ACSM is one of the Gold Standards along with the CSCS
Not a personal trainer but just to put it out there…
seem to get into the meat of what you need to understand.
[quote]btm62 wrote:
My question is, what is the best, most useful…etc. certification. (I would need to do this at home, over the internet type thing.) What does it cost?
Any information would be great, and if there is one that specializes in weight training that would be good too. Hell, I get so much good info off this site I could probably test out. Thanks for your help.[/quote]
I’ve been looking into this myself and I’ll share the few insights I’ve had.
A lot depends on what you want to do, where you plan to work and just how you approach “professionalism.”
I’m retired Army and have been exercising since I was around 15 . . . but I don’t feel like I know enough to take someone’s money or provide sound advice outside of the few areas of fitness in which I’m competent.
So my goal is to develop personal competency first, then ensure that I have a marketable titles after my name, second.
My local gym (GYMX, Killeen, TX) recommends NASM as the “gold standard.” The local Gold’s Gym said they had a list and would accept anything on the list. One trainer I spoke to said it “wasn’t hard” to get certified quickly.
My impression . . . it seems like most trainers want the cheapest and fastest route to certification.
Accredidation is critical. The NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) is the national authority on what is and is not a “good program.” I would not pursue certification from any organization NOT recognized by NCCA. Here’s a list of fitness training places whose certification is approved by NCCA
http://www.noca.org/NCCAAccreditation/AccreditedCertificationPrograms/tabid/120/Default.aspx
NASM, ACE, NSCA are all there along with some I never heard of.
I’ve also looked into what schools or programs are approved by Veteran’s Affairs and Department of Education . . . few are unless they are actual colleges or universities.
One place that I’m looking at is PCI . . . Pinnacle Career Institute (Kansas). Their training program is 10 months long, earns you 65 credit hours and includes four weeks of resident/hands-on training. At the end, they administer the NSCA CPT test and you can also study for CSCS.
They claim that their extensive training will allow you to get much better insurance rates and work in settings outside gyms (rehab, old people, etc).
Whether I end up with PCI or not, that’s the type of program I’m leaning towards because I really want to start with as much book knowledge as possible. Price is high . . . $15K . . . but I believe well worth it.
Now . . . you can take the same NSCA CPT test (or CSCS) and prepare for it by buying study materials from NSCA that will cost under $700 and take 2-3 months.
All the certifying agencies I’ve checked have that option. Generally, the study materials and test run you around $600-700.
By the way . . . I asked the head trainer at a local gym what she thought of the PCI program and she’d never heard of it. She recommended NASM and then attending other schools and courses as I went.
So, some insights . . .
-
Don’t just go by what the local gym tells you. Find some real pro . . . someone you want to emulate and see what he/she did. (That’s not always the answer, Mike Mahler, who’s pretty well known, has NO certifications. But generally, the real pros know the difference between shit from shinola.)
-
Do an honest self-assessment. If your goal is to train big guys and make them bigger guys, that’s different than if your goal is to work with 40-somethings who want to lose the pot belly or doggy-style their wife without having a heart attack. Once you have an idea of future clientele, assess what you need to do to get competent.
-
Last, I would approach training and certification with the idea that it’s never ending. For example, I will probably start with NSCA-CPT . . . then maybe go for NSCA-CSCS . . . then maybe NASM . . . then maybe some ACE programs on group training and nutrition.
Somewhere in there, I’ll toss in kettlebells, yoga . . . and on and on. It’s not just to get a bunch of letters . . . I like learning and want to learn all I can as fast as I can so I can help more (and different) people.
Hope that helps.
You have so many in the States - there are like 2 or 3 sought after qualifications in the UK.
I have had good success with my resume, and while most of it is due to my experience, i have to say that started with my qualification.
It is one of the better ones and most go for the next best one as it is cheaper. Sadly that makes a difference.
When i move back to the states i will be needing to renew my qualification.
I was thinking ACSM or NSCA.
What is THE BEST - most renound qualification? I have an Advanced Exercise Physiology and Metabolic Calculations book by the ACSM and i am considering them as i would learn a whole lot… However i would love the NSCA qualification as it moves in the direction i want to… I think i ansered my own question there…!
Joe
I don’t have any certs, but what the hell… I’ve asked the question, done some research, considering training athletes or coaching. Here’s my opinion.
