Is the ISSA Master TraIner Certification worth it?

[t.yontz]

GOOD DAY

Im currently in the Marine Corps and getting out in about 9 months and wanna pursue a career in the fitness world after I get out.

I talked to my JEC (joint education center) aka people who deal with tuition costs etc, and they said that the only personal trainer cert that they'd pay for is the ISSA.

Now they also told me that one can only get certified in one area during their enlistment (I can only use it once basically for whatever cert I want)

I reviewed their ISSA booklet which has all the courses in it and certifications listed and saw something called their
"ISSA MASTER CERTIFICATION"
this is a compilation of the following:

Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification

heres whats listed on their site:

For trainers who want to distinguish themselves as the best of the best, ISSA has created the ultimate curriculum for personal trainers.

ISSA's Master Trainer Certification Program combines the:
Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification
Candidates who successfully complete all of the program components are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer™ and hold CFT, SFN, FT, SFOA, SSC, and YFT training credentials.

Master Trainer Certification: Program Components

Personal Trainer Certification:
ISSA's "flagship" certification program, the Personal Trainer Certification course features cutting-edge information for those interested in beginning a career in personal training. The course offers comprehensive coverage of anatomy, kinesiology, injury prevention, supplementation and nutrition, and all aspects of resistance training.

Fitness Nutrition Certification:
Our Fitness Nutrition Certification course first lays down a strong foundation in the science behind nutrition, as you discover how your body balances out the food you eat with the work it does. Then we take this knowledge EIGHT steps further as we teach you the art of nutritional coaching.

Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification:
This post-rehab certification program teaches you how to work with individuals suffering from a wide variety of injuries and illnesses. Learn to use strength training as a healing modality.


Advanced Examination: Level I
Advanced Examination: Level I is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in personal training, nutrition, and fitness therapy. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Elite Trainer.™

Strength and Conditioning Certification:
Designed to provide coaches with the knowledge, expertise, and specific training techniques to enable their athletes to expand the capacity of their bodies, injury free.

Youth Fitness Certification:
As many trainers are now discovering, youth fitness is destined to become the fastest growing segment of our industry. If you want to work with kids, this is your program.

Senior Fitness Certification:
ISSA has brought together some of the finest minds in fitness science to create a breakthrough program for trainers who wish to work with older adults.

Advanced Examination: Level II
Advanced Examination: Level II is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in senior fitness, youth fitness, and sports conditioning. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer.™



basically what I'm asking is, is this worth it?
The Marine Corps will cover cost 100%

If I was to complete all of this and become an ISSA MASTER TRAINER how would that look to others?

would that give me an advantage over just a personal trainer?

would I get a salary increase?

I searched all over the web for this and has no luck, so thought i'd bring it here for all the other trainers to take a look and let me know what they think.

Any and every answer is appreciated,
please be as in depth as you can be, the more information the better.

Thanks,

Taylor

[CLB454]

If they are gonna flip the bill for it without burning your G.I Bill I would go for it. As far as Salary increase that would depend on the gym.

GOOD DAY

Im currently in the Marine Corps and getting out in about 9 months and wanna pursue a career in the fitness world after I get out.

I talked to my JEC (joint education center) aka people who deal with tuition costs etc, and they said that the only personal trainer cert that they'd pay for is the ISSA.

Now they also told me that one can only get certified in one area during their enlistment (I can only use it once basically for whatever cert I want)

I reviewed their ISSA booklet which has all the courses in it and certifications listed and saw something called their
"ISSA MASTER CERTIFICATION"
this is a compilation of the following:

Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification

heres whats listed on their site:

For trainers who want to distinguish themselves as the best of the best, ISSA has created the ultimate curriculum for personal trainers.

ISSA's Master Trainer Certification Program combines the:
Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification
Candidates who successfully complete all of the program components are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer™ and hold CFT, SFN, FT, SFOA, SSC, and YFT training credentials.

Master Trainer Certification: Program Components

Personal Trainer Certification:
ISSA's "flagship" certification program, the Personal Trainer Certification course features cutting-edge information for those interested in beginning a career in personal training. The course offers comprehensive coverage of anatomy, kinesiology, injury prevention, supplementation and nutrition, and all aspects of resistance training.

