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Which personal training certifiation?
Does anyone have input on the best personal trainer certification program out there, or is there really much difference? There seems to be at least a handful to choose from.
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14 Replies
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As a personal trainer and a former health and wellness director who hired trainers I have a lot of input. What is your goal with the certification? Side job? personal development? Full time career? it varies greatly depending on what you want it for.
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Jsheridan, I am very interested in your input as well as I have also considered getting certified. I am a nurse and would be interested in combining nursing with a training certification to be able to work in wellness/health coach/cardiac rehab type jobs. I might also consider some personal training on the side.
HonieT–sorry to hijack your thread. 🙂
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Basically, it depends on the level of seriousness. Some certs are harder/more expensive to get and maintain. You are also usually paid more for these. If you are doing it for yourself/part time, you are probably better off with one of the less expensive and easier certs. They dont always pay off if you are doing a few hours a week. NSCA-CSCS is the hardest to get/maintain, but one of the most highly regarded by well educadated people. ACSM is similar, slightly easier to maintain but also very highly rated. ACSM is a little more A&P (probably better for nursing etc) while NSCA is more program development/exercise form/strength and conditioning based. NSCA is also a little more athlete based, but the same principles apply, just on a scaled down level for the average exerciser.
NASM is probably next, not quite as difficult to get or maintain, but still very good. Its a has more “personal trainer” info, such as client interaction and sales (the others have this as well). The A&P and Program structure for optimum results is a little less in depth than the others, but has all the info you need to be a successful trainer.
ACE is probably the most popular. It is easier to get and maintain (and less expensive), while being slightly less in depth. It definitely covers all the basics. Most places will accept ACE certs, unless they are a very fancy club with high standards. When hiring, I was hesitant of interviewing people with ACE certs. People who think being a trainer is cool without wanting to do work usually have ACE. That is not to say all people with ACE fit that category, but I always interviewed carefully to see where they fit. There are many good trainers with ACE certs.
AFAA does great group ex, their PT cert is lacking. Any “weekend cert” is not worth your time, unless for personal knowledge. The others are not as reputable.
I can answer any other questions as well, if I missed any you were wondering about!
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I like my ACE cert, been with them for 12 or so years. However with anything it’s up to you to continue learning and studying even outside of what a cert requires of you. 🙂
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Thank you Venna for your input and advice! Jsheridan, I’m so glad you took the time to share your expert knowledge on the various programs. I am a physical therapist assistant working full time in a LTAC hospital and teaching a few pole fitness classes each week. I’m in the process of becoming pole certified and just recently started thinking about expanding my skills to include personal training. I really don’t have a solid idea of what direction I might take and appreciate any additional insight you might have for me based on your experience hiring trainers. The vast majority of my skill set has been with the critically ill or injured and geriatrics.
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I am currently working my way through NASM’s textbook and study manual in hopes of getting certified this summer. This shit is NO JOKE, but I like it. I already have AFAA group fit and X-Pert, so they help a little, but I still find myself putting in real work to understand what the hell I’m readying. I’m not sure how I’ll use my cert exactly, but I’m hyped about being a hardcore fitness nerd and having douchey conversations about muscle groups help me to twerk.
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I am going for my ACE Group Cert. then PT Cert. I like it because the break the program into a schedule and have other specialties that can be added. The price was reasonable as well, especially, for me because Bermuda’s fitness instructors course was cancelled due to not having a teacher.
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Really do your research & find out what cert is more widely accepted in your area. If you plan on teaching pole in gym settings, call the popular gym chains & ask the hiring manager what is the common cert that they prefer their PT’s & GFI’s have. For instance in my area, I called the big gym chains & ACE & NSCA seems to be the preferred cert, so I plan on going for the ACE group cert first, then the ACE health coach cert. I am also thinking about doing the ACE PT cert later down the line. HTH!
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Cali – That is a lot of certs! You’d have to pay renewal fees on all 3! You also need to find out if your 2.0 CECs count for all 3, or if you will have to have 6.0 CECs.
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@aerialgypsy Yeah I know it can get costly…that’s why I’m only thinking about PT right now lol. More than likely it will just be GFI & health coach though. I do a lot of volunteer work in the community outreach & healthcare fields & a cpl of the clinics I volunteer at are interested in me creating a healthy living program/workshop for their patients.
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@HonieT There are several Certs that offer a special one for working with special populations. NSCA definitely does, and either NASM or ACSM do as well, possibly both at this point. If that is your preferred population, those would be good to explore. I think its really important to figure out where you want to go with it, then do research as to what fits your needs the best. Certs are expensive to get and maintain, so you want to get the most for your money and be sure it is worth it to you. I invest probably $1000 at minimum to maintain my certification (NSCA) every time I need to recertify.
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Hi my question then is is the AFAA cert any good then they have the personal training cert and then the group fitness one. I know someone who is going to be taking the group fitness test in August and I had thought of getting that program myself. I want to be able to get a job at a gym or studio teaching on a full time thing and then get my pole cert so can teach pole too. I know that vertical joes offers the pole cert and that you get credits with AFAA with it but wanted to know if other gyms and studios would accept it. Also has anyone taken or know someone who has taken vertical joes pole cert and if it’s worth spending my money on to get or if I should go through a different company. I am a single mom so can’t waste money for something that will not make me more marketable job wise. Last question is if I get the group and pole cert is it worth also doing the personal training cert as well? Thanks for any help or info and sorry for asking questions on someone’s else’s thread.
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This is just MY opinion, but if you really only plan on teaching group classes, and maybe some private sessions, a group fitness cert is adequate. Personal training certs are for just that, personal trainers, who work solely one on one with people. I took the ACE GFI cert and found it perfect for pole, then I took Discoveries Dance to actually get a foundation in teaching pole. From what I hear, the GFI tests are significantly easier than the PT test. I think they expect you to know more for a PT cert because you are working one on one to strengthen someone. In reality, either one would work for pole, but getting both is overkill IMO. If you get both, you then have to pay bi-yearly renewals on BOTH, which is costly. I do not know if you need to double your continuing education units too. As it is, it is EXPENSIVE to get all the CECs necessary to renew. Most trainings cost anywhere from $400ish-$1000+ depending on type. Even the magazines I get cost $15 per 0.1 CEC. Discoveries Dance is $429, which was really cheap compared to other programs out there. The aerial yoga one I’m looking at is way more expensive, plus the airfare to get there. Not to mention, the materials for ACE were $500, then the CPR cert you need to get annually. It all adds up.
I read somewhere the the ACE certs are more difficult to pass that AFAA, but that could have totally been B.S. too, lol.
I don’t know anything about Vertical Joes training. When looking for a cert, make sure you can get CECs. You CAN petition for CECs but there is no guarantee they will grant them. Discoveries Dance counts for ACE. Get your fitness cert FIRST, then get the pole one.
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@aerialgypsy Thanks so much for your information. I will look into the GFI. I am already registered for Discoveries Dance next month. Glad to hear positive feedback on that!
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