• Personal Trainer Complete Guide Issaquah Wa
• Personal Trainer Complete Guide Issaquah

Related: Thus, we put together the following factors based on feedback from existing personal trainers and found as much data as possible so we could quantify our research:. NCCA Accreditation: most gyms only accept personal training certifications that are NCCA-certified so this is an important factor for aspiring trainers. The NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the gold standard for fitness certifications. Price: includes the cost of the test and the cheapest study materials. Pass Rate: the total test takers divided by the passers. Expected Study Time: this is the time you have to take the exam from the time you purchase the study materials.

Number of Test Questions: all tests are multiple choice, and we report on the amount of test questions for each exam. We also cover the total time allotted as well as the minimum passing score. CEU Requirements: amount of Continuing Education Units required to maintain certification.

Popularity of Certification: indication of the amount of people who have a cert and take the test every year. Primary Focus of Education: while this topic may surprise some, each program varies slightly in what their education process concentrates on teaching you. This information is pulled straight off their catalogs. Average Income: average annual income by certification based on actual user feedback from reputable website Payscale.com. Retake Fee: if you fail the exam the first time, the price to retake the exam again.

Personal Trainer Certifications we Analyzed (with links to websites). National Academy of Sports Medicine. – The American Council on Exercise. – National Strength and Conditioning Association. – American College of Sports Medicine. – National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association.

National Council for Certified Personal Trainers. – National Council on Strength & Fitness. – International Sports Sciences Association. – Athletics and Fitness Association of America. – National Federation of Professional Trainers Check out our infographic that covers the objective items mentioned above. Below the image is a list of all the items with a breakdown.

Best Personal Training Certification: An Objective Look into 10 Key Criteria Below we summarize the data contained in the infographic, diving into highlights from each section, explaining why some companies vary so much, and giving an honest assessment of why each of the companies ranks where it does. We also include a “Personal Trainer Takeaway,” from me, a longtime personal trainer who has worked in almost every facet of the business (big box gym, one-on-one, group fitness, business owner, etc.). This section is a bit more subjective, but will help you consider some things that a purely objective analysis might not. In some instances, we were not able to find data for each of the certifying bodies and we made estimates. This estimated data is not presented in the infographic but we make mention of it here.

Let’s clear up some Personal Trainer Certification FAQs before diving in. The personal trainer certification length is good for life provided you keep up with continuing education requirements of your certification. Another way of explaining this is that you’ll have to understand that each personal trainer certification company has different requirements for their trainers to maintain their certifications.

Generally, all companies will require you to take additional coursework within a two-year period to maintain your CPT. These courses, called CEUs, also have fees associated with them. See our chart and description below to learn more about each certification. There are and each will vary in the time it takes to start the process to get your certification.

You can theoretically get a personal trainer certification in as little as a few hours, but this method, available through unaccredited online companies, would be unlikely to help you get a job or equip you with any real knowledge. Furthermore, this method is not recommended by Fitness Mentors.

The other options and general timelines to get certified are:. Self-study: Certification via Accredited US Company — 6 months +/-. Certification via Vocational College — 30 to 42 weeks. Certification via University Programs — 4+ years.

Certification via Gym Program (usually unaccredited training programs, not certifications) — 90 hours +/- NCCA Accreditation With the exception of AFAA and ISSA, every personal training certification body on this list is certified by the (NCCA), the gold standard for fitness certifications. This is important to trainers because most gyms will only accept personal trainer certs that are accepted by NCCA-accredited agencies. So, if you are like many trainers who want to jumpstart their career by working in a gym, you may want to avoid a cert that is not NCCA-accredited. AFAA is currently rebuilding their program so that they will be accredited, so they may soon join the list of others. ISSA does have accreditation with Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE), but these are not as highly regarded as the NCCA. Personal Trainer Certifications WITH NCCA Accreditation:.

NASM. ACE.

NSCA. ACSM. NESTA. NCCPT. NCSF. NFPT Personal Trainer Certification WITHOUT NCCA Accreditation:. AFAA.

ISSA Personal Trainer Takeaway: Be sure to check with your top employment options to find out which certifications they accept, as that may be limit your certification choices. For example, if you have a friend that works at 24-Hour Fitness and says he can get you a job if you get certified, get a list of the certifications they honor so you know you’ll be a shoe-in. Similarly, if you plan on working at a smaller shop with other personal trainers, inquire with them first if they will accept the personal training certification you are leaning towards. Bottom line, determine where you want to work, then see if those places have requirements on the types of PT certs they accept for employees. Price The Price includes the cheapest study package and test. Most of the nine personal trainer certification bodies sit around the $500 price range for the exam and the study materials.

NFPT is the cheapest at $429, and ACE ($599), NSCA ($712.80), and NASM ($799) are a full $100 to $200 more expensive. For ACE and NASM, this is likely due to the popularity of the brands, while the NSCA seems to be expensive in general for these upfront costs as well as the Retake Fee (more on that below). Personal Trainer Takeaway: You should determine what matters most to you: prestige or cost?

If you want to go with a more recognized name in the industry (NASM, ACE) it will cost more. If you only need an inexpensive NCCA accredited cert for quick employment, look toward the less expensive certifications (NCCPT, NFPT, NESTA). However, also consider CEU requirements, income, as well as the above accreditation factors before you pull the trigger. While price may be the most important factor to you, all the factors on this page may influence your final decision beyond your initial investment.

