Unit 8 Client Assessment Matrix

Shannon Felmey
Kaplan University
EF 310 Exercise and Fitness Trends

CLIENT

Name: Carl

ASSESSMENT
MATRIX
FITT Principles

What
frequency do
you suggest?
Since Carl is
already
exercising
occasionally,
he should
increase his
exercise to 3-5
days per week,
possibly 1-2
sessions per
day.
Carl can work
on muscle
strength and
endurance 2-3
days per week,
especially
since he is
already
occasionally
working out in
the gym.
Carl should
work on
flexibility
training at
least 3 days
per week.

What intensity
do you
suggest?
Intensity
should be at a
comfortable
pace and
endurance;
moderate
intensity to
start due to
Carls EIA.

What time do
you suggest?
Begin with 30
minute
sessions to be
sure Carl does
not experience
too much
dyspnea due
to his asthma.

What type of
activity do
you suggest?
Carl should
start with
large muscle
activities,
such as
walking,
swimming, or
cycling.

Carl should
use low
resistance, but
use a high
number of
reps.

Carl can work

on weight
training 30-60
minutes per
session,
especially
because he
already
occasionally
does work out.

Carl should
use free
weights or
use isokinetic
or isotonic
machines. He
could also do
circuit
training once
per week.

Intensity
should be
moderate, at
least at the
beginning of
the program.

Carl can start

with bouts of
flexibility
training as
tolerated for
10-20 minutes
per session.

Stretching or
Tai chi
exercises are
a great way
for Carl to
engage in
flexibility
training.

PROS
Principles

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle of
progression for
each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle
of regularity
for each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the overload
principle for
each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Cardiovascular
Activity

Carl can start

with walking 3-

Carl already
walks to class

Carl needs to
walk different

Explain how
the
specificity
principle
applies to
each
component
of fitness in
your exercise
prescription.
Walking,
running, or

Cardiovascular
Activity

Muscular
strength and
endurance

Flexibility

5 days per
week, and
increase
distance or
decrease time
walked. He can
also progress
to running 3-5
days per week.

Muscular
strength and
endurance

If Carl starts
with free
weights or
weight
machines at
the gym, he
can gradually
increase the
amount of
weight on each
machine.
Every 3-4
weeks Carl
should add 510 pounds of
weights.

Flexibility

Carl could
begin to add

during the
week, but he
could also
walk to the
campus rec
center with his
friends at least
1-2 days per
week. Walking
to the rec
center could
serve as a
warm-up for
his muscle
strengthening
and
endurance
activities.
Carl has some
friends that
also use the
campus rec
center. These
friends can
serve as
support and
encourageme
nt for Carl.
They can all
make it a
point to visit
the rec center
at least 1-2
days per week
so they can
use the
machines to
strengthen
their muscles
and
endurance for
their
intramural
games.

courses every
few weeks, or
he can walk
the opposite
way on the
same course. If
Carl would
start running,
he could
overload his
muscles to
begin to add
more bulk.

cycling would
involve all of
Carls large
muscle
groups and
would give
him a variety
of workouts
to do each
week.

Overload
would occur
when Carl
adds extra
weights to his
weight lifting
routine. By
progressively
adding more
weights, it will
keep Carls
muscles active
and will help
him to bulk up.
By slowly
adding
additional
weights, Carl
hopefully will
not have many
problems with
dyspnea.

Carl could
suggest

Carl can start

flexibility

Carl needs a
specific
workout plan
when he
goes to the
campus rec
center. At
least once
per week he
could do
circuit
training with
his friends.
Another 1-2
days at the
gym he could
use the free
weights, but
he also
needs to be
sure to work
every major
muscle
group. SAID
principle
applies here
(specific
adaptations
to imposed
demands).
Stretching
and Tai chi

flexibility
training as part
of a warm up
and cool down
before and
after each
moderate or
vigorous
intensity
workout.
Beginning with
flexibility
training 1-2
days per week,
Carl should
progress to
doing this with
every workout
that he does,
for at least 510 minutes of
warm up and
cool down.

adding some
flexibility
training as
warm-up and
cool-down
before and
after
intramural
games. By
getting his
whole team
involved, he is
much more
likely to
continue to
regularly
engage in this
important
training.

training 1-2
days per week,
but should
gradually
increase to
using it with
every workout
session. He
can also start
by holding
poses for 1020 seconds
each, and then
gradually
increase each
hold to 60
seconds.

are some
great
examples of
flexibility
training that
would benefit
Carl. These
exercises
would work
large muscle
groups and
would make
him more
flexible for
his
intramural
games.

