1. Semester Evaluation Report - Spring 2015
Cameron Yuill
Illustration 1: http://certification.acsm.org/files/image/modified_plank.jpg
Introduction
T/TH Functional Fitness- Colorow 383 11:10-12:00
Trim the fat and improve quality of life!
1. We will reduce our body fat percentage by at least 3% as a class!
• We took skin-fold measurements and BEI measurements to determine baseline body fat
percentages Feb 5 and again April 21 averaging the results.
• We maintained moderate to intense exercise during every class to increase stored fat as fuel
during workouts.
• Each class member worked to improve their diet by reducing calorie intake by 200 cal/week
and by limiting deserts to once per week to reduce fat and sugar intake.
2. We will increase our core endurance by 20% this semester! Utilizing the ACSM curl-up test as
measurement.
• Each workout contained a minimum of two core exercises to improve abdominal strength and
endurance.
• We performed a curl-up test Feb 5 and again April 21 averaging the results as a class.
3. We will increase our aerobic fitness by 15% this semester by ACSM step test measurement!
• Every workout will include an aerobic section to increase heart rate and improve breathing.
• As often as possible class members will participate in aerobic activities outside of class.
• As weather permitted we took to the trails behind the Colorow building. Hiking up to either of
the two immediate peaks or run/walking the trails helped to add a particularly fun element to
our aerobic workouts.
The majority of class members in this particular group were beginners to group exercise but they liked
the social aspect of the class. I did my best to incorporate partner exercises and to keep a lighthearted
attitude to keep everybody coming back.
Program Evaluation
Overall we had a hugely successful Semester. Previously there had not been any Peak Classes in
2. Research Park and the participants were eager and ready to get some exercise. All four participants for
this class maintained a mostly regular attendance and contacted me when they were not going to make
it. All participants made improvements both in cardiovascular endurance and strength. We worked hard
on our goals and saw some impressive results. (All Participants were female. Instructor is indicated as
participant C.)
Goal 1: Reduce body fat percentage by 3% as a class.
The average percent body fat for the class at the beginning of the class was 27.8%. At the end of the
semester that average was reduced to 26.5% marking a 1.3% total loss. We did not reach our goal on
this of a full 3% but we did see progress and created habits that will assist in losing more fat as time
goes on. It is also important to note that all four participants (not including myself) missed half of the
classes between the beginning of March 2015 till post testing mid April. Work obligations and family
vacations took them away randomly and reduced participation towards the end of the semester. It is
believed that this was a major factor in not reaching this goal entirely.
Testing was done by averaging BEI (Bio-electrical Impedance) results and instructor taken skin caliper
tests. The results of each test are in the chart above.
L J A S C Class Avg
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Averaged Percent Body Fat Pre & Post Testing
Pre-Testing
Post-Testing
Participants (Including Instructor)
%BodyFat
3. Goal 2: Increase core endurance 20%. Using ACSM Curl-up test as measurements
ACSM Guidelines only take a certain amount of curl-ups into account towards abdominal endurance.
Both the pre-test and post-test left this class above that max. Both testings I stopped all 4 participants at
75 curl ups. We did not measure a statistical increase however participants all agreed that it was
significantly easier during the post test. We called this a win
Goal 3: Increase aerobic fitness (vO2) 15%
All VO2 test results were
successful. Participant “L”
suffers from asthma and
during pre-testing was unable
to complete the full step test.
Though the above graph
indicated a lower overall VO2
max participant L completed
the step test at full height and
cadence by the end of the
semester.
Participant “J”
unfortunately missed
both testing days and
a post test makeup day, but expressed pleasure in her increased ability to breath and getting less tired
during our workouts overall. This was a major win with one participant gaining the ability to complete
the test and a 7.7% average increase as a class.
• Were high quality standards maintained?
◦ We worked had as a class to make sure our standards were kept high the entire semester.
Participants arrived on time or early so as to begin on time ans I as the instructor arrived
prepared with a workout plan ready to go each day. We utilized all of our time and pushed
our limits as often as possible using modifications as needed to increase or decrease
difficulty.
• Did you accomplish your goals? Why or Why non?
◦ Technically we did not reach any of our goals. However, we made major strides on all of
them and showed real progress over the semester in spite of decreased attendance for the
second half of the semester.
• Summarize class comments on their evaluations.
◦ Overall my participants were very pleased with the class and my performance. They liked
the variety and the explanations for the exercises used.
• Which Comments were received most frequently? Least frequently? Which surprised you the
most?
◦ Most frequent was pleasure at the wide variety of exercises and the challenge they provided
◦ Least frequent was need for more enthusiasm.
◦ The most Surprising was wanting better music. I specifically asked for recommendations or
L J A S C Class Avg
0
10
20
30
40
50
VO2 Step Test
Pre-Testing
Post-Testing
Participants (Including Instructor)
MaxVO2
4. preferences several times and accommodated as best I could. Including by buying new
albums for the class.
