Welcome to the Wellness/Fitness Program
Just the Facts:
Entry: Fall or spring
Length:
4 semesters
Award:
Associate in Science Degree
Description:
The Wellness / Fitness major is designed for students who enjoy physical activity, staying fit and enjoy helping others improve or maintain their physical fitness.
Admission Requirements:
Admission to the college is granted to all individuals who are high school graduates or the equivalent. We encourage you to review our Getting Started Checklist.
Program Information:
If you are an individual who enjoys physical activity, staying fit and enjoys helping others improve or maintain their physical fitness, the wellness/fitness field might offer the right career choice for you.
By enrolling in Iowa Western’s wellness/fitness program, you will learn the basic skills needed to become a personal trainer and other aspects of a healthy lifestyle. You will receive hands-on experience and learn how to motivate, assess and track clients throughout their workouts. You will also learn how to measure body fat, prescribe exercise programs and evaluate fitness results. Coursework in nutrition, first aid, personal training, and sports and exercise psychology will prepare you to enter the job market in 2 years.
This program of study not only gives you the option of going to work immediately after graduation, but it also allows you to transfer your credits to a four-year degree granting institution to earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as physical education.
Career Opportunities:
Personal fitness is a priority with many people right now. Wellness/Fitness graduates are qualified to accept positions as:
- personal trainers in health clubs
- personal trainers in corporate wellness programs
- community & hospital fitness/wellness centers
- other physical activity enterprises
If you choose to apply your wellness credits toward a bachelor’s degree in physical education, you’ll be qualified to teach physical education at the elementary or secondary level. The salary you can expect to earn after completing your education will vary based upon the type of position you accept.
You can check the web site U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor and Statistics for more information.
Duties and Responsibilities
As a personal trainer you will not only be concerned with the supervision of exercises and fitness routines, but you must play a multifaceted role of an advisor, supervisor and evaluator of several activities taking place during your work. Some of the important duties and responsibilities of a personal trainer are mentioned below :
-Planning and leading exercise and activity sessions for clients
-Evaluating client questionnaires and physiological data to determine appropriate
exercise/activity regimens
-Planning individual exercise/activity programs for clients in such areas as cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility training, and/or weight training, ensuring safe and complete client training
-Setting and monitors training equipment and ensuring that equipment is returned in serviceable condition
-Advising participants on program and class policies and procedures, as appropriate.
-Assisting in performing follow-up and communication with participants.
-Tracking client progress and maintaining complete and accurate client files.
-Ensuring client adherence to safety and injury prevention policies and procedures
-Monitoring client performance and helping the client target a fitness goal
-Demonstrating various exercises and helping clients improve exercise technique
-Imparting knowledge and implementation of the principles of exercise and fitness
-Enforcing safety procedures
-Giving nutrition guidance
-Passing on technical fitness information to non technical people
-Administering basic first aid and CPR incase of emergency
Scholarships
Iowa Western Community College has many scholarship opportunities available for new and continuing students. We encourage you to take a moment to explore these options by visiting our Scholarship Page.
Links
Contact Information
Mike Pribyl, M.Ed, ATC
Program Chair, Sport Science
Head Athletic Trainer
1-800-432-5852 x3735
(712) 325-3735
E-mail: mpribyl@iwcc.edu
or you may contact the
Admissions Office 712-325-3277
1-800-432-5852 x3277