What type of
activity do
you suggest?
Since Sally
likes walking,
she should
start with
walking or
possibly
swimming if
she enjoys
that.
Swimming
would be
easy on her
joints since
she is in the
older
population.
Circuit

CLIENT
ASSESSMENT
MATRIX

Name: Sally

FITT Principles

What
frequency do
you suggest?
Sally should
begin at 2-3
days per week
since she is
currently
mostly
sedentary.

What intensity
do you
suggest?
Sally needs to
start with
moderate
intensity
exercise so
she is not
overwhelmed
right away.

What time do
you suggest?

Sally needs to

Appropriate

Sally should

Cardiovascular
Activity

Muscular

Sally should
exercise 20-60
minutes per
day, beginning
in bouts of at
least 10
minutes.

strength and
endurance

begin
muscular
strength and
endurance
training at
least 1-2 days
per week.

intensity
would be
initially 1-2
sets of 4-6
reps (60-80%
of IRM).

begin with 4-5

complex
(multijoint)
exercises with
major muscle
groups (upper
and lower
body)
stressed.

Flexibility

Sally should be
stretching as a
warm up and
cool down
before and
after each
workout, but at
least 2 days
per week to
begin.

Sally should
start with 2-4
reps per
muscle group,
holding each
stretch for 1030 seconds,
and do static
stretches with
slow
movements
through painfree ROM.

Warm up and
cool down
should be at
least 5
minutes before
and after each
exercise
session.

PROS
Principles

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle of
progression for
each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle
of regularity
for each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the overload
principle for
each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Cardiovascular
Activity

Sally needs to
gradually
(approximately
every month)

Sally needs to
begin to be
consistently
physically

Intensity needs
to increase to
50%-80%
VO2R or HRR

training at
the gym
would be a
good starting
point for
Sally. Its
quick, so she
could do it on
her lunch
break with
her
coworkers,
and it would
work all
major muscle
groups.
Yoga or Tai
chi would be
some great
programs for
Sally to
utilize for
balance,
stretching,
and
flexibility. It is
possible that
her nearby
gym may
offer some of
these classes
specially
geared
toward her
age group.
Explain how
the
specificity
principle
applies to
each
component
of fitness in
your exercise
prescription.
Walking is
the mode of
choice for
Sally because

increase her
walking days
per week to 37 days total,
and 30-60
minute
sessions in
order to meet
the guidelines
for Diabetics.

Muscular
strength and
endurance

Gradually
increase
frequency and
intensity to 2-3
days per week,
and 2-3 sets of
8-12 reps
when Sally is
doing circuit
training.

Flexibility

Stretching
needs to be
performed at
least 2 days
per week, but
Sally could
benefit from
stretching with
every workout
session. She
should
increase her

active. She
should join her
coworkers
when they go
to the nearby
gym, or
maybe it
would be
possible to
walk a few
laps around
the perimeter
of the building
where she
works since it
is usually too
hot to be
outside
walking.
Sally needs to
be regularly
working on
muscle
strength and
endurance.
She should set
aside at least
2-3 days per
week that she
will go to the
gym with her
coworkers.
Coworkers can
be a great
support
system to help
keep her
motivated.
Sally needs to
regularly
stretch and
practice
balance and
flexibility
training in
order to see
some benefits.
By
incorporating
this before

so Sally can
begin walking
faster every 23 weeks, and
walking a
longer
distance in the
same amount
of time.

Every 3-4
weeks, Sally
can increase
the amount of
weight on each
machine by 510 pounds to
overload her
muscles and
continue
strengthening
all major
muscle groups.

