strength+honor

Sorry but didn't know which place to post this in so if it should be moved then by all means go ahead

Now to what i'm here for...i'm in a bit of a conundrum...I need to choose which association to get a personal training certification from...i've narrowed it to 2 but if anyone has other ideas let me know...

What do you guys think and why?
ISSA
NSCA

Critical Mass

I got mine from NESTA. Personal Trainer Certification at NESTA Certified: Personal Trainer Certification, Fitness Training, Personal Training Certification

I'm very happy with NESTA.

Malley

NSCA is good along with:
NASM
ACSM
CSCS (One of the best for things like athletics, but bachelors is required)

The rest I wouldnt waste my money on.

Malley

Did you ever get certified?

hapkido

The Pt cert is a fad with no more merit than a bow flex machine.
At the end of the fad you are without a job and money.
Go back to school and study as a physical Therapist.
If you really want to change peoples lifes, change your own.
That will take hard work and preseverance, ( Not a two week study program) and end up a bum in some gym baby sitting.

Malley

That was an ignorant statement. Now a days you dont even have to be educated to be a trainer....and by that I mean you dont have to have a degree. Matters fact having a cert may actually give you more leverage to get a job than someone who has a degree (Which is totally stupid, but true). PT's where I work make around 50,000-85,000 a year. It really just depends where you go to make the money. If you go to some po-dunk gym that doesnt have people there with money, then you arent going to make much. But dealing with peoples lives and helping them achieve results is certainly a bit more than babysitting!

hapkido

Well we see the future differently don't we.
I feel a pt is like a treadmill ( everyone has or had one) Like a treadmill in the garage sale.
If your making that kind of money, I hope you invest.
I heard once you could make a 100.000 grand a year as a used car salesmen. I have yet to see it/ But Good luck

Malley

Thank you. I dont disagree that they make some of these certs soooo easy to get and its ridiculous. I know some of the exams are actually home taken exams with the book in front of you and no time limit! How ridicuous is that?

NASM goes in depth with everything. They talk alot about human anatomy, muscle imbalances, postural problems, special populations, etc....they also shove the continuing education thing right down your throats!

In my own opinion I would have to say I would hire someone with a degree over someone with a cert anytime, but just because someone gots a degree doesnt mean they didnt take the high road to get it. I am 9 credits away from m bachelors and I will tell you I know all kinds of people who went to college with me who did absolutly nothing. They slept in, missed class, and showed up once in a blue moon, AND PASSED! So its kind of a double standard in ways.