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How to Prepare for the NASM Personal Trainer Certification Exam 

With over 35 years of experience training top fitness professionals, the NASM Certified Personal Trainer credential is one of the most recognized and respected certifications sought by employers worldwide. Becoming a Certified Personal Trainer takes grit, passion, and dedication- but if you’re committed to helping others improve their health and well-being, it’s one of the most rewarding paths you can take. Getting certified is as simple as 1, 2, 3:

1. Choose your study program

2. Complete the self-guided online study course

3. Pass your exam


Kinsey Cave

NASM Master Trainer

A man sitting on a couch with a laptop A man sitting on a couch with a laptop

For your exam, you can choose to take the Non-Proctored Exam (earning you the NASM Personal Trainer Certificate), or the NCCA Accredited Certification Exam to become a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. While the NASM Personal Trainer Certificate demonstrates that you know the content, the NASM Certified Personal Trainer credential is the one that employers may require for hire. This article will focus on the NCCA Accredited Certification Exam to earn your NASM-CPT. This exam is a 2-hour proctored exam with 120 multiple-choice questions.

Not a fan of exams? Don’t panic! When it’s time to finally take your exam to become a NASM certified personal trainer, you might feel excited, nervous, or even downright scared, but with some preparation and planning, you can walk into test day feeling confident. Don’t worry- NASM offers everything you’ll need to prepare for exam day.

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Online courses

NASM offers self-paced online study programs to prepare you for the NASM CPT exam. With different learning styles in mind, each program option includes course study that is 100% online using a state-of-the-art digital learning platform, videos, text, audio chapter summaries, BioDigital 3-D models, a practice exam, quizzes, and knowledge checks as you make your way through the material. Prefer a hard-copy text to study? No problem! You can add a hard-copy text to your CPT study materials at any time. There are also handouts, a resources library, and a video exercise demonstration library that you can use as you prepare for the exam. In addition, the NASM EDGE personal training app has an exam prep feature with practice question flash cards to help you with your study. Bonus: these tools will also come in handy once you become a CPT! The Premium Self-Study option also includes unlimited access to one-on-one study coaches who help you understand the content and guide you through your studies.

Practice Tests

Your NASM CPT course will include quizzes and knowledge checks throughout the course in addition to a practice final exam at the end of the course. Practice tests and quizzes are one of the best ways to check your knowledge before heading into exam day. While the practice exam will not be exactly like the final exam, it can help you simulate the testing environment and serve as a knowledge check. During the practice test, answer the questions without your book or notes to help you determine any areas of study that might need to be reviewed further before test day. You will also be able to practice answering questions with a time limit- a skill that will serve you well on test day. You can re-take these quizzes and practice exams as many times as needed to help you prepare.

Exam Day Tips

You’ve gone through the course material, completed the quizzes and practice exams, studied hard, and now it’s finally exam day! If you’ve never taken a proctored exam before, there are a few things that you will want to know as you walk into test day. First, the exam must be scheduled ahead of time. This can be a great asset to you as it will provide a way to schedule your study so that you stay accountable. Second, a proctored exam is supervised by an authorized person to ensure academic integrity and prevent cheating. Your CPT exam may take place at a local testing center or at home, but either way your exam will be monitored by another person. The idea of being monitored during test taking may seem intimidating, but it is nothing to be afraid of. Here are some simple tips to help you stay calm and focused:

1. Simulate the testing experience at home. Take practice tests at home and go one step further and mimic testing conditions by taking your practice test outside of your normal study environment with only your test screen up and no other tabs open or tools out.

2. Visualize the experience. Visualization is a powerful preparation tool that is helpful for more than just athletic performance. Sit and close your eyes as you imagine the entire testing experience from entering the parking lot to passing the exam. Try to engage as many senses as possible as you visualize: What do you see, hear, smell, and touch along the way?

3. Practice box breathing on exam day. This breathing exercise can help you calm your nerves and stay focused as you wait to enter the test taking room. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, and hold your breath for 4 seconds. Let your body relax as you count and breathe.

Don’t know the answer? Skip it! There’s no need to get flustered over one question, so just skip the ones you don’t know and come back to them later if you have time. Wasting time on a question you don’t know can cost you valuable time that you can spend answering the other questions that you DO know the answers to.

The key is to prepare as best as you can so that you can walk into test day feeling as calm and prepared as possible. Be diligent in your preparation and study, choose the techniques that work best for you, and remember- you’ve got this!

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FAQ Questions

1. What is the NASM personal trainer certification exam like?

The final exam is a 2-hour proctored exam consisting of 120 questions. The exam is closed-book, and multiple choice.

2. How can I find NASM practice tests?

Practice tests are included with each NASM study program option to ensure that you feel well-prepared for exam day.

3. What are the best study resources for the NASM exam?

The best resource for you will depend upon your learning style. All that you need will be included in your study program: course materials, videos, handouts, quizzes, practice tests, and a variety of other resources found in the resource library. If you are a kinesthetic learner, you can practice what you’re learning on yourself to help the material sink in.

4. How long should I study for the NASM certification exam?

While this largely depends on your personal study habits and how quickly you learn the material, it is possible to prepare for the exam in as little as 4 weeks if you are studying full-time for the exam. You will have 180 days from the date of registration to take your exam.

5. What should I bring on exam day?

On exam day you will need to show proof of a valid, current, government-issued photo ID and a current, valid CPR/AED certification. No study materials or books will be allowed into the testing area, so you can leave those at home.

Suggested Links:

https://www.nasm.org/become-a-personal-trainer

https://www.nasm.org/become-a-personal-trainer