With money tight, consumers might be looking for a way to decide which personal trainers truly deserve their pay.
Checking a prospective trainer’s certification can help you decide.
Since the first personal trainer certification was offered by the American College of Sports Medicine in 1976, dozens of groups have begun to verify trainers’ skills and knowledge. It takes some expertise to sort through the credentials.
Online companies have begun offering fitness certification tests that are similar to the old “diploma mills.” They’re so easy to pass, reputable fitness centers do not honor them, experts agree.
“I never recognize an online course,” said Teresa Wade, a personal trainer and health and wellness director at the Sports Barn downtown.
So how does an ordinary consumer identify the best fitness credentials?
When interviewing a potential trainer, you don’t always need to require a professional certification, said Patricia Ochoa, associate professor of physical education at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. Be sure to evaluate professional experience and education outside of a degree program, she said.
“Some trainers may not have a college degree (and thus may lack a professional certification) but may have taken on quite a bit of independent education and have a lot of experience that is very good,” Dr. Ochoa said.
On the other hand, experience never hurts.
“Some people could have the degree and not have the experience — that’s not always the best,” she added.
An ideal resume would include a national certification, some college courses or a degree in exercise science and some practical experience, Dr. Ochoa said.
The Indianapolis-based American College of Sports Medicine’s certifications are accredited by a third party, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Any certification that passes the NCCA’s standards should be reliable, said Hope Wood, assistant director of certification for ACSM.
No magic answer, or super-certificate, can verify any personal trainer is worth the sand in your dumbbells, experts say.
But “when someone’s seeking a certification they should be an informed consumer,” Ms. Wood said. “Get as much information as you can, and make sure the certification is NCAA-approved.”
At YMCA branches, all trainers must have such a national certification. Those looking for a personal trainer are then asked about their goals and matched with a trainer certified in that specialization.
“Most of our people go a step farther to a specialized certification such as strength or sport conditioning,” said Tina Walker, fitness coordinator at the Hamilton Family YMCA.
