NASM is a nationally accredited fitness training certification that can guide you to the career of your dreams. Even if you think your tastes are too specific, the job you’ve been too afraid to even fantasize about not only exists but can be obtained through an NASM certification. In addition to offering a personal training certification, NASM also has courses that prepare you for specialized fitness careers. Read on to see what your options are.
Careers for People With a NASM Certification
- Personal trainer (corrective exercise specialization optional)
- Performance enhancement specialist
- Nutrition coach
- Life coach
- Group fitness instructor
- Weight loss coach
- Women’s fitness specialist
- Senior fitness specialist
- Youth exercise specialist
- MMA conditioning specialist
- Golf fitness specialist
Personal Trainer
Many different certifications can help you start a career as a personal trainer, but an NASM personal trainer certification has its own perks. NASM is arguably the most popular certification for personal trainers, so the clout you’ll gain by getting NASM certified will carry you far in your career. Furthermore, NASM is accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies, has fewer test questions than the ACE certification exam, and only costs $99 to recertify every two years.
Within the one-on-one personal training realm, you can obtain specialized certifications that will enable you to help your clients on a deeper level. Both of these specializations can make you stand out against your competitors:
Corrective Exercise Specialization
This specialization teaches you how to more easily spot when a client is performing an exercise incorrectly, inefficiently, or in a way that could hurt them. Giving them the right feedback at the right time can help them recover from workouts much faster, which will make them come back to you again and again.
Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM stands for National Academy of Sports Medicine, so if you’re considering getting NASM certified, it’s likely that you have an interest in sports and sports conditioning. Getting a specialized certification with NASM can help you become a performance enhancement specialist. This role enables you to condition athletes to do their best in their sport of choice.
Nutrition Coach
Becoming a nutrition coach is an impactful and rewarding career choice, and earning the credentials through NASM’s nutrition certification is an excellent way to get started. The NASM Nutrition Certification equips you with the comprehensive knowledge and skills required to guide clients toward healthier dietary habits. To be a successful nutrition coach, you need to be knowledgeable about the latest fad diets, understand food allergies, and have a deep comprehension of macronutrients, micronutrients, and overall nutrition principles.
In addition to these essentials, a good nutrition coach must be able to assess an individual client’s current diet accurately. This includes understanding their health goals, lifestyle, and any medical conditions that may impact their nutritional needs. With tailored plans, you can help clients achieve their goals, whether it’s weight loss, performance enhancement, or simply adopting a healthier lifestyle.
The NASM certification not only provides foundational knowledge but also offers practical tools and strategies that you can apply right away. You’ll learn how to adapt nutritional advice to meet the diverse needs of various clients, creating personalized diet plans that can make a real difference in their lives. NASM’s comprehensive approach ensures you are well-prepared to face the challenges of a nutrition coaching career.
With NASM’s thorough training and support, you’ll be equipped to inspire and educate your clients, helping them make informed, healthier choices. Dive into a career that truly changes lives by leveraging your NASM certification and NASM Nutrition Certification to offer unparalleled expertise and guidance in the field of nutrition coaching.
Life Coach
Do you have a particular passion for helping people but don’t have the time or money to get a masters degree in psychology? Consider becoming a life coach thanks to the behavior change certification with NASM. Many of your client’s hurdles to becoming healthier will be mental blocks. You can learn to address those internal challenges for your clients thanks to NASM.
Group Fitness Instructor
You can broaden the scope of people you can help by becoming a group fitness instructor. Working one-on-one with clients can help them address their unique struggles with exercise, but group fitness classes enable you to help so many more people in a day. NASM has a group fitness instructor certification that can get you on the right track.
Weight Loss Coach
It’s no secret that obesity has become an epidemic in the US. If you have a special passion for helping people achieve weight loss — perhaps due to your own weight loss journey — then consider becoming a weight loss coach. While a personal trainer can help anyone improve their fitness level, a weight loss coach can specifically help clients change the number on the scale, reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type II diabetes.
Women’s Fitness Specialist
It’s a dangerous world out there for women. As a result, many women taking preventative measures like building strength, increasing endurance, training for speed, and self-defense. Women may feel more comfortable working with people who understand what they’re going through and what they’re unique fitness needs are. You can become more inviting to female clients by becoming a women’s fitness specialist with a certification from NASM.
Senior Fitness Specialist
Senior citizens are often neglected in the fitness community, which is unfortunate because fitness may benefit them more. Studies show that exercise can even stave off degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s Disease. When you become a senior fitness specialist with an NASM specialized certification you can help senior clients navigate modified exercises that can have a huge impact on their bodies and their brains.
Youth Exercise Specialist
There are a fair amount of school activities available for kids and young adults, but what about for those who need sports conditioning or those who haven’t found a sport they enjoy but want to stay in shape? As a youth exercise specialist, you can help kids between 6 and 19 get stronger, build endurance, and make healthier choices.
MMA Conditioning Specialist
Similar to a performance enhancement specialist, an MMA conditioning specialist helps athletes train and improve in a sport. However, this career path makes you uniquely and specifically able to help those who practice mixed martial arts. This sport, a combination of stand-up and ground fighting, is becoming increasingly popular and is very competitive, so a NASM certification in this field could help you gain new, interesting clients.
Golf Fitness Specialist
Furthermore, those who love golf know that it’s not as easy as it looks. In addition, you have to have the proper stance, enough body awareness to know where you’re going to direct the ball, and the stamina to follow through with your swing repeatedly. Moreover, serious golfers will need a coach. That’s where a NASM certification can come in to swing you into a career as a golf fitness specialist.
