Course Description

The Primal Fitness Expert Certification Course provides the most in-depth and up-to-date ancestral exercise and fitness education in the world. You will graduate with a deep understanding of how to incorporate more movement into your everyday life and why it matters, how to improve your posture, breathing and flexibility, how train effectively while avoiding injury and burnout, and so much more.

This course is comprised of 14 comprehensive chapters containing text, video, and audio, to accommodate all learning types. It is the first of three courses that make up the Primal Fitness Coach Certification path. 

To learn more about the Primal Fitness Expert Certification or the more comprehensive Primal Fitness Coach Certification Course, including how to enroll, click here to book a call with our Admissions Director.

Course Instructors

Instructor

Brad Kearns

Brad Kearns is a New York Times bestselling author, Guinness World Record setting professional Speedgolfer, #1 ranked USA age 55-59 high jumper, and former US national champion and #3 world-ranked professional triathlete. He hosts the B.rad podcast covering healthy living, peak performance, and personal growth with his carefree style and lively sense of humor. Brad has written over twenty books on diet, health, peak performance, and ancestral living, and is a popular speaker, retreat host, and host of the Primal Fitness Coach online multimedia educational course. In 2017, The Keto Reset Diet (co-authored with Mark Sisson) became a New York Times bestseller and #1 ranked overall bestselling book on amazon.com for two days. Brad's main message is to encourage the pursuit of peak performance with passion throughout life. He promotes the importance of performing a daily morning exercise routine for a natural energy boost, improved strength, mobility and flexibility, and better focus and discipline in all areas of life.

Co-Founder and Instructor

Mark Sisson

Mark Sisson is a celebrated best-selling health and fitness author credited as the “godfather” of paleo/primal and a leading figure in the ancestral health community. He is a former world-class distance runner, triathlete and Ironman competitor, and coach to hundreds of professional athletes. An avid academic, Mark was a pre-med candidate and earned a biology degree from Williams College. He served for 15 years as chairman of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Anti-Doping Commission and as the ITU’s liaison to the International Olympic Committee. He began sharing his vast nutrition science knowledge with the ancestral health community by way of his award-winning blog, Mark’s Daily Apple. Mark teamed up with other leading experts to create the Primal Health Coach Institute certification program, the world’s first coaching program based on the evolutionary health movement.

Instructor

Chloe Maleski

Born and raised in a small town in New Hampshire, Chloe excelled at high school track and field. She received a track scholarship to Duke University, one of the best schools for student-athletes in the world, but after suffering three stress fractures from overtraining, she was forced to look for alternative ways to optimize health and performance. She turned to strength training and conditioning, fell in love with the weight room, and developed a passion for helping others reclaim their health and fitness levels just as she did.Since moving to California and joining the Primal Health Coach Institute team, Chloe has worked as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and health coach. In these roles, Chloe repeatedly found that the difference between a client that succeeded and one that had setbacks was a matter of mindset. She is now pursuing her graduate studies in Sports Psychology at Pepperdine University. She hopes to open her own private practice for professional athletes and health houses for kids in underserved communities that focus on the mind-body connection.Chloe walks the talk. She continues to compete in endurance events and athletic competitions including The World's Toughest Mile where she qualified for the World Championships. Challenge her to anything requiring strength, speed or agility and she will give you a run for your money!

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome

    • Course Overview

    • Meet Your Faculty and Staff
  • 2

    Legal and Support

    • Legal: Important Matters

    • Disclaimer and Copyright Notice

    • Support
  • 3

    Announcements

    • Introduction

    • Announcements

    • Upcoming Webinars
  • 4

    Educational Resources

    • Introduction

    • Ebooks

    • Audiobooks

    • Archived Webinars

    • The Council of Holistic Health Educators

    • Peer and Faculty Support & Connection via Facebook
  • 5

    An Introduction to Primal Fitness

    • The “Primal” Approach to Fitness and a Healthy, Happy, Active Lifestyle

    • The Idea of a "Fitness Coach"

    • Walking the Talk
  • 6

    Chapter 1: Fitness For Health

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • The Critical Distinction Between Health and Fitness

    • HIIT and Steady-State Cardio: Rethinking Popular but Flawed Training Modalities

    • Play!

