April 26, 2021by Matthew Sokoloski, CSCS, TSAC-F, Dr Brandon Rhett Rigby, PhD, CSPS, NSCA-CPT, Isaac Rowland, CSCS, Ryan Gordon, CSCS, and Christopher Ryan Bachik, CSCS, TSAC-F
Certified Special Population Specialists® (CSPS®) are fitness professionals who, using an individualized approach, assess, motivate, educate, and train special population clients, including those with chronic and temporary health conditions. Become a certified personal trainer, then pursue this advanced personal trainer certification. CSPS® individuals train clients with medical conditions such as metabolic disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer and cardiac arrest, and address the needs of prenatal and postpartum personal training clients.
The NSCA certification exams are based on the analysis of tasks needed to be competent in a specified job or role. The exams measure a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) compared to a predetermined level of competence. It is not a test that recalls information from a textbook like a college course. Before you start preparing ensure you have chosen the right certification for you.
In this session from the 2023 NSCA Personal Trainers Virtual Conference, Quincy Johnson, Assistant Professor of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas, discusses how to develop an organized and systematic approach for testing, assessing, and setting realistic goals for personal training clients and how to develop an exercise programming framework that can be utilized to enhance fitness outcomes.
To become an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer®, candidates must sit for an exam that will test their knowledge of Client Consultation/Fitness Assessment, Program Planning, Exercise Techniques, and Safety/Emergency Issues. Exams are hosted in testing centers around the world. Read on to learn more about how the NSCA-CPT® exam is structured.
Download this free manual that covers the Basics of Strength and Conditioning, including: Program Design, Technique Fundamentals and Spotting, Exercise Technique, Speed and Agility Training, and Safe Training.
Get NSCA's Essentials of Training Special Populations — a trusted resource for students, personal trainers, exercise science professionals, and CSPS® exam prep.