Fitness Nutrition Certification:
Our Fitness Nutrition Certification course first lays down a strong foundation in the science behind nutrition, as you discover how your body balances out the food you eat with the work it does. Then we take this knowledge EIGHT steps further as we teach you the art of nutritional coaching.

Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification:
This post-rehab certification program teaches you how to work with individuals suffering from a wide variety of injuries and illnesses. Learn to use strength training as a healing modality.


Advanced Examination: Level I
Advanced Examination: Level I is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in personal training, nutrition, and fitness therapy. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Elite Trainer.™

Strength and Conditioning Certification:
Designed to provide coaches with the knowledge, expertise, and specific training techniques to enable their athletes to expand the capacity of their bodies, injury free.

Youth Fitness Certification:
As many trainers are now discovering, youth fitness is destined to become the fastest growing segment of our industry. If you want to work with kids, this is your program.

Senior Fitness Certification:
ISSA has brought together some of the finest minds in fitness science to create a breakthrough program for trainers who wish to work with older adults.

Advanced Examination: Level II
Advanced Examination: Level II is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in senior fitness, youth fitness, and sports conditioning. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer.™



basically what I'm asking is, is this worth it?
The Marine Corps will cover cost 100%

If I was to complete all of this and become an ISSA MASTER TRAINER how would that look to others?

would that give me an advantage over just a personal trainer?

would I get a salary increase?

I searched all over the web for this and has no luck, so thought i'd bring it here for all the other trainers to take a look and let me know what they think.

Any and every answer is appreciated,
please be as in depth as you can be, the more information the better.

Thanks,

Taylor

[fabostrong]

I agree with what the guy above me said. I'm ISSA Certified. A lot of places don't think it's good because it isn't NCCA Accredited. Just remember that. If I could do it again, I'd just pay for my own cert. Probably NSCA.

[KashTheTrainer]

issa is one of the best ***** out there as far as content goes imo, nasm is right up there. the differnce tho is, even tho the content of both is amazing, nasm is more recognizable. but if they are covering it, go for it, if u actually read the material and comprehend it, i think u can learn more from it. i have my ace cert and i have issa and im currently going for my nasm. i think issa was way better than ace.

[t.yontz]

What about the master trainer specifically? And is this a good career choice to peruse after getting out of the military.

What is an average salary of someone who possesses all of the certifications in the master trainer set?
I would think the more ***** the more pay? Is this true?

[JoeCannonMSCSCS]

Ive felt that those Ive met who were ISSA certified were smart and new their stuff. ISSA recently got some good press because this is the org that Anna Kournikova is certified by. here is my review of her. http://www.joe-cannon.com/anna-kourn...iggest-looser/

On the potential downside, some gyms may not accept ISSA because it is a test you take in the privacy of your home. Gyms often like supervised tests. If you are thinking about working in a gym in your area, go to them and ask for the list of ***** they accept. they all have this list. See if ISSA is on that list. In the end that will tell you if ISSA is best for you.
Hope this helps
Joe

[USMCDevilDog45]

Semper Fi.
I was in the exact boat a year ago that you were in now. I did the Master cert class, got out and moved to Texas. The 2nd day in my gym (24 hour Fitness) the club manager approached me and started asking what I did, blah blah blah. I told him I had just got out of the Marine and had my master certification from ISSA. He hadn't heard of it. He looked it up then called their corporate office and they gave the ok. They pay per certification up to 5 and as you said the master certification has 6 so I automatically start out as a "Master Trainer" and at the highest hourly rate. It worked out great for me.
THe classes are no joke. You have to complete the quizzes and the tests take awhile. THe good news is that they walk you thru the material so your not left guessing like other programs.
The moral of the story, its a $5-8,000 cert that if the gym(s) you want to work at recognize (and I don't know of any that don't but I didn't research it extensively) you start out at the top earning bracket. As for how much money this means...that's on you. There are 2 ways you can go. You can work for a gym, the plus is you get clients the negative is you share the money. You can go private (usually you pay the gym a "rental fee" whether you work 1 client or 50, this way you have to get your own clients but you keep all the money (you also have to pay for your own insurance, and do all those others things that are involved with your "own" business...(Disclaimer: I don't want to get into the specifics because a) I don't want someone to take what I wrote literally, they need to look up the applicable laws and rules...b) ISSA goes over all that...end result is that teaming up with the gym is where most trainers have told me they started).
If you want to know if it will work for you then sit down and decide what you want and what you need to get there. If you invest the time and energy it can produce a substantial income compared to what we made in the Marine Corps. Here is what I did, after the GM offered me the job I said I would think about. I spoke with the trainers over the next couple weeks about the hours they worked, the amount they were paid, the hassles they went thru and what they thought of it. Then I decided whether it would work with my current goal of getting into law school. Then I made my decision. It all started because a year ago I took the classes to get certified. This is all my personal experience, take what works for you.
Semper Fi

