EISSN 1676-5133

PERSONAL TRAINER AND THE ELDERLY

Daniela Lima de Aguiar1 aguiardani@hotmail.com

Amanda Soares2 amandasoaresef@gmail.com
Adriana Coutinho de Azevedo Guimarães3 nanaguim@terra.com.br

doi:10.3900/fpj.7.3.185.e

Aguiar DL, Soares A, Guimarães ACA. Personal trainer and the elderly. Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.

ABSTRACT
Introduction: The practice of physical activities provides the necessary bio psychosocial integrity to the longevity
with life quality. This research assessed the performance of the personal trainer within the elderly clientele. Materials
and Methods: Two questionnaires were used, considering one for the trainers, another for the clients. It was a des-
criptive study, with descriptive statistics, and intentional sample, composed by 11 personal trainers from 31.0±4.8 years
and 16 elderly aged from 68.0±6.8 years. Results: Most of the trainers are male and married. Graduated and experts
in Physical Education, they take part in courses or congresses 3 times a year. They work as trainers for around 5.5 years
mostly, and with elderly for 3.3 years, having a R$1,000.00 income only working with elderly, considering the price of
R$50.00 per hour. The reasons for the elderly in searching the individual service are the necessity, and the easiness of
communication. The elderly results presented the majority from the female sex, married, with University or College de-
gree, retired, with a monthly income of 8 minimum wages that reach their goals in 2 classes a week lasting 60min each,
evidencing the outcome with life quality and in good health. Discussion: The clients are concerned about checking
professional background of the trainer before hiring him/her; furthermore, they are indifferent in relation to the sex of
the professionals, considering the most important characteristic of the trainer the professional competence. The work
developed within the elderly clientele by the trainers shows a satisfactory outcome, meeting the clients’ expectations,
having the professionals duly capable and looking for, more and more, the professional upgrade.

KEYWORDS
Exercise Therapy, Aged, Motor Activity.

1
Universidade Grande Rio - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
2
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - Florianópolis - Brazil
3
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - Centro de Ciências da Saúde e do Esporte - Florianópolis - Brazil

Copyright© 2008 por Colégio Brasileiro de Atividade Física, Saúde e Esporte

Fit Perf J | Rio de Janeiro | 7 | 3 | 185-194 | May/Jun 2008

Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94. 185

A GUIAR , S OARES, G UIMAR ÃES

AMAESTRADOR PERSONAL Y LOS ANCIANOS

RESUMEN
Introducción: La práctica de actividades físicas proporciona una integridad biopsicosocial necesaria a longevidad
con cualidad de vida. Esta pesquisa ha investigado la actuación del amaestrador personal con la clientela anciana.
Materiales y Métodos: Han sido utilizados dos cuestionarios, uno para los amaestradores, el otro para los clientes.
Esto estudio he sido descriptivo, con las estadísticas descriptivas y muestra intencional, compuesto por 11 amaestradores
con la media de edad de 31,0±4,8 años e 16 ancianos con la media de edad de 68,0±6,8 años. Resultados: La
mayor parte de los amaestradores es del sexo masculino y casado. Graduados y especialistas en Educación Física, parti-
cipan de cursos y congresos 3 veces al año. Trabajan como amaestradores en medios 5,5 años, con ancianos 3,3 años,
con una renda de los R$1.000,00 solamente atendiendo a los ancianos, considerando el valor cobrado por la hora/clase
R$50,00. Los motivos que levan los ancianos a buscar el servicio individualizado son la necesidad la facilidad para la
comunicación. El resultado de los ancianos presenta la mayoría del sexo femenino, casadas, con el estudio superior com-
pleto, aposentado, con una renda mensual de 8 salarios mínimos, de la cual alcanza su meta con dos clases por semana
de 60min y constata esto con una cualidad de vida y buena salud. Discusión: Los clientes procuran conocer la forma-
ción profesional de los amaestradores antes de emplear a los profesionales; son indiferentes en relación al sexo de los
amaestradores, considerando la principal característica de ellos/ellas la competencia profesional. El trabajo desarrollado
por los profesionales con la clientela anciana he mostrado uno satisfactorio resultado atendiendo a las expectativas de los
clientes, teniendo los profesionales debidamente habilitados y procurando cada vez más su perfeccionamiento.

PALABRAS CLAVE
Terapia por Ejercicio, Anciano, Actividad Motora.

