Getting your personal training certification is an important part of becoming a personal trainer as most employers prefer to hire accredited candidates. Regardless of your personal training specialty, earning a certification can prove your skills to clients and employers. There are many certifications available to you as a personal trainer, so it’s important to research which ones best align with your career.
In this article, we explain what personal training certifications are, share a list of seven certifications to pursue and provide steps you can take to earn this type of qualification.
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What are personal training certifications?
Various certifying organizations issue personal training certification accreditations as proof that an aspiring personal trainer has fully mastered a certain aspect of personal training. Although it’s not a requirement to have a certification in this industry, earning one can help increase your odds of finding a job as a personal trainer. You can choose from a variety of certification options, so you can decide based on your personal preferences, knowledge, aptitude and skills.
7 types of personal training certifications
There are several types of personal training certifications that different institutions issue. These certifications can vary depending on specialty, reputation and scope of practice. Some of the most popular include the following:
1. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is one of the largest sports and exercise-focused science organizations in the world and is often a top choice for personal trainers pursuing who wish to pursue a career in a clinical setting such as a physical rehabilitation center. It’s also a good choice for personal trainers who plan to pursue a medical career later on. ACSM offers credentials for:
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Certified Personal Trainers
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Certified Exercise Physiologists
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Exercise Physiologist Certification
2. American Council on Exercise (ACE)
This organization’s patented training model helps personal trainers develop training programs for different types of people, helping them appeal to a wide variety of clients. Its reputation and emphasis on long-term results and the client’s health make this personal training certification popular. Earning a certification from an institute with this reputation may help advance your career.
3. International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is an academic institution that offers a personal trainer certification that candidates can complete within a month. ISSA specializes in fitness and bodybuilding for non-athlete adults. This makes this particular certification good for those who want to work at gyms open to the public, including chain companies.
4. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
A certification from this institution enables a personal trainer to work with a wide range of clients, from those with specific musculoskeletal or orthopedic issues to professional athletes. Its courses integrate aspects like corrective exercise and injury prevention techniques. This allows candidates for this certification to gain comprehensive knowledge for guiding athletes in exercise routines and injury prevention practices.
5. National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
The globally recognized organization for exercise professionals offers a certification program accredited in the United States and Europe. Exercise professionals can specialize in personal training, strength and conditioning along with sports and fitness nutrition. Having this certification can allow you to work in select countries outside of the United States, which may be beneficial if you want to travel for work.
6. National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
This certification is useful for both aspiring and seasoned personal trainers. It’s especially useful for those new to the industry as it covers basic aspects of the job not related to fitness, such as client screening and acquisition. From a fitness standpoint, it mainly focuses on teaching trainees how to conduct one-on-one or small-group training sessions.
7. National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
As one of the top human performance research institutions in the world, the NSCA’s personal training certification programs mainly focus on healthy and physically active individuals. It may be a good choice for personal trainers who want to work with professional athletes—either as trainers or strength coaches—because the Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification is usually a requirement for such positions.
Benefits of personal training certifications
There are several benefits to earning a personal training certification, including:
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It may lead to more job opportunities. Certification is likely to lead to more job opportunities as it proves your knowledge and skills to potential employers.
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It can help you get new clients. Earning a personal training certification not only benefits personal trainers who want to find work in a gym but also, those who wish to work as private trainers. Having a certification can increase your value in the eyes of a potential client, helping you expand your client base.
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It can strengthen your expertise. Personal trainers who want to focus on one area—such as physical therapy or strength training—can learn new skills and increase their knowledge base by earning a certification that specializes in that particular area. This can improve your success as a private personal trainer attracting more specific clients.
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It can help you further your career. Gyms are more likely to hire certified personal trainers and promote them compared to non-certified trainers. Earning high-level certifications can help you eventually find a position as a master trainer.
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You can learn new training methods and exercises. Earning a certification often means that you learn new training methods and techniques to provide high-quality services for your clients.
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It can help you meet and connect with experts. Interacting with the certifying bodies of personal trainer certificate programs can help you connect to some of the leading names in the industry. Networking with experts may help you improve your skills and can potentially lead to new job opportunities.
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It may introduce you to professional athletes. Working with professional athletes can potentially be a very lucrative career path for a personal trainer but it requires a distinct mix of background and experience. Earning a certification that focuses on sports increases your odds of working with a high-level athlete which, in turn, can boost your reputation and increase your asking price for regular clients.
How to earn a personal training certification
Follow these steps to earn a personal training certification:
1. Earn a high school diploma
Most certification providers require their candidates to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. If you’re planning a career as a personal trainer, plan to earn this diploma or obtain a GED certificate. While in school, you might take more gym courses, such as aerobics or weight training class to help you learn foundational skills.
2. Earn prerequisite certifications
Before earning a specialized certification, personal trainers complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training courses. These programs show trainers how to recognize the signs of medical emergencies that intense physical exercise can potentially trigger and how to help a client until professional medical units arrive. Most personal training certification organizations only take candidates with AED and CPR certifications.
3. Chose a career pathway
Before starting your personal trainer certification, decide on a fitness specialty. The field of personal training is large, so specialization is likely to give you the best odds of career advancement. Based on your current skills and your professional goals, you can choose from several specializations, such as fitness programs, personal training and strength training.
4. Get ready for certification
Once you have decided on a personal training certification, the next step is preparing for the certification examination. Most associations that issue personal training certifications provide many different online and offline courses and training classes that prepare you for the examination. You can take practice exams and form study groups with other individuals within the course to prepare for any tests associated with the certification program you choose.
The exam process for your certification can depend on the specific program you choose. Visit the organization’s website to learn more about this process.
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