Best group fitness certification programs

With people dealing with weight loss issues, the active lifestyle and lots of physical activity that group fitness classes encourage will help your clients with healthy living for a long term also. It also opens you up to many more possibilities with your training experience, and it makes you more desired as a trainer.

Once I became certified as a group instructor, it was great because I got a lot of my one-on-one personal training clients to also take classes with me. The biggest win for me was converting a lot of the members in the group exercise class into one-on-one personal training clients as well. It is the best type of personal training marketing and if you can sell personal training then you will be made in the shade! It does not, however, include the ISSA certification because that certification is relatively newer.

You now have all you need on each certification to make a career upgrade. Do make your choice and let me know if you need more info through the comment section below. If you have not done so yet, take the quiz to get a better overall idea of which group exercise certification is the best match for you. Like I mentioned at the beginning of the article, I think a group fitness certification can open up a lot of doors for you.

You can gain a lot more clients and therefore make a lot more money by converting class members into personal training clients and vice versa. Naturally, not all of the certifications that I talked about are created equal but any one of them is better than no group instructor certification at all if you are teaching a class. This makes sure that you study hard and often actually memorize the material because while teaching a class or teaching a small-group, you will not be able to look at your textbook to figure out the proper thing to do.

Not only are both of these certifying agencies very well known, but the test-taking procedures are more strict. Out of the two certifications, I think that ACE is much more structured and resources are more plentiful, helpful and easily accessible. Click here to check out my full review on the ACE group certification!

Whichever one you pick, all of these will fulfill your continuing education credits for your general certification. If this article on the best group fitness certification options was helpful, please share it on social media using one of the buttons on the side or just simply let your friends know about it.

Super excited, I took the opportunity and I really enjoy it but I would like to know more about group training. Hey Ash, Good to hear that you are so excited about getting into the fitness industry. If you are looking to mostly do group training stuff I would recommend sticking with ACE. I think that their group exercise certification is better if not the best one out there.

They have been around for a long time. They are very well respected in the industry and by employers also always have great study materials for all of their personal trainer certifications. My questions to you are as follows: 1. Thanks a million! Both certifications are highly respected within the industry. You will definitely learn just as much from both of them. In terms of it being an open book test, it kind of is in this kind of not.

I would definitely contact your future potential employer to see which certifications they accept. And no, you would not be able to pass the American Council on exercise exam from all of the study materials you learn from the international sports Sciences Association. You will need to study that separately in order to pass it.

Good luck. Go for it. Having a group exercise certification is very helpful and a lot of fun at the same time. Hello Thomas, Thank you for the kind words and for checking out my article on the top group fitness certifications.

Good luck with all of the studying! It would be good to see a chart.. I really appreciate this site. Hello and thank you for the advice. Can you become certified as a group fitness instructor if you take the NASM personal training certification or would I need to also take an additional course for group fitness? Hello Emily, Most people that are hiring group fitness instructors tend to hire people that are certified with a group exercise certification. Although with the knowledge you gain from the general personal training certification NASM, is not unheard of of people leaving group fitness classes.

It really depends on the gym that you are going to work for in what they are looking for in a group fitness instructor. I hope this Helped answer your question.

Appreciate all the info. Can the ACE test be taken online? Do you have to purchase a study guide before taking the ACE exam? Can just pay to take the exam and study online. You can just pay for the exam and it comes with study materials that can be found on the ACE online portal.

You can take the ACE group fitness training exam online once you are done studying. I hope this helps answer all of your questions and good luck with all the studying.

What do you recommend in terms of how long should one take to study in order to pass the exam? Hello Emily, Great questions. The study materials I usually suggest are a good study guide, the textbook obviously, flashcards and practice tests. I feel like these are the most important study materials for any personal training exam. In terms of the study time it takes to pass ACE, it really depends on how much knowledge of exercise and fitness you already have under your belt.

If you study for 3 to 4 hours every single day, you can probably take this test in a month. If you do not have any experience with personal training or personal training certifications, I recommend three months study time for somebody just starting out. Thanks for the great insights for all the available certifications. I hv better understanding on the choice of certification I like now..

