Why NASM Fails to Prepare You for a Career in Personal Training (And What to Do Instead)

Why NASM Fails to Prepare You for a Career in Personal Training (And What to Do Instead)

If you’re considering becoming a personal trainer, there’s a good chance you’ve come across NASM. After all, it’s one of the most advertised certifications in the fitness industry. But here’s the hard truth: NASM doesn’t prepare you for a career as a successful personal trainer. Not even close.

We’re not here to bash NASM for no reason—it’s popular, and it gives you a certification. But certified doesn’t mean qualified, and that’s where things fall apart. If you’re serious about making a real career in personal training—earning $75k–$100k+ per year, building a loyal client base, and getting hired at top-tier gyms—then you need to know why NASM alone isn’t going to cut it.

Let’s break it down:

1. It’s Just a Textbook—And It’s Failing Trainers

NASM is built around a textbook. A massive, 800-page textbook packed with memorization-heavy content and very little real-world application. It’s no surprise that 35% of test-takers fail—not because they’re dumb, but because they’re being tested on abstract concepts they never get to apply.

Here’s the thing: personal trainers are kinesthetic learners. We learn best by moving, doing, teaching, and training—not by reading endlessly about muscle origins and insertions without context. Expecting future trainers to succeed from textbook learning alone is like teaching someone to swim by having them read about it in a library.

That’s not how confidence is built. That’s how imposter syndrome starts.

2. There’s Zero Hands-On Learning (Which Is Why 90% Quit)

Let this sink in: 90% of certified personal trainers quit within their first 12 months. Why? Because they’re thrown into the real world with zero experience actually training anyone. They’ve never written a program. Never cued a client. Never dealt with someone in pain, or a mom post-pregnancy, or a pro athlete recovering from surgery.

That’s like giving someone a driver’s license after they pass a written test—without ever touching the wheel.

If you want to succeed in this career, you need reps under the bar—literally and figuratively. Hands-on experience where you make mistakes under the guidance of a mentor. You need real-world coaching situations to build the critical thinking that separates elite trainers from textbook robots.

At Show Up Fitness, we’ve trained over 5,000 students across our in-person and online programs. SUF-CPTs shadow trainers, coach real clients, go through mock interviews at Life Time and Equinox, and graduate with confidence and competence, not just a piece of paper.

3. Outdated Assessments That Don’t Translate to Clients

One of the pillars of NASM’s curriculum is the Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA). Sounds smart, but here’s the reality:

In 20 years as a personal trainer, I’ve never had a general population client need to overhead squat—let alone ask to get better at it. This type of assessment is disconnected from what clients actually need. It’s not wrong, but it’s impractical and overused. Especially when applied to people in pain, older populations, or athletes who move in specific ways.

What you need instead is a dynamic and adaptable system—like the SUF Assessment Protocol™—that teaches you how to assess:

• The general population (weight loss, muscle building, lifestyle goals)
• Clients in pain (pre/post-rehab, injury-prone, chronic pain)
• Athletes (sport-specific movement, power, and injury prevention)

From there, you learn how to design programs that are individualized, not copy-pasted from a template or a YouTube workout. This is what clients value—and it’s why SUF-CPTs consistently close over 50% of their consultations, while the average textbook-certified trainer closes under 20%.

The SUF Advantage: Confidence, Competence, and Career Growth

Unlike NASM, Show Up Fitness doesn’t just hand you a cert and say good luck. We train you. We mentor you. We give you reps, experience, and real-world success strategies.

That’s why we’ve partnered with over 500 gyms across the country, including exclusive hiring agreements with Life Time Fitness and Equinox. SUF-CPT graduates get guaranteed interviews—even with zero training experience—because hiring managers know our grads are different.

Most trainers have to spend 1–2 years at low-end gyms like LA Fitness or Planet Fitness just to get their foot in the door at a high-end facility. Our grads? They’re getting hired on the spot.

The 3 Certifications That Set You Apart

If you want to succeed in personal training, here’s what we offer:

1. SUF-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer – FOR LIFE)

The foundation. Hands-on, in-person or online training with daily live calls, on-demand videos, and direct mentorship. You’ll master assessments, anatomy, programming, sales, and most importantly—how to think on the fly like a real coach.

2. SUF-STM (Soft Tissue Mobilization)

Learn pain management, hands-on techniques, and how to collaborate with physical therapists. Ideal for trainers who want to work with injured clients, post-rehab, or older populations. You’ll get access to the most up-to-date screens and soft tissue protocols used in elite performance settings.

3. SUF-NC (Nutrition Coaching)

Coaching doesn’t stop in the gym. With SUF-NC, you’ll learn how to partner with RDs, offer practical nutrition coaching within your scope, and generate an extra $30,000+ per year in revenue through food journaling, habits, and lifestyle guidance.

Flexible Formats—For Real Life

Whether you’re in Santa Monica, Atlanta, or anywhere in the world, we’ve got you covered:

• In-Person internships (Santa Monica & Atlanta)
• Online via daily live Zoom classes and on-demand content in the SUF app
• Weekend seminars that deep-dive into STM, assessments, and business coaching

And yes, SUF-CPT is globally recognized—and the fastest-growing certification in 2024.

Final Word: If You Want to Win, Show Up

The truth is, most personal training certifications are built to sell books—not build careers.

NASM gets you certified. SUF-CPT makes you QUALIFIED.

If you want to become a successful personal trainer, don’t waste years stumbling around gyms trying to figure it out. Build confidence. Get qualified. Learn to sell. Build streams of revenue. Train with confidence. And most of all— help your clients get results, SAFELY.

Keep Showing Up.