fullpactb

• Fitness Professional Salary
• How To Become A Fitness Professional

At first, regular personal trainers used to teach these classes, but they had very little. This led ACE to create the group fitness instructor certification so that there. On the essentials of exercise science, a booklet to help you “master the manual,”. Through NETA you will have two different options for you to get your group. How much does personal trainer certification cost? Which certification is best for you? This comparison will help you answer that question. Certified Personal Trainer, May 2008 National Academy Sport Medicine (NASM). To graduate from the MATRx™ total body program in February 2017. Manual therapy, exercise and lumbopelvic stabilization training for the last 10 years. Want more ways to sharpen their sales skills without the 'used car salesman' vibe.

WITS stands for and is one of the organizations that certifies personal trainers. They have been around since at least the 90s when I first heard about them. Lately, I've been asked a lot of questions about WITS—is it a good cert, do gyms accept WITS etc. —but since I've never obtained this certification, I thought the best way to tell you about it would be to interview people who have gone taken the WITS cert themselves. So, I interviewed 3 random people who have went through the WITS program at different locations and times. I've kept their names anonymous at their request and I've divided this interview into question and answer format to help you quickly get to the answers you want.

If you are WITS certified, feel free to add your comments at the end, in case I missed anything. WITS Certification Questions Where did you take the WITS certification?

Everybody said they took their certification classes at community colleges. My experience is that WITS classes are often held at local community colleges. If you get circulars for colleges, the classes are usually located in the health and wellness and/or personal development sections. How much did the WITS certification cost? Picture from WITSEducation.com The cost of a WITS cert can vary depending on where it's offered.For example,one person said the program was $585 while another told me it was $475. Another person I interviewed paid $699. These differences are likely because of the deals that WITS has with different colleges.

How long did each class in the course last? Classes usually meet every Saturday for 6 weeks. The classes usually ran 7 hours. The mornings are used for working form the book and the afternoons consisted of practical issues such as how to do fitness assessments and learning strength machines etc. I was told that every week a different topic was covered. Was the teacher of the class a personal trainer?

All stated that their teacher had personal training experience. Did the teacher explain the material in easy to understand language or did he/she repeat what the book said? All 3 people responded that their instructors basically read from the book. Keep in mind that this does not mean that all WITS instructors do this. One person mentioned that the powerpoint presentation used by the teacher might be a “company issued PowerPoint.” I'd imagine that this might make some sense if the final exam etc. Is standardized ―and I assume it is.

Using a standardized approach ensures that everybody teaches the same thing. What book did WITS use in their course? The book was called the. This is a very good textbook used in many colleges. I own a copy myself. For many other good books I own and recommend.

How long does the WITS certification last? What do you need to do to maintain the WITS certification? People need to obtain 10 cec’s (continuing education credits) and pay a recertification fee of $50. Did WITS use a series of tests during the course or only 1 big test at the end?

One person reported having quizzes that were mostly oral with some written. What was a passing grade for the WITS test? The final exam was 70% on the written test. People needed at least 70% on each of the 5 parts of the practical exam. WITS Test Questions Was there a comprehensive final exam for WITS? There was a comprehensive written final. People needed at least 70% to pass the final exam.

Was the test essay, T/F, multiple choice etc? Multiple choice. How long did it take you to find out if you passed?

People indicated that they knew within 30 days. Was the internship part the final grade?

Everybody indicated that the internship was not factored into the final grade. Do you feel you needed to think during the final exam? One person said that the test had several trick questions but could not recall what topics the questions were related to.

How many questions on the test? 100 questions. Did the WITS final exam have a time limit? It was 2 hours.

WITS Practical Questions Where did the practical portion of the final exam occur? The test was at the college gym. What were the parts of the practical?

One person indicated that these were the 5 areas on the practical portion:. 2 sections devoted to fitness assessments. 1 Warm-up section. Demonstrate stretches for 5 different muscles.

Upper body exercises: demonstrate exercises for 2 muscle groups. Lower body exercises: demonstrate exercises for 1 muscle group What was the WITS practical like? Students were given a scenario. One of the fellow students acted as your client while the teacher observed and took notes. People then took turns being the trainer/client. Some people said the teacher for the practical (and final exam) was not the same as the person who taught the 6 week class. Did you learn that day if you passed the practical?

The results of the test came within 30 days. People needed at least 70% in all sections to pass. Did you learn what questions you missed on the final? No.People did not learn what questions they missed.

This is normal when it comes to fitness certifications. Most organizations will not tell people which questions they missed on a test.

WITS Internship Questions Was there an internship for WITS? There is a 30 hour internship, People have to complete the internship within 1 year of taking the course. At least 3 of those hours need to be devoted to actually working with a client. Did WITS help you obtain the internship? Two people indicated that they received a list of gyms in the area that accepted WITS interns. There were also guidelines in the workbook to follow and forms for the gym to fill out.

If a gym is not on the WITS internship list, people can request to have that gym added. One person added that her instructor offered to help with getting the internship (kudos to that teacher!). One person related the story that the gym she interned at (Anytime Fitness), had never worked with WITS before and felt that when it came to the part where the intern needed 3 hours to work with an actual client, that she was at a loss as to how to do it within the guidelines of the gym. Note: To me, this sounds like a problem with that particular Anytime Fitness Franchise and not WITS. I believe the gym should have instructed the intern on how they do things. WITS Personal Trainer Testing Tips How did you prepare for the WITS final exam? People said they studied assessments, warm ups, quizzes and chapters in the book where they felt they were weak.

