Best personal training certification for sports performance and strength training?

[tylerpc73]

Hey everyone. Just wondering what your opinions are on the best personal general training certification that would lead into or that has an emphasis on sports performance training and conditioning. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions on which certification would be best for this type of training to be honest. Some people say the ISSA certification while others are saying NSCA. I have been hearing a lot about the NASM cert. What are your experiences like?

[A Schenck]

You are asking this question on a forum hosted by an organization that offers their own coaching certification.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

NASM is garbage. NSCA is slightly less garbage. I’m not sure about ISSA, although I know some of the people involved with that organization and I’d trust them more than the people who run the NSCA. NSCA will get you hired faster than ISSA which really isn’t “accepted” within the industry. USA weightlifting used to have a “sports performance” certification and it was ok. Are you looking for employment or want to strike out on your own?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Here, watch this:

YouTube

[Charles Jenkins]

ACSM is also garbage. At the end of the day, treat the cert as a way to lawsuit-proof yourself but don't take the content seriously.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If the SSC is too hard -- and it probably is -- the rest of them are about the same level of mediocre. Pick the cheapest one and buy it.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

As I said in my video, there are two main reasons to get an industry standard PT certification: employment and insurance. If there is a specific location/gym you want to work at, see what they require and get that. It's typically just a check in the box and based on my experience most gym don't really care how you train people as long as you don't hurt people and your sales numbers are good. Most insurance providers will want some sort of credential as well.

If you are going to fly solo, your customers don't know the difference between ACE, ACSM, NASM, or NSCA. They won't ask about your certs, but might be a good idea to have something to hang on the wall.

The SSC credential is the only cert I have ever had where the customer actually came directly to me because of the credential. And it actually teaches you something useful.

[tylerpc73]

Yes I am aware that starting strength has their own certification but I just wanted to get an opinion from everybody on what certification would be best. I have been doing a lot of reading and yes I it seems like there are lots of good certifications. Andy, I'm wondering and the why clients would not know the difference. Doing you learn different styles of training and are some more helpful for strength and conditioning compared to others? I just finished reading this long ass article on the apparent "top five certifications". Best Personal Trainer Certification Programs (2018) And My #1 Pick No I don't believe everything that the sky says. Overall he's talking about the national Academy of sports medicine or performance enhancement specialist as well as the CSCS as the way to go in order to get started. What do you guys think about this?

[Adam Skillin]

Yes I am aware that starting strength has their own certification but I just wanted to get an opinion from everybody on what certification would be best.

Best for what? Easiest to acquire? Most likely to bring you clients as a direct result of holding the certification? Best for qualifying you to work as a personal trainer in a Globo gym?

I have been doing a lot of reading and yes I it seems like there are lots of good certifications.

Again, good for what? For providing evidence that your ability to actually coach the most important movements that are most effectively used for strength acquisition? If so, I would have to say there's only one that I know of. For actually bringing you, the coach, clients who are interested in actual strength training? Again, only one.

Andy, I'm wondering and the why clients would not know the difference.

I can't speak for Andy, but I don't even know the difference between NASM, CSCS, ACE, etc... and I don't really care to. They don't pertain very much to what we do here, which is actually work to get people strong as efficiently as possible.

Doing you learn different styles of training and are some more helpful for strength and conditioning compared to others?

Maybe you just took a weird turn in the Internet and happened upon us here, but this is the Starting Strength Forum. There's a book that explains all of this in explicit, painstaking detail: Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training | The Aasgaard Company If you're not trolling us (which I strongly suspect you are), get yourself a copy, read it CAREFULLY at least once (preferably 2-3 times) and then come back and ask any questions you don't feel it answers. I don't mean that to be harsh, but we really can't be asked to regurgitate an entire textbook on an Internet forum, and it seems like that's what your current level of understanding would require.

I just finished reading this long ass article on the apparent "top five certifications". Best Personal Trainer Certification Programs (2018) And My #1 Pick No I don't believe everything that the sky says. Overall he's talking about the national Academy of sports medicine or performance enhancement specialist as well as the CSCS as the way to go in order to get started. What do you guys think about this?

This question was already answered several times, and the article you've linked isn't likely to change any opinions, which are based on decades of experience in the industry rather than some piece of clickbait.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Because I’ve owned my gym for 11 years and I’ve never had a single paying customer ask me about the NSCA or NASM. Like, ever. I have had both certs and they aren’t useful. The NASM is a joke, the NSCA certs are a very slight step up. Neither are marketable for private practice. Again, useful for employment with a health club. That’s it