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NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training Syllabus
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 1
Congratulations on enrolling in NASM’s CPT course! Now what should you do?
First, realize you need to do a lot of work over the next few months to prepare for the certification exam. Only you can ensure success in achieving your goal of becoming a personal trainer.
You can own the responsibility of your success by thinking about your motivation for pursuing this career path. How did you become interested in being a personal trainer? What experiences moved you in this direction? Keep those motivations in mind as you commit to the work necessary to achieve your goal. Getting there is probably going to be harder than you expect, so you must be persistent. Remember that you chose this career, so be open to doing the work necessary to become a certified personal trainer.
It is time to get organized. We know from experience that successful students spend about 60–70 hours working through the course materials in preparation for the exam. Think about when you want to take the exam to determine how many hours per week you need to commit to studying. This will likely translate to approximately 4-6 hours per week. Take a look at your schedule. What do you do on a typical day? How about in a typical week? Start thinking about how you will fit CPT study time into your days. Create a weekly schedule and block out your current time commitments for work, family, and any other activities you engage in on a regular basis. Hopefully, you see available pockets of time during the week that you can devote to your studies. If not, consider changes you are willing to make to ensure you meet that weekly time commitment. Keep in mind that it is better to spread out
your weekly study time over several days rather than trying to cram it all into one day. Give yourself a day each week away from your studies. This helps keep you focused and energized about your course work.
Create a study space for yourself. This space should be somewhere quiet and away from activity, where you can concentrate and establish your study routine. Gather any supplies you think you need before sitting down, and keep them within reach. Think about what might distract you as you work, and be proactive to limit those distractions. Silence the ringer on your cell phone. If working on your computer, close any Internet applications such as e-mail, social media sites, or games. Turn off the TV or other devices unless background noise or music helps you concentrate. This is your study space, and time spent here is devoted to your course work.
So, you have your study schedule, your study space is set up, and you are ready to start reading. How are you going to read the material? Many students think they can read
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SkillS for SucceSS: Time managemenT and acTive reading
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 2
something once, and that is enough for them to understand and remember the content. Unfortunately, that just does not work very well for most of us. The best approach is to use active reading, which consists of techniques that will help you stay focused and attentive to details. There are four steps in the active reading process: previewing, marking, reading with concentration, and reviewing.
Previewing gives you the big picture of what you are about to read, and connects you with what you might already know about the topic. Skim the introductory paragraph(s) and the summary. Now, skim through the reading. Note the topic headings and subheadings, and the length of the chapter. Use this information to decide how much material you can cover in this first session. Over time, you will find your concentration builds and you can plan your study sessions accordingly.
Marking can mean anything from highlighting text to making notes in the text margins. There are two guidelines to follow in this step: read before you mark and think before you mark. Read through a section and think about what you read. If you like to highlight or make notes, do that after you read the section. This will help you better decide what is important. Alternatives to highlighting are creating outlines, visual maps, or flash cards, or taking notes. Any of these tools will be very helpful for reviewing the material later.
Reading with concentration simply means you want to create the best possible situation for you to concentrate on what you read. Consider the following
to help you concentrate better: minimize distractions, read in blocks of time with short breaks in between, set goals for your study period, take a short exercise break to refresh if you feel sleepy or have trouble concentrating, write down questions, reread confusing sections, and consult the glossary for unfamiliar terminology.
Reviewing is the final step and is just as it sounds: making time to review what you read. This should be done regularly in your study time, and is easier if you made notes, cards, maps, or outlines earlier in the reading process. Look at the questions you wrote down, and see if you know the answers. In reviewing, you might use any techniques you know to help you remember and connect all the new information you are learning. You want to understand not only the factual information, but also why those facts are relevant to your future as a personal trainer.
Following the suggestions discussed here can help you on your path to a career in the fitness industry by accomplishing that first big step: obtaining your personal trainer certification. Remember, your success is entirely up to you, so take control. Own it. Think about your motivations for pursuing this program and the goals you want to achieve. Organize your time and your space for maximum benefit. Work through the CPT material in a step-by-step manner with attention and persistence. Look for ways to apply what you learn in your life. Most of all, enjoy this learning experience for the opportunities it may open for you and for your own intellectual curiosity. Good luck!
SucceSS plan
You have 180 days from your registration (the date of purchase) to take the final examination. Be sure to schedule your time accordingly! The study planner below has been created as a suggested guide to help you along your journey. The study planner follows a 75-day schedule, but feel free to move at a pace that is right for you.
