ACSM Credential Descriptions

Current ACSM Credentials:

The ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM is designed for a fitness professional involved in developing and implementing an individualized approach to exercise leadership in healthy populations and/or those individuals with medical clearance to exercise.

The ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor^® is designed primarily for leaders of preventive health programs in corporate, commercial, and community settings aimed at low- to moderate- risk individuals or persons with controlled diseases, such as hypertension, obesity or asthma.

For professionals exercise testing and training clients with cardiovascular, pulmonary or metabolic diseases, ACSM offers the ACSM Exercise Specialist^® certification. ACSM Exercise Specialists^® are competent in graded exercise testing and exercise prescription, performing emergency procedures, and providing health and fitness counseling for patients in clinical settings.

In addition, the ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist^® provides exercise management for patients with a broad spectrum of chronic diseases or disabilities. This national registry for clinical exercise physiologists catalogues allied health professionals who work in the preventive or rehabilitative application of exercise and physical activity for populations where exercise has been shown to provide a therapeutic or functional benefit.

Past ACSM Credentials:

The ACSM Exercise Leader is a professional involved in group exercise leadership.  Using a variety of teaching techniques, the Exercise Leader is proficient in leading and demonstrating safe and effective methods of exercise by applying the fundamental principles of exercise science.  The Exercise Leader is familiar with all forms of group exercise including traditional, low, high, mixed, and step aerobics; slide, stationary indoor cycling, interval, circuit, water, muscle conditioning, and flexibility training.

The ACSM Exercise Tech Technologist certification provides recognition for trained professionals who have demonstrated the knowledge, competence, and skills necessary to deliver safe and valid exercise-related tests in a clinical health care environment.

The ACSM Program Director credential was directed toward professionals whose primary responsibilities are developing and directing safe and effective clinical exercise programs.  The Program Director certification requires a significant increase in breadth and depth of knowledge and experience beyond that of an Exercise Specialist

The ACSM Health/Fitness Director certification provides professionals with recognition of their practical experience and demonstrated competence as an administrative leader of health and fitness programs in the corporate, commercial, or community setting in which apparently healthy individuals and individuals with controlled disease participate in health promotion and fitness-related activities.  The professional responsibilities of a Health/Fitness Director encompass an advanced knowledge of applied exercise physiology, exercise programming, emergency procedures and safety, program administration, staff training and supervision, as well as overall facility and program management.