ISSA Personal Training Certification: Cost, Exam and More
ISSA
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ISSA Key Features/Overview:
- Cost: $999 to $2,388
- Study materials: Study guide and workbook, practice quizzes and tests, online exercise video library, on-the-go audio lectures, web-based interactive exercise technique analysis lab, online support and business and marketing guide
- Prereqs: High school diploma and CPR/AED certification
- Pass rate percentage: 90 percent
- Exam passing score: 70 percent or higher
- Average time to complete: 8 to 10 weeks
Getting a personal training certificate can be a great way to break into the fitness industry and give you the right credentials to train clients. A personal training study program takes just a few months to complete and is a fast-track alternative for fitness professionals if a four-year exercise science program isn’t right for you. Plus, you can study at your own pace and on your own time.
One of the most well-known educational organizations in the fitness space is the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). You’ll likely come across this popular certification course if you’re researching different certified personal trainer (CPT) programs and which one might be right for you. It may be a leading choice, but how does an ISSA fitness certification stack up to other personal trainer certificates?
Our ISSA personal training certification review will dive into how the program works, its pros and cons, and what you can expect to cover in the curriculum. We’ll share everything you need to know about cost, the certification exam and continuing education requirements. Keep reading to learn more about becoming an ISSA-certified personal trainer and whether or not it’s ultimately worth it.
What is ISSA?
ISSA
The International Sports Sciences Association, or ISSA, is a fitness training education program founded in 1988. Over the past 35 years, ISSA has become a global leader in fitness and nutrition certification. It’s also NCCA accredited, which means that the National Commission for Certifying Agencies has recognized ISSA as having the highest quality standards in professional certification.
ISSA offers several study programs that include certifications in personal training, health or nutrition coaching, and yoga teacher training. The CPT certification is accepted by more than 6,000 gym partners, including Lifetime Fitness and Anytime Fitness. In fact, ISSA is so confident in its fitness program that they offer a full refund if you don’t get a job within six months.
How ISSA Works
The ISSA personal training program takes most people about 8 to 10 weeks to complete, or a little over two months. There’s also a Fast Track program that can get you certified in four weeks. As a self-paced program, you start anytime and you’ll have four months to complete the coursework. The program is entirely online and you’ll get various course materials that include a study guide, a 715-page digital textbook, access to an online training lab and audio lectures.
ISSA offers three certification bundles: Fitness Coach, Elite Trainer and Master Trainer. The Fitness Coach bundle is the most basic of the three and includes two courses. Elite Trainer has three courses, while Master Trainer is the most intensive with six courses. All bundles include unlimited support both during and after your studies and a CPT bootcamp program. If you’re unsure which bundle is right for you, you can schedule a free consultation on the ISSA website.
In addition, ISSA makes several dozen specialization courses available for an additional fee (around $25 to $100 per course, give or take). Course options include corrective exercise specialist, running coach, lifespan coach and kickboxing instructor. You may want to consider adding a specialization course to your program if you plan to work with specific sports or groups.
If you're interested in becoming a kickboxing instructor, check out our ISSA Kickboxing Certification review.
ISSA Coursework
ISSA’s program will cover a variety of topics to help set you up for success as a certified personal trainer. The ISSA CPT program will teach you how to motivate clients to pursue their fitness goals, in-depth knowledge of sports medicine and the body’s biomechanics, how to assess and build custom training programs, and how to reduce injury risk for clients.
SI Showcase
Some of the topics covered in the ISSA-CPT include:
- Health, Fitness and Personal Training
- Psychology of Behavior Change
- Movement Systems
- Supporting Systems
- Concepts of Biomechanics
- Energy and Metabolism
- Elements of Fitness
- Concepts of Flexibility Training
- Concepts of Cardiovascular Exercise
- Concepts of Resistance Training
- Nutrition Foundations
- Supplementation
- Chronic Conditions
- Safety and Emergency Situations
You’ll also get training in how to pinpoint what exercise is most effective for each movement, how diet and exercise work together to transform lives, and deep answers to common concerns. If you want to start your own physical fitness or group fitness training business, the ISSA-CPT course includes a chapter on business and marketing to teach you business development fundamentals as well.
These topics are further broken down into chapters, which are easy to get through at your own pace or following ISSA’s Guided Study provided in the online course materials. The Guided Study breaks down the readings, lectures and quizzes into week-by-week recommendations, helping you make steady progress through all the materials within a suggested time frame. Quizzes cover the topics you’ll learn about each week; I found they offered a nice recap of the information I just read about and helped me apply some of the more complex terms and ideas into more contextual cases.
