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Health Fitness Certifications

The Controversy over Credentials: Education vs. Experience by Gail Fast

Last year, a study¹ done at the UCLA Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory examined the actual knowledge of 115-health fitness professionals in five different areas that researchers felt were of critical importance in developing a safe and effective fitness program. Results revealed that participants with a degree in exercise science or kinesiology and a certification from either the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) were the strongest predictors of a personal trainer’s knowledge. When the researchers looked at experience, they found that even trainers with five or more years experience had no greater knowledge than those with fewer years of experience.

So what’s the take-away message? First, the study reinforces the importance of education, especially in the areas that were focused on in the questionnaire (nutrition, health screening, testing protocols, exercise prescription and special populations). Second, reputable certifications compliment education and provide health fitness professionals with an even greater understanding of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed. An added benefit of professional certifications are their continuing education requirements, which help health fitness professionals stay abreast of the latest industry trends and practices.

Currently there are over 250-fitness related certification programs in the U.S.² Some organizations, such as the ACSM and NSCA are nationally recognized. Other certifications that are also widely accepted include the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), the Cooper Institute (CI) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

If you are going to require your employees to be, or become, certified, what should you look for in a certifying organization, to assure members that your staff has the knowledge and skills to provide a safe and effective workout?

The certification should come from an organization with industry recognition.
Due to the abundance of certifications, make sure the certifications you accept come from a reputable, certifying body that has a proven track record of meeting the highest academic and professional standards.
The certification should provide continuing education opportunities.
The health and fitness field is constantly changing as new research is reported daily. By making sure the certifications you accept offer continuing education credits (CECs), your staff’s practical skills will remain current. Put a system in place to track when staff certifications (professional, CPR and first aid) expire.
The certifying organization should offer advanced specialization certifications.
The numbers of people who require sport-, recreation-, injury- or disease- specific training programs are on the increase. Make sure that the certifications you accept have advanced training certifications available so your staff can design and implement programs for a specific population.
The certification exam should be comprehensive.
The organization’s certification exam should contain questions that assess facts, terminology and comprehension in the areas of exercise science and kinesiology. The certification should also have a practical component (or offer scenario-based questions) where staff can “show” they’ve acquired the necessary competencies to design safe and effective exercise programs.
The certifications should be available in variety of mediums.
Every certification you accept should have at, a minimum, a “live” delivery option such as preparation courses or workshops where your staff can learn first-hand about proper techniques and training protocols. Many organizations will also tie their certification exams to a conference or industry event, so staff can become certified while learning about the latest in health and fitness.

At L&T Health and Fitness, we accept professional certifications from the following organizations:

Aerobic & Fitness Association of America (AFAA), www.afaa.com
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), www.acsm.org
American Council on Exercise (ACE), www.acefitness.org
Cooper Institute (CI), www.cooperinst.org
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), www.nasm.org
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), www.nsca-lift.org

¹ Malek, M., Nalbone, D., Berger, D., and Jared Coburn. “The Importance of Health Science Education for Personal Fitness Trainers.” The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 16 (No. 1): 19-24.

² Brown, Guy. “Beyond Certification.” Fitness Management, 18 December 2002, 39.

Published with permission from:
Fitness Onsite Magazine Summer 2003

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