ISSA Group Fitness Instructor study plan

Label the major muscle groups of the upper body, lower body, and trunk and list the joint action each produces.

Classify 15 common class movements by plane (sagittal, frontal, transverse) and the axis they rotate around.

Identify agonist, antagonist, synergist, and stabilizer roles in a squat, a push-up, a row, and a biceps curl.

Explain how levers and moment arms change the difficulty of a squat, lateral raise, and calf raise.

Compare the phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative systems by duration, fuel source, and recovery time, and match each to a class segment.

Sequence the acute cardiorespiratory responses (heart rate, stroke volume, ventilation, blood pressure) to progressive aerobic work.

Compute target heart rate with both the percentage-of-maximum and heart-rate-reserve methods for three fictional participants.

State the FITT-VP framework and apply it to write aerobic and resistance recommendations for a general adult client.

Describe how muscle fiber types, warm-up, and training specificity influence a participant's first 10 minutes of class.

Structure a class into warm-up, conditioning, and cool-down segments and justify the duration of each from physiological principles.

Map two 32-count music blocks and align exercise changes to the musical phrase.

Select a cadence range for three modalities (dance-based, step-based, cycle-based) and defend the choice.

Write one progression and one regression for five foundational exercises using the same movement pattern.

Design a dynamic warm-up that raises core temperature and rehearses the class's primary movement patterns.

Build three combinations using add-on, layering, and substitution methods, and note which method suits each.

Script the verbal cue for every transition so the change lands on the phrase, not after it.

Count and mark 32-count phrasing on a track's waveform or count sheet before teaching.

Design a 10-minute cool-down combining static stretching and down-regulation breathing.

Evaluate three music tracks for tempo, energy arc, and lyrical suitability for a mixed-level class.

Demonstrate visual, verbal, and kinesthetic cueing for the same exercise and state when each is most effective.

Perform a mirror-image cueing drill and identify your habitual errors (side confusion, late cueing, talking over the beat).

Write a 60-second pre-class briefing covering equipment, intensity options, and injury-risk reminders.

Plan participant positioning, sight lines, and equipment spacing for a room of 20 at mixed fitness levels.

Rehearse three redirection scripts for off-task, overly intense, or disruptive participant behavior.

Walk through a pre-activity screening questionnaire and write the decision rule for proceeding, modifying, or referring.

List absolute and relative contraindications and the symptoms that require stopping exercise immediately.

Draft a studio emergency action plan covering AED location, calling protocol, and role assignment.

Identify ten high-risk exercises or positions in group classes and pair each with a safer alternative.

Explain how to teach and monitor RPE and heart-rate self-checks so participants regulate their own intensity.

Distinguish scope of practice from medical clearance and write a referral script for a participant with uncontrolled symptoms.

Outline the professional essentials: certification renewal, CPR/AED currency, liability coverage, and incident documentation.

Adapt three exercises each for pregnancy, older adults, youth, larger-bodied participants, and participants with hypertension.

Calculate class pricing, break-even attendance, and per-head revenue for a hypothetical weekly schedule.

Draft a new-participant onboarding sequence from inquiry through first-class follow-up.

Complete two timed full-length practice exams under test-day conditions and log every missed item by domain.

Re-teach the two weakest objectives from the error log until you can explain them without notes.

Compress all quantitative facts (heart-rate formulas, cadence ranges, RPE scale, segment durations) onto a one-page reference sheet.

Rehearse a 15-minute full class segment that includes warm-up, cueing, a modification, and a safety reminder.