Neither of these view is accurate, in my opinion, but there are grains of truth in each.

What is a certification good for?

Who will want to see it?

Certification is a way to demonstrate your credibility.

(For example,weve advised readersto check that their personal trainer is appropriately certified.)

And the gym wants you to have a certification because their insurance requires that they employ qualified personal trainers.

If you want to operate independently, theres no gym as a middleman.

Details depend on the insurance plan, of course.

Youdontneed to be certified just to train people.

Which personal trainer certification should I get?

Now that you knowwhycertifications exist, youll have a better sense of how to choose one.

But you dont have to stick to the Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications.

Trainers at universities often have a CSCS certification, which is also highly regarded.

What do you oughta learn to get a certification?

Its a minimum for employment, not a sign of deep expertise.

Youwillbe taught the different energy systems (aerobic and anaerobic).

Youwillread endless charts with the origin and insertion points of various muscles.

How hard is it to pass?

When I finished the test, boom, I was a certified personal trainer.

And before thatwell, this is the hard part.

And I did pick up some useful tips along the way.

The amount of studying was on par with taking a one-semester college course.

Theres a textbook, a series of video lectures, a few quizzes, and a workbook.

(In the end, I scored 98%.)

If youre coming in with no knowledge of anatomical terms, for example, youll be pretty lost.

NSCA says their pass rate was72%in 2019.

ACE says theirs was71%in 2021.

How much does it cost?

NASM-CPT: $584 to $1,754 for study packages that include the exam.

Check the organizations websites for current numbers.

and NSCA offers a $130 membership that saves money on the exam and study packages.

Now, how much can you expect to earn after you pass the test?

Heres the bad news: Personal training isnt a hugely lucrative business.

How prepared are you to actually train people when you obtain your certification?

But you would probably feel pretty overwhelmed your first day on the job.

Either way, theres no substitute for experience.

So, was it worth it?

For me, yes.

A foot in the door for a training job?

Basic knowledge of how to train people?

In-depth knowledge of how to be agoodtrainer?

That youll have to learn on your own.