Easiest/Fastest PT Cert?

[jwy5034]

Before you guys start going off on me, please read. I recently quit my career job. It was a well respected job and I made good money, but honestly, I hated every minute of it. I simply want a career that I actually enjoy and have a passion for before my 20s are over...even if that means taking a pay cut.

Anyway, long story short, the head trainer at 24 hour fitness really likes me (that's where I lift and we got pretty close) and wanted me to work as a trainer. He said he knows I know how to lift and that I am honestly better than most of his trainers. He told me to get ANY personal training certification and he will hire me right away.

I am looking for the easiest certification that I can study and pass within a month just to start working ASAP. Once I am hired, I plan to enroll in NASM while I work. So far from research, ACE is the easiest, but apparently their information is outdated and just plain wrong on some things, so that is off the list. Next easiest seems to be ISSA, but I want to hear from you guys.....Thanks.

[gsop_3]

From my perspective, ISSA is a good choice. Everything is done online and all quizzes open-book. While I personally read the entire book and quizzed section by section, there's nothing to say you can't just sit down and do all the quizzes in a week and then complete the final exam - which entails writing up a few training programs for different scenarios and training goals.

While I feel ISSA's info is on point and highly detailed in most areas, other areas such as diet programming are a bit lacking. All in all, it's got everything you need in there to get started...key words: get started. That's obviously not where you want to stay and it seems like you already know that and are planning on continuing your education.
NEVER stop learning...

Sorry about the job thing vomiting on your life, but at least it's a chance to try something new and redefine your career path. I say go for it and good luck!

[Collabera]

^Agree with gsop.

I did Issa and although it's not the easiest, it's a good knowledge base that will get you going in the right direction.

The thing to remember is that certifications is a business just like anything else in the fitness industry. None of it really matters and all it does is give you a piece of paper saying you can train people.

If you want something a little more challenging and more in depth I would do ACSM which is another one I have. But I don't think I could have understood it all that well without doing Issa first or training for 13 years.

[Petros]

Collabera,

the ISSF is online? I am scheduled to take the ACSM but it is at a testing center. I have learned everything in the book from school but it goes into detail about things I don't care about lol. I think I'm going to take this to be lazy and make some extra money on the side.

[PhoebeusFenix]

ISSA all the way here as well. All the trainers I've had for me I've recommended ISSA as well. Very thorough information and IMO it also focuses more on practical application of training principles as opposed to theoretical information like ACE, NASM, etc.

Just my .2 GOOD LUCK MAN! HAVE A BLAST! Also forgot to mention ISSA is super easy to work with, their customer service department has always been top notch to me.

[jwy5034]

Thanks guys, but remember my priority is to study and pass within the month.
It's because he told me he can't guarantee me a job after a month, so I need to get ANY easy cert that I can pass in a month. I am reading reviews of how the ISSA exam is very thorough and time consuming. Also it is $500, so if this cert is going to take awhile, I might as well just start NASM now which defeats the whole purpose of finding something I can pass quickly.

I have been lifting for over 10 years and actually worked as a freelance trainer before, so don't worry about me being a shitty trainer. Also, like I said, I will enroll in NASM as soon as I am employed. If I don't actually absorb and study all the material (yet), but simply find answers in the book, do you think I can pass the ISSA exam in a month?

[Collabera]

Collabera,

the ISSF is online? I am scheduled to take the ACSM but it is at a testing center. I have learned everything in the book from school but it goes into detail about things I don't care about lol. I think I'm going to take this to be lazy and make some extra money on the side.

ISSF or ISSA? I'm not even sure ISSF is a thing but I could be wrong. ISSA is all online except for the books they send you. I loved doing ISSA and ACSM is giving me a hard time only because I'm not well versed on the kinesiology terms other than some basics. Beyond that I understand ACSM pretty well.


A little secret, which I don't like to give out but will for someone on IM, is that on the test for ISSA there are multiple choice questions, true or false, and something else other than the case studies. You can literally type in the question on google and it gives you the exact answer because someone put it all on yahoo answers or something. I found this after I completed my exams when a friend struggled with one question and googled it and found the exact question and answers word for word. So I guess anyone who wants to cheat their way through a cert and get one quickly, you could go that route. There's still the case studies and essay questions though.

[Petros]

I meant ISSA lol sorry.

Well I have basically all the kinesiology knowledge and all that stuff but I'm being lazy and not wanting to go into the small details they may want. Kind of of our school/studying mode.

I think I will have no problem with the essay or case studies thanks to being in Physical Therapy School but thanks for the tip!

ISSF or ISSA? I'm not even sure ISSF is a thing but I could be wrong. ISSA is all online except for the books they send you. I loved doing ISSA and ACSM is giving me a hard time only because I'm not well versed on the kinesiology terms other than some basics. Beyond that I understand ACSM pretty well.





A little secret, which I don't like to give out but will for someone on IM, is that on the test for ISSA there are multiple choice questions, true or false, and something else other than the case studies. You can literally type in the question on google and it gives you the exact answer because someone put it all on yahoo answers or something. I found this after I completed my exams when a friend struggled with one question and googled it and found the exact question and answers word for word. So I guess anyone who wants to cheat their way through a cert and get one quickly, you could go that route. There's still the case studies and essay questions though.

