[Iron&Pain]

I'm interested in getting certified in a number of areas such as personal training, youth fitness, rehabilitation, nutrition. Has anyone used any of the popular associations to obtain certification and which one is the best?

[rampage jackson]

ACSM is best. NCSA is great. ACE is a decent one to start with. You don't need a degree like the first two.

[idunk42]

NASM is a very popular one here in the midwest, as well as all over.

[Rodja]

NSCA and ACSM will be the best certifications to get, but the tests are much more difficult than the others(and expensive). Like Rampage said, their PT certifications are designed as stepping stones to the higher certifications. I cannot remember the name for ACSM, but the NSCA has the CSCS which requires a bachelors degree.

[CRUNCH]

I used to be NSCA - CSCS and Ace certified. Dropped them both. The CEU's they make you take were the biggest waste of time I've ever seen. I can stay way more up to date on new things reading this forum than anything I ever learned from the CEU classes they made us take.

If you're going to be personal training, the average client doesn't have a clue about one cert or the next. In nine years of training I can count on both hands the number of people that asked me about any certifications.

[glg]

Quite honestly I am usually less than impressed by the trainers I see who have a bunch of initials after their name but are in worse condition than I am. Or I start asking questions on training form, cycles, nutrition etc and it turns out that I know more than they do and I've been out of the business for almost 15 yrs.

I was a certified Nautilus instructor, am a semi-retired 5th degree in Taekwondo, have low level training in Filipino, Indonesion, Thai and grappling arts. Have a lot of letters after my name (2 B.A.s. M.B.A)

I used to do a lot of personal advising on strength/nutrition programs for my students. Even back when most athletes were discouraged from touching weights (would slow you down, ruin your flexibility....)

I watch the trainers at the gym I work out at (one of the big chains) and am scared by what I sometimes see them doing or telling their clients.

If a client wants credentials then you're out of luck. But look into getting a few letters of referal from people you have trained.

Word of mouth is a very poweful tool and you can educate yourself via all the websites, videos & books if you need to fill in the gaps.

There are a lot of very professional trainers and fitness instructors out there that are self educated.

[screech]

I have ISSA and it was too easy. It's pretty much open book. Depending on your background, look into ACSM or NSCA. For ACSM you need either a degree or 1 year experience in the field. For NSCA's CPT I don't think you need anything, for the CSCS you need a bachelor's. It just depends who you're trying to get a job with. Here in the midwest all the big gyms want NASM. Just talk to whoever you're trying to work for.

[Iron&Pain]

Thanks everyone for the valuable advice, I'm certainly glad I joined anabolicminds to extend me knowledge and resources of knowledge. It sounds like to me, my best best would be to start out with getting some type of degree (assoc, bachelors) in say, excercise science, kinesiology...something like that, and see where I am after that and go from there. I'm active duty military so funding really is no problem with 100% tutition and assistance. Thanks for all the input guys.

[rampage jackson]

I will add that the CSCS test is difficult without a thorough background in Ex. Phys.