NHE (National Health Educators) Exam

[CoQ10]

Hey Everybody,

I'm taking this exam in about a month, and was wondering if anyone had any advice. I've been a personal trainer for about four years and have a handful of certifications, so I really don't feel that I need to purchase the study guide.

Is this test unique to the point where a study guide is necessary, or should I be able to pass with my current knowledge?

Also, is this certification widely-accepted?

Thanks,
C10

[noremacs]

Greetings,
Did you have a favorable experiences with National Health Educators? I'm researching them before I embark on any of their certifications. If you could provide me with this information I'd be most grateful.

Thank You,
Stuart

[bigfrog]

I've never heard of it. If I have I put it in the deep dark areas of my mind. Time to go look it up.....

[CoQ10]

They keep spamming my inbox, so I'm going to assume it's not legitimate.

That said, it's a free certification, so I suppose it can't hurt .

-C10

[sarahlivian]

I got a couple of those emails too and asked around before I got involved. Couple of the trainers at my gym are certified through national health educators and they said their exams are like trying to pass the bar exam. They got the study guide and said it really helped because there is no fee for retakes if you own a study guide. They showed my the study guide and it was amazing! Very different from what I'm used to. From what I've heard, the NHE personal trainer programs are pretty new but their study materials are the best I've seen. Their website is beautifully done and it's easy to navigate through which is the first sign of a well organized company. Unlike the ACE website that looks like it was designed in the 90's and is almost impossible to acquire any sort of specific information. I signed up for their volunteer program and i will be getting the study guide too. If you decide to do it too, make sure you get your confirmation email. Mine was sent to my junk folder on accident.

SNL

[bigfrog]

Originally Posted by CoQ10

They keep spamming my inbox, so I'm going to assume it's not legitimate.

That said, it's a free certification, so I suppose it can't hurt .

-C10

How's it free? It looked like normal prices when I looked.

[Ronin4help]

It's one of those quality control programs. NASM has them too. They basically send out a notice and you sign up to take an exam. Then they use your results to fine tune their program. If you pass, you get certified for free. The certification is not normally free, it's just a special one time deal they offer to a few. NHE has a national program and theirs is really good because they have a Master trainer and a Sports Nutrition Program. Definitely worth the bother if you're in need of a credential.

[AngelaParker]

Academically, National Health Educators is more advanced than more recognizable programs. They have three different levels so that trainers who already know exercise fundamentals don't have to go through that crap again. Kinda like once you have your drivers license, you don't need to take the road test to renew it. Very smart. As far as being widely accepted, my suggestion is to not fall into that trap because AFAA is widely accepted and their program is a joke. Most gym owners know if their going to hire you within five minutes of talking to you. If a gym owner tells you he/she wont hire you because they don't "accept" your certification, they are basically saying, "You are not a good fit for my club". Because they can accept any certification they want. It's never the certification, that's just a perfect way to avoid EEO violations if they don't want to hire you because your too soft, ugly, short or whatever.

[CoQ10]

Hey Everybody,

I signed up for the Fitness Nutritionist and Master Personal Trainer exams on 02/28 and 03/21, respectively. I'll let you know how they go.

-C10

[bigfrog]

Good luck.......

[NDame616]

Anytime you ask about a cert, and you feel you have to tell us what the initials stand for, it's not a legit cert.

[AngelaParker]

What? That doesn't make any sense. Anything you are not famaliar with must not exsist because you haven't heard of it before? New supplements come out every month and that doesn't make them unreal. I actually believe it may be the other way around. If others are engaged in something you are not familar with, you might want to consider expanding your educational forums.

[zalesguy]

It's a legitimate certification. It ranks up there with ACSM. The Master trainer program will be harder than anything you've ever taken so don't think just because you know your stuff that you will automatically pass. I failed it twice and I have a BS in exercise physiology.

[NDame616]

I've been working at various gyms, at various levels, for years. I've never seen a PT with this cert.

While I understand the point of "because I've never heard of it doesn't mean it isn't good," I can say that no gym I know of has accepted this as one of their certs.

[AngelaParker]

There are about 18, 000 fitness centers in the US and they don't all accept every cert. I know of gyms in Houston that have never heard of ACSM. The point is, recognition means nothing in a industry that continually evolves. NHE isn't a new company because they mostly deal with the clinical side. I think their PT programs are new and so that might explain why. I guess the good news is, you can no longer say you haven't heard of them before

[CoQ10]

Originally Posted by zalesguy

The Master trainer program will be harder than anything you've ever taken so don't think just because you know your stuff that you will automatically pass.

Indeed. My friend has an M.S. and was struggling with some of the questions. I'll post some sample ones on here later if you guys want to give it a go .

-C10

[bigfrog]

Originally Posted by CoQ10

Indeed. My friend has an M.S. and was struggling with some of the questions. I'll post some sample ones on here later if you guys want to give it a go .

