Personal Training Certificates

[AAP]

What are the standards in the PT world today? Have a friend that recently became unemployed. He has a decent build. 90% than some of those PT's out there. I am encouraging him to do this for about a year until he can take some more classes and update his tech skills.

What different certs are available and how do you go about getting them?

Thanks and karma to all who reply.

 

[40butpumpin]

Check these guys out:

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

I did a search a little while ago looking for strength coach cert. and was pointed in this direction. Since then I have heard from numerous other sources that these guys are the best...nationaly accredited.

They have a Certified Personal Trainer option/exam. I'm going to do the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam.

 

[lonewulf]

Hey AAP I am a personal trainer. I am Certified by ISSA, I think they are pretty good, but i think ACE and ACSM are more respected. The big thing is that the general public doesnt know what any cert is worth. If your friend is wanting to work for a gym, then he may be better off getting at least ISSA and maybe a better one. There isnt much money to be made working for most gyms however. I am an idependent trainer, you get more money for your time(dont have to give the gym a cut), but getting clients is my problem. I think it takes a while to develop clientele. I have put up flyers, handed out buisiness cards, and have called people from a list i took from a powerhouse where i used to work. I have only called about 10 people from this list(i offer them a free fitness consultation) and have had 2 people take me up on it. I can usually sale people with my knowledge of fitness and i signed up one of these, but she called back and cancelled a few days later. Said she didnt have the money right now. This kind of thing happens and you cant say BITCH! like you want to. I charge $33 per hour, and the gym in our town(with scrawny and fat trainers) charges $50 per hour....that pisses me off. Anyway he needs to do some research and have a strategy for marketing. I have found thats what this thing is about....not fitness...if you are into fitness and knowledgable then u will have no prob once you get the client. It is great to walk into the gym and train someone and walk out an hour later with $33 dollars though, talk about a job u enjoy! He should go for it while he has a chance....i have just started and refuse to give up on this thing...i am going to try to write articles for the town newspaper, and maybe have a seminar....sorry to ramble so much, hope this helped.-WULF

 

[kronk]

NSCA is awesome.

ISSA is one of the better ones in my opinion (lower end), followed by ACE and NESTA. NESTA was created by a guy that did courses at ACE. Its great because it never expires and is accepted pretty much everywhere.

 

[doubles1]

im studying rite now for the ACE on february the 8th....hpe i pass this shit

 

[AAP]

NSCA is awesome.

ISSA is one of the better ones in my opinion (lower end), followed by ACE and NESTA. NESTA was created by a guy that did courses at ACE. Its great because it never expires and is accepted pretty much everywhere.

Ok, now how would he go about finding info and classes on taking this to become certified? It is all book material and you just go sit for the test? Do they have classes for this?

How to jump in and get started?

 

[DownUnder23]

if all you want is the certificate i'll print you one up

 

[Dooley]

I'm ACSM certified, and I can say that if he just wants any old personal training certification to go for ACE or ISSA. There's nothing wrong with ACSM, and they're HIGHLY respected. The test is much more difficult than the ACE for instance because it focuses on many aspects of health and fitness. So again.. if he just wants to train people.. go with just a general certificate that blankets most gyms. ISSA stands for International Sports Science Association, check our their website. NSCA-PT is another good way to go.. that is high end but without technical jargon. Does your friend have a health and fitness degree? I.E. Exercise Phys., Kinesiology, etc..

Lata

 

[40butpumpin]

Ok, now how would he go about finding info and classes on taking this to become certified? It is all book material and you just go sit for the test? Do they have classes for this?

How to jump in and get started?

Call the NSCA Certification Commission in Lincoln, Nebraska at (888) 746-2378 and tell then to send the info you need for taking the exam. They'll send a booklet explaining everything including a description of the material req'd., an application as well a list of dates and locations for the exam. Keep in mind that you don't have to join NSCA to buy the matrial and take the exam, however, it will be cheaper if you do and there's many other benefits. Here's the price breakdown:

Training materials:
$159.95 for a member ($85.00 to become a member)
$254.95 for a non-member

Exam:
$245 for a member
$330 for a non-member

But no classes, you need to order the material, study and then go to one of locations for the exam. Exams are held all over the country but not at one time, staggered. If you tell me what state you're in I can tell you where and when the cut-off will be for your general location.

 

[lonewulf]

You can take ISSA's course and test AT HOME. This is great if you cant get to a testing location. If he is going idependent then just get the cheapest, the general public wont know the difference. If he is wanting to work at a club, then ask the club which they prefer, some say ACE, some ACSM, others say different things.-WULF

 

[TxRugby_8]

NSCA is one of the highest certifications. They reccomend that you already be certified by another, smaller organization and be working to, or taking classes for a degree in a related science field (ie. Kenisialogy., sports physialogy, exercise sciences, biology). The test itself is very expensive and is possibly one of the hardest you'll ever encounter. Hope I didn't scare you to much. It will definitly be worth it if you do get certified though. Once you recieve that certfication you can add on by getting certified by the US track and field and various organizations like that if you want to work with athletes. I'm currently in my 3rd year at college, majoring in sports physialogy and have 3 certfications from ISSA. They're good, pretty easy if you do your reading. Let me tell ya, if you live in a rich area, you can make some mad cash training high school kids for sports. Mommies are always willing to dish out the dough to make there kids happy.
Hope I helped some.

Cheers

 

[PatBateman]

bump for some more input from trainers

 

[Stones34]

I have certifications through ACSM, ACE, and NSCA. I would have to say that ACSM and NSCA are probably the most highly respected. I took the ACE because a friend of mine didn't pass the ACSM and wanted to have some type of certification so he asked me to go with him and take it. It was pretty much a joke after taking the ACSM and NSCA.

However, the general public probably wouldn't know much of a difference between them.

 

[pajaro loco]

I,M STUDING TO MY FINAL EXAM OF PERSONAL TRANING CERTIFICATION WITH ISSA.

 

[rj420]

personally

if you think you can study a good amount and retain it, then do the NSCA or ACSM. I just got my NSCA cert last month... yes the test was somewhat difficult. If you aren't that "intelligent" I suggest you don't try the NSCA or ACSM.

What is good about NSCA is that you can really hype the fact of it being the ONLY nationally accredited cert. They send you out a lot of help on how to advertise and doing press releases.

I'm going to take a couple classes like anatomy (refresher), physiology and kinesiology and then get my CSCS from the NSCA.

You can make a ton of money if you think beyond regular PT'ing. Think group exercise "boot-camp" types of training. Thats where you bring in big bucks. Buy you will only get that type of thing going if you have a couple certs or college degree(s).

I have my BS in health services administration and my CPT cert from NSCA. Next is a degree in Exercise Science, get my CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist), and get ACSM cert'ed.

You get all that and you resume for training people looks really damn impressive.

Meet the right people and you end up training semi-pro or pro teams. Then you just PT people in spare time if ya want.

Luckily I live and work in orlando, fl where some NFL players workout and I've become pretty good buds with their trainers.

 

[Dooley]

That's exactly right dude. If you have a degree in ex. science, a PT cert. and the NSCA CSCS.. you're pretty much guaranteed a decent job because it shows that you know your shit. Each of those things takes time, money, and hard work. But it's a fun route to go. The hardest part though is finding the job. If you know people in the industry.. you're money. If you're new to the field and just want to start out... it'll be a rocky one.