if one was to take this, does any bachelors degree suffice, or do you need a background in exercise science, chiro, etc? Does the same go for any certification, or can someone study the materials and still pass the test to train people?
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A bachelors in any field works, but of course the more science you have the better off you'll be.
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My degree's in criminology. Didn't really help me a bit with the test (unless you count the exposure to logic/research methodology), but it fit the requirement.
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My degree's in criminology. Didn't really help me a bit with the test (unless you count the exposure to logic/research methodology), but it fit the requirement.
how hard was it to study and pass the test w/o a degree in it? I remember before you studied a few months, right? any tips?
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A few months? Me? No, I didn't crack a book for it.
I really don't know what to tell others RE: studying because I've read so much of the relevant material for so long that the answers are just natural to me. But you're talking 10 odd years of soaking up everything I could and being a science geek on top of that.
Need not apply to everyone.
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I've been studying for this and the NSCA CPT for just about a year now. I think the CPT makes more sense for the type of training I'm doing, but since I have a B.S. (unrelated field as well), I figured I might as well go for both. I keep getting distracted and the test fees are high enough that I want to go in ultra prepared so I don't have to pay to retake them. I'm not quite ready...I feel anxious just thinking about taking the exams.
Remember that some answers the NSCA is looking for may not be "natural" but what perspective was chosen to be in the Essentials book.
My background is not in science and I took about 6 months of maybe an hour or 2 a day of studying Essentials and taking whatever free practice exams I could find. Others have had good results with those courses on CDs.
Take the practice exams and that'll let you know what you need to do.
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I have both of the NSCA certs. the CSCS requires at least a BS/BA in a health-related field before they will let you take the exam. the NSCA-CPT cert does not require a college degree. you'll also have to have a CPR/AED cert as well. Be prepared to show proof of the CPR/AED when you walk in the door. the CSCS when I took it was a 4 hr exam. 1st 2 hrs was exercise science - mitochondria, electron transport chain, muscle fiber types etc. then there was a lunch break and the 2nd two hours was exercise technique questions.
if you are going to take either cert I suggest you get their study book (Essentials of Strength and Conditining for CSCS or Essentials of Personal Training for NSCA-CPT) AND the practice tests. I found the practice tests to be VERY good indicators of how I would do on the exam.
I hope that helps. feel free to email me if you have any other questions
Joe Cannon, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
My website Joe Cannon - Home
This doesnt seem to be the case, it seems any bachelors degree will do.
That's what I heard from the NSCA. Any four-year degree will do.
I'm working through the symposium CDs right now (through three of ten so far). It's a good review for me but no substitute for reading through Essentials. Might've helped to read a section that corresponded to the lecture, then watched the lecture (I read the book and am now just doing the CDs), since the CDs are pretty condensed.
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I've been through the NSCA CPT symposium CD's a few times, read through the book several times, and taken two of the practice tests. I haven't had time to study recently. I think I'm having retention problems in my old age--I really need to buckle down, study a little more, take the 3rd practice test and take the exam! For the CSCS, which I plan to take a little later, I have read through the book, but I also am taking some Human Kinetic Online CSCS test prep modules in the areas where I am weakest. I want to get it done...but it is a little overwhelming.
Remember that some answers the NSCA is looking for may not be "natural" but what perspective was chosen to be in the Essentials book.
Boy is this true. NSCA has a party line worse than the Commies when it comes to "the right answer".
That was my whole strategy going in, in fact. WWNSCAD
I figured, even if an answer conflicted with what I thought (as it did more than once), I'd just put what I thought they'd want to see. Evidently it worked.
Overall I don't think it's bad really, but there were a few WTF moments during the test (upright rows for a guy coming back from rotator cuff surgery???). I'm just upset they only gave 8 spots to dispute questions. I'd have filled that thing up.
I must say, actually taking the test for the certification lowered my opinion of it a lot, though.
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I must say, actually taking the test for the certification lowered my opinion of it a lot, though.
I can say this about almost every single cert out there though. Have you found one that you don't think is bogus?
I'm NFPT. I disagree with quite a bit of theirs as they are more bodybuilding oriented.
NASM has some good stuff, but I don't feel like they logically connect what they suggest with why they need it. I asked one of their reps why he thought I should do wall squats against a stability ball, and his best answer was, "cos that's what the bodymap system says." What evuh.
ACSM is the worst! I went to two of their big summits and attended their experts' sessions where they really go into their recommended training methods, and they told trainers that ANYTHING that loaded the lumbar was bad (like RDLs, Good mornings, etc), and they really like hack squats and leg presses. Needless to say, I disagree with their philosophy.
if one was to take this, does any bachelors degree suffice, or do you need a background in exercise science, chiro, etc? Does the same go for any certification, or can someone study the materials and still pass the test to train people?
I hear they frown on non-English majors
I took the CPT. Read 1 chapter from the book per day for 30 days. Took a practice test, passed the actual test.
Its not hard, you just have to know how they like their answers.
I havent gotten around to getting the CSCS and probably wont unless I really need to at some point in the future.
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I do not believe that a formal degree is necessary to work in this field. I have no intention of getting one.
Over half the trainers at my facility hold degrees in unrelated fields, and I'm sure the situation is much the same everywhere else.
While this is true, I've run into a couple of situations recently where I probably would have gotten a position if I had a related degree. One place wouldn't even consider talking to me without it, and at the other place I lost the position to someone who had one. Both of these places pay much higher than the industry standard, so they expect more from their applicants I suppose.
I look at all the people who have these certifications now and realise how little they mean any more. Any one hiring staff based purely on their degree and or certifications is an idiot.
Problem being that it's rather difficult to get a foot in the door without some extraneous letters after your name. If nothing else, a one-time cert you let expire is probably worth the start-up cost. At least, that's how I'm justifying it right now
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While this is true, I've run into a couple of situations recently where I probably would have gotten a position if I had a related degree. One place wouldn't even consider talking to me without it, and at the other place I lost the position to someone who had one. Both of these places pay much higher than the industry standard, so they expect more from their applicants I suppose.
If you're talking about collegiate level training facilities for athletes, then I could certainly see them requiring more formal credentials. My comments were made in reference to corporate gym chains and private training studios, since that's where I work. I had that in my original post but it got lost.
I believe that certifications are worthwhile if you get the right ones. For instance, I recently got my Nutrition certification from ISSA. Now I'm not just a personal trainer, but a nutritionist as well. That is going to help me a lot with my target demographic, which is middle aged women with disposable income.
I don't understand why someone would choose to get more than two certs of the same type. One of our trainers is certified through ACE, ISSA, and NASM - all of them being CPT certs. What's the point of that? I'm getting additional certs, but I'm going for things like Group Fitness Instructor, Sports Conditioning Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, etc.
Actually, the biggest thing that I'm going to do, education-wise, is to go to massage school and become a licensed muscular therapist. I want to practice ART. Then I will bundle that with the training and become a one-stop-shop for my clients. I think it's far more practical than getting a formal degree. It will also be much cheaper and take less than a year, instead of 3-4.
At some gyms, like the crappy one I work for, you get paid at a higher rate the more CPT certs you have up to three. I have two and need one more to get the max. I have NASM and the PES or CES would count, but I just happened to earn NASM at work while I was studying for the NSCA CPT. I spent approx. $500 in study materials on that one, so I am determined to see it through. Plus, the NASM PES, CEC are too pricey.
Question on the CSCS
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