-C10

Please Do.....

[CoQ10]

From the "Master Trainer" exam:

For each of the following sections, please determine which of the three subjects least belongs with the group. To successfully pass this exam, you must first determine the topic of each section. Notice the topic is not given, only a hint. The "Hint" pertains to the topic only. Once you realize the topic, then extract the one subject that least likely pertains.

Hint- (Catabolism)

a) Thyroid function b) Peptides c) Chemical process

From the "Fitness Nutritionist" exam:

Please identify the subject by utilizing the following keywords. Explain how the keywords correlate.

Keywords: (Chemical reactions, Cells, ATP)

-C10

[nickmanzoni]

Do you WANT us to post the answers?


these are really easy.

[SHOWTIME]

Originally Posted by nickmanzoni

Do you WANT us to post the answers?


these are really easy.

We finally agree, if that is for MASTER trainer that is something else, lol

Even if you only know the very basics the word Catabolism and chemical process should have a connection in your head (also Anabolism obviously)

So worst things you should be down to 2 choices, these are VERY basic questions.

I would take this test for FREE and get a free cert if possible.

[SHOWTIME]

Can someone please post a link to the site?

[meaghan1974]

Those are not easy? Try answering a hundred of those within an hours time! Good luck. It doesn't appear that you can guess your way through either. Notice they ask you to explain your answer. So... what is the correct answer and what is the correct explanation?

[dshinton]

Originally Posted by AngelaParker

If a gym owner tells you he/she wont hire you because they don't "accept" your certification, they are basically saying, "You are not a good fit for my club". Because they can accept any certification they want.

My gym accepts eight different certs. We typically don't hire unless you have one of those. On a very rare occasion, we may hire someone and give them 60 days to obtain a cert in our list; but usually we will ask a candidate to get an accepted cert and come back.

Originally Posted by AngelaParker

I know of gyms in Houston that have never heard of ACSM.

Sounds like a quality gym to me!

[AngelaParker]

It's hard to judge actually. I also think it depends on where you are and what type of gym it is. Cooper is big in Texas and so that may be why. The hardcore gyms that are run by true bodybuilders are typically the ones that are not familiar with all of the cert agencies because they, themselves, do not have certification. Most bodybuilders think personal trainer certifications are a joke and they despise trainers who think they are qualified just because they are ACE certified or something like that. The only reason true fitness experts even have a certification is because they are forced to get one. Many feel they possess the knowledge to open up shop without one.

[Al Shades]

I don't understand why everyone doesn't just get one of the big four certs: ACE, ACSM, NASM, NSCA.

If you are going to put in the effort to study, why not get a widely accepted credential?

Are you afraid that the tests for the major orgs will be too hard or something? Fear not, they all have largely the same content.

It's kind of like choosing to get a degree from a community college rather than an Ivy League.

[AngelaParker]

It's called disassociation. We have all worked with people with the aforementioned certs and they can be embarrassing to watch. Personally, I'd rather take a program form the medical side because they are not as commercially pushed and they are not as widely possessed by the weekend professionals. Also, there is a new generation of trainers coming out and they probably don't want to possess the same credential their mom or dad had.

[CoQ10]

Originally Posted by Al Shades

I don't understand why everyone doesn't just get one of the big four certs: ACE, ACSM, NASM, NSCA.

If you are going to put in the effort to study, why not get a widely accepted credential?

Are you afraid that the tests for the major orgs will be too hard or something? Fear not, they all have largely the same content.

It's kind of like choosing to get a degree from a community college rather than an Ivy League.

Al -

I already hold two certifications from ACE. My reasons for taking the NHE exams are:

1) They're free.

2) I'm sidelined with an injury and have plenty of free time.

3) I'd like to expand my knowledge.

I would NOT pay for this exam or any that wasn't widely-accepted, but under the circumstances I feel it's not a bad idea.

-C10

[sarahlivian]

I hope you didn't pay for your ACE certifications. I wouldn't care if they were recongnized on the planet Mars. They have to be the most generic overly obtained PT cert on the market. Anyone and everyone who seeks an ACE cert gets one. They have the easiest exams I've ever seen. I bet you scored a 90 or higher on your exam, yes? Do yourself a favor and don't brag about being ACE certfiied because if you are a good trainer, it isn't because they made you that way.

[Ronin4help]

ACE is irrelevant to today's trainers. ACSM is the best. NHE is very good too. NSCA is a great cert but it isn't applicable for most trainers, it's more for strength and conditioning.

[mbishoff]

the legit certification for health educatiors is the CHES. cerfied health education specialist. This is for people who teach health in schools. I am a health and a Phys ed teacher.

THis would be of no use to a personal trainer. Unless you wanted to be a school teacher.