 |
|
Step 1:
Train Clients |
ACSM Personal Trainer CertificationThey market is as "the gold standard" in the fitness industry. While that's a bit of an exaggeration, the ACSM personal trainer certification is definitely one of the top certification options. And of course why only offer one certification? ACSM offers a whole catalog full of them but I will focus on the two most common options. You can compare ACSM Certification against other Personal Trainer Certifications using our Certification comparison table. And don't forget to check what our readers are saying about the ACSM personal trainer certification. What is cPT?Well, it won't certify you to drive a boat, but I guarantee you that your clients will call you Captain if you put those initials on your business cards. The cPT is the basic ACSM personal trainer certification. It qualifies you to train healthy individuals, make fitness assessments and exercise recommendations. What to I have to do to get it?To get the cPT ACSM personal trainer certification you will need the following: * High School Diploma or equivalent
How do I do that?Where there are exams, there will be workshops. And getting the ACSM personal trainer certification is no exception. ACSM is happy to lighten your wallet for these optional but helpful offerings:
And of course there is a ACSM personal trainer certification practice exam for $50. Where's my Calculator?Add it all up and you are looking at close to $800. No wonder they call themselves the gold standard! 
But then I'm Certified, Right?Well, yes and no. If you pass the exam you will earn the ACSM personal trainer certification. However, every 3 years you must renew your credential. That takes $35 plus 45 CEC units. That's continuing education classes if you are not familiar with the term. So how much is 45 CEC units? Its equivalent to about 7 days worth of workshop attendance. And of course you can guess, ACSM only recognizes their own CEC's for maintaining the ACSM personal trainer certification. So if you go down this path, plan on spending another $800-$1000 on continuing education. What about advanced certifications?
The ACSM personal trainer certification is just the beginning of their offerings. You can continue working and become an ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor(HFI). The HFI qualifies you to train clients who are not in good health. This kind of training requires much more knowledge of anatomy and requires a great deal of responsibility. At a glance, the main difference is that you must have an Associate's degree (usually a two year program) in a health related field. The cPT ACSM personal trainer certification only requires a high school education. The costs of the HFI certification are comparable to the ACSM personal trainer certification.
What do you think about ACSM certification?Here's your chance to have your say about the ACSM personal trainer certification. Ask a question, submit a comment, or even rant or rave about ACSM. ACSM Certification Insider TipsGetting feedback about ACSM certification from people who have gone through the program is valuable. Click on each tip to read and rate the comments submitted by our readers.
ACSM Exam Tips
ACSM certification is worth the cost
ACSM Workshop
Not rated yet
ACSM Continuing Education
Not rated yet
ACSM Best Certification
Not rated yet
ACSM certification has the best reputation
Not rated yet Next Page: ACSM Vital Statistics
Navigation Guide: Home Page / Step 2 Index / ACSM Personal Trainer Certification |
Education Providers: 