2023 ISSA Review
In this extensive ISSA review for 2023, we will be covering the following:
- ISSA Master and Elite Trainers
- ISSA certification cost
- ISSA study materials
- ISSA career prospects
- ISSA First aid
- ISSA Exam
- ISSA recertification
ISSA Review- a brief intro
ISSA certification enjoys equal recognition in the fitness industry as NASM, ACE, ACSM, and NSCA. It is more popular among gyms and training facilities. This ISSA review intends to give you insight into the ISSA certification to help you decide if this is the right one for you or not.
To help you, here we will list the benefits and drawbacks of ISSA certification in brief.
ISSA benefits:
- Accredited by NCCA
- In-depth knowledge of the personal training industry
- Different methods of assessment
- Completely online, can be accessed from anywhere in the world
- Internationally recognized
- Exam and retest criteria are reasonable
- Detailed study guide and text
- Earned a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars with 5,500+ reviews
ISSA drawbacks:
- Boring black and white textbook
- No provision for live workshops
ISSA Elite Trainer and ISSA Master Trainer
ISSA offers Elite and Master trainer packages as second-grade credentials. These personal trainer packages come with multiple career opportunities for a definite boost in earnings.
ISSA Elite Trainer is a 3-in-1 certification package that includes personal trainer and nutritionist certifications along with specialization in any of the following fields:
- Strength and Conditioning
- Group Fitness
- Corrective Exercise
- Exercise Therapy
- Transformation Specialist
- Senior Fitness
- Bodybuilding
- Youth Fitness
- Sports Nutrition
ISSA Master Trainer offers an additional certification which makes it a 4-in-1 certification package. It includes a certification course on personal trainer and nutritionist along with two other certifications on any area of specialization mentioned in the list above. ISSA Master Trainer thus provides an extensive knowledge base that can help any trainer reach the zenith of his or her career in the fitness industry.
As reported by ISSA in 2017, the medium income of an ISSA trainer reached $39,210 per year and the average earning of the top 10% of trainers was $74,520.
ISSA certification cost
The cost of the ISSA certification course is $699 which can be paid in several interest-free installments.
The cost of the ISSA CPT Course sometimes rises to $799 with an extra fee for nutrition certification. This can be a deal because you can grab both CPT and nutrition certs with their exams, study guides, online resources, and textbooks at this price.
If you want to go for the ISSA Master Trainer certification, you have to pay $2,997. For the ISSA Elite Trainer package, the cost is $1,598.
Though these prices may appear to be expensive, they are actually on par with other current industry certification programs. Through FitnessTrainer.com, we offer all of our readers 20% off their desired certification program by simply using the code FT20 during ISSA checkout.
ISSA Study materials
ISSA offers both an e-book and a hard copy textbook with the package. The textbook covers 6 areas of health and fitness education that include the following:
- 3 units on Anatomy and Physiology
- 4 units on Kinesiology and biomechanics
- 4 units on Health and physical fitness
- 4 units on Nutrition
- 5 units on Program Development
- 11 units on Fitness for all
The package also includes a 10-week study guide with video lectures for 9 weeks and the real exam on the final week. The video lectures are based on reading assignments, test preps, and quizzes.
Other study materials include the following:
- BMI Calculator
- Practice exam
- Workbook
- Glossary of Common Terms
- Exercise Videos
- Medline Research Articles
- Question Board
- Muscle Glossary (Audio)
- Video Seminar
ISSA career prospects
This is the most important aspect of this ISSA review. While other CPT courses do not pay much attention to this, ISSA has aced it with the career support program.
ISSA offers a separate textbook with the package called the "Fiscal Fitness". This textbook covers all the intricate details of a personal training business and ways to prosper on it.
The textbook helps to develop marketing and conversational skills but sadly, it has no mention of social media promotion which is now an important part of marketing your services in the 21st century.
The student dashboard on the ISSA portal will provide access to other business-related guidance materials like:
- Step-by-step business development
- Website development
- Business tips
- Interview procedure
- Personal health coverage
- Professional liability insurance
- Medical fitness network
Certified ISSA trainers have online access to other business resources and tools like:
- Job Resources
- Personal Trainer Forms
- Certified Business Logo & Cards
- CEU
- Business Center Video Lab
Apart from that, ISSA certification is preferred by U.S Military veterans to put their military training to use in the commercial fitness industry.
ISSA First aid
All certified ISSA trainers are trained in AED, CPR, and First Aid methods to serve in emergencies. This is a must-have qualification for ISSA Masters and Elite trainers who want to pursue a career in sports nutrition and exercise therapies.
ISSA Exam
ISSA test includes 200 multiple-choice questions and 6 essays. This is a completely online open-book exam.
ISSA certification is accredited by both DEAC and NCCA.
To register for the exam, the minimum age limit is 18 years. The candidate must have a high school degree or an equivalent qualification and a certification in CPR/AED.
ISSA Recertification
Just like other industry-recognized CPT certifications, ISSA has the provision for qualified trainers to recertify themselves after every 2 years. For recertification, the trainer must meet the requirements for CEU credits. The recertification fee is $75.
Final thoughts
You can see after reading this review that the ISSA certification offers a wide range of knowledge on different aspects of health and nutrition that are important to having a successful career in the fitness industry. This is why it is one of the most sought-after CPT certifications. While there are many certification companies to choose from, we think ISSA will give you the best value for money and opportunity for your career.
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