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N.C.C.P.T.

by Christopher M.
(Gilstrap-Atlanta,GA)

I am certified by NCCPT and I think it is one of the best and easiest certifications to obtain. They come to most U.S. cities a few times a year and you can actually be "nationally certified" in a couple days. It is a very respected name in the business, and is accepted everywhere. Its a a $300.00 course (book included) the only down side I see in it is that you must do continuing education every 2 years in order to keep the certification, but that is pretty much the industry standard anyway. Hope that I have helped out some!

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Anybody else heard of NCCPT
by: Katie - Admin

Its not often that a personal trainer certification comes up that I haven't heard of. Granted all the acronyms start to sound the same after a while but I don't think I have ever heard of anybody taking this course. I am a little suspicious but maybe somebody with some first hand knowledge can share their experience. This comment sounds a little too much like an advertisement.

- Katie

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NCCPT
by: heather

I am NCCPT certified and thought the course was very intense, but very thorough. I think it's just as good as some of the other certifications, but maybe just not as well known.

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what kind of continuing education
by: Anonymous

I am deciding on which place to get my certification. I have been an instructor at Golds gym for several years, and would like to start training and bootcamp sessions on my own. I am wondering what the continuing education you spoke of entails. Also, what are the costs of this continuing ed.?

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great certification
by: jen

I had never heard of the N.C.C.P.T until recently. I have been a certified personal trainer full time for three years. I have looked into other certifications and have obtained a few. I found that the N.C.C.P.T was more thourough and much more difficult to obtain than most major certs. I would suggest this cert to anyone who wants to work as a personal trainer.

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NCCPT
by: Anonymous

I do not recommend this class to anyone. The class hardly teaches you anything and the test is very intense. The test has 238 questions and you have to go to a testing center to take the test. The class didn't prepare anyone for the test and to re-take the test cost about $120. The class cost about $500 so altogether you are looking at spending over $600 hundred for a cert. from NCCPT. If I could go back and get another cert. I would get certified through ACE which is a lot more nationally recognized. Half the class has not gotten it certification because they have failed the test and are not willing to pay $120 to re-take fee.

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Start a career
by: Anonymous

I liked the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) becuase:
1. It was very informative and the information was taught in a very practical manner.
2. IF i became a member on line, i can give my code to others and earn money from anything they buy on the site. The NCCPT also pays like a multi-level marketing company but i don't have to purchase monthly products to qualify for the commissions. Plus, the NCCPT pays me four levels deep, so I can earn money from people I've never met or never heard of. Residual income is how i want to start my career.
3. The website has a ton of services to help me succeed in my career; on line scheduler, marketing materials and forms i can download, informative articles i can refer to, discounts on products and a PT locator so prospective clients and employers can find me.
4. All the teachers are trainers. You can tell they are in the feild of personal training and not chiropractors, physical therapists or PE teachers.

I highly recommend this to anyone entering the field of personal training

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Bullsh**t
by: Anonymous

I agree with anonymous. I spent 400 dollars on a home study course and studied the hardest I've ever studied for something paying close attention to all the points they made in the video sections while also making sure I knew EVERYTHING in the study book. I even spent 30 dollars for their "Practice Test" to prepare myself. NCCPT stated that if I take their practice test (which was 175 questions BTW, the real test is 238!), I will be prepared for my test. When I got to the testing center and started the test, I sh*t you not, I didn't recognize 75% of the questions asked. There was hardly any similarity to the practice test - in fact, the practice test wasn't an indication at all of what was to come! I was steered into a situation where I wasn't prepared. By my account, I WAS prepared because I took the home study course so seriously. They did not prepare me and are obviously out for the money. You will lose if you think this is a serious study course - it's like being told to paint a house purple only to paint it purple and then be told you painted the wrong house with the wrong color. I was completely blind-sided. And the re-test is 120!!!! I call bullsh*t! I've never been so angry in my life and feel robbed and cheated because I knew that book and that practice test backwards and forwards. DO NOT GO TO NCCPT!!!!

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not the best
by: Anonymous

I am NCCPT certified.I thought it was a good cert. that prepared you for personal training.The only problam is that it is not well known at all,I've been training for close to 5 years and hardly any gyms or private studios have heard of it,so I would go with one like ACE which is well priced about the same difficultness but is very well known.

