Learning the ropes of being a strength coach goes well beyond a class or two, or getting an athlete to squat—although that may be part of it. Even though I’ve been to the Olympics for a strength sport specifically (weightlifting), I know there’s still plenty to learn in the world of strength and conditioning.
Many strength coaches and fitness professionals feel the same way and are in pursuit of the best personal training certifications, or in this case, the best strength and conditioning certifications. Well, if you’re looking to pursue a career in strength and conditioning, we have done our due diligence and researched top accredited certifications in the field, and have provided you with our top picks for strength and conditioning certifications.
Our team of certified personal trainers and weightlifting coaches have been certified in a variety of fields with different organizations, and are pretty familiar with the process. We bring that level of expertise to our research here, looking at aspects of these strength and conditioning certifications such as their accreditation, learning format and pacing, prerequisites, continuing education, and exam format.
What Does a Strength and Conditioning Coach Do?
The job and goals may vary a bit depending on their workplace, but generally, a strength and conditioning coach is responsible for creating a strength and conditioning program for any sport, be it a team sport or working with individual athletes.
The main goal of a strength and conditioning coach is to increase athletic performance with an emphasis on injury prevention. Most of this will be done by programming strength training and plyometrics for athletes, but it’ll expand beyond the weight room. Coaches will be well-versed in physiology and kinesiology.
Certification programs for strength and conditioning will also hit topics like recovery, supplementation, sports nutrition, and even sports psychology. While a strength and conditioning coach won’t be an expert in those fields, they will have a basic foundational knowledge of these fields that can be used in their training of athletes.
To summarize, a strength and conditioning coach helps fulfill an athlete’s potential in and out of the gym. The best certifications have program designs that help coaches unlock their potential, as well. So let’s break down each of our top picks for the best strength and conditioning certifications.
Best Strength and Conditioning Certification Overall: NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
As GGR staff writer Lauren Strong, CPT, says in her review of the certification, the CSCS is the gold standard for strength and conditioning coaches. If you’re planning on a professional career in the field, this is definitely one of the best certifications to consider.
Provided by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the certification focuses on giving you the tools for building training programs for collegiate and professional teams or individual athletes, with a focus on injury prevention. It’s an advanced certification and, because of that, has advanced requirements and examinations.
Currently, the NSCA CSCS requires a transcript of a bachelor’s degree—or a terminal degree in physical therapy or chiropractic medicine—as well as a CPR/AED certification for applicants in the USA and Canada. Starting in 2030, however, the NSCA will require a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, exercise science, or a similar field, which will narrow the field of applicants.
The change matches the difficulty of the exam, and also elevates the prestige in the field of having this certification. The 220-question exam is broken up into two parts and is tested in-person, with a 4-hour time limit. Questions span the gamut of strength and conditioning, but test-takers will need a solid understanding of anatomy and physiology to be able to successfully take the exam.
With the difficulty, at least the NSCA has provided a variety of study materials, ranging from a textbook to an online course and quiz questions. We gave the range and breadth of study materials a 5 out of 5, as they’re able to fit into anyone’s study methods.
With all this difficulty, the exam is still worth it if you’re wanting a career in the field. GGR expert panelist Jarrod Nobbe, CSCS, USAW-L2, says about the credentials of the CSCS, “If you want to go into collegiate strength and conditioning, having your CSCS is definitely one of those first boxes hiring teams look to check off.”