Program Details Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer
Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer ACSM Career Track
Program Description:
The Online Professional Certificate in Personal Fitness Training is a web-based, interactive educational experience that includes input and guidance from outstanding faculty/instructors drawn from colleges/universities, the allied health/medical field, and the personal fitness training profession.
The certificate program is designed to supply essential education integrating exercise science curriculum and practical training techniques into a systematic model that teaches students to progress their clients through different training levels and phases. Students will be prepared for careers working at medically-based fitness facilities, community wellness programs, personal training studios, physical therapy clinics, corporate fitness centers, YMCA’s/JCC’s, and private and commercial health clubs. Included with the either certificate program registration, you will receive complimentary access to receive the National Posture Institute’s Certified Resistance Training Professional™ (RTP™) designation. In addition, the program prepares students for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer Certification. ACSM provides graduating certificate students a Preferred Discount on the ACSM Personal Training Certification Exam and study materials.
Eligible users will get a voucher for the ACSM CPT Exam
Eligibility Criteria
- 18 Years of Age or Older
- High School Diploma or the Equivalent
- Adult CPR/AED Certification
Prerequisites
- For adults (18 and over)
- Students must have a GED or High School diploma to participate
Program Course List and Course Descriptions:
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 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.
Nutritional Analysis and Management: 50 Hours
Students will study the basic nutrition principles and how to apply them when designing structured nutritional programs for clients in collaboration with registered dietitians and nutritionists. The focus will be on vitamin, mineral, and supplement knowledge; the effects of nutrition on the exerciser and non-exerciser; strategies for successful weight management; and recognizing normal to disordered eating patterns.
The Science and Biomechanics of Resistance/Weight Training Techniques: 50 Hours
This course teaches an educational systematic approach to teaching resistance/weight training movements. The practical application of anatomy, physiology, and body alignment is introduced to analyze weight training techniques, exercise equipment, and the risk/benefit analysis of a specific exercise chosen. Equipment modalities reviewed include stability balls, exercise bands, free weights, body weight, and commercial strength equipment.
Functional Flexibility, Core and Balance Training:50 Hours
Students will study principles and techniques for evaluation and implementation of exercise prescriptions that include instruction in flexibility, core, and balance training. Students will learn how the beginning phases of an exercise program are based upon the starting point/level of the client based upon performance of initial assessments, neurological ability, and individual goals. In addition, students will learn to implement the Sequential Exercise Training (SET) Model to enhance posture, body alignment, stability, proprioception, and awareness to more complicated exercise movements or functional movements.
Optional Field Internship: 60 Hours
Prerequisite: 5 Core Courses and CPR Certification
NOTE: This course is an optional course and is not required to receive the Professional Certificate. 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.
Program Classroom Link: https://mycourse.itslearning.com
Program Materials:
- Manual of Structural Kinesiology
- ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer
- Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance
- ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription
- NPI’s Resistance Training DVD Series.
- Contemporary Nutrition
- NPI Physigraphe Clipart CD; V2 Pro
- Total Body Functional Profile
*Note: The standard shipping process usually requires 10-14 business days within the US. Weekends or holidays do not count. International/APO/ FPO/ PO Box address may experience delays. Please be aware that your materials will not be shipped until your start date.
Recommended Testing Fitness Equipment for the course: The items below are recommended for the Health Risk Profiles and Fitness Assessment Techniques course when completing your course assignments and for future use when assessing clients. Items:
- Slim Guide Calipers
- Blood Pressure Cuff and Stethoscope
- Goniometer
- Spring loaded Tape measure
This Certificate is designed for:
- Fitness and Health professionals from all fields
- Individuals seeking a new career as a personal trainer working in the following settings: private and commercial health clubs, medically-based fitness facilities, community wellness centers, personal training studios, physical therapy clinics, YMCA’s, JCC’s, college/university centers, recreational settings, and corporate fitness centers.
- Individuals seeking examination preparation for the American College of Sports Medicine
- Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT), and National Posture Institute-Certified Resistance Training Professional (NPIRTP)
- Employee/staff training, education, and development
- Allied health and medical professionals including physical therapists, RD’s, athletic trainers, nurses, physicians, chiropractors, public health educators, and wellness consultants seeking advanced education or new career opportunities
Continuing Education
The following National Organizations/Associations have approved each Personal Fitness Training and Advanced Personal Fitness Training required course for CEC/CEU’s:
- National Posture Institute (NPI) / 5 CECs
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) / 20 CECs
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) / 2 CECs CSCS, NSCA-CPT (excludes the Business Administration course)
- International Sports Science Association (ISSA) / 10 CECs
- American Senior Fitness Association (SFA) / 2.0 CEUs
- National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) / 10 CEUs
- National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT) / 1 CEC, equivalent to an entire 6 month CEC requirement.
- The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND, formally ADA) has approved the Certificate in Personal Training program for 150 Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEUs), the Advanced Certificate program for 90 CPEUs, and the Optional Field Internship Course for 30 CPEUs for both Registered Dietitian (RDs) and Dietetic Technician-Registered (DTRs). Each course is 30 CPEUs
Program System Requirements:
Operating System:
- Windows XP SP2 or newer
- Mac OSX or higher
Hardware:
- Video card
- Sound card
- 512 MB RAM or greater of memory
Software:
- Microsoft Office 2010
- The latest Adobe Flash Player (free download available )
- The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader (free download available )
- The latest Windows Media Player (free download available )
- The latest Quick Time Player (free download available )
- The latest Real Player (free download available )
- The latest Shockwave Player (free download available )
- The latest Java (free download available )
Web Browser:
- The most recent version of browsers: Firefox, Internet Explorer.
- Cookies must be enabled
- JavaScript must be enabled
- Pop-ups must be enabled/allowed
Other:
- Headphones or Speakers
Career Information:
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2020, the demand for fitness trainers and instructors is expected to increase by 24 percent. Individuals in this field of work will find a continuum of salaries based upon the position and their geographical location. Salaried positions may range from $25,000 to over $100,000. Hourly positions range from $10.50/hr to over $100.00/hr. Salaries and hourly rates achieved will be determined by experience, education, and quality of service.