questions regarding certification

[- sZ -]

Greetings,

im from Pakistan and would like to pursue a certification in personal training and/or nutrition. i'd like to know if theres any way of getting certified online or through some distant learning program, cuz i dont see myself visiting the states anytime in the near future.

how do i go about this? is there study material or a series of online tests or something along those lines?

a little background of what ive acquired along the way - dont know if any of this counts but here goes anyway.
apart from theory/knowledge i have quite a bit of practical experience training dozens of friends and relatives. whether its training for muscle gain, fat loss, vertical leap, endurance or for a sport. im well acquainted with the local nutritional side as well.
plus ive been reading monthly issues of Flex/M&F since the past years, read loads of articles on bbing.com, a member here (very resourceful forum), read and reproduced Arnold's Encyclopedia, studied Rippetoes's Starting Strength and follow the IFBB pro circles keenly.

so even though it started off as a hobby and a road to get buff (went from 110lbs @ 6 feet to 182lbs) i have genuine interest in achieving my personal physical goals as well as help those that show dedication.

the personal trainers in Pakistan are laughable and their knowledge is limited to only what has been 'passed down' by the 'head trainer'. or theres this sacred black n white script that has some of Casey Viator's or Joe Weider's early illustrations thats been in circulation.

they've forged degrees and developed their own standards for instructing clients. putting clients on ALL kinds of supplements right-off- the-bat is a favourite among trainers here. as for roids, lets not go there. however there are some gyms/clubs that have fairly decent trainers that know the difference b/w hams and quads and thighs.

so i want to bring something new to the table, raise the standards and set things straight. i do have long term plans of opening my own gym or developing a proposal to invite a franchise.. but if i want to do any of that i need to have something to show for myself.. i cant just rely on testimonials from friends and muscles. im pretty well versed with the local competitions here, the politics and so on.. plus the President of the Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation (2 time National Champ, 4th place Jr. Mr World 1980s, hes met Joe Weider too) is a good friend. so i have considerable support if im to execute this future plan.

hence, i need help from u all in this regard, what can i do to get some decent certification, i need a stepping stone!

thanks for reading

[Lasharm]

Well to start you out, please read the sticky at the top of the Personal Trainer Page. It explains the different organizations that are accedited.

Since you are in Pakistan, you might want to consider going for your ISSA Personal Trainer Certification. The ISSA has other certifications including nutrition and age-specific training. You can also do all their testing through corespondence (online or through the mail). The ISSA is fairly well recognized, especially internationally. You also can get the Personal Training Certification quickly, usually within 2-3 months.

Hope this helps.

[- sZ -]

Well to start you out, please read the sticky at the top of the Personal Trainer Page. It explains the different organizations that are accedited.

Since you are in Pakistan, you might want to consider going for your ISSA Personal Trainer Certification. The ISSA has other certifications including nutrition and age-specific training. You can also do all their testing through corespondence (online or through the mail). The ISSA is fairly well recognized, especially internationally. You also can get the Personal Training Certification quickly, usually within 2-3 months.

Hope this helps.

im on it, thanks.

any other help is appreciated.