Health & Fitness Course Specialists
call: 01484 434800

• Established in 1987 NASM has been a global leader in providing evidence based certifications and continuing education to Health and Fitness Professionals.
• NASM certifies thousands of people worldwide and is recognised by the UK Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs).
• The NASM suite of qualifications are essentially the USA recognised fitness and personal training certifications.
• NASM use their unique Optimum Performance Training model (OPT^TM) and implement up to date scientific rationale for its specific phases of training.

Phase 1 - Stabilisation Endurance Training - Designed to increase endurance while developing optimal communication between one's nervous system and muscular system (neuromuscular efficiency).  Progression from this block is proprioceptively based.  This means that difficulty is increased by introducing more challenge to the balance and stabilisation systems of the body (versus simply increasing the load).

This phase is used for beginner level clients who may possess muscle imbalances, lack postural control and stability.  This stage is crucial for all individuals no matter what their goals are as it prepares them for the higher demands of training seen in phases 2-5.  Although this phase is the first phase of training in the OPT^TM model, it will also be important to cycle back through this phase of training between periods of higher intensity training seen in Phases 2 while 5.  This will allow for proper recovery and maintainence of high levels of stability that will ensure optimal strength and/or Power adaptations.

The strength level is designed to maintain Stabilisation Endurance while increasing prime mover strength.  This is also the block of training an individual will progress to if his or her goals are Hypertrophy (increasing muscle size) or Maximal Strength (lifting heavy loads). 

Phase 2 - Strength Enrance Training -  A hybrid form of training that promotes increased stabilisation, endurance, hypertrophy and strength.  This form of training entails the use of Superset techniques where a more stable exercise (such as a bench press) is immediately followed with a stabilisation exercise with similar biomechanical motions (such as standing cable chest press).

Phase 3 - HypertrophyTraining - Is specific for the adaption of maximal muscle growth. Focusing on high levels of volume with minimal rest periods to force cellular changes that result in an overall increase in muscle.

Phase 4 - Maximum Strength Training - Focuses on increasing the load placed upon the tissues of the body.  Maximal intensity improves: Recruitment of More Motor Units, Rate of Force Production, and Motor Unit Synchronisation. Maximal Strength Training has also been shown to help increase the benefits of forms of power training used in phase 5.

Phase 5 - Power Training - The premise behind this phase is the execution of a more traditional strength exercise superset with a power exercise of similar joint dynamics.  This is to enhance prime mover strength whilst also improving the weight of force production.

Focuses on both high force and velocity to increase power.  This is accomplished by super-setting a strength exercise with power exercise for each body part (such as performing a barbell bench press super-set with a medicine ball chest pass).