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P403 Theory and Practice of Cardiovascular Fitness
P403 is a course focusing on the principles and processes of designing, organizing, and teaching various aerobic training forms. The course reviews basic exercise and cardiovascular principles used to create modes of cardiovascular training for individual exercise programs. The culminating project for this course was to create a 5K training plan that would prepare me for the 5K race at the end of the semester.
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This course had a significant impact on my life and will support me in my future endeavors. I am excited to take my newly-learned knowledge into my career as a physical therapist and as a running coach. We had various guest speakers from different fields of exercise science talk to our class. I enjoyed these lectures because I learned what journeys each speaker took to get where they are, what impact they have on the lives of others now, and important lessons they have learned along the way.
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One experience that was extremely meaningful to me was the time I spent as a fitness instructor at the Legacy Center. Two of my classmates and I observed a quick cardio and core group fitness class. We observed how the instructor led the class and the client's reactions throughout the 30-minute workout. The next week, my group returned and we led the clients through a workout we created. This project allowed me to use the skills I've gathered throughout my time as an undergraduate student in the exercise science program and in P403 to devise a full-body workout. This workout was geared towards healthy adults, aged 18-60, who aimed at strengthening their whole body while gaining some additional cardiovascular benefits. I enjoyed creating the workout, but the most influential component of this project was instructing the class. It was rewarding to see my hard work pay off. The clients stated they had a fun time and felt they received good exercise from our workout. I gained interpersonal and leadership skills that I am eager to take into the field of physical therapy as I work to help rehabilitate clients. Applying the curriculum I learned in school to real-world experiences allowed me to develop confidence in my ability to effectively improve the lives of others in the future.
Community Health Network's Student Therapy Experience Workshop
I had the opportunity to participate in Community Health Network's Student Therapy Experience Workshop at Community Rehab Hospital South. Throughout the course of the event, I had the opportunity to observe five different sessions with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists on a variety of topics. At the end of the session, I had the opportunity to ask a panel of graduate students questions pertaining to the graduate school admissions process, their current experience, and for any advice they have gathered throughout their journey. This experience allowed me to complete basic hands-on skills used by these health care providers in this setting. By the end of my experience, I demonstrated knowledge in understanding the purpose of treatments used and of the therapy evaluation process.
I am extremely thankful for my opportunity to experience this workshop. It provided me with my first glimpse into the world of physical therapy. Before this event, I had never observed inpatient physical therapy nor did I understand how closely PTs work with OTs and SLPs. It was a powerful moment when I toured the hospital and got to see the patients that were receiving the treatment I spent the morning learning about. It put physical therapy into perspective for me; not only is exercise medicine, it is a life saver! Not only did it reaffirm my passion to pursue a career in this field, it also ignited a greater fire to become more exposed to physical therapy during my undergraduate years. I have since participated in various PT observation experiences and plan to explore a larger variety of settings.
P246 Performance and Teaching of Cardiovascular & Resistance Training
P246 focused on teaching cardiovascular fitness activities and resistance training in health and fitness settings. Emphasis was placed on designing, planning, and teaching various concepts such as exercise prescription and basic training principles. I enjoyed this class because I got to dwell deeper into understanding the anatomy and physiology of the body. This cumulative information helped me create workouts for both cardiovascular and resistance training. I became more familiarized with various gym and fitness equipment throughout the semester. I also had the opportunity to work through two case studies to create exercise prescriptions for cardiovascular and resistance training workouts. I received a list of a patient's medical history, current fitness level, and goals for commencing an exercise program. I was then able to devise an exercise prescription to fit their needs.
The biggest takeaway I had from this class was gaining confidence in my ability to create and instruct a fitness workout. Twice throughout the semester, once for cardiovascular fitness and another time for resistance training fitness, I created a 45-minute workout with a partner to instruct to our class. These workouts taught me how to create a program using proper intensities, durations, and volumes. I gained leadership and communication skills as I instructed the class. The hands-on learning I received from this experience will help me as I devise rehabilitation programs for my patients when I'm a physical therapist.