Practical Information at the Summit

AFAA Fitness Practitioners[R] can stay ahead of the game at ACSM's Health and Fitness Summit.

It is incumbent upon professionals in the industry to provide leadership to their clients and stay one step ahead in knowledge of fitness topics. They must realize electronic and print media are bombarding the American public with fitness and health information. As Americans move to accept responsibility for their own health, they will actively search for information pertaining to exercise, nutrition, health, weight loss, improving appearance, etc. in an effort to self direct their personal fitness programs.

It can be embarrassing if your client is more advised in the area of fitness than you. Professionals must remember clients purchase leadership and direction from fitness experts because they believe they are better educated and skilled.

Fitness professionals have the responsibility to update their understanding and education and be familiar with the information to which a client may have been exposed. AFAA understands this professional responsibility for AFPs and other certified fitness professionals. It is one of the largest professional fitness education organizations in the world, offering seminars and workshops throughout the year in an effort to keep professionals current.

In keeping with its commitment to ongoing education, AFAA has chosen to become a primary sponsor of the second annual American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health and Fitness Summit on April 29-May 3 in Austin, Texas. ACSM offered this successful summit for the first time last year in New Orleans, Louisiana. The focus of the summit is summed up in the slogan "bridging the gap between science and practice."

World-renowned researchers and scientists comprise the summit faculty. Their responsibility is to report their research in practical terms, emphasizing methods that the fitness professional can immediately and easily implement with their clients. AFAA realizes the need for professionals to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) and sees the summit as an excellent opportunity to gain valuable knowledge. In fact, it encourages all AFAA certified professionals to attend.

Not only will the summit provide AFAA CEUs for attendees, but selected seminars have been approved for application toward AFP coursework and CEUs. An AFP candidate may apply five units toward their 10 elective units needed for completion of the program. Topics include general concepts in exercise physiology, strength training techniques, nutrition and weight control, business development, hospital health promotions and special populations. All are oriented to the practitioner. The summit includes more than 50 speakers and four major keynote addresses. It promises to provide accurate practical information to increase a professional's ability and worth to their clients.

For information about the summit, call AFAA at (800) 446-2322, ext. 601.

Chair of AFAA's AFP Fitness Practitionerr Advisory Board, Neil Sol, Ph.D., is also president of Health Vantage, Inc., a management consulting company.

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