Just started my ISSA Certification and had a few questions

[soccerpro6]

Hey guys,

Just started my ISSA CFT certification yesterday! I just had a few questions for anyone that has any experience with the program:

1) I Know now you have to submit 66% of the online quizes before you have access to your final exam. Do you have to score a certain way on these quizes for them to count, our is it simply getting in the 66% of them, regardless of what your score is on them?

2) What did you find to be the best way to study? I have always read through the chapters, then gone back through and taken notes on all the major topics and bold face terms ect, then quiz myself over the material and review anyting I had problems on. Anyone have a lot of success with any other ways with the ISSA or any thoughts about how I do it? I don't think I will be "over-Studying" if there is such a thing, but just wanted to make sure.

3) Are the unit quizes multiple choice, essay or other and is the information usually covered essentially out of the text or is it more of a thinking outside the box type thing?



Thanks for the info! Any other input, advice or thoughts about the program I am doing would be appreciated!


Thanks guys
Kyle

[SusanBeth]

Hey Kyle,
I just passed my ISSA certification last November. I believe you have to score at least a 75% on the quizzes, but you can retake them anytime you want. And you can use your book - so really it's not too bad. I would actually print them out and after I finished a chapter, I would take it and answer as many as I could that I absolutely knew. Then I would go back and look up the ones I wasn't sure of. Then I would take it on the computer. The questions were multiple choice or T/F. As far as study methods - whatever works best for you. The workbook is a great asset so make sure you use it too.

Best of luck!
Susan

[dasixthsun]

the workbook really helps out a lot but i took it before you had to do the quizzes

[soccerpro6]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the help. So you can retake the unit quizes if you want? I have already learned alot just from the first unit!

[AnemicOne]

i got certified in september last year. i didnt take the quizes but the study guide really helped me to perpare for the final exam. i also read the book again so that really helped.

[atx1975]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the help. So you can retake the unit quizes if you want? I have already learned alot just from the first unit!

I just passed the ISSA-CFT today, the approach I used was reading a chapter while working out the workbook and then taking the quiz at the end of each chapter. If I failed a question I would go back through the chapter and figure out why what I choose was wrong and what the correct answer was. Good Luck you will learn alot. If you have any questions just ask.

[soccerpro6]

Thanks for the help and congrats on passing your final! I am almost through the first unit, I finished the metabolism section and aced that quiz so now that I have one done I feel better about it. I am really excited!

Thanks again for all the help guys

[Donica]

I passed the ISSA CFT final exam last year, but since I signed on to the program before it was 'mandatory', I had the option of taking or not taking the section quizzes--I actually took the quizzes the weekend before I turned in my final, though, I figured "Why not?" and reasoned they'd give me an idea of my general knowledge. (As in, if I failed them all then I shouldn't hand in my final! ) But I passed them all and passed my final, so it was really all just nervousness on my part...

I personally did not use the workbook. Other ISSA certs require that you HAND IN the workbook with your final, but the CFT cert is more lenient in that respect. Nevertheless, for the first few chapters on the human body, which I had never studied specifically in school (at least, I can't remember doing so), I kept a college-ruled notebook and highlighted the text that I thought was important, then recopied it into my notebook--double whammy for memory retention. I made flash cards of all of the definitions and etc. in the textbook margins and quizzed myself regularly. Later on, once I got into the 'program development' sections and whatnot, I basically just read the text, and then reread what I thought I needed to, and didn't take as many notes. The course builds upon itself, and if you pay attention and really think about everything after you've read it, my experience is that you can retain a lot and reason out things if you use your common sense. CFTs and PTs are thinkers as much as doers, and that's a lot of what you have to prove on the final.

Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention this: even if you take the final online, I'd highly recommend attending one of the seminars. I learned a ton of hands-on and practical stuff there that was only brushed over in the text and in the other books.

[lilmac83]

I just passed the ISSA-CFT today, the approach I used was reading a chapter while working out the workbook and then taking the quiz at the end of each chapter. If I failed a question I would go back through the chapter and figure out why what I choose was wrong and what the correct answer was. Good Luck you will learn alot. If you have any questions just ask.

