ACSM Personal Fitness Trainer and Family Nutrition Certificate Program

Offered By Meditec and Texas A&M Kingsville

Prepare for a fitness career with college-level courses in exercise science, business concepts, training techniques, and family nutrition. Get started today!

PROGRAM DURATION:
450 hours/10 months

CERTIFICATIONS:
ACSM-CPT preparation

COST:
$3,995

Program Overview

Want a successful career as a personal trainer who can help support families trying to improve their nutrition?

This self-paced online program will help you develop the knowledge you need with two college-level certificate programs: Online ACSM Certificate in Personal Fitness Training and Online Certificate in Family Nutrition.

This curriculum prepares students to pass the American Council of Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam. Additionally, the Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer course is approved for continuing education credits (CECs/CEUs/CPEUs) by:

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
and other organizations

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Program Comparison

	Meditec	College	Other Online Schools
Program & Tuition Cost	$3500 Average	Up to $20,000	Average $3,000
Exams Fees, Books & Materials	Included	Up to $750	Up to $750
Program Completion Time	3-6 months	24-48 months	3-6 months
Tailored Content and Exams	Interactive and engaging learning methods to prepare you for your career	Resource Library	N/A
Schedule/Flexibility	100% online and available 24/7	Set Schedule	100% online and available 24/7
Student Support	Student and Peer Support - Text, Call, Email	Scheduled Office Hours	Support Email

Program Details

This program is a 100% online interactive educational experience based on input from outstanding faculty and instructors drawn colleges and universities, the allied health & medical field, and the personal fitness training and nutrition profession.

First, you'll earn the Online Certificate in Personal Fitness Training. It's designed to supply essential education that integrates exercise science curriculum, fitness business concepts, and practical training techniques. The result is a systematic model that teaches you how to progress your clients through different training levels and phases.

The knowledge and skills you'll develop can prepare you for a number of careers and personal fitness settings, including medically based fitness facilities, community wellness programs, personal training/fitness studios, physical therapy clinics, corporate fitness centers, YMCAs/JCCs, athletic facilities, and private and commercial health clubs and gyms.

Next, you'll earn the Online College Certificate in Family Nutrition. It's designed to benefit a wide variety of professionals, like Registered Dietitians, DTRs, and allied health/medical and fitness professionals.

You'll get an in-depth examination of healthy food strategies, family support education, and advanced nutritional planning for moms and children. You'll discover “Healthy Habit Strategies” to help clients with both family dynamics and individual environments. By the end of the program, you'll understand how to nurture nutritionally fit, fun, and energized families through foods and proper nutrition.

Students that complete the program will be prepared to pass the ACSM-CPT exam. Additionally, students can complete an Optional Internship Course (not required to graduate) if they would like a practical learning experience.

Additional Information

Program Outline

ACSM Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer Course Descriptions (Instructor-Led)

Introduction to Exercise Science - Level 1 (Anatomy and Kinesiology): 50 Hours

In this course, students gain an understanding of musculoskeletal and functional anatomy and the effects of exercise placed on joint structures during exercise movements. Emphasis is placed on learning about proper body alignment, joint range of motion (ROM), basic biomechanics, and kinesiological principles to the development of safe and effective exercise programs.

Introduction to Exercise Science - Level 2 (Exercise Physiology): 50 Hours

This course is designed to teach the personal trainer how the muscular, skeletal, and cardiorespiratory systems function with and without exercise conditioning. Additional topics include energy metabolism, neuromuscular function, and the physiology of exercise in relation to training programs and environmental considerations.

Health Risk Profiles and Fitness Assessment Techniques: 50 Hours

This course teaches students how to assess and evaluate cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular testing techniques, joint ROM, flexibility, body-fat analysis, blood pressure, and body measurements based on ACE and ACSM guidelines. Topics include client screening procedures, medical and health history intake forms, identifying high-risk clients, determining the appropriate test, conducting the test, and evaluating the results.

Business Administration and Management Aspects for Personal Trainers: 50 Hours

This course gives personal trainers a solid background in developing or starting a personal training business and prepares them for financial management, marketing strategies, and business plan development. Techniques for effective management include standards and guidelines, facility/studio personnel management, and operational issues from a small personal training (PT) studio to managing a PT department at a large health facility.

Designing Exercise Prescriptions for Normal/Special Populations: 50 Hours

This course teaches how to develop an exercise prescription in relation to health implications for normal/special populations related to age, medical condition, and fitness level. Topics include cardiac conditions, diabetes, physical disabilities, HIV and AIDS, asthma, sensory impairments, pregnancy, and program design for children to senior populations. This course is designed as a research-based class with emphasis on designing a step-by-step process to creating individualized exercise programs.

Certificate in Family Nutrition Course Descriptions (Instructor-Led)

Healthy Moms and Infant Nutrition: 100 Hours

Navigating through evidence-based research, this course will explore important nutritional recommendations for preconception, pregnancy and infant and toddler feeding. In addition, it will also address food planning strategies for families (healthy meal and snack ideas, exercise, and family support) to embrace healthy living and eating post-delivery. This course will debunk many common myths and provide a basic understanding of the most current maternal and child nutrition recommendations. Learn why early nutrition is the key to preventing childhood obesity and obesity later in life, as well as where to find excellent books and online resources for deeper exploration of topics of interest.

Healthy Children Nutrition: At the Home, Work and External Environments: 100 Hours

This course is designed for professionals and parents concerned and interested in expanding their nutrition knowledge. Utilizing evidence-based research, explore the role and impact of three predominant nutrition environments that affect a child’s food choices: the home, the school, and the external environment. Topics covered include: navigating the fast food jungle, addressing media and marketing to children, identifying the connection between nutrition and school performance and behavior, exploring parental feeding behaviors, and general strategies for childhood overweight and obesity prevention.

Externship

Prerequisite: 5 Core Courses and CPR Certification
Optional Field Externship: 60 Hours

This is an optional course and is not required to receive the professional certificate. You'll learn to work with professionals in the fitness and health industry for a hands-on experience working with members at fitness facilities and health centers.