Did the teacher offer any advice? People indicated that the teacher may give ideas about what you might expect to see on the final exam. The teacher might not know however what the test consists of until the end of the program.

It's also possible that the person who issues the final exam is not the same person as the teacher of the classes. Two of the people I interviewed noted that final exam teachers were not the same as the person who taught the class. The same may also be true for the practical exam too. What were the major areas of material on the WITS exam?

Fitness Professional Salary

Exercise physiology, exercise prescription, anatomy, bio-mechanics and nutrition. One person described it as “hard core science.” Note. This is VERY common for all personal trainer certification programs. All personal trainers must know science. My book explains that science so you can understand it.

Trust me Did you made any mistakes when preparing for the final exam? One person stated a study partner would be a good idea. Another person said not studying enough was a mistake. Did you need a calculator for the WITS exam? Was the test taken on a computer? The written test was taken on paper.

Multiple choice and true and false. Random Questions List 3 things you learned from the WITS cert that you did not know before you took the class One person mentioned calculating target heart rates and VO2max calculations. The other person mentioned things like related to muscle fibers and how they work, sources of energy, and oxygen uptake. Did the WITS classes cover anything about marketing or interviewing for a job?

There is a section in the book about legal issues and laws. Here's my Did any gym tell you they did not accept WITS? If yes, what reasons did they give? No person I interviewed told me they ran into gyms that did not accept WITS. This is good news. I occasionally have heard that some gyms might not accept WITS certifications.

My personal speculation is that this may be because big box gyms sometimes hire salesman (who don't know fitness) as managers. Also, some people might accept the organizations that they hear mentioned over and over again. This name is usually “NASM.” See my for more insights on them. Was the WITS Cert Good?

All of the people I interviewed stated that overall, they were disappointed with the WITS personal training class they attended. Keep in mind that I only interviewed 3 people for this review so that may not reflect the feelings of others who have gone through the program. Feel free to share your personal thoughts below so others can learn from you and your experiences.

Most of their frustration seemed to stem from the instructors who taught the course and to a lesser degree, the lack of guidance with the nature of the internship. I'm sure there are very good WITS instructors out there, so this review is not meant to be a defaming of the organization by any means.

Personally, I like WITS and have been complimentary to WITS in the past and have always felt that going to school for several weeks was a advantage that WITS has over other personal trainer organizations. What do you think? Hi D Casco, for what it’s worth, I think the idea of accreditation -by NCCA or any other organization -is not needed. I feel its an attempt by organizations to get money from fitness certification organizations. Basically the fitness certification organization pays these accreditation companies money for the privilege of being listed as accredited. While accreditation may “level the playing field” by ensuring that all organizations teach basically the same stuff, I think any organization that was sub par would eventually be downgraded by people.

In other words, its in a fitness organizations best interest to provide the best information and education they can to their students. That’s my 2 cents anyway. I obtained my certification through WITS this year and interned at a local gym that Did Not know about WITS but was willing to give me a shot. They realized quickly that I knew my stuff and hired me.

I kid you not that I studied a lot and the instructor was excellent and has many certs. She could not veer off for too long for she did have to follow the guidelines of the course. At the beginning of each class she reiterated studying the Anatomy section for it could be the make or break it. Many scenarios on the final that contained Anatomy. I started with ACSM on my on and felt it was too heavy and would get confused. This class is the same but breaks it down for the basic trainer with an instructor that can answer questions.

Vic, I think it depends. Do you think you will work at a gym? If then, then Id say yes. Gyms often require a personal training certificate.

They vary in the organizations they accept. Here is my review of for more information on this. If you think you will be self employed, then it may not be neceesary although do ask personal trainer liablity insurance companies for better insights. They also may require you to have a cert even if you have a college degree.

Im not sure about this so that is why I recommend it. I can tell you that a certification may be a good thing regardless if find yourself not needing it to get a job. I have a MS degree in exercise science. Very little of it was about “personal training.” I think the value of the cert is that it helps people apply the science of exercise and health. I just became certified through WITS this summer/fall. I really enjoyed the program. Yes, the classroom section does follow slides/power points.

The instructor did make the comment that that is what they have to do. You are given a workbook for lecture and lab, which basically the classes/slides just follow the workbook page by page. The six week Saturday program is really 5 weeks, as the testing for your certification is done on the 6th and final Saturday. I was able to do my internship at the gym I have been a member of for quite a few years, a gym which was not on the list they provide.

One of the reasons I choose WITS was for the internship aspect. I felt it would be a great way to network and start to get to make connections in the field. In fact, I have kept in touch with the instructor. I’ve worked in the medical field for nearly 20 years and am looking to switch careers. I only started working out consistently and with a trainer about four years ago, but I loved how much better it made me feel and just the positive/ inspiring attitudes in that are found in that field. That’s why I decided to become certified myself. Hoping I can help people feel better about themselves as my trainer helped me.

I have not found a job at a gym yet. Some of the gyms I’ve talked to have not heard of W.I.T.S, so I do have to enlighten them a bit. When the internship aspect is mentioned, I notice they seem to perk up a bit. I’ve also heard trainers say if they’d known about or been able to do an internship during their certification process they definitely would have. So, I would recommend them. I do plan on getting certified through ACE as well, just because that is one of the well known ones. I figure it can’t hurt to get another certification.

