Skip Navigation.

Personal Trainer Certification

AFPA Personal Trainer Certification is Accredited and Nationally Recognized! 
AFPA is currently being reviewed for a 2nd National Accreditation by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization which meets IHRSA recommendations.

AFPA provides the most comprehensive and authoritative resources for you as a Certified Personal Trainer, whether you are a newcomer to the field or have a well-established business. The AFPA Personal Trainer Certification program is full of valuable information about working with clients and designing programs, and provides a practical guide to all aspects of the personal training business.

The AFPA Personal Trainer Certification Program is accredited and has been nationally and internationally recognized since 1994. The Personal Trainer Certification program includes AFPA Study & Reference Material, Personal Trainer Certification Exam, Certificate & Wallet I.D. Card, and AFPA Membership information packet.

AFPA Personal Trainer graduates are prepared to start a personal training business of their own from their home, train clients in the client's own home gyms, work at community recreation centers, hospital fitness facilities, universities and local colleges, heath clubs, gyms and YMCAs.

The AFPA Personal Trainer Certification will help you in the all aspects of your profession:

  • Learn applicable information on fitness testing and assessment.
  • Identify your clients' goals and create fitness tests specifically for them.
  • Properly train and help special populations.
  • Understand the business side of personal training, including marketing yourself as a trainer, getting and retaining clients, and learning time management.
  • Learn how to expand your business.
  • Discover solutions to the challenges that trainers face.
  • Learn how to properly target specific muscles by using the most efficient alignment, positioning, and lifting technique for each exercise.

As an AFPA Certified Personal Trainer working for yourself:

  • You keep the money you earn.
  • You receive many tax advantages.
  • You create your own work schedule.
  • Your average hourly income can range from $40-$125 per hour.
  • You make all the business decisions.
  • You can work from home, in a client's home, or at a facility.
  • Some AFPA certified trainers have created their own home gym and earn over $1,000 per week, working their own schedule with no travel time and expense.
  • You can further your credentials by obtaining other AFPA Specialty Certifications and increase your earning potential.

As an AFPA Certified Personal Trainer working in a club:

  • You may receive a free membership to the facility.
  • You may receive employee benefits.
  • Management personal will assign you clients.
  • You may be encouraged to sell club memberships and receive additional commissions.
  • You may be required to give a percentage of your money to the club, or pay a rental fee.
  • The facility will have extensive equipment that you can train your clients with to help them obtain their goals.
  • You may get bonuses for obtaining new clients, selling memberships, and nutritional products.

Minimum Prerequisites for the AFPA Personal Trainer Certification Program:

  • 18 years of age; High School Diploma or equivalent.
  • CPR is not required to take the examination but will be required by employer, and to obtain liability insurance.

Personal Trainer Distance Learning/Home Study Certification Includes:

  • No travel is necessary.
  • All materials & examination are sent to you at the same time - 2 Textbooks - AFPA Personal Training Certification textbook & AFPA Effective Training textbook, 2 set AFPA DVD with descriptions and demonstrations of over 70 exercises for training fitness components such as strength, functionality, stability, flexibility and balance. AFPA CD with reproducible forms for stretching programs, nutrition and your personal training business; post rehabilitation stretches & exercises. Contains printable forms for yours' and your client's use.
  • Study Guidelines.
  • There are no extra or added fees for course materials and examination.
  • Upon successful completion and passage your certificate will read "Certified Personal Trainer".
  • AFPA Membership packet with wallet size laminated member ID card.
  • Toll-Free technical support during and after examination, or email AFPA any time.
  • Access to the Members Only section on the web with job listings and career enhancement tools
  • Obtaining the AFPA Personal Trainer Certification qualifies you for Professional Liability Insurance.
  • Updates on new and exciting programs to advance your career.
  • Free monthly email newsletter with updates, event postings and job listings.
  • Continuing Education opportunities with courses and AFPA Fitness Education Conferences.
  • AFPA offers many fitness specialty and advanced certification programs when you are ready to expand you're your career options in the fitness field.

Personal Trainer Certification Topics Include, but not limited to:

  • Starting, Maintaining, and Growing a Successful Personal Training Business
  • Foundations Behind Program Design That Works
  • Practical Fitness Testing and Assessment.
  • Achieving Goal- and People-Oriented Programming
  • Science Behind Accurate Exercise Programs
  • Program Design: Application That Bridges Theory to Practice
  • Gauging Exercise Intensity
  • Cardiorespiratory Conditioning Programming
  • Resistance Training Programming: A Balanced Approach
  • Flexibility Training: Effective Program Design
  • Fueling Your Clients: Before, During, and After Workouts
  • Guiding Clients Toward Healthy Eating Habits
  • Managing Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, High Blood Pressure, and Heart Disease
  • Training the Cardiac Patient
  • Diabetes Mellitus: Types 1 and 2
  • Asthma and Your Client
  • Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid
  • Working With Older Adults
  • Training the Pregnant Client: A Special Healthy Population
  • Anatomical Design and Function
  • Effective Exercise Selection
  • Optimal Exercise Technique
  • Core and Trunk Exercises
  • Compound Lower Body Exercises
  • Isolated Lower Body Exercises
  • Upper Body Pushing Exercises
  • Upper Body Pulling Exercises
  • Program Planning
  • Training techniques for strength, definition, and muscle size
  • Functional training exercises using the stability ball, medicine balls, tubing and more
  • Included are three programs for base strength, full-body fitness, and advanced split routines that show you how to combine the exercises into progressive strength programs. By varying intensity, volume, recovery, and exercise sequencing, you can design customized programs for reaching both immediate and long-term training goals.