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I'll let you know
by: Kate Bennett

I completed a two day course this weekend and am still studying for about a month before I take the test. I will let you know if it was impossible or if they helped me to prepare appropriately.

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nccpt my experience
by: Anonymous

Hi ok, I took the seminar and got the manual and sample test for less than 400 dollars. There are online study seminars free on the site after enrolling which are great. They basicly re-do the seminar. So you can go to a computer and brush up on your notes. The test is 150 questions multiple choice. Yes the thick manual has stuff not in the seminar but usually they help with what to focus for the exam. I suggest studying the manual after the seminar but definatly do the seminar.

I had a bad experience with ace and nasm is under a thousand dollars which at that rate you could go get yourself a degree.
DO NOT DO ACE. They do things thier own way and opposite of the industry universal standard. The book is written by 20 different people. Each chapter some one else. they had me study 3rd edition while they were converting to 4th ed. which was an entirely new makeover. If I had the money I would sue them.
take nccpt you'll do fine.

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I do not recommend this certification
by: Anonymous

I spent the 500 bucks on the 2 day seminar, manuals sample tests, flashcards, study guides ect.
After taking the 2 day seminars, and reading the manuals, sample tests, and online videos I found none of it to be on the exam.
The seminar was a waste of time and money and so was this course.
The exam was multiple choice, depending on the location you need 10 bucks to pay for parking.
None of the questions made sense and were all trick questions and none of it had to do with actually training some one in the gym.

No wonder there are so many bad trainers out here. I am a female ifbb pro bodybuilder and have trained all over the world.
This is a scam and waste of time and money.
They told me I should have read the book 3 times and studied for 2-3 months afeter the exam when I complained about it. Thats not what they advertise. They advertise buy the seminar and course and pass the exam.
I found the online videos and seminar to be based on common sense. But to get certified? lol The test was completely based on trivia, literally.
Thanks for nothing.

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NCCPT test
by: Anonymous

I agree with both the good and the bad!! I am studying for my third try. Yes it is intense and hard, however I haves learned much! and yes the test will blind side you so u better know more than what is in the videos and book! as far as cost i have no clue my company is paying for it. I would have preferred to get an ACE it is more appropriate for this line of work! I have been training for 20 years and this exam is keeping me from my 70 dollars and hour!

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whats the TRuTH! Here?
by: Mike H

What's the truth here?, is the test 238 questions or is it 150 ?

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Sample exam questions
by: Anonymous

Were can I get those sample exam questions?? I just finsihed the online course and now want to spend at least a month to study for exam. Anyone have sample questions for the exam I can use to study from? Or a site that I can get the questions from?

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What the ??
by: Anonymous

The reviews seem all over the place! I'm with Mike..what is the truth here? The head trainer at my gym recommended this course and signed me up for it. They are dying for trainers. Why would he steer me to this if it is going to slam me with unexpected questions?? Ugh.

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Go with a more nationally recognized certification
by: Anonymous

After hearing about others similar experiences and seeing the course on Groupon for 148.00 I'm going with a more nationally certified course.

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NO WAY..
by: Anonymous

I saw the deal on Groupon as well, and after looking over all of these horror stories I think I'll spend my money on one of the more recognizable certifications such as NASM, ACE ect. ect. Sheesh!!

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NCCA accredited
by: Anonymous

It is actually NCCA accredited, as well as NBFE accredited. I have now taken the exam. I can say it is a good course and not a gimme. You must know and understand the material in order to pass. The exam is 140 questions and are not all exactly following the little tests you take after each video. You must read the book. You must know your anatomy and you must understand how the muscles work together. I think its a great first step in a personal training career.

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reviews have left me tossed up!!!
by: Anonymous

i was about to purchase the Groupon deal but after reading all these reviews i am so lost and confused! what is the truth here? Seems like the ones that failed the exam have bad reviews and the ones that passed have good reviews. I want to know the facts. whats the deal here? is it worth buying the deal and going for the exam or is it going to be waste of my money and time?
Considering this site does not require any personal info. (name, e-mail etc) in order to post comments/reviews I don't know who is really leaving these comments!! could be the same person over and over again with the bad ones and the different person leaving all the good comments!

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Wow
by: AnibalVasquez

Seems like the NCCPT is not legit.

