Exercise specialists are health care professionals who help individuals in need of rehabilitation, those who have cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic disorders or issues and people in need of special care such as injured athletes and pregnant women. They assist people with regaining their health through designing and initiating exercise assessments, training programs and healthy-lifestyle programs. Though they sound similar to the personal trainers you find at the gym, exercise specialists work in a variety of health-related fields and require more advanced training. A four-year degree and hundreds of hours of practical experience usually are required to take an exercise specialist exam.
Step 1
Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a health field, such as nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiology, physiology, exercise science or biology.
Step 2
Work for at least 600 hours in a clinical-exercise program to gain sufficient practical experience. Examples of acceptable programs from the American College of Sports Medicine include exercise testing, electrocardiography, patient education and counseling, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, metabolic diseases and emergency management.
Step 3
Obtain a CPR for the Professional Rescuer or Basic Life Support certification from a credible organization, such as the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
Step 4
Get a health and fitness certification, such as a personal trainer certification, from an organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Check with the organization from which you are obtaining your exercise specialist certification. Not all organizations require this step.
Step 5
Register with an organization that offers the Exercise Specialist certification and buy all corresponding and required books and study materials. Examples of organizations that offer this particular certification are the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Step 6
Study the materials and books to prepare for the certification exam. Study aids may include textbooks, study guides, online course content, videos, online practice exams and either online or in-person workshops.
Step 7
Take the exam. Depending on the particular organization that you are registered with, the exam may be online or in a proctored testing setting. Organizations also vary as to whether you need to just complete a written test, which may include multiple-choice, true-false and short-answer questions, or if there is also a practical portion, which usually needs to be completed in a fitness setting.
Step 8
Receive a passing score, according to your specific organization, to be a certified exercise specialist.
Things You'll Need
- Four-year degree in a health-related field
- 600 hours of applicable experience
- Study materials
- Exam
