ISSA : 6 months to complete. NASM : Must complete in under 6 months. The timeline you have to complete the test matters depending on your situation. Are you currently unemployed and need a training job as soon as possible? You would then want the shortest study time and easiest test. Are you looking to become certified without the need for immediate employment?
Maybe a longer study time would be needed since you are less motivated for immediate results. Also, keep in mind how much time you have to put toward your studies? If you only have two hours a week, you may not be able to complete your studies in the allotted time. What type of test taker are you? A confident test taker will not need to worry about the length of test or number of questions. Just make sure your potential employer approves this certification.
Recertification is required by all certifying bodies. The process of recertification varies slightly, but one common ground is that they require you to continue your education and show proof of this newly obtained knowledge via CEUs or Continuing Education Units.
Also, there are typically 1,s of courses to choose from to continue your education and we have compiled a list of our favorites here. Hopefully, this will not matter if you are successful in your personal training career. To ensure that you are successful check out this highly recommended business and sales course for personal trainers. The popularity of a certification is based on the number of trainers with a specific cert in the field as well as the number of test takers per year.
Not reported in the graph is the number of tests taken per year. NASM is by far the most popular of all personal training certifications at over 22, attempts per year. NSCA, who is also the second-most expensive certification, has the least amount trainers with their cert. This is a bit odd considering NASM, a brand with lots of interest, can justify this interest by charging more. AFAA said they have , certified but for a different group fitness certification. ACE : 13, attempts per year. The way that we look at this statistic is mainly by determining the recognition for each certification body.
It is assumed that the more people that take a certification the more well-known that certification is. Popularity can be seen as a reputation builder meaning that more people trust that company, but it also can be determined by the volume of marketing and advertising a company puts in.
This leads to more people in general recognizing the NASM brand and name. When trainers say they are NASM-certified, their clients typically recognize the brand name because of the abundant advertising and that makes the trainer more reputable, even though the client knows nothing about the quality of education NASM provides.
On the other hand, some progressive companies, like Fitness Mentors, have introduced a relatively new certification. The benefit of some of the newer certifications, however, is that they are able to fill voids where some of the older organizations lag. Most of the certifying bodies will be very similar in their balance of educational topics, due to the NCCA regulation that forces companies to do a Job Task Analysis.
This Job Task Analysis determines the most important knowledge to have to be successful in the field and is typically the same across the board. Therefore, each company is required to have the same topics of education. We estimate that these individuals, on average, make:.
Your success as a business person is determined by your drive, knowledge of key business and sales techniques, location and various other things. Income is also influenced by the type of employment, such as commercial gyms, health clubs, studios, online, or independent. Similar read: Personal Trainer Salary. Each certifying agency has its niche. A direction towards which it points its health and fitness principles of a field of focus it aims to equip its trainers to handle.
The OPT model engages the principle pillars of strength, stability, and power and directs them towards optimizing functional capability. As an ACSM certified trainer, you will be equipped with second to none knowledge of deeper training concepts making you more versatile than most trainers. This is provided you have a firm grasp of the technical aspects of fitness instruction of course.
If you decide later on to move on to other specialized areas of personal training, you should check out the links below:. After that, you will need to recertify, and to be eligible for this, you will need to pay a nominal recertification fee as well as submit the required amount of continuing education credits or units CEUs.
You may even opt for specializations, such as Group Fitness Instructor, special populations, fitness nutrition, or Conditioning Specialist. As you can see, ACSM is the most demanding in terms of CEU requirements, but also the most relaxed when it comes to the certification period. In order to be considered eligible to enroll in the NASM-CPT certification program, you must be at least 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma or the equivalent i.
This means that you are more likely than not to pass on your first try. The NASM certified personal trainer certification is totally worth your while if you plan on becoming a fitness professional within a general population. It is a highly respected certification, and you will have many great specialization opportunities as well.
In the end, the better certification is the better certification for YOU! For seasoned and experienced trainers or those with a deep academic leaning, ACSM is a great choice. We hope this has helped you form a well-rounded opinion of these two powerhouse certs as you decide which one is best for you. In this article, we will review both personal trainer certification programs. Pricing and quality for each training program. Certified personal trainer exam, exam layout, difficulty, and pass rate.
