Prepare for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification exam and complete a fitness internship with this online course.
Fitness Internship:
This course includes a fitness internship; one of the unique benefits of going through the online ACSM course is the opportunity to practice your skills in health, medical, and fitness setting through our field internship experience. Because we can educate students globally, you can work with their instructor on selecting an internship site in the United States or internationally at health and fitness facilities and chains on an ongoing basis. Learn to work with professionals in the fitness and health industry for hands-on experience working with members at fitness facilities and health centers. You intern for 60 total hours in this course.
How it works:
You will research and find sites of interest with the instructor's help. The internship site coordinator and you will agree to an hourly/weekly schedule that accommodates everyone's schedule. It is reviewed by the instructor and confirmed. The internship site coordinator tracks hours and completes an evaluation form at the end of the internship, confirming hours served and providing you an evaluation. During the internship, you will complete projects and evaluate the site as if you were a fitness/health manager and give the site a final grade for future reference.
Disclaimer: This course does not have an externship program through ed2go. Please check with your instructor for more information regarding externship opportunities.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 10 or later.
- Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Microsoft Word Online
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:
- ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer
- ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription
Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.
This online instructor-led course prepares you for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification exam. You will also have the opportunity to complete an on-site fitness field internship to experience real-life job/professional experience that are crucial for entering the health/fitness industry. Additional supplemental documents are provided complimentary to you for use in preparing for the ACSM-CPT exam.
The course was developed under the guidance of outstanding faculty from colleges/universities, the allied health/medical field, and the personal fitness training profession. The course includes presentations and outlines, specialized exam preparation materials, and 145+ practice test questions. ACSM-CPTs work with healthy individuals and those with health challenges who can exercise independently to enhance their quality of life, improve health-related physical fitness and performance, manage health risks, and promote lasting, healthy behavior changes.
Upon completing the course and passing the ACSM-CPT certification exam, you will be prepared to work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the service industries, according to the U.S. Labor Department of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections. Upon course completion, you will be prepared to address that demand to work in fitness facilities, gyms, health clubs, YMCAs, and other health/fitness settings working as a personal trainer and fitness professional.
The American College of Sports Medicine's Professional Education Committee certifies that "Educational Fitness Solutions" meets the criteria for official ACSM Approved Provider status from 2022 – December 2023. Providership # 672784.
Continuing Education Credits/Units
This course qualifies for CECs/CEUs for the following organizations.
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF)
- National Posture Institute (NPI)
- Initial Client Consultation and Assessment
- Provide documents and clear instructions to the client in preparation for the initial interview
- Interview the client to gather and provide pertinent information prior to fitness testing and program design.
- Review and analyze client data to identify risk, formulate a plan of action, and conduct physical assessments.
- Exercise Programming and Implementation
- Review the client's goals, medical history, and assessment results and determine exercise prescription.
- Select exercise modalities to achieve the desired adaptations based on the client's goals, medical history, and assessment results.
- Determine initial Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type, Volume and Progression (i.e., FITT-VP Principle) of exercise based on the client's goals, medical history, and assessment results.
- Exercise Leadership and Client Education
- Optimize participant adherence by using effective communication, motivational techniques, and behavioral strategies.
- Educate clients using scientifically sound resources.
- Legal and Professional Responsibilities
- Collaborate with health care professionals and organizations to create a network of providers who can assist in maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risk of an exercise program.
- Develop a comprehensive risk management program (including an emergency action plan and injury prevention program) consistent with industry standards of care.
- Adhere to ACSM Certification's Code of Ethics by practicing in a professional manner within the scope of practice of an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
What you will learn
- Understand ACSM-CPT performance domains and how to conduct basic pre-participation health screenings, lifestyle inventories, and fitness assessments for health and skill-related components of fitness
- How to assess client behavior adaptation readiness and offer guidance in developing realistic, client-centered goals related to health, fitness, and wellness
- Develop and administer courses designed to promote optimal cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition, as well as agility, balance, coordination, power, speed, and reaction time
How you will benefit
- Implement programs that facilitate client motivation, client adherence, and honors client confidentiality
- Be able to assess clients and refer to the appropriate allied health professionals to meet clients' safety and needs
- Prepare for the ACSM-CPT exam and your new career
Ken Baldwin
Ken Baldwin, M.ED., ACSM-H/FI has been involved in the fitness, wellness, and education profession for over 10 years. He is the senior editor, content expert, and lead author for ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer Textbook, Second Edition." He was chair of IDEA's National Personal Trainer Committee and chair of the Senior Fitness Subcommittee for the Massachusetts Governor's Committee on Physical Fitness and Sports. He serves on national committees for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), AAHPERD, and the Medical Fitness Association. His background includes operating and managing a personal training company, consulting at corporations, and lecturing at international conferences, public events, national conventions.
