It is difficult to say which certificate is the best certification for a personal trainer, because, unfortunately, someone goes through all of them. For example, if a person receives certificates through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), he or she most likely will not have the first knowledge of other certification organizations, so any comparison will be something incomplete. In addition, people may have different opinions on the same certificates based on different experiences and goals. However, it may still be useful to look at people's recommendations, and thanks to the Internet we can easily understand what people are saying.
Keep in mind that certification programs may vary, so today may be the best certificate of a personal trainer. Therefore it is recommended to confirm what is stated below. Considering various sources from around the web, such as forums and answer sites, here are some general considerations about personalized training certificates:
ACE (American Council on Exercise) may be a good choice for those who just want to get a certificate; it provides traditional knowledge, and most people should be able to take the exam.
NSCA (National Association for Strength and Conditioning) and ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) are well respected. NSCA offers Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS); CSCS is harder to get and can be useful if you want to train more advanced athletes.
Certificates NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) are also widely distributed.
ISSA (International Association of Sports Sciences) is often mentioned, but not accredited by the NCCA. It can still be a viable certification.
There are many other certification authorities that will help you land at work. There are also private school coaches that have courses based on various certification programs; These schools should be considered individually, because there are so many of them, and they have different pros and cons.
It may be useful to look at job descriptions to find out which personal training certificates are accepted in certain operating conditions.
While you want to make an informed decision, before starting a personal trainer certification program, keep in mind that there are more important aspects of a career in personal training than where you get certified. You will need certification to get a foot in the door, but then you can get customer results that will influence if they save you and recommend others to you.
And do not forget that the best personal coaching certificate for one person may be completely inappropriate for someone else. You need to choose a program that is best for you based on cost, convenience, your current knowledge, where you want to work, and other factors. Find out what you can and then make a decision so that you can move forward with your personal career as a coach.
