Personal trainers can be certified a variety of organizations, but few are as comprehensive as The American College of Sports Medicine, also known as ACSM. A trainer can use the certification to demonstrate his or her understanding of exercise and the human body. Trainers can take one of several types of ACSM certification exams.
A personal trainer is a health professional whose job it is to assist clients in getting the most out of their workouts. He or she will design sets of exercises that help a client reach his or her goals as quickly as possible, taking into account the client’s needs. Trainers also work out with their clients to ensure that they are correctly performing each exercise.
A trainer’s certification can help them find work at a gym or with private clients. A personal trainer’s certification may be required some gyms or fitness centers as a condition of employment. Depending on the type of clients a personal trainer plans to work with, different types of certification can be earned.
ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM is the most basic ACSM certification for personal trainers. It covers the fundamentals of putting together an exercise program and working with clients. An individual must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and a current CPR card in order to apply for this basic certification. A practical skills component must have been included in the CPR class.
After meeting the minimum requirements, a person may sit for the ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM exam. There are both self-study and in-person courses available. There is a higher level of general ACSM certification that isn’t tied to a specific specialty. ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist is the name of this ACSM certification.
Special certifications are available for clinical professionals. If the applicant has an undergraduate degree in a clinical field, he or she can earn the ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist® certification. If the applicant has a graduate degree, an ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist® certification can be obtained.
In addition to the aforementioned ACSM certifications, there are a number of specialty ACSM certifications. Before applying for a specialty exam, a trainer must first obtain the ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM certification. Trainers who want to work with cancer patients should get the ACSM/ACS Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET) certification. Trainers who want to work with the physically or mentally challenged can earn an ACSM/NCPAD Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer certification (CIFT). For trainers interested in working in the public health sector, the ACSM/NSPAPPH Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist (PAPHS) certification is required.
To take a certification exam, a trainer does not need to be a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. However, if a trainer chooses to join, he or she will receive a discount on the costs of taking their exams. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies has accredited all ACSM certifications (NCAA).