What Does the “ACE Certification” Stand for? | Exercise.com Learn: Your Fitness Business Resource

What Does the “ACE Certification” Stand for?

If you're looking to become a certified personal trainer, chances are you've run across the ACE certification. This article examines what the ACE certification stands for and can help determine if ACE is the certifying agency for you.

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life. He has been featured in Shape, Healthline, HuffPost, Women's...

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UPDATED: Apr 22, 2021

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  • ACE stands for the American Council on Exercise.
  • They offer personal training certifications, as well as group fitness instructor and health coach certificates.
  • All of ACE’s primary certificate programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

In order to make the best decision for yourself as a future personal trainer, researching the various certifying organizations is a great place to start. Each certification has different requirements for test-takers, so it’s important to have a good understanding of the certifications that are offered. Find out more about the ACE certification and what it entails in this article.

Once you’re certified, you’ll need a business management software platform to run your business smoothly. Request a demo today to learn more about our all-in-one gym management software.

What is ACE?

ACE logo

The American Council on Exercise offers a personal trainer certification program, as well as various other health certification programs. ACE is a non-profit organization and has been serving the fitness industry for 30 years. You need to pass the ACE exam to qualify as an ACE certified personal trainer.

You can enroll in one of three ACE sponsored programs to prepare for the exam. The programs are standard, premium, and premium plus and vary in price and study tools.

The premium and the premium plus programs offer comprehensive access to resource center support and the essentials of exercise science flashcards. With the premium plus program, you’ll also access career materials such as the “The Key to a Successful and Effective Client Consultation” online course and the “3D Approach to Finding Nutritional Balance” online course.

What will I learn in the ACE certification program?

In the ACE certification course, you will learn using the integrated fitness training model. The model helps trainers understand how to customize fitness programs to their client’s needs.

There are four phases in the integrated fitness model. The first phase focuses on stability and mobility training, as well as aerobic-based training. The second phase teaches movement training and aerobic efficiency training. The third phase focuses on load training and anaerobic endurance training, while the fourth phase concentrates on performance training and anaerobic power training.

Additionally, you will learn function, health, fitness, and performance tactics throughout the phases. Rapport, behavioral change, and client communication are also important parts of the integrated fitness model. The American Council on Exercise believes that it is important to teach their trainers how to build a connection with their client and encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

For additional help, you can use the ACE Academy Elite lesson plan. It includes video guides and step-by-step instructions to help prepare aspiring trainers for the personal training exam. It also provides a course outline with scheduled quizzes and assignments. To fully comprehend the material, ACE recommends not skipping any of the lesson plans.

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What other fitness certificates does ACE offer?

The American Council on Exercise offers several health and fitness certifications, in addition to the personal training certification. The group fitness instructor certificate, health coach certificate, and medical exercise certificate are all accredited by the NCCA.

Group Fitness Instructor Certification

The group fitness instructor certificate prepares students to teach fitness in a gym or other large group setting. There are multiple study programs to help prepare for this certificate, including the pro essentials, pro plus, and the pro advantage.

Health Coach Certification

The health coach certification through ACE is the only health coach certification program accredited by the NCCA. There are two different study programs for the health coach certification, including the premium and the standard study program. You can also get access to ACE Academy Select.

Medical Exercise Specialist Certification

The medical exercise specialist certificate prepares students to work as medical fitness trainers and implement programs for people recovering from cardiac and orthopedic surgeries, as well as metabolic diseases.

By enrolling in the standard or premium programs, you will have access to the interactive ACE book, ACE study materials, and the certification exam.

The American Council on Exercise also offers specialist certificate programs in behavior change, fitness nutrition, sports conditioning, weight management, and orthopedic exercise, in addition to age-based programs, such as the senior fitness certification and the youth fitness certification.

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