[Christina]

I failed my personal trainer certification exam! Now what?

You ordered all of the study materials, had your head buried in a personal trainer manual for weeks, passed the practice test, and on exam day—whether it was due to nerves or being unprepared—you choked. Well, there’s only one thing to do at this point: pick yourself up off the floor, wipe your tears, and start working on Plan B.

Plan B.

Choose an easier personal trainer certification.
Even though you may have had your heart set on a particular certifying organization you could always save your study materials for a later time after you have gained some real world experience. Many fitness professionals have started out with entry-level personal trainer certifications and have moved onward and upward. You can too.

Order a practice exam.
If you did not order a practice exam the first time around consider doing so now. Some certifying organizations offer more than one practice exam so if you have the financial wherewithal you may want to consider ordering a second (or even third).

Take some classes.
If you do not have any formal education in Exercise Science consider taking a couple of classes at a college or university. Many colleges and universities permit students to take several credit hours without officially enrolling. If you do not have time to fit school into your busy schedule consider taking classes online. If money is an issue, you may want to take a course online through Human Kinetics.

Get some experience.
Experience does not have to come from paying clients. Recruit family members and friends to test your newfound knowledge. Conduct fitness testing, design exercise programs, talk to them about nutrition, and ask them to complete a PAR-Q or a Health Risk Appraisal form. Treat your family and friends as if they were paying clients!

Use study tools outside of the recommended materials.
We are lucky to live in an age where so much information is available to us at our fingertips. Take advantage of all of the free personal trainer certification exam resources available on the internet.


And finally, here’s your pep talk.

Don’t give up on your dreams of becoming a fitness professional just because you failed your personal trainer certification exam the first time around. Learn from your mistakes and move on. The great Michael Jordan sums it up the best:

“I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot . . . and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why . . . I succeed.”


Article written by Christina Todd, ACSM-CPT, NSCA-CPT
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