This is the eleventh edition of the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for exercise testing and prescription.

It provides comprehensive information on exercise testing procedures, including indications, contraindications, and interpretations, as well as guidelines for exercise prescription across various populations and health conditions.

Specific chapters cover cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, body composition, and exercise programming for special populations such as older adults, individuals with chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart failure, Parkinson's disease), and those with disabilities (e.g., spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy).

This book also explores theoretical frameworks for understanding exercise behavior and strategies to promote adherence.

• develop or clarify the goals and objectives of a strength and conditioning program,

• understand the daily operational practices of a strength and conditioning program and facility that help to achieve the goals and objectives,

• establish a standard of practice that leads to a safe and effective strength and conditioning program,

• identify common areas of potential liability exposure and implement appropriate risk management strategies,

• create a policies and procedures manual for a strength and conditioning program and facility, and

• properly schedule the strength and conditioning facility, along with formulating guidelines on seasonal planning and staffto-athlete ratios.

• identify the aspects of new facility design, including the four phases (predesign, design, construction, and preoperation);

• identify the aspects of modification of an existing facility, along with the differences between design of a new facility and modification or renovation of an existing facility;

• explain how to assess an athletic program’s needs in order to design a facility that is well suited to these needs;

• explain how to design specific facility features, including supervision location, access, ceiling height, flooring, environmental factors, electrical service, and mirrors;

• explain how to arrange equipment in organized groups, creating better traffic flow throughout the facility; and

• explain the maintenance and cleaning needs for the surfaces and equipment in a strength and conditioning facility.

• identify the members of the sports medicine team and their responsibilities during the rehabilitation and reconditioning of injured athletes,

• recognize the types of injuries athletes sustain,

• comprehend the timing and events of tissue healing,

• understand the goals of each tissue healing phase, and

• describe the role of the strength and conditioning professional during injury rehabilitation and reconditioning.

• understand the central concepts that underpin the periodization of training;

• appreciate the value, role, and application of periodization in strength and conditioning programs;

• describe the four periods of the traditional periodization model;

• describe the two phases of the preparatory period of the traditional periodization model;

• relate the four sport seasons to the four periods of the traditional periodization model; and

• apply the program design variables to create a periodized strength training program.

• discuss the factors related to aerobic endurance performance;

• select the mode of aerobic endurance training;

• set aerobic endurance training frequency based on training status, sport season, and recovery requirements;

• assign aerobic endurance training duration and understand its interaction with training intensity;

• assign aerobic endurance exercise intensity and understand the various methods used to monitor intensity;

• describe the various types of aerobic endurance programs;

• apply the program design variables based on the sport season; and

• address the issues of cross-training, detraining, tapering, supplemental resistance training, and altitude when designing an aerobic endurance training program.

• describe the underlying biomechanical constructs of sprint, change-of-direction, and agility performance;

• apply sound movement principles to the coaching of locomotion modes and techniques;

• analyze the abilities and skills needed to perform specific movement tasks;

• effectively monitor the development of sprint, change-of-direction, and agility abilities;

• apply sound means and methods for developing speed, change of direction, and agility; and

• design and implement training programs to maximize athletic performance.

• explain the physiology of plyometric exercise,

• identify the phases of the stretch–shortening cycle,

• identify the components of a plyometric training program,

• design a safe and effective plyometric training program,

• recommend proper equipment for use during plyometric

exercise, and

• teach correct execution of lower and upper body plyometric exercises.

• evaluate the requirements and characteristics of a sport and assess an athlete for the purpose of designing a resistance training program;

• select exercises based on type, sport specificity, technique experience, equipment availability, and time availability;

• determine training frequency based on training status, sport season, load, exercise type, and other concurrent exercise;

• arrange exercises in a training session according to their type;

• determine 1-repetition maximum (1RM), predicted 1RM from a multiple RM, and RM loads;

• assign load and repetitions based on the training goal;

• know when and by how much an exercise load should be increased;

• assign training volumes according to the athlete’s training status and the training goal; and

• determine rest period lengths based on the training goal.

• understand the basic guidelines for performing resistance exercise with alternative modes and nontraditional implements,

• describe the benefits and limitations of bodyweight training activities,

• identify the benefits and limitations associated with core training,

• identify the appropriate technique and key technical flaws associated with the alternative mode exercises,

• appropriately determine how to apply resistance bands and chains to traditional ground-based free weight exercise, and

• determine the appropriate use of alternative methods and nontraditional implement exercises.

• understand the general techniques involved in properly performing resistance training exercises,

• provide breathing guidelines, • determine the appropriateness of wearing a weight belt,

• provide recommendations for spotting free weight exercises, and

• teach proper resistance training exercise and spotting techniques.

• identify the components and benefits of a preexercise warm-up,

• structure effective warm-ups,

• identify the factors that affect flexibility,

• use flexibility exercises that take advantage of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, and

• select and apply appropriate static and dynamic stretching methods.

• discern the best ways to measure selected parameters related to athletic performance,

• administer field tests appropriately,

• evaluate and analyze test data and make normative comparisons,

• understand appropriate statistics, and

• combine the results of selected tests to generate an athletic profile.

• identify and explain reasons for performing tests,

• understand testing terminology to communicate clearly with athletes and colleagues,

• evaluate a test’s validity and reliability,

• select appropriate tests, and • administer test protocols properly and safely.

• provide reliable and up-to-date information to athletes on the risks and benefits of performance-enhancing substances, including anabolic steroids;

• understand the efficacy and adverse effects of over-the-counter dietary supplements marketed to athletes for enhancing sport and exercise performance;

• determine which performance-enhancing supplements are beneficial for strength/ power performance, endurance performance, or both; and

• distinguish between those performanceenhancing supplements that mimic the effects of hormones in the body and those that improve performance through some other means.

• list pre-, during- and postcompetition nutrition recommendations for different sports;

• provide guidelines for weight gain and weight loss;

• recognize signs and symptoms of eating disorders;

• understand the importance of having an intervention and referral system in place for athletes suspected of having an eating disorder;

• recognize the prevalence and etiologies of obesity; and

• assist in the assessment process for obese individuals.

• know when to refer an athlete to the appropriate resource, a medical doctor or a sports dietitian;

• identify the protein, carbohydrate, and fat recommendations for athletes;

• list the dietary recommendations for disease prevention and overall health; and

• list hydration and electrolyte guidelines for different age groups and scenarios and help athletes develop an individualized hydration plan.

• understand the psychological constructs of arousal, motivation, focus, and confidence and be able to ascertain their impact on physical performance;

• comprehend terms relevant to psychological areas of concern, such as anxiety, attention, the ideal performance state, self-efficacy, imagery, and goal setting;

• understand varying ways to manipulate practice schedules including whole–part, random, and variable practice, and how to use these schedules to facilitate skill acquisition and learning;

• understand different types of instructions and feedback and their application in a practice and performance setting.

• evaluate the evidence regarding the safety, effectiveness, and importance of resistance exercise for children;

• discuss sex-related differences in muscular function and their implications for females;

• describe the effects of aging on musculoskeletal health and comment on the trainability of older adults; and

• explain why adaptations to resistance exercise can vary greatly among these three distinct populations.

• identify and describe the acute responses of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems to aerobic exercise;

• identify and describe the impact of chronic aerobic endurance training on the physiological characteristics of the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, muscular, bone and connective tissue, and endocrine systems;

• recognize the interaction between aerobic endurance training and optimizing physiological responses of all body systems;

• identify and describe external factors that influence adaptations to acute and chronic aerobic exercise including altitude, sex, blood doping, and detraining; and

• recognize the causes, signs, symptoms, and effects of overtraining.