Personal Training Certification Course (CFT)

Personal Trainer Certification

ISSA's Certified Fitness Trainer Course...

...has been designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in fitness. If you enjoy staying in shape and helping others, there has never been a better time to become a Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT). Countless medical and scientific studies have proven that the most important factors to change the current health crisis are increased activity, weight training, aerobic conditioning, flexibility and proper nutrition.

According to the American Sports Data Company, personal trainers can expect to earn $22-$45 per hour doing training sessions at the gym. And many personal training professionals with entrepreneurial spirits enjoy even higher hourly rates. ISSA's personal training course has been designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in fitness.

Personal Training Certification course (CFT) includes:

• Fitness: The Complete Guide (727 pages)
• CFT Study Guide and Workbook to enhance your knowledge
• The Complete Guide to Fiscal Fitness-Marketing & Business Guide (soft-bound book)
• ISSA Fitness Science, Nutrition and Sports Medicine Video featuring ISSA founders Dr. Sal Arria & Dr. Frederick Hatfield
• CFT Practice Examination and Sample answers packet
• Personal Training Certification Home Study Examination
• CFT Online Examination Access

20 Years of Personal Training Certification

Since 1988, the ISSA has certified and provided continuing fitness education to nearly 100,000 people just like you who want to help others feel better, look better and improve the quality of their lives.

We are unconditionally committed to providing expanded access to the highest quality personal training certification and continuing fitness education programs available, advancing our industry as a whole, and developing greater access to career opportunities for those who share our vision of Creating a Stronger, Healthier World™.

Try our Career Calculator to calculate how much extra money you could earn this year by turning your passion for fitness into profit as a personal trainer with just a few clients a week.

ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer Program Study Options

It all starts with home study materials. Our course is self-paced, so you can take as much or as little time as you need to complete it, up to two years. The average preparation time is about 13-16 weeks and the home study materials you receive are all that is necessary to pass your exam. We also provide one-on-one toll-free phone support Monday through Friday to our students at no additional charge.

Enhance Your Studies With Online Learning

We also provide the ability to enhance your home studies with online learning at no additional charge. ISSAtrainer.com, our exclusive members-only site, includes interactive quizzes, online educational support, as well as audio muscle and supplement glossaries (so that you know how to pronounce the new terms you learn) and a video exercise library that demonstrates proper form for some of the most common and most effective strength exercises.

You receive both the home study materials and online access when you enroll in ISSA.

Personal Training Certification Seminars

As you near completion of your studies, many of our students choose to attend our exclusive certified fitness trainer seminars in various parts of the country. Our seminars help CFT students "pull it all together" with hands-on application of the materials they've been studying. ISSA weekend seminar instructors drill home safety issues so that you can feel confident in your ability to effectively prevent client injury. These weekend workshops are an invaluable opportunity to network with local fitness professionals and gym owners—the very people who may help you to secure your first job in the fitness industry.

ISSA seminars are available only to enrolled ISSA CFT students and ISSA members.

ISSA Fitness Trainer Certification Exam

Your final examination consists of two sections:

• SECTION I: The first part of your Certified Fitness Trainer Examination is worth 200 points and consists of 50 true/false questions (2 points each) and 50 multiple-choice questions (2 points each)
• SECTION II: The second part of your Personal Trainer Certification Examination is worth 400 points and consists of 60 practical, illustrated multiple-choice and matching questions (2 points each); 2 case studies, including calculations (80 points each); and 6 learning experiences (20 points each).

Online/Home Study Exam Option

Should you choose to complete the final exam at home or online, the exam is open book and untimed.

Proctored, Closed-Book Exam Option

We also offer 3 hour closed-book, proctored examinations at our seminars for those students interested in taking their personal training certification exam in this format.

How long does it take to complete the certification?

You have up to two years from the date of enrollment to complete your course. However, you may complete the course as quickly or as slowly as you would like within that 2 year period. It takes the average ISSA student 13-16 weeks to get certified.

