ACSM Personal Trainer Certification - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Christina]

ACSM Personal Trainer Certification, ACSM-CPT

Founded in 1954, the American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. The ACSM Personal Trainer Certification was designed for fitness professionals to develop and implement exercise programs for healthy populations as well as individuals who have medical clearance to exercise.

General ACSM-CPT Exam Information:

Is a college degree necessary to sit for the ACSM Personal Trainer Certification exam?
No. In order to sit for the ACSM-CPT you must have a high school diploma or equivalent, be 18 years of age, and hold a current CPR certification.

Where can I take the ACSM Personal Trainer Certification exam?
The computer based ACSM-CPT exam is offered at Pearson VUE testing centers located across the country.

How many questions are on the ACSM-CPT exam?
There are 125-150 multiple choice questions.

What is the time limit for the exam?
2.5 hours

What is the pass rate for the ACSM-CPT exam?
ACSM certification exams are reported on a 200-800 score scale. The passing score for the ACSM-CPT is 550.

How much does the exam cost?
The ACSM-CPT cost is $219 for members and $279 for non-members. The re-test is $150.

What study materials are recommended?
The ACSM recommends the following three texts:
1) ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer, 2nd ed
2) ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 7ed
3) ACSM's Certification Review, 2nd edition

Visit the American College of Sports Medicine website for more information regarding the ACSM personal trainer certification.

[kettlebell king]

is it possible to sit the acsm exam in the uk?I would like to choose the acsm as I think they are the fore runners in pretty much every thing :?:

[deanomite]

Yes, you can sit the ACSM exam in the UK. Type HFIGROUP into google and it'll come up with their website and a contact number is on the site. They're very helpful and they also run 4-day workshops to help prepare you for the exam but they are optional.

[rik]

Dear all, i am going to sign up for ACSM/UK next month, all advice welcome! cheers, Rik :workout:

[kimberly]

So i just got back for taking my first acsm cpt exam....yes there will be a second attempt as i fail by just a few points. Just wanted to let everyone know that the test was very hard.....I took the workshop, and two of the online courses and it still wasnt enough. Also the practice test that you can buy for the acsm site is a piece of cake compared to the actual exam. So, for anyone studying for this exam, study hard. Oh also spotting a lifter is important to know, there is really not much text.

[rfulton]

Hi all. New member here. I just took the ACSM-CPT a few days ago. I did pass. I took the 3 day seminar and I think more than anything, it did prepare me well for the test. I studied my rear end off though and was surprised at what was on and what was not on the test. Know your spotting. Know your emergency procedures. Stuff that is not covered much yet is on the test. It is difficult and requires you to really pay attention to what the KSAs are. Just follow the KSAs when you study because they will be on the test. :mrgreen:

[mgriffard]

I've signed up for the ACSM exam - 6 May....those who have taken the exam...and either passed or failed...please keep posting your views and comments on the exam...it all helps. I've approached my study scientifically....by focusing on the high percentage KSAs (28% of the exam is supposed to come from "Exercise Prescription & Programming" 24% from "Exercise Physiology & Related Exer. Science" I'm wondering if this is an appropriate strategy - spend more time & energy on those with the highest percentages...make sense? Someone told me there a lot of formulas...can anyone help narrow that a little...it's pretty broad?

[ajnov5]

i just took my acsm exam yesterday...and passed, some of the questions are very ambiguous, but i have to agree w/ previous post-ers that taking the three day seminar was definitely worth it, as it covered a lot more than what you read about in the book.

...now i just have to find a gym to work @. thanks to everyone on this site for their help w/ my prep.

[mgriffard]

AJ did you use the Resource Manual for Guidelines for Testing and Exercise Prescription? I just bought this recommended (not required) text and discovered it has two indexes of KSAs with page numbers - but the KSA listings are for Fitness Instructor and Exercise Specialist...none for CPT - I had to cross reference and create my own index...but he text is definitely helpful. Please tell me how the seminar helped?

[ajnov5]

I used the acsm guidelines for exercise testing and prescription 8th edition, and the resources for the personal trainer. the former was much better for understanding testing procedures, etc. the resource guide was great for understand human anatomy, biomechanics etc.

the workshop went over the material in the exercise testing, and some exam material extensively, but it was more in depth than just reading and trying to comprehend the material yourself.

good luck, let me know how it goes.