PERSONAL TRAINER E O IDOSO

RESUMO
Introdução: A prática de atividades físicas proporciona a integridade biopsicossocial necessária à longevidade
com qualidade de vida. Este trabalho investigou a atuação do personal trainer com a clientela idosa. Materiais e
Métodos: Utilizaram-se dois questionários, um para os personal trainers e outro para os alunos. Este foi um estudo
descritivo, com estatística descritiva e amostra intencional, composta por 11 personal trainers com idade de 31,0±4,8
anos e 16 idosos com idade de 68,0±6,8 anos. Resultados: A maioria dos personal trainers é do sexo masculino e
casado. Graduados e especialistas em Educação Física, participam de cursos e congressos três vezes ao ano. Trabalham
como personal trainers há 5,5 anos, com idosos há 3,3 anos, com renda de R$1.000,00 apenas atendendo idosos,
considerando o valor cobrado pela hora-aula de R$50,00. Os motivadores dos idosos na busca do serviço individuali-
zado são a necessidade e a facilidade de comunicação. O resultado dos idosos apresenta a maioria do sexo feminino,
casado, ensino superior completo, aposentado, com renda mensal de 8 salários mínimos, a qual alcança seu objetivo
com 2 aulas/semana de 60min e constata isso como qualidade de vida e boa saúde. Discussão: Os clientes procuram
conhecer a formação profissional do personal trainer antes de contratá-lo, são indiferentes em relação ao sexo e a idade
dos mesmos. A característica marcante do profissional para os idosos é a competência profissional. O trabalho desen-
volvido pelos personal trainers com a clientela idosa mostra-se satisfatório, atendendo as expectativas de seus alunos,
estando os profissionais devidamente habilitados e procurando cada vez mais o seu aperfeiçoamento.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE
Terapia por Exercício, Idoso, Atividade Motora.

INTRODUCTION aims to ensure the social rights of the elderly, creating

An important indicator that the elderly issue has been
the concern of the national schedule was the promulga-
tion, on January 4, 1994, Law no. 8,842, regarding over
the national policy for the elderly. According to the profile
of older persons responsible for households in Brazil in
2000, the text of that law on the senior national policy
conditions to promote their independence, integration and
effective participation in society1.
Thus, it is critical to develop social actions with focus
on health, nutrition, housing and all needs addressing
the life quality of elderly2. Therefore, it is not enough to
live longer, it is necessary to improve the life quality of the

186 Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.


