5 Things You Don't Know About Personal Training Certs

New Exercise and Fitness Review

Personal training is an unregulated industry. This means that your 90-year-old grandmother can be a trainer. So can the guy beside you, or even someone who just started training. All they have to do is convince someone to pay them for their services.

You want to be a trainer, but you don’t want to be one of those trainers. So what’s the answer? A certification, of course! After all, most gyms won’t hire you without one. If you’re independent, many insurance companies won’t cover you without one. It’s your foot in the door.

But is a certification really worth your time and money? I would argue that it is—as long as you know both what you’re getting and why. You need to go in with your eyes wide open, not just your wallet.

Below, you can see a complete table of all the personal trainer certifications in the US for you to compare. But before you check them out, absorb the following truths to make sure you get the most out of whatever certification you earn.

Truth 1

Sure, a client might nod their head when you extol the benefits of your certification, but in most cases they’ve got nothing to base their opinion on. There are exceptions to this, of course, such as people who will come to you specifically because you’ve been certified in specific styles of, say, yoga, kettlebell training, or powerlifting. But even in these cases, clients care more about the results you can get them.

“No matter how good you are at sales and marketing, your success or failure is ultimately dependent on the results you help your clients achieve.”

Don’t forget that. No matter how good you are at sales and marketing, your success or failure is ultimately dependent on the results you help your clients achieve. The best personal trainers are those who have the combination of knowledge and passion to provide high-quality service. A piece of paper doesn’t give you either of these.

Truth 2

Trainer and author Dave Parise made a great case in his book “Certified Vs. Qualified” that those two terms are far from equal. Let’s be frank: A certification won’t prepare you for training clients. In order to do a great job—not just an adequate job—you have to accumulate tons of practical and varied experience.

“More important than choosing the “best” certification is finding a place to work that has the best opportunity for growth.”

That may sound daunting on the front end, but in reality it’s no different than any other profession. An accountant isn’t ready to take on a wide variety of cases right away. Upon graduating and getting a job, he or she ideally goes to work at a firm under the supervision of an experienced mentor.

The difference is that personal trainers are usually thrown into the fire immediately when they start. There is little chance that a new trainer will be ready to train a 15-year-old guy wanting beach muscles and a 70-year-old woman with arthritic fingers and a torn ACL back-to-back on day one.

I’m not dismissing your years of experience working out and reading fitness websites and magazines. They’re important. But their value is also very narrow. Up until now, your research has likely been focused upon making your workouts better and healing from your injuries. Unless you’re going to be training people exactly like yourself—which isn’t likely—you’ll need to work to learn new methods.

In addition, you’re likely so far removed from being a beginner that you’ve forgetten how it feels to be uncomfortable and unconfident in the gym. This point is so important it took up the entire first chapter of my book, “Ignite the Fire: The Secrets to Building a Successful Personal Training Career.“

So let’s be clear: More important than choosing the “best” certification is finding a place to work that has the best opportunity for growth. This means two things:

• There’s a manager or mentor who supports you and allows you to ask questions.


• You get the opportunity to get your hands dirty and work with a variety of different clients.

That’s a great place to start. Just remember that it’s always OK to say you don’t know something, as long as you follow it up with, ” … but I’m sure as hell going to find out.”

Truth 3

Remember what I said above about personal training being unregulated? That doesn’t just mean that anyone can be a trainer. It also means that anybody and their dog can create a certification for fitness professionals. You don’t need to be a trainer for long to happen across certs that have little of value to offer.

It’s perfectly normal to become skeptical; in fact, I recommend it. In many cases, the best choice is to avoid expensive certifications and put your money toward books, workshops, conferences, mentorships, and internships. Some of these come with certifications, but many don’t.

“Seek out the best resources on whatever topic you’re interested in, and don’t be cheap when it comes to your education.”

Seek out the best resources on whatever topic you’re interested in, and don’t be cheap when it comes to your education. If you’re really planning on doing this as a career, it’s OK to invest heavily in your education. Just don’t worry about whether or not it has a certification tag attached to it.

Truth 4

CEUs or CECs are continuing education credits. As you’ll see in the chart below, most certs require them for renewal. A major source of income for certifying bodies comes from providing training courses and materials that are preapproved for CEUs. Some of these materials are worthwhile, but many aren’t, so don’t get sold on the preapproved CEU tag alone.

