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Personal trainer education and certification has become more important in the recent years, despite a lack of statutory legislation (legislation has been introduced to license personal trainers in a number of states but none of which has yet passed). Educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals is one of the top trends in fitness for several years now (ACSM Survey of Fitness Trends). As an attempt to regulate professionals working in the fitness industry the not-for-profit Coalition for the Registration of Exercise Professionals (CREP) was recently formed by organizations that offer NCCA-accredited fitness certification programs. CREP maintains the U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals that is recognized internationally. The number of certifications and educational programs at colleges and universities for personal trainers continues to grow. However, attention has been paid recently to third-party accreditation of those programs. CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs https://www.caahep.org) provides a third-party accreditation for academic programs in health sciences, including a certificate and associate degree in Personal Fitness Training (Sinclair Community College - Dayton, OH; Lake Region State College - Devils Lake, ND). Most large universities and colleges across the country offer degrees in Exercise Science and Exercise Physiology which can be an alternative route into personal training. NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) and DETC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission) are third-party accreditation organizations for certification programs that are recognized by IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association). As of now, there are 15 personal trainer certifications that are recommended by IHRSA, two of which are accredited by NCCA and three by DETC. Accredited personal trainer certifications, through NCCA in particular, are among the most recognized certifications within the fitness industry. It is especially important for those who aspire to work in a fitness or healthcare establishment rather than setting up their own personal training business. Personal training vocational schools is an alternative to a college or university. Such schools offer 500-900 hour curriculum that prepares students for taking a personal trainer examination. In some cases, a vocational school provides significant discounts to the certification or reimburse some amount of money of the certification cost. Main benefits of attending a vocational school is obtaining practical experience in the gym setting, including program design and communication skills. Vocational schools include Allied Health Institute (New York and Illinois), the National Personal Training Institute (Illinois and California), American Academy of Personal Training and Focus Personal Training Institute (New York), Bryan College (California). Learn more about the best personal trainer certification programs on Pftinfocenter.com
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