[t.yontz]

Semper Fi.
I was in the exact boat a year ago that you were in now. I did the Master cert class, got out and moved to Texas. The 2nd day in my gym (24 hour Fitness) the club manager approached me and started asking what I did, blah blah blah. I told him I had just got out of the Marine and had my master certification from ISSA. He hadn't heard of it. He looked it up then called their corporate office and they gave the ok. They pay per certification up to 5 and as you said the master certification has 6 so I automatically start out as a "Master Trainer" and at the highest hourly rate. It worked out great for me.
THe classes are no joke. You have to complete the quizzes and the tests take awhile. THe good news is that they walk you thru the material so your not left guessing like other programs.
The moral of the story, its a $5-8,000 cert that if the gym(s) you want to work at recognize (and I don't know of any that don't but I didn't research it extensively) you start out at the top earning bracket. As for how much money this means...that's on you. There are 2 ways you can go. You can work for a gym, the plus is you get clients the negative is you share the money. You can go private (usually you pay the gym a "rental fee" whether you work 1 client or 50, this way you have to get your own clients but you keep all the money (you also have to pay for your own insurance, and do all those others things that are involved with your "own" business...(Disclaimer: I don't want to get into the specifics because a) I don't want someone to take what I wrote literally, they need to look up the applicable laws and rules...b) ISSA goes over all that...end result is that teaming up with the gym is where most trainers have told me they started).
If you want to know if it will work for you then sit down and decide what you want and what you need to get there. If you invest the time and energy it can produce a substantial income compared to what we made in the Marine Corps. Here is what I did, after the GM offered me the job I said I would think about. I spoke with the trainers over the next couple weeks about the hours they worked, the amount they were paid, the hassles they went thru and what they thought of it. Then I decided whether it would work with my current goal of getting into law school. Then I made my decision. It all started because a year ago I took the classes to get certified. This is all my personal experience, take what works for you.
Semper Fi

what is the "highest hourly rate" for you in TX?

also was that base pay per say? like from gym only?
what about clients?

can you elaborate a little more

[Diiimn]

I agree with what the guy above me said. I'm ISSA Certified. A lot of places don't think it's good because it isn't NCCA Accredited. Just remember that. If I could do it again, I'd just pay for my own cert. Probably NSCA.

It's not recognized by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, NCCA but it's recognized by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, IHRSA, as at en.wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/International_Sports_Sciences_Association#Accredit ation_and_affiliations, assuming "IHRSA" is the only other certifying agency, apart from NCCA for personal trainers, as it seems to be said in en.wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/Personal_trainer#United_States_of_America under Personal trainer certification in USA.

[t.yontz]

The guy above me said he made "top pay bracket" at his point of business (gym)
I have the same Master Certification as he does and since this isn't "average" and its 6 certifications instead of just 1 whats an "acceptable salary" I could expect to make since ill have 6 certifications?


Can anyone answer this? The guy who mentioned it to me never gets on the forms anymore lol

[adreeves1979]

Former Marine here...got out in August of this year. Just to let you know Tuitions Assistance will only pay for the Fitness Trainer Certification with ISSA, not the Master Trainer program. Now this was about 6 months ago, so things could have changed and this was also at Camp Lejuene Education Office. Regardless, it's a good program to take because it gives you the knowledge you need and at no cost to you. Good luck and Semper Fidelis brother!

[t.yontz]

Former Marine here...got out in August of this year. Just to let you know Tuitions Assistance will only pay for the Fitness Trainer Certification with ISSA, not the Master Trainer program. Now this was about 6 months ago, so things could have changed and this was also at Camp Lejuene Education Office. Regardless, it's a good program to take because it gives you the knowledge you need and at no cost to you. Good luck and Semper Fidelis brother!

my education center put it all as 1 cert (so corps would pay for it) so i kinda got hooked up

anyways hows that working out for you (issa cert) in the real world?

