What Is a Certified Personal Trainer?
Here’s what it takes to become a certified personal trainer
Personal trainers wear many hats in the gym, providing clients with personalized fitness and nutrition guidance, offering motivation and encouragement, and helping them stay accountable. In order to perform these roles responsibly, however, trainers must first complete an accredited program and become a certified personal trainer (CPT).
Here’s what the certification process entails – and why it matters.
What is a personal training certification?
While it is legally possible for trainers to work without a certification, most gyms and fitness clubs – including Columbia Association (CA) – require personal trainers to be certified. Not only does this offer peace of mind to clients, but it also ensures that a club’s fitness professionals understand the key principles behind exercise science and safety in the gym.
In a personal training certification program, students learn the fundamentals of health and exercise, including how they apply to the human body. They also learn how to work with clients and develop individualized fitness plans that help gym-goers reach their goals.
The educational components of these programs differ, but after the learning portion of the course ends, students must pass an exam to receive their qualification. Once they’ve done that, they can call themselves a certified personal trainer and begin working with clients at fitness clubs like CA.
To make sure that trainers stay up to date with the latest health and fitness topics, certifications must be renewed. The renewal process is usually completed every year or every other year, depending on the program, and often includes continuing education courses.
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Types of certifications
It’s important to note that there are numerous accrediting organizations and programs, so not all fitness professionals will hold the same certification. Each of these programs has its own advantages, and students can choose the one that best matches their needs.
When you’re evaluating personal trainers’ qualifications, here are some of the most common certifications that you might find:
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
- Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
- National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
- National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
Why certification matters to personal training clients
As a personal training client, you should always confirm that your trainer is certified. Before starting a training program, ask them which certification they received and when they last renewed it. Here’s why that’s important.
First, receiving a certification means that trainers know how to create and oversee an effective fitness training plan that’s personalized just for you. They’ve learned about exercise science, nutrition, coaching techniques, relationship skills, and more – and they’ve been deemed competent in these areas by a third-party credentialing organization.
As an added bonus, certified personal trainers must complete continuing education in order to keep their certification active. This means that your trainer will pass down the latest health advice and guidance down to you – which is important in the fast-evolving fitness industry.
Most importantly, though, certified personal trainers understand proper exercise form and the effects that exercise has on the body. This knowledge is critical to keeping you safe and preventing unnecessary injuries in the gym.
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Find a certified personal trainer at CA
At CA, we have a well-rounded team of elite, personal, and professional trainers who hold certifications from NASM, ACE, NCSF, AFAA, and many more. We even have trainers who specialize in working with seniors, obese clients, and people with cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, and other medical conditions.
Working with a certified personal trainer can help you bust through plateaus, stay motivated, and reach new fitness highs – and CA is the perfect place to do it. Not only do we have a friendly and knowledgeable team of fitness professionals, but we also have all of the equipment and amenities that you need to train effectively.
CA operates three fitness clubs across Columbia – including Columbia Athletic Club, Columbia Gym, and Supreme Sports Club – and personal training is available at each facility. At our clubs, you’ll find weights and strength equipment, cardio machines and workout space, and countless other amenities, including pools, basketball courts, and childcare facilities.
Submit our online form or give us a call today to learn more about our personal training options (including one-on-one and group fitness training sessions). Training is open to everyone, regardless of your CA membership status (but if you’re a member, you’ll get a discount!).