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Legit
by: Rina Shaffer

Listed at number 5 on this website. http://www.ideafit.com/certifications/personal-trainer

I wrote the review NCCA accredited. It is not that well known, but you will learn a lot of good info to get you started. You must have your CPR card before taking the exam.

Those who failed it are obviously bitter.

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I bought the Groupon and....
by: Jamie

So I actually bought the groupon and have recently started studying for the exam. It's Is extremely thorough so far. Love the videos and its online which is great as well. The exam it's self is 140 Qs so I don't know what the two "anonymous" people are talking about. Perhaps they reviewed the wrong certification? The amount of acronyms in this field are ridiculous, so i can see how someone could mess up. If you did take the national council for certified personal trainer CPT exam please respond "anonymous" so we can clear this up.

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The bottom line
by: Anonymous

First let me say this.

How many people would be honest enough to say "The test was hard, I should have studied more, so I failed".?

Probably not many.

That said, maybe this will help bring some clarity to discussion.

The NCCA is the accreditation people are talking about when they say the cert is "nationally recognized".

What most people don't know, is the NCCA doesn't make one cert better than the other in terms of content. They look at things like: is the material in the exam covered in the study material, is the exam fair, secure and consistent, etc., does the program prepare a person for the minimum of the job description.

Based on the NCCA accreditation all the people saying the exam is unfair and a scam are saying the NCCA failed to do their job, which also means all the other hundreds of programs they accredit are questionable.

This also means all of the certs accredited by the NCCA are on the same playing field (there are only 12 or so in personal training). Go look it up.

The sample test has way more questions than the real test. The real test is 140 questions.

I think you need somewhere just above 70% or so to pass. So, all the people complaining - are you saying getting a C is too hard?

It's tough. And the material is foreign to someone just getting in to personal training. My first cert I felt the same way.

I have both NASM and NCCPT. They are different, and good in their own regard.

To me, looking back 6 years ago when I started this is all that matters.

1) What can I do with the cert? Can I get a job? Train clients? If yes, who cares which.

2) Based on #1 - which is the best price.

Just my 2 cents (OK maybe 3 cents).

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Exam
by: Linda Bright

Can someone help? I missed the exam by a point and now have to re-take it. Uggh! It's a difficult one and YES! The study guides and videos don't help much. What would you suggest?

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IDEAFIT
by: Anonymous

After reading most of these reviews, my instinct was to lookup what the authoritative body on fitness education had to say about it, so I would say add IDEAFIT.Com to your decision making.

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Confusing Reviews and Motives
by: Steve

The comments here are confusing, "Bottom Line" sounds like one of the most sensible.

For instance, the last post about going to Ideafit.com - I could find only one review on that site (or am I missing something?).

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Beware!!!!
by: Anonymous

I just got off the phone with NCCPT, and beware they DO NOT GIVE REFUNDS if you are not happy! I bought this on Groupon and thought it was too good to be true! The live feed doesnt work half the time, and the lady on phone even admitted they were working on their site. The video, when it does play, is so amiture and unprofessional. It's a couple personal trainers and a doctor that just talk, sometimes about information you need to know and sometimes about their college buddies. It doesnt flow and I'm shooting myself right now not reading these reviews before I bought! But if I can save you from purchasing this crap it might be worth it. Every other review is bad, that should say something! This course is not at all what it was advertised as. Its as if it was thrown together in someone's office. And If I dont pass because the info was impertinent, I will take them to small claims court. Beware of a company that says "certified" and looks professional, yet wont give you a refund if you are unsatisfied or having technical problems with THEIR site. Not good customer service. And BTW, This was the second time I called, the first time they said they would have a technical guy call me back, and he never did, and that was their resolution for this time. That was my only option! DO NOT BUY THIS! I don't care if its a group on, its a waste of your time!!!!!!

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Where's the beef?
by: Shanda

Soooo... if the material isn't all coming from the videos and book, what specifically should I be studying in addition?

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To Groupon or Not to Groupon. That is the question!
by: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Guess what? I'm not really Arnold Schwarzenegger!
(Or am I?)

Bottom line is, that this particular site (i.e., Starting a Personal Training Business) is letting folks post anonymously. Accordingly, it is very difficult - nay, impossible - to get an accurate read as to what the deal is with NCCPT certification and ESPECIALLY the very appealing $148 Online Certification deal being offered by Groupon.