I would also like to add that W.I.T.S seem to give to plenty of opportunity to get your continuing education, some of them free. I just got my certification in October and have received monthly emails for a free CEU opportunity. They are hour long webinars and then just pass the quiz afterwards (email it back to them within the designated time) and you get your credit.

This article does help, as do the comments. I was on the fence about taking WITS at my local community college or taking ACE or ACSM online. I believe that I will end up with ACE, just because I like the packages they offer better along with the fact that they are a powerhouse in the industry.

I have called around to gyms in my area inquiring about the internship and they replied that their customers want a certified trainer, not an intern. That’s just my personal choice based on the fact that I am a self-paced learner. My biggest issue with ACSM is just the lack of study tools and help provided.

After doing my research and making my spreadsheet, ACE is the best choice for me. I just completed the WITS course only to find that the medically based fitness clubs near me no longer accept WITS certification. I asked my club’s manager why (he’s a former WITS instructor himself and had only good things to say about the course), but he wasn’t sure. These clubs grandfathered the trainers who have WITS certification, but they had to acquire another acceptable certification within a certain time frame. So, it looks like I will be signing up for another cert course while the training is still fresh in my mind. I was thinking about ACSM or NASM — does anyone have any advice on the various online courses? I thought the WITS course was plenty challenging and don’t want to get in over my head.

Hi Jackie, that is so strange! Can you tell me the name of the medically-based fitness club? Maybe I can try to find out whats going on? Have you tried to reach out to WITS to see if they can do anything on your behalf?

The founder of WITS is Jay Del Vecchio. I know him and he’s a nice guy.

You might try reaching out to him personally to see if he can shed light on this? As for other certs,since you mentioned this health club chain is medically based. Because of that I’m tempted to say ACSM but that is the easy answer. Do you have a list of certs that the health club chain does accept? The clubs manager should be able to tell you other organizations they accept.

I believe with your WITS cert, you should have no trouble passing most other certs out there. A few that I like that your club might also accept include: I linked to their websites so you can check them out if you want more info on them. I’m not generally a fan of NASM and you can on them for why. Again, let me know the name of the club and I’ll try to see what might be going on. Hi Joe, There are multiple fitness centers in NJ affiliated with a major university hospital system. The certifications they accept include: IFPA ISSA NASM NCSF NESTA NETA NFPT NPTI NSCA CI NCCPT NATA I thought they also accepted ACSM, but I don’t see that on the list. Nor is AAAI/ISMA, IFTA, or ACE on the list.

Perhaps WITS training is deemed to be not as thorough as the certifications noted above? The 36-hour WITS course was compressed into 6 weeks (with the 6th week consisting of both practical and written exams), so it was quite intense and challenging. I already have a bachelor’s degree, so it’s not like this is my first experience with a demanding class. I did at least 2-3 hours of reading, prep work, and studying for each hour spent in class. It was a great course with a terrific instructor and I learned a lot. Since my goal is to work with the older population (aged 50-80 years), a medically oriented fitness center is the place to be, so it looks like I’ll need another certification if I want to seek a job there.

Still, I was a bit surprised that online courses, which do not include a practical component, are acceptable while WITS training is not. But I honestly don’t know enough about the online certification courses to judge why they are preferred. As you mentioned, I’d like to think that my WITS cert would help me pass any of the acceptable online certification courses, but I can’t assume that because there’s no way for me to compare the content or requirements of those courses with WITS. I’m at a loss for how to choose one, to be honest.

My advice to prospective trainers is, if you have your heart set on working at a particular club or facility, check first to see if there are certifications that they do/don’t accept. Jackie, I am equally shocked that the gym would accept NCCPT (an online cert) but not WITS. WITS is superior in my opinion.

I’m sure ACSM is on the list even though its not formally listed. To not accept ACSM would be just dumb on their part. Ask about AAAI/ISMA. I teach for them in NJ as do others. I also focus- where possible -on older adults. AAAI is only $99 so if that’s an option to get your foot in the door, then so be it.

Have you ever considered being a self employed trainer and marketing yourself directly to the people you want to help? That’s definitely an option for you. I agree with what you said about checking the gym you want to work at first. It’s one of the points I made in my review of. Proud WITS Instructor says.

I’m and instructor for WITS and so maybe I can give you a different perspective. First I have a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science and a Professional Master of Physical Therapy. I have over 15 years of experience working in outpatient orthopedics and sports medicine. I also taught group fitness for over ten years and have worked as a personal trainer in multiple settings. In additional to my University education, I have completed additional training and certifications in Youth Fitness, Group Exercise Fitness, Pre-Post Pregnancy, Cycle Reebok, Personal Training and over 600 hours of professional continuing education for Physical Therapy spanning everything from advanced nutrition to yoga as a therapeutic tool.

I am also completing an advanced certificate in Sports Nutrition through Western Carolina University. I was honestly surprised by the scrutiny I received during the hiring process.

In addition to submitting my educational background, I was required to submit several references (which were actually checked.) WITS also requires their instructors to go through an online version of the course (the entire 5 week course–last week for students is testing–as well as supplemental administrative videos, which includes passing quizzes and tests. Furthermore, WITS has offered me several opportunities to complete additional training through them, which to me is to their benefit. This is an entry level certification, which is meant to serve as a starting point for trainersnot an end point). WITS has taken great pains to standardize the experience, but I imagine that some instructors are better than others. We are required to follow a power point presentation, although we are encouraged to supplement with our own personal experiences. There is a lot of material to get through, but I always feel as if I have time to expand on a topic.

