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ISSA certified fitness trainer

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FaithHopeBELIEVE
FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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I was referred to ISSA. I'm questioning it right now. I havent been on here in so long I lost our creators names on my list. I am completing my exam right now. So many people I've talked to dont know ISSA and say ACE or the other sports medicine certification are the legit ones. is this true? I'm scared I didnt do the right thing. I think I can still take clients in my home but if I want to work at a place like Curves will ISSA certification be acceptable? HELP!

Lucia if you see this how are you guys (cant remember your friend's name that referred me) doing with your certifications? can you get jobs anywhere? I'm just scared and need to put my mind at ease. :(

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  • jymflex
    jymflex Posts: 3
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    I work for the Dept. Of Defense as a Fitness Trainer. The DOD requires third party accreditation for acceptable fitness certifications. Is ISSA accredited by a third party?
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    This is what i searched for on their site:

    ISSA is the industry leading first fitness organization in the U.S. that is accredited by a federally recognized agency.

    The ISSA is proud to be accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission is:
    •Listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized agency
    •Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
    •Recognized by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA)

    There was more too. I know the two creators of this group went through them as they referred me. I just get nervous when I hear so many going through ACE or the Sports medicine one.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    American College of Sports Medicine - ACSM is the other major one.
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    Does it look like ISSA is accredited well or legit? I see it advertised all over this site on the sides as well as ACE.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Does it look like ISSA is accredited well or legit? I see it advertised all over this site on the sides as well as ACE.

    Not heard of it years ago when I went down that path, and that's not a cert I believe I've seen on the info for the current 6 trainers at our gym.
    But it may be more a locale type thing, and not here in the midwest. Or it may be specific to certain types of things, like class instructors which would be overkill for ACE or ACSM certs for just doing that.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    I am currently working on my certification through issa. it is legit, it's one of the few that my gym accepts. :)
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    Hi there, some gyms in the area here accept it and others have other preferences. I am now certified, but not training personally due to time constraints.
  • 31prvrbs
    31prvrbs Posts: 687 Member
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    I'm certified through ISSA. While I choose (on purpose) to not work for chain gyms, ISSA has "partner" gyms that are the most well known around that accept ISSA certs. (Golds, LA Fitness, Curves, Ballys, etc)

    The list can be found here:
    http://www.issaonline.edu/certification/personal-trainer-certification/

    They are accredited by the DETC as well as the BBB

    When we originally spoke regarding certification, I listed multiple options, including ACE, for you to choose from. We discussed the pros/cons of each and it seems you've decided on ISSA which was a good choice.

    If you recall, ACE is also a well known cert, but it is more for the fitness *class* instructor, rather than one on one training (which, I believe, was your reasoning for not choosing it?)

    You should be fine. Another thing is that once you finish your cert, you are required to maintain it through continuing education units. The CEUs that I take for my ISSA cert are the EXACT ones used by all of the other certifying institutions (ACE, NASM, etc). The only thing that I got from ISSA was the original cert. your Continuing Education is what *makes* you as a trainer. You have to break out way beyond the basics.

    Suffice it to say that ISSA is definitely legit, and very well known. But regardless of the cert you get, just do all you can to soak up the info and be prepared to really *help* your clients.

    The only thing that will determine how well you do is YOU.

    You can have some top notch cert that someone tells you is creme de la creme, but if you can't back it up with the knowledge and understanding of that knowledge that your clients need, it won't matter.

    Best of luck in your cert completion, and job search.

    ~Kiki

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