Suffice it to say, that NCCPT has spent a lot of money crafting their website's FAQs professionally, but have been unsuccessful at creating an all-around positive Customer Service situation.

Just like with purchases on Amazon.com, you have to read what's being posted and determine whether it is valid. With so many "anonymous" postings, this is near impossible to do.

With the ease of posting on this site, logic would dictate (and I AM an attorney, so I know these things) that there is more of a vested interest in someone posting anonymously positive reviews on NCCPT's behalf rather than someone posting anonymously negative reviews on the behalf of an entity trying to sabotage NCCPT's efforts.

Therefore, given the tremendous negative reviews (anonymously or not), I would not venture into the Groupon deal, unless you are prepared to lose the $148. You will be hard-pressed to collect anything in small claims court or otherwise.

Best of luck in making your decision.

Sincerely,
Chuck Norris

PS I told you I wasn't Arnold Schwarzenegger. :)

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NCCPt experience
by: Anonymous

I found this personal trainer deal on groupon which found it to be very misleading.I should have looked into it more the deal lists you get videos exam and up to two attempts if you dont make it the first time.

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ABOUT THE NCCPT EXAM - READ.
by: Joe

Guarantee, 100%, that the people posting on this site about how unfair the test is have NOT studied consistently for a reasonable amount of time (say 1-2 hours a day, for 3 months) before taking the exam. Also, if you were an individual with a specific injury and limited physical ability, would you really want some "professional bodybuilder" (who thought the NCCPT exam to complex due to anatomy and exercise physiology) to draw off their own personal knowledge to design your PT program? Neither would I. I managed the largest personal training department in the country and personally witnessed 18 year olds, straight out of high school, pass the NCCPT exam with no problem whatsoever. If you bought the program and cannot pass the test, I don't care what kind of trainer you think you are, you would not get hired for my department, period. You not passing (especially with 3 attempts! as in the Groupon package) either means that you are lazy (like the people who just study the sample exam and think they've found a shortcut), incompetent for the job, or both. Of course, there are those with learning disabilities, and I know personally that NCCPT goes out of their way to accommodate disabilities with doctor verification. Hope this helps. You can't beat an NCCA accredited cert for $148. You do have to do the work, though.

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great if you study
by: Anonymous

I looked this up on a variet of websites., then I asked about the pass fail rate by phoning them. The fail rate is infact higher then most. So it seems to me that if you study and use the most basic of critical thinking skills passing should be no problem. If you know you sartorious passes the hip and the knee on the anterior surface what action(s) cat it perform? If you want to be a pt you have to critically think if you can't do that to study and get a C on a test that gives you all the answers then I feel bad for you future cients.

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WTF!!
by: Ben

Over all this course will teach you a lot... It gives you a ton of information and it's all applicable to the field.

HOWEVER, The 1 start people are correct!!! The study guide and practice tests as BULLSHIT compared to the actual test! over half of what you study for isn't even close to being on the test. EVEN the study chapters in the course don't tell you all of the information.

The other problem I've noticed with this course, is that the majority of the information is centered around the mid 1990's... It's 2013, wtf?!!?

I purchased the groupon and have attempted the test twice now. Both times I got 64%. I studied like crazy inbetween these two tests because I wanted to pass the second time! HOWEVER, the second time I took the test, I knew the answers I missed, but they changed EVERYTHING else and added questions that are not in any guides or the study material. So if I were to go back and take the first test, i'd say i'd get a 95%... But with how this system is setup, it's made for you to fail!

The actual test online is 140 questions, and you get 2 hours to do it. I'll be taking my 3rd test may 2nd and will post a second time to give my followup.

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Freaking out
by: Mel

I am supposed to take the test tomorrow. I have read every chapter, done the practice test, the study guide, and reviewed my notebook of chapter notes.
I am going to reread the anatomy chapters again, and the applied anatomical practices.
Most of the materials make sense to me, I was a biology major in college so I have seen most of these terms and understand very well how the body works.
However upon seeing these reviews I am not sure.
I wanted this certification to work part time at the gym I work out at because it is a lot of fun, and I am a teacher regularly so extra income is always good.
Am I going to have a major flop tomorrow?
I don't have time to take this test over and over!