They provide a manual which contains all the power point slides and notes as well as quizzes, detailed info about the internship requirements and process, lab manual and expectations/grading sheet for the practical. They also provide a sample test online for students. The test is 100 questions, and it is hard. They tell students up front they will be expected to spend 2 hours outside of class for each hour in class. The practical covers health screening, blood pressure/vitals, fitness assessments to include 3-minute Step Test, Push-up Test, Sit-up Test, Flexibility Screening, YMCA Bench Press.

Several other assessment are covered but not required for the practical. We also cover basics of cardiovascular programs, strength programs, flexibility programs, warm-up, safety, spotting, common training errors, program customization among other things. At this point there are 6 week and 9 week versions of the course.

The text book is comprehensive and well-structured and probably goes into a little more depth than someone lacking a science background is comfortable with, but this is not a flaw of the book or the course. In addition to obtaining 70% on the exam (which is actually toughthey are tough questions that require a real understanding of concepts being tested), they also require that students achieve 70% on each of 5 separate sections for the practical. If students fail they have an opportunity to retake for a fee.

Students must also complete a 30 hour internship and show proof of CPR certification. WITS also offers a supplemental online version of the course discounted to 75 dollars. Students can miss one class/practical but no more in order to sit for the exam. The courses are usually held at a community college and for this reason attract students with a range of backgrounds and interest.

This is both a strength and weakness of the course, as not everyone fully intends to work as a personal trainersome people simply want to learn more about personal fitness. Gym facilities can also vary depending on the college hosting. As far as WITS not being known or recognized? My feeling is that this is sad.

WITS really is trying to take the personal fitness certification to the next level by providing practical training and a more rigorous testing protocol. I have nothing but good feelings about what they are trying to accomplish and have accomplished, and I am proud of my work with them.

I can not guarantee that this course is for everyone. I’m sure a lot depends on the instructor and the student’s expectation/needs, but I fail to see how what they are trying to do does not raise the bar compared to a home/study alternative. WITS is also big on feedback and ask students to evaluate their entire experience. They give students a chance to comment on the course and the instructor.

I can’t speak for their customer service as a student but have found them responsive as an instructor. Recently, I have seen that although they do not tell students what questions they got wrong they do provide info about content areas. For example, as part of the testing results you will learn that you got a 60% on the nutrition area and 90% on legal area kind of thing. I offer to stay in contact with all my students. I make recommendations for internships (though this is really the responsibility of the student) and I will go as far as contacting them if I feel that I have a future opportunity that they might be interested in.

My experience is that most students are happy/satisfied with the process as a whole. I base this on the course evaluations I read and the ongoing relationships I have with past students. You sent me here from the BodyBuilding forum so I figured I’d finally share my experiences.

I took both the ACE and WITS CPT programs. At the time, I had already been studying for my ACE certification and was looking for class-time to supplement my reading.

I found WITS at the community college listed as a 3-credit college course. What I will say about WITS is it has potential. Offering classroom interaction and lab-time isn’t offered through many of the more accepted certifications without a pricy add-on. Unfortunately, what they do offer by way of the classroom was a disappointment. Our teacher clearly knew her stuff. She had a master’s in kinesiology and a certification through ACSM.

But upfront she told us that the WITS program was an eight week “crash course” in personal training. The required textbook is comprehensive and covers all of the same anatomy, physiology, and professional skills covered in the ACE manual. WITS also provides a workbook that highlights the fundamentals. I can’t speak for all WITS locations, but my experience was underwhelming.

The teacher spent each class reading verbatim from the workbook, essentially reciting what we needed to know to pass the exam. Likewise, our time in the lab covered the functionality of basic exercise machines and assessment tests. What was uniquely bad about my experience was the location of the lab. Living in Center City Philadelphia, I opted for the community college location because they have a gym and I can walk there. However, WITS uses a commercial gym in the northeast corner of the city. Many of us spent the first day figuring out how we’d get there from the college, and in each class, about an hour was wasted commuting to the gym in crowded cars.

If WITS were considerably less expensive it might serve as an excellent introduction to the industry for someone with a very basic understanding of exercise science and fitness in general. But in that regard, it offers about the same level of learning as the many fly-by-night weekend Groupon deals. If you’re looking for the kind of introduction WITS does offer, the same money would be better spent on a credited college course in physical education. While ACE doesn’t offer classroom or lab time, it does offer extremely effective online and over-the-phone tutoring from very receptive and enthusiastic professionals. They don’t just want you to pass the exam, they want you to grow from the experience. ACE does offer some of the usual add-ons like flashcards and additional manuals. Some may find them useful depending on your learning technique, but I found the flashcards unnecessary.

One of ACE’s biggest advantages is its very comprehensive website which contains daily study tips and is constantly being updated with additional learning material. This is perhaps the biggest divide I found between ACE and WITS, and where WITS really seemed to fail: their attention to detail and to their students and graduates. Upon passing the ACE exam, the ACE website opened up to even more resources, tools for tracking my required CECs, a free professional website, and an abundance of tips on the various avenues with which to start a career. On the other hand, WITS never offered individualized access to their website, and the website is very bare-bones and poorly designed.