Following your guided study program for the ISSA CPT, you’ll take a final exam. The exam requires a score of 70 percent or higher to pass, but while this number may seem daunting, it’ll be reassuring to know that 90 percent of students pass the ISSA exam. While each course varies slightly, you can expect up to 200 essay and/or multiple-choice questions on the final exam, which is open-book.
If you fail any portion of the final exam, you can retake that portion free of charge one time. Any further retests will result in an administrative fee. You can also take practice exams to prepare for the final. All in all, ISSA offers five accredited certification exams through their subsidiary NCCPT, or the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers. Each exam is NCCA accredited.
ISSA CPT Continuing Education Requirements
All ISSA trainers are required to renew their certification every two years. The recertification process includes paying a $99 renewal fee, getting an updated CPR/AED certification and providing documentation or proof of 20 completed continuing education units (CEUs).
Luckily, ISSA works with numerous approved continuing education providers that include the Kinesiology Institute for Performance Specialists and The BioMechanics Method, among others. Depending on your interests and career goals, you can choose a CEU program that meets your needs. In a nutshell, one CEU credit is equivalent to one contact hour of instruction.
ISSA Certificate Career Paths
ISSA
There are numerous career paths you can pursue with an ISSA CPT certificate. ISSA’s more than 6,000 gym partners also give you plenty of options for job opportunities. Some possible job titles that you can land with this certificate include powerlifting coach or group fitness trainer. You can also build a career as a fitness consultant, sports coach or injury prevention specialist.
Those who don’t want to work onsite or prefer to work remotely as an online personal trainer can also seek out employment with a fitness app or personal training app. If you want to expand your services even further and offer health coaching, you can also pursue an ISSA nutritionist certificate program, which takes roughly the same timeframe of eight to 10 weeks to complete.
What we like about the ISSA-CPT:
Getting an ISSA personal training certification comes with several perks. First, ISSA is regarded by fitness experts worldwide as one of the leading global fitness education programs, which can boost your chances of landing a good job. You can also study at your own pace and complete the program in as little as four weeks or in a more relaxed timeframe of roughly two months.
Another pro of the ISSA certificate program is its high exam pass rate of about 90 percent. This means nine in 10 students pass the exam, and ISSA’s science-backed program prepares you for all aspects of personal training, including the business development and marketing side.
What to consider about the ISSA-CPT:
As with any education program, there are some drawbacks to ISSA. ISSA is one of the more costly programs on the market and you can expect to pay extra for any specialization courses. Luckily, you can pay in monthly installments or take advantage of an Affirm payment plan that lets you purchase the program now and pay later. You’ll also have to pay recertification fees every two years, but these are nowhere near as expensive as the CPT program itself.
ISSA also lacks training material for specific populations (such as working with older adults). This is something to consider if you plan to work with certain demographics or individuals.
Who ISSA is Best For
ISSA is a great CPT certificate to pursue for fitness enthusiasts who want to learn the best practices and biomechanics of personal training, while also learning about the business side (especially if you plan to go into consulting or launch your own personal training company).
It’s also a good option for people who plan to work at gyms, thanks to its more than 6,000 gym partners that can serve as employers for ISSA graduates. A self-paced curriculum like ISSA can also work well alongside busy schedules, especially for parents or full-time workers who are studying in their free time. Plus, you’ll have four months to finish the program at your own pace.
Who ISSA is Not Best For
If you prefer a more structured program with weekly lessons (similar to that of a traditional college curriculum), you may want to opt for a different fitness educator. ISSA is very flexible, which while being a perk for many, doesn’t work with all learning styles. ISSA can also be cost-prohibitive for some people, so it’s important to budget correctly before enrolling.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing ISSA
ISSA
Chances are you’re already browsing different fitness education programs if you’re interested in becoming a certified personal trainer. Consider these factors before choosing ISSA.
Course Options
ISSA offers a few different course options and bundles: Fitness Coach, Elite Trainer and Master Trainer. The more intensive the bundle, the higher the price range, but will net you a higher-level CPT certificate in return (this can boost your credibility with clients, depending where you work).
Opting for the Elite Trainer or Master Trainer program may not be for everyone (or even necessary), but you’ll get a more in-depth education and cover a wider variety of topics. You can also choose to add optional specialization courses to your curriculum for an additional fee.
