Exercise Perscriptions Cue Cards

What is the cornerstone of a positive client relationship?

Effective verbal and nonverbal communication.

What is established during the initial consultation?

The foundation and type of professional working relationship.

What should a consultation accomplish?

Gather information. Understand problems. Recommend solutions.

What are the 3 consultation problem-solving skills?

Probing. Rapport building. Information synthesis/explanation.

What is shared decision-making?

Client input and flexibility combined with professional guidance.

What 3 factors determine if goals are realistic?

Science. Health status. Level of commitment.

What is the cornerstone of encouragement?

Acceptance.

What does “separate the actor from the act” mean?

Separate the person from their behavior or mistake.

In encouragement

what matters more: effort or outcome?

What should be emphasized: present or past performance?

Present functioning.

What type of motivation should be emphasized?

Intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation.

Why are first impressions important?

People tend to hold initial judgments and filter later information through them.

How quickly can first impressions form?

Within about 7 seconds.

What nonverbal behaviors influence first impressions?

Posture. Eye contact. Facial expressions.

What behaviors can increase perceived empathy?

Leaning forward. Nodding. Maintaining eye contact.

What does open posture communicate?

Approachability. Collaboration. Openness.

What can closed posture signal?

Defensiveness.

What should you consider when communicating across cultures?

Culture. Language barriers. Neurodivergence. Learning difficulties.

What is the key goal at the start of a client relationship?

Help the client feel relaxed and comfortable with you.

What is physiological resonance breathing?

Breathing at about 6 breaths per minute.

What can resonance-frequency breathing do during stress?

Decrease blood-pressure response and support adaptive responses.

How can confidence affect client trust?

Confidence can create safety and increase trust in the professional.

What should a leader help clients see?

Potential in themselves that they may not yet see.

What can repeated ideas become?

Fixed in the subconscious.

What are process goals?

Goals largely under personal control. Examples include effort or technique.

What are outcome goals?

Goals with little personal control. They often involve results.

What are performance goals?

Goals focused on improving measurable performance.

What is the personal-control continuum for goals?

Process → Performance → Outcome.

What is a SMART goal?

A specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-bound goal.

Is SMART the entire goal-setting strategy?

No. Choose the right goal for the right client at the right time.

What is an example of an outcome goal?

“Lose 15 lb.”

What is an example of a behavior/process goal?

“Strength train twice per week.”

What is an example of a learning goal?

Learning or discovering specific strategies that can help the client.

Why should goals be specific enough to guide decision-making?

So the goal can actually influence what training should be prescribed.

Why should goals be realistic enough to support adherence?

Unrealistic goals can make it difficult for the client to consistently follow the program.

What does “right goal

right client

Why should goal setting be collaborative?

The client should have input into goals that affect their own training and behavior.

What is the difference between a goal and an action plan?

A goal identifies where the client wants to go. An action plan describes how they will get there.

What is a coping plan?

A plan for dealing with barriers that may interfere with the goal.

What is an implementation intention?

An “if–then” plan connecting a situation with a planned behavior.

Why should action plans account for real life?

A plan needs to work in the client's actual circumstances. Not only during an ideal week.

What is the 9-step behavior-change process?

Discover → Choose → Plan → Anticipate → Do → Track → Review → Adjust → Repeat.

What is the purpose of tracking behavior?

To collect information about what the client is actually doing.

What is the purpose of reviewing behavior?

To identify what is working and what needs to change.

What is the purpose of adjusting behavior?

To make the plan more effective and realistic.

What does “systems over goals” mean?

Focus on the daily behaviors and systems that produce the desired result. Not only the final outcome.

What is an identity-based habit?

A habit connected to the type of person someone wants to become.

What are the 4 laws of behavior change?

Make it obvious. Make it attractive. Make it easy. Make it satisfying.

What does “make it obvious” mean?

Make the cue for the desired behavior easy to notice.

What does “make it attractive” mean?

