Foundations of Upper Body Strength Training

Build the knowledge and confidence to design effective, science-based upper body strength programs for every client.

This foundational course gives you the tools to build smarter, safer, and more effective strength sessions. This course simplifies the science of programming into clear, actionable methods that can be applied immediately in client sessions. You’ll explore key principles like specificity, overload, and progression, while learning to tailor resistance training for real-world results. Whether your clients want to build strength, improve posture, or move with greater confidence, you’ll have the blueprint to make it happen.

Through a mix of evidence-based instruction and real-client demonstrations, you’ll discover how to design and deliver efficient, balanced upper body routines. Step-by-step visuals and programming templates, such as the 2–10–20 model, shows how to combine resistance, rest, and recovery for lasting progress. You’ll also gain valuable insights into proper warm-up and flexibility techniques to optimize performance and minimize injury risk. Each lesson is practical, time-efficient, and built to elevate both your programming skills and your clients’ results.

Developed by Amy Ashmore, Ph.D., author and educator with over 30 years of experience in exercise science, this course combines academic rigor with hands-on application. Dr. Ashmore’s goal is to empower trainers to bridge the gap between research and practice, helping more people move better and live stronger.

Upon completion, you will be able to:

• Design effective, safe upper body strength sessions using key programming principles.
• Apply the 2–10–20 model to create efficient and adaptable client workouts.
• Integrate warm-up, resistance, and flexibility components into cohesive training plans.
• Modify and progress exercises to meet diverse client needs and abilities.