Meet the unique needs of all females, young and old, in health and fitness settings. Womens Fitness Program Development introduces a groundbreaking model for womens health and fitness.

Build a solid theoretical basis for girls and womens health and fitness programming.

Develop programs that take into account how females see the world.

Find touchstones that motivate clients to achieve a lifetime of fitness.

Design your classes around womens physical, psychological, social, and emotional needs.

Learn about appropriate exercises and positions for females at different life stages.

Written by a fitness expert with more than 30 years experience teaching dance and exercise to girls and women, this book is thoughtful, research-based, and packed with insight. It is a practical resource for instructors, trainers, health care providers"any professional working with girls and women in a health and fitness setting.

Womens Fitness Program Development is divided into four sections: Adolescence, Pregnancy, Postpartum Period, and Menopause. Each section defines terminology; suggests how to set goals and priorities; and provides appropriate exercise components, prescriptions, modifications, and program evaluation strategies.

The text includes the following special features:

60 photos illustrating appropriate exercises and positions for different life stages

Instructions for female-focused exercises, such as strengthening the pelvic floor and centering the body

Sidebars with practical instructional tips

30 forms for screening, assessment, participant worksheets, evaluation, and other program needs

Examples from current programs focused on girls and women

Ann Cowlin provides information relevant to all stages of the female life cycle. She includes a 10-week creative physical activity curriculum for adolescent girls, detailed explanations of contraindications for exercise and conditions requiring assessment and warning signs in pregnancy, plus exercise guidelines for pregnant women. Cowlin also includes insightful ideas for working with pregnant and parenting adolescent girls. She addresses approaches for dealing with physical conditions resulting from pregnancy, birth, and the extended postpartum period; and she offers sample group fitness sessions for midlife women.

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Focusing on Females

Development of Sex, Gender, and Body Image

Emphasizing Female Anatomy

Emphasizing Female Physiology

The Female Life Cycle

The Social Nature of Girls and Women

Current Exercise Models

Female-Based Exercise Models

Looking Ahead

References

Part I Adolescence
Chapter 2 Understanding Female Adolescence

Defining Adolescence

Physiology of the Adolescent Girl

Energy Balance in Adolescence

Exercise and Disease

Social Aspects of Adolescent Girls and Physical Activity

Indications for Fitness Programs for Adolescent Girls

References
Chapter 3 Goals and Priorities of Fitness Programs for Adolescent Girls

Describing Adolescent Girls

Physical Activity and Adolescent Girls` Health

Defining Goals and Priorities

Short-Term Goal: Increase Participation in Girl-Centered Fitness Programs

Medium-Term Goal: Help Girls Develop Active Lifestyles

Long-Term Goal: Promote Health and Prevent Disease

First Priority: Safety

Second Priority: Self-Efficacy

Third Priority: Community

Developing Curriculums Based on Girl-Centered Goals

References
Chapter 4 Program Design for Adolescent Girls

Physical Activity Interventions

Core Characteristics of Programs Designed Specifically for Adolescent Girls

Intake Procedures

Sample Physical Activity Program for Adolescent Girls, Grades 7 to 10

Looking Ahead

References

Part II Pregnancy
Chapter 5 Understanding Pregnancy

Development of the Prenatal Fitness Field

Pregnancy-Related Anatomy

Physiological Changes in Pregnancy

Characteristics of Pregnancy by Trimesters

Common Discomforts of Pregnancy and Noninvasive Comfort Measures

Modifying Exercise Protocols for Pregnancy

Review of the Prenatal Fitness Field

References
Chapter 6 Interactions of Exercise and Pregnancy

Cardiovasculature and Hemodynamics

Thermoregulation

Metabolism

Respiration and Acid-Base Balance

Biomechanics

Psychophysiological Interactions

Fetal Responses

Pregnancy Outcomes

References
Chapter 7 Goals and Priorities of Prenatal Fitness Programs

The Rationale and the Dilemma: Why Are We Training Pregnant Women?

