Happy Hump Day, fellow writers! We’re halfway through another week and only seven days away from my favorite holiday, Halloween. Today I’m stepping pretty far out of my comfort zone and reviewing a book on a topic which I’ve never given much consideration: certified personal trainers. In particular, this book is for people wanting to become certified personal trainers. The subject of this post is the CPT Test Prep Team’s NASM Exam Prep: The Certified Personal Trainer Study Guide Including 200+ Test Questions and Answers for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Exam.
NASM Exam Prep is an in-depth study guide for those looking to take the test to become a certified personal trainer. It explores every kind of question that you will find on the certification exam, from knowledge on human anatomy to training instruction and even how to grow your business. The book is divided into nine sections: the introduction, a brief “about” section regarding the guide and the exam, one section for each of the six domains covered in the exam, and a conclusion. Finally, each of the domain sections includes questions on that domain which are based on questions found in the NASM exam as well as their answers. Almost everything you need to prepare for the certification exam can be found in this book.
I must start by acknowledging that NASM Exam Prep is definitely a highly specialized book. Those readers who pick it up should already have an interest in becoming a certified personal trainer or, frankly, it will bore you. The length (253 pages) and sheer amount of information might also discourage those whose hearts aren’t already set on becoming CPTs. After all, this guide discusses everything that someone would need to know in order to pass the exam. Think of it as the CPT equivalent of the GRE exam practice books.
However, you do not need to have much—if any—knowledge of the profession in order to understand what the CPT Test Prep Team has written. The writing is very straightforward and flows smoothly. While scientific terms are necessary in the anatomy section, the language overall is also easy to understand. Better yet, there are little to no proofreading errors. It is just best to have already researched the career some so that you can have emotional investment in the read and you can get the most benefit from this book possible.
Despite the thoroughness of its information and the helpful sample test questions, NASM Exam Prep could have done more to help readers prepare for the test. Pictures and other visuals, for example, would have been very helpful. Visual learners such as myself would do a lot better with diagrams showing how different parts of the body interact or how to guide clients through certain exercises. These kinds of visuals would make it easier for potential CPTs to retain this information, and they would serve as useful tools to return to throughout the person’s career. A list of additional resources would also help readers be as prepared as possible to take the exam. This book talks about everything you need to know, but some people still like the option of being able to explore other resources if they are not entirely sure they understand something.
Perhaps the most unique and useful part of this book is the section on running your career as a CPT. Most guides for topics like these stick strictly to what is required to complete the job on a day-to-day basis. NASM Exam Prep, though, gets readers to look at the bigger picture and reminds them to figure out why they are taking on this career and how to maintain it before taking the big leap into certification. This section also refreshes readers’ memories of the ethics and safety issues involved with being a CPT, both from the CPT’s end and from the client’s end. While this part is not unique to this book, it is still essential that a guide like this includes such information and readers will want to go over this section very carefully. All of this information will both prepare readers for the test and save them a lot of trial-and-error and costly mistakes in the long run.
Overall, NASM Exam Prep by the CPT Test Prep Team is a must-read for those looking to become certified as personal trainers. It’s a useful study guide and can redirect you if you feel that your CPT career has gotten off-track. If you’re only curious about the profession and are still undecided on whether or not to pursue it, you will want to put off this book until you make a definitive decision. However, if you are ready and dedicated to becoming a CPT, read this book thoroughly before taking the exam. You will not regret it.
You can buy NASM Exam Prep by the CPT Test Prep Team as an eBook on Amazon. If you want to learn more about becoming a certified personal trainer or just want to know what it takes to break into this profession, visit the NASM and ACSM websites.
Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!
Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011