A.C.E. Certification...how difficult?

[honeybunch]

I need to have my head examined, but that is the subject of another post! I'd really like to become a personal trainer through the A.C.E. examination, and would like the straight scoop on how tough the exam is. I have had a lot of experience with studying on my own in the past....took a lot of correspondense courses for college credit when I lived too far away from a school. So I know I have the discipline for it. The energy and the time are another matter.

Is it too much to expect to study for this thing on top of a full time job? Please give me any thoughts on your personal experiences. Also, how difficult is it to get started making a living as a personal trainer?

This is just a "notion" on my part at this time. I may or may not do it, and will live one way or the other!

I'd SURE like to do it, though!

Any "educated crowd" opinions are welcome, & especially the those of our guru, Cathe!

 

[Aimee]

WOW Honeybunch!!

I'm wanting to get my PT also! Since I can't speak from first hand knowledge, I'll tell you what I've heard thru the grapevine. Also, I do have my primary cert. so, I'll tell you about that too. OK, I've heard that between AFAA and ACE, ACE is the easier of the 2. I'm certified through AFAA for my primary and my boss is certified though ACE. We compared notes and ACE was definately easier with that one! I had to do a written and practical{physical} exam, you HAVE to pass both exams!! With ACE all you have is a written exam. I prefer AFAA because of that. Well, that's all I know and I hope this helps. If you do decide to go for it, CONGRATULATIONS!! I will do it, I just need to get the money first.

 

[honeybunch]

Which certification.....

....is considered the best one to get, credibility wise? I always thought ACE was the best one to get? Does AFAA have a website?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Aimee]

It sure does

just go to www.afaa.com, they have dates you can look up also for any of their certifications. As for creditibility,I feel they both are excellent. Compare the sites and dig up some info. I really feel that you can't go wrong with either!!

 

[Heather Y]

check with the gym you would like to work at

Many gyms require different certifications. I am certified through AFAA for group fitness. At one of the gyms I work at I see a couple of ACE Personal Trainers. The vast majority of the other ones have BS degrees in Exercise and Sports Science and are Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. One is AFAA Personal Training Certified.

I hear ACE is more difficult that AFAA for both Personal Training and Group Fitness due to the fact that the written exam is much more challenging than AFAA's exams put together. So, I would talk to some personal trainers and some local gyms before I chose with certification to pick.

 

[Andrea]

What a great Q honeybunch

I have been wanting to get certified for over a year, but want to get my last pregnancy over with first. From what I've read, ACE is the most common certification for personal trainers and AFAA is most common for group instructors. Good luck to you!

Andrea

 

[joyce619]

I'm ACE certified!

Hi Honeybunch
I'm ACE certified as a group fitness instructor since 1996. I was very determined to get this certification and did it with 2 small children,a full time job and a husband who traveled

. I allowed myself 3 months to study and prepare, I did it on my own. I just made sure I set time aside each day to study.
I felt it was a challenging exam and I have a BS in Biology. BTW, ACE does now require you to pass both written and practical portions.
Keep in mind, every two years you need to get recertified and the best way is to attend contninuing education classes. So it is something that requires continuous learning.
Also our fearless leader Cathe is ACE certified

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

PT Certification!

I'm actually ACE certified as a Group Fitness Instructor. The Personal Training certification is entirely different. I have heard that the ACE personal trainer certification is much harder than the AFAA. But honestly, I really don't know that for sure. The best thing to do is visit their websites(you can access both organizations right from our links page under certifications/organizations)and or call the companies directly. Then I would strongly suggest speaking directly to a few personal trainers themselves to find out: 1) which exam they found to be harder, ACE or AFAA and 2) the ins and outs of the whole business(ex: how long it takes to develop a clientel, how much you can realistically charge in your area, how much time you must personally invest to get a clietele started and/or maintain it, what you can expect to make if you pursue this as a full time or part time line of work, etc).

Although I cannot personally share with you what to expect as far as the PT exam is concerned, I do know many personal trainers. I think most of them would agree that while this work is very rewarding, it requires you to be very flexible, available, patient, and in many cases, willing to give a lot more than you get, especially early on when you need to establish yourself.

I do also know that, just as in the Group Fitness Certification, you will need to keep your certification current by earning continuing education credits every two years. This can be done by attending educational classes through a variety of resources(on line coarses, home study, (inter)national conferences, local workshops, college classes etc.

Hope this provides you with a little more information. But definitely contact the companies and credible/qualified personal trainers for your most accurate information. Good Luck!