If you already have the degree (or close) go for the CSCS. As I understand it, nature of degree is irrelevant.
Without the degree, I like the looks of the ISSA Specialist in Sports Conditioning (SSC).
LA
For those who may know, would the courses offered by PCI and the like be better than getting the study material and reading?
I looked into PCI and Heritage Educations offerings,both offer certs and both are $13k+. I’m not sure I’m prepared to shell out that kind of jack on a cert that is, as some have said, just a foot in the door. Both of these courses are 1yr+ 5 days a week 4 hours a day, which seems like a long time, however the hands on stuff could be beneficial?
I’m thinking just get the study material and read.
[quote]Boss6 wrote:
btm62 wrote:
My question is, what is the best, most useful…etc. certification. (I would need to do this at home, over the internet type thing.) What does it cost?
Any information would be great, and if there is one that specializes in weight training that would be good too. Hell, I get so much good info off this site I could probably test out. Thanks for your help.
I’ve been looking into this myself and I’ll share the few insights I’ve had.
A lot depends on what you want to do, where you plan to work and just how you approach “professionalism.”
I’m retired Army and have been exercising since I was around 15 . . . but I don’t feel like I know enough to take someone’s money or provide sound advice outside of the few areas of fitness in which I’m competent.
So my goal is to develop personal competency first, then ensure that I have a marketable titles after my name, second.
My local gym (GYMX, Killeen, TX) recommends NASM as the “gold standard.” The local Gold’s Gym said they had a list and would accept anything on the list. One trainer I spoke to said it “wasn’t hard” to get certified quickly.
My impression . . . it seems like most trainers want the cheapest and fastest route to certification.
Accredidation is critical. The NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) is the national authority on what is and is not a “good program.” I would not pursue certification from any organization NOT recognized by NCCA. Here’s a list of fitness training places whose certification is approved by NCCA
http://www.noca.org/NCCAAccreditation/AccreditedCertificationPrograms/tabid/120/Default.aspx
NASM, ACE, NSCA are all there along with some I never heard of.
I’ve also looked into what schools or programs are approved by Veteran’s Affairs and Department of Education . . . few are unless they are actual colleges or universities.
One place that I’m looking at is PCI . . . Pinnacle Career Institute (Kansas). Their training program is 10 months long, earns you 65 credit hours and includes four weeks of resident/hands-on training. At the end, they administer the NSCA CPT test and you can also study for CSCS.
They claim that their extensive training will allow you to get much better insurance rates and work in settings outside gyms (rehab, old people, etc).
Whether I end up with PCI or not, that’s the type of program I’m leaning towards because I really want to start with as much book knowledge as possible. Price is high . . . $15K . . . but I believe well worth it.
Now . . . you can take the same NSCA CPT test (or CSCS) and prepare for it by buying study materials from NSCA that will cost under $700 and take 2-3 months.
All the certifying agencies I’ve checked have that option. Generally, the study materials and test run you around $600-700.
By the way . . . I asked the head trainer at a local gym what she thought of the PCI program and she’d never heard of it. She recommended NASM and then attending other schools and courses as I went.
So, some insights . . .
-
Don’t just go by what the local gym tells you. Find some real pro . . . someone you want to emulate and see what he/she did. (That’s not always the answer, Mike Mahler, who’s pretty well known, has NO certifications. But generally, the real pros know the difference between shit from shinola.)
-
Do an honest self-assessment. If your goal is to train big guys and make them bigger guys, that’s different than if your goal is to work with 40-somethings who want to lose the pot belly or doggy-style their wife without having a heart attack. Once you have an idea of future clientele, assess what you need to do to get competent.
-
Last, I would approach training and certification with the idea that it’s never ending. For example, I will probably start with NSCA-CPT . . . then maybe go for NSCA-CSCS . . . then maybe NASM . . . then maybe some ACE programs on group training and nutrition.
Somewhere in there, I’ll toss in kettlebells, yoga . . . and on and on. It’s not just to get a bunch of letters . . . I like learning and want to learn all I can as fast as I can so I can help more (and different) people.
Hope that helps.[/quote]
This information was very helpful. Thanks for sharing. I would like to get certified eventually, thinking of taking anatomy first while I am still in college to help before I start reading and teaching myself. Unfortunately they don’t offer it around my local colleges.
I know previously i stated that lifetime were a good company to go with, however whilst they were good for your level 2, i have to strongly recommend NASM.