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Like Mel, My Anxiety is HIGH
by: Kyle

I really hope Mel comes back and posts how her experience went. .I take mine this Thursday and want to know her study strategy and if it paid off for her. Hope so!

Ok, the first reason I gave NCCPT 3 stars was because it seems like the testing is hardly consistent. I've been to 4 websites & people are either REALLY upset about their exam experience OR on the other end of the spectrum, people thought it was super easy. People that didn't do well swear they studied like crazy, & the people that passed said it was common sense. VERY CONFUSING!

Secondly, I have to reiterate previous comments about the quality of the videos. I watched 1/2. . . . of ONE video & couldn't take anymore! My brother who's in 6th grade could make a better video series w/ his iPhone & a weekend of free time than the vids NCCPT put in this cert.

However, in the end I AM anxious this test is already here. I bought the Groupon last week but think I am ready to go. I have studied the sample test, prioritized reading the chapters according to the exam breakdown %'s and feel like I'm ready but we'll see. I just hope my wireless doesn't give out halfway through with the proctor. (Nightmare!) Any advice and suggestions are welcome !!

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Passing the Exam
by: Mel

Kyle,
If you have read the chapters and understand the material you should be fine.

I passed my test Friday night with 80% I would have like a 90% but, Hey passing is passing so I'm happy.

The Material from the chapters is very clearly on the exam! There were no "trick" questions. I think the people posting negative feedback are just not putting in 100% or maybe they cheated during the test and the proctor caught them who knows.

The most difficult questions for me were the 5 or so that they ask: If you are doing blank exercise, what muscles are the agonists and which are the antagonists...
The muscles are in their formal names, and it is a little bit confusing. But if you have studied this chapter and those tables well, you should not have any problems.

The other questions were basically directly from the text! If you did the work you should pass! There are questions from every chapter, I'd say more from the Anatomy chapter, Exercise application how it works etc. but there were no skipped chapters.

They allow you blank paper, and a pen/pencil for scratch paper. I used this to calculat formulas, and write down which questions I wanted to go back and rethink later. I reviewed every question before I submitted the test too.
They will ask you some of the calculation questions for Heart rate and BMI and what not so know your equations to plug in the numbers.

The Study guid and practice test have a lot of those questions. I did both of them. I also made chapter notes, and reviewed key terms.
I also found sample online quizzes here at http://quizlet.com/subject/nccpt/

Good Luck Kyle.
Don't read the crappy reviews, there is something wrong there, I was so worried after reading those. If you have done 100% of the work and you clearly understand the anatomy and physiology of the body you should be fine!
Remember that in the Nutrition chapter there are ACSM standards on % for Macronutrients and Institute of Medicine Standards, be sure you know both!

I hope to hear your success story soon!

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Response to Mel's [ Passing the Exam]
by: Kyle

Mel, I am glad to hear you passed your exam, and all your hard work paid off for you. Congrats!

Also, I want to say thank you for taking the time to come back and provide a "Post-exam POV" response for me (and all others who visit this site). Not many people would do that.

I had some ???'s in regards to your exam experience:

1) - Did you experience any trouble with the connection to your proctor at any time during the exam?

(I have read horror stories of WiFi interruptions to their site after the exam started and it disconnected them & counted it as an attempt) Trying to figure out if I wanna chance it on WiFi or hard link my mac.

2) - Did any test questions (TQs), or aspect of the exam "blindside you" with material you never saw in studying for it?

Once again, have heard stories of this, just thought I'd clear the air

3) - How was your exam in comparison to the "Exam Breakdown by Sections" NCCPT sent in the material? Would you say the exam closely adhered to it?

** For those of you who haven't seen the breakdown NCCPT sent:
I. Health Assessment - 21%
II. Kinesiology- 21%
III. Exer. Physiology- 13%
IV. Nutrition- 11%
V. Exercise Application- 23%
VI. Business of Personal Training- 11%
*** They DID say %'s were subject to change, so be weary of that.

4) - Were there any pictures/diagrams of anatomy at all?

5) - Did format of the exam follow regular multiple choice & T/F formatting ?
*Specifically,PLEASE tell me there are no MACA's lol

-----------------------------------------------------
Like I said, I take my exam Thursday and ready to just be done with it. My questions/uncertainty comes from how the Exam is formatted and if the TQs used the same ambiguous language I came across in the Study Guide. My study strategy resembles yours in some ways….