Im trying to see how much i can expect to make after i get out?

whats an average yearly salary with the issa master cert (6 *****?)

the more the better, but i cant find any info with all of them compiled together.

[CUTT3R]

Pay is a hard question to answer, it depends on location and if you are going to work as an independent or for a gym. Some trainers will charge as little as $25/hr upto $150+/hr. After I recieved my CFT went to work for franchised gym and they paid me $8 and hour when I wasnt training clients but walking the floor and $9.50 when I had a client. To make matters worse they charged the client $35/hr so the gym made a killing. After I recieved my second cert (SSC) They chaged my clients $50/hr but I recieved no Pay increase, and on top of it I paid for my *****. I soon left that gym and went independent. I now have my 3rd Cert (SPN now changed to SSN) and I charge $75 to $100 depending on length of commitment. The best advice I could give is to call around to the gyms in the area you want to work and find out what they pay. Then check with the independents and see what they charge. The more ***** you have the better, but in the end it all comes down to what you do with it. Good luck

[fabostrong]

The pay is going to depend on the gym. Some gyms will pay more if you have more certifications. No one can tell you how much to expect your first year. It probably won't be a lot. it takes time to build clientele and more than likely your gym isn't going to give you 40 hrs a week to just walk the floor and talk to people.

Your best bet will probably be more of a private gym or country club. I work for Club Corp. See if they have a gym in your area. Here in Houston, Tx, the trainer's start out making 32.50/hr when they're training and 10/hr when they're not training.

[adreeves1979]

my education center put it all as 1 cert (so corps would pay for it) so i kinda got hooked up

anyways hows that working out for you (issa cert) in the real world?

Im trying to see how much i can expect to make after i get out?

whats an average yearly salary with the issa master cert (6 *****?)

the more the better, but i cant find any info with all of them compiled together.

Glad you got hooked up! I tried doing that with my Ed Office and they wouldn't do it. Then again they didn't really know how to get the ball rolling with ISSA in the first place. I ended up having to call the Military Rep at ISSA to get it squared away. But to answer your question. Like the others said, pay is really dependent upon the gym you are going to be working at. Once you get experience and start gaining clients you can expect your pay rates to increase and your income to go up, a lot also will depend on how good you actually are at training someone and how much you try to learn after you get your cert and start working! Things are always changing and evolving in the industry...Knowledge is the key to success!

The only major issue I've run into with having an ISSA CFT is that a couple "major" gym organizations don't recognize it and want you to get their training or from one of the BIG Three PT Certifications.

[remi_rivera]

Here prior Corpsman and currently SFC in the Army,
Thanks for your review, I am in Korea in the same boat and I have delayed starting the cert. bc of ISSA name vs Ace or NASM. After reading your review I will start the classes. Good long in your long term goal, I bet you sacrifice a lot to get there, it will worth it at the end. As for me I wanna be a strength and conditioning coach for a Rugby team!

[trel26]

Whats going on bro? I just completed the Master Personal Trainer Certification through ISSA. It was a lot of work, but after completing the course I feel that I have learned a lot. I am due to separate from the military next month actually in less than two weeks. I haven't began looking for job opportunities because I have been so busy conducting a lot of out processing and I am planning on moving to LA. From my visits out there, I have learned that LA is a big health freak city actually California in general favors health a lot more than most states.

Back on the subject, the course requires a lot of time so with that being said as soon as you get the material I recommend you push through it because the course covers a lot. The course also teaches you how to set pricing for clients. The website also has a job search section on the site that allows you to browse different states to see job opening for personal trainers. If I were you I would definitely complete the course if you are positive about joining the fitness world. The course offers seminars that teaches you more hands on approach and is geared more so to help build your confidence to deal with clients.
The staff was very helpful. The one thing I like about the course is that the staff was always there to answer every question. The pay rate depends on location as all previous people have stated. If you are going to go private as one of the guys stated, your pay will largely depend on how well you market yourself and some amount will depend on the location. Don’t worry, if you go to one of the seminars you will be taught different strategies on how to market yourself and how to start your own business.

