ACE, NSCA Or ACSM?

I am sure this may be a FAQ, so if anyone knows of an existing thread please feel free to post that link.

I've had a life altering experience courtesy of 3 dedicated PTs. Feel free to see my BodySpace for more on that. In short I'm a "Biggest Loser" and its changed my life & released the person (inner & outer) I've always wanted to be.

As a result I've decided to pursue a career as a PT. I've always wanted to be my own income. I've taught & coached for years and I miss it terribly. To be able to combine that love of teaching/coaching with my new lifestyle and be compensated seems perfect.

That said, and if this is a volatile issue I apologize (feel free to PM me), of the 3 main certifying bodies (ACE NSCA and ACSM) with whom should I begin my path to becoming a certified PT with & why?

[QUOTE=BuckSpin;187039301]

I've taught & coached for years and I miss it terribly. To be able to combine that love of teaching/coaching with my new lifestyle

[/QUOTE]

This is what will make you successful! It really doesn't matter which certification you choose. Key word is "love"

Ace is in my opinion a junk cert. NSCA cscs would be the best if you want to work with athletes. You need a 4 year dgree in a health area to take the test.
I should add I'm a little biased since I have the NSCA cscs. I also have the ACSM fitness instructor cert

[QUOTE=carl.c;187065111]Ace is in my opinion a junk cert. NSCA cscs would be the best if you want to work with athletes. You need a 4 year dgree in a health area to take the test.
I should add I'm a little biased since I have the NSCA cscs. I also have the ACSM fitness instructor cert[/QUOTE]

doesnt need to be in a health area you just need a 4 year degree

[QUOTE=MVP;187059021]This is what will make you successful! It really doesn't matter which certification you choose. Key word is "love"[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the compliment!

[QUOTE=carl.c;187065111]Ace is in my opinion a junk cert.[/QUOTE]May I ask what you base that opinion on?

[QUOTE=dasixthsun;187069241]doesnt need to be in a health area you just need a 4 year degree[/QUOTE]

To confirm: ANY 4 year degree = being able to undergo NSCA certification?

1.The test is centered around athletics not bodybuilding.
2. The available support after certification is great.
3. A comparison between the certs my fellow classmates got and mine.

i stand corrected on the type of degree. I hav'nt been to the certification sight for a couple of years. It looks like they changed up a couple of things.
I see they only require a high school deploma to take the CPT test, you may want to try that one first.
I'm assuming you don't have a college degree.

[QUOTE=carl.c;187079121]I'm assuming you don't have a college degree.[/QUOTE]Actually, 2 Bachelors and a Masters....

As far as ACE is junk

One of friends down in San Diego is only ACE certified. He has his own PT studio and makes 80k a year with just his PT alone. Not bad for a so called Junk cert

That just goes to tell you, any cert will do

Just think if he had a real cert he could be in the six figures and own a chain of gyms!!! Please remimber I said the cert was junk. I realize that would imply the trainers are too,but that is not the case I know many good trainers with the ace,they just got it because it was cheap and easy.

Nice: Then I would recommend you get the cscs.

[QUOTE=carl.c;187098131]Nice: Then I would recommend you get the cscs.[/QUOTE]

agreed. Does anyone have any info on whether it is true that you need a cscs to work with a professional sports team. If so i think i might go out and get a bs in exercise science or something

[QUOTE=carl.c;187097711]Just think if he had a real cert he could be in the six figures and own a chain of gyms!!! Please remimber I said the cert was junk. I realize that would imply the trainers are too,but that is not the case I know many good trainers with the ace,they just got it because it was cheap and easy.[/QUOTE]

So are you saying the better, the recognized cert = more money?

Not sure how to aswer that let me try this. If you want to get a job with a sports team and you have little to no contacts then a NSCA or ACSM cert will get you in the door quicker then all others. For the general public it probably would make little diffrence,since they don't understand the diffrences.

what about NASM?

Thanks to all for the info & replies. It is very appreciated. Others encouraged to elaborate and/or add their thoughts.

All of the following is based on heresay and I could be very wrong:

I've heard only 15% of ACE's test/study materials are about the body. I wouldn't like that

I took a class based on the ACSM and got their fitness professionals handbook. THE WORD SQUAT WAS NOT IN IT (from what i saw in their exercise technique section or their glossary), neither was anything about the valsalva manuver

NSCA every chapter was written at a college level and very informative.
In my opinion nothing else can compare to the nsca

Get ACE because it is the cheapest and it is now widely considered to be a "top tier" certification.