In the end, ACE was very committed to my comprehensive understanding of the material – evident in both a robust exam and enthusiastic tutors – and they continue to serve as a valuable resource to trainers holding their certification. They have a good reputation for a reason. WITS seems to operate more like an arbitrary certification, something that offers a relatively easy “CPT” to add after your name on resumes. Obtaining a WITS certification is very similar to receiving one for Business Analysis or Project Management. It’s something employers want and WITS will help you get it. As an emerging field with more and more gyms requiring certification, I think WITS will eventually have to step up their game. Again, they have potential that other programs don’t.

With eight classes each eight hours long, their teachers have the time to cover the same material covered in a 3-credit college course, plenty of time to ready someone for the field. Unfortunately, it seemed less like a physical education classroom and more like an adult driver’s ed course. I really don’t want to fault my teacher or her assistant because they knew their stuff, but I have a feeling WITS holds them to pass-fail requirements they need to meet. In order for WITS to continue justifying charging the same price as ACE and other programs, they need to beef up their extracurricular resources, website, and general attention from their organization. They have the tools and access to the classroom, if they tapped into the resources they have, they really could be one of the top CPT programs. Tom P, I dont know if it would help WITS or not. I think WITS could get more out of better marketing than anything else.

For example, when I searched facebook for their page, “WITS” didn’t turn up the page. I had to physically type in the whole name before it showed up. I think if more gym owners knew that WITS entailed going to school for 6 weeks, it would carry a lot more weight than being NCAA accredited. Honestly, NCAA doesn’t matter to me.

The same goes for other organizations that “certify” the certification organizations – and there are several of them out there (NCAA appears to carry the most weight though). I’ve seen the paperwork involved with getting accreditation through at least one of these organizations -it’s like a cavity search! In the past, I also taught the “prep course” for another one of these organizations and it was no different than what I normally teach for AAAI/ISMA. While I can appreciate the goal to raise up the industry, I look at it as a way to suck money out of certification organizations. Really glad you are happy with your WITS cert! First offI think you “nailed it” Joe. I retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 2012 and wanted to do something I love so I became a CPT.

I chose W.I.T.S. For two reasons. (1) They have actual class time, unlike so many other “more respected” certs. (2) They have a “practical exam” which MOST others do not. The written test is NOT open book and you can’t take it at home.

We only had 6 people in my class and only one person besides me passed both tests. If that were strictly an “online” course, the other 4 would be CPT’s. So I feel it DOES eliminate some folks because your knowledge doesn’t do you or you client much good if you can’t convey it. I currently work for a hospital owned gym and run a boot camp class twice a week. And I explained my view of their concerns about W.I.T.S. And they hired me.

The only real draw back I saw with the W.I.T.S. Course was that if you don’t already have a good bit of experience in the gym and actually doing “hands on” workouts, the course will probably not have enough “practical” training. I was one of 4 people that passed the written exam.

How To Become A Fitness Professional

I’m a nursing student so that gave me an advantage. As far as reputation, as a nursing students Who has to demonstrate his skills and clinical application to progress each semester, I found it odd that a personal trainer exam wouldn’t require the same.

This is why I was not impressed with NASM Or ACE Or any of the other alphabet soup certifications. From my understanding There are about 4 certifications (basic pt certifications) in the country that require you to demonstrate your coaching ability. Hi Joe, I took the WITS certified personal trainer course at my local community college last year and thought it was a great class. The instructor was engaging and very knowledgeable.

I liked the fact that the instruction format took place in both the classroom and the school’s gym, and I also appreciated having to pass written and practical exams. I had no trouble lining up an internship — the gym where I have a membership let me do my internship there and even offered me a job — BUT I had to be willing to obtain an NCCA-accredited personal trainer certification within 6 months of hire, which is a standard that MANY gyms now require, and one that WITS doesn’t yet have.

I chose American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), one of the more difficult certs to get and the one reputed to have the strongest clinical emphasis since my gym is affiliated with a hospital system. Their exam pass rate was only 54% last year (2015), so nearly half of all people taking the exam failed it. ACSM’s course and exam was so hard it made WITS look like a kindergarten class, but thankfully I passed it on the first go. The fact that I had taken WITS first was a blessing because it provided great background for the more in-depth ACSM course. I’m really proud to have achieved ACSM certification because it’s highly respected in the field and gave me instant “street cred”.

I have since heard that WITS is revamping its course and exam and applying for NCCA accreditation, which I think is a great idea. Hopefully they will get it soon. My advice to those seeking to get into the field is to check the employment requirements of the gym(s) you’re targeting to see if they require NCCA accreditation before you decide on which certification to go with. You can also research people’s comments online — including forums such as this one — about various certification courses and their exams. Some organizations (like ACSM) provide annual exam pass-rate statistics, which can be helpful in choosing a course. I am studying to take my WITS personal training test next week. I found out today from another student that WITS considers this course for students that have some kind of exercise physiology background and anatomy knowledge.

I have been having a hard time with some of the book. The terms and language they use is definitely advanced and not in layman’s terms. I wish I had known that before, however i feel a little sense of relief that some prior knowledge was expected! I do not see the study test for $6 like mentioned way above. I know this is an old thread but is it still available? Hi Christin, Yes, this thread is still available. I just went to the WITS website.

