NCCPT is the stupidest certification in existance

[openyour__eyes]

Does anyone know if the NCCPT's regular certification and their SmartFitness certfication are the same thing?

not the same

[soren_xavier]

not the same

Do you know what the differences are?

[openyour__eyes]

Do you know what the differences are?

my bad I guess it is. smart fitness is a subdivision of nccpt I guess? I misread your original question.

I have a bachelor's in exercise science and I am nccpt certified. the material in their course is decent at best. I skimmed through their texts and did well on the test solely because of my educational background.

currently reading up on CSCS.

in my opinion, especially if you don't have a college education you should either a)

obtain a college degree in the field so you are eligible to be CSCS

b) look into ACSM cpt certs (idk if that requires a degree cause I've only looked into CSCS personally) since this is actually credible

or c) find other credible and worthwhile certifications. I'm sure you can google some.

I did nccpt just to have something on paper but everything I apply into training my clients is from what I learned in college and what I read on my own in developing info in the field.

chances are if an organization is selling test vouchers on groupon.....probably not something you wanna invest in. take the time and put your money into really educating yourself so you can properly help people. someone with no prior training background who just picked up nccpt's text would be a worthless trainer IMO.

[soren_xavier]

Well I went with the NSCA-CPT for my first certification, but I work for Gold's and I can pick up the Smart Fitness cert for $99. ($199 down but they refund $100 of it when you pass the test.)

I already have access to the study material. I agree that it's pretty "lightweight," especially compared to the NSCA's stuff. In some ways, honestly, the whole thing kind of strikes me as amateur hour. But for $99 I can get another accredited cert which will bump my pay up slightly, it's free to renew every two years, and from what I understand if you have Smart Fitness and you renew it, then doing so counts as your 2.0 CEUs that you need to renew the NASM (which I plan to eventually get as well).

[pentompkins]

Just finished my cert for this. I thought all questions were fair. I studied flash cards, study guide, and practice test as well. Anatomy is one of the biggest things about training. Can't just work someone out without knowing what the muscles are called that they are using. Anything with stabilizers or agonists or antagonists are stuff we need to know. Personally, I liked this course and don't understand the bad reviews on it. Yes, the book could have been better help with less grammatical errors, but I can live with that.

[tenaciousrookie]

I'm studying for the NCCPT exam right now and am really having to pace myself. As many have said, there is quite a bit of anatomy and physiology to study. I was set to take the test a couple months ago, as I had finished all the videos - I had a rude awakening when I took the practice test and consequently reviewed the study guide. What I realized was this - The videos provide only a basic overview, the real meat and bones are in the pdf study material. I had to postpone the test so I could really make sure I know this stuff - (again as many have said - It seems to make a difference between a certified trainer and a good certified trainer.) Truth be told, it is rather confusing material at times, and I have to read the materials carefully, review them, and review them again after a break. I am hoping that I will be well-prepared after another month to take the exam. I have had to research some topics online outside of the NCCPT material, as some topics are just plain confusing the way they are described in the NCCPT material (and, ahem yes spelling errors...ugh). Well, can't complain - got the Groupon. You get what you pay for right? It sounds like the extra studying is well worth it in the long run, as the NCCPT cert seems like a good start, and a great way to get into the PT field on a budget. Great to see so many others chime in here - it really helps me stay motivated. Thanks all.

[jwarrenfit]

at my gym NCCPT is the in-hosue cert. Ridiculously easy and doesnt prepare anyone to be a trainer. I really dont think it is a wise choice for a first cert. I recommend NASM, CSCS, or NSCA

honestly if someone cant pass it then you dont know enough basic anatomy to be a trainer. I was required to take it and passed it in 30 minutes with 0 studying. Now i have a good educational background but thats ridiculous you should have to at least look at the material. The diet stuff is retarded but most certs are when it comes to nutrition

[jwarrenfit]

my bad I guess it is. smart fitness is a subdivision of nccpt I guess? I misread your original question.

I have a bachelor's in exercise science and I am nccpt certified. the material in their course is decent at best. I skimmed through their texts and did well on the test solely because of my educational background.

currently reading up on CSCS.

in my opinion, especially if you don't have a college education you should either a)

obtain a college degree in the field so you are eligible to be CSCS

b) look into ACSM cpt certs (idk if that requires a degree cause I've only looked into CSCS personally) since this is actually credible

or c) find other credible and worthwhile certifications. I'm sure you can google some.

