Strength and Conditioning Certification

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February 19th, 2010

What types of national certifications are necessary for this field?

There are a variety of certifications available for this field and obtaining them certainly helps a strength and conditioning professional become more competitive for job employment and gives them more credibility when working with athletes or clients. Although there are many different certification organizations, two of the better-known organizations are the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Let’s explore these two organizations and their corresponding certifications further.

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The National Strength and Conditioning Association issues a Certified Strength and Conditioning (CSCS) certification. This is the most commonly accepted certification for this field. In addition to the CSCS certification, the NSCA also has a Certified Personal Strength and Conditioning Certification

Trainer (CPT) certification. The focus of the CSCS is the athlete whereas the focus of the CPT is the general population. To be employed at the collegiate setting a CSCS is typically required. However, at the professional level, there is not much regulation as to the certification a strength and conditioning specialist holds.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) has a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) certification that would be their equivalent to the NSCA’s CSCS certification. This organization also has their own Certified Personal Trainer certificate and a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) certification; geared toward someone working in a clinical setting to help prevent injuries.

There are niche areas with professional sports teams where one certification is preferred over the other. For instance, the NCAA prefers their strength and conditioning professionals have a CSCS while professional basketball prefers PES.

What prerequisites are required in order to sit for the certification exams?

In order to sit for the CSCS exam, an individual must have either their bachelor’s degree or a degree in chiropractic medicine. College seniors may also sit for the exam as long as they are enrolled in an accredited institution. Having a valid CPR certificate and automatic external defibrillator (AED) certificate is also a requirement.

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What does the CSCS certification exam entail?

The CSCS exam is divided into two main parts: scientific foundations and a practical/applied section. The scientific foundations section consists of 90 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Of these questions, 72.5% pertains to exercise science and the other 27.5% pertains to nutrition.

The practical/applied section involves 120 multiple-choice questions, 40 of which are in conjunction with a video that is watched for the exam. The second portion takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. There are four main components to the practical/applied section of the exam: exercise technique (35.5%), program design (35.5%), organization and administration (9%), and testing/evaluation (20%). The video portion involves watching exercise techniques being demonstrated and answering corresponding questions.

What is the cost of the CSCS certification?

To take the CSCS exam, the cost is between $260 and $430 based on a number of criteria. The fee is lowest for members of the NSCA who register in advance and take the paper and pencil exam rather than online format. To maintain membership to the NSCA you must keep paying a fee after a set number of years. Members have access to different job boards, studies, and educational resources.

How many continuing education units are required to maintain a strength and conditioning certification?

Six CEUs also with a recertification fee are required every three years. These CEUs can be earned by attending conferences, taking any type of college credit including online courses, taking journal quizzes, performing speeches/presentations, or enrolling in a related degree program.

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Are there state licensures required to practice as a strength and conditioning coach?

There are currently no licensures necessary for strength and conditioning coaches at the state level. This leads to not much standardization across this profession, which many strength and conditioning specialists feel needs to change.