Future Instructor Information
The Best Advise I can offer you for this class is to come ready but also be ready to adjust both your
workout and your schedule as time goes on. Warm weather inspires this class to want to workout
outside, take your equipment out onto the lawn and definitely utilize the trails above Colorow and the
rest of research park. Attendance has been rather sporadic ever since spring break, do your best to keep
them excited about coming and be patient when they don't. If you are able to build a rapport with them
early they will feel open to contact you when they cannot make it etc. This helps with planning and
adds extra contact for encouragement. Also because of this location you will have a very limited
selection of equipment to use. As such it can seem that your exercises get repeated and after a while
they can get a little boring if you do not mix it up. Most of what you will do is going to be body weight
so be creative and use lots of variations to keep it fresh.
Weekly Fit Facts
Hydration- on average the human body needs about 60 fluid ounces of water everyday. This is where
the guideline of 8 cups per day comes from. 8 cups x 8 oz = 64 oz. An easy indicator to determine if
you are getting enough water is by checking the color of your urine. The darker yellow it is the more
you need to drink. The more clear it is the better hydrated you are.
Calories to fat- 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. This is part of why losing weight takes so
long. If a person can either eat 500 calories less or exercise 500 calories more (or any combination to
get the 500) every day you can lose one pound per week.
Stretching- The vast majority of stretches a person does before, and especially after, exercise will
involve some level of core involvement. As such you can get a deeper stretch when you stretch after a
full exhale of your lungs.
Cholesterol- Many food products advertise various benefits on their packages. Cholesterol free being a
common listing. Cholesterol is only produced by animals and thus is only found in meats and other
animal products. So, f you ever see a bag of carrots (or any other non animal product) advertising
cholesterol free... just say “No Duh.”
Resistance Training- ACSM guidelines indicate that resistance training routines should consist of at
least 8 exercises. As such when you plan your own workouts remember to include at least 8 things.
Exercise Duration- ACSM guidelines tell us that the minimum amount of moderate exercise we should
be getting per week is 150 minutes. Spread it out over a few days at least and in increments of at least
10-20 minutes to gain the full benefits of your exercise.
NEAT- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis refers to the energy you expend while moving or being
active but not exercising. It is also the primary source of energy consumption throughout the day.
Simply being active is the best way to increase energy output.
Increasing NEAT- Take multiple trips to the car to unload groceries instead of all at once. Park at the
5. back of any parking lot. Stand or walk around during your breaks at work. Get a standing or cycle desk.
% Daily Values- Just because something has 300% of your daily requirement in it does not mean you
are getting 300% of what you need. Our bodies can only absorb so much of what we consume in any
given amount of time. The majority of those huge values gets left behind and is expelled in our urine or
feces.
Organic- From a nutritional standpoint the biggest difference between organic foods and non-organic is
not the nutrients they contain... it is the lack of toxins such as pesticides and hormones. Ultimately
organic is better because you are not ingesting those negative components but non-organic is still
substantially better than going without if organic is unavailable.
Bone Density- Bone mineral density reaches its peak at about 30 yrs of age. For that reason it is highly
recommended that impact exercise be used to help build up your bones before that time and to maintain
your bones once peak has been reached.
Hip Fractures- 25% of all hip fracture patients will die within one year of their fall and 50% will never
gain full use of their hips again. The most common falls resulting in hip fracture are lateral, or
sideways, falls. Lateral exercise will strengthen and support the hips to reduce the risk of those falls.
Gluten Free- Gluten does not make you fat. It is a binding protein in most bread products. Unless you
have a medical condition or diagnosed gluten allergy there is no reason to avoid gluten in your diet.
The gluten free diets that have recently gotten popular are just the next installment of fad diets.
Summary
There were lots of successful moments in this semester. Some of the big ones were when participants
asked for copies of my workouts to use at home on their own or while out of town. Working with
Participant L to complete the step test despite her asthma. And climbing to the lower peak on mountain
behind the building and enjoying the view while feeling satisfied at our accomplishment.
Illustration 2: http://www.3-1-5.co.uk/img/classes/aqua-tone.jpg
Introduction
M/W Aqua-tone 5:10-6:00
Our mission for this class was as follows: Get fit, improve health, have fun, and feel great!
6. To help us reach fulfill this statement we set 3 challenging goals and we worked hard to reach them.
• Goal 1. As a class we will lose at least 3% body weight by the end of this semester!
◦ To do this we upheld moderate-high intensity during every class with a minimum of 8
exercises excluding warm-ups and cool-downs.
◦ We worked to reduce calorie intake by 300 weekly per person.
