[pookie]

My local community college is offering a class on personal training by a group called WITS. I guess you take the class for 5 weeks and then there is a national certification test at the end. Has anyone taken this class? Just wondering how it is and if it's worth it. It costs about $450.

[Christina]

Hi pookie and welcome.

Are you already a trainer? Have you taken any classes in exercise science? If you can give me a little more background info I can give you my opinion on this.

Glad you found us!

Christina

[pookie]

Hi Christina,

No, I am not a personal trainer and I have no experience or classes in the field. I was thinking of getting certified mainly for my own knowledge and maybe doing it part-time at some point. I have a career I like and have no plans to quit doing that, but personal training and fitness has always interested me.

[Christina]

Okay, Pookie. If you were planning on making personal training your career I would not recommend you go this direction. However, since you are completing the course mainly for your own learning purposes I would say go for it if you are comfortable with the research you have done. I do not know anything about this organization. What I *do* know is that most employers would prefer you have a certification from a better known organization. To put things in perspective, most people spend a few months studying for a reputable personal trainer certification. Also, some trainers have 4 year degrees and advanced degrees in exercise science. It is hard to learn all of this in a 5 week course!

Hope this helps a little.
Christina

[pookie]

Thanks for your help. Here is a link to the organization that teaches the course in case you want to check it out: http://www.witseducation.com/certifications/ptcert.htm

I was attracted to it because it has both a hands on element and an internship. From the research I've done on the more well-known organizations it seems that they do not have a practical element and it's all learning out of a book on your own, which is hard to do when you're just starting out with no experience. But I could be wrong about that.

[Christina]

[randall]

Hey, I'm new here-first post.

I took the WITS course at my local community college. The book is a great resource and full of information. The course I took had a written/lecture section for about 3 hours then a hands on practical section for 3 hours.

I passed both sections, it's two seperate test written and practical. Now I have to complete 20 hours of an internship and a CPR course.

I feel like I knew a lot of what the course had to offer, but I've been working out and creating plans since I was 16, I'm 29 now.

After the internship, I will have a sense if the course is worth taken or not.

[Christina]

Hi Randall and welcome to the forum. Thanks for sharing your experience with WITS! I am sure others will find this information helpful. When you are done with the internship please check back in and give us a review.

Christina

[randall]

I was told the WITS Certification is on the lower end of the spectrum and I should look into getting another certification.

[pookie]

[standAPART]

I am a Senior Faculty Instructor for WITS in CT and I can tell you it is no run of the mill certification. We use the newest edition of the ACSM-HFI text for lectures and students are taught 9 standardized fitness assessments. They are also instructed on proper equipment use, exercise instruction, ethics, and business. The course also requires a 20 hour internship to be completed under the supervision of a fitness trainer.
If you are new to training, this is an excellent course to get your foot in the door. Many gym accept WITS students for internships and thus, acquire experience.
As for the comment regarding it position on the spectrum, in terms of "popularity", it is not up there with ACE, NSCA or NASM...but in term of curriculum--it stands. I recommend it and later in your career you may obtain another certification. There was a time when I thought ACE was an introductory cert and once I earned it, I looked for more advanced ones.

[Christina]

Thanks for this info, John.

Christina

[pookie]

[randall]

I'm currently doing my internship for WITS right now.

John, I'm glad to hear good things about WITS, I've been a bit concerned, but always planned to get another certification.

Pookie, having completed the course, there really isn't anything you can't do with an injury. During the practical you do some hands on exercises and what not. But you could watch and take notes, if you couldn't do the exercise. If you have expirence working out, it shouldn't be anything you don't already know.

Feel free to contact me here or email if you want to talk about the course.

[pookie]

Hi Randall,

I would like to talk more about the course. I will e-mail you right now.

[pookie]

I took my first class this Saturday and it was great! I feel like I really learned a lot and can't wait to become a personal trainer.

[randall]

I'm glad you learned alot, it makes me feel better about WITS.

[randall]

The gym that I was doing my internship at, decided that in order to save money, has dropped internships. I didn't get to finish and now I must find a new gym. Hurray.

[standAPART]

Your gym is a joke (more specifically the manager). How do they save money on interns? Its FREE help!!!

[Christina]

Randall, that is quite an odd excuse. Did they give you any additional info?

Christina