Exam FAQ

PREPARING FOR YOUR EXAM

In order to take your exam you must complete the required number of horse which are:

• 12 hours of observation 

• 28 hours of physical review 

• 18 hours practice teaching

These are required and should be completed anytime after your you begin your Awaken aerial course. Practice teaching and physical review hours must be logged outside of class time. The practice logs must be submitted on your exam date (either written or practical exam). 

Observation

Observation hours can be logged during or after the course and can be accrued by watching a Awaken Aerial Certified Instructor teach clients live or online. 

Physical review

Means physically performing the exercises learned in class. Taking a class with an Awaken Aerial Certified Instructor or working out using a virtual class can qualify as physical review hours, and can be completed individually or with other students.

Practice teaching

Hours can be fulfilled by instructing family, fellow students, friends or clients.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to teach the Awaken Aerial method of exercise. Upon passing the exam, they will be recognized as an Awaken Aerial Certified Instructor. Only upon the receipt of their certificate will they be entitled to identify themselves as an Awaken Aerial Certified Instructor.

Our programs provide a balanced and thorough blend of theory, observation and practical experience to help you master the repertoire.

What is the best preparation for the practical portion of my exam?

In addition to fully understanding the material conceptually and physically reviewing the exercises, the best preparation for the practical exam is to practice teaching of as many different people as possible (family, friends, classmates) to apply your knowledge, adapt it to many different body types, improve your teaching skills, and become comfortable with your teaching experience. Practice teaching within the specified timelines and meeting at least the minimum number of exercises.

What will I be asked to do for my practical exam? 

• Time allotment for practical exam is 60 minutes

Information Gathering and focus: 5–10 min

The initial five to ten minutes of the exam should be dedicated to information gathering. You are required to ask your subject pertinent questions regarding history, physical condition and goals. Let you subject know how you will address their needs, goals, limitations and history into their workout

6 Foundational Principles: 5–10 min

Next you will review the Six Foundational Principles with your subject. They should be introduced in proper sequence, using clear imagery and movement cues to help your subject understand and focus on greater body awareness. Choose the movement sequences from the 6 Foundational Principle pages in the manuals that will best demonstrate each Principle, and also serve as part of the warm up for your subject. Clearly explain why each of the principles is important, and how it will be incorporated into the remainder of the workout. If appropriate, you may teach one or more of the remaining warm-up exercises, however, be mindful of time constraints in the exam. To be sure you are touching on all the key points and for tips on proper cueing and correcting

The Workout

Approx. duration: 40–50 min

8 Essential

4 Intermediate

How will I be evaluated?

The following areas will be evaluated:

• History and Stated focus of workout – took a thorough history and described a clear focus or workout incorporating muscular and movement requirements

• The Six Foundational Principles – presented taught all points in each section and used appropriate movements/exercises for each principle (what, why, how)

• Programming Skills – each exercise was chosen based on the Stated Focus of Workout and appropriately met the goals of the workout and the needs of the client. The workout was well-rounded

• Ability to cue – use a combination of imagery, verbal cues, and kinesthetic cues (touch), and spotting to aid in guiding the client through the exercises and transitions, cues were specific to the client and were a combination of muscular and tactile cues and imagery to achieve movements to incorporated and reinforced all Foundational Principles

• Ability to correct – use a combination of imagery, verbal cues, kinesthetic cues (touch) and spotting to ensure correct alignment and proper execution of exercises; applied knowledge from course(s) to achieve dynamically stabilized, conscious and safe movement

• Ability to modify – chose exercise modifications that helped the client get the most of each exercise; used variations appropriately

• Knowledge of content – knowing the relevant repertoire of exercises and the corresponding movement, minimum number of exercises for each level

• Teaching manner and energy – guided the client through the workout with control and develop a rapport; displayed effective attitude, motivational, verbalization skills

• Rhythm and pace of the workout – taught with fluidity, using transitions from one exercise to another, chose a pace that challenged the client without compromising the Six Foundational Principles or causing overexertion; cued in a manner that encouraged proper timing of movement and breath; the workout fit the allotted amount of time for the exam

• Music- music is used to enhance the mood, create flow and arcs in energy, and pacing of class. Chose appropriate music that added to the class atmosphere, energy, relaxation, mindfulness and flow of class. Maintained voice projection against volume of music. 

Note

Expect to be questioned periodically on the exercises and your choices. This is to evaluate the depth of your understanding of the exercises and how to administer them. After teaching the required number of exercises you will be asked to teach a few exercises of the examiner’s choosing to ‘spot check’ your knowledge of the entire repertoire. The practice logs must be submitted on your exam date (either written or practical exam). If the student fails to submit all the logs within 7 days from the last portion of the exam, the entire exam will be void.

What do I need to know for my written examination?

The written exam consists of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank or matching type questions, and muscle identification questions. It will take you approximately 2–3 hours to complete the exam. However, you are not required to finish within a specified time limit. The exam tests your knowledge of the following:

• Basic anatomical terms such as anatomical neutral, anatomical directional terms, anatomical movements, plane and axes, joints & articulations, tendons, ligaments, and body prominences, etc.

• Muscle origin, insertion and action (please refer to list of muscles in the Support Materials book)

• Recognition of diagrams of individual muscles

• Concentric, eccentric and isometric contractions of specific muscles during specific movements and exercises

• Movements that make up exercises and their proper anatomical descriptions

• Ideal postural alignment and groups of opposing muscles

• Poor postural alignment and muscular imbalances

• Modifications to exercises for poor postural alignments

• Proper set up of hammock, starting positions, movement patterns, and major intent or goal for each exercise

• The Six FoundationalPrinciples – anatomical descriptions and purpose

• Proper anatomical terms must be understood and used in all the relevant categories above

• When, how and what spot is appropriate for or needed for specific exercises 

Note

In addition to the Awaken Aerial manual and support materials, students are required to study basic functional anatomy. Outside resources such as Trail Guide to the Body, Andrew Biel; Atlas of Anatomy, Gilroy, MacPherson, Ross; Trail Guide to the Body 6th Edition Flash Cards by Andrew Biel; AnatomyMapp® by Books of Discovery; Anatomy Flash Cards, Anne Gilroy; Anatomy of Movement, Blandine Germain are highly recommended.

What is a passing score?

You must receive an average score of 80% (practical and written) and achieve a minimum score of 75% on each portion in order to pass. Both of these requirements must be met in order to achieve certification. If you have to retake a portion of or the entire exam, this should happen within six months of the date of the original exam. This ensures that the information remains relatively fresh but allows time to study and improve in the necessary areas.

If the six-month time limit has passed, you must take both the written and practical exams again and it is highly recommended that you also book privates with an Instructor Trainer.

If you take your exam for the first time and fail both portions, you have one more opportunity, within six months, to successfully pass the exam. If you fail both portions the second time, you must wait six months before retesting