The NFPT (National Federation of Professional Trainers) Personal Trainer certification is among the NCCA certified organizations and has been for a number of years now. A certified stamp from the NCCA means that the NFPT is among the best and most recognized Personal Training certifications in the United States.

Types of Certifications
NFPT offers a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) program with a entire slew of additional ‘advanced’ courses also readily available.

They give really a number of ways to get the education required to pass the exam. They have at house, on-line, workshop, and even correspondence courses at several local colleges.

Reputation / Popularity
The business recognition, for some reason, is not as high for NFPT as the other certification programs. I haven’t had any gyms say that NFPT was enough, they often asked if I would also get something like ACSM or NSCA.

Eligibility
All you’ll want to turn into eligible for the NFPT exam is to be 18 years old having a High School diploma. They do strongly recommend that you might have your CPR certification, having said that you don’t want it to sit for the exam.

Deep in their Student Manual, the line “Applicant must have at least 2 years of practical hands-on expertise in weight/resistance and/or cardio
Training” may be found. Nevertheless I can’t locate anywhere that requests verification of this data just before the exam can be taken. I think this is far more of a ‘wish’ than a requirement.

Exam
The exam is administered at over 300 websites and they even send you the closest centers to create it easier for you to pick probably the most proper for your schedule.

There’s also an optional ‘practical’ exam for those who want benefit from some hands on experience and testing. Even though I extremely suggest it, I do wish they made this a mandatory component of the examination itself. That would undoubtedly help their business recognition and respect.

The nice thing is there are no exam dates, so you may take it any time you wish.

Workshops
There’s a workshop alternative, with two various ways to attend. The caveat is that you should own the “Home Study” course previously prior to you could sign up.

On their web page they show classes where the Workshops are held. They hold them in their affiliate businesses. As a result, if you’re already a member of one of those businesses, you’re lucky for the reason that you’ll get a reduced rate for the Workshop.

People today which are studying at household can do this workshop for an extra $159. The affiliate corporations are some amount much less than that, but I haven’t heard a firm quantity for the cost of the course.

Distance Studying
NFPT has a Laptop or computer Distance Understanding Program that lets you work in ‘virtual’ classes, just like in case you were seriously in a workshop.

I agree that this is the wave of the future and NFPT seems to be the only group that is performing it in this way. I have no thought how well trainers will do with this approach, but I’m positive that over time it is going to increase.

It costs about $550 to complete the Distance Learning portion of the training. That consists of all of the books and materials you are going to require.

Expenses
Since you will find a variety of methods to pay for the education/exam, I’m going to list them here just to create it less difficult.

Home-Study Course – $450 (includes exam fee)
Computer Distance Course – $550
Workshop – $159 or less (have to own Home-Study Course)
College Course – Dependent on the School

Miscellaneous Fees
$20-$44 for proctor exam (payable at the exam)

Validity
Now here’s some thing intriguing, the certificate is only valid for 1 year. Nevertheless, here’s the catch, the yearly fee pays for all of your CEC fees! Intriguing, huh?

Though it’s not extremely effortless to understand from their internet and printed materials, the recertification fee is $75 a year based on their handbook. That’s not terrible, contemplating you get 2 CEC’s no cost with it.

CEC’s
As mentioned above, NFPT considers CEC’s as part of your continuing certification criteria. As a result it is totally free and you’ll want to get 2 CEC’s each 12 months.

You also have Semi-Annual “Self Tests” administered via the NFPT web page are needed (unless a CEC satisfies the requirement)

They definitely care to ensure their trainers are continually learning. Rather than having a cramming of CEC’s in the last 2 months of your 2 year certification, you continually learn with NFPT. Not a poor notion!

Renewal
Renewal is yearly at the price of $75. This price covers all of your CEC’s that you’ll need for the following year to renew in 12 months.

Summary
With a fresh approach to education and CEC’s, NFPT is creating itself various in an attempt to distinguish itself in a field where, frankly, numerous organizations appear the identical.

The recognition is not as powerful as some, however the education is constant and really beneficial. If recognition isn’t that important to you (if you’re not attempting to join a gym), then I would definitely check this certification out.