Thread: ACE fitness certs...study @Home???

So, I thought that a fitness certification would require me to attend a bunch of courses, and that at the end of these courses, I would take a test. Apparently, all I gotta do is buy some really expensive study guides and do it at home.

I'm so confused! I need hands on instruction. I need to be in a classroom setting! What's this study at home business about?

Anyone here who has their certs? Did you study at home too? I'm probably making too big a deal out of it, but it just seems kinda shady to me. Does it really make you more appealing when you start looking for places to teach?

Talk to me about fitness certification, ladies!

I took a 3 day workshop and covered everything in the manuals to get my cert. I understand what you mean, but I had a really hard time because I didn't do any prelimanry study at home and waited until I was in the classroom. Doing the home study prepares you for the classes, imo.

Oh, ok! So you did have classroom study time. The way it looked to me, it was just a study guide and an exam. I need to look at it again and see where they have the class dates. All I saw were the exam dates and the study guides.

Thanks Kina!

That's a very good question, as I had been wondering the same thing. I'll be watching this thread for the answers!

I haven't been able to find any classes to get certified, everything I've seen has only mentioned self study and taking the exam.

have you signed up on the ace website for the workshop updates? they send them periodically if you give them your (or a nearby) zip code.

Ooooh, no I haven't! Thank you, Kina! *off to sign up*

Originally Posted by kina

have you signed up on the ace website for the workshop updates? they send them periodically if you give them your (or a nearby) zip code.

Oh, ok! Got it! They have some workshops coming up, but they're all group strength training. I'm gonna sign up and hope they have some regular ol' group certs coming up!

Laur, are we gonna do the ace this summer? I think we should. Id totally be willing to come up there and study with you (any excuse to visit you and the local starbucks, i swear)

I studied at home, but I had to study HARD. I found the test very hard. I learned later that a high percentage of people fail the test the first time they take it -- even people who've been working in the field.

Taking a classroom course in addition to home study is a good idea.

Originally Posted by sumayasaahir

Laur, are we gonna do the ace this summer? I think we should. Id totally be willing to come up there and study with you (any excuse to visit you and the local starbucks, i swear)

Unfortunately, summer would be a bad time for me to do it, because Katie is home with me all day instead of being in school. If I don't get on this soon, I'll be looking at the Fall...again. ,f::

I've recently been told by someone who hold both that I'd be better off taking the Personal Trainer course ,than the Group Fitness. She said there's more that's applicable to teaching BD - more anatomy, not as much concentration on aerobics-class type of breakdowns (always a count of 8), etc. Any input on that from Bhuzzers?

I would be interested in hearing more about this topic-I've thought about Certification, as well.

I did the ACE group fitness certification a few years ago, study at home. The test was hard, but I passed on the first try.
Honestly, I don't feel like I learned much from the course that I couldn't have learned on my own so in my opinion, the benefit of the certification is just the title. Plus the course, test and continuing education are expensive, in my opinion.

XOXOXO
amanda

How long is the certification good for? Do you have to retest periodically?

very interested here too but got the impression it was self study.

I didn't go to any of their workshops, but I was preparing for my SharQui certification at the same time which included a lot of anatomy in a more accessible manner.

I don't know if the book has changed since I took the test in 2006, but the GFI book didn't have that much info on group classes, just one chapter. I expected a lot more. But yes, the PT book I had the chance to browse was much thicker with lots more info on nutrition, anatomy and everything else. It's probably harder to pass though.

The certification is good for two years and there are a number of ways to get your CEC's, including the free quizzes they include in their newsletters.

You have to renew every 2 years and demonstrate a certain number of CECs, (continuing education credits) but you don't have to retest.

The GFI manual includes just a small section on cuing -- which is actually very good to know for leading dance/combo drills. It doesn't take a very big brain to figure out how to use good cuing techniques for counts other than 8.

The personal trainer cert is going to include no info on cuing or leading a group class at all, so I don't know why it would be of any use to a dance teacher. It's going to include a lot of info on nutrition, body building, and exercise physiology (but everything relevant to aerobic conditioning is present in the GFI as well, right?)

The ACE certification will teach you about exercise safety, and help you convince a health club or gym manager that you're qualified to instruct. Other than that, it won't do much for you.

Far more important -- and seriously lacking in our industry -- is simple first aid & CPR certification. Often we're leading exercise classes with middle-aged, sedentary women who could suffer any number of injuries in our classes (fall & break a bone, have a heart attack, etc) and we're the only authority figure around. I think it's irresponsible to teach without a first aid & cpr certification.

The ACE certifications are for those who are really interested in delving deeper into fitness knowledge.

Please say more about the SharQui certification.

I recently got my manual to study for the NETA group fitness certification. I researched and ACE, and they seemed to offer the same things, and both are accredited (so alot of healthclubs will recognize either). I know that both offer workshops if you need more than the home study course, and I believe both have DVD/CD study kits as well with some additional instruction.

(I chose NETA over ACE because 1 - my mother has had a NETA cert. for like 15 years and 2 - its a bit less expensive. I figure I will work through the book on my own and then if I feel I need more before I test, there is a workshop here in Baltimore this coming September!)