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Lead the Way with ACSM Certifications

General Information:

This information is designed to help qualified individuals prepare and apply for ACSM credentialing programs. All policies and procedures outlined here, as well as in the current ACSM Certification Resource Guide, apply to all candidates, in both the United States and internationally. Additionally, a PDF file of the CCRB Candidate Handbook containing the complete set of these supplemental policies and procedures is available. It is the candidate’s responsibility to become familiar with all policies and procedures regarding ACSM certifications prior to sitting for any ACSM exam.

Health Fitness Certifications:

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.

Clinical Certifications:

The ACSM Exercise Specialist^® certification for professionals performing exercise testing and training clients with cardiovascular, pulmonary or metabolic diseases. 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.
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.

Determining the Best Certification for you:

It is recommended that the candidate interested in becoming certified initially determine which certification level is appropriate for his/her skills and goals by reviewing the minimum requirements and recommended competencies and decide which level they qualify for. The next step is to review the recommended study tools listed for the specific certification level.

Become an ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM
CPT Scope of Practice
CPT Minimum Requirements 
Join ACSM as an Alliance Member 

Become an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM

As a personal trainer you have the ability and opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives when it comes to their health and fitness. What many people are unable to do on their own, they can accomplish with the motivation and support of a personal trainer.

ACSM Certified Personal Trainers are qualified to develop and implement exercise programs for apparently healthy individuals or those who have medical clearance to exercise.

Becoming ACSM Certified says a lot about you 

It says you have chosen to become certified by the organization that’s leading the way in health fitness and clinical certifications.

Did you know?

• ACSM was the first to certify health fitness professionals … and to date we have certified over 25,000 health fitness professionals in 44 countries.
  
• ACSM establishes the exercise guidelines that all other certifications use for testing … so you know you will be certified by the organization that is setting the standards in the health fitness industry.
  
• ACSM certifications are NCCA-accredited … assuring you that our certifications meet the highest qualifications.

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ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM  Scope of Practice

The ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM is a fitness professional who develops and implements an individualized approach to exercise leadership in healthy populations and/or those individuals with medical clearance to exercise.

Using a variety of teaching techniques, the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM is proficient in:

• Leading and demonstrating safe and effective methods of exercise by applying the fundamental principles of exercise science.
  
• Writing appropriate exercise recommendations.
  
• Leading and demonstrating safe and effective methods of exercise.
  
• Motivating individuals to begin and to continue with their healthy behaviors. 

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Minimum Requirements for becoming an ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM

To become an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM you must meet all of the following minimum requirements:

• 18 years of age or older
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Current Adult CPR certification with a practical skills component (such as the American Heart Association or American Red Cross)

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Join ACSM as an Alliance Member and Save $60 on ACSM Certification!

When you join the ACSM Alliance of Health and Fitness Professionals you will save $60 on getting certified and receive many other valuable benefits including:

• Free subscription to ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal ($55 Value)
• Free subscription to our bimonthly e-newsmagazine, Sports Medicine Bulletin ($40 Value)
• Inclusion in our Online Membership Directory
• Discount registration for our annual ACSM Health & Fitness Summit ($140 Value)
• Discounts on continuing education self-test fees ($200 value), insurance, consumer products, and more! 

You can join for as little as $50 right now. Click here to learn more and become an ACSM member today! 

To learn more about becoming an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^SM please register for our free Certification Resource Guide.