|
The American College of Sports Medicine, also known as the ACSM, is an organization through which many professional fitness trainers decide to certify.
The ACSM offers both certifications for a certified personal trainer as well as a health/fitness instructor.
The certified trainer certification is made for those who are looking to work one on one with an individual who is currently in good health, by planning and implementing a fitness program for them. The health/fitness instructor certification offered through the ACSM is for those who wish to work in a corporate, commercial or community environment with those who have minor health concerns and wish to improve their fitness level.
This certification is also designed to provide the individual with the competency to teach a group exercise fitness class as well as perform fitness evaluations on clients to determine where they stand with regards to their current fitness level.
Both certifications require you to have an adult CPR certification and the personal trainer course requires high school completion while the fitness instructor requires you to have completed an associate or bachelor's degree in a health related discipline.
Both certifications also require you to complete continuing education credits (the amount determined on the specific certification) and you can complete these in a variety of ways such as attending national and regional meetings, taking programs offered through the organization, taking university courses and so on. You will have a total of three years after your original certification to complete these before you must renew.
Note should be taken however that this is not an easy certification to take and the average pass rate is around 70% for all certifications. If you leave yourself enough time to go over the materials they provide you though and are truly passionate about what you are learning then you should not have any problems writing the exam.
|
