The Best Personal Training Programs

The best personal training programs are accredited by the NCCA.

There are many organizations that certify people as personal trainers. Just as there are "diploma mills" among colleges, the same holds true in the personal training industry. Many people choose the easy route and just buy a certification from a diploma mill, hoping that whatever knowledge they have of anatomy and physiology, along with exercise experience, will lead them to a successful training career. The key element to look for in personal training is whether the organization is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA.) These offer the top programs available.

The National Strength & Conditioning Association

The NSCA has two outstanding credentialing programs.

The National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) offers two fitness credentials. These are the Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer. The CSCS is geared more towards working with groups of athletes while the NSCA-CPT is for strictly a personal trainer. Another significant difference is that to sit for the CSCS exam a candidate must have a bachelor's degree while only a high school diploma is required for the NSCA-CPT. Both are top-notch certifications.

National Strength & Conditioning Association
1885 Bob Johnson Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
800-815-6826
nsca-lift.org

The Cooper Institute

The Cooper Institute is recognized by the VA.

The Cooper Institute, located in Dallas, Texas, also offers a CPT credential, the CI-CPT. The Cooper Institute requires candidates to be CPR-certified. They offer both a four-and-a-half day course and a two-day course of study, both held in Dallas. A candidate must be 18 years of age and have a high school diploma. Candidates need a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, fitness assessment, motivation, exercise prescription and business principles. The Cooper Institute is one of the few organizations recognized by the Veteran's Administration.

The Cooper Institute
12330 Preston Rd.
Dallas, TX 75230
800-635-7050
cooperinstitute.org

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

ACE has a number of certifications besides their CPT.

The American Council on Exercise offers a Certified Personal Trainer program. As with other top programs, passing their exam requires an in-depth knowledge of exercise science, nutrition, design of exercise programs and fitness assessment, among other topics. You can purchase study materials then take the test locally. They also offer certifications in Group Fitness, Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist, and Peer Fitness Trainer.

American Council on Exercise
4851 Paramount Dr.
San Diego, CA 92123
858-279-8227
acefitness.org

The National Federation of Professional Trainers

Organizations that are NCCA-certified offer the best credentials.

The National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT) was founded in 1988. Their training certification, an NFPT-CPT, includes state of the art, on-going continuing education and compressive and research-based training materials on Physiology, Exercise Prescription, Goal Setting and Program Design. The NFPT offers a self-paced, self-study option as well as an online program. The online option requires eight weeks to complete. There are testing centers located throughout the U.S.

The National Federation of Personal Trainers
P.O. Box 4579
Lafayette, IN 47903
800-729-6378
nfpt.com

The American College of Sports Medicine

ACSM also offers a quality personal trainer certification.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACMS) offers an extensive Certified Personal Trainer credential. Applicants must be 18 years of age, be CPR-certified and have a high school diploma. Coursework includes demonstrating proper exercise form, education on designing programs and motivating individuals to lead a healthy lifestyle. The ACSM offers one-day and three-day pretest workshops, as well as a self-study option. The workshops are held throughout the U.S., and ACSM has over 5,200 testing centers in 162 countries. The ACSM was the first to offer a fitness certification and has credentialed over 25,000 professionals in 44 countries.

American College of Sports Medicine
P.O. Box 1440
Indianapolis, IN 46206
317-637-9200
acsm.org

References

• NSCA: NSCA Certification
• The Cooper Institute: Become a Certified Personal Trainer
• American Council on Exercise: Personal Trainer Certification
• National Federation of Personal Trainers: NFPT Personal Trainer Certification
• American College of Sports Medicine: Becoming an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer