AFFA Online Group Fitness Instructor Certification Test - part 2

The online Practical Group Fitness Instructor test

You have a Proctor watching you. They make sure your work area is clear. There could be 1-4 people that they're watching. You can see the other testers. That was hard because I was worried if I saw them doing a particular exercise I would do it too and the Proctor would think I was copying. :)

You start off by doing a demo class. Two minutes of warm up, 4 minutes of cardio and a 1-2 minute cool down. The Proctor plays music. It was a little difficult to hear. I just tried to stay with the beat count in my head. After the time is up they tell you "ok go to the cardio portion". In this portion you do not have to talk. Maybe if it was just you, you may have to. Both times I took it there was one other person.

After that they tell you to do 2 exercises & 1 stretch for the following muscle groups:
Pectorals
Trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorisi
Deltoids
Biceps
Triceps
Hip abductors, hip adductors
Gluteus Maximus
Quadriceps
Tibialis Anterior
Hamstrings, gastrocnemius & soleus
Rectus abdominis and obliques
Erector spinae

Study this list before hand. Come up with what exercises & stretch you will do. Don't just wing it, you'll forget all you ever knew :) The first Proctor asked me those in that exact order, in that exact group. The second Proctor combined biceps and triceps & the tibialis anterior was combined with hamstrings. So the Proctors aren't all the same.  The key is: continue doing the exercise until they say "show me the next exercise" (this is where I messed up the first time. I just stopped after 3 reps) Again, the second Proctor was better, she told told me that at from the get go.

Then they will have you turn your speaker on and demonstrate an exercises showing 3 different levels. I recommend doing a strength. Cause with cardio you have to talk the entire time, that gets difficult. This is another area I messed up the first time through. Here is what you should do: Introduce yourself (with a smile) and then tell what exercise you will be performing & what muscle group it works. Start with level 1 - give cues! I did push ups so I said "keep your arms shoulder width apart.... neck in alignment with your spine ... keep a flat back" do a few of level one. Go to level 2... Give the same cues - and add some others "inhale going down, exhale coming up... Remember...." Level 3 - keep giving those cues, talk about what muscles you are working. [The first proctor said she wanted to know what I was doing if she closed her eyes] So keep that in mind. There's no such thing as too many cues (as long as it's correct :) )  Then you can end with "and that is how you do 3 different level of push ups [insert your exercise]"

When I finished the test the first time, the way her voice was, I could tell I wasn't going to pass. The second time through I was confident of the improvements I had made, and I could tell it in her voice. This test you don't know until about 48 hours later, and you get an email also.

I hope I've helped someone pass these tests :) and not deal with the heartache I did.

Happy testing!