NASM vs. ISSA: Which Certification is Right For You?
A career in personal training can be extremely gratifying, rewarding, and financially stable for those who are dedicated. At the same time, personal training can be a great side-hustle to bring in some complimentary income alongside a full time job. To get started as a personal trainer the right way, though, one first needs to acquire some certification.
Personal training certification programs are educational programs focused on the human body, physical anatomy, and specifically give individuals the knowledge and credentials they need to safely act as a personal trainer.
Personal trainers and other professionals that deal with the human body and exercise sciences need to obtain these certifications as a way to prove their knowledge and ability. This is the same as it would be with any other field, too. Two of the most popular and most well recognized personal trainer certification programs are the NASM and the ISSA. Either one is a great choice for a personal trainer just getting their start, but they do differ from one another slightly.
Those differences will be highlighted below in a NASM vs ISSA comparison to help you decide which of these personal training certification programs will be right for you.
Learning About NASM
The NASM stands for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. While the NASM typically carries a connotation of being a bit on the expensive side of things when it comes to both the exam fees and the cost of study/prep materials as well.
However, that being said, the NASM is also an extremely comprehensive exam and leaves trainers with a wide variety of tools and skill sets they can implement into their career moving forward.
Specifically, the NASM has a primary focus on corrective exercise and an OPT model, or optimum performance training. Optimum performance training is a model that was developed and popularized by Dr. Mike Clark. It’s a tool that trainers use to bring their clients through five distinct but complementary training phases.
Those stages are as listed: Stabilization endurance, strength endurance, hypertrophy (muscular development), maximal strength, and power. This is a model that is widely adaptable and extremely versatile, making it highly preferable for many professional personal trainers.
If you’re seriously considering a career in personal training, the NASM is an NCCA accredited certification that will give you the tools, knowledge, and expertise needed to earn the trust of your clients, and get your career off the ground. It’s also worth noting that there are a variety of certifications offered by the NASM allowing trainers to truly specialize in a field they’re passionate about.
The ins and Outs of ISSA
ISSA stands for International Sports Sciences Association. One of the immediate draws for many personal trainers to the ISSA certification is that it is the only personal trainer association that is internationally recognized. This gives it a pretty big leg up in the fact that it carries a lot of clout on a global scale.
That being said, the ISSA is still NCCA accredited, which is the highest accrediting authority in the world of personal trainer certifications.
Structurally, the ISSA certification program has a primary focus on programming principles. Creating a comprehensive and well-thought-out training program is the trademark of the ISSA certification program.
Comparing the Two
At the end of the day, both the ISSA and NASM certification programs are excellent choices for anyone looking into starting a career as a personal trainer. The ISSA certification program is typically a little bit less expensive in both exam fees and study materials, and has a stronger focal point on the principles behind programming.
The NASM certification, on the other hand, is more focused on optimum performance training and corrective exercise.
Combining Certifications
Diet and nutrition is also extremely impactful when it comes to our overall health and wellness. As such, it often makes sense for personal trainers and coaches to obtain nutritional certifications and training in addition to their exercise and movement based certifications.
This way, trainers can help their clients with the overall health and wellness picture, instead of just the exercise portion. This helps increase their earning potential, as well as giving their clients a more comprehensive service.
A few Final Thoughts
Personal trainers need to earn the trust of their clients, just like any other professional. This all starts with the acquisition of a personal training certificate that gives you the authority to advise someone on their workouts and exercise. The ISSA and NASM certifications are both excellent options for anyone looking to get started with a personal training career. Review the differences above, and pick the certification that seems best suited for your own personal career goals as a trainer or coach!