I'm looking to become a personal fitness trainer. What's the best certification to get?

Luke Creitz: Despite popular belief, it is not always mandatory to be a certified personal trainer in order to train clients. There is currently no governing body in the US that has set a standard for the curriculum and requirements for such a certification. Most health clubs, however, require their staff to be certified in order to ensure a certain level of professionalism and knowledge to offer their clients and many self-employed trainers do it for the same reasons. That being said, there are many different certifications that are available for the aspiring personal trainer, with little or no educational background in health or fitness. You will find that many, if not all, of the certifications these days require CPR and First Aid certifications as well. The major certifying bodies, NASM, ACE, ASCM, NSCA, and ISSA all offer home study options in which the study materials are sent to you and a final exam must be taken within a certain time frame. It is possible to obtai! n the study materials before hand if you feel like you need more than the time alloted to grasp the material. In addition, for the more hands-on, many of the certifying bodies also give you the option of attending 2-3 day seminars in which the the theories and concepts are explained and demonstrated for those that are more visual learners....Show more

Renay Billiar: Try the ExpertRating Online Personal Trainer Certification program. For $49, they send you a 150-page manual on the ins and outs of personal training. Areas covered include "fitness theory, prescribing exercise programs, exercise techniques, nutrition, weight loss, weight loss exercises, sports injuries, first aid & CPR & running a fitness business." They estimate you will need about one to three weeks of study to digest the information. When you're ready -- any time within a year -- you can take a multiple-choice exam. If you pass, they will send you a certificate in the mail. If you fail, you can take a ! retest for ten dollars. This certificate is accepted by Gold's! Gym, LA Fitness, and hundreds of other facilities. I didn't see Lifestyle on the list however. Click on the second link below to see some of the many places that accept this certificate as proof you have the knowledge to work as a personal trainer.Online learning will enable you to be very flexible, fitting into your own work schedule. A happy and healthy New Year to you and yours....Show more