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AFAA is the world’s largest fitness and TeleFitness educator. Founded in 1983, the AFAA has issued over 300,000 certifications to fitness professionals. The AFAA prides itseld on delivering “comprehensive cognitive and practical education for fitness professionals, grounded in industry research, using both traditional and innovative modalities.”
The AFAA offers many fitness certifications, including Personal Training, Group Exercise, Kickboxing and Step.
If you are looking to the AFAA to get your certification, you can find a variety of study materials and online courses that allow you to learn the necessary skills to be successful on your own time. Depending on how much help you think you need to pass the certification test, you can choose from textbooks, study manuals, practice tests, flash cards, DVDs and online courses to give you as much information and experience as you feel you need.
If you are interested in more comprehensive and structured learning to complete your personal training certification through the AFAA, they offer a Personal Fitness Trainer Online Preparatory Course which is a standardized online prep course for personal trainers organized into 12 seperate modules followed by a module quiz. The modules are as follows:
Module 1: Understanding Wellness
Module 2: Human Physiology
Module 3: Anatomy and Kinesiology
Module 4: Industry Standards
Module 5: Fitness Assessment
Module 6: Exercise Program Design
Module 7: Injury Prevention
Module 8: Special Populations
Module 9: Nutrition
Module 10: Communication
Module 11: Professional Skills
Module 12: Emergency Response
There is then a final exam which consists of 58 Multiple Choice items. You will be given 1 hour to complete the final exam. You must complete all 12 module quizzes and the comprehensive final exam in order to pass the course. Specific directions for the course are provided online after you register.
Please note that you will have to retake each module exam until you correctly answer all items before you will be allowed to move to the next module. In order to successfully pass the course, you must score a minimum of 80% on the comprehensive final exam.
The course will teach you everything you need to an exercise program for an individual’s fitness needs and goals, including obesity, hypertension, muscle gain, and a sedentary lifestyle. You will also be able respond appropriately to issues such as injury prevention, design programs for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and respond correctly in case of an emergency. You will also be able to perform initial and ongoing assessments, complete health risk analysis, and provide modifications for special populations, like older adult, hypertensive clients, pregnant clients and clients with diabetes, asthma, and obesity. You will also learn how to communicate with clients, and cue and motivate them effectively. You will also be provided with legal guidance and information about insurance and your liability.
The fee for the course is $149, and once completed, you will earn your Certificate of Completion.
If you work well on your own the AFAA is a great choice to earn your personal training, or any other, certification. You can work on your own time, at your own pace, and recieve as much or as little support as you may need. For more info, check out the AFAA website.
Also Read:
NESTA Personal Training Degree Profile
American Council on Exercise Personal Training Certification Profile
American College of Sports Medicine Certification Profile