ACSM Health Fitness Specialist (ACSM HFS) Certification

- the perfect industry qualification to enhance your degree

All undergraduates intending to go into a sport, health, exercise-related careers should seriously consider enhancing their degree with the highest quality industry qualification available -  ACSM Health Fitness Specialist (ACSM HFS). ACSM credentials will give graduate careers the edge required competing with other graduates in the same field.

The degree is the single best ingredient for success as a professional in a sport, health or exercise-related industry. However these days, graduates must also consider acquiring quality industry-related qualifications to give them the edge over other graduates in this competitive field.

Your university may already have a special relationship with HFI Training and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and they may actively encourage you to pursue the ACSM Health Fitness Specialist (ACSM HFS) certification.

 

Why enhance your degree with ACSM Certification?

The main benefit to add ACSM to your degree and CV is that it is a qualification recognised as a degree level work-related qualification by a very broad range of sport, health and fitness industries.

Other benefits:

• Enhances career progression for exercise and sports science graduates

• Valuable vocational skills not covered by degrees

• Provides skills, knowledge and abilities that employers expect of fitness specialists and sports scientists

• Opportunity to gain employment immediately after graduation

• Supported by your university faculty

• Enhances your graduate career opportunities in fitness, health and sport industries

• Shows potential employers you are career minded and have work-relevant qualifications

 

ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist is the ACSM's highest level of health fitness qualification and is recognized as such across sport, health and exercise-related industries. Within the fitness industry specifically the ACSM HFS is considered a degree level health fitness specialist certification. If candidates have gained relevent gym work experience or the basic practical level 2 and 3 qualifications, then ACSM HFS gives advanced personal trainer / “special populations” credentials.  

Careers enhanced by ACSM HFS Certification:

• Health-advisor for a private medical companies

• Exercise physiologist

• Occupational health

• Health promotion specialist in the public sectors

• Elite sports coach

• Elite fitness coach

• Fitness management

• Physiotherapist

• Sports therapist

• Strength and conditioning specialist

• Dietician

• Strength and conditioning specialist

• Physical education teacher

• General manager (health club, fitness centre or leisure centre)

• Occupational health

• Sports development officer

• Lecturer or Researcher

• Clinical exercise specialist

• Gym instructor (as long as you have the Level 2 gym qualification)

• Personal trainer (as long as you have the Level 2 gym qualification)

If you are aiming specifically for a career in personal training, then the Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer qualifications can be more useful in the early stages in such career. For those students who are already working as Level 2 fitness instructors we also have a ‘graduate fast-track to Level 3 PT’. Contact HFI about these, we may even be delivering these at your university.

The ACSM HFS is skilled in:

• Working with special populations with medically controlled diseases who have been cleared by their physician for independent exercise

• Leading and demonstrating safe and effective methods of exercise by applying the fundamental principles of exercise science.

• Conducting risk stratification

• Conducting physical fitness assessments and interpreting results

• Constructing appropriate exercise prescriptions

• Motivating apparently healthy individuals with medically controlled diseases to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviours

• Motivating individuals to begin and continue with their healthy behaviours

 

HFS Contents

Pre-Activity Screening, Pathophysiology, Risk Stratification

Screening and Risk Stratification Case Studies

Program Administration, Safety and Emergency

Human Behaviour Counselling

Exercise Principles, Programming and Prescription

Metabolic Calculations

Considerations for Special Populations

Muscular Fitness Assessment/Flexibility Assessment/Cardiorespiratory Assessment/Body Composition Assessment

Applied Exercise Science

Prevention of Injuries

Nutrition and Weight Management

Special Populations Exercise Programming

 

Assessment Format

Assessment is computer-based . It is 3.5 hours in duration. There are approximately 120-135 multiple-choice questions and a selection of questions while viewing relevant photographs or viewing video clips of practical exercise and fitness testing scenarios. You receive your result immediately after your ACSM exam. Exams are available in most cities and major towns in the UK. 

Reduced cost for ACSM special relationship universities. You are entitled to a discounted assessment fee of £195.00.

 

Duration of Course

Sport, exercise or health-related undergraduates are eligible to take the ACSM HFS assessment in the final semester of their degree. If you decide to begin your specific ACSM HFS preparation during your degree (eg in year 1, 2 or 3) then you might well be able to take the assessment before your finals. However, if you prefer to wait to take the assesment after finals, then you should be able to take the qualification very soon after your finals. If you don't manage to begin formal preparation before finals then give yourself a few weeks using the study materials and study guide to ensure you have prepared adequately. You don't have to decide on a date when you apply for the exam.  If you are at all unsure about preparation don't hesitate to call us.

 

How to apply

Simply complete the online application form or alternatively, contact Alison Hall at HFI Training.

For an ACSM HFS graduate study guide or further information contact HFI Training