ISSA Personal Training Course: What You Need to Know

Personal training is a growing industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14% increase in fitness trainer positions between 2022 and 2023. This growth is “much faster than average,” making it a good time to become a certified personal trainer (CPT). (1)

If you’ve ever considered working as a personal trainer, a certification course can help prepare you for this role. One option is ISSA personal training certification. Here’s what you need to know about this program.

What Is the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)? 

ISSA stands for International Sports Sciences Association. This organization has been around since 1988. It was established by a group of fitness industry experts. Their goal was to increase people’s fitness levels. They decided that the first step in this process was to create educated ISSA trainers. These personal trainers could then use their knowledge to help others improve their fitness. 

ISSA continues this mission today. It has become a respected organization within the fitness industry. ISSA has also taken actions to help promote industry growth by:

• Being the first fitness certification organization to require continuing education

• Launching publications designed for fitness trainers

• Providing upcoming personal trainers with access to a 3D exercise lab

• Building campaigns to promote the hiring of veterans for fitness roles

ISSA has relationships with several other fitness organizations. The National Board of Fitness Examiners and the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association are two. ISSA is also a Registered Yoga School with the Yoga Alliance.

Additionally, ISSA’s subsidiary, the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) offers several National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited exams which enables ISSA to offer fitness professionals a wide variety of fitness certifications.

Benefits of Earning Your Personal Trainer Certification with ISSA

Certainly, ISSA isn’t the only organization that offers personal training certification. That said, there are several reasons to choose ISSA when becoming a certified fitness trainer.

Unlimited Support

A major benefit offered by ISSA is unlimited support – even after you’ve earned your personal trainer certification. Want help preparing for the ISSA exam? A dedicated team is there to assist. Have questions about how to get started in your new fitness role? ISSA fitness mentors will share what they know. With ISSA, you’re supported at every stage of your career as a personal trainer.

Studies & the Exam are Both Online

ISSA’s personal trainer certification program is entirely online. This provides maximum convenience when doing your studies. You can learn the ins and outs of personal training at 2 a.m. or 2 p.m., or anytime in between. Want to study on your lunch break at work or while at a local coffee shop? Both are an option. If you can connect to the internet, you can access your study materials. You can also take the ISSA exam online. No need to take time out of your busy schedule to attend a proctored exam. 

NCCA-Accredited Certification (If Desired)

Speaking of the exam, if you choose to, you can take an in-person test. This test is proctored by the National Council of Certified Personal Trainers. Take this route and you can earn your NCCA-accredited certification. NCCA stands for National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The NCCA is considered the best of the best in fitness industry accreditation. 

Free Professional Website

A survey of 500 consumers revealed that 76% look at a business online before checking it out in person. (2) This highlights the importance of having a website, especially as a new personal trainer. ISSA provides individuals earning their CPT certification with a free professional website. Just plug in your information and you’re online, ready to be found by anyone searching for your services. 

Other Fitness Certifications are Available

You’re interested in the ISSA course because you want to be a personal trainer. So, why would other certification options matter? If you want to grow your fitness business, you can do so by providing additional services. Maybe you want to provide clients with both exercise and meal plans. Earn your certification as a nutrition coach and you can. 

You may also want to specialize in a certain area of fitness. A certification course covering that area can provide the skills you need. Want to work primarily with clients with pain issues, for instance? Take ISSA’s Corrective Exercise certification course. Want to specialize in training older adults? ISSA’s Senior Fitness Instructor course will teach you what you need to know.

Advanced ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Options

Maybe your goal is simply to be a personal trainer. ISSA certification can prepare you for this role. But some people want more. They want to offer a variety of fitness services. This requires that they earn numerous certifications in multiple areas. ISSA offers this ability, helping you establish yourself as a high-level personal trainer. 

Advanced certification options available include:

• Fitness coach: includes CPT certification, the T3 HIIT course, 1 additional specialization, and CPR/AED certification

• Elite trainer: includes the CPT course, ISSA nutrition certification, strength and conditioning certification, the T3 HIIT course, 1 additional specialty certification, and CPR/AED certification

• Master trainer: includes CPT and nutrition certifications, the T3 HIIT course, 4 additional specializations, and CPR/AED certification

Access to Continuing Education Courses

You must complete continuing education courses (CECs) to retain your personal training certification. Twenty credits are required every two years. ISSA offers several CEC options. Some are designed to help you grow your business. Others expand your fitness education. All prepare you to be a better personal trainer, not just today but throughout your career. And there’s a bonus for taking these courses through ISSA. Your certification renewal fee is waived.

What You Learn in the ISSA Personal Training Course

Personal training clients rely on you to create an effective exercise program. They come to you because they have fitness goals. Maybe they want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve their sports performance. They trust that you can make these goals a reality. (They also trust you to keep them safe in the process.)

Each fitness goal requires a different approach. So, there are several things you must know as a personal trainer. Your certification course should provide all this information. With ISSA, it does.

Become a certified personal trainer through ISSA and you’ll learn:

• Basic anatomy and physiology

• How the body works, especially during movement

• Necessary components of a comprehensive fitness program

• How to conduct a fitness assessment

• Training principles and how to apply them

• Fitness program design and implementation

• Sports nutrition and supplements

• Fitness approaches for special populations (such as those based on age or clients with chronic disease)

There’s even a guided study option if you want help staying on track. Each section of information is separated into easy-to-follow modules. Do one module every week or two and you’ll have your ISSA certification in no time!

Materials Included with ISSA Certification

When earning your PT certification, some companies charge you extra for the study material. Not ISSA. Everything you need to become a certified personal trainer is included in your course.

This begins with giving you a 715-page textbook that covers all personal training in depth. The book is provided electronically so you can easily take it anywhere. You can also download it if you want to study while offline.

As part of the course, you also receive audio and video lectures. This is helpful for people who learn best by watching or listening. The audio lessons also enable you to learn while on the go. Listen to them while driving, walking, or engaged in another activity.

Most importantly, the certification course prepares you for the ISSA exam. Each learning module ends with a practice quiz. This quiz is like a mini practice exam. Take each quiz and it’s the equivalent of taking a practice test.

You also receive a study guide. Complete the questions in the study guide to test your retention of the information. This helps identify what you know well and areas for improvement. If there’s something you don’t know, go back and look it up.

Since the exam is open book, the study guide doubles as a way to quickly review your answers before submitting your test. If you take the time to complete it, a lot of the information in the exam is there. It provides another level of preparation.

Steps to Earning Your ISSA CPT Certification

If the ISSA CPT program sounds good to you, you may wonder how to get started. The basic steps are simple:

• Enroll in the course.

• Complete the studies. 

• Take the practice quizzes.

• Complete the study guide along the way.

• Prepare for the exam.

• Take the CPT certification exam.

• Receive a passing score after ISSA certification review.

• Print your personal training certification. (You’ll also receive a copy in the mail.)

• Start helping clients reach their fitness goals.

What do you say? Are you ready to join other personal trainers in this growing field? Start working toward your ISSA certification today. Check out the Personal Trainer course to learn more.

References

1. Fitness Trainers and Instructors: Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6). https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm

2. 4 Benefits of Local SEO for Small Businesses. (n.d.). Visual Objects. https://visualobjects.com/digital-marketing/blog/benefits-of-local-seo