Here’s what you might not know: Almost every cert allows you to petition for CEUs from outside or unsanctioned events. This means that any event you attend or any course you take can count toward your renewal quota. All you need is a certificate of completion with the number of contact hours. You then fill out a form from your certification body.

Attend a seminar because the topic is something that you want to learn about, and because you think it will help your clients. If it really will, then it’s worth your time and money.

Truth 5

When I called a cert a “foot in the door,” it may have sounded like I was saying the content of the certification itself is more or less useless. Not so!

When you register for a certification, recognize that an expert has taken the time to consider the methodology, gather all appropriate research, and combine it together into a system for learning. All of this saves you time, which is your most valuable asset.

“Simply going through the process of learning their system, and being able to pass a test proving as much, gives you a foothold in an industry that is suffering from information overload.”

You don’t need to agree with that person or their organization’s stance on everything—no one does. Simply going through the process of learning their system, and being able to pass a test proving as much, gives you a foothold in an industry that is suffering from information overload.

It’s often hard to figure out what to do with what we learn. Consider this your place to start. Where you go next is up to you.

So What Is The Best Cert For Trainers?

Here’s where I give you the answer to the question that’s been on your mind since you started this article. Unfortunately, the answer is that there is no “best” certification.

I’ve yet to come across any cert that truly stands out. Having spent $ 10,000-$ 15,000 on my education each year when I actively trained clients, my best recommendation is to views certs as stepping-stones for knowledge acquisition.

Below is a chart comparing the major certifying bodies. Let me be clear at the outset that I have no affiliation with any certification. I run the Personal Trainer Development Center, an independent blog dedicated to the improvement of the fitness industry—as well as its perception in society at large—and the success of the passionate trainers.

I share information about personal training because I love this industry. The only way to offset the scary rise in obesity and health care spending is preventative care, and there’s no better preventative care than exercise. Make it your life, educate yourself, and make a difference!

U.S. Certifications
Certification	ACE	NSCA	NASM	ACSM	NFPT
Full Name	American Council on Exercise	National Strength and Conditioning Association	National Academy of Sports Medicine	American College of Sports Medicine	National Federation of Personal Trainers
Website	acefitness.org	nsca.com	nasm.org	acsm.org	nfpt.com
Year Established	1985	1978	1987	1954	1988
Is there a required membership?	No	Yes	No	No	No
Membership Cost	NA	Student: $ 65 Professional: $ 120	NA	Student: $ 10 Professional: $ 230	NA
Length of the Training	6 Months (exam voucher purchased with study materials expires in 6 months)	NA – study materials do not include exam voucher and have no expiration date	180 days (exam purchase expires after this time)	NA – self-study, though workshops and webinars are available	1 year (exam must be taken within 1 year of program purchase)
Program Cost	Exam Only: $ 399	Exam Only: Members: $ 285 Nonmembers: $ 420	Exam Only: $ 599	Exam Only: Members $ 219 Nonmembers: $ 279	Exam Only: $ 329
Material Cost	Standard: $ 599 Premium: $ 699 Premium Plus: $ 799; all include exam	$ 20-$ 449; does not include exam	Study Packages range from $ 699 to $ 2399	Study Guides from $ 46 to $ 143.48	$ 479-$ 569, including the exam
Prerequisites	18 Years Old, Valid ID, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, HS/GED, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, Valid ID, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, HS/GED, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, HS/GED, 2 or more years personal fitness experience
Test Procedure	3 hour exam; 150 questions	3 hour exam; 150 questions	2 hour exam; 120 questions	2.5 hours; 120 questions (+30 unscored)	2 hours, 120 questions
Exam Location	Computer-based; over 500 US and Canadian test sites	Computer-based; over 160 assessment locations in the US; limited paper-based testing in US	Computer-based; scheduled through 3rd party for US & Canada	Computer-based; over 5000 locations	Computer-based; over 350 locations
Retest Cost	$ 299.00	Members: $ 235 Nonmembers: $ 370	$ 199.00	$ 150.00	$ 119.00
Approximate Time to Complete	6 Months (exam voucher purchased with study materials expires in 6 months)	NA – study materials do not include exam voucher and have no expiration date	Online prep options last 9 weeks, but program can be completed at own pace up to 180 days	NA – self-study, though workshops and webinars are available	1 year (exam must be taken within 1 year of program purchase)
Recertification requirements (how often and what’s needed)	Every 2 years; 20 hours CECs†	2 years; retake exam or up to 6 CEUs‡ (which equals 60 contact hours)	2 years; 20 hours of continuing education	3 years; 45 CECs	Annual, 2 CECs per year
Recertification Cost	$ 49-$ 139	Up to $ 50	$ 99 for two years or $ 299 for lifetime certification (must still submit CEUs every 2 years)	$ 30.00	$ 85 per year

