ACTION Exam feedback

by Jhansen
(British Columbia, Canada)

Greetings everyone.

My name is Jhansen and I reside in British Columbia, Canada and I just completed and passed the ACTION CPT exam 2011/11/09.

First a brief background of myself. I am a Medical Laboratory Technologist with an Associates Degree in Science. The ACTION CPT certification is my first certification.

The material presented is very thorough and comprehensive. There is so much information to absorb.

The exam was challenging to say the least. 150 questions in 150 minutes seems daunting, but in reality, there is plenty of time to complete the test. There were very challenging questions that tests the person's ability to think and combine theory together.

The downside of the exam I wrote was I was not able to bring a calculator, nor was one provided. So, for the questions involving calculations, I had a bit of difficulty. They are still manageable with paper and pencil, but very tedious.

As I already have a great career in the medical field, I do not plan on using my certificaiton to work at a local gym. However, this is a great stepping stone for those wanting to be certified as it is free. This is also great to get an idea of what other more expensive tests are like and can be used to guage your knowlege before challenging a different exam.

All in all, the value of the ACTION CPT is excellent!!! Great starting point for those thinking of becoming a personal trainer.

Time to gain some experience!!!

I hope this information helps.

Great certification... but you need experience

by Ed Mueller
(Las Vegas, NV)

I truly think that ACTION will be changing the way that the industry thinks about Personal Trainer Certifications. I certified through ACTION -- both with the online test, and the proctored test-center test -- and there is a LOT of very practical information in the program.

I showed the program to trainer friends of mine (one who is ACE certified, and one who is NASM), and they both felt that it was very comprehensive... to the point that some things were included in ACTION that were not in their basic certifications (like Special Populations, for example).

Personally, I have a background in fitness, having served as a Command Fitness Coordinator in the Navy for 20 years, but that doesn't help when you try to work in the civilian world. Without something saying that you're certified, you won't attract clients.

But, you also need experience to teach. Learning from a book won't make you somebody who can design programs and work with people, which I think is a general problem across the CPT spectrum... but you need to start somewhere.

As of January 2013, ACTION received its feedback from the NCCA, and has a few minor things to fix before their next review. I'm confident (seeing how minor these requests from NCCA were) that they'll be certified by the mid-point of 2013, and I think we'll see ACTION's status move much higher in the industry.

ACTION Certification: On the Mark

by Michelle Wynne
(Brewster, NY, USA)

Upon registering for the Pro Plan of the ACTION Personal Training Certification Program, I was given immediate access to my personal portal of incredible information. The downloadable textbook is clear and easy to read, with helpful diagrams and illustrations to ensure comprehension. Topics are not only broken down to specifics, but more importantly, applied to real-life case studies. Chapter review questions, powerpoint flash cards, pre-recorded class instruction, and online practice exams all greatly benefit the student in understanding the true function of a personal trainer.

Directly after submitting my answers at the conclusion of the computerized test at the testing center, I was given the "pass" grade right on the screen. It was a challenging test, one that I believe should easily pass accreditation standards by NCCA. In addition to the exam, I believe the entire ACT Certification Organization must be accredited by NCCA. The portal takes into account every aspect of the personal trainer's career and responsibilities. I firmly believe my education by ACTION is sound and cutting edge; training that I am confident has already helped all of my clients.

Not only am I a personal trainer, but also a New York State middle school teacher for over 20 years. Being a seasoned educator, I can confidently evaluate various programs and the efficacy of each. I can professionally state that ACTION personal trainer program is a most effective, valuable, and worthwhile course of study.

ACTION Cert.

by Jamison
(Fort Mill, SC)

I signed up and just recently passed the ACTION certification. I am currently an NASM certified CPT with their PES as well. I was pretty impressed with the text that ACTION allowed me to download for free. Very well written and will be kept on my IPad for future reference.

I sat and passed the online exam and once again was very impressed. I only attained an 80% and can attribute that to wanting to " Get Er Done" in case they receive NCCA certification soon and start charging large amounts of $ like the other certifiers.......

Cheers, Jamison
NASM- CPT/PES
ACTION - CPT :)

I am recently ACTION Ceftified

by C.Smith
(New Jersey)

The textbook is chalk full of information and the test is no joke. If you take your time and study you should pass. The only reason I become interested in this certification is because of it's NCCA accreditation. It's the same organization that has ACE, NASM, NSCA, but also CFP, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program just to name a few.

Hopefully objective opinion given here

by BK
(Minneapolis)

First of all, let me say that this website has been instrumental in providing objective feedback in the crazy world of certifying as a personal trainer. There are too many certifications and differing information for all of them. I certainly learned what I needed to know about which certifications to pursue with all of the information including the comment sections.

With that said, I'd like to provide some insight into the ACTION certification, with the knowledge I obtained with my other certification through NASM.

ACTION is an incredible value for what you get. Be it the free option or the paid option. The free option, what do you have to lose? Nothing. Study hard and pass the test. It is a very basic and somewhat easy way to earn a certification. The paid option is maybe an even better deal believe it or not. You get access to very affordable insurance, they make flash cards for you, they have AWESOME forms to download if you choose to train on your own, and maybe the best part, the business plan.

The business plan is worth the money by itself. It is detailed, professional looking, and you have to put in very minimal effort. I believe that ACTION is more geared towards trainers who are looking to branch out on their own. It offers a value that CAN NOT be beat. Also, once the certification is NCCA accredited in early 2013, more and more health/wellness/fitness facilities will start recognizing it.

Now the downside. No one recognizes this certification yet. It is a baby in a world or distinguished certifications. It is very basic. It offers nearly zero instruction in muscle location or stability. It offers nearly zero instruction in modalities or method.

I believe that it is a very nice certification to have when supplementing a more widely recognized certification. Take it knowing the risk, and knowing that you may have to get certified in another manner.

Excellent training and a tough test

by Steve Ocvirek
(Minneapolis, MN USA)

I highly recommend this course.

Unlike some CPT courses that simply teach you "answers" to questions on the test without gaining comprehensive knowledge, ACTION goes beyond this. Memorizing the 313 page course book will not get you a passing score. Instead you will need to learn the concepts and be able to think through practical situations.

I would highly suggest the upgraded package with the online practice tests and flashcards. I found them quite helpful. There are also online class videos and live online classes that are also quite helpful.

The only downside I can say is that currently (as of 2/1/2012) you are not allowed a calculator in the test--yet there are several questions you will wish you had a calculator for. Brush up on your math!

Overall, with ACTION you can get QUALITY instruction without the high costs.

Just finished my ACTION ceritification..

by Dan
(Clearwater, FL)

I just finished and got certified with ACTION, using the Free program on 9/26. I have to say if you are a book study person, then reading through the text will be fine, but the test does have scenario and situational questions so be sure to thoroughly understand the material, and your personal experience will come into play.

I did my certification mainly for my own benefit and to be able to help those around me that ask for help, not necessarily as a full time job, But the book and material is very informative. That said, I too have run into the "ACTION Stigma" when I mentioned the certification casually to the Gym manager where I train, he had not heard of it and advised me that in order to work even part time as a trainer there I would need at least a ACE or NASM cert. While I am very proud of my ACT certification, I will pursue ACE and NASM certifications in the event that I decide I do want to pick up some part time work.

ACTION is making huge strides in opening the field and is offering solid material however and if you are looking for a good baseline certification, I would recommend it.