As you may know by now I am a little obsessive by nature (about fitness, that is). Once I sink my teeth into something, I’m all in with a capital IN. Well, my new certification spree is no exception. As I detailed in Time To Get Legit, I am in the validation stage of my fitness journey. That means backing what I say with science (and a few letters). Fully realizing the letters are just icing, and the knowledge is the cake, I’m going in for a second helping by pursuing my NASM certification in the coming months.
fitfearlessly.com
I mean, fitness is about nutrition and exercise. I love the nutrition portion because it’s what I believe people need to most help with. However, the working out part is my favorite ♥, and it’s what a lot of people have been asking me to do since the very beginning. Why not round out the picture by acquiring solid certifications in both? Where fitness is concerned, I have learned that when an impulse strikes me, acting on it has usually resulted in great things. I’m expecting greatness from the confidence I’ll have with this new level of education. And it’s not only benefiting me and my clients, but you, my beloved readers, as well. I’ll be looking forward to sharing some great information as I travel down this new academic path of enlightenment.
The big box allows for a logoed backpack, but I have to say it pales in comparison to my new Apera bag!
So why NASM? After asking around, doing a bit of research and considering future opportunities for employment down the road, the NASM CPT was the best fit for me personally. I originally started out thinking that ISSA would my choice, based on its slight bent toward power lifting and training performance athletes, and their final exam is more comprehensive, with extensive writing components about program design (which is my passion). However, ISSA in not accredited by the NCCA, and though many gyms accept personal trainers with an ISSA cert., NASM is quickly climbing to the top of the preferred certifications list. Additionally, NASM places significant focus on muscular imbalances and corrective exercises for a more sedentary population. I’m not sure I’d ever work at a corporate gym like where I train, but the Boomers are here to stay, and more and more of them are crossing the fitness threshold in an attempt to make the best of their retirement years. And who can blame them? I’m not far behind where they are, and that’s one of the big reasons I’m on this quest. To help people discover a life that’s worthy of them.
So far, I’ve received my materials and have my 180th day targeted on the calendar. I don’t plan to come anywhere near my test-taking deadline of September, and fully anticipate receiving my certification in early summer of this year. However, I must say the task looks a bit daunting. I selected the I-can-do-this-all-by-myself-for-the-cheapest plan and just have a big ‘ole textbook to absorb and internalize between now and test time. I believe I’ll have some loose online guidelines to help me organize it all, and will want to reread Uberbeastmode’s Starting A New Life post. Colin’s decision to go NASM’s way helped influence my decision as he is QUITE serious about the training, my friends.
Add the fact that a lot of spokes have been added to the wheel of 43fitness , and you could say that things are looking up for my fitness business:
- I am just two weeks out from my Health Coach Certification, and that feels amazing! I have learned a lot of science which validates the choices I was already making, completed a pantry makeover, and have acquired a launching client base. The small person has even been influenced by the material and has become a health advocate at school and counsels her classmates in the lunch room. She is even working toward her proficiency at label reading, being duly complimented by a fellow shopper at our favorite hippy store, The Natural Grocer, recently.
- I will be featured on an upcoming podcast called Gutsy Glorious Entrepreneur, where I was recently interviewed by the AMAZING Lin Eleoff. Stay tuned for the air date of this exciting radio show!
www.lineleoff.com
- 43fitness is now a bona-fide business in the state of Colorado!
- The website was recently moved from WP.com to self-hosted. Once I have all the bells and whistles engaged on the site, I plan to complete a post about just how simple that whole process was, and how much LESS I should have wigged out about the whole thing. I was assured by my Happiness Engineer that my posts would still populate in the WP Reader, and to date I think they have. However, you should absolutely subscribe to ensure you don’t miss anything!
Are you a certified something? Why did you do it, and are you using it now? Which agency did you choose?