population, not only adding years of life, but life to years,
providing autonomy for the activities of daily living3.
Therefore, the interest in physical activity becomes in-
creasingly since its concern about the life quality. Longevity
is beneficial for maintaining the biopsychosocial integrity,
provided by the practice of physical activities. This turns
the elderly in a prospect that needs personalized attention
directed to their personalities and characteristics. It is
exactly the work of the personal trainer, to turns individually
the practice, taking into consideration the particularities
of each individual, resulting in a job with better quality
and benefits. It is noted that the programs of personal
trainer have been intensified and many are professionals
who work in the area. Meanwhile, the various programs
seem to not to provide yet a scientific support that may
explain the recovery that the wider community gives to
this type of activity4.
After the regulation of the profession, the professio-
nal of Physical Education is the only one capable and
responsible to be a personal trainer, however, state and
federal agencies, such as PTCA (Associação Catarinense
de Personal trainers, now extinct), and even CONFEF5/
CREFs6 system does not have precise data on this branch
of the profession5.
Checked the importance of individualized work to the
elderly, based on literature, the lack of scientific base in
this area and taking into consideration that the Regional
Council of Physical Education of Santa Catarina - CREF3/
SC6 has 6,504 professionals registered in the state and
around 1,180 in Florianopolis, this article aims to charac-
terize the professionals according to personal, academic
and professional data, find out the vision of the personal
trainer for the elderly to demand for their services, identify
the personal characteristics of the elderly client attended
by personal trainers, to check the work methodology in
the same vision of the elderly, identify the reasons for
choosing a personal trainer and, finally, try to answer
the object of this study: how happens the performance
of the personal trainer with the elderly client in the city of
Florianopolis - SC - Brazil.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Approval of the study
This study was approved by the Research Ethics
Committee of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Ca-
tarina - Center for Fitness and Sport, under paragraph.
05/2006.
Characteristics
This study is characterized as descriptive of exploratory
field, and the population consisting of the personal trai-
Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.
PERSONAL TRAINER AND THE ELDERLY
ners who work with elderly clients and customers of these
professionals. Therefore, the non-intentional probability
sample consisted by personal trainers of both sexes, with
a mean age of 31.0±4.8 years that serve the elderly
public. Even the elderly are of both sexes, with mean age
of 68.0±6.8 years.
The selection of the sample occurs through contact
with the Regional Council of Physical Education of Santa
Catarina CREF3/SC6 and found that there are 6,504
professionals registered in the state of Santa Catarina,
and in Florianopolis city about 1,180 professionals. In
principle, we could not recognize how many of these
professionals were personal trainers of the elderly public.
Through the Chairman of CREF3/SC6, it appeared that
was in progress the formation of an Association of Personal
Trainers of Santa Catarina and, with the organizer of it,
has made the lifting up of contacts of professionals who
are working in this area. It was done then a first contact
by e-mail, where it was possible to identify the personal
trainers who work with older people, reaching the number
of 11 professionals.
Two questionnaires have been self-apply developed,
one intended for personal trainers who work with older
people, and another focused on aged pupils. The first
was divided into: a) personal data; b) academic profi-
le; c) professional profile; and d) vision of the work on
the student; totaling 30 questions, which 5 were open
questions, 14 closed and 11 mixed. The second, turned
to older students, was divided into: a) personal data; b)
data on the practice of physical activity; and c) data of the
choice of profession; totaling 23 issues, 14 issues closed,
1 open and 8 mixed.
The index of validity was 0.96 for the questionnaires
for students and 0.89 for the questionnaires for personal
trainers. The index of clarity was 0.95 for the question-
naire of the students and 0.97 for the questionnaire of
personal trainers.
The data were stored on Excel 2003 spreadsheet
and, after data tabulation, it was made use of descriptive
statistics according to analysis of simple frequency, mean
and percentage.
RESULTS
To characterize the 11 personal trainers of this study
was observed the sex, marital status and birthplace. It
was found that the majority of personal trainers is male
(6), with a mean age of 31 years, are unmarried and
married at the same frequency (5) and, mostly, from
the São Paulo city (5). To characterize the academic
profile of these professionals have been observed in
Tables 1 and 2, the education level, graduation time,
participation in courses and conferences, the frequency
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A GUIAR , S OARES, G UIMAR ÃES

which holds some scientific publication and what kind
of study, and finally, if has often studied the issues con-
cerning the area.
According to Tables 1 and 2, appears that the majority
of personal trainers (8) is a specialist in some area of Physi-
cal Education, two have only the graduation, one of t hem
has a master’s degree and no one is provisioned. Among
the specialties, the exercise physiology was that presented
greater expressiveness (3), and cited too: training and
personal trainer, bodybuilding, administration and sports
marketing, physiology applied to special populations.
Continuing the analysis of the tables, most professionals
are trained for 5 years (3), all (11) participate in courses
and conferences at least three times a year (4). Thus, it
appears that the majority (6) has already made some
kind of scientific publication, like articles in magazines
and articles or abstracts in conferences, symposiums and
meetings.
Still, to characterize the professional profile of personal
trainers, the Table 3 shows the results of the questioning of
the time in which they operates in this area, priority serving
elderly, and how long they are their students, and if they
have doctor certificate, which are the age and sex. Table
4 shows the place where the students are served, which
the main means used to disseminate the work and whether
if there are professionals in related areas they know and
indicate. In Table 5 the analysis was made on the results
that reported if the personal has another source of income,
what percentage, which the monthly income (from elderly
classes). Tables 6 and 7 reported which months that more
elderly people seeking the service, how many classes are
taught by week, which the price charged per hour/clas-
sroom, what types of services offered, which conducted
physical evaluations and which activities.
Looking up the results it was found that professionals
now working as personal for on average 5.5 years, 3.3

Table 1 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: academic profile

annual frequency
level of education f graduation time f courses and conferences f f
(courses/conferences)
University grade 2 2 to 5 years 7 yes 11 1 3
specialization 8 10 to 14 years 4 not 0 2 3
master 1 3 4
4 1
Table 2 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: academic profile
scientific publication f type f studies in the area f
yes 6 articles in magazines 4 sometimes 2
not 5 articles in conferences, symposium, meetings 4 always 9
abstracts in magazines 1
abstracts in conferences, symposium, meetings 4
books 1

