Texas Trainers, have you heard of PFTA?

I am looking at certifications and programs for becoming a personal trainer. I came across a school called PFTA Personal Training School. It has a few locations in Texas (Dallas, Austin, Houston...) I was wondering if anyone here is a graduate from there or has even heard of it. I am looking for opinions on this school in terms of its credibility within the industry. I like that it is an actual school that you attend and it is longer than one week. I just want to make sure it will carry some weight and help me get a job after I'm done.

Thanks for the help.

I've never heard of it and I've been training in TX since 2003.

It's not accredited by any recognized organization. Another worthless cert...

Go with a recognized cert. Call around to prospective gyms you hope to work at and ask what certs they accept. Most have a list. Choose one from the list.

[QUOTE=Lasharm;465524231]It's not accredited by any recognized organization. Another worthless cert...

Go with a recognized cert. Call around to prospective gyms you hope to work at and ask what certs they accept. Most have a list. Choose one from the list.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I am familiar with all the reputable certs, hence why I was asking about this particular school. I want a hands-on "school" if possible which is the appeal with the program I listed. I won't choose hands-on over credibility, however.

[QUOTE=mmater;465536181]Thanks. I am familiar with all the reputable certs, hence why I was asking about this particular school. I want a hands-on "school" if possible which is the appeal with the program I listed. I won't choose hands-on over credibility, however.[/QUOTE]

Most reputable certs offer workshops to attend before and after getting the cert. I recommend attending one of those.

Are you near the Cooper Institute? They're pretty reputable and have a lot of hands-on stuff.

[QUOTE=Emoore;465619071]Are you near the Cooper Institute? They're pretty reputable and have a lot of hands-on stuff.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, at the current moment the closest things I am near are cotton fields. I live in Lubbock, TX right now. I would not be opposed to moving, and will most likely move when I line my ducks up in a row. I have looked into Cooper Institute, their program is a week long, plus my trainer now is certified with them.

What about the National Personal Training Institute? Anyone ever heard of them?

if ur looking for a hands on type learning environment i would recommend looking into ATI here in TX. i dont know where they have schools at or even the cost, but ive worked with a PT that graduated from there and he was pretty knowledgeable and the hands on teaching gave him alot of experience!
i "think" the cert givin there is an NASM cert.

cooper institute is another good one but ive never met or worked with any grad from there, so...

what ever you do make sure ur cert will be recognized and be useful if you plan on working for a company at any time.

[QUOTE=txapn;465819041]if ur looking for a hands on type learning environment i would recommend looking into ATI here in TX. i dont know where they have schools at or even the cost, but ive worked with a PT that graduated from there and he was pretty knowledgeable and the hands on teaching gave him alot of experience!
i "think" the cert givin there is an NASM cert.

cooper institute is another good one but ive never met or worked with any grad from there, so...

what ever you do make sure ur cert will be recognized and be useful if you plan on working for a company at any time.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info on ATI, I will look into it. It looks like that might fit very well with my GI bill requirements. Thanks again.

ive heard some good things about it, now i havnt looked deep into bc im already certed by NASM (in a few certs) but the experience ive had with one of the grads was very impressive. and i think you should be able to get employed fairly easy with that in ur background and experience.

good luck!

I have a couple friends that went to the PFTA school here in Round Rock (north of Austin). They both highly recommend the PFTA program. I am also considering the school. It is a bit pricey, but from what they have told me about it, it is well worth it. I would suggest contacting the school and checking it out at least. The two friends are very knowledgeable and do rather well for themselves.

[QUOTE=jhbrotherton1;466059261]I have a couple friends that went to the PFTA school here in Round Rock (north of Austin). They both highly recommend the PFTA program. I am also considering the school. It is a bit pricey, but from what they have told me about it, it is well worth it. I would suggest contacting the school and checking it out at least. The two friends are very knowledgeable and do rather well for themselves.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. Although it may result in a rather unknown cert., if the school is any good at preparing you to be a trainer, suffice it to say it should prepare you for the exams of the well-known certs. Ultimately, I have to consider what the GI bill will pay for and go from there, because as you mentioned it is a bit pricey.

congrats on the weight loss btw.

I just spoke with the owner of PFTA and flat out asked him if the certification given by his school carries any weight outside of the local area. He said that he has trainers employed all over the country and a couple outside the US, and that while the gyms outside of Texas may not recognize PFTA as well as say NASM or NSCA or ACSM, once the gym managers see the curriculum taught during the school they are more than happy to have a PFTA trainer on board.

Additionally, I asked if the school was good then I should be able to pass any of the other certs like NASM. His response: "If you take another cert within 30 days of graduating PFTA and pass first time, we will reimburse you 100% of the cost of taking that additional cert.

Sounds like a winner to me.

I also looked into ATI, and their school is 3 times as expensive as PFTA and they are just like any other career college, and I have worked at one as an admissions rep. Needless to say, I was not very fond of my phone call with them. Too pushy to get me to enroll today. Not saying the Personal Training program is bad, just be prepared to fend off the hounds in the admissions department.

[QUOTE=mmater;466324971] NASM or ACSM.[/QUOTE]

these will never fail you.

I graduated from this school in Round Rock before the other locations were opened and was a classmate of current PFTA instructors. it is not easy. you have to study. with it you get hands on and classroom training, networking, a PFTA certification and a national certification. This school is partnered with NSCA.

[QUOTE=mmater;465424011]I am looking at certifications and programs for becoming a personal trainer. I came across a school called PFTA Personal Training School. It has a few locations in Texas (Dallas, Austin, Houston...) I was wondering if anyone here is a graduate from there or has even heard of it. I am looking for opinions on this school in terms of its credibility within the industry. I like that it is an actual school that you attend and it is longer than one week. I just want to make sure it will carry some weight and help me get a job after I'm done.

Thanks for the help.[/QUOTE]

while still enrolled I tool the NASM exam with out studying and passed easy. NASM is a joke compared to PFTA.

Check their website out at www dot pftaschools dot com

I think they're credible if you're doing something in Texas

[QUOTE=Lasharm;465524231]It's not accredited by any recognized organization. Another worthless cert...

Go with a recognized cert. Call around to prospective gyms you hope to work at and ask what certs they accept. Most have a list. Choose one from the list.[/QUOTE]

There are no 'recognized' organizations that provide accreditation to personal trainer credential providers, unless your point is they are recognized by those organizations who pay an 'accreditation' fee (e.g. NCCA).

[QUOTE=mmater;466084711]Thanks for the info. Although it may result in a rather unknown cert., if the school is any good at preparing you to be a trainer, suffice it to say it should prepare you for the exams of the well-known certs. Ultimately, I have to consider what the GI bill will pay for and go from there, because as you mentioned it is a bit pricey.

congrats on the weight loss btw.[/QUOTE]

Hey! curious what program you end up going with? I'm not looking into all of these ones as well.