† CEC: Continued education credit
‡ CEU: Continued education unit

U.S. Certifications (continued)

Certification	NESTA	ISSA	NETA	NCSF	NCCPT
Full Name	National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association	International Sports Sciences Association	National Exercise Trainers Association	National Council on Strength & Fitness	National Council for Certified Personal Trainers
Website	nestacertif…	issaonline.edu	netafit.org	ncsf.org	nccpt.com
Year Established	1992	1988	1977	1995	1995
Is there a required membership?	No	No	No	No	No
Membership Cost	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Length of the Training	90 days (exam must be taken within 90 days of exam or program purchase)	8 months (exam must be taken within 8 months, but most students complete it within 10 weeks)	NA – self-study, though 14-hour weekend workshops are available	NA – self-study, though workshops are available	6 months (exam voucher expires after 6 months); self-study with weekend workshops available
Program Cost	Exam Only: $ 249	$ 499, including exam	Exam Only: $ 349	Exam Only: $ 249	Exam & minimal materials: $ 299
Material Cost	$ 449, including the exam	$ 499, including exam	$ 79 for study materials; $ 399 early bird fee for workshop programs (includes exam fees)	Home study starting from $ 485; workshops starting from $ 485 (both include exam fee)	Standard study package: $ 399 Online Deluxe package: $ 495 Workshop package: $ 598
Prerequisites	18 Years Old, HS/GED, CPR/AED	CPR/AED	CPR/AED	18 Years Old, HS/GED	18 Years Old, CPR/AED
Test Procedure	2 hours, 125 questions	160 multiple choice; 2 case studies; 6 essays	2 hours, 120 questions	3 hours; 150 questions	2 hours; 140 questions
Exam Location	Computer-based; scheduled through 3rd party for US & Canada	Online testing; paper & pencil available	Computer-based; 3rd party proctored	Computer-based	Computer-based; 3rd party proctored
Retest Cost	$ 149.00	1st online retake free; $ 50 thereafter	$ 99 within one year	$ 99.00	$ 139.00
Approximate Time to Complete	90 days (exam must be taken within 90 days of exam or program purchase)	8 months (exam must be taken within 8 months, but most students complete it within 10 weeks)	NA – self-study, though 14-hour weekend workshops are available	NA – self-study, though workshops are available	6 months (exam voucher expires after 6 months); self-study with weekend workshops available
Recertification requirements (how often and what’s needed)	Every 4 years; 4 CEUs	Every 2 years; 20 CEUs	Every 2 years; 20 CEUs	Every 2 years; 10 CEUs	Every 2 years, 2 CEUs
Recertification Cost	$ 149.00	$ 75.00	$ 45.00	$ 50.00	$ 75.00

U.S. Certifications (continued 2)

