Certified Personal Trainer

By Ashley Boyce, an allied health world staff writer
Published: January 26th, 2010

What are the prerequisites for a personal trainer certificate program?

One of the great things about the personal trainer profession is how accessible it is. Anybody with a passion for fitness who enjoys working with people can become a personal trainer. The requirements for entering a personal trainer certification program are minimal: Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants must also hold current Adult CPR certification including automatic external defibrillator (AED) training.

What are the most respected personal trainer certifying agencies?

There are dozens of certifying agencies that accredit personal trainer schools and provide personal training certification. They all establish an independent standard for curriculum and most require graduates to pass an exam proving their competency to work with the public. Of the dozens of Personal Trainer Certification

certifying agencies, eight are accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA). These eight certifying agencies are distinguished in the fitness industry and recognized by personal trainers internationally as being the most respected due to their exceptionally high standards for education, as well as their broader academic focus that addresses exercise program design and the business side of working as a personal trainer. The NCCA partners with a number of personal training schools offering personal trainer certification programs to help set the highest standards for curriculum and field training. These accredited schools will provide an education specifically geared towards earning certification through one of these certifying agencies. This allows prospective personal trainers to know with confidence that upon graduating they will hold a highly regarded Certified Personal Trainer credential that will make them more desirable to employers and more respected by peers.

Each of these certifying agencies has requirements for continuing education units (CEU) that must be completed each year to remain certified. Certification must be renewed either annually, or every two or three years depending on the certifying agency. Recertification verifies having satisfied CEU requirements and requires paying a fee of between $85 and $300 yearly depending on the certifying agency.

Learn more about the personal trainer training.

The different organizations offer different types of advanced level and specialized certification, making it all the more important to research the most appropriate organization if you intend to pursue a specialized personal trainer career or higher levels of certification.

Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) or Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT), depending on the certifying agency, are the credentials associated with personal trainers who have graduated from accredited programs. These credentials are earned by completing programs through personal trainer schools accredited by these top certifying agencies:

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) www.acsm.org
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) www.nasm.org
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) www.acefitness.org
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) www.nsca-cc.org
National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) www.ncsf.org
National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT) www.nfpt.com
National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) www.nestacertified.com
International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA) www.ifpa-fitness.com
These non-NCCA certified associations are also highly respected among personal trainers:
The International Sports Science Association (ISSA) www.issaonline.com
Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) www.afaa.com
The American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) www.afpafitnes.com

What are some advanced and specialized personal trainer certifications available?

Most everybody entering the personal trainer profession begins by first earning the CPT certificate. In most cases earning the CPT credential is a requirement for those who choose to pursue specialized certification through associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs. Those who wish to expand their knowledge of fitness, pursue a specialized form of personal training, and open the door to new professional opportunities can consider one of these advanced certifications:

Certified Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) certification verifies recipients are prepared for careers working in universities, hospitals, and corporate or commercial settings. HFS specifically trains graduates to meet the unique fitness needs of people with medically controlled diseases. This certification requires either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a health related field such as athletic training, sports management, physical education, or health science among many others.
Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET) certification is granted to those interested in helping cancer patients, in any of the various stages of cancer diagnosis and treatment, safely and effectively engage in exercise. This certification requires a bachelor’s degree of any kind-not necessarily one related to health- and 500 hours of experience working with geriatric citizens or those with chronic illnesses. This certification is available to those without bachelor’s degrees if they can show 10,000 hours of experience working with geriatric citizens or individuals with chronic conditions. This certification trains recipients in understanding cancer diagnoses, surgeries, treatments, symptoms, and side affects.
Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT) certifies that a personal trainer has been trained in meeting the unique fitness needs of those with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. This certification verifies the recipient’s knowledge of how to design a fitness facility that caters to the needs of people with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This would include considerations for the blind and individuals in wheel chairs. This is a certificate that can be earned without requiring an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist (PAPHS) certifies that a personal trainer is qualified to plan, execute, and evaluate the physical activity of a given population as a whole, whether that is the population of residents of a city, or a national demographic of people. These specialists work to educate politicians and policy makers on the need for legislation and social programs that promote exercise for the public to improve the overall health of a given community. This certification is available to those with a bachelor’s degree in any health related field, or a bachelor’s degree in any subject coupled with 1200 hours of experience in community health, after school programs, commercial health clubs, or any other setting in which physical activity and a healthy lifestyle is promoted.