Before hiring a personal trainer in Mason, you must do your homework to find the best fitness instructor in Mason. Would you hire a person to be your doctor or surgeon without knowing their credentials? Would you get in a plane with a pilot who spent 2 hours reviewing some material and taking an online test? Of course you wouldn’t. So why do so many people hire a personal trainer, someone who is going to be responsible with their fitness and health, without knowing their credentials? Like many professions, there is a wide variety in the ‘real’ credibility of Mason personal trainer certifications. There are some so-called certifications where someone can answer an ad they see online and take a 20 minute online test and be a ‘certified trainer’. That is not the certification you want to hang your health onto.

The most reputable and successful best Mason personal trainers will have a college bachelor degree plus extra years of continuing education classes and testing.

According to Donald Evans from Quackwatch.org (a site dedicated to uncovering Health Fraud and helping you make informed decisions), A quality college degree should be in "exercise science, kinesiology, exercise physiology, physical education, sport management, or similar field, from a reputable college or university. An exercise-science-related degree requires between 2,000 and 3,000 hours of in-class instruction, many exams, research papers, laboratory courses, and much outside studying and writing—in short, a high level of dedication and comprehensive educational prowess. A normal time frame for completion is four to six years that provide a solid background in human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, motor learning techniques, exercise leadership, and exercise prescription techniques."

After getting a college degree, reputable trainers gain certifications with an accredited NCCA organization.

NOTE: NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies - according to their website: "NCCA uses a peer reviewed process to: establish accreditation standards; evaluate compliance with the standards; recognize organizations/programs which demonstrate compliance; and serve as a resource on quality certification. Certification organizations that submit their programs for accreditation are evaluated based on the process and products, not the content, and are therefore applicable to all professions and industries."

I am aware of ten fitness organizations that at the time of writing this report have achieved NCCA status. Attaining NCCA accreditation is not an easy process and is very expensive for each organization. The organizations below have been around for awhile and were already respected in the fitness industry. You can count on their exams and continuing education to be current and comprehensive.

Check that your trainer is associated and has a fitness certification from at least one of the following organizations:

1. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

2. American Council on Exercise (ACE)

3. Cooper Institute (formerly known as Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research

4. International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA)

5. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

6. National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)

7. National Exercise and Strength Trainer’s Association (NESTA)

8. National Exercise Trainer’s Association (NETA)

9. National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

10. National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

Once you know the education and certification of your trainer, dig a little deeper to understand their background and experience. How many years of experience do they have as a personal trainer or fitness instructor? Are they maintaining continuing education coursework to keep their certifications updated? Do they have an area of expertise or specialization?

Hopefully this will help you find the best Mason personal trainer. Stay tuned for more articles about finding the best personal trainer or fitness trainer in Mason.