Sally should
begin holding
each pose for
10-15 seconds,
but progress to
holding the
poses for 1560 seconds
each, and
doing at least
4 reps per
muscle group

she enjoys it.

Swimming
may also be
a good
choice for her
because of
possible
balance
issues. If
Sally chooses
walking, she
needs to
walk different
courses
every few
weeks in
order to work
different
muscles.
Circuit
training is a
great option
because she
has access to
a gym, she
has some
people who
will support
and motivate
her, it is a
quick
workout, and
it will work all
major muscle
groups in one
session.
Yoga would
be a great
way for Sally
to
incorporate
balance and
flexibility
training,
although she
needs to do
different
poses to

Yoga or
stretching to
incorporate at
least 5
minutes for a
warm up prior
to every
workout, and
at least 10
minutes for a
cool down
following each
workout. This
will also
benefit her
balance and
flexibility
because the
muscles are
being
stretched more
often than
when she is
sedentary.

and after
workouts, it is
a very easy
way for Sally
to be sure that
she is
regularly
engaging in
these
exercises. If
she is able to
join a Yoga
class at the
gym, which
would also
help to be
sure that she
is regularly
engaging in
these
activities.

CLIENT
ASSESSMENT
MATRIX

Name: Jennifer

FITT Principles

What frequency
do you suggest?

Cardiovascular
Activity

Since Jennifer is
currently
sedentary, she
should begin
exercising 2-3
days per week.

Muscular

Initially start with

in order to
apply the
principle of
overload to her
flexibility
training.

What intensity
do you
suggest?
Initially
moderate
intensity is the
best (40%60% HRR)
because
Jennifer has a
mostly
sedentary
lifestyle.

What time do
you suggest?

Moderate

Jennifer can

avoid doing
the same
pose
repeatedly
and working
the same
muscle
groups. Yoga
classes would
be great for
her, if they
are available.
She could
also
purchase her
own Yoga
DVDs so she
could
practice at
home and
engage her
grandson as
well.

Jennifer needs
to start with
short, easily
tolerated bouts
of 10-20
minutes per
day.

What type of
activity do
you suggest?
Jennifer loves
walking, so
she should
begin a
moderate
intensity,
comfortable
walking
program,
possibly
around her
neighborhoo
d.
If Jennifer

strength and
endurance

strength training
1-2 days per
week.

intensity
strength
training should
be added as a
supplement to
aerobic
exercise to
help Jennifer
lose weight.

start with
some simple
strength
training at
home by
working each
muscle group
for 1-2 reps.
Simple
exercises are
easily found
online,
including
squats,
crunches,
push-ups, etc.
Jennifer should
begin with a 5
minute warm
up with
stretching prior
to each
walking
session.
Following
exercise, she
should also do
a 5 minute
cool-down
stretching
session.

would have a
fitness
trainer spot
her, she
could learn to
do some
simple
exercises at
home. This
step is
important to
be sure that
she is doing
the exercises
correctly and
safely.
Static
stretches or
Yoga poses
would be a
great way for
Jennifer to
incorporate
flexibility
training into
her workouts.

Flexibility

Like Sally,
Jennifer could
incorporate
stretching or
Yoga into her
workout routines,
but should begin
with these
exercises at 2
days per week
until she is
comfortable
doing them.
Flexibility is
important to help
prevent
osteoporosis in
women.

Jennifer should
start with 2-4
reps per
muscle group,
holding each
stretch for 1030 seconds,
and do static
stretches with
slow
movements
through painfree ROM. She
needs to start
slowly to be
sure she does
not increase
her blood
pressure.

PROS
Principles

Explain how you

will utilize the
principle of
progression for
each component
of fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle
of regularity
for each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Explain how
you will utilize
the overload
principle for
each
component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Jennifer needs
to walk
regularly in
order to get

Jennifer could
find a course
that possibly
has hills to

Explain how
the
specificity
principle
applies to
each
component
of fitness in
your exercise
prescription.
Jennifer likes
walking, so
she should
engage in

Cardiovascular
Activity

Like Sally,
Jennifer needs to
gradually
increase her

speed and
distance when
walking in order
to receive the
benefits. Every
3-4 weeks,
Jennifer can walk
farther in the
same amount of
time, or increase
the amount of
time that she is
walking. She also
needs to change
courses every
few weeks to
work different
muscles.
Muscular
strength and
endurance

Strength training
should progress
to at least 2-3
days per week.
Jennifer could
add some
inexpensive
hand, wrist, or
ankle weights to
her stretches or
to her walking
routine.