Im having problems on completing the section that deals with the avid golfer workout plan. could you or anyone please help me by letting me know an exercise program I could use for this indiviual. thanks

[lilmac83]

I passed the ISSA CFT final exam last year, but since I signed on to the program before it was 'mandatory', I had the option of taking or not taking the section quizzes--I actually took the quizzes the weekend before I turned in my final, though, I figured "Why not?" and reasoned they'd give me an idea of my general knowledge. (As in, if I failed them all then I shouldn't hand in my final! ) But I passed them all and passed my final, so it was really all just nervousness on my part...

I personally did not use the workbook. Other ISSA certs require that you HAND IN the workbook with your final, but the CFT cert is more lenient in that respect. Nevertheless, for the first few chapters on the human body, which I had never studied specifically in school (at least, I can't remember doing so), I kept a college-ruled notebook and highlighted the text that I thought was important, then recopied it into my notebook--double whammy for memory retention. I made flash cards of all of the definitions and etc. in the textbook margins and quizzed myself regularly. Later on, once I got into the 'program development' sections and whatnot, I basically just read the text, and then reread what I thought I needed to, and didn't take as many notes. The course builds upon itself, and if you pay attention and really think about everything after you've read it, my experience is that you can retain a lot and reason out things if you use your common sense. CFTs and PTs are thinkers as much as doers, and that's a lot of what you have to prove on the final.

Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention this: even if you take the final online, I'd highly recommend attending one of the seminars. I learned a ton of hands-on and practical stuff there that was only brushed over in the text and in the other books.

can you help me on completing my sec on the case study dealing with the avid golfer and wrestler.Im trying to find out what are the excercises I need to incorporate in their program. It would really help me thank you and God Bless.

[Mr_Kinney]

Im currently finishing up my exam. what i did was completed the 66% quizes which you have to score 75% on them but if you dont get 75% it let you go back and change it... then I started on my final exam and went back and finsihed my quizes at a later time. but a way that i studied was i did the study guide then I did the practice exam which both are pretty much the same and the questions are pretty much the same thing but may have a few different questions but as long as you do the chapter outline, practice exam, and the quizes its a piece of cake... the only thing that is time consuming is the 6 learning experiences and the 2 case studies I just finish one learning experienc and one case study.
good luck and pm me if you have any questions, also use the forum on the issatrainer.com
Marquell Stinson

soccerpro6 has been done with his studies for quite a while. It's even in his signature at this point. Yo soccerpro6 what are you up to these days?

[Mr_Kinney]

Guys. If you actually did do the work and understand the material you shouldn't need to be asking for help on your finals. This is the reason ISSA is looked at as a lower cert and also the reason I'm currently going through NASM.

[rob440]

Guys. If you actually did do the work and understand the material you shouldn't need to be asking for help on your finals. This is the reason ISSA is looked at as a lower cert and also the reason I'm currently going through NASM.

What makes you say this is a "lower cert"?

[Mr_Kinney]

What makes you say this is a "lower cert"?

I'm not saying that it IS a lower cert. I'm saying that many other trainers and chain gyms LOOK AT it as being a lower cert because...

#1 it's all on line and in theory if someone wanted to they could just use the book during the final test.
#2 comments like "can you help me on completing my sec on the case study dealing with the avid golfer and wrestler.Im trying to find out what are the excercises I need to incorporate in their program. It would really help me thank you and God Bless. Last edited by lilmac83; 01-19-2010 at 02:11 PM." If you don't know how to do the case studies that means you aren't ready and should continue your studies until you are.

I actually feel I got a lot out of taking ISSA's course. In fact if I had to compare the NASM (which I'm studying now) and ISSA I'd say ISSA is actually harder due to the fact that you really REALLY need to know your anatomy, where as NASM gives you a pretty basic overview of the different systems involved in exercise only. But the only way you'll get anything out of ISSA is if you actually want to learn it and do so. Asking for someones help on your final test though IS CHEATING no matter how you slice it.

