The Best Personal Trainer Certification

With so many offerings, it is easy to get confused as to what is reputable within the fitness industry and what has lasting potential.

Although no licensure currently exists, there has been a movement to accredidate organizations of merit.

Large health club chains have followed suit and are narrowing their lists of acceptable certs.

Among the few that are now recognized as being at the top of the industry are (in no particular order):

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
• American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Yes, there are hundreds of others that you may be able to use to effectively change the fitness lifestyles of many men and women.

However, in my time as a fitness manager and a private trainer, I have found these organizations to provide the best in not only certification preparation (study materials, practice exams, etc.), but they also have been the most consistent in providing quality, continuing education for those having earned certification.

Opening the Door and Stepping Through

When considering which organization to choose for your health career, you will want to take into account which will allow ease of acceptance into the job force and which fits most closely to your own fitness philosophies.

The happier you are with the quality of information that you are providing, the easier it will be to concentrate on creating contacts and expanding the foundation of your personal training business.

Confidence in your knowledge will become contagious and it shouldn't feel forced. Your potential clients will pick up on your ability to communicate your technical knowledge and hopefully your ability to translate that fitness knowledge into lasting physical results for your clients.

Never Stop Learning, and Learning, and Learning

Once you've found the cert that fits your style and ideals best, you may realize that there are groups of people who fall into special populations.

Your basic knowledge may not be suitable for their advanced issues or needs relative to exercise.

This is where we begin to think about continuing your education through specialties; continuing education specific to these populations.

These may include a pilates certification, yoga certification, post-rehabilitation specialties; basically, anything that you are interested in that there is a need for in the world of exercise.

The major organizations are continuously adding to their list of available specialty courses. If you are not currently independent, it is best to speak directly to your fitness director or supervisor to see what your place of employment accepts.

Additional Resources

More difficult for most in the pursuit of a successful personal training career is the ability to convincingly secure the sale.

If sales "isn't your favorite thing" or if you'd like to learn how to attract more clients, read more about our popular Personal Trainer Course e-book by David Bohmiller, BS, NSCA-CSCS.

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Thank you for visiting My-Personal-Trainer-School.com. As a health professional for much of the last decade, I understand the ups and downs of the fitness industry and the successes and frustrations that many of you have.