Requirements for Personal Trainer Certification:

  • Complete the online order information, mail in application or phone in your order.
  • Receive and review all your materials.
  • Complete the written certification exam. Written exam includes 150 multiple choice questions and a choice of 10 discussion questions/case studies.
  • Complete the visual demonstration of the list of exercises included with your materials. The requested exercises for demonstration have been presented in the instructional DVD's.
  • The visual demonstration may be accomplished through photographs, DVD, CD or informal VHS presentation. Detailed instructions will be included with your certification program.
  • You have up to 3 months to complete your Personal Trainer Certification program.  You may submit your exam once completed anytime prior to the 3 months.
  • 90% is required to pass your certification exam. AFPA holds the highest level of standards.
  • If you do not pass your certification examination you may retake the exam one time at no added cost.

Re-testing:

  • You must receive a passing grade of 90% or better to receive certification.
  • If you do not meet this minimum requirement you will be mailed your exam with the questions you missed indicated in red. You will be given the opportunity to correct your answers one time, within a 60 day time period.
  • You will not be issued your certificate until you have fully met this requirement.

How to Order, Shipping & Handling:

  • You may place your order online anytime with VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and Discover. AFPA has a secure online system 24 hours a day. You will receive confirm via email once your order has been received. Your order is processed for shipping within 24 business hours.
  • You may place your order by phone with a major credit card by calling 1.800.494.7782, M-F 9:00am-5:00pm EST.
  • You may mail check or money order, along with completed Order Application to AFPA.
  • Standard shipping is USPS Priority Mail. Please allow 3-5 business days for delivery.
  • Optional Shipping is 2 Day FED EX or Next Day FED EX for an additional fee.
  • All international orders are shipped Economy Fed EX to insure delivery.
  • Select your shipping option upon check out.
  • All sales are final. No returns. Orders are processed immediately and shipped w/in 24 business hours.

Item Name Price-

Personal Trainer Certification

The AFPA Personal Trainer Certification program will provide you with successful personal training techniques and the tools you need to help you...
$370.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Advanced Personal Trainer Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Advanced Personal Trainer Certification Program and SAVE  You will have 3 months to...
$665.00  $625.00
Save 6%


Buy Now

Personal Trainer - Master Level Certification

By completing and obtaining the requirements for the AFPA Master Personal Trainer Certification you will set yourself apart from others by means of...
$1,599.00  $1,299.00
Save 19%


Buy Now

Shared Program Plan for Two - Personal Trainer - Master Level Certification

Two individuals will save by participating in the "Shared Program Plan".  The program works best for those living in the same...
$2,099.00  $1,599.00
Save 24%


Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Sports Conditioning Specialist Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Sports Conditioning Specialist Program and SAVE! You will have 3 months to complete...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Nutrition & Wellness Consultant Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program and Nutrition & Wellness Consultant Certification Program and SAVE!  You will have 3...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Sports Nutrition Consultant Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Sports Nutrition Consultant Certification Program and SAVE! By providing your educated...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Senior Fitness Specialist Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Senior Fitness Specialist Certification Program and SAVE! You will have 3 months to...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Children's Fitness Specialist Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Children's Fitness Specialist Certification Program and SAVE!!  You will have 3...
$665.00

Buy Now

Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist Certification
and Personal Trainer Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist Certification Program and SAVE! Become a Certified...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Strength Trainer Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Strength Trainer Certification Program and SAVE! You will have 3 months to complete...
$665.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and Group Fitness Instructor Certification

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & Group Fitness Instructor Certification Program and SAVE! You will have 3 months to...
$665.00

Buy Now

Shared Progam Plan for Two
Personal Trainer Certification

Two individuals will save by participating in the "Shared Program Plan".  The program works best for those living in the same...
$625.00  $585.00
Save 6%


Buy Now

Shared Progam Plan for Two
Personal Trainer Certification
and Nutrition & Wellness Consultant Certification

Two individuals will save by participating in the "Shared Program Plan".  The program works best for those living in the same...
$995.00

Buy Now

The Trainers Edge - Personal Trainer & Nutrition Software Program

Purpose of software: The program produces integrated nutrition, training and supplementation programs based on an individual's present physical...
$339.00

Buy Now

Personal Trainer Certification
and The Trainers Edge - Personal Trainer & Nutrition Software Program

Purchase both the Personal Trainer Certification Program & The Trainer Edge - Personal Trainer and Nutrition Software Program and SAVE!Become an...
$665.00

Buy Now