[rob440]

Thanks for your opinion. The reason I got certified through the ISSA is that their philosophy aligned better with my beliefs about training in general. For me I have a lot of training experience and wouldn't compromise what I know to be true for a cert.

[Mr_Kinney]

Good man

[NorwichGrad]

ISSA is a good cert. Don't get too wrapped up in the ongoing "which cert is the best" debate. (Although as an ISSA myself, I will admit that NSCA, NASM and ACSM are the top three.) Once you get your foot in the door, the biggest thing is to keep learning and get really good at what you do as a trainer not only in terms of your technical know-how, but also how to interact with different clients with different personalities. Learn, and then learn some more. Get good, then get better. Lots of luck. This is a very exciting field.

[flexapeal]

ISSA is a good cert. Don't get too wrapped up in the ongoing "which cert is the best" debate. (Although as an ISSA myself, I will admit that NSCA, NASM and ACSM are the top three.) Once you get your foot in the door, the biggest thing is to keep learning and get really good at what you do as a trainer not only in terms of your technical know-how, but also how to interact with different clients with different personalities. Learn, and then learn some more. Get good, then get better. Lots of luck. This is a very exciting field.

A-men

[vwayne]

I just started working on my ISSA-CFT I read the first section online and took the quiz scoring a 90. I'll admit though I have not had much time to pick up the book since i have recieved it. I'm trying to find the balance between Human Biology, 12 hr shifts, Rocket Attacks and trying to exercise (which is currently lacking).

Any study suggestions would be great, its been a while since I did any type of class and I'll admit that I'm getting a little flustered already.

[Lasharm]

I just started working on my ISSA-CFT I read the first section online and took the quiz scoring a 90. I'll admit though I have not had much time to pick up the book since i have recieved it. I'm trying to find the balance between Human Biology, 12 hr shifts, Rocket Attacks and trying to exercise (which is currently lacking).

Any study suggestions would be great, its been a while since I did any type of class and I'll admit that I'm getting a little flustered already.

I'm actually finishing up my final this weekend, if I can find the time. Up until now, I haven't had any anatomy classes in almost a decade. Here's some tips for the quizzes and the final exam...

As far as the quizzes go the majority of the questions for them (and the multiple choice/true-false sections of the final exam) almost all come from the section summary at the end of each section. I made it a point to read the summary first, then read the section, then make sure I have the summary memorized. I was able to ace all the quizzes using this method and was able to get through the first parts of the exam pretty much without a problem.

Once on the exam, be prepared for human anatomy. As I said, the majority of the first parts of the test pretty much come straight from the section summaries but the written part of the test is more in depth, going into asking about insertion, origins, naming the major bones and connecting muscles, etc...

Also, study up on program implementation. Part of the final is 2 case studies where they give you a client and a basic summary of each. You start by calculating their BMI, BMR, and target heart rate (using the karvonen formula in the book). You then will write a short description of what you will do the first few meetings (guiding them through paperwork, setting them up an exercise program, etc...), make a 12-week workout plan, and make any nutritional recommendations for the client. If you have it, take out your practice exam and read the sample they give so you understand more of what they want you to do.

A few study tips for learning anatomy.
1: each day select a section of the body (head/neck, chest, back, quad, etc...) and practice on yourself naming and pointing out each muscle and bone involved. Start with the major/general muscles and then get more specific/scientific. Repeat until you have the section learned.
2: if you can requisition some sticky notes and find a friend to let you label them. Basically write the names of muscles and bones on the stickies and get your friend to quiz you. They hand you a sticky and you put it where it needs to go. You can do this by yourself, but it is more fun with a buddy.


Anyway, good luck and stay safe.

[SC_BBing]

can you help me on completing my sec on the case study dealing with the avid golfer and wrestler.Im trying to find out what are the excercises I need to incorporate in their program. It would really help me thank you and God Bless.

i 2nd that im also having the same problem