CSCS Training

Personal training is a field with many niches. A trainer may choose to work with athletes, the general public and clinical populations. Each subspecialty has certifications that will show proficiency. The CSCS certification is tailored for trainers who work with athletes.

  1. About CSCS Certification

    • Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) train athlete in order to improve their performance. Offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), CSCS certification has received accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which sets standards for certification programs.

    Requirements

    • To receive CSCS certification from the NSCA, the applicant must either have a bachelor's degree or degree in chiropractic medicine. The NSCA also requires current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillator) training. The training must offer hands-on training as well as a performance evaluation. Examples of adequate training programs include the American Heart Association's Heartsaver course and the American Red Cross's First Aid/CPR/AED course.

    Preparation and Training

    • Although CSCS certification does not require official hands-on training, those wishing to obtain certification must exhibit proficiency in many areas. The NSCA suggests that people with a background in exercise science first take the practice certification test. The test will help determine what areas of the test to focus on while studying. For people without an exercise background, the NSCA recommends studying from training materials such as their book on the essentials of strength training and their exam description booklet, and the additional exercise technique materials. For those needing hands-on training, the NSCA does periodically offer two-day workshop that will help with exam preparation.

    Testing

    • Candidates have two test options for the CSCS exam: computer or paper/pencil. The computer exams are on-demand and available throughout the United States. The paper/pencil tests are less flexible and available on set exam dates. The entire test consists of 210 multiple choice questions. Twenty of those questions aren't scored. The test is divided into a science section and a practical section. The science section contains 90 questions that cover the science behind exercise and nutrition. With 120 questions, the practical section covers topics ranging from exercise technique to program design.

    Costs

    • As of May 2011, for NSCA the paper/pencil tests cost $260, if registered early. The test costs $290, if registered before the cutoff date. For nonmembers, early registration costs $395 and regular registration costs $430. Computer testing costs $310 for NSCA members and $445 for nonmembers.