fitness certifications: which ones are good?

[susan p]

Hey all, I am looking into getting a group fitness certification, just to be able to do general aerobics, and maybe eventually get a PT certification. While I expect these to be MOSTLY just for personal enrichment, I am trying to get an aerobics class started at church. We are going to be starting just doing Leslie Sansone DVDs together, rather than me teaching a class. But eventually I'd like to be able to be certified and have a little more latitude to pick music and actually LEAD the class if I want to.

So what certifications are considered GOOD certifications? How hard is it to actually lead/teach a class?? I suppose I could experiment by putting a little routine together and using it on my daughters and seeing how it goes.... lol. My dear little guinea pigs, bless 'em.

TIA for any input! I want to get rock-solid certifications, nothing shady, nothing sub-standard. So let me know your opinions!

[Annie S.]

For group fitness, ACE is the best and most respected. AFAA also offers those certifications, but their "respectability" has gone waaay downhill in recent years, mostly due to poor management within their company. A lot of group exercise instructors won't have anything to do with AFAA anymore.

You might be interested in www.turnstep.com, which is a board made up of fitness professionals. There are aerobics teachers, personal trainers, yoga teachers, etc. Pretty much anything you can think of. They'd be able to offer you some in-depth advice.

[HelloKitty88]

Since you don't have a lot of experience teaching AFAA would be the best one to start with. www.afaa.com It's a written and practical exam. The written exam is based on basic exercise info and the practical part..you have to demonstrate a small part of each segment of an exercise/aerobics class. Go to the web site, it has all the exam info. AFAA is the best one to start out with b/c it's a more straight forward of an exam. AFAA is recognized in USA and Canada and is VERY legit. They're materials/manuals are good and you'l get lots of good info and edu out of them.

The ACE certifications {The American Council on Exercise} www.acefitness.org are excellent certs to get. But, they are more difficult. They are written exams. They are longer and you have to apply the info on the ace exams more then the afaa ones. I'd recommend you go with afaa first and get some book and practical experience b4 you try the ace. One thing about the ACE manuals and materials, they are EXCELLENT. They are very to the point and not all over the place which I have to say the afaa manuals are a bit "all over the place" IMHO.

Doing a video or taking a class is completely different then actually teaching a class. You have to be able to instruct people on what you want them to do. You need to understand the content you are teaching and be able to communitcate it to them. Try practicing at home and maybe just take 10 or 15 minutes with your church group and try simple things with them to see how you do. Cueing is a big part of instructing and being with the music. People need to be able to follow you..if they can't you'll lose them quickly.

Back to the oroginal topic. ACE and AFAA are the best certs to go with. Both are highly respected and are recognized everywhere.

[HelloKitty88]

Originally Posted by Annie S.

For group fitness, ACE is the best and most respected. AFAA also offers those certifications, but their "respectability" has gone waaay downhill in recent years, mostly due to poor management within their company. A lot of group exercise instructors won't have anything to do with AFAA anymore.

.

I've never heard of this. Where is this coming from?

[yoga1566]

Where do you think you might want to work as an instructor once you're certified? If you know, check with them to see which certifications they look for in their new hires. Each fitness establishment has their own list of certifications they will accept. ACE and NASM are two that are guaranteed to be accepted anywhere, and not everyone recognizes/accepts AFAA. It has long been that ACE is more respected. Alot of places I know only recognize an AFAA certification if you hold other certifications as well.

HelloKitty88, I think your breakdown of the two certification programs tells why. It is a bad thing when certifications are too easy to get, it floods the talent pool with "professionals" who had to do the bare minimum to qualify. Most of these people don't know a heck of a lot about human anatomy, exercise physiology, general safety modifications or injury prevention. Any fitness business is only as good as the instructors they hire and the programming they offer. The clients of these businesses are trusting both their general health and their fitness goals to these professionals, so this preference for the tougher certifications (ex: ACE and NASM) makes sense. If you are serious about pursuing work as a fitness instructor, don't take the easy way out. Make sure you know and understand everything you should in order to teach. Getting ACE certified is a great way to do that.

[weighttrain]

I have an ACE Group Ex. Most places will recognize ACE or AFAA. I would love to get an ACE or NASM PT one day. Silver Sneakers is another cert that I am also interested in obtaining.

AFAA is reasonably inexpensive at their biannual Apex $99 cert.

Your group at church is a great way to get started and learn how to prepare, cue, select music, etc.

Beth