I dont see practice test at all on their site. If it helps you I did locate a flash card Q/A on another website: I dont know if they are associated with WITS or not but I glanced over the questions and answers and they looked correct to me. I wish you had reached out before now. I know you would have benefited greatly from my personal trainer book. Unlike others, I dont use big words and when I do I make sure you know what I’m saying. Let me know how your exam goes next week and do share what you think of their test so you can help others prepping for WITS. Hi Christin, I took the WITS personal trainer course in 2015, and our instructor provided all enrolled students with a WITS website link to the practice exams.

The practice exams were definitely helpful to get an idea of what kinds of questions would be asked on the exam, but they did NOT give the actual exam questions. We were also given a course outline on the first day of class that the instructor taught from. Pretty much everything that was on the exam was covered in the outline (more or less a study guide), and that’s mainly what I studied from. You still need to read the assigned book chapters, but if you received a course outline and link to the practice exams, by all means use them!

If your instructor didn’t provide a link to the practice exams, ask about it. BTW, I had to obtain another personal trainer cert after WITS because my gym requires an NCCA-accredited certification, which WITS did not have at the time, so I went on to get ASCM (having already taken WITS definitely gave me an edge). The good new is, WITS is currently in the process of obtaining NCCA accreditation, which would open up more job opportunities for you since more and more gyms are requiring this now.

Good luck with your exam! I seriously can’t tell if some of these comments are from people who are fake or people who actually took the course I completed a WITS course that began Sept 2017. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PROGRAM! I have personal experience with training and I’ve worked with many trainers in various settings. I’ve shadowed as well. The lecture was okay I wanted to quit half way through but I felt it was too late. It wouldn’t matter because Jay Del Vecchio (the president of the program) doesn’t give a crap.

He just wants your $$. I spoke to him myself. He was extremely defensive and rude. He claims that many know about this program and it’s accredited and can be compared to college courses. I have a college degree and certifications in other areas.

This is nothing like a college course. I’ve taken much shorter summer college courses that were much more informative. The lecture workbook was not completely in line with the slides that the lecturer had. They had to look at our workbooks to see what was missing from either our book or their slides. It was not very professional. We were told to not even worry about the text book and to pay more attention to the lecture workbook I still read the required chapters.

They also told us to mainly study the quizzes at the end of each lecture. We were told the format of the quizzes would be the same as the exam. That was a complete lie! If you don’t have any previous experience in courses like anatomy and bio-mechanics then you’re going to struggle. They don’t cover anything to where it’s easy to understand and sink in. They skim through those subject areas and expect you to learn it. Some of great lectures and practical info in the workbook had “homework”.

Yeah we didn’t even touch that. I wish we did because it would have helped. There were many points in the lecture where the instructor told us not to worry about certain things because it wouldn’t be in the exam. That was also a lie. I and some others that have training experience were very very disappointed in the extreme lack of information on programming.

There was zero lecture covering it. They mention to train major muscle groups and such but zero examples on how to program for clients. There’s a lot of info that was in the exam that was not in the lecture.

Not all chapters were required to be read either which I thought was strange. Passing grade for the exam is 68%. Everyone but one person in our course failed. As in failed horribly. It was very disappointing.

After that you’re required to PAY for the retest. Some other and much better certifications like NASM and ACSM allow at least one free retest and the rest either discounted or a fee. They are also more well known than WITS. I spoke to some managers at a few gyms that WITS has listed and they say they never heard of them.

Golds Gym is listed as one of the gyms jay takes that cert. Not a single golds gym in my area knew what WITS was.

They had to google it. I showed my workbook and my experience with the course with the lead trainer I am interning with. He was very disappointed in the lack of information and direction the course was lead. I have learned much more from interning on my own than in the course. After you take the exam, WITS will email you and tell you that they will not release your scores until you evaluate the course. People in my class decided to be nice in the evaluation for the person that was lecturing.

The evaluation needs to be in more depth and much longer. I regret leaving a nice evaluation. I should have been 100 percent honest and told him what I really thought about the course and the areas I need to hear prove on. Almost everybody in my class did not feel prepared to work with clients as soon as we were done. Everyone left the exam confused about what had happened. WITS had a 30 hr intern form you turn in and it bumps you to level 2 trainer.

Yeah that means absolutely NOTHING at any gym. That’s only a WITS thing. Also, 30 hours is not enough. Some courses require 100 or more hours. Its only that; it’s easy for people to just have their certified trainer friends sign off on the form and turn it in without actually interning. Nothing is monitored which is very stupid of them.

I intern because I have an awesome and EXTREMELY knowledgeable trainer I’m working with and learning so much from. Konica minolta 7020 service manual. I’m not done with interning and I’ve already surpassed the minimum 30 hrs required. This course was a waste of $$ and time.

I only continued to have the cert paper. I’m going to take the ACSM exam in a few months. Hi Sara, so sorry you had a bad experience with WITS. I really do appreciate you sharing all that you did.

I know Jay and have always found him to be a good guy. I did not know that students had to evaluate the course before getting their grades. As for most gyms managers not knowing about WITS, Ive heard this before.

I can only assume it’s because most gym managers are not fitness people but sales people. They only hear about the squeaky wheels like NASM ACSM et.c that clamor for attention.

Some trainers may only be familiar with who they are certified. Thats my theory take it for what it is. Even so, I’m saddened by your experiences. Can you tell me the location of where you took your WITS class? I’ve been told WITS monitors these comments. Maybe your words can help them improve going forward.