One Specialization Not Offered by NASM…
If you have a particular passion for working with individuals with special needs, you won’t easily access a career path that addresses that passion through NASM. Strong Education, however, offers special needs-specialized courses in personal training (Level 1 and Level 2) and group instruction. Training will prepare you to work with cognitive and physical challenges and a variety of ages. Sign up today!
What You Can Do With a Special Needs Fitness Certification
Special Needs Personal Trainer
Our Level 1 and Level 2 certifications equip you to handle a wide range of special needs. You’ll learn how to modify exercises to make them attainable for those with both physical and cognitive disabilities. Whether your client has cerebral palsy, autism, or a limited range of motion, you can help them grow as a special needs personal trainer.
Special Needs Group Fitness Instructor
Broadening the spectrum of individuals benefiting from your services could be achieved by becoming a special needs group fitness instructor. Strong Education’s course equips you to conduct fitness classes designed specifically for groups with different special needs. This career path allows you to make a profound impact on more lives while introducing them to the fun side of fitness.
Special Education Teacher
A special needs certification from Strong Education can set you on the path to becoming a special education teacher. Our courses equip you with knowledge on handling behavioral meltdowns, a common occurrence in individuals with special needs. The triggers for these meltdowns are often the difficulties these individuals face in communicating their emotions and wishes. Understanding and managing these reactions make you better prepared to work in this field..
Day Habilitation Instructor
The role of a Day Habilitation Instructor is multifaceted and deeply rewarding. This profession involves educating and guiding adults with various conditions such as Autism, Down syndrome, and general Intellectual and Developmental Disorders (IDD) in acquiring essential life skills. As an instructor, you will deliver lessons covering vital areas such as mathematics and reading, fostering cognitive development. Additionally, you will incorporate arts and crafts into their curriculum, promoting creativity while also serving as a therapeutic outlet for these individuals. Notably, these individuals have made the transition away from public education, hence this responsibility involves tailoring a curriculum that suits their unique learning abilities and styles.
Behavioral Therapist Assistant
If you’re drawn towards therapeutic roles, consider getting a certification in special needs education. This could facilitate your path to becoming a Behavioral Therapist Assistant. However, it’s important to understand something crucial about this certification. Although it is beneficial, it does not replace the need for a Master’s degree. You must realize that you need a Master’s degree to become a professional behavioral therapist. Public awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is rapidly growing. The importance of early intervention is also gaining recognition. As a result, these roles are becoming more sought-after, making this a very promising field.
Things You Need to Know When Applying for NASM Certification
When applying for NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certification, there are a few important things you need to know. First, it’s crucial to understand the different NASM certification options available and choose the one that aligns with your career goals. NASM offers various certifications such as Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), and Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), among others.
Next, you must meet certain eligibility criteria to apply for NASM certification. This usually requires being 18 years old, having a high school graduation, and having CPR/AED certification. The certification exam will cover exercise science principles, anatomy, and physiology, so you must be well-versed in these.
Preparing for the NASM certification exam is crucial for success. NASM provides study materials, including textbooks, online resources, and practice exams, to help you prepare. It is recommended to thoroughly review these materials and spend enough time studying before scheduling your exam.
About Strong Education
Strong Education was founded by Daniel Stein, the owner of Special Strong. He founded this special needs personal training organization after seeing the benefits of fitness in his own life. As a teenager diagnosed with ADHD, Daniel was placed in special education classes. Exercise helped him better manage his emotions, release pent-up energy, and focus on what was important. When he saw how much of an impact he was making with Special Strong, he created Strong Education to teach others how they could improve the lives of people with special needs through fitness training.
Strong Education teaches personal trainers and service providers on how to adapt fitness and nutrition for children, adolescents, and adults with autism, Down Syndrome, and other disabilities through our online adaptive special needs certification course.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a NASM certification, and why is it valuable in the fitness industry?
A NASM certification, offered by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, is a highly regarded credential for fitness professionals. It is known for its focus on evidence-based approaches and comprehensive training programs that ensure a deep understanding of human movement science. This certification is valuable because it equips personal trainers with the knowledge and skills necessary to create personalized fitness programs, improve client performance, and prevent injuries. Holding a NASM certification demonstrates professionalism and a commitment to high standards within the fitness industry.
2. What can I do with a NASM certification in the fitness field?
With a NASM certification, you can pursue a variety of career paths within the fitness industry. Certified professionals often work as personal trainers in gyms, health clubs, or private studios. The certification also allows you to specialize in areas like corrective exercise, sports performance, or behavior change, broadening your scope of practice. Additionally, NASM certification holders can explore opportunities in corporate wellness programs, or online fitness coaching, leveraging digital platforms to reach a broader audience.
3. How does a NASM certification enhance career prospects compared to other certifications?
A NASM certification enhances career prospects by providing a comprehensive understanding of fitness and health that is recognized globally. Employers often prefer NASM-certified trainers due to their rigorous training and practical knowledge. The curriculum’s emphasis on scientifically validated methods sets NASM-certified trainers apart, making them more competitive in the job market. Furthermore, the certification offers continual education opportunities, allowing trainers to stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in fitness and health.
4. What additional resources does NASM offer to certified professionals?
NASM offers numerous resources to support certified professionals, including continuing education courses, workshops, and webinars to expand their expertise. Certified trainers also gain access to a network of fitness professionals and industry experts, fostering a community for knowledge sharing. NASM provides marketing tools, client management software, and business advice to help trainers build and sustain successful careers, ensuring long-term growth and development in the fitness industry.