* I read the chapters, prioritizing my time spent on each based on
exam breakdown above.
*Did the study guide for each Ch. after reading & any I missed
(avg. of ~3-4) I went back and reviewed (most misses were due
to having no idea what they were asking for, or I used 1
wrong word)
* Lastly, found a NCCPT sample test online to do, a lot of the TQs
were repeated in the Study Guide but did it all. Here's a link, http://static1.lightspeedvt.net/video_files/smartfitness/pdf/sample_test.pdf
* And I DEFINITELY did NOT watch the videos LOL

Once again, I (& countless future others) can't thank you enough Mel, hope to hear back from you soon! Congrats again and now being a certified PT!

- Kyle

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Formal Names?
by: Kyle

Hey Mel, sorry to write a 2nd comment before you could even respond, but I am blanking (or ridiculously overanalyzing) the line in your comment :

"The muscles are in their formal names, and it is a little bit confusing"

Were you just simply saying the exam uses terms like gastrocnemius for 'calf'? or semiten., semimem., & biceps femoris for 'hamstring'?

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More info
by: Mel

Kyle,

answers to the questions you mentioned.

1) No I did not personally experinece any connectivity issues, however there is a slight delay in the video feed but it all worked just fine.
2)None of the questions "Blindsided" me, some were kind of obscure from what I would say wasn't really covered as an important focus, but there were maybe 2 that I had that made me think, I know I read that, but I can't really recall because it didn't seem super important. Other than that the questions were pretty straight forward.
3) I would say Yes the Breakdown that NCCPT gives as the % per content area, was pretty well followed. I didn't feel like there was an area that was over or under tested.
4)Yes there were diagrams with questions of anatomy.
5) YES all Multiple Choice! No curve ball here!

I would personally really review Chapters 7 & 8 they are the most difficult in my opinion as far as the anatomical terms and relation of how the body functions the muscles and bones!

I watched the Videos, I liked the nutrition video he was professional and explained a lot, but some of the other videos I felt were a little obscure, and hard to follow, the guy lost train of thought and says Um way too many times for me!

To your second Post:

Yes you are correct the exam uses the correct terminology for the muscles/bones & connective tissues. So they use the terms that you see in the diagrams and tables for the muscles and bones and tissues. There won't be the generalized names on those items that most people would call them like a calf or something like that.

I hope this is helpful!
If you have more questions please let me know!
Good Luck on your Exam.

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Exam Questions Pt. 2
by: Kyle

Awesome & informative responses as usual Mel, thanks tons!

This is most likely my last question/comment before I take the exam tomorrow evening. Got to get in "Pre-day Exam Mode"! haha

* How hard does the Exam hit the Origin & Insertions of muscles?

* Does it ask ANY TQ's about Nerve Innervations?

Thanks again Mel! You are a lifesaver!

- Kyle

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Exam Canceled by Proctor
by: Kyle

Just received this message from Passmyexam.net (the online 3rd party proctor site for NCCPT exam):

"Dear Student:

Due to a uncontrolled brush fire in our immediate area, a mandatory evacuation has been
enforced to our facility and we will not be able to proctor your exam today.
You can read more about it here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/02/us-usa-fire-california-idUSBRE9410XY20130502

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We will be contacting you to reschedule as
soon as possible.

Thank you"

** Now, I'm trying to rationally make sense of this, but do admit I'm ignorant in the subject so if someone please knows, inform me…

BUT my thought process is - How is an ONLINE exam. . that can be proctored from any PC with internet, be postponed? Isn't that like canceling an online class due to snow?

If this is a sign of how this process is going to go, I have a long road ahead of me!

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Truth about NCCPT Test
by: Kevin Cottrell

The comments here are all over the place and do not provide good information in my opinion to the test.

140 questions
Multiple Choice
Can be taken via a proctor at your home or in a testing center.
Anatomy only covers appendicular skeleton and superficial muscles.