The course takes about 6 months if you are pushing through the material, if not then you can expect 9 months to a year. You must complete about 70% of each certification quizzes before the exam would be unlock. Just a side note, each exam last about 1.5 weeks and there’s 6 exams. So time is not of the essence my friend. Be prepared, there’s a lot of typing. I’m not trying to divert you; I just want to ensure you are prepared for the course so that you are successful.

I have a contact name for you who works at ISSA main office and who deals with military students and knows how the Tuition Assistant program works. Mr. Miele is very helpful and knowledgeable with the Tuition Assistance Program and course material. Sorry for the long message, just thought this was the best way to be helpful. Good Luck. Keep me posted on your progress, if you have questions send me a message. Oh if I were you, after you complete the course I would use the Post 911 and go to school while you’re perusing personal trainer. At the moment the Post 911 will pay for your school tuition and cost of living (E-5 with dependent pay) for the area where your school is located, so that will come in handy while you’re building clientele.

Frank Miele
International Sports Sciences Association
1015 Mark Ave.
Carpinteria CA 93013

800-892-4772 ext 114 / 805-745-8111 ext 114
fax 805-745-8119

GOOD DAY

Im currently in the Marine Corps and getting out in about 9 months and wanna pursue a career in the fitness world after I get out.

I talked to my JEC (joint education center) aka people who deal with tuition costs etc, and they said that the only personal trainer cert that they'd pay for is the ISSA.

Now they also told me that one can only get certified in one area during their enlistment (I can only use it once basically for whatever cert I want)

I reviewed their ISSA booklet which has all the courses in it and certifications listed and saw something called their
"ISSA MASTER CERTIFICATION"
this is a compilation of the following:

Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification

heres whats listed on their site:

For trainers who want to distinguish themselves as the best of the best, ISSA has created the ultimate curriculum for personal trainers.

ISSA's Master Trainer Certification Program combines the:
Personal Trainer Certification,
Fitness Nutrition Certification,
Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification,
Senior Fitness Certification,
Youth Fitness Certification, and
Strength and Conditioning Certification
Candidates who successfully complete all of the program components are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer™ and hold CFT, SFN, FT, SFOA, SSC, and YFT training credentials.

Master Trainer Certification: Program Components

Personal Trainer Certification:
ISSA's "flagship" certification program, the Personal Trainer Certification course features cutting-edge information for those interested in beginning a career in personal training. The course offers comprehensive coverage of anatomy, kinesiology, injury prevention, supplementation and nutrition, and all aspects of resistance training.

Fitness Nutrition Certification:
Our Fitness Nutrition Certification course first lays down a strong foundation in the science behind nutrition, as you discover how your body balances out the food you eat with the work it does. Then we take this knowledge EIGHT steps further as we teach you the art of nutritional coaching.

Fitness / Exercise Therapy Certification:
This post-rehab certification program teaches you how to work with individuals suffering from a wide variety of injuries and illnesses. Learn to use strength training as a healing modality.


Advanced Examination: Level I
Advanced Examination: Level I is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in personal training, nutrition, and fitness therapy. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Elite Trainer.™

Strength and Conditioning Certification:
Designed to provide coaches with the knowledge, expertise, and specific training techniques to enable their athletes to expand the capacity of their bodies, injury free.

Youth Fitness Certification:
As many trainers are now discovering, youth fitness is destined to become the fastest growing segment of our industry. If you want to work with kids, this is your program.

Senior Fitness Certification:
ISSA has brought together some of the finest minds in fitness science to create a breakthrough program for trainers who wish to work with older adults.

Advanced Examination: Level II
Advanced Examination: Level II is a Professional Examination that verifies overall proficiency in senior fitness, youth fitness, and sports conditioning. Candidates who successfully pass the examination are awarded the distinguished title of ISSA Master Trainer.™



basically what I'm asking is, is this worth it?
The Marine Corps will cover cost 100%

If I was to complete all of this and become an ISSA MASTER TRAINER how would that look to others?

would that give me an advantage over just a personal trainer?

would I get a salary increase?

I searched all over the web for this and has no luck, so thought i'd bring it here for all the other trainers to take a look and let me know what they think.

Any and every answer is appreciated,
please be as in depth as you can be, the more information the better.

Thanks,

Taylor