Personal Weight Trainer Certifications

If you enjoy encouraging people to work toward a healthy lifestyle and are in good physical shape, then it may be time to consider certification as a personal weight trainer. When you become certified through one of the many national organizations offering fitness certification, you can access certain trainer resources that allow you to expand your skills. Obtaining certification may result in higher pay for trainers.

International Fitness Professionals Association

The International Fitness Professionals Association offers four different personal trainer certification packages as well as several advanced courses. The bronze package is the introductory course and comes with a textbook, study guide, certification exam and admission to a workshop. The silver package contains everything in the bronze package but also includes an instructional video set. The gold package has additional videos including a video on how to be a successful personal trainer. The most comprehensive package is the platinum package, containing additional reference books and videos. You must study on your own and then take the certification exam.

American Council on Exercise

To become an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer, you must be 18 years of age and have cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced external defibrillation certification. You must purchase the study material from ACE, study for the exam and then write the exam, which contains multiple choice and practical scenarios. To maintain your certification you must complete at least two continuing education credits every two years.

National Academy of Sports Medicine

The National Academy of Sports Medicine offers a range a certification packages. All packages include the certification and online practice exams but additional resources, such as study guides, DVDs and live workshops are available at extra cost. Certification requirements include being 18 years of age and certification in CPR and AED. You must write the exam at one of their testing centers.

National Strength and Conditioning Association

It is expected that anyone taking the personal trainer certification exam from the National Strength and Conditioning Association already has a certain degree of fitness knowledge. Study materials are available for those who do not have an exercise science degree, including textbooks and instructional DVDs. Practice exams are available to help you prepare for the certification. Certification is available for those who want to work with teams or for trainers who want to work with clients one-on-one. Testing is computer-based at various locations in the United States.