Setting Goals and Priorities

First Goal: Promote Healthy Mothers Having Healthy Babies

Second Goal: Develop Skills for Labor and Birth

Third Goal: Facilitate a Quick Recovery

First Priority: Safety

Second Priority: Effectiveness

Third Priority: Community

Practical Application: Turning Research Findings Into Reliable Programs

References
Chapter 8 Prenatal Program Design

Intake Procedures for Prenatal Exercise

Liability Concerns

Appropriate Exercise Components

Exercise Prescription

Formatting Group Fitness Instruction

Program Evaluation

Program Design for Pregnant Adolescents

Looking Ahead

References

Part III Postpartum Period
Chapter 9 Understanding the Postpartum Period

Labor and Birth

Physical Changes for the Postpartum Woman

Postpartum Anatomy

Physiological Changes Postpartum

Health Concerns

Psychosocial Considerations

Providing Programs That Meet Postpartum Needs

References
Chapter 10 Goals and Priorities of Postpartum Fitness Programs

Setting Goals for Mom

First Goal for Mom: Assist the Immediate Recovery

Second Goal for Mom: Restore Bony Alignment and Muscle Balance

Third Goal for Mom: Promote Physical and Mental Well-Being

Setting Goals for Baby

First Goal for Baby: Encourage Interaction With Mom

Second Goal for Baby: Encourage Interactions With Others

Third Goal for Baby: Provide Stimulus for Developmental Tasks

Priorities

First Priority: Safety

Second Priority: Effective Activity

Third Priority: Community

References
Chapter 11 Postpartum Program Design

Intake Procedures for Postpartum Exercise

Six-Week Immediate Recovery Program

Exercise Components for the Extended Postpartum Period

Program Formats

Breastfeeding and Exercise

Return to a Regular Exercise Program

Program Evaluation

Program Design for Adolescent Mothers

Looking Ahead

References

Part IV Menopause
Chapter 12 Understanding Menopause

Defining Menopause

Physiological Changes Associated With Menopause

Signs, Symptoms, and Disorders

Psychosocial Considerations

Approaches to Midlife Changes

References
Chapter 13 Goals and Priorities of Midlife Fitness Programs

Setting Goals for Women`s Midlife Fitness

First Goal: Enhancing the Quality of Life

Second Goal: Promoting Health and Preventing Disease

Third Goal: Improving Balance, Posture, and Weight Control

Setting Priorities

First Priority: Safety

Second Priority: Effectiveness

Third Priority: Advanced Networking

References
Chapter 14 Program Design for Midlife Women

Intake Procedures for Midlife Exercise

Exercise Components, Prescription, and Format for Women`s Midlife Fitness Programs

Description of Exercise Components

Mood-Enhancing Interactive Strategies

Sample Midlife Group Fitness Program

Program Evaluation

Looking Ahead

References

Index

About the Author

Audiences

Reference for exercise science faculty and students, midwives and other professionals working with women's health and fitness, health educators, program directors, health and fitness instructors, personal trainers, YMCA/YWCA instructors

Ann Cowlin is a dance and movement specialist in the athletic department at Yale University and assistant clinical professor at the Yale University School of Nursing. A former professional dancer, she has taught both ballet and modern dance at Yale as well as developed a course for the college seminar program, titled "Movement and Mind." She danced with the Westchester (New York) Ballet Company, Pasadena Ballet Theater, Mesa Civic Ballet, and the Image Guild integrated arts company. She has performed in works by a number of modern dance choreographers and appeared on the NBC Today show as well as other television programs. Ann received her BA in theater from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, and her MA in dance from UCLA, taught at Arizona State University, and has pursued interests in kinesiology and the neurology of movement as they relate to women. In 1979, she founded Dancing Thru Pregnancy® and in 1984 began providing continuing education for professionals working in pre- and postnatal health and fitness. She is the author of "Women and Exercise" in Varney's Midwifery; is a certified childbirth educator, has spoken at many national conferences on the topic of women and exercise; and has produced women's fitness programs for corporations, health departments, schools, and the U.S. Army.

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