Certification	IFPA	Cooper	AFAA	AAPTE	NPTI
Full Name	International Fitness Professionals Association	The Cooper Institute	Aerobics & Fitness Association of America	Academy of Applied Personal Training Education	National Personal Training Institute
Website	ifpa-fitn…	cooperi…	afaa.com	aapte.org	nptifitne…
Year Established	1994	1970	1983	1996	1997
Is there a required membership?	No	No	No	No	No
Membership Cost	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Length of the Training	6 months (exam voucher expires after 6 months); self-study with limited workshops available	NA – self-study, though live classes are available	3-day live workshop or online study	Onsite course includes 12 3-4 hour lectures, plus required intensive anatomy course if needed	6 months on-site training ends in diploma award; certification exam through an outside agency is student’s responsibility
Program Cost	Exam Only: $ 349	Exam Only: $ 289	$ 499 for workshop, $ 297 for online study, includes exam	Exam Only: $ 295	Tuition varies based on campus location
Material Cost	Study guide packages, include exam, range from $ 399 to $ 999	Live course: $ 595 Online Course: $ 695 (neither includes exam) OR Online Course with Exam: $ 899	Additional optional materials start at $ 20	Manual: $ 95 Onsite Personal Trainer Course: $ 975	Tuition varies based on campus location
Prerequisites	18 Years Old, HS/GED, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, CPR/AED	18 Years Old, CPR/AED	18 Years Old; Valid ID; Human Anatomy coursework; CPR/AED	18 Years Old; HS/GED; $ 75 plus application
Test Procedure	1 hour 40 minutes; 105 questions	2 hours; 100 questions	2 hours, 120 questions, plus practical portion	Multiple choice	Prepares student for NASM-CPT exam; student can opt to take any certification exam
Exam Location	Candidate sets up proctoring (test is mailed to you and must be proctored by an approved proctor)	Computer-based; 3rd party proctored	Online testing monitored by 3rd party; requires microphone and webcam	Onsite at Hofstra University	NA
Retest Cost	$ 75.00	$ 195.00	Unclear	$ 195.00	NA
Approximate Time to Complete	6 months (exam voucher expires after 6 months); self-study with limited workshops available	NA – self-study, though live classes are available	3-day workshop or online study; recommended 1-3 months of prep time; exam eligibility expires in 1 year	Onsite course includes 12 3-4 hour lectures, plus required intensive anatomy course if needed	500 hours
Recertification requirements (how often and what’s needed)	Every 2 years, 24 CEUs	Every 3 years; 30 CEUs	Every 2 years; 15 CEUs	Every 2 years; 15 CEUs	NA
Recertification Cost	Varies based on cost of CEUs; up to 6 can come from outside IFPA	$ 55.00	$ 75.00	$ 85.00	NA

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5 Things You Don"t Know About Personal Training Certs

Supps For Skeptics: 4 Supplements For People Who Don't Take Supplements

New Exercise and Fitness Review

In recent years, thanks to a number of high-profile studies and a profusion of evidence-based discussion in the fitness community, we’ve come a long way toward legitimizing supplementation in mainstream culture.

Not that long ago, it seemed like the stereotype of a supplement-taker was either an immense, scary dude in a muscle mag ad, a hippie trying to outsmart the medical establishment, or a hypochondriac. Today, there is no clear stereotype. People from all walks of life take supplements and receive benefits from them, and some supplements, like fish oil and protein powders, have become so common that people don’t really treat them like supplements anymore; they’re more like something hovering between a food and a vitamin.

That being said, a fair number of people still fundamentally dislike the idea of nutritional supplementation. Reasons for this vary, but some of the most common are:

1. They believe that nutritional supplementation is inferior to medicine, and thus useless.


2. They are skeptical of supplement industry, its standards, and don’t trust the physical product.


3. They don’t want to consume psychoactive compounds that alter their perception.


4. They don’t want to consume “unnatural” things.

Now let’s address them. Modern medicine still has its place, but given what we now know about supplements’ benefits, it’s definitely a leap of logic to call them “useless.” As for number four, it’s a shaky type of argument known as “appeal to nature”—in other words, we assume that if something is “natural,” it must be good, even though none of us can say for sure what “natural” is.

When it comes to the other two, they are valid to a point, but they can be overcome with three things: a solid body of research, a trustworthy company, and an improvement in how someone looks, feels, or performs. Here are four well-researched products that have the potential to crack someone’s skepticism and make clear the advantages of smart supplementation.

1 Creatine

Creatine might seem like a surprising inclusion here. After all, it’s well-known, and it doesn’t have the best reputation among people who dislike supplementation. You may have already heard from them how it can damage organs, degrade your eyesight, and reduce mobility by making you puffy or “muscle-bound.”

“Creatine stands out as one of the most extensively studied nutraceuticals ever.”

So why would we include it in this list? Quite simply, all of these dangers have been shown to be false, and creatine stands out as one of the most extensively studied nutraceuticals ever. Today, 21 years after the first commercial creatine supplement came out, it continues to serve as an endorsement of how supplements can help people feel and perform better.

Here’s why:

• Creatine, as we have discussed before, is safe. It is amazingly well-tested, and has no known side effects aside from isolated case studies that can’t place causation on the creatine.


• Creatine is cheap to produce, non-allergenic, tasteless, scentless, and soluble (depending on the form bought), which means it can be added to anything at a low cost without disturbing the palate.


• Beyond improvements to physical performance, creatine is increasingly thought to support a wide range parameters of health, with particular efficacy for cognition (memory formation, attention, reaction speed, and mood).


• It’s an easy way for vegetarians and vegans to address common gaps in their diet and improve their training and athleticism, which is why we included it in our vegetarian stack


• Technically speaking, creatine is completely natural, and there is already quite a bit in your body right now.

