Personal Trainer Courses - Distance / Online

Welcome to the FIA Online Campus! Due to the popularity of our World Class Online Learning Tools we have now extended the online campus to include all campus based students as well as our growing number of distance/online students. This means that all our students at FIA now have total access to the student online learning area. Please take a good look at the array of online learning tools below and if you are "shopping around" for the right course, be aware that no other course provider in Australia can get even close to matching the quality of our online learning tools, let alone our course materials (textbooks online and available as hard copy) and legendary lecturers.

For over 25 years the Fitness Institute Australia (FIA) has been preparing its students for a rewarding and fulfilling professional career in the health, sport and fitness industries via the most efficient form of course delivery. We are committed to upholding our tradition of being the “gold standard” for all fitness education course providers and providing “Excellence in Education” to all of our students/trainers.

Why Online Learning?

Globally over the past few years, Distance Online Learning has become an increasingly popular method of study. Students seeking to lead a more balanced lifestyle between home, education and work have selected Distance Online Learning as their preferred method of course delivery. Distance Online programs are an exceptionally accessible, flexible resource whether your goal is gaining new skills, meeting professional development requirements, or advancing your career with an appropriate qualification. The FIA is the first and only training provider in the Australian fitness industry to offer a fully integrated online learning experience to assist you in realising your goals no matter where you live or what your schedule (please preview our online tools below).

This means you can attend class whenever it's convenient for you by choosing when and where you participate. Your course is conducted according to a schedule, but there are no "live" classes to attend. Instead, lectures, coursework, and discussions all take place at your convenience. You choose the place - at home, school or work - wherever you have access to a computer, modem, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP). You'll get the same high-quality instruction and course content that you demand, but without the day-to-day obstacles that prevent so many of us from pursuing other goals. With distance/online learning, the costs in time and money commuting to and from campus are a thing of the past.

Many of our students undertaking Distance Online education courses report of the financial benefits of this type of delivery. The cost in time and travel to and from the course is saved as well as the financial benefit of being able to continue working on a full time basis if desired. There is now a whole new generation of students both old and young who are no longer restricted in educational opportunities due to their geographical location or isolation.

The FIA has recruited many of the leading Exercise Scientists in Australia to write the materials and resources for the following courses:

Certificate III in Fitness (SRF 30206)
Certificate IV in Fitness (SRF 40206)
Diploma of Fitness (SRF 50206)
Certificate III in Sports Trainer (SIS 30809)
Certificate IV in Massage Therapy practice (HLT 40307)
Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT 50307)

Each and every FIA course comes with our own textbook/s (written by your lecturers and tutors). Each textbook (aal online) comes with additional support materials. These materials in all the Distance Online learning packages have been written in the most user friendly and comprehensive fashion, with features that allows you to read, think, discuss and then apply the information in a practical health and fitness sense. There has been some suggestion that the quality of the course materials in Distance Online Learning can be of a higher quality than campus based education that generally relies on the knowledge of the program instructor.

Distance Online Learning does not mean that you are left to navigate the program content unassisted. You are allocated an online tutor (with FIA they are the lecturers and authors of the materials), who is available at all times to answer questions, solve problems, assess and give directions when requested. This means you can attend class whenever it's convenient for you by choosing when and where you participate. For further information on the individual courses offered in the Distance Online Learning format go directly to the quicklinks section (top right hand menu) and download the student prospectus or simply browse the rest of this website.

Our "user friendly" student online campus includes the following tools that supplement your comprehensive textbook online and available as hard copy:

	Tutorials online Here you will be able to complete a wide variety of tutorials. You can complete any tutorial in this area as many times as you like with feedback given as you progress, building on your confidence in preparation for your formal assessments. The tutorials are a mix of either multiple choice or short answer questions that you complete and then compare/contrast with your notes and the text. With most short answer tutorial/practice exams you are given guidance regarding the relevant section and pages of the text you may want to re-read. All tasks in this area can be completed as many times as you like, but each short answer tutorial/practice exam is cleared once you press submit at the end of the tutorial (last page).

	Formal Exams Here you will be able to complete your formal exams and formal assessment tasks no matter where you are in the world. Additionally you can complete your tasks at your leisure as your answers in this area are stored if you exit without submitting. All multiple choice (MC) will be marked automatically and you will be given a Competent (C) or Not Yet Competent (NYC) result via email immediately and by official notification in the mail. Formal assessment tasks such as short answer questions will be assessed and you will receive an email within 7 working days. Additionally, with short answer formal exams you will still be able to view the assessors feedback via your student academic history.

	Tutor online Our forums are available 24/7 for you to discuss matters related to your course. You will be able to ask the tutors, lecturers, other students and even the authors of your texts all the questions/queries/clarifications you require to successfully complete the program you are enrolled for. FIA tutor online is the electronic equivalent of an on campus tutorial or seminar and will allow you as a student to share ideas and encourage sharper thinking and deeper understanding. FIA lecturers, tutors are now even more accessible to both off and on campus students than ever before. Students using tutor online can take the time they need to make a response, and can have more opportunity to speak and will be able will to gain prompt feedback, which is especially important to ensure learning is occurring.

	Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) online Many of our students have questions that are of interest to other students. So we have compiled a database of our most frequently asked questions and lecturer/tutor answers (literally thousands of questions and answers). All FAQs are broken into relevant subject/course areas and we constantly add to this section on a weekly basis. If you would like to ask a question, feel free to post your question at tutor online. FAQs can also be searched using our advanced keyword search function.

