ACSM in its complete form is the American College of Sports Medicine. Through is certificates, it assists professionals in the areas of advancing and integrating scientific research. This is intended to offer ways in which exercise science as well as sports medicine can be applied in educative and practical ways. More about the certification program is disclosed below.

ACSM Certification Program: Brief Overview

The scheme for ACSM includes Health Fitness, Clinical, and Specialty certifications. For the Health Fitness category, one example is ACSM-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer). On the other hand, the Clinical category includes the ACSM-CEP (Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist) certificate. These two given as examples will be the focus of the description.

ACSM-CPT Certificate

The ACSM-CPT certification concerns those seeking competencies in becoming personal trainers. One has to take the 010-111 exam and pass it so as to get accredited. This evaluation comprises four performance domains that include:

• Initial client consultation as well as assessment (25%)
• Exercise programming in addition to implementation (45%)
• Exercise leadership and client education (20%)
• Legal as well as professional responsibilities (10%)

The intended candidates for the 010-111 exam need to meet some minimum requirements. The first one is having a diploma from high school or GED. Also, as a future ACSM-CPT, you are to have work experience with healthy individuals in promoting fitness. Still, you need to be working with those having health issues but have obtained clearance to carry on with exercises independently.

Other the tasks that are to be done before participation involve learning more about basic health screenings and lifestyle inventories, in addition to fitness assessments targeting health as well as skill-based elements of fitness. Finally, 010-11 evaluation confirms one’s readiness in adapting to behavior and offering of guidance when developing realistic goals, which are client-centered and relate to health, fitness, as well as wellness.

Exam Features

The candidates are going is to face 135 items in the test, but only 120 will be scored. The seat time is 2.5 hours. When it comes to the registration fee, member candidates for ACSM will pay $279, while non-member candidates pay $349. The price for re-testing is $175. The pass status is given to applicants if they achieve a score of at least 550 on a scale of 200-800.

ACSM-CEP Certificate

The Clinical Exercise Physiologist certificate requires one to accomplish the ACSM 040-444 evaluation. It captures the needs of professionals wishing to enhance the possibility of long-term-based physical, social, as well as economic independence with regards to patients. This happens through personalized patient education, change in behavior, and primary as well as secondary strategies related to prevention. The ACSM-CEP certification concerns rigorous educational alongside practical experiences within the entire sector of health as well as fitness.

The candidates who want to become ACSM-CEP accredited should own at least a bachelor’s degree in the area of exercise science. An equivalent of the same is also accepted. Other requirements include a clinical practical experience of 1200 hours. An alternative to the bachelor’s degree and the aforementioned prerequisites is a master’s degree within the field of clinical exercise physiology as well as a clinical experience of 600 hours.

The tasks covered by the associated exam include making use of prescribed exercise, promoting physical activity targeting individuals having chronic conditions or diseases, and basic interventions touching on health behavior. The conditions or diseases covered involve metabolic, orthopedic, pulmonary, immunologic, neoplastic, neuromuscular, hematologic, and musculoskeletal diseases.

Those getting ready to undertake the ACSM 040-444 exam should prepare to face 115 items, where scoring is only on 100 of them. Its timing is 3.5 hours, and the test is going to be based on the following domains:

• Patient assessment (20%)
• Exercise testing (19%)
• Exercise prescription (23%)
• Exercise training in addition to leadership (23%)
• Education & behavior change (10%)
• Legal & professional responsibilities (5%)

Regarding cost, ACSM members are charged $279, while non-members will pay $349. In case your first attempt isn’t successful and you wish to re-test, the cost is $175. Success in the evaluation means your points begin from 550 with minimum points at 200 and the maximum at 800.

Staying Certified with ACSM

Whether it is the ACSM-CPT or ACSM-CEP certificate that you now possess, it is best not to forget how significant it is when you stay certified for along period. Remember that these certifications have expiry date and should be renewed every 3 years through any of the available options. The first option includes meeting the requirements for CME, CEC, and CEU, maintaining the current CPR certificate, and paying the needed recertification fee. The second option concerns retaking the certification exam.

Career Opportunities

The organizations who are in the lead within the fitness industry prefer to work with individuals possessing certifications such as ACSM-CPT, ACSM-CEP, and others. However, other than working with established employers in research institutions, personal trainers can also work as freelancers. With ACSM’s approach, you will possess the material, career assets, and the professional network that you can benefit from as a fitness professional. Thus, it is possible to land that job you have only been dreaming of.

The certificates are credible and respected and enable you to bring about the much-needed difference globally. This includes personalizing workouts for your clients, leading a health-based initiative in your community, or making rounds in your fitness clinic. So, whether you are freelancing or employed by an organization, you should expect to receive a decent pay. For instance, ZipRecruiter.com report shows ACSM personal trainers working from home can make up to $100k annually. Also, a PayScale.com report says that an exercise physiologist with the ACSM accreditation can make about $47k annually.

Certification Path

With your ACSM-CPT certificate, you can grow further by embracing ACSM-GEI (Certified Group Exercise Instructor). This is critical if you like working with groups and wish to learn the varied techniques for instruction and motivation. This means your skills can apply when coaching individuals or during those tough sessions of offering support regarding a healthy lifestyle to your group clients. If yours is the ACSM-CEP, you can go to specialty certificates and focus on any of them. These are accredited by NCCA and they are meant to expand your expertise. They include the ACSM/ACS Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET), Exercise is Medicine Credential (EIM), ACSM/NCHPAD Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT), and more.