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 3
Study day
Completion date Chapter aSSignment
introduction to the optimum performance training model
Day 1 1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated Training
⦁ Become familiar with study materials and online format
⦁ Watch online presentations for Chapter 1
Day 2 1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated Training
⦁ Read Chapter 1
Day 3 1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated Training
⦁ Review online content and Chapter 1
professional development, practice & responsibility
Day 4 20 – Developing a Successful Personal Training Business
⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 5 20 – Developing a Successful Personal Training Business
⦁ Read Chapter 20
Day 6 BOC Candidate Handbook ⦁ Read NASM BOC Candidate Handbook
Day 7 20 – Developing a Successful Personal Training Business
⦁ Review online content and Chapter 20
Client relations & Behavioral Coaching
Day 8 19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral Coaching
⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 9 19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral Coaching
⦁ Read Chapter 19
Day 10 19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral Coaching
⦁ Review online content and Chapter 19
75-day STudy planner
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 4
75-day Study planner Continued
Study day
Completion date Chapter aSSignment
Basic and applied Sciences
Day 11 2 – Basic Exercise Science ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 12 2 – Basic Exercise Science ⦁ Read Chapter 2
Day 13 2 – Basic Exercise Science ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 2
Day 14 3 – The Cardiorespiratory System ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 15 3 – The Cardiorespiratory System ⦁ Read Chapter 3
Day 16 3 – The Cardiorespiratory System ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 3
Day 17 4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 18 4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics ⦁ Read Chapter 4
Day 19 4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 4
Day 20 5 – Human Movement Science ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 21 5 – Human Movement Science ⦁ Read Chapter 5
Day 22 5 – Human Movement Science ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 5
Day 23 Appendix D – Muscular System ⦁ Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁ Become familiar with the names of muscles and their general location on the body
Day 24 Appendix D – Muscular System ⦁ Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁ Become familiar with the names of muscles and their general location on the body
assessment
Day 25 6 – Fitness Assessment ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 26 6 – Fitness Assessment ⦁ Read Chapter 6
Day 27 6 – Fitness Assessment ⦁ Read Chapter 6
Day 28 Appendix D – Muscular System ⦁ Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁ Learn the “isolated function” of muscles discussed in Table 6.12
Day 29 Appendix D – Muscular System ⦁ Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁ Learn the “isolated function” of muscles discussed in Table 6.12
Day 30 6 – Fitness Assessment ⦁ Review online content and chapter 6
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 5
75-day Study planner Continued
Study day
Completion date Chapter aSSignment
exercise technique and training instruction
Day 31 7 – Flexibility Training Concepts ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 32 7 – Flexibility Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 7 and review flexibility exercises in Appendix A
Day 33 7 – Flexibility Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 7 and review flexibility exercises in Appendix A
Day 34 7 – Flexibility Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 7
Day 35 8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 36 8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training ⦁ Read Chapter 8
Day 37 8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 8
Day 38 9 – Core Training Concepts ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 39 9 – Core Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 9 and review core exercises in Appendix A
Day 40 9 – Core Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 9
Day 41 10 – Balance Training Concepts ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 42 10 – Balance Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 10 and review balance exercises in Appendix A
Day 43 10 – Balance Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 10
Day 44 11 – Plyometric Training Concepts ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 45 11 – Plyometric Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 11 and review plyometric exercises in Appendix A
Day 46 11 – Plyometric Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 11
Day 47 12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 48 12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training ⦁ Read Chapter 12
Day 49 12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 12
Day 50 13 – Resistance Training Concepts ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 51 13 – Resistance Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 13 and review resistance training exercises in Appendix A
Day 52 13 – Resistance Training Concepts ⦁ Read Chapter 13 and review resistance training exercises in Appendix A
Day 53 13 – Resistance Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 13
Day 54 13 – Resistance Training Concepts ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 13
NASM CPT 4 SyllabuS 6
75-day Study planner Continued
Study day
Completion date Chapter aSSignment
program design
Day 55 14 – Integrated Program Design and the Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 56 14 – Integrated Program Design and the Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁ Read Chapter 14
Day 57 14 – Integrated Program Design and the Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁ Read Chapter 14
Day 58 14 – Integrated Program Design and the Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁ Complete online Case Studies
Day 59 14 – Integrated Program Design and the Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁ Review online content, Case Studies, and Chapter 14
Day 60 15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 61 15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities ⦁ Read Chapter 15
Day 62 15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 15
Day 63 16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical or Functional Limitations
⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 64 16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical or Functional Limitations
⦁ Read Chapter 16
Day 65 16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical or Functional Limitations
⦁ Review online content and Chapter 16
Considerations in nutrition
Day 66 17 – Nutrition ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 67 17 – Nutrition ⦁ Read Chapter 17
Day 68 17 – Nutrition ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 17
Day 69 18 – Supplementation ⦁ Watch online presentations
Day 70 18 – Supplementation ⦁ Read Chapter 18
Day 71 18 – Supplementation ⦁ Review online content and Chapter 18
prepare for Certification exam
Days 72-75 ⦁ Take practice exam as many times as necessary
⦁ Review notes and highlights in your textbook
⦁ Schedule the final exam