Flexibility

Stretching or
Yoga poses
would benefit
Jennifer as a

the benefits.
Although she
is very busy,
she should
schedule her
walking time
into her week.
If it is
scheduled,
she is more
likely to do it.
She can also
engage her
kids in walking
also to help
them with
weight loss
and be a role
model for
them.
Consistency is
very important
in order for
Jennifer to see
benefits of her
training. She
could plan on
doing strength
training for a
few minutes
each day over
her lunch
break, or she
could use
rainy days to
stay inside
and focus on
strength
training at
home.

navigate while
walking. Or,
she could walk
the same
course in the
opposite
direction. She
needs to
change
courses every
2-3 weeks.

walking as
much as
possible. She
may or may
not decide to
eventually
progress to
running. She
needs to do
something
that she
enjoys to be
sure that she
is able to
stick with her
program.

After
approximately
4 weeks,
Jennifer could
add slightly
more weight if
she is using
hand, wrist, or
ankle weights.
1 pound to
each side
would be
sufficient for
about 3-4
weeks.

Regularity is
very important
for building
and

After initially
holding poses
or stretches for
approximately

If Jennifer
chooses to
do strength
training
exercises at
home, she
needs to be
sure that she
is working
each of the
major muscle
groups, even
if it is not in
the same
day.
Otherwise, if
she only
concentrates
on one area
(such as
arms), she
will not see
improvement
in any other
areas of her
body.
Like Sally,
Jennifer also
needs to be
sure that she

warm up and
cool down with
her workouts.
Although she
should start with
5 minutes each
(warm up and
cool down) for 2
days per week,
she should
eventually slowly
progress to
including these
exercises with
every workout.

CLIENT
ASSESSMENT
MATRIX

Name: Justin

FITT Principles

What
frequency do
you suggest?
Since Justin is
obese and
mostly
sedentary, he
should start
doing physical
activity for at
least 2-3 days
per week.

Cardiovascular
Activity

maintaining
flexibility,
especially in
women to
prevent
osteoporosis.
Jennifer should
progress to
incorporating
Yoga or
stretching with
every warm
up and cool
down, and
should be
exercising at
least 5-6 days
per week for
weight loss
benefits.

What intensity
do you
suggest?
Moderate
intensity
exercise
should be
performed to
begin an
exercise
training
program for
obesity.

10-15 seconds,
she can
progress to
holding for 3060 seconds per
pose, and
doing at least
3-4 reps of
each pose.

What time do
you suggest?
Justin should
start with
bouts of 10-30
minutes to be
sure he can
tolerate the
physical
activity.

is doing
different
poses or
stretches in
order to work
every major
muscle group
in her body.
Even if she
does not use
every muscle
group in one
session, over
the course of
a week, all
muscle
groups need
to be
involved in
flexibility
training.

What type of
activity do
you suggest?
Although
Justin wants
to train for
football, he
needs to
engage in a
variety of
exercises in
order to work
all major
muscle
groups of his
body. He can
start with
walking, or
active video
games, such
as Zumba or
dance on his
game

Muscular
strength and
endurance

Justin should
focus on
muscular
strength and
endurance at
least 2-3 days
per week, with
at least one
day of rest
between each
session.

Intensity
should be 75%
IRM, but Justin
needs to be
monitored by
trained
personnel to
be sure his
safety is not at
risk while
engaging in
muscle
strengthening
exercises.

Justin should
start with 1-2
sets of 4-5
exercises, 4-10
reps per set
because of
being obese
and mostly
sedentary, so
that he is not
overwhelmed
with too much
exercise too
fast.

Flexibility

Justin needs to
engage in
bone
strengthening
exercises
starting with 12 days per
week during
part of his
regular
physical
activity.