Make the desired behavior appealing.

What does “make it easy” mean?

Reduce the effort required to perform the behavior.

What does “make it satisfying” mean?

Make the behavior immediately rewarding or satisfying.

How are the 4 laws reversed for an unwanted habit?

Make it invisible. Unattractive. Difficult. Unsatisfying.

What is habit stacking?

Attaching a new behavior to an existing habit.

What is environment design?

Changing the environment so desired behaviors are easier and undesired behaviors are harder.

What does “never miss twice” mean?

If you miss a behavior once

What is the training process?

Assess → Goals → Prescribe → Implement → Monitor → Adjust → Reassess.

What happens during the assessment stage?

Information about the person's health. Training. Life. Preferences. Readiness. Baseline is gathered.

What is the purpose of establishing goals?

Turn vague intentions into meaningful outcomes that can guide prescription.

What happens during prescription?

Training principles are applied using variables that can be manipulated.

What is FITT-VP?

Frequency. Intensity. Time. Type. Volume. Progression.

What does Frequency mean?

How often training occurs.

What does Intensity mean?

How hard the exercise is.

What does Time mean?

How long the exercise or training lasts.

What does Type mean?

What mode or type of exercise is performed.

What does Volume mean?

How much total work is performed.

What does Progression mean?

How the training program changes over time.

What other variables can be manipulated besides FITT-VP?

Exercise selection and order. Sets and reps. Load. Rest. Tempo. ROM. Complexity.

What are the 4 parts of implementation?

Teach → Demonstrate → Coach → Observe.

What does “teach” mean?

Explain the exercise and its purpose in language the client understands.

What does “demonstrate” mean?

Show appropriate setup. Range of motion. Movement quality.

What does “coach” mean?

Use cues. Feedback. Regressions/progressions as needed.

What does “observe” mean?

Watch technique. Effort. Confidence. The client's response to the session.

What questions should a trainer be able to answer about an exercise?

Why are we doing this exercise? Why this order? Why these reps? Why this load?

What happens during implementation?

The written program becomes coaching.

What should a program respond to?

The client's current state. Not just the plan written previously.

What should you ask before training?

How is your energy? How did you sleep? How is your motivation? Any soreness. Pain. Stiffness? Anything unusual with stress or recovery?

What should be monitored during a session?

Technique/movement quality. RPE/effort. Load tolerance. Pain/symptoms. Performance. Confidence. Engagement.

Why monitor technique?

To determine whether movement quality is being maintained.

Why monitor RPE?

It helps determine how difficult the exercise feels to the client.

Why monitor pain or symptoms?

They may indicate that the exercise or program needs to be modified.

Why monitor performance?

It allows the trainer to compare the client's current response with previous sessions.

What is the purpose of monitoring?

It provides information needed to make the next programming decision.

What does “good programming is responsive” mean?

Change the prescription when the client's response indicates that a change is needed.

Why is reassessment important?

It determines whether the program is producing the desired changes and helps guide future programming.

What is a needs analysis?

Determining what the client needs from their training program.

What are the 5 major parts of the needs analysis?

Goals + Demands + Abilities + Limitations + Reality.

How do goals influence programming?

They determine the training emphasis.

How do daily/sport demands influence programming?

They influence movement patterns and energy systems.

How do current abilities influence programming?

They influence starting difficulty and load.

How does injury/pain history influence programming?

It influences exercise selection and modification.

How does experience influence programming?

It influences exercise complexity.

How does schedule influence programming?

It influences frequency and session duration.

How do preferences influence programming?

They influence exercise selection and adherence.

What question should you ask instead of “What exercises should I use?”

“What does this person need?”

What are the 3 main acute program variables?

Reps. Sets. Rest.

What are repetitions?

How many times an exercise is performed in a set.

What are sets?

How many rounds of an exercise are performed.

What is rest?

How long of a break is taken after a set.

Why are acute variables important?

They allow the trainer to manipulate the training stimulus.