If someone dislikes supplements but becomes educated about creatine, it could likely make the scales fall from their eyes on the entire supplement issue. Don’t fear them any longer!

2 Spirulina

Spirulina is a dark green algae powder that is approximately half protein by weight. It sometimes gets labeled with superlatives like “the healthiest food on the planet,” but this is a bit misleading, since it rarely gets used as a meal replacement. It’s relatively rare as a protein supplement as well, since the most common dosages contain a relatively low amount of protein, generally somewhere between 2-15 grams. However, it is a complete protein, which is one reason why we include it in Examine.com’s vegetarian supplement stack.

In recent years, spirulina has gotten a big boost due to promising research into its primary active ingredient, a particular collection of proteins known as C-phycocyanin, which have shown great potential in studies as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Human studies suggest that spirulina might also improve lipid and glucose metabolism, while also reducing liver fat and protecting the heart.

So it has a health narrative, but also an athletic one; it has shown repeatedly to improve endurance exercise performance at practical doses in healthy human subjects. It’s also been deemed a “superfood,” so people who are averse to ingesting what they perceive as “chemicals” might look on it more favorably.

Examine.com’s Vegan/Vegetarian Supplement Stack

- Creatine
- L-carnitine
- Spirulina
- Beta-alanine
- Hemp protein
- Iodine

The one issue that spirulina has had to overcome is the threat of contamination from toxic substances known as microcystins. The problem is that the spirulina is a member of the phylum cyanobacteria, and most other species in this category produce microcystins. Spirulina is unable to produce microcystins, but if another bacterium from this family invades the production plant, then microcystins could, in theory, show up in their product.

This isn’t a reason to avoid spirulina, though. Since it has been used in developing nations as an alternative food supply, it has a substantial history of toxicology testing, and the takeaway is simply to be selective in procuring it. Buy from a reputable company with a good history of safety and product testing, and you should be fine.

3 Vitamin D and Vitamin K combination

As nutrients, both vitamin D and vitamin K are considered “essential,” meaning your body needs them but can’t synthesize adequate amounts on its own. Vitamin D provides benefits for bone health, mood, and a host of other areas, while vitamin K plays crucial roles in supporting bone health and regulating blood clotting.

“Vitamin D provides benefits for bone health, mood, and a host of other areas, while vitamin K plays crucial roles in supporting bone health and regulating blood clotting.”

In the body, the two nutrients are known to work synergistically, meaning each can improve the effects of the other, particularly when it comes to aiding calcium absorption and supporting arterial health. This is one reason more people are taking them together, and why they are increasingly common ingredients in calcium supplements.

Another reason to consider taking vitamins D and K are the profusion of studies are showing their optimal intakes to be higher than their recommended intake level. In fact, the chorus shouting for the RDA of both vitamins to rise gets louder year by year. Food is generally inefficient for bridging this gap, which is where supps come in.

The combination of vitamins D and K is a solid recommendation for someone cautious of supplementation due to the following reasons:

• At least for older individuals, this combination (alongside adequate dietary and magnesium levels) is widely recommended by medical professionals.


• There are numerous studies spanning multiple years using higher than the recommended doses showing no negative side effects.


• There are no significant psychoactive effects, although an elevation of mood from vitamin D is possible in people who are deficient in it.


• They are both relatively cheap and easy to find.

4 Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri, or simply bacopa, is an herb from Indian medicine, but don’t bother trying to cook with it—it tastes horrible. Traditionally, it has been advocated as both a longevity aid and a cognitive enhancement supplement, but today, it’s primarily sold as a cognitive aid.

Now, understandably, a supplement skeptic will likely consider “cognitive enhancement supplement” to be a sketchy term and assume that it doesn’t work. But in the case of bacopa, there is ample evidence suggesting otherwise. Whereas many cognitive enhancing herbs can point to 1-2 human studies—most only have animal studies—bacopa currently has eight or more studies which link it to things like memory enhancement and improved learning. It is probably the cognitive enhancer with the largest body of research behind it.

Bacopa takes time to work, though. Studies that are too short tend to note either lesser or no effects, and studies that take multiple measures note that improvements are much better at 8-12 weeks than they are at 4-6 weeks. So don’t expect anything dramatic right away.

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Supps For Skeptics: 4 Supplements For People Who Don"t Take Supplements