Table 3 - Students - distribution by frequency: number of elderly, students, medical certificate, age and gender
elderly students f medical certificate f age (years) f gender f
1 student 8 yes 10 60 to 70 6 feminine 8
2 students 2 no 1 71 to 80 5 masculine 3
4 students 1

Table 4 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: where the client meets, dissemination and professional indication
class local f divulgation ways f profissional indication f
home 7 word to mouth 10 yes 9
gym 4 flyers 4 no 2
public places 3 indication 6

Table 5 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: another source income, percentage of another source of income, inco-
me only serving elderly
another source f % of another source of income f income of the classes for elderly (R$) f
yes 9 0-10 3 until 1000 8
no 2 20-50 4 1000-2000 2
55-60 2 2000-3000 1
70-80 2

188 Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.

 PERSONAL TRAINER AND THE ELDERLY

Table 6 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: months of increased demand, number of classes per week, the price
of lesson-hour

increased demand months f number of weekly classes f value of lesson-hour (R$) f

indifferent 8 2 5 25 1
winter 1 3 4 40 1
march/ april 1 5 2 45 2
march / december 1 50 3
55 2
60 1
75 1

Table 7 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: services offered, physical evaluation and accomplished activities

services offered f physical evaluation f accomplished activities f

evaluation 10 anamnesis 11 dance 1
prescription 11 body composition 8 gymnastic 2
orientation 11 teste of flexibility 5 walk / race 10
monitoring of activities 9 aerobic resistamce test 3 bodybulding 8
monitoring with other professional 6 postural evaluation 6 stretching 9
coronarian risk 1 hydro-gymnastic 2
meditation 1

Note: these issues could have more than one choice

Table 8 - Students - distribution by frequency: motives for hiring, conquest

motives for hiring f characteristics to gain students f

directed monitoring 2 llikes to study 2
achieve faster the goals 0 charismatic 1
special needs 7 physical appearance 0
comfort / convenience 0 good communication / relationship 6
medical indication 2 punctuality / attendance 0
social status 0 his lessons / attendance 2
affordable price 0

Table 9 - Students - distribution by frequency: practice of physical activity before hiring the service, number of classes per
week and duration

practice of physical activity before f number of classes per week f class duration f
yes 9 2 8 1h 14
no 7 3 5 more than 1h 2
4 1
5 2

Table 10 - Personal trainer - distribution by frequency: time of the service, type of physical evaluation and scope of the goals

hiring time f done evaluation f goals achieved f type f

1 month 1 yes 15 yes 16 physical shape 4
12 months / 13 months 3 no 1 no 0 life quality 5
16 months / 18 months 2 health 5
24 months / 36 months 6 faster results 1
48 months / 70 months 3
84 months 1

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A GUIAR , S OARES, G UIMAR ÃES

Table 11 - Students - distribution by frequency: the first personal trainer, why dismiss the previous trainer
first personal f If not, why dismissed f
yes 14
wedding of the personal trainer 1
no 2

Table 12 - Students - distribution by frequency: awareness of the formation, preference by sex and age
awareness of the professional formation f preference of the personal‘s gender f age f
yes 15 feminine 4 no preference 16
no 1 masculine 1
indifferent 11

Table 13 - Students - distribution by frequency: price, how found personal trainer, why they engaged the personal service
price charged f how found the personal f why hired personal f
suitable 12 indication of friends 9 monitoring 8
high 4 indication of doctor 5 achieve faster the goals 5
iindication of neighbor 1 special needs 9
gym’s quality 1 aesthetics 2
family 2 health 12
socialization 1

Table 14 - Students - distribution by frequency: hallmark of personal trainer, what is expected from professional and service
característica marcante do personal f o que espera do profissional e do serviço f
physical looking 1 change of training routine 3
communication easeness 10 show obtained goals 8
popularity 1 well-structured training 8
updated 10 correction in executions 5
competent 13 training motivation 4
punctuality and attendance 7 better health 1
be good 1