Moderate
intensity is
appropriate
for Justin to
start, since he
currently does
not do much,
if any, of these
types of
exercises at
all.

Justins bone
strengthening
exercises
should be
incorporated
during his
regular
physical
activity, and
should be
included 1-2
days during
the week.

PROS
Principles

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle of
progression for
each

Explain how
you will utilize
the principle
of regularity
for each

Explain how
you will utilize
the overload
principle for
each

system.
Justin needs
to engage in
a variety of
activities so
that one area
is not the
sole focus of
his workouts.
He could
start lifting
some simple
weights,
doing pushups, or
engaging in
other
strength
training
exercises to
help him get
ready for
football, as
long as he
has a variety
of options
available.
Jumping,
running,
games
(football),
and
resistance
exercises
should be
incorporated
to help Justin
gain bone
strength, as
well as
provide a
variety of
activities for
him.
Explain how
the
specificity
principle
applies to

component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

component of
fitness in your
exercise
prescription.

Cardiovascular
Activity

Justin needs to
increase time
and frequency
of his physical
activity to
incorporate at
least 60
minutes per
day for 6-7
days per week.
He needs to
start slowly,
and move
forward
approximately
every 3-4
weeks, at a
comfortable
pace. He also
needs to
increase days
per week that
he engages in
physical
activity.

Justin should
start by
walking
because of
obesity and
sedentary
lifestyle. He
could progress
to running to
overload his
muscles and
increase
strength.
Running is also
required to
play football,
so it would
help him train
to play.

Muscular
strength and
endurance

Justin can
progress to
lifting weights
2-3 days per
week, and he
can gradually
add 5-10
pounds of
extra weight
every 3-4
weeks to

Justin needs
encourageme
nt and support
from his
family, friends,
and football
coach. Instead
of playing
games with
his friends for
hours, he
should be
encouraged to
be outside
playing with
his friends and
engaging in
various
physical
activities.
After school
would be a
great time for
Justin to
engage in
some form of
physical
activity to
release stress
from school
and give him
more focus for
homework and
studying.
Muscle
strengthening
should occur
during the
time of regular
physical
activity. Since
Justin is on the
football team,
he may have
access to the

each
component
of fitness in
your exercise
prescription.
Justin needs
to engage in
a variety of
activities for
cardiovascula
r health,
bone health,
and muscle
strengthenin
g. Although
he wants to
play football,
he needs to
be
encouraged
to engage in
other
activities as
well.

Since Justin is
currently not
engaging in
any muscle
training
activities, he
can start lifting
some weights
to increase his
muscle
strength and

Although
strength
training is
important,
Justin needs
to engage in
a variety of
activities.
Weight lifting
and fitness
trainers may

Flexibility

increase
muscle
strength.

schools
weight room,
and could
train there 1-2
days per week
after school
until his
parents come
home from
work.

produce
overload. He
can gradually
progress by
adding
increased
amounts of
weights every
few weeks.

Justin can
increase the
amount of time
or number of
reps over a
period of time.
For example, if
he does
jumping jacks,
he can begin
with 20
jumping jacks,
and progress
to 50 jumping
jacks.

Justin needs to
engage in at
least 60
minutes of
physical
activity for 6-7
days of the
week. His
parents and
brothers can
set aside time
for family
time and
they can all
walk together
at least 2-3
days per
week. This
would benefit
the entire
family, and
the parents
would become
role models
for all of the
children.

Instead of only
walking, Justin
could begin
running after a
few weeks of
walking. This
would produce
overload for
his muscles
that are
currently not
being utilized
as much as
they should
be.

be available
at his school
to help make
sure that he
is using the
equipment
properly and
safely.
Running is
also a good
choice
because it is
a weight
bearing
activity and
would help to
improve
muscle
strength.
Running and
jumping are
examples of
exercises
that Justin
should
engage in
regularly,
especially
since he
wants to play
football.
Although
these are
great
exercises for
bonestrengthenin
g, Justin
needs to
engage in a
variety of
activities in
order to work
all of his
muscle
groups and
gain benefits.

Reference
Howley, E., and Thompson, D. (2012). Fitness Professionals Handbook, 6th Edition.

Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.