The Ed Thomas YMCA in McCook has added a third certified personal trainer to the YMCA fitness staff. Shannon Pevoteaux recently received her Personal Fitness Trainer Certification from the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). Shannon volunteered as an assistant fitness instructor from 1991 to 1996 and then joined the YMCA fitness staff as a paid instructor. In July 2005, Shannon received her AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification.

As the world's largest fitness educator, AFAA has certified more than 200,000 fitness instructors from 73 countries around the world since 1983. To be an AFAA certified instructor, you must be 18 years of age or older. Also, you must hold a current CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) certification. The AFAA certification you receive is valid for a period of two years. In order to maintain a current and balanced knowledge of the latest in fitness instruction, you are required to maintain your certification. AFAA is also proud to announce that it has been granted affiliate status with the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE).

To earn Personal Fitness Trainer Certification instructors are put through an intense three-day certification workshop that included lectures, practical demonstration and written and practical exams

AFAA is also proud to announce that it has been granted affiliate status with the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE), Gonzales said.

Shannon joins Gonzales and Martha Roe in being able to set up personal fitness programs for any YMCA member, regardless of the person's exercise experience. Gonzales said the personal fitness program begins with an initial interview which includes The FitMarkers Questionnaire (an assessment tool used to evaluate a client and determine whether they need to be seen by a physician prior to further testing of the physical fitness assessments), a medical history form, and a physicianıs clearance form if necessary.

Once the client has filled out the appropriate forms and returned a signed physicianıs clearance form (if necessary), they are ready to perform a fitness assessment. This assessment will give the personal trainer an estimate of the clientıs baseline fitness level to help the trainer determine where to begin the client's programming. The assessment includes resting heart rate, body composition, cardio respiratory fitness, muscle strength and/or endurance, flexibility and posture.