Client Interviews and Assessments
Purpose of the interview
The initial interview builds rapport and uncovers goals, barriers, support systems, and readiness. Use motivational interviewing skills - open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summarization - and place the client in a stage of change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance). Match your approach to the stage instead of pushing action on a client who is still weighing pros and cons.
Screening before testing
Every client completes informed consent, a health/medical history, and the PAR-Q+. Any "yes" answer requires follow-up, and a positive response generally means the client should obtain medical clearance before moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Review medications, orthopedic limitations, and current activity level.
Assessment categories
Know the families of tests: resting measures (heart rate, blood pressure), body composition (BMI, waist girth, skinfolds, bioelectrical impedance), cardiorespiratory fitness (submaximal cycle, step test, walk/run tests), muscular strength and endurance (push-up, curl-up, squat tests), flexibility (sit-and-reach, shoulder reach), and static posture plus dynamic movement screens (overhead squat, pushing, pulling).
Traps
Items blur screening with diagnosis: a PAR-Q+ result never diagnoses a condition, and posture observations are not medical findings. Do not administer assessments outside your training, and never promise precision from a body-composition estimate.
Rule of thumb: assessment data only compare meaningfully when protocol, equipment, and conditions are repeated at retest - compare the client with their own baseline first.