years with the elderly, and these elders are students for
2.8 years. Along with the results was obtained that the
majority of personal trainers has at least one student (8)
in the age between 60 to 70 years (6), with the majority
of women (8), and all except one personal trainer, have
no medical certificate of his pupils.
Other information concerning the place of perfor-
mance of the personal. The house of the student was
indicated as the place where most of the personal trainers
serve the elderly (7). Already the most widely used means
of dissemination is the informal “mouth-to-mouth” (10),
and most have professional-related areas that indicate
their work (9). The personal trainers, most of them (9),
have another source of income, which is equal to 50% of
its total income. The majority (8) provides an income of
up to R$1,000.00, only taking elderly.
We also realized that the majority of the elderly do not
have preferences for the months of demand for the service.
Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that they are as-
siduous. In general, personal trainers charge R$50.00 for
the hour / classroom. The average cost of hours / class is
R$26.00. Among the services offered by personal trainer,
physical evaluation was the most frequent (10), and the
anamnesis was the most used (11). The walk/race was the
last item of Table 8 and was the activity that was further
developed by personal trainers of this study.
In Table 8 was examined if the vision of the professional
in relation with the choice of the elderly for their services.
Were accomplished questions about the main reason that
leads the student to look for him and what the hallmark
that they have to gain and/or maintain their students.
The most listed reason in terms of training to the
elderly hire their services were special needs (7). Alrea-
dy the most cited feature that attaches to the personal
achievement of their students and keep in activity was
the easiness of communication and relationships deve-
loped with the elderly (6). In the personal characteristics
of the elderly client, which was seen the mean of age,
sex, marital status, education level, retirement, work, if
has some kind of gainful activity and which the monthly
income in minimum wages. Were found the values of
mean age of 68 years, because the subjects of this study
are considered elderly couples. Most of them belong to
the stratum age of 60 to 74 years. Most that practicing
physical activity is female (11), married (11) and have
completed higher education (6). The elderly of this study
are, in most cases, retirees (11), autonomous in their
profession (5), and most (10) do not carry out any gainful

190 Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.


