Best Certified Personal Trainer

[Lift-Eat-Repeat]

I wanna get my CPT license, but want info on the best company to get it from. I have heard some companies licenses will get you a job quick and some will get you laughed at. I dont mind paying more for the course if its that much better. also if you could tell me how it works in getting certified, how long to expect it to take, how much money can be expected to earn (given a job or decent client base). Any info is much appreciated.

[Lift-Eat-Repeat]

Anyone ?? What about NASM and ACE?

[MuscleScience]

Just get ACE, its one of the cheaper ones and is well recognized.

[NVR2BIG1]

ISSA, most anyone will take it

[thane222]

go with ace, well recognized

[MuscleScience]

If your really dead set on a decent CPT, then go with either ACSM or NSCA's certifications. They actually have exercise scientist and physiologist on staff and are well respected in the health in wellness fields. However they are relatively difficult test and will cost a pretty penny.

[Lift-Eat-Repeat]

Ok thanks musclescience, i will check them out. so they are considered better than NASM? Only reason I ask is because a few ppl I asked made it sound like NASM is the best there is. I just want to get my moneys worth (:
Also, if you start your own personal training business, what could one expect to make per hour roughly. i understand it factors on many different things but if you had to guess what would it be.

[MuscleScience]

Ok thanks musclescience, i will check them out. so they are considered better than NASM? Only reason I ask is because a few ppl I asked made it sound like NASM is the best there is. I just want to get my moneys worth (:
Also, if you start your own personal training business, what could one expect to make per hour roughly. i understand it factors on many different things but if you had to guess what would it be.

Well its kind of like this, NASM is really well regarded within the personal training realm. It is a very good certification for a personal trainer to have.

NSCA and ACSM are both scholarly organizations that have peer-reviewed journals that are well respected in the global health/sports med field if you know what I mean.

You should expect depending where you are located to charge 40-50 dollars an hour as a basic level 1 CPT. These are sometimes specific gym based classifications and really is only a general guideline. However if you are doing your own business that would be the minimum to charged in order to cover gym training fees, insurance and living expenses. There are other CPT's on here that probably could be more specific since I do more of a medical based and exercise physiology clientele. For which I charge a lot more, but assume a high level of personal risk legally speaking. (Risk vs Benefit I guess)

The more academic qualifications you have the more bona fide you would be. Top level clients will seek out top qualified trainers and that will separate you from the other trainers that just have a CPT. I mean this with all do respect but I cant even count how many CPT's that had failed out of Undergraduate Advanced Exercise Physiology class when I taught the course in graduate school. Which is the bread and butter for what every exercise professional from CPT on up does.

Secondly if you expect to fit into future health trends, there is going to be a huge push especially for baby boomers to seek professional advise on fitness. Medical doctors are starting to more and more refer patients out to qualified health and wellness professionals to help co-manage if you will the treatment of their patients. The reason is that the medical profession is not designed nor able too provide exercise and diet related services at present. Yet exiting interviews of Medical students are showing a trend that these future doctors will be in some fashion advising patients on outside preventative care measures to help with indicated conditions.

I know this was long and strung out but I hope it helps you in some small way...

[spywizard]

^^^ yep.. also it should be noted that the CPT certification does not teach you to train a person. The science and ability to attract, motivate and keep your own sanity is not something that is taught..

[MuscleScience]

^^^ yep.. also it should be noted that the CPT certification does not teach you to train a person. The science and ability to attract, motivate and keep your own sanity is not something that is taught..

A-freakin-men!

[Chitown Raider]

ACE is something I heard is worth the money versus the others. My question is how does this work if you don't work for a corporate gym? Is it best to pass out business cards at smaller gyms and give them a cut for training the customers there?

[operationgetbig]

nasm is the best imo. i'm nasm certified. most gyms around me prefer nasm. i actually decided not to train cause i wouldn't be able to deal with clients and putting them through wussie workouts and hearing them complain. if you have a college degree it's good to fall back on i guess.

[Jackedinthebox]

NASM, for sure. The science and verbage it will give you will definitely get you heads and shoulders above other trainers, as well as the ability to train a wider clientele. I've been a trainer now for almost 18 years and I've seen ACE, AFFA, ACSM, ISSA, and trainers with degrees in Exercise Science ad nauseum. While you're at it also look into RTS with Tom Purvis. Tom was the original president of NASM and sold the name to Micheal Clark.

Anyways, the American Medical Association only recognizes three outfits and these are the ones you should look at. ACSM (for the cardiac and pharmacutical components), ACE (for the cardiac), and NASM (for the rehab and neuromuscular components). The first two will only teach you the same actual resistance and flexibility exercises that your clients already know and see everyday in the gym.

Believe me, they aren't gonna pay for that and I know! I've got a small studio (1800 sqr ft) next to a Gold's in my area. There must be a reason why I'm rumored to be blacklisted, tho I don't step foot in there, and their PT department is dead while I train their members, LOL!

[lifterjaydawg]

go with ace