Help us Create a Stronger, Healthier World.™

Enroll Online or call us toll free at 800-892-4772 to speak with one of our enrollment representatives.

Student Support

We are most proud of the fact that ISSA's personal training course offerings do not just begin and end with a book and a piece of paper. While we are committed to providing top-quality course materials to potential fitness trainers, our course offerings do not stop there.

We also provide unlimited one-on-one support to all ISSA students as they study for their personal training certification exam—both online and LIVE via our toll-free help line—at no additional cost.

But, best of all, the ISSA's support doesn't end once you pass your exam. Included with your course fee is unlimited access to our ISSAtrainer.com web site, where you can access hundreds of job listings, ISSA exclusive opportunities and discounts, and our online forum where you can post client or business challenges and receive guidance from members of the ISSA family worldwide.

And access to this site is available for as long as you remain an ISSA personal trainer in good standing.

ISSA Fitness the Complete Guide: Table of Contents

Course Introduction: The Who, What, Why, and How of Personal Training

Section One: Anatomy and Physiology

• Unit 1: Metabolism
• Unit 2: Basic Anatomy and Physiology
• Unit 3: Muscle Anatomy and Physiology

Section Two: Kinesiology and Biomechanics

• Unit 4: Kinesiology of Exercise
• Unit 5: Biomechanical Concepts of Exercise
• Unit 6: Muscloskeletal Deviations
• Unit 7: Muscle Mechanics

Section Three: Health and Physical Fitness

• Unit 8: Strength
• Unit 9: Cardiovascular Training Theory
• Unit 10: Flexibility
• Unit 11: Body Composition

Section Four: Program Development

• Unit 12: Program Development
• Unit 13: Basic Assessment of Fitness Participants
• Unit 14: Training Principles
• Unit 15: Periodization
• Unit 16: Determining Training Loads

Section Five: Nutrition

• Unit 17: Weighing the Truth on Exercise and Nutrition
• Unit 18: The Basics of Sound Nutrition
• Unit 19: Estimating Caloric Needs
• Unit 20: The ISSA Zig-Zag Approach to Muscle Gain and Fat Loss
• Unit 21: Fad Diets and Nutrition
• Unit 22: Supplementation

Section Six: Injury and Disease

• Unit 23: Exercise and Older Adults
• Unit 24: Exercise and Adaptive Fitness
• Unit 25: Exercise and Our Youth
• Unit 26: Exercise and Hypertension
• Unit 27: Exerise and Diabetes
• Unit 28: Exercise and Arthritis
• Unit 29: Exercise and Coronary Heart Disease
• Unit 30: Exercise and Pregnancy
• Unit 31: Exercise and Asthma
• Unit 32: Exercise and Sports Medicine in the Trenches
• Unit 33: Basic First Aid

Certified Fitness Trainer Course Author

Dr. Frederick Hatfield, Ph.D.

Our certified personal trainer course author Dr. Frederick Hatfield, Ph.D., is also co-founder and President of the ISSA.

Dr. Hatfield, (aka "Dr. Squat") has broken over 30 world records in powerlifting and won the World Championships three times in three different weight divisions, performing a competitive squat with 1014 pounds at a body weight of 255 pounds (more weight than anyone in history had ever lifted in competition).

In June of 2000, Dr. Hatfield was inducted into the Powerlifting Hall of Fame. His innumerable accomplishments include an assistant professorship at the University of Wisconsin (Madison); Senior Vice Presidency and Director of Research and Development for Weider Health and Fitness, Inc.; and Director of Research & Development for Titan Sports, Inc.

He has written over 60 books (including several best-sellers) and hundreds of articles in the general areas of sports training, fitness, bodybuilding, and performance nutrition. He has been coach and training consultant for several world-ranked and professional athletes, sports governing bodies and professional teams worldwide.

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