activity, and that all (16) have a monthly income higher
than eight minimum wages.
To check the methodology of work of these professio-
nals, under the vision of the elderly, the Tables 9 and 10
present the questions: If you have already practiced regular
physical activity before hiring the service, held how many
classes per week; the duration of the classes, how long
time are in this service, whether the same professional;
held some kind of physical evaluation, if their goals are
being achieved and how.
You can say that most elderly (9) already practiced
physical activities with personal trainer before the current
contract, accomplishing two classes per week (8) and with
duration of 60min (14). Despite of well-balanced results,
appears that the elderly engage the service of the personal
trainer for 24 months (4). The majority has already made
some kind of physical evaluation (15), the elderly in their
entirety (16) have achieved their goals, and noticed that
through the life and health quality (5).
To identify the reasons of choice of the personal trainer,
Tables 11, 12 and 13 have questions such as: whether was
the first personal trainer hired; if not, why the former was
dismissed; if sought by the professional formation before
hiring the training; if has preference for age and sex of the
professional; what you think of the price charged; through
which means of communication you found the personal
trainer; why decided to contract; which are the hallmarks
for the recruitment and maintenance of this service; which
is expected of offered professional and service.
Remember that even been the first trainer for most of
the elderly, they are together for at least 24 months, sho-
wing the commitment to the training and providing some
security, since we know that the work of personal trainer is
unstable, with little guarantees that the student will sustain
the hire for a long time.
It was noticed that most part of the elderly (15) demand
to know the professional training before the personal, and
are indifferent regarding gender (11), and all of them have
replied that has no preference for age range.
Most of the elderly (12) finds the amount billed by the
lesson-hour appropriate. The elderly, when questioned
about why the hiring of personal service, responded health
(12) as the main reason. The result slightly differs when
compared in terms of personnel, pointed out that as the
main reason that leads the elderly client to hire the service
is a special need.
The Table 14 presents the results of the special cha-
racteristics of the personal trainers, so that it was engaged
in the vision of the elderly, and what they expect from this
professional, and the service offered.
Regarding the special characteristics that the professio-
nal has and that takes to the elderly to hire and sustain the
hiring, relates to his ability, fact that was most quoted (13).
Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.
PERSONAL TRAINER AND THE ELDERLY
The most expected, when the elderly thought about hiring
the services of personal training, is that demonstrates how
to efetive and achieve the desired goals, how this will be
achieved and whether the training will be well structured
and based (8).
DISCUSSION
Reviewing the data on the characterization of personal
trainers, it appears that the results did not support the study
of Emerim7, which points that the most part of the personal
trainers are female (69.2%), aged between 28 and 38
years. Another interesting aspect is the fact that many of
them still unmarried, with the average age, following the
trend of current society, where marriages occur later with
the passing of the years.
Following the characterization of the academic profile
of these professionals, are cited the study of Alves8, which
reports that the personal trainer are a professional who has
at least one graduation in physical education, which may
or may not be an expert, but must have specific knowledge,
such as: the exercise physiology, applied biomechanics,
anatomy, training methodology, physical evaluation,
motor learning, emergency and security procedures, hu-
man behavior, psychology, human development, aging,
nutrition and weight loss, physiopathologies, risk factors,
and even computer knowledges, foreign languages, ad-
ministration and coordination of marketing programs.
Continuing the analysis of the tables on the educa-
tion level of personal trainers, the results corroborate the
study by Emerim7, where the majority of personal trainers
(84.6%) has expertise in related areas and held on ave-
rage, two improvement courses per year. You can thus
say that the personal trainers are looking to upgrade and
training to offer a increasingly qualified service to society.
Thus, it was found that personal trainers also had published
scientific studies concerning the area of Physical Education.
According to the CONFEF5, the necessary conditions for
the exercise of the profession, apart from enabling legal
and ethical conduct, including aspects such as business
training, foreign language and computer science, and
graduate courses in successive update.
Along with the characterization of the professional
profile of personal trainers, the Tables 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
showed results that support the literature that reports that
these professionals work in the area for approximately
five years and the loyalty of students is on average, two
years7. This ensures loyalty to some professional security,
as the work of personal trainer is considered unstable.
Even in a study by Bissoloti9, this shows that the low results
in activities and lack of company for the practice of these
activities are the reasons that lead students to leave, tem-
porarily or permanently, the program that takes place in
191
A GUIAR , S OARES, G UIMAR ÃES
the academies, as the attending to the needs of the student
is something vital to the maintenance of them. This was
one of the topics of a study of Geres10, which said in his
conclusions that good care is considered luxury article and
that few people have this privilege.
According to the results, studies show that personal
trainers have, on average, five students, with more than
36 years7. The prevalence of female practicing physical
activity can be understood by the IBGE1 data, showing
that in fact there are more women (55.10%) than men
(44.89%) among the population that has 60 years or more.
In another study conducted by Duarte et al.11 in a popula-
tion with ages ranging from 40 to 60 years, practitioners of
physical activity, it was found that most part of the people
were female, reflecting a strong trend evidenced in society,
which the women have more active lifestyle than men, so
much for involvement in home activities and as the search
for physical activities. Other studies also showed higher
percentages of women in physical activities, with 67.4%
in Benedetti12, and 88.3% in Mazo et al.13.
Regarding the medical certificate14, assembly of indi-
vidual programming takes into account a range of data
obtained through several forms of evaluation. Among
them, the medical evaluation, because it is necessary the
direct doctor’s support, in cases of men over 40 years
old, women over 50 years, individuals who have one or
more coronary risk factors, cardiopulmonary symptoms,
metabolic diseases and recognized cardiovascular, lung
or metabolic disorders. Thus, it is verified the importance
of medical certificate because the majority of the elderly
have the characteristics that was mentioned above.
The place of performance of the personal trainer could
be, according to Alves8, streets, parks, homes, hospitals,
clinics and other locations. This confirmed the study of
Emerim7 declaring that the most used working environ-
ment is home service. You can say that the house was the
most quoted, because it is more convenient and easy to
the elderly. Compared with the results of this study, the
personal trainers have a team of multidisciplinary work,
and highlighted the nutritionist and cardiologist as the
most frequent and most widely used form of marketing is
the spoken midia7.
About income of personal trainers, was also found in
another study that most professionals says that this form
of work is not the only income source, whereas these
professionals do not engage the deployment of good
quality of work, of course, need divide their time with
other activities and also to feel the security provided by
primary activity7.
Most personal trainers holds two weekly lessons to
develop or maintain the flexibility, two to three strength
training sessions, the activities of physical fitness through
aerobic exercises should be appropriate for the type, du-
192
ration and intensity, should be undertaken three to five ses-
sions per week15. The amount billed by the hour-lesson in
this search, follows what is in practice, occurring variations
from city to city or the professional status in society. The
low value found in other research can be justified by the
year in which it was held and, according to the author, was
justified because it is a recently regulated profession7.
The services offered by personal trainer of this study
are in line with Article 3 of Law no. 9696/98, which cites
the physical evaluation, planning, prescription, guidance,
supervision and monitoring of an individual programme,
among others, among the tasks of personal trainer. Accor-
ding to Brooks16, one of the forms of assessment, usually
the first to be held, is the anamnesis, with questions related
to health. Monteiro14 reports that these questionnaires
contained questions about anterior or present stories
on signs, symptoms or diseases, in addition to questions
about feeding, practice of physical activity, smoking,
among others.
Also in Table 7, the results about the activities carried
out in class (walk/race) can be justified by the fact that
people are alert for beginners and recommended by
most doctors and health-care professionals, particularly
in the case of sedentary individuals, obese, with chronic-
degenerative diseases, rehabilitation, and likely to have
some kind of risk, especially the elderly17,18. The walk is a
physical activity that uses the basic movement, automated
by man - the march - of easy implementation, low impact
and can be made in different intensities and anywhere, with
significant results in the prevention of chronic-degenerative
diseases and a ageing with autonomy and functional ca-
pacity. Another study, conducted by Lupselo19, aimed to
ascertain the level of acceptance of the elderly, practitio-
ners and non-practitioners of physical activity, for the indi-
vidualized training, or personal. Both for the practitioners
of physical activity (49%) as for non-practitioners (21%),
the walk was the most active activity, worth the attention
that for the second group, this is so sporadic.
Following the discussion of the data, Table 8 reports
the reasons for hiring and major characteristics for the
achievement of students. Unlike this study, Pinheiro & Ju-
nior20 believe that the main reason for demand for these
services are the aesthetics. However, the study of Neves21
corroborates the study in question, because if we turn more
to the physical conditioning aimed to health. In studies of
Emerim7, the professional qualification is the most impor-
tant factor for accession and retention of students.
About the personal characteristics of the elderly, has
been the subject of this study considered elderly couples,
(60 to 74 years). This result is in line with the Brazilian
reality, where 75.4% of the elderly have age between 60
and 74 years1. Mazo et al.18 classified as elderly couples
who have the age between 60 and 74 years and older
Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.