Topics:
Health Assessment
Exercise Physiology
Kinesiology
Nutrition
Business of Personal Training
Exercise Application

This was my second certification I have been doing personal training for over three years and studied for this exam. I used the online videos, book, and practice exam. I completed it in 36 minutes and 29 seconds and passed with an A. This DOES NOT mean that the test is easy. You HAVE to study for it and you HAVE to know what you are talking about. There are no trick questions, it is very straight forward and topics that are in the practice exam are in the exam itself. There are definitely questions that by my research I believe something different to be true, but when you study for certifications you HAVE TO GO BY THEIR BOOK!

Certifications are one thing, but experience is another. Personal trainers have to work on their feet and be able to be personable, analyze emotions and physical feelings. They need a wide variety of knowledge and I feel that the test was easier then I thought but for someone starting out, it could be a challenge. It's nationally accredited so gyms will accept it! I got the groupon deal for $148.00 and it was totally worth it. Just the videos and extra education are worth that!

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TRUTH
by: Vb827

Everyone who is complaining about this exam blindsiding them has obviously not had any courses in exercise, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, or a degree in a similar field. The exam is pretty straight forward and if you have a decent understanding of any of these subjects and review the online material offered with the exam package you will do fine. Wouldn't waste my money on the hard copy btw it's the same as what they have online (PDFs). I was worried about this exam bc of all the neg feedback and I finished in 30 minutes with a 92. I feel very enlightened from this course/ test however I would like to get a more 'prestigious' cert when I have the money. Anyways...well worth the money and sorry for the ones it didn't work out who thought they'd just prance into the training world without having a clue...

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Griping
by: Lady

I passed my NCCPT on my first attempt and I have advice for the gripers on this thread:

1. Stop reading unnecessarily negative comments

2. Study HARD because the test is difficult and encompasses material from the entire course

3. If you aspire to be a professional, start acting like one and stop complaining about how difficult things are for you. Man up (woman up), and dig deep.

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NCCPT Online Exam
by: Anonymous

Just passed the NCCPT certification online exam. 140 question, 2 hours. Need to know chapter 8 really well. A lot of questions on Agonist and Antagonist muscle groups. Make sure you know all the names on Quadriceps, hamstrings, biceps, triceps, Hip joints, Lats muscle groups. what the muscle group consists of (names of the smaller muscles that make up the big muscle). Very little calculations of THR or body fat. Just 1. 200 lb person with 22% body fat, what's LBM? That was the only calculation I had in my exam. Know definitions of muscle types, Nutritions, Vitamin B and it's benefits. Know your heart chambers. Know the muscle group to flex hip joints, Stiff legged dead lift, what degree for knees to bend. Which lever classes and which is most popular. How to get more clientele. That's all I can remember. There's much more, terminology. There was no True/False. But a lot of the exam is in the practice test but done differently. Good luck

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It is a good program
by: Riley

I did the Groupon. The material is challenging. I have an under grad in history and masters in business so the anatomy was foreign to me despite many years of "gym science". If you are looking at this to be the end all be all, it is not nor is any program. You get out of it what you put into it. The test is no "cake walk" so make sure you study accordingly. I wanted a part time gig so I figured this was as good as any especially because I have a passion for fitness and spend so much time in the gym. Due to the fact, it carries the same accreditation as the other programs and is recognized, I got picked up almost immediately by the YMCA (I could have gone to other gyms but this particular YMCA was the most convenient). I hope this helps anyone that may be on the fence. It is a good program that has made me far more knowledgeable and effective in fitness. I would recommend you disregard the nay sayers. There are always those that when they can't do something, they need someone or thing to blame.

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Study Study Study
by: Houston

I recently passed the NCCPT exam. Definitely agree with those who have taken it and passed. Those who say this certification is a joke are only saying that because they didn't prepare well enough. The information in the book, study guide, and practice test is intense. That was my first clue to study hard and be thorough in preparing for the exam. I studied every day for 3 months before I felt like I was absolutely ready to take it.

The way I prepared was as follows:
I read the book cover to cover at least twice (I didn't take notes as I read);
I filled out the study guide and practice test as I read through the book the first time;
I learned the study guide and practice test backwards and forward;
I watched the videos (which have been upgraded to a more professional quality now) and took notes on anything that I heard that wasn't in the other study material, which wasn't much;
After doing all of that, I went back and spent another week reviewing just anatomy and exercise physiology;
Lastly, I spent a week reviewing all material.

