Ep. 205 Best globally recognized Personal Training Certifications 2025 | March Madness Top 16 Fitness Certifications

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What are the best personal training certifications? 

How to Become A Successful Personal Trainer Vol 2. Breaks down the top globally recognized personal training certifications.

NASM, ISSA, ACE, NSCA, ACSM, NCSF, FFT LEVEL 3 (UK), Canada Fit Pro (Can Fit Pro), SUF CPT, NPTI, Fitness Mentors, Brent Brookbush Institute, NPTA, what’s the best personal training certifications for you to become a personal trainer?

Navigating the maze of personal training certifications just got easier with our comprehensive "March Madness" style breakdown of the top 16 globally recognized credentials. We pull back the curtain on what makes each certification unique, revealing critical insights that go beyond the marketing hype.

The "big four" certifications—NASM, ACE, NSCA-CPT, and ISSA—dominate the industry landscape, but does their recognition truly reflect their quality? We examine how investment firms with deep pockets have positioned certain certifications as the "gold standard" through aggressive marketing rather than superior educational content. A simple Reddit search for "NASM personal trainer hell" might tell you more than their polished website ever will.

Most aspiring trainers face a shocking reality: 90% quit within their first year. This isn't primarily due to lack of knowledge about exercise science, but rather gaps in practical skills—assessment capabilities, programming expertise, business acumen, and client management abilities. The certification you choose should prepare you for these real-world challenges, not just help you pass a multiple-choice exam.

What truly matters in selecting a certification is alignment with your career goals. Before committing to any program, research where you want to work and what certifications those establishments recognize. The most valuable approach is interviewing trainers at your target gyms rather than relying on opinions from anonymous internet users.

The fitness industry isn't sa

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