Pass Rate The cert with the best pass rate is ISSA at 89.9%, while ACSM, at 54%, sits on the bottom end. The ISSA has the best pass rate because it is the only open book exam out of the bunch, and there is no time limit on the exam. There is no data on the Pass Rate for the AFAA because they are rebuilding everything to get NCCA accredited. Personal Trainer Takeaway: Some tests are much harder than others. If we use pass rate as our main reference point, it would appear that ACSM, NSCA, and NCSF have the most difficult tests.

This can mean these tests are the hardest to pass and the people that do pass them may obtain more knowledge and be better trainers because of it. Or, it could mean these tests tend to focus on more difficult subjects like anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.

What matters to you most: passing the test as easily as possible or obtaining the most knowledge and proving that to your clients and future employer? Expected Study Time The expected study time is inferred from the time the certification bodies give you when you buy the study materials until the time you have to take the exam. NCCPT: As long as you need. 80-100 hours recommended study time. NESTA: Study as long as you need but must complete the test within 90 days of requesting the exam voucher. ACSM: 3, 6, 12, or 24 month options. ACE: Schedule test before 6 months of purchase ends but can take it before 9 months.

ISSA: 6 months to complete. NASM: Must complete in under 6 months. NCSF: Must complete in under 6 months. NCSA: 120 days after purchasing exam. NFPT: 12 Months after purchasing exam. AFAA: N/A Personal Trainer Takeaway: 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. The main takeaway here is to not just look at the exam with the least amount of study time and say, ‘that’s for me!’ Instead, take an honest assessment of your current financial situation and the certification you really want and make the best decision for your future. Number of Test Questions Below: Number of test questions / total test time / minimum passing score NASM: 120 questions / 120 minutes/ 70% or higher is passing ACSM: 120 questions / 120 minutes / 68.75% or higher is passing. 800 points available based on scaled questions, 550 points needed to pass AFAA: 120 questions online exam / 120 minutes / 70% or higher is passing NFPT: 120 questions online exam / 120 minutes / 70% or higher is passing NESTA: 125 Questions / 120 minutes / 69% or higher is passing NCCPT: 140 Questions / 120 minutes / 72.7% or higher is passing NCSF: 150 questions / 180 minutes / 62% or higher is passing ACE: 150 questions / 180 minutes / 62.5% or higher is passing. 800 points available based on scaled questions 500 points needed to pass NSCA: 155 questions / 180 minutes / 70% or higher is passing ISSA: 160 questions / unlimited time / 75% or better is passing Personal Trainer Takeaway: 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.

Someone who walks into the test center and their mind goes blank because of testing anxiety may want to consider the shorter test like NASM or ACSM. Or, if you have an extreme fear of tests consider ISSA as there is no time limit for completion and the test is open book. Just make sure your potential employer approves this certification since it is not NCCA accredited. CEU Requirement The NCSF has by far the least amount of CEUs required at 10. At the other end, NSCA trainers are required to obtain 60 CEUs.

However, these numbers alone don’t tell the whole story, you should also consider the time periods in which these hours are required, as well as the costs to recertify. Thanks for the article. It was very helpful.

I am really considering NCSF. Do you have any info on who has the best training material? I want to fully understand what I am reading.

I want basics for dummies and not science over my head. I know it will take me time to study but I am dedicated and this has been on my heart for a while. I like that NCSF has a 16 hour hands on workshop. I am also considering ACE and NASM however NASM is pretty expensive. I am not too worried about the average income. I think that if your good at what you do and you are on the right path, the good Lord will provide for your needs.

Hello, I have checked out these programs individually but it was very helpful to have info condensed and in one article. I have advanced nursing degree as NP and have considered the ACSM as it seems the most physiologically based & medically related.

My thought is to combine my experience in nursing with the knowledge of personal trainer to assist chronically ill return to functionality or at least establish a new higher health baseline for them. Does ACSM seem best related for this or not necessarily? Does this sound like a good matching of disciplines/skills to create work for myself? Thank you so much. I regret going toward ACSM. It has turned out to be a huge waste of time and money for me.

The biggest issues are the lack of specific direction one should have while studying and prepping for an exam. And, the exam had material in it that I can almost swear wasn’t in the texts or study guides. I feel that their agenda is to create status and scrimp on the education and realistic prepping for the future. I see where they have a 48% failure rate which is ridiculous. I think it is a company turned in the wrong direction. I will seek out a different group to affiliate with that doesn’t practice exam trickery and doesn’t sustain elusive premises for being in their ‘elite’ class of trainers.

Very sadly I warn everyone against Ace Fitness. I had a horrible experience with Ace Fitness. I live in Vancouver Canada.

And one gym owner is good friends with a Ace Fitness executive Todd Galati. When I had a conflict with the Vancouver gym owner, she called Todd Galati and had him do her dirty work. All of a sudden Todd Galati had me “banned” from Ace Fitness.

When I went public, they had a lawyer send me serious threats and vicious insults to cover up their malicious and unprofessional actions. Of course this would cause anyone a crisis.

Please keep away from Ace Fitness.

Personal Trainer Complete Guide Issaquah Wa

Five reasons why ISSA can help you take a step towards a rewarding, flexible lifestyle where the gym is your office. ISSA's Personal Trainer Certification is focused on exactly what you need to excel as a personal trainer. Leading gym owners tell us the difference between ISSA-Certified Trainers and other trainers is HUGE!. 95% of our students report they acquired a job or work related skills within 6 months of passing. 40.7% of our students reported they received a promotion, and 45.4% said they received a pay increase. ISSA have been recognized as The Trainers' Trainer for over 30 years and in over 91 countries.

Personal Trainer Complete Guide Issaquah

You get unlimited support before and after you become certified. Plus we promise no hidden costs or fees.ever. Take your first small step right now! Just complete the form on the right.