The Different Types of Personal Training Certifications

Patients that walk into a doctor’s office know that state and federal laws require that person to complete certain steps before they can practice medicine. Basic schooling and testing is needed, ensuring that a patient can expect at least a minimum level of knowledge and expertise. For those visiting a personal trainer, however, there is no law in place that regulates the training and certification procedure. Anyone who gets the notion can hand out cards that promote their services as a personal trainer. In order to get a job, however, some type of certification will be required.

Types of Certification

There are dozens of certifications that a personal trainer can hold. However, four main organizations are recognized by most personal trainer professionals and businesses.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association uses a grueling testing process, making it a very reputable certification, recognized by almost all agencies. The American College of Sports Medicine is the oldest organization to certify personal trainers and is also well-respected by the fitness community. These two personal training certifications are the most desirable and will open the most doors for jobs and professional affiliation. Virtually all employers and businesses will accept these certifications on a resume.

Two other major organizations offers personal training certification certificates that are widely accepted. These don’t have quite the reputation as the NSCA and ACSM, so always check with your potential employers before choosing these certifications. Both the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise fit into this category.

Requirements

The requirements for each certification program vary and are set by each agency. The ACE, for example, is considered to be one of the easiest certification programs with national recognition. In fact, it’s possible to certify with ACE without having a college degree. Other organizations also offer some certifications that can be obtained without a college degree, including the NASM and the ACSM. The most desirable certifications in these organizations, however, can only be tested for by those who have graduated college. The desirable NCSA-CPT certification requires a full 4-year college degree in order to apply for testing. Of course, all applicants, regardless of what certification is used, must show mastery of the material covered.

Preparation

Most personal training certification programs use a combination of hands-on and book study to prepare for the test. Because each organization uses such a different process, most of the major certification organizations offer full training and preparation programs that focus on their own material. Personal trainers can attend a workshop or class, and some organizations even offer partial or full training online. Organizations that do not administer the training program themselves may list training partners on their website. Training, however, should always be specific to the type of certification you have selected.