NASM VS. NSCA CPT

by anthony
(long beach, ca, usa)

I have narrowed it down between these two companies. I am a Firefighter/Paramedic and I am looking for a side job. Can anyone recommend one of these certifications over the other?

Rating

Prestige vs. Cutting Edge
by: Anonymous

I have researched both organizations and have chosen NASM. NSCA has been around for a very long time, reputable, and the courses are top notch. It depends on what you are looking for. NSCA, as the name implies, has expertise in the strength and conditioning field. NASM is focused on athletes and the general population, with emphasis on their own opt model, which covers agility, balance, cardio, etc. NASM is relatively new to the industry, but their leaders have great ideas, innovation, and offer higher education through it's affiliates. I like the fact that NASM is involved in legislature, and are active in government.

Rating

nasm vs nsca
by: isaac

Without a doubt the NSCA is highest ranked and most recognized certification available.This is clear by it being the only one that offers a degree that takes four years to recieve at a university.If someone would properly research this they would no that.

Rating

Isaac
by: Anonymous

Your comments make little to 'know' sense. The NASM cert is much better for training the average population, while the NSCA-CPT is more geared towards performance, i.e. athletes. The NSCA-CSCS requires one to have a bachelor's degree, and is fully intended to train athletes, not the general population.

Rating

NSCA
by: Anonymous

NSCA allows you to work with special needs people also.

Rating

I'm Picking NCSA-CPT
by: Brenda

The NSCA-CSCS certification is not the same as the NSCA-CPT Certification. The first one is for designing programs for, and training and educating athletes; the second one is for working with both general and special populations. The pass rate for NSCA-CPT is only 46%. It is the most prestigious of the two certifications, and it is really two certifications rolled into one and, therefore, it is a more cost effective certification.(NASM's CPT and CES certifications both equal NSCA-CPT certification, and the pass rates for each of NASM's tests is about 70%.)

"The NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) certification was developed in 1993 for professionals who work one-on-one with their clients in a variety of environments, including health/fitness clubs, wellness centers, schools and clients' homes. The exam thoroughly tests the knowledge and skills that are necessary to successfully train both active and sedentary physically healthy individuals, as well as individuals with special needs."

http://www.nsca-cc.org/nsca-cpt/about.html

Rating

The Bottom Line
by: Anonymous

One criticism of the NSCA-CPT (National Strength and Conditioning Association) that I keep reading about is that it is geared toward resistance training. That just shows that some people are misinformed. The NSCA-CPT is the only certification that qualifies certificants to work with conditioned, deconditioned, and special populations. You obviously are not going to transform a paraplegic into a bodybuilder, although yes, you would design programs to improve their flexibility and upper body strength so that they can more easily reach, for instance.

Even if the criticism is true, however, in my mind, it would further increase the prestige of the certification, because it would mean that the NSCA apparently knows what few other organizations do: Aerobic exercises are really resistance exercises. High calorie burn aerobic exercises involve using the large muscles of our legs, like in running, biking, swimming. That makes them muscular endurance exercises that raise our Vo2max's because of the amount of effort and duration required, which forces the use of the aerobic pathway. The muscles in our upper bodies have lower Vo2max's, partly because they carry lower loads. That's why we burn fewer calories when we work our upper bodies, but we can increase upper body endurance, too.

Since we are more likely to remain independent, less likely to fall or suffer broken bones, and are more likely to have the endurance necessary to complete tasks, having strong muscles, being able to control weight, especially our own body weight are of paramount importance in living long, healthy lives.

There is no doubt in my mind that I earned the right certification. It is difficult to earn because it covers more populations--not because it's stuffy.

Because of the OPT Model, NASM does a little more of your thinking for you, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are a new trainer. However, the NSCA-CPT is essentially the NASM-CPT and CES rolled into one certification. So it is a better value. That's why I went for it.

NASM VS. NSCA CPT

Comments for NASM VS. NSCA CPT