Continuing education units. About NASM. About ACSM. Cost of Study Packages. NASM Cost. ACSM Cost. Quality of Study Materials. Exam Layout and Passing Grade. Both will be able to land you the job, but NASM is preferred among a higher number of facilities. The winner for popularity and recognition is NASM. The original book focuses on the fundamentals of personal training, various techniques, and exercises that you will need to know.
There is a second, smaller textbook that teaches you about fitness testing and screening, as well as how to prescribe exercise routines based on these tests. You will be able to design different routines for healthy individuals and individuals with disabilities after studying this textbook.
The workshops overall are excellent and ideal for aspiring health and fitness training enthusiasts. I also have a free and awesome ACSM study guide and practice test here. Overall, the best ACSM study materials are created by Trainer Academy as they provide you with an exam pass guarantee. There are four different package types that you can purchase from NASM and each package type contains different study materials. It comes with a digital copy of their textbook, lecture videos, exercise library, practice exams , and practice quizzes, as well as their official study guide.
The guided study includes everything that the previous two contain with the addition of direct access to mentors and NASM coaches, additional discussion questions, a live workshop, exam prep guarantee and a hard copy of the textbook. The most prestigious package is the all-inclusive package which includes everything the previous three has in them with the addition of a job guarantee, CPT development program and access to the NASM business accelerator program.
The job guarantee will hook you up with free internships organized by NASM right after you get certified. I enjoyed the business program as well as it helps you focus on saving time and making more money. ACSM, on the other hand, just hosts textbook materials which can be difficult for some learning styles. Also, make sure to check out my free NASM study guide here. Check out my free and awesome NASM study guide here. Winner for the study materials is NASM. Is the ACSM certification cost really worth the value the certificate offers or will the NASM certification cost prove to be the perfect investment personal trainers will be over the moon about?
Winner for the overall price is ACSM. Below are detailed information on the test and recertification for each certification. If you a little adventurous choose one of the top fitness nutrition specialist certifications for your CEU to upgrade your knowledge. This means that some tests are harder than others so that there is not a certain number of questions you need to get right. Test your knowledge with my free ACSM practice test here. Also, Trainer Academy has five full practice exams that will fully prepare you.
The test contains multiple-choice questions, and you need to receive a grade of 70 on the scaled rating to get certified. Here is a link to my full review of NASM. You need to check out the NASM site for more information! Test your knowledge with my free NASM practice test here , a career and training system or discovery journey that ensures you find the best certification that suits you best.
Find out what do you need to become a personal traine r, the best certified personal trainer courses , and a personal trainer pay in the fitness industry to make an informed decision about your career in personal training. Since the price of the ACSM continuing education program is affordable, there remains no reason for fitness pros not to get recertified.
They require you to get recertified every two years and need 20 hours of continuing education units. Overall, I like not having to worry about recertification until three years later instead of every two years.
This low cost ensures there is no excuse for not enrolling for the NASM continuing education program. You can also look out for other Continuing Education Units that are cheaper for recertification. Both of these personal trainer certifications are well recognized among fitness professionals and within the industry. Overall, NASM won in the categories of general focus, recognition, popularity, study materials , and the test. Earning NASM first place overall. No wonder it is so widely accepted in the industry and held in high esteem among fitness trainers.
Find other study materials that can help you pass your exams at first attempt. If you are still having trouble choosing the certification that is best for you, I recommend that you take the quiz to find out which is the best match for you — if you should be NASM certified or ASCM certified.
David has written hundreds of articles and blog posts as well as dozens of e-books, training guides, and online courses covering a range of health and fitness topics. In his free time, David enjoys writing about staying fit while traveling abroad for his blog, FitnessWanders. Learn more about David Sautter at WriteonFitness. Our Blog. Facebook Twitter Instagram Try our Prep. Certified Cloud Security Professional. Certified Information Systems Security Professional. Critical Care Registered Nurse.
Progressive Care Registered Nurse. Family Nurse Practitioner. Certified Professional Coder. Veterinary Technician. Certified Personal Trainer. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse. Medical-Surgical Nurse. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Certified in Planning and Inventory Management. Certified Supply Chain Professional. Advanced Engine Performance. Electronic Diesel Engine Diagnosis. Medium-Heavy Truck.
Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology. Six Sigma Green Belt. Advanced Generalist. Bachelor of Social Work. Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Master of Social Work. Test of Essential Academic Skills. Certified Emergency Nurse. Trauma Certified Registered Nurse. Associate Safety Professional. Certified Safety Professional. California Real Estate. California Real Estate Licensing. Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.
0コメント