Students have staff fighting fit

5 February 2009

West Coast TAFE fitness student Adam Ridgway (18) is ready for just about anything, after creating a 6-week rehabilitation program to put 54-year old Glenda Joyce back on her feet.

Having had arthroscopic surgery on both knees, Glenda of Greenwood was unable to walk up and down stairs.  After participating in West Coast TAFE’s personal training program developed for and by students as a practical component of their course, Glenda gained strength and now cycles 10km to work every day without any discomfort.

“Adam used the skills he had learnt throughout his fitness studies to develop a program that allowed me to carry out what others consider to be, the most simple movements,” said Glenda.
The program provides students with hands-on practical experience conducted under the watchful eyes of experienced lecturers and adheres to all industry requirements preparing students for employment in the ‘real world’.

Each student is matched up with a ‘client’ and tasked with designing the entire training program which includes a pre-exercise screening questionnaire, fitness and lifestyle assessment, nutritional analysis, professionally constructed exercise routines, supervision, motivation and tuition.

At the end of the program and a final fitness assessment, success stories of weight loss, greater flexibility and strength prevailed.

Adam from Carine, who now works as a Personal Trainer at Fitness First, said:  “West Coast TAFE’s personal training program gives students like me access to a mixture of real people with real health and fitness issues. This means we obtain knowledge and skills that can later be transferred to real clients once we’re employed in the industry.”