Personal Trainers: Certification Recomendations

TerezaToledo

Hello,

I'm interested in getting a personal trainer certification and have been doing some searching.
If you are a personal trainer or are studying to be one, which organizations would you recomend? Why?
Thanks!

TerezaToledo

Bump.

vanillalily

I've had been looking as well and I got several recommendations for the NASM certification because unlike some other courses, it focuses a lot on the anatomy. Once you purchase the study materials, you have 180 days to schedule and take the test. I just started reading my book and I'm pretty excited

Jenene88

I would like to know more about that too. I was thinking of becoming a personal trainer

dad106

Do a forum search, because I know a while ago there was a topic that listed some of the good personal training certifications.

I want to say though that ACE, ISSA and NASM were some of the top reccomneded ones.

I've used two trainers(One had ISSA and one has NASM plus another certification) and both were awesome trainers!

TerezaToledo

I asked around at the gym I go and the Pilates teacher mentioned ACE and the Personal Trainer supervisor told me to check into NASM. I went on their site and I will try their free 3 day trial version.

TerezaToledo

I've had been looking as well and I got several recommendations for the NASM certification because unlike some other courses, it focuses a lot on the anatomy. Once you purchase the study materials, you have 180 days to schedule and take the test. I just started reading my book and I'm pretty excited

How do you like their studying material?

TerezaToledo

Do a forum search, because I know a while ago there was a topic that listed some of the good personal training certifications.

I want to say though that ACE, ISSA and NASM were some of the top reccomneded ones.

I've used two trainers(One had ISSA and one has NASM plus another certification) and both were awesome trainers!

I'll do a search, thanks!

TerezaToledo

Just bumping.

Dave198lbs

if you belong to a gym ask them which one they require...call around to gyms in your area ask the same thing

janet_pratt

I'm certified through NFPT but if I knew what I knew now, I would go through American College of Sports Medicine. It's more respected and has more thorough training.

moxette

NASM and ACE, I have had ACE for 12 years. ISSA will tell you that you don't need to be NCAA certified, then you try and get a job and no one will hire you. There are lots out there but these two are the best, the most respected and will be around long after the others disappear. (well I hope so at least!) ACSM is another great one but the test is the most in depth and difficult. It is more respected in the healthcare industry but I have never come across anyone who preferred it over NASM or ACE. There are a few "personal training schools" out there now, you get alot of experience and a "degree" in training. The problem is they are so new that many gyms don't recognize them and again wont hire you. Good luck, its a hard, exhausting, AWESOME career!

TerezaToledo

Thanks guys!

How do you all like your career?

apriltrainer

I'm certified through NCSF but most of the trainers I work with have NASM, which is highly respected. I love personal training but I admit, you also have to be good at sales.

Of course in order to have recurring clients you had better be able to learn how to devise good workouts and progress the clients...sales will only get you so far. But, yes, sales is a HUGE part of it. Most certs don't even touch it.

So I would say, if you are studying for a cert, go ahead and read up on marketing and sales.

0PhAtDaDdY

bump

TerezaToledo

After doing a search on the MFP board I found a recomendation for this site:
http://personaltrainingcertification101.com./

TrainingWithTonya

I have been certified for over 15 years. I started out with some of the smaller certifications because that was all I could get where I lived in the country. I'm currently ACE certified, but won't be renewing it because I'm going to be getting higher level certifications from ACSM and NSCA in the spring as part of my bachelors degree in exercise physiology. The certification you want depends on what you want to do with it. Like was said previously, if you just want to work in a gym, call around to the local gyms and see who they accept and then pick one that is NCCA accredited. Without accreditation, the certification may not be accepted anywhere else you may move.

Here's a site that lists the different basic personal training certifications and a little info about each of them side by side for comparison purposes.

http://www.starting-a-personal-training-business.com/personal-training-certification-school.html

I don't believe any of them require a degree. And don't trust any "school" that doesn't give a bachelors degree or higher in exercise science. Places like PCDI aren't accredited or accepted anywhere (I know from experience on that one) but actual university degrees where you have 2+ years of classes specifically for exercise science are accepted pretty much everywhere and will train you for advanced certification. I just finished my coursework for my bachelors in exercise physiology and will be taking the Clinical Exercise Specialist from ACSM and the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from NSCA in April as part of my degree. The Clinical Exercise Specialist from ACSM is geared toward working with people with injuries, illnesses, and major diseases in a clinical setting like a hospital. I'll be doing my internship in the local hospital in their cardiac rehab department. The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from NSCA is geared toward working with athletes at the college and professional level. We only have to take one or the other for my degree, but I'm taking both because I want both since I'm going to be starting my masters in exercise science in August and think it will be helpful for showing my qualifications for working with either population for my research. Both of those certifications require a bachelors degree in exercise science though, so if you're not already in school for a bachelors, it's not a feasible place to start. ACSM and NSCA both have basic personal training certifications for working in gyms though. You can check them out at the following links:

http://certification.acsm.org/get-certified

http://www.nsca-cc.org/

Based on my years in the business and the fact that I've taken certification tests with multiple different organizations and have done all the coursework for the NSCA and ACSM certifications, I'd highly recommend the NSCA or ACSM for certification. They will be the hardest tests, though, so be prepared to study hard and know your stuff inside out, upside down, and backwards!

findingfinally

bump

Galletakek

NFPT- its pretty good

TerezaToledo

Thanks for the links recomended! My bachelor's has nothing to do with physical education so I'm starting from zero. Also I cannot go back into college right now, so I'm starting with something that I can accomplish and afford considering my actual personal life. The idea of starting with a CPT certification seems feasable right now and I'm in the process of choosing wich organization to sign up with. I don't mind working and studying hard, but I want to stat with an organization that is acredited and that will give me a nice start in the fitness career.

AllanMisner

Okay, I'm curious. Which one did you go with? I'm looking into them and am leaning toward the NASM.

TerezaToledo

Sorry it took me so long to get back on this thread. I'm doing NASM and will test before the summer. So far I'm liking their program and material. Thanks for all the great advice.