning from sit to stand, your ability to get down to and up from the floor, and your upper body strength and endurance

(Adaptive training assessments will really vary per the individual and the disability)

Now that all of the above have been completed, your trainer will schedule some follow up visits with you and will implement a program based off of your assessment designed to meet your goals and your trainers goals for you.

As mentioned in previous posts, consistency is key and is instrumental in achieving progression towards goals.


If your completing an assessment in your home try to do the following in preparation for your assessment:

• Have an open space dedicated to the assessment

• Wear workout clothing (your going to be moving around aren't you)

• Bring your water ahead of time

What to look for in an adaptive fitness trainer:

• Many of the accredited certifying agencies are offering certifications for exercise therapy or adaptive fitness. This is a specialty certification, usually in addition to a Personal Training Certification.

• Ask to make sure your trainer is insured (just in case)

• Ask about your trainers background working with similar clients.

Keep an eye out for my book coming out the end of this month, in it I will touch on fitness that can be completed at home with supervision for those recovering from Stroke, SCI, Amputation, or who are Seniors, it will also cover self assessments, nutrition, and adaptive sports

The book is a real comprehensive guide and I'm excited to share it with everyone.


That's all for now Team,

Keep Fighting and Never Give Up!

-Devon