Exercise Testing & Program Design: A Fitness Professional's Handbook [Paperback]

Cedric X. Bryant (Author), Barry A. Franklin (Author), Jason M. Conviser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002

The definitive resource on exercise testing and program design for health and fitness professionals. Includes detailed information about aerobic testing and training (pre-exercise screening, field tests, exercise prescription and more), musculoskeletal testing and training (measurement, development and more) and special exercise considerations and populations (hypertension, asthma, women's issues, aging, and much more). Endorsed by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., FACSM, is the Chief Exercise Physiologist/Vice President of Educational Services for the American Council on Exericse. Prior to that, Dr. Bryant was the senior vice president of research and development/sports medicine for Stairmaster Sports/Medical products, Inc., Kirkland, WA. Previously, he served on the exercise science faculties of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Penn State University, and Arizona State University. He lectures nationally and internationally on many topics related to exercise, fitness, and health. Dr. Bryant is an accomplished writer and has published articles in a variety of scientific and trade journals, including Fitness Management; the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation; Medicine and Science and Exercise; Muscular Development, etc. An active member and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, Dr. Bryant serves on the ACSM Certification Committee and is an ACSM--certified exercise specialist.

Barry Franklin, Ph.D., FACSM, has been director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Exercise Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, since 1985. He is also Professor of Physiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit. Recently, he was elected President of the American College of Sports Medicine (1999­2000). He serves as immediate past editor­in­chief of the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, and is an Associate Editor of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. Dr. Franklin has authored or co­authored over 300 scholastic papers, abstracts, chapters and books.

Jason Conviser, Ph.D. is vice president of clinical services for Bally Total Fitness, the largest health club corporation in North America with over 290 fitness centers and 4 million members and annually services 125 million member visits. Dr. Conviser is an expert in articulating the business opportunities for the fitness industry. He specializes in developing medical/health club relationships, as well as programs to attract the deconditioned population into existing health clubs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Exercise Science (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585185884
• ISBN-13: 978-1585185887
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #696,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars must read for the fitness professional, December 20, 2005

By 

exercise aficionado (miami, fl. usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exercise Testing & Program Design: A Fitness Professional's Handbook (Paperback)

perhaps a novice exerciser will not fully appreciate the real value of this book; that is because it is intended for people with training in the field, and as such is indispensable.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent professional overview, May 18, 2007

By 

Erin H (Gold Coast, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exercise Testing & Program Design: A Fitness Professional's Handbook (Paperback)

Having a educational and professional background in sport and exercise science, I found this book to be an excellent overview and refresher covering testing and programming for general and special populations. The information presented, while appropriately in-depth for those with a background in the field, is an easy read. However, the book may not be the best choice for someone who is simply interested in beginning an exercise program, or is otherwise unfamiliar with the field, as much of the information will not help one become more familiar or comfortable with a gym or exercise program. The chapter recommended readings are a great resource, with the majority coming from well-regarded journals and publications, and it is no suprise that this book has been endorsed by some of the top sport and exercise organizations in the United States. Certainly a great reference book for any fitness professional to have in their library.

13 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Waste of Time and Money., July 27, 2005

By 

Henri IV (The Steamy Middle East) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exercise Testing & Program Design: A Fitness Professional's Handbook (Paperback)

I was recently sentenced by my doctors (with my wife as unindicted co-conspirator) to frequent exercise at a fitness club. Since at first I couldn't find any doctors or serious medical literature who could tell me about the specific benefits I was supposed to gain from this, the evidence for them, or the process by which they were supposed to produce these benefits,(...), I decided to buy this book.

It is hard to find absolute purity in this world, but this book is close to being a pure waste of time. It presents no evidence for its claims, or even meaningful footnotes with references to evidence. The skimpy chapter bibliographies consist of references to publications by organizations of gym teachers with which the authors seem to be affiliated. The book is full of sentences like "While these psychological benefits are difficult to quantify, they are well-supported anecdotally, and represent important benefits." Anecdotal evidence is not evidence, and I've never seen a serious researcher on any subject claim that it is.

Or how about, "Exercise has also been shown to increase the brain's emission of alpha-waves...." Despite what it says in some of the less successful science fiction stories, the brain does not "emit" alpha waves, escept in the sense that the power cord of an egg beater "emits" 60Hz custard waves. "Alpha waves" is a name given to a certain rhythmic pattern of grossly measured electrical potentials in the brain.

I highly recommend this book for exercise bureaucrats who desparately need to finish off the year's library budget in a hurry. Anyone looking for facts or information should look elsewhere.