What is a major factor in assessing a client’s readiness for exercise?

Assessing a client’s readiness for exercise is crucial for ensuring safety and effectiveness in their training program. Medical history is a significant factor because it provides essential information about any pre-existing conditions, injuries, medications, or overall health that could affect a client’s ability to participate in exercise. Understanding medical history allows trainers to tailor workouts that align with the client's capabilities and limitations, minimizing the risk of injury or exacerbation of health issues.

While age, weight, and gender can play roles in exercise programming and implementation, they do not directly address safety concerns or readiness in the same way that medical history does. For instance, a trainer won't fully understand how to approach training unless they are aware of any existing conditions that could influence the client's exercise capacity. Therefore, medical history is the cornerstone of gauging a client's readiness, leading to a more personalized and effective training regimen.