If you’ve decided to become a personal trainer you’ve made a big decision. It’s great to be able to use your love of fitness and health to help other people and becoming a personal trainer will give you all the right tools to be able to do that. Now, you need to take the next step of deciding which personal trainer certification program to join. Choose according to the features of the program, the cost, the prerequisites, and the recertification requirements. Here we’ll take a closer look at the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and their program. Use this guide to decide if the ISSA personal trainer certification program is right for you. You can also take a look at our ACE certification review, AFAA certification review, our NASM certification review, our AFPA certification review, our NFPT certification review and our NSCA certification review for help making this decision.
The ISSA Personal Trainer Certification course allows you to study at your own pace, with all study materials and testing available online. Despite being a fully online program, there is unlimited educational support and customer support available before and after you’re certified.
The course material includes:
About ISSA
The ISSA was founded in 1988 and over the past 30 years, they have certified more than 200,000 trainers in more than 90 countries. It has become a leader in fitness education, offering 12 fitness certifications, along with advanced programs, although their personal trainer course is their most popular. The ISSA is the first and only fitness organization that is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) who has also approved all its educational programs.The Program

- Program Development
- Physical Fitness and Health
- Kinesiology and Biometrics
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Nutrition
Prerequisites
To be eligible for the Personal Trainer Certification course, you must have a current Adult CPR and AED certificate, and hold a high school diploma or the equivalent.Pricing
The ISSA Personal Trainer Certification course costs $599 with interest-free payment plans available to those who enroll online. A guided study program is available for a full price of $299. If you fail any section of the exam, you will be able to retake that portion at no cost. If you fail again, to retake any sections beyond the second attempt, will cost $50. You are required to complete the course material within four months, although a two month extension can be requested at no extra charge. An additional two month extension will cost $99. If you still don’t complete the course in time, you will need to re-enroll in the course.Special Certifications
Besides the popular ISSA Personal Trainer Certification course, the ISSA offers a number of other courses and certifications that can boost your knowledge and skills to give you a step up in the industry. These courses include:- Corrective Exercise Specialist - Learn how to correct common movement dysfunctions.
- Fitness Nutrition Certification - Learn how to combine nutrition and exercise for ideal results.
- Specialist in Group Fitness - Learn how to design and lead group fitness training sessions.
- Exercise Therapy Certification - Learn about fitness and exercise for post-rehab clients.
- Senior Fitness Certification - Learn how to develop and implement exercise programs for seniors.
- Youth Fitness Certification - Learn how to design fitness programs that are safe for children and adolescents.
- Strength and Conditioning Certification - Learn to develop training programs that will help professional and amateur athletes excel at their sport.