Assistant D3

Therapeutic Fitness Training (TFT) is personalized for each participant. As a Sports Med-Tech Assistant, you will be working closely with a Sports Medicine Technician in developing and coaching personal TFT Programs for a wide variety of clients. This assignment serves only as an introduction to programming for TFT. Learning the many nuances and keeping abreast of scientific advances is a full-time, life-long endeavor.

As with the Exercise Rx, medically appropriate Therapeutic Fitness Training is based on the participant's medical-fitness test scores. Use the chart below as an example of a TFT Program that follows the guidelines set forth by the American Association of Sports Medicine Technicians (AASMT).

For clients who have already progressed through their personalized Walk/Jog Therapeutic Fitness Training Program and who are now ready to add body-weight movements to their exercise dosage regimen, the following principles are applied:

A CPV Fitness Score of at least 1 is recommended before adding body-weight movements.
Body movements are mixed and separated in order to not overload any muscle group during a particular session.
At low dosage levels, all muscular groups should be exercised every day.
Specific muscular fitness scores of 0 or 1 can be prescribed as 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3 doses for that muscle group.
Prescribed full doses can be broken into 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3 partial doses with an increase in daily sessions to complete the dose.
Additional Walk/Jog doses can be substituted for body-weight exercises that are contra-indicated.
Progression in a personal TFT Program is based on the participant's follow-up medical-fitness test results.
New body-movements are gradually increased from 1 to 2 to 3 doses per day at 4-12 week intervals.
Follow-up medical-fitness tests are recommended every 4-12 weeks depending on health status and fitness goals.
A lack of improvement in fitness test scores is due to non-compliance with the TFT Program (unless proven otherwise).
Responsibility for TFT non-compliance is shared between the participant and the Sports Medicine Technician prescribing it.
Participants should engage in enjoyable outdoor recreational activities on their "day-off" from their formal TFT Program.
A medical-fitness score of 19 (95%) or 20 (100%) qualifies the participant for graduation from their TFT Program, which means they are capable of working-out independently -- on their own, at a gym, or with a personal trainer -- for more advanced fitness training using a greater variety of exercises and other physical activities.

Prescribing Medically Appropriate Exercise