elderly who have 75 years or more. This classification
was proposed in accordance with definition for develo-
ped countries, but was a point of cutting, as in Brazil are
considered elderly people aged 60 or more18.
Most of the individuals seeking the service of personal
trainer, following this study, are women, mostly married,
with university education. In a study conducted with indi-
viduals of 36 years or more, it is realized that all of them
have university graduation, noting like this that the level
of instruction is combined with the greater income. Thus,
students who seek the services of personal trainer have
higher living standard7. This is an interesting result that
shows that the older student is a potential client, both for
the guarantees of stability in the employment of the servi-
ce, as to make possible the development of high-quality
employment.
The profession of personal trainer is a branch of Fitness
accessible to a small portion of the Brazilian population
that has top level of education degree (approximately 5%,
data of the Census 2001 1). Regarding the communication
media used to find the personal trainer, friends indication
and acquaintances was the most used. This comes in line
with results found on the means used by most personal
trainers to disseminate their work, which was the “word
of mouth.”
A study19 that interviewed people over 60 years, of
both sexes, 50 practitioners and 50 non-practitioners of
physical activity on the level of acceptance of the elderly
with respect to personal trainer, found that the majority
of practitioners and non- practitioners of physical activity
prefer group activities, unaware of the significance of what
is personal training, never will hire a personal trainer even
if they had financial conditions.
Both personal trainers and elderly answered questions
about their personal characteristics and work to be done.
The personal trainers believe that the elderly need the
expert work by special needs, while the elderly make this
choice for health state. These have the same views on the
classes values and seek to improve the life quality and,
what is fundamental, the professional demand is improving
to give their students the best in health, exercise, style
and life quality.
Finally, realizes that the work done by personal trainers
with the elderly in the city of Florianopolis is satisfactory,
given the expectations of students, there is a partnership
between teacher and student for few years, being pro-
Fit Perf J. 2008 May-Jun;7(3):185-94.
PERSONAL TRAINER AND THE ELDERLY
fessionals duly authorized and increasingly looking to
improve in their jobs.
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Submitted: 01/12/2008 – Accepted: 03/12/2008
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