    • Aging Gracefully: Adaptations and Evolving Goals

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 1 Exam
  • 7

    Chapter 2: Everyday Movement

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Benefits of Increasing Everyday Movement

    • Walking: The Centerpiece of an Active Lifestyle

    • Formal Movement Practices

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 2 Exam
  • 8

    Chapter 3: Human Posture And Movement Fundamentals

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Spinal Fundamentals

    • Standing, Sitting, Lying, Bending, and Extending

    • Creating a Dynamic Workstation

    • Ancestral Resting Positions

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 3 Exam
  • 9

    Chapter 4: Breathing

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • How to Breathe Correctly

    • Tracking Progress with Breathing Tests

    • Exercises to Improve Breathing Competency

    • Advanced Breathing Techniques for Peak Performance

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 4 Exam
  • 10

    Chapter 5: Stretching, Mobility, Flexibility, Balance, and Injury Prevention

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Rationale, Benefits, and Contraindications Of Stretching

    • Static Stretching

    • Dynamic Stretching

    • Hip Flexor Stretching and Strengthening

    • The Circadian and "Whole Health" Benefits of a Morning Flexibility/Mobility/Balance Routine

    • Mobility, Flexibility, and Balance

    • Fascial Restructuring and Reawakening

    • Functional Movement Assessments and Corrective Exercises

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 5 Exam
  • 11

    Chapter 6: Cardiovascular Fitness and Endurance Training

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Fuel Substrate Utilization at Varying Exercise Intensities

    • Maximum Aerobic Function and the Aerobic Threshold

    • Monitoring Your Heart Rate During Exercise

    • Maximum Aerobic Function Test

    • Re-evaluating and Redefining Cardio

    • Jogging 2.0: Evolving from Steady-State Cardio to More Varied and Challenging Workouts

    • Cardio and Fat Loss Frustration

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 6 Exam
  • 12

    Chapter 7: Benefits, Principles, and Strategies for High-intensity Exercise

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Functional Muscle Mass: The Preeminent Fitness Objective

    • Healthspan and High-intensity Exercise

    • Optimal Workout Design, Rest and Recovery, and Work/Rest Ratios

    • Resistance Training Concepts and Fundamentals

    • Microworkouts

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 7 Exam
  • 13

    Chapter 8: Resistance Exercise – Deadlift And Squat

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • The Deadlift

    • The Squat

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 8 Exam
  • 14

    Chapter 9: Resistance Exercise – Free Weight, Bodyweight, Machine, And Kettlebell Exercises

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Popular Functional Fitness Resistance Exercises

    • Bodyweight Exercises - Upper Body

    • Bodyweight Exercises - Lower Body

    • Free Weight Exercises - Upper Body Pushing

    • Free Weight Exercises – Upper Body Pulling

    • Machine Exercises – Upper Body

    • Machine Exercises – Lower Body

    • Kettlebell Exercises

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 9 Exam
  • 15

    Chapter 10: Sprinting and Jumping

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Physiological Benefits of Sprinting and Jumping

    • Optimal Duration, Repetitions, and Recovery Intervals

    • Elements of an Effective Sprint Workout

    • Sprinting Technique

    • Suggested Sprint Workouts

    • Jumping: The Ultimate Explosive Exercise

    • Suggested Jumping Workouts

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 10 Exam
  • 16

    Chapter 11: Mindset and Peak Performance

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Understanding the Endorphin Response

    • The Central Governor Theory

    • The Central Cooling System

    • A Kinder, Gentler Approach to Peak Performance – The Secret Strategies of Elite Athletes

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 11 Exam
  • 17

    Chapter 12: Overreaching, Overtraining, and Burnout

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Overreaching: A Temporarily Adaptive State from Inappropriate Fight-or-Flight Stimulation

    • Overreaching Symptoms

    • How to Remedy Overreaching

    • Overtraining/Burnout Symptoms

    • Recovering from Overreaching/Overtraining

    • Journaling to Support Health and Fitness

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 12 Exam
  • 18

    Chapter 13: Rest, Recovery, Down Time, and Sleep

    • Quick Facts

    • Introduction

    • Optimizing Sleep Habits and Sleep Environment

    • Emphasizing Recovery in Training

    • Walking for Recovery

    • Hydration

    • Conducting a Recovery-based Workout

    • Rest, Down Time, and Disconnecting

    • Heart Rate Variability to Track Recovery

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 13 Exam
  • 19

    Chapter 14: Primal Fitness Programming

    • Introduction: The Primal Fitness Pyramid

    • Coaching Your Clients to Move Frequently

    • Designing a Strength Training Plan (Lift Heavy Things)

    • Programming Short, Infrequent, Explosive Efforts (Sprint)

    • Programming Recovery

    • Client-Led Programming: The Primal Fitness Coach Approach

    • Chapter Summary and References

    • Chapter 14 exam
  • 20

    FINAL EXAM

    • Primal Fitness Final Exam