The College of Health and Fitness

This guide offers a comprehensive analysis of the deadlift, covering fundamental physics principles like force and moment, and their application to human movement. It details the anatomy of key bones, muscles, and joints involved in the lift, explaining their roles. The text then explores the biomechanics of both conventional and sumo deadlifts, including discussions on stance, grip, breathing, and bar path, while also providing st...

This source explores powerbuilding, a training methodology that blends the principles of powerlifting and bodybuilding to achieve both significant strength gains and muscle hypertrophy. It highlights how athletes like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman inadvertently practiced this approach by prioritising heavy compound lifts alongside accessory exercises for muscle growth. The text outlines key programming tips for powerbuil...

This source explains the importance of mobility in fitness, highlighting its benefits like improved movement efficiency, increased range of motion, and reduced injury risk. It also addresses common reasons people neglect mobility, such as finding it boring or prioritising other fitness goals. The author then outlines three key principles for enhancing mobility: varying warm-ups to activate specific muscles for the day's training, f...

This session discusses the significant impact of sleep duration on physical performance and recovery, highlighting how insufficient sleep can negatively affect metrics like lower-body lifting velocity and perceived exertion. It then explores the potential of daytime napping as a strategy to improve recovery and enhance performance, even in individuals who are not sleep-deprived. Research suggests that naps of moderate length (30-60...

This podcast serves as a comprehensive guide to the squat exercise, explaining its benefits for muscle growth, athleticism, and strength. It details the underlying physics and anatomy involved in the movement, breaking down how different body parts contribute. The source provides in-depth information on proper technique, including setup, descent, and ascent, discussing variations in bar placement, stance, and bracing. Finally, it a...

This document, titled "How to Bench Big!!", provides a comprehensive guide to improving one's bench press performance, acknowledging its popularity and common associated frustrations. It breaks down the lift into four main sections: background information on anatomy and physics, an overview of basic bench press technique, an in-depth look at biomechanics including grip width, leg drive, and bar path, and a frequently asked question...

This document outlines a framework for individuals aiming to reach their strength potential, presenting a comprehensive guide covering the essential elements. It organises the journey into beginner, intermediate, and advanced phases, with each stage focusing on addressing the most significant limiting factors. Key principles discussed include developing proficiency with lifts, building muscle mass, maintaining joint health, and the...

This live presentation and associated materials, presented by Michael C. Zourdos, Ph.D., CSCS, explores the concept of volume cycling for muscle growth. The core idea involves alternating periods of high and low training volume for specific muscle groups, rather than attempting high volume for all muscle groups simultaneously. While acknowledging a lack of direct research specifically on volume cycling, the material reviews indirec...

This learner resource, "SISXCCS004 - Provide quality service," is a training manual for sport, fitness, and recreation professionals. It covers establishing client rapport, identifying needs and expectations, informing clients about programs and services, and handling complaints. The manual details effective communication strategies, including choosing appropriate media and adhering to communication conventions. Furthermore, it add...

This learner resource details procedures for assisting in conducting recreation sessions. It covers safety and emergency response protocols, equipment selection and checks, identifying hazards and associated risks using a risk assessment matrix, monitoring participant behaviour and compliance, and conducting post-activity debriefs and performance reviews. The document provides step-by-step guidance and examples for various tasks, i...

Caffeine's advantages for energy and performance are weighed against its potential downsides like sleep disruption. The complexities of maintaining a very lean physique year-round are examined, considering physiological adaptations and energy availability. The impact of processed foods on overeating and body composition is investigated, highlighting differences compared to unprocessed diets. Furthermore, the publication offers insi...

The provided texts detail a learner guide and supplementary materials for the SISSSCO002 Community Coaching course. The guide comprehensively covers the skills and knowledge required for community sports coaches in Australia. Key areas explored include understanding the Australian sports industry structure, adhering to legal and ethical responsibilities, effective communication strategies, and building positive working relationship...

This learner resource, "SISXCAI010 - Develop strength and conditioning programs," provides a comprehensive guide to designing and implementing effective strength and conditioning programs. It covers needs analysis, program planning (including exercise selection and scheduling), implementation, and monitoring/evaluation. The resource details various training phases and methods, considers participant differences (age, sex, ability), ...

The provided texts are excerpts from a coaching handbook and learner guide for the SISSSCO001 course, focusing on coaching foundation-level sports participants. The materials detail the responsibilities of coaches before, during, and after sessions, including planning, communication, behaviour management, and equipment maintenance. Significant emphasis is placed on creating a safe and inclusive environment through clear communicati...

This article from MASS Research Review explores the implementation of split-body and full-body training programs for strength and muscle growth. It highlights that while overall gains are similar when volume and load are equated, specific scenarios favour one approach over the other. Exercise order is crucial for maximising specific strength, suggesting prioritising target lifts early in a session, more easily managed in split rout...

This learner resource, "SISFFIT053 - Support healthy eating for individual fitness clients," details the scope of practice for fitness instructors providing nutritional advice. It outlines how to assess client needs, deliver appropriate guidance based on Australian Dietary Guidelines, and recognise when referral to medical professionals is necessary. The resource extensively covers client communication, goal setting, and tracking p...

This learner resource, "SISFFIT051 – Establish and maintain professional practice for fitness instruction," guides fitness instructors through establishing and maintaining professional practice. It covers legal and ethical requirements, collaborative relationships with health professionals, professional reflection and development, and maintaining evidence-based knowledge. The resource uses a chapter format, incorporating activities...

This learner resource, "SISFFIT049-Learner Resource-F-v1.0.pdf", details the application of exercise science principles in fitness instruction. It covers identifying credible information sources, interpreting exercise science terminology, and designing safe and effective exercise programs tailored to individual client needs and goals. The document also explores acute and chronic physiological responses to training, injury preventio...

This article addresses the popular but likely incorrect notion that seed oils are detrimental to health, often labelled as inflammatory and linked to heart disease. It clarifies that seed oils are vegetable oils extracted from seeds, such as soybean, canola, and sunflower oils, and their bad reputation stems largely from their high linoleic acid content. The author examines claims against seed oils by referencing scientific studies...