Hey ling, Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment with your kind words. I really hope this information helps you make an informed decision on which group fitness certification to choose. Good luck with all the studying! Thanks so much for this post! How does it differ from the group certs you mentioned above? Hey Lu, I am so glad that you enjoyed my article on group fitness certifications.

Group exercise is more of how to train large groups of people for classes such as step classes, spin classes, zumba classes etc. Group personal training is typically smaller groups where people get more individual attention. There is a gray area though and they do mix quite frequently. The national Academy of sports medicine general certification will be fine for small group personal training sessions totally. If you want to get into larger groups, I do suggest picking up a group fitness certification as well.

It all depends on what the gym requires of you in order to hold these types of classes. Hey Tyler! Love your articles, but I do have question though. I really enjoy teaching my group classes with my personal training cert, but I do want to expand my knowledge on it.

I currently teach HIIT classes and I was wondering if you would suggest which of the two I should pick for this type of training class.

Thank you! I think that the best option for a group exercise certification would be the international sports sciences Association or ISSA. This is due to the fact that everything is online including the final exam. Not only is the final exam online, it is also open book so there should be no anxiety involved while taking this exam. I hope this helps. I teach Tai Chi, Meditation, and Qigong. I have taught these for decades without any sort of national certification.

After 30 years, I am very well versed in running my classes, modifying movements based on age, strength, health, ability, safety in martial arts, safety in rehabilitation, fun with the group, music, etc etc. There are no offerings that I am aware of for certification in any of my areas of expertise. Choose music that is designed specifically for fitness and that has the correct tempo and phrasing for the type of class you will be teaching.

As a general rule-of-thumb, your warmup should be in the — bpm range, and your cool down in the bpm range. As a group exercise instructor, it is your responsibility to not only keep up on current research, information and trends pertaining to the fitness industry, but continually reinforce your knowledge as well.

Join fitness-related organizations, subscribe to magazines and online newsletters, and attend aerobic conventions and courses. Most of these organizations provide you with great opportunities via online and in-person courses and seminars that can be applied towards fulfillment of your continuing education requirements. Powered by Campus Explorer. Learn more. Explore Health Career Fields. Get Your Fitness Career Going.

Exercise Physiologist: Career Overview. Personal Trainer Certification Guide. How to Become a Sports RD. Get Your Degree! Advance Your Fitness Career. Save now. Resolve to move forward. Ends soon! Happy move year! Ending soon! Save Now. Talk with an Advisor. Gain and demonstrate expertise Learn scientifically-proven fundamentals of group fitness—from exercise programing and motivation techniques to music selection—to deliver unforgettable classes. Prepare for your exam, stress-free Stay on track and build confidence with ACE University, our best-in-class interactive digital study experience featuring multimodal learning through online learning activities, video lessons, reading assignments, quizzes and more.

Achieve respect with a trusted credential Get the attention of potential employers with a certification program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies NCCA , the gold standard for program accreditation in fitness and health.

An unparalleled learning experience to prepare you to get certified. Understanding human movement Learn anatomy through a practical approach, focused on the primary movement patterns people perform throughout the day and in group fitness classes. Intelligent selection and sequencing of exercises Understand how to develop systematic and inclusive class blueprints with planned progressions and regressions through interactive learning activities.

Providing inclusive classes Discover how to encourage individuals of varying ages and fitness levels to come as they are and to share in a positive class experience. Communication strategies and behavioral change Learn strategies to promote healthy behavior change in class participants and applied communication, such as cueing, motivation and feedback.

Class participant safety and legal considerations Learn how to appropriately respond to incidents and emergency situations that may arise during a class and gain an understanding of the professional responsibilities and legal guidelines to guide your actions as group fitness instructor. Creating memorable movement experiences Obtain skills to inspire and motivate class participants through interactive learning activities focused on creating opening and closing statements, music selection, powerful transitions and strategies for providing effective feedback.

Recorded Videos. Recorded Webinars. Recorded Podcasts. Practice Tests. Expert Articles. Get your FREE course preview! Enjoy a sneak peek of our robust study materials. Free Course Preview. Earn and celebrate the most trusted credential in fitness and health.