I’m close enough to retirement to start considering what I’d like to do afterwards. One of my thoughts is to get certified as a personal trainer. As I understand it, it is a non-regulated field. Getting a certification is optional, though probably a good idea as far as getting insurance goes. With that in mind, I’ve seen quite a few places offering their certification i.e. ACE, NASM, USCI etc…
Is this a matter of, ‘it really doesn’t matter who you go through’ or is it a matter of, ‘it HAS to be XYZ certification because the rest are junk’? They all look to offer a similar product overall.
Some facilities just want you to have some form of certification and don’t care who it is from. Others have certifications that they prefer. I would go ahead and get your certification from one of the more respected places such as NSCA, ACE, NASM, etc rather than some junk PT certification.
Sorry for the cross-posting-- this seemed like an appropriate thread to ask the question:
Is anyone familiar with W.I.T.S. Personal Trainer Certification?
Link:
Has anyone gone through this program or worked with anyone certified through it?
How does it compare, in practice, with ACSM, ACE, Cooper, etc.? It’s one of the few that requires at least 20 hours practicum, vs “no-internship” (no experience like hands-on!)
I’ve brushed through the 500 page text book and it’s very elementary stuff. That is if you’ve been somewhat experienced or educated in the field. Ive heard that the ACE cert is not worth it. I am not making a claim, just letting you know what I know.
Your potential clients will not really care who you are certified by unless they are really curious or was suggested to ask. The cert just really gives the people a peace of mind knowing that you DEF know SOMETHING.
NASM would be my recommendation. They have a lot of stuff on assessment, anatomy, proprioceptive programs, troubleshooting, and scratch the surface on nutrition.
I studied 3 hours total. Finished the test in 20 minutes with 1 hour and 40 minutes remaining.