I have chosen to base my session in the gym as a qualified instructor can then watch the performer and ensure they are performing each station correctly with no health and safety risks and monitor the effort they are putting in. All of the stations are of a low duration and intensity as the programme is for a beginner and they have done little exercise before so pushing them too hard could cause serious injury and may put them off training again. I haven’t included any seat heights, because the performer is only a beginner and wouldn’t know the appropriate seat height and may not remember too much information.
The whole session is to improve general fitness and muscle strength, therefore there is a variety of exercises included. The session begins with a low intensity warm up on the exercise bike at level 1. I chose level 1 as it gradually gets the blood pumping to all the muscles and around the circulatory system. Also, if the performer began at a higher level the heart rate would increase too fast and be too high for the rest of the session. Next, I have numbered the stretches that the performer must do. They are split into upper, lower and mid body.
All of the body must be stretched to prevent any injury. Each of the stretches are drawn out and there is a breakdown of how they should be performed correctly. The first station is vertical chest which improves the strength of the pectorals and triceps. I chose 10 reps and 3 sets for the performer as that is a low intensity which wouldn’t cause muscle soreness or injury. Station 2 is the compound row. This improves the strength of the lattisimus dorsi, trapezius and biceps. Once again I chose a low intensity of 10 reps and 3 sets.
Next, is the leg extension which increases the flexibility of the quadriceps and also the strength of them. This was followed by the leg curl which strengthens the hamstrings and increases the range of movement available in the legs. Again both of the leg exercises were done as 3 sets of 10 reps. Station 5 is the abdominal cage which was done as 10 sets of 3 reps. This activity increases the muscular strength of the rectus abdominus. Next is the skier for 10 minutes. This increases upper body strength, while the leg movement tones the lower back and builds up the lower leg muscles.
Next is the treadmill, beginning with a power walk and gradually building up to a run. This allows a gradual increase to the heart rate and gets the blood pumping around the circulatory system. Plus, it increases the efficiency of the circulatory system which is beneficial for all round health. Finally to cool down the performer goes on the rowing machine for 5 minutes with 28 strokes per minute at level 1. I chose level 1 as it gradual brings the heart rate back down to normal and rids the body of any lactic acid that may have built up.
The performer may also wish to do the stretches again in order to prevent muscle soreness, the stretches should be held for 15 seconds when cooling down. Overall, the programme allows the performer to get a whole body workout improving both cardiovascular and muscular endurance and generally improve all areas of their health both physically and psychologically. The way in which the programme card is set out allows the performer to train easily as the gym session is clearly set out.