◦ We measured body weight on Feb 2 and again Apr 22 with individual class members
weighing in on their own once a week to privately track personal progress.
• Goal 2. We will increase our aerobic fitness by 10% this semester by ACSM step test
measurement!
◦ Every workout included an aerobic section to increase heart rate and improve breathing.
◦ As often as possible class members also participated in aerobic activities outside of class.
• Goal 3. We will increase our core endurance by 20% this semester utilizing a maximal tsunami
endurance test as measurement!
◦ Each workout included a minimum of two core exercises to improve abdominal strength
and endurance and typically included one of three tsunami variations to further target the
goal.
◦ We performed a tsunami endurance test Jan 28 and again April 20 averaging the results as a
class.
Overall my goal as an instructor for this class was to keep things mixed up to avoid repeating the same
old workouts and to keep things moving. I learned fast that this group is not a fan of dead time. They
like to work hard and fast so that is what I tried to deliver. I found that a circuit style workout works
best in lessening dead time and keeping them happy. (All female participants. Instructor indicated as
participant CY.)
Program Evaluation
Goal 1: Lose 3% Body Weight
The class average for this goal was lowered from 188.6 lbs to 186.8 lbs. Resulting in an average loss
K L C J S E CYClass Avg
Body Weight Pre & Post Testing
(3 participants were excluded as they were absent both testing days)
Pre-Testing
Post-Testing
Participants (Including Instructor)
WeightinLBS
7. for the class of 1.8 lbs. This decrease works out to be a loss of only 1% as a class. We did not reach our
goal according to these numbers however, we were missing several participants who had noted they
had lost weight before they dropped out. $ participants dropped out half way through the semester and
1 more a few weeks later due to severe illness. Had the full class continued for the whole semester I do
believe we would have reached this goal and likely surpassed it. As such I do not think this data gives a
full account of the weight that was actually lost. Also, because the weights were checked early evening
after meals etc there is some fluctuation as to true body weights.
Goal 2: Increase aerobic fitness (vO2) 10%
Due to location and resources available the ACSM step test was modified to use a 9in step. Realizing
that this did indeed affect the accuracy of the test data was taken as accurately as possible and in a
consistent manner per-test and post-test. Nearly all data returned a significant increase in VO2 max
with the class average going up from 46.6mlO2/kg*min to 49.2 mlO2/kg*min. This resulted in a 5.6%
increase overall. Again falling short of goal but making a strong effort. Participant C got very sick 3
weeks before post testing and was out for 2 ½ weeks due to her illness. She was one of the hardest
working participants the entire semester but being down and in bed for the majority of 3 weeks her
aerobic capacity suffered right before the test. Had that not happened this percentage would have been
higher. Probably not the full 10% goal but closer to it than the data yields.
Goal 3: Increase core endurance 20% by Tsunami endurance test.
First a little background. In Aqua-tone the term tsunami is the name given to a specific exercise
resembling a burpee on land. The participant holds onto the wall with both hands and starts with their
feet also up against the wall. Legs are then tucked down beneath the body and kicked out behind the
participant while the head is brought forward by flexing the elbows and shoulders. The motion is
reversed back to starting position to complete one tsunami. It is primarily an abdominal exercise though
there is support from or force provided by the back, legs and arms as well.
K L C J S E CY Class Avg
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Modified VO2 Pre & Post Testing
(A 9in step was used due to availability)
Pre-Testing
Post-Testing
Participants (Including Instructor)
MaxVO2
8. Pre-testing left us with a class average of 99 tsunamis rounded down to the nearest full unit. This
making our goal to reach 120 as a class average by the end of the semester. We destroyed this goal as
the graph indicates. The average was raised to 202 rounded down again resulting in a 104% increase!
We worked really hard on these and gradually increased the number of tsunamis we did each week till
post testing. Progression was effective and our hard work paid off. This was a major win and an
exciting achievement for our class even with 4 of our initial pre-test participants dropping out before
post testing!
• Were high quality standards maintained?
◦ We worked had as a class to make sure our standards were kept high the entire semester.
Most participants arrived on time or early and we started on time regardless as to how many
were present at the start. I as the instructor arrived prepared with a workout plan ready to go
each day written on large, colorful post-it notes that were placed around the pool to locate,
identify and establish number of reps for each circuit station. We utilized all of our time and
pushed our limits as often as possible using modifications as needed to increase or decrease
difficulty.
• Did you accomplish your goals? Why or Why non?
◦ We not only accomplished our tsunami goal but increased our endurance by over 100%. The
other goals we did not reach though there was considerable effort made. We may not have
actually reached the goals set but considering we lost almost half of the class after spring
break and sickness that went around with the fluctuating Utah weather I am very pleased
with the results we reached.
• Summarize class comments on their evaluations.
◦ The participants loved this class and told me so regularly. Their comments indicated the
same. I was a refreshing instructor with new ideas and I kept them working till the end.