Be sure to consider your career goals, existing fitness knowledge, time and schedule, and budget to determine which course option is best for what you plan to do with your certificate.
Cost
ISSA personal training certification cost will likely be one of the most important factors you consider as you compare ISSA to other personal training certification programs. ISSA is one of the more expensive programs out there, but will also give you a deep dive into the business side of personal training. You may find the higher cost worth it depending on your career goals. Though the ISSA certification cost can be expensive, it’s not nearly as expensive as many degrees and certifications, and the ability to begin working with clients and using your degree means you may immediately start seeing benefits of being an ISSA CPT.
Student Reviews
ISSA has more than 10,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot and an overall 4.8-star rating. Looking at verified student reviews can help you get a sense of other peoples’ experiences and how easy or difficult they felt the program was. Many of the ISSA reviews are resoundingly positive, with students writing that they enjoyed the flexibility of the program design, how comprehensive the education was and how helpful the customer service and student support teams at ISSA were. You can also learn more about the curriculum than you may be able to learn on the ISSA website, which can help you make an informed decision.
ISSA's twice-weekly virtual office hours give you a chance to get your questions answered in real-time.
SI Showcase
Study Materials
Luckily, ISSA comes with a robust study materials package that includes everything from an online learning lab, to on-demand audio lectures, to even an online student forum. Still, be sure to carefully review included study materials to determine if they'll work well with your learning style.
Exam
The ISSA final exam isn’t the most difficult on the market, but it’s also not the easiest. Many students consider the exam to be more mid-level in terms of challenge and it has a high pass rate of 90 percent. The ISSA exam is also open book, which means you can reference your coursework. Like the study materials, be sure to consider if this works with your learning style.
Continuing education
ISSA requires recertification every two years to maintain your ISSA certificate. This includes completing 20 hours of CEUs annually. It’s important to consider your schedule, budget and overall willingness to keep up with this requirement before choosing ISSA.
How ISSA Stacks Up Against Other Certifications
If ISSA isn’t right for you, there are other fitness education programs that you can consider to become a certified personal trainer. Here’s how ISSA compares to other popular providers.
ISSA vs. NASM
NASM, or the National Academy of Sports Medicine, is another leading certification program. Both ISSA and NASM have a few similarities: they’re each accredited by the NCCA and have almost the same recertification requirements. However, the pass rate of the NASM CPT exam is much lower at around 64 percent (meaning it may be more challenging). Yet on the plus side, NASM has lower starting prices and a larger focus on special populations. Depending on your career goals, budget and learning style, you may want to opt for NASM over ISSA or vice-versa.
Check out our ISSA vs. NASM review for more information.
ISSA vs. ACE
ACE, or the American Council on Exercise, is a third-leading CPT program. Many students pursue an ACE certification for the program’s affordable price range (around half of ISSA) and general fitness education, which includes a focus on endurance training and behavior changes. That being said, ISSA comes with more study materials and a bigger focus on program design and athletic performance. One certificate may be better for you than the other depending on your career interests and budget.
ISSA Certification FAQs
Here’s everything else there is to know about ISSA personal training certification.
What is the average ISSA-certified salary?
Average ISSA-certified trainer salaries vary by state and range from $37,000 on the lower end to more than $67,000 on the higher end. Of course, depending on your career, job title and where you work, your salary can vary greatly.
Is the ISSA exam hard?
Many students consider the ISSA exam to be more mid-level–not too hard, but not too easy. Its open-book policy also makes the exam slightly easier, as you can reference your coursework.
Is the ISSA personal training certification legitimate?
ISSA personal training certification is widely regarded as one of the most respectable in the industry. ISSA is a leading global fitness education provider and is accredited by the NCCA.
Is ISSA widely accepted?
With more than 6,000 gym partners, ISSA is widely accepted by employers. The program is so confident in its personal training certification that it offers a full refund if you don’t get a job within six months of completing it.
How long does the ISSA CPT certification take?
Once enrolled, students have six months to complete the ISSA training course, though with the ISSA Guided Study you should finish in about three months.
Final Thoughts: Is the ISSA Personal Training Certification Worth It?
Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or eager to take your fitness career to the next level, becoming an ISSA-certified personal trainer can open many doors. As one of the most respected programs in the industry, ISSA has thousands of gym partners and offers a robust curriculum that covers everything from how the human body works to launching a business. Be sure to read our ISSA personal training certification review for more details about this program.
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