The test was not "easy", but it is exactly what should be expected for those who are prepared. The study material isn't "easy", so I don't know why anyone would think the test would be different. There were questions on the test that I didn't know the answers to (after all that studying) and maybe a couple, at most, that I don't think they covered in the study material. Because I didn't get that great groupon deal, I'm happy that it was such an intense course. I am serious about my career as a trainer, and I'd like to actually know what I'm talking about when I train clients. If you're looking for a cheap route to get certified, where you don't have to put in any work, this isn't the certification for you. This one actually requires you to study and learn ALL the material they provide.

Regarding this certification, the saying holds true... "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail"!

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NCCPT certified
by: FitChicLiz

I am an NCCPT certified trainer. I purchased the study program in May of this year and took it in November. I did that for one very particular reason: to prevent failure. I actually passed the exam with a 95% rating. It was tough. I questioned myself at some points. I've also taken NSCA exam which was equally as difficult (okay, NSCA was probably 5% tougher).

All in all: I've got a job AND clients. Your choice of certification may not mean as much as what you actually know. Become an expert in what you're doing. Read journals, articles, etc and use common sense. And then sell yourself like hell in interviews. If you understand biomechanics and program design, you'll do well.

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Simple!!!
by: Anonymous

I studied for an hour right before the test. Okay maybe 2 hours and passed. If you have the materials and study you will be fine.

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not immpossible but technical
by: Amy

I have a science background and have been in the gym for many years. I am certified. The joints and actions were hard however; my complaint about the program is that it really doesn't cover how to build a program to train clients. There are different ways to train. HITT, bootcamp and body parts and full body which I like to rotate through. I wouldn't say I could train a client.

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NCCPT
by: Tanya S

I am both ACE and NCCPT certified. I was required to get NCCPT certified for the gym I worked for. The test was more challenging in that it was more thorough in anatomy. Most people that worked in the gym failed the first time because they did not know there was a manual attached to the videos. If you just watch the videos, you will not do well on the test. I have seen that many facilities are not familiar with this certification. I was debating on whether to continue with the ACE or the NCCPT because they are both costly to renew. I will probably keep both because ACE is well known, but the NCCPT is more thorough in its content.

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nccpt test
by: Anonymous

Who has taken the ncppt and passed it? If so, what do I need to focus on?

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NCCPT is great cert. Maybe the best!
by: Anonymous

1. The NCCPT has been in business almost 20 years. The company couldn't last that long if it was a bad program.
2. It's accepted by LA Fitness, 24-Hour Fitness, Equinox, Crunch, Gold's, etc.
3. It has two national accreditations: NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) and the NBFE (National Board of Fitness Examiners. In order to obtain those accreditations, nine (9) subject matter experts reviewed all the questions on the final exam. The exam was then taken by 100's of personal trainers all over the country to determine the efficacy of the questions in regards to the curriculum. Trust me, all the answers to the questions are in the study materials provided. If you don't study the materials, chances are you won't pass the exam.
4. Almost everyone who writes negative reviews didn't pass the exam. When they state that the questions in the sample test and study guide aren't on the exam if makes me wonder. How would they know that since they've only seen the final exam once and the exam has 140 questions! How could they remember what was or what wasn't in the sample test and the study guide? The sample test and study guide each have over 100 questions? How could they possibly remember all that? And... if they could remember all of that, they would surely have enough memorization skills to pass the exam!
It's amazing how these supposed experienced trainers say exercise physiolgy, nutrition, anatomy, biomechanics, program design and health assessments have nothing to do with person training. Scary....
5. Compare the cost of NCCA accredited programs. The NCCPT is the most economical.

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I just passed this exam
by: P2XSaint

Hello,

I just passed this exam and let me say this if you study the guide book and watch the videos and actually "understand" what it is being taught then you will pass without a doubt. Remember when study to always understand what is being taught and if you don't understand ask someone or look it up for yourself. If you do not understand the material you will not pass and it's that simple. The test overall was in my opinion very in depth and extensive. I have studied for a few exams and I must say that this would have to fall in the middle to upper category just because of its accreditations and there backing.

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book
by: jackie

I recently bought the groupon for the nccpt. Did anyone also buy the hardcopy manual? Is it different from the online version?

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Not recommended
by: Anonymous

I spent hours studying and failed. It's not worth the time nor the money. Try a different exam. All the study material did not go with the exam! Not worth it!

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