• Which Comments were received most frequently? Least frequently? Which surprised you the
most?
◦ Most frequent was- the variety and tailoring of my workouts to individuals or situations
while still keeping it challenging.
K L C J Su E CY M St AClass Avg
0
50
100
150
200
250
Tsunami Endurance Pre & Post Testing
(4 participants dropped out before post testing took place)
Pre-Testing
Post-Testing
Participants (Including Instructor)
NumberofTsunamisPerformed
9. ◦ Least frequent was need for more out of water demonstrations for new exercises.
◦ The most surprising was all but one negative comment were directed towards the facilities
or time instead of me. Lots of positive feedback and only one suggestion for improvement.
Being a complete novice to aqua-tone I take great pride knowing that these seasoned aqua-
toners loved my class.
Future Instructor Information
The best advise I can give to future instructors is to not take these ladies lightly. They are there to work
and they don't like to waste time. Be ready, use post-its to place your stations around the pool and use a
circuit for your main workout to keep them moving and working at their own paces. Also don't be
afraid to ask for ideas for new exercises and use some that you make up on your own. About 1/3 of the
exercises I used I came up with on my own and the ladies loved the variety. Some of their favorites are
Tsunamis, chest fly with resistance buoys, chin/pull ups using the dive blocks, and my favorite are
infinities using floatation buoys. If you get stuck for ideas just think about what you might do on land
and modify it for the water. Be creative!
Weekly Fit Facts
Hydration- on average the human body needs about 60 fluid ounces of water everyday. This is where
the guideline of 8 cups per day comes from. 8 cups x 8 oz = 64 oz. An easy indicator to determine if
you are getting enough water is by checking the color of your urine. The darker yellow it is the more
you need to drink. The more clear it is the better hydrated you are.
Calories to fat- 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. This is part of why losing weight takes so
long. If a person can either eat 500 calories less or exercise 500 calories more (or any combination to
get the 500) every day you can lose one pound per week.
Stretching- The vast majority of stretches a person does before, and especially after, exercise will
involve some level of core involvement. As such you can get a deeper stretch when you stretch after a
full exhale of your lungs.
Cholesterol- Many food products advertise various benefits on their packages. Cholesterol free being a
common listing. Cholesterol is only produced by animals and thus is only found in meats and other
animal products. So, f you ever see a bag of carrots (or any other non animal product) advertising
cholesterol free... just say “No Duh.”
Resistance Training- ACSM guidelines indicate that resistance training routines should consist of at
least 8 exercises. As such when you plan your own workouts remember to include at least 8 things.
Exercise Duration- ACSM guidelines tell us that the minimum amount of moderate exercise we should
be getting per week is 150 minutes. Spread it out over a few days at least and in increments of at least
10-20 minutes to gain the full benefits of your exercise.
NEAT- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis refers to the energy you expend while moving or being
active but not exercising. It is also the primary source of energy consumption throughout the day.
Simply being active is the best way to increase energy output.
Increasing NEAT- Take multiple trips to the car to unload groceries instead of all at once. Park at the
10. back of any parking lot. Stand or walk around during your breaks at work. Get a standing or cycle desk.
% Daily Values- Just because something has 300% of your daily requirement in it does not mean you
are getting 300% of what you need. Our bodies can only absorb so much of what we consume in any
given amount of time. The majority of those huge values gets left behind and is expelled in our urine or
feces.
Organic- From a nutritional standpoint the biggest difference between organic foods and non-organic is
not the nutrients they contain... it is the lack of toxins such as pesticides and hormones. Ultimately
organic is better because you are not ingesting those negative components but non-organic is still
substantially better than going without if organic is unavailable.
Bone Density- Bone mineral density reaches its peak at about 30 yrs of age. For that reason it is highly
recommended that impact exercise be used to help build up your bones before that time and to maintain
your bones once peak has been reached.
Hip Fractures- 25% of all hip fracture patients will die within one year of their fall and 50% will never
gain full use of their hips again. The most common falls resulting in hip fracture are lateral, or
sideways, falls. Lateral exercise will strengthen and support the hips to reduce the risk of those falls.
Gluten Free- Gluten does not make you fat. It is a binding protein in most bread products. Unless you
have a medical condition or diagnosed gluten allergy there is no reason to avoid gluten in your diet.
The gluten free diets that have recently gotten popular are just the next installment of fad diets.
Summary
There were 2 major successes for me with this class. The first was the rapport and respect I earned from
my class members. I came prepared and surprised them regularly with my ability regardless of my
minimal experience. My participants became my friends and I am grateful to have had the opportunity
to work with them. The second major accomplishment was the tsunami goal we set. It was something
new that they had never attempted in all the years most of them have done aqua-tone and we destroyed
our initial goal.