I did nccpt just to have something on paper but everything I apply into training my clients is from what I learned in college and what I read on my own in developing info in the field.

chances are if an organization is selling test vouchers on groupon.....probably not something you wanna invest in. take the time and put your money into really educating yourself so you can properly help people. someone with no prior training background who just picked up nccpt's text would be a worthless trainer IMO.

cscs doesnt require a degree in any specific field only a bachelors of from an accredited college

acsm reuires a kinesiology or exercise science degree

[nurturednotions]

If you study Trainer courses in an actual School, you will have a lot more than a simple NCCPT Test which is just 1 book!
I like how your average gym rat cannot pass a CPT test, it keeps the horizon clear for more focused people who believe in knowing proper information.
I don't want to share answers here or that I know more than anybody, but the NCCPT test is SHORT! and you only have to make a 73% which is a low C grade!
There's many CPT test much lower grade than NCCPT~which is actual in the top certs available!
I studied ACE and NASM in college, then took NCCPT and a couple others and passed them all.
Once you know the important bookwork, you will continue to pass any CPT test, BET! I'm not saying it's EASY, it's not to the people who don't like school... it's simple education far under a degree.
Respect to all my NCCPT members and crew! Thanks for the caring deals y'all give me!
Thumbs up to John Platero!
-Most walk the walk, but can't talk the talk.

[Ronin4help]

Is the legitimacy of this program even relevant? Only a few people have this cert as their primary and only credential.

[MsSamanthaMarie]

SMH every time someone thinks being a CPT is just all about exercise.
Surprise, yes, it IS actually about anatomy, diseases, biology, and all those other things you thought were useless. Without that knowledge you shouldn't be training anyone.

So I bought the NCCPT online course. 38 videos which were all 20-30 minutes long. 15 chapters in PDF form, blah blah blah. Watched all the videos, read the chapters. Informative stuff, but since I've been working out for 3 1/2 years I knew most of it already.

I go take the exam. 140 multiple choice questions. Literally the first 90 were about anatomy/biology/diseases, etc. NOTHING to do with personal training. It was asking me questions about stuff I've never even heard of before using words I'd never seen and none of it was relevant to training someone in a gym.

There had to have been 10 questions total about actual exercises.

Words cannot describe how stupid the exam was. Needless to say, I failed. I wish I could have copied the exam so I could show it here but I was screen sharing with a proctor so I couldn't.

To give you an example of how stupid it is, it was like being told you were going to take an exam over how to drive a car and then getting to the exam and having all the questions ask you about the chemical structure of gasoline. It was completely irrelevant both to the course and what you'd be doing in a gym as a personal trainer, and was very rage enducing.

Do NOT buy this certification. It is complete and total sh.it and a waste of time, effort, and money. You will not pass the exam without a PhD in Anatomy. Better yet, just go through med school. Maybe you'll be able to pass this PERSONAL TRAINER certification test then.

Also, I took multiple practice tests through other certifications and they actually were extremely relevant to personal training and I passed all of them. This has nothing to do with personal training despite the fact that it's a personal training exam. I just invested pretty much all the money I have left into this so I could get a job and now I'm certificationless, jobless, and moneyless, and I can guarantee I'd be a great personal trainer. I should have went with a different certification.

[jwarrenfit]

haven't read this whole thread but came in to state that the nccpt is perhaps one of the easiest certifications around. we used it to certify new trainers at my old company and only the stupidest people couldn't pass it. honestly if you can't pass nccpt you shouldn't be a trainer

[jwarrenfit]

whoops lol just saw this was an old thread and I already stated the same thing earlier. my bad

[Ronin4help]

whoops lol just saw this was an old thread and I already stated the same thing earlier. my bad

At least you are consistent. Would have been bad if you were now claiming it is a great program, exclusively for the elite.lol

[cheachea]

So I bought the NCCPT online course. 38 videos which were all 20-30 minutes long. 15 chapters in PDF form, blah blah blah. Watched all the videos, read the chapters. Informative stuff, but since I've been working out for 3 1/2 years I knew most of it already.

I go take the exam. 140 multiple choice questions. Literally the first 90 were about anatomy/biology/diseases, etc. NOTHING to do with personal training. It was asking me questions about stuff I've never even heard of before using words I'd never seen and none of it was relevant to training someone in a gym.

There had to have been 10 questions total about actual exercises.

Words cannot describe how stupid the exam was. Needless to say, I failed. I wish I could have copied the exam so I could show it here but I was screen sharing with a proctor so I couldn't.

To give you an example of how stupid it is, it was like being told you were going to take an exam over how to drive a car and then getting to the exam and having all the questions ask you about the chemical structure of gasoline. It was completely irrelevant both to the course and what you'd be doing in a gym as a personal trainer, and was very rage enducing.

Do NOT buy this certification. It is complete and total sh.it and a waste of time, effort, and money. You will not pass the exam without a PhD in Anatomy. Better yet, just go through med school. Maybe you'll be able to pass this PERSONAL TRAINER certification test then.

Also, I took multiple practice tests through other certifications and they actually were extremely relevant to personal training and I passed all of them. This has nothing to do with personal training despite the fact that it's a personal training exam. I just invested pretty much all the money I have left into this so I could get a job and now I'm certificationless, jobless, and moneyless, and I can guarantee I'd be a great personal trainer. I should have went with a different certification.

(100% SRS)

I'm convinced that some of these certification companies purposely try to make people fail for more revenue and so that people have to keep taking the Exams because it's an Unregulated Industry.