Good luck with ACSM. I can relate to some of Sara’s concerns.

I took the CPT course several years ago, when the internship was only 20 hours, and did not feel it was enough hands on time; also the practicum site was reluctant to allow an intern to do much. If I had to do it over, I would go for the degree but in my case, I didn’t go into this with the intention on complete career change. I would advise anyone considering WITS or similar cert to supplement it with college courses toward a degree if that person wants a full-time career in the fitness industry.

Otherwise, the individual may be looking at working in a chain gym earning only slightly more than minimum wage or pushed into position involving sales commission. One thing I’m not happy with is the cost of their renewal fees in addition to the cost paid for the CEUs. Hi Sara, A quick word of caution for you — if you think that WITS exam was hard, you’re not going to find ACSM any easier. I think some of the issues you had with WITS were due to the organization changing its course and exam to comply with NCCA accreditation standards. I hold both certifications (I first got WITS certification but my gym required NCCA accreditation, which WITS didn’t offer at the time, so I needed another training certification). Since my gym was affiliated with a medical center and has many members with chronic health conditions, I decided to go with ACSM because it has the strongest emphasis on clinical populations.

It helped that I was already an emergency medical technician with a strong background in anatomy & physiology, plus I had already passed the WITS exam with a score of 96. Even so, the ACSM exam was super difficult.

Thankfully I passed it on the first go, but only 53% of those who took it the year I did passed it — and that includes people taking it for the 2nd and 3rd time. ACSM always has the lowest pass rate of the various trainer certifications out there, which pretty much translates to the hardest exam. In deciding which certification to pursue next, you might want to consider the gym you’ll be working at or the populations you want to work with. If you’re going to be working with clinical populations then ACSM is definitely the way to go. If you prefer to work with younger, healthier people and/or athletes, I’m told that NASM, NSCA, or ISSA is best. ACE has a reputation as an all-around good certification based on cost and exam pass rates.

All of these certifications are well known and accepted by gyms/fitness centers. You may also want to consider the recertification period and number of CECs required to keep your certification active. At 45 CECs every 3 years, ACSM is the highest, while pretty much all the others require 20 CECs every 2 years. In short, there are a number of great trainer certifications out there, so ask around and do your research to help determine which is the right one for you.

Joe Cannon, MS has written for several publications including The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Today's Dietitian, and Prevention. He's been quoted in the New York Times, lectured to NASA and has been a content consultant for Dateline NBC.

He's the author of the first book ever published on rhabdomyolysis and exercise. Joe Cannon, has a BS in Chemistry and Biology and a MS in Exercise Science. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a personal trainer certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

. Awarded the Most Impactful Barre Program. With our trusted programs, we've certified thousands of fitness professionals with trainings scheduled around the country every week. Top facilities across the nation, including Golds Gym, YMCA's, Lifetime Fitness and many more, utilize our award winning Barre Above ® certification program to design their packed barre classes. Every Barre Above ® certification class is taught by fully accredited fitness professionals who are leaders in the fitness industry. New enhanced Barre Above® program now includes 12 CECs!

Leslee Bender Leslee Bender has over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry, and has presented fitness education internationally in over 20 countries. She is the creator of the Bender Method of training, which received 'Infomercial of the Year” in 2007 for short form, and more than 2,000,000 orders. Leslee has produced over 30 DVDs and has created one of the safest methods of core training, the Pilates Coach Method. Leslee is a graduate of the Gray Institute of Applied Functional Science, and is now enrolled in the GIFT program there, believing that you can never stop learning the true functions of human movement.

She was also a 2010 finalist for IDEA Instructor of the year. Presently, Leslee works in Orlando, FL as a functional training specialist with pro water skiers. She has a B.A., and fitness certifications from ACSM, NASM, AFAA, ACE. Tricia Murphy-Madden Elite fitness instructor and trainer, Tricia Murphy Madden, began teaching in 1991 and never looked back. She has taught dance and fitness workshops worldwide and is one of the industry’s top presenters. She is an American Council on Exercise faculty member and Fitness Director for four health clubs in Seattle, WA. She has developed many highly acclaimed programs, including: 'Urban Striptease Aerobics', with over 1,750 instructors worldwide; and 'My Best Friends Workout' a fitness program designed for pet owner to get in shape while walking their pet (sold in pet stores and online nationwide).

Between the two programs, she has sold over 50,000 DVD’s since 2003. Lauren George Master of musicality, Lauren has helped to co-create the new enhanced Barre Above® program.

Lauren has had a passion for movement and fitness since a young age. She began teaching group fitness classes in college where her first love was step aerobics. Since her beginning in step, she has pursued certifications through Power Pilates, Balanced Body Pilates (Reformer level 1-3, & Apparatus level 1-3), Schwinn, YogaFit, Kettlebell AMPD, QiDANCE, Balletone®, and TRX. After finishing her undergraduate work in Sports Management at Texas A&M University, Lauren completed a master's degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at The University of North Texas.

