Press Room

American Council on Exercise Introduces Exercise for Older Adults: ACE's Guide for Fitness Professionals

Posted: May 26, 1998 in

SAN DIEGO - Noticed a few more gray heads in the gym lately? According to a study conducted by American Sports Data Inc., the number of Americans aged 55 and older who joined health clubs grew 145 percent between 1988 and 1995. This number continues to increase as older adults realize that exercise enables them to live, work and function more effectively in their everyday lives.

In response to this growing population of senior exercisers and the need to provide them with safe and effective fitness programming appropriate for their age, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has released the new Exercise for Older Adults: ACE’s Guide for Fitness Professionals, published by Human Kinetics. The book addresses the physiology of aging, specific ways to communicate with and motivate older adults, and common health challenges this group faces. Pre-exercise screening, fitness assessment and programming techniques unique to the older adult also are covered.

"This manual is vital to any fitness professional who presently works with older adults or wants to expand their knowledge of this growing market," said Sheryl Marks Brown, ACE executive director. "People are living longer and better by incorporating exercise into their lives. Our goal is to enable fitness professionals to teach them how to do it safely and effectively."

Physical therapists, dietitians, physical education and gerontology students, senior center directors and others who work professionally with older adults also will find this manual a great resource.

Exercise for Older Adults: ACE’s Guide for Fitness Professionals is available for $24.95. For more information on the manual, or to order, call (800) 825-3636.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the nation’s "workout watchdog," ACE conducts university-based research and testing that targets fitness products and trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.