The top tier is:

NCSA
ACSM
ISSA
ACE

ACE is the cheapest.

Thanks to all who replied. Between the responses here & in PMs I've decided to go with NSCA and pursue their CPT certification. Besides joining, they offer the various study materials for the NSCA-CPT. There are quite a few packages/items. May I ask which items/packages one should get to best study & prepare from?

[QUOTE=BuckSpin;187541051]Thanks to all who replied. Between the responses here & in PMs I've decided to go with NSCA and pursue their CPT certification. Besides joining, they offer the various study materials for the NSCA-CPT. There are quite a few packages/items. May I ask which items/packages one should get to best study & prepare from?[/QUOTE]

I have the NSCA-CPT certification. I only used the textbook (Essentials of Personal Training). It contains all of the information that you need. I don't know about the other study materials that they offer, as I did not order them. Make sure you know the info in the book very well. The test is difficult, and when I took it, it had a pass/fail ratio of 52/48. Don't worry though. Study hard, and it will all be worth it in the end.

Thanks for the reply & info!

[QUOTE=BuckSpin;187039301]I am sure this may be a FAQ, so if anyone knows of an existing thread please feel free to post that link.

I've had a life altering experience courtesy of 3 dedicated PTs. Feel free to see my BodySpace for more on that. In short I'm a "Biggest Loser" and its changed my life & released the person (inner & outer) I've always wanted to be.

As a result I've decided to pursue a career as a PT. I've always wanted to be my own income. I've taught & coached for years and I miss it terribly. To be able to combine that love of teaching/coaching with my new lifestyle and be compensated seems perfect.

That said, and if this is a volatile issue I apologize (feel free to PM me), of the 3 main certifying bodies (ACE NSCA and ACSM) with whom should I begin my path to becoming a certified PT with & why?[/QUOTE]


Welcome to our world.
!
My opinion.... NASM, NESTA, NSCA and ISSA are the best for pracitcal personal training. ACE is bare minimum... you might as well get an IFA and read a bunch of fitness magazines.

ACSM HFI- requires a 4 year degree or the completion of a string of exercise science courses given at some universities.

ASCM- cPT is decent, and from my understanding, the institude is considering requirng a degree for that cert too.

Since most states do not require a cert (and some gyms don't either), you could successfully start with IFA or ACE. Get some practical experiences while studying for the ones I mentioned above.

Good luck, and train em hard!

[QUOTE=MVP;187087521]As far as ACE is junk

One of friends down in San Diego is only ACE certified. He has his own PT studio and makes 80k a year with just his PT alone. Not bad for a so called Junk cert

That just goes to tell you, any cert will do[/QUOTE]


The 80K is nice but yeah really depends on where you live 80K does not carry you as far there as some other places. If you told me 80K somewhere else maybe a little more impressive.

Overall I think that ACE and NASM are my favorite certifications with the strongest industry recognition and best buddy materials as of right now. But for those that I do have some helpful articles that compare these personal training certifications in depth that will be helpful to any readers here. Here is my comparison of the ACE and NSCA certifications: [url]http://www.ptpioneer.com/nsca-vs-ace/[/url] and here is my comparison of the ACE and ACSM certifications: [url]http://www.ptpioneer.com/ace-vs-acsm/[/url]. I hope these will help anybody trying to find the perfect personal training certification for them. My whole website is dedicated towards helping people getting started in the personal training industry!

[QUOTE=BuckSpin;187039301]I am sure this may be a FAQ, so if anyone knows of an existing thread please feel free to post that link.

I've had a life altering experience courtesy of 3 dedicated PTs. Feel free to see my BodySpace for more on that. In short I'm a "Biggest Loser" and its changed my life & released the person (inner & outer) I've always wanted to be.

As a result I've decided to pursue a career as a PT. I've always wanted to be my own income. I've taught & coached for years and I miss it terribly. To be able to combine that love of teaching/coaching with my new lifestyle and be compensated seems perfect.

That said, and if this is a volatile issue I apologize (feel free to PM me), of the 3 main certifying bodies (ACE NSCA and ACSM) with whom should I begin my path to becoming a certified PT with & why?[/QUOTE]

It may not matter in 9 months because that is the average length of time a newbie remains a trainer. In other words, the opportunity and your resolve will be more important than which cert got you in the door. Once in however, then is when the real education begins.