During her 11 years in the fitness industry, she has had the pleasure of managing the group fitness programs at The Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center, Florida State University, and ToddPilates Fitness in Austin. In 2015, she combined her love of dance, Pilates, and group fitness to create PulsePointe barre, which has since become part of the Barre Above® program. Lauren George is the co-creator of the enhanced Barre Above® program, a Balletone® Master Trainer, serves as adjunct faculty for the Leisure Skills department at Clemson University, and is the owner of Clemson Fitness Company, in Clemson, SC. Multiple Programs & Fusions to Choose From Barre Above ® offers classic barre choreography, plus options for Pilates, high-intensity & strength, ballet, trendy dance, and active-aging fusion classes. Science Meets Classic Barre Barre Above ® blends the latest exercise science with the principles of the Lotte Burke method (the genesis of the Barre movement) delivering a fusion of ballet, pilates, yoga and strength training in each workout.

Barre for All Bodies Designed for wide range of fitness levels, ages and bodies, complete with progressions so those new to fitness feel successful their first time and seasoned Barre enthusiasts will always feel challenged. Custom & Pre-set Choreography Class formats are completely customizable to match your clients' needs and your teaching style. You can either follow our set class choreography or design your own creative classes utilizing our Barre Above ® online exercise library and example class templates. NEW Musicality Method™ Now you can teach Barre to the beat with the all new Musicality Method™. In this training module, you will learn the easy step-by-step methods of how to choreograph your barre movements to the beat of music and the Art of Cueing. You'll also learn how to command the room when you are teaching a class and how to create a great flowing class along with your favorite hit songs from Spotify or iTunes, or with continuous BPM fitness music from great companies such as Muscle Mix or Yes Music.

You'll Discover. Which exercises to teach in neutral spine and when not to use pelvic tuck exercises. The techniques teachers of excellence use to help first-timers feel successful, while challenging seasoned participants in the same class. The power of Convergent Strength Training, a unique methodology that maximizes muscle fatigue. The 2 Must-know techniques for creating effective progressions and regressions for any barre exercise. You Learn How To. Create and teach classic barre classes and fusion classes for all types of fitness levels.

Structure an effective 30, 45, 55, or 60 min. Pattern exercise sequences that create strength gains, plus improve cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, endurance, and posture. Teach a cohesive class for any type of room set up. Cue for every type of learner. Structure a warm-up that elevates core body temperature to optimum training conditions. Blend fusion choreography to give personality to your class.

Teach in the optimum sequencing for a barre workout. Musicality Method™: Lauren George teaches you the step-by-step method of choreographing any Group X class to your favorite music. The Art of Cueing. How to command the room. Take your teaching to the next level! You'll Discover.

The magic behind why Barre and Pilates disciplines are such a perfect combination, and how they share similar concepts and principles. The innovation of using Barre and Pilates equipment together to create a totally dynamic and effective functional class.

The techniques teachers of excellence use to help first-timers feel successful, while challenging seasoned participants in the same class. The power of Convergent Strength Training, a unique methodology used in Barre Above® that maximizes muscle fatigue, and how to apply it in a vertical format for a Pilates audience.

The importance of vertical alignment, core stability, and Pilates principles as they relate to teaching a Barre and Pilates focused class. The application of Planes of Motion as they relate to exercise selection and functional kinesiology. The application of Physiology as it relates to breath and movement. You Learn How To. Create and teach Barre classes for a Pilates audience and for all types of fitness levels. Easily exchange a Barre exercise for a similar Pilates equipment exercise and how to modify both.

Structure an effective 30, 45, 55, or 60 min. Choose the perfect exercise selection based on your audience, whether at the Barre, on the mat, or on a reformer. Pattern exercise sequences that create strength gains, plus improve functionality, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, endurance, and posture. Teach a cohesive class for any type of room set up – whether in a small studio packed with Pilates equipment or without it. Cue for every type of learner. Teach in the optimum sequencing for a Barre and Pilates fusion workout.

You'll Know. A working knowledge of how Balletone® concepts relate bio teaching movement in a Balletone® class and beyond. Proper Balletone® form and posture for a specific series of movements, exercise, and patterns to fully command the Balletone® technique. How to effectively communicate and deliver the unique Balletone® choreography in a user-friendly way to a wide variety or participants.

A process for the creating fun, ballet based conditioning workouts for fitness enthusiasts of all levels. You'll Learn How To:. Create full 60-min Balletone® workouts that allow new Balletone® participants to feel successful while still challenging seasoned enthusiasts. Teach an effective ballet-based fitness workout to the 'non-dancer' so that all participants feel successful, elegant, and strong. Cue to every type of learner. Use the concepts learned in the Balletone® certification to augment the content in your other fitness classes. Fuse elements of Ballet, Strength Training, Cardiovascular Endurance, and Pilates into one non-stop full body workout.

Barre Above ® FAQs Barre Above ® FAQs What is “barre”? While many interpret barre workouts differently, most barre workouts are a fusion of yoga, Pilates, strength training, and ballet. Barre classes incorporate specific sequencing patterns and isometric movements that target specific muscle groups. This pattern of exercise helps to improve strength, balance, flexibility and posture. Why is Barre so popular? Barre is hot right now!

Barre classes are low-impact and are conducive to all fitness levels. They are also particularly enjoyed by women since they incorporate graceful movements and elements of ballet, allowing participants to experience a dance 'element' in the workouts and achieve a dancer’s body. What are the health and fitness benefits of barre workouts? Barre workouts are perfect for all fitness levels. You’ll see improvement in your posture, balance, strength, and flexibility. How many times a week do I need to do barre in order to see actual results, while considering safety? While it is most important to listen to your body and give your muscles enough rest, typically 3 times a week will generate the most fitness results.

You should always consult your physician to determine what is a 'safe' amount of exercise.