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[Collabera]

ISSA all the way here as well. All the trainers I've had for me I've recommended ISSA as well. Very thorough information and IMO it also focuses more on practical application of training principles as opposed to theoretical information like ACE, NASM, etc.

Just my .2 GOOD LUCK MAN! HAVE A BLAST! Also forgot to mention ISSA is super easy to work with, their customer service department has always been top notch to me.

Totally agree. I'm glad others have so much respect for the cert. I decided to go with. ACE and NASM are so generic and from what I am told, if you don't answer their case study questions exactly how the book wants you too, you'll get it wrong. There's no room to do things your way at all. Which lets be honest, how often do we train clients exactly how our certifications tell us too?

[Collabera]

I meant ISSA lol sorry.

Well I have basically all the kinesiology knowledge and all that stuff but I'm being lazy and not wanting to go into the small details they may want. Kind of of our school/studying mode.

I think I will have no problem with the essay or case studies thanks to being in Physical Therapy School but thanks for the tip!






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I know what you mean. There's definitely some information in the book that is boring and will hardly be applied, and as with anything, I tend to disagree with some things in the certs. Old generic knowledge. Mainly diet stuff. ISSA recommends everyone will succeed with a 3/2/1 ratio of carbs to proteins to fats. Bullshit lol

Any tips on learning the kinesiology terms easier? If I can just get past that then it'll be a breeze getting through the book. Its all I'm hung up on.

[Collabera]

Thanks guys, but remember my priority is to study and pass within the month.
It's because he told me he can't guarantee me a job after a month, so I need to get ANY easy cert that I can pass in a month. I am reading reviews of how the ISSA exam is very thorough and time consuming. Also it is $500, so if this cert is going to take awhile, I might as well just start NASM now which defeats the whole purpose of finding something I can pass quickly.

I have been lifting for over 10 years and actually worked as a freelance trainer before, so don't worry about me being a shitty trainer. Also, like I said, I will enroll in NASM as soon as I am employed. If I don't actually absorb and study all the material (yet), but simply find answers in the book, do you think I can pass the ISSA exam in a month?

Go with whatever cert you really want to do. The fact of the matter is it really doesn't matter. Most good trainers didn't get their knowledge from a book but actually applying things for years. Sounds like you have that. Certs are a business like anything else. They really don't mean shit. Unless you have no knowledge going into being a personal trainer.

I will say it over and over but your fitness knowledge doesn't mean a damn thing. Personal training is all about the relationship with the client and how you communicate. Nobody wants to spend $60 for an hour with someone they don't enjoy being around who just counts reps and says random motivation words like, "you got this" and "good job". You want your clients to look forward to that session after a long day at work. So talk about their day and for gods sake don't talk about yourself. Its better to be interested than interesting.

I am successful at what I do because I know everything about my clients jobs, family and even their childhood. If they ask about me in anyway I don't go in depth and I turn the conversation back to them. That is their time. Not mine. I work with people who are far from similar demographics than myself and have almost nothing in common with. But I connect with them still.

Don't expect to have a full schedule of young athletes or people without physical limitations. Those aren't the people who needs trainers unless they have the extra money to do so. You will be most successful with people who really need your help. Which goes into another huge point: Dont try and sell personal training. Just try and help people.

Here's a real statistic for you to keep in mind: 80% of the people who get into personal training drop out after 1-2 years. Please keep all these things in mind because it's hands down the most important things I've learned from doing the job and having the best mentors I could ask for.

[Petros]

Kinesiology requires a good professor and a good set of powerpoint. I can send you all my powerpoint that they made and we used to study for the exams in PT school. Everything I learned is on the ACSM test.

But with Kines I found that its literally looking at something, sitting back and trying to process and understand it before moving on. You literally have to vision it. Close your eyes and try to picture it. Thats how i was able to do well and I had no background prior.

I know what you mean. There's definitely some information in the book that is boring and will hardly be applied, and as with anything, I tend to disagree with some things in the certs. Old generic knowledge. Mainly diet stuff. ISSA recommends everyone will succeed with a 3/2/1 ratio of carbs to proteins to fats. Bullshit lol

Any tips on learning the kinesiology terms easier? If I can just get past that then it'll be a breeze getting through the book. Its all I'm hung up on.

[hoosback]

i certified with ISSA back in the 90's, didn't do anything with it. Took the course mostly because Tom Platz was the instructor. Does your future employer have recommendations. Some facilities will allow certain certs.

[Collabera]

Kinesiology requires a good professor and a good set of powerpoint. I can send you all my powerpoint that they made and we used to study for the exams in PT school. Everything I learned is on the ACSM test.

But with Kines I found that its literally looking at something, sitting back and trying to process and understand it before moving on. You literally have to vision it. Close your eyes and try to picture it. Thats how i was able to do well and I had no background prior.

That would be greatly appreciated. PM me and I'll send you my email.

[MyTMouse]

I studied for, tested, and passed my NASM cert after about a month. It was challenging, but it can be done. I invested time in it, as if it was my job to learn it. I studied about 8-10 hours per day leading up to the exam.

So, I would say any of them CAN be done within your time constraints (if I can do it, damn near anyone can), but it's about how much time you can dedicate on a day in, day out basis.