	Lecture Online Developed for both campus based and distance/online students our lecture online tool now offers the opportunity to listen and view all FIA lectures as many time as you like. Unique to FIA you will be able to view all the lecturer's slides while listening* to the lecturer discuss all relevant subject information. More than just a bunch of lectures recorded at a fitness convention or seminar and replayed online, our lectures are a completely scripted lecture series that covers the actual content of your textbook for the relevant subject/course you are completing and at the same time will give you expert guidance on how to successfully complete the subjects/courses you are studying. With our unique lecture online browser you can listen continuously to any number of slides/lectures and even jump forwards and backwards in the presentations as many times as you like. When used in conjunction with all the other student online tools, lecture online makes learning with the FIA an experience that no other course provider can come close to matching! *Audio files are constantly being developed and an option to download audio files is coming soon

	Books Online Think before you print... 1 ream of paper = 6% of a tree and 5.4kg of CO2 in the atmosphere; 3 sheets of A4 paper = 1 litre of water The FIA is reducing its carbon footprint! - Our Invitation to all FIA students We would like to invite you to become part of the FIA carbon footprint reduction campaign by embracing our new Books Online, where all written materials for all courses will now be available from our Books Online Area (starts August). From this month we will be "phasing out" students receiving written materials for each subject, you will now be given access to all written materials online. This will mean your books will be available to you 24/7 and in a compact manageable format, literally thousands of pages of comprehensive information at your finger tips, anywhere, anytime! (students will be able to purchase a hard copy from the office if required). Currently you will find a viewable study guide for the course that you are in (Certificate III in Fitness, Certificate IV in Fitness or Diploma of Fitness).

	Anatomy Online Here you will be able to view the major muscles used in most types of exercise listed by muscle groups and then further listed via the most common actions that can occur for each of the specific muscle groups. Combined with the fact that you will be taught the FIA's unique system of exercise analysis you can take confidence that FIA graduates are the best prepared trainers when it comes to correctly identifying the muscles used during exercise. Students should find this area a handy reference tool when studying specific chapters in the Cert III course (exercise analysis), advanced resistance training (advanced kinesiological analysis) in the Cert IV Personal Trainer course and various advanced subjects in the Diploma of Fitness and Certificate IV Massage course (muscle mechanics).

	FitPit Virtual Fitness Centre Enter the world of your very own virtual gym. In this area you will be able to complete over 37 fitness trainer related tasks, as many times as you like, all without leaving home! For students completing their Professional Development and/or Professional Practice this is an invaluable tool in assisting you to complete these assessment items. This area is also full of trainer tools and other valuable resources that you can utilise long after your course is finished. For students completing their course via distance/online and who do not have access to a fitness centre the FIA FitPit never closes!.

	Learning Resources The FIA Learning Resources is a collection of interviews, procedures, protocols, forms and general information available to you to extend your knowledge of fitness assessment, nutritional analysis and exercise prescription that will complement the information you have received from lectures, practical sessions and reading assignments. FIA Learning Resources is grouped under three sections: 1. Listen to a Medical Expert, Fitness Instructor or Nutrition Expert 2. Read from the Bookshelf 3. Open the Filing Cabinet You can also listen, read or access information from selected scenarios for each of the following five topics in the order listed: * Topic 1: Undertake relevant exercise planning and programming * Topic 2: Undertake postural appraisal for low risk clients * Topic 3: Provide exercise for fitness industry clients with special needs * Topic 4: Plan and deliver Personal Training * Topic 5: Provide information and exercise related to nutrition and body composition

	Exercises Online The FIA has formed a unique partnership with the the world's #1 online education resource for fitness professionals - PTonthNet, which allows FIA Students access to the best Exercise and Flexibility library in the world right here at students online!! This exclusive use for FIA Personal Trainer students means you will now be able to view over 1,500 of the most popular exercises being performed as part of your online personal trainer course and will include: * Exercise name * Exercise description - 4 subcategories - preparation, movements, pre requisites and benefits * Each exercise is categorized into muscle groups, modality, difficult level and equipment (extensive search functions) * Some exercises have progressions * All Exercises have pictures and a video clip
"Just checked out the Exercises Online - awesome job guys!" Louise.

	Manage account online On the move? View and change your personal information, including your email address etc., so you never miss out on the latest information. Add your developing profile for when you graduate and want to get your name out there. Once you are happy with your profile you can choose to show it in our careers directory and of course you can update it whenever you like. Member Profile - In manage account you can add your own profile (including your picture) and be included in the FIA careers centre directory, which will allow you to advertise your training services from the home page of our website.

	Academic history online Need to know what you have completed over the years educationally? Need to find out what CECs you currently have? Your academic history is always at your fingertips.

	International Students More and more students are discovering the FIA and the fact that our courses are world class! International students will find information here on a variety of topics. i.e. Registration and insurance requirements for fitness instructors in Australia, visa and english requirements for studying in Australia. Details on extra support services for international students. i.e. living costs, extra curricular activities, FIA sponsored tours of the Canberra Institute of Sport, NSW Institute of Sport, Cumberland College Anatomy Department and the Sydney 2000 Olympic site.

	Other useful sites/resources available to you at student online include: ExRX Muscle & Exercise Directory NCPAD The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from participating in regular physical activity. The slogan of NCPAD is Exercise is for EVERY body, and every person can gain some health benefit from being more physically active. This site provides information and resources that can enable people with disabilities to become as physically active as they choose to be. FITNESS TESTING Hundreds of of usefulFitness Tests CROSSFIT CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

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