NASM
Essentials
of Personal
Fitness
Training
Syllabus
1
NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
Skills for Success: Time Management and Active Reading
Congratulations on enrolling in NASM’s CPT course!
Now what should you do?
First, realize you need to do a lot of work over the next
few months to prepare for the certification exam.
Only you can ensure success in achieving your goal of
becoming a personal trainer.
You can own the responsibility of your success by
thinking about your motivation for pursuing this
career path. How did you become interested in being
a personal trainer? What experiences moved you in
this direction? Keep those motivations in mind as you
commit to the work necessary to achieve your goal.
Getting there is probably going to be harder than you
expect, so you must be persistent. Remember that
you chose this career, so be open to doing the work
necessary to become a certified personal trainer.
your weekly study time over several days rather than
trying to cram it all into one day. Give yourself a day each
week away from your studies. This helps keep you focused
and energized about your course work.
It is time to get organized. We know from experience that
successful students spend about 60–70 hours working
through the course materials in preparation for the
exam. Think about when you want to take the exam to
determine how many hours per week you need to commit
to studying. This will likely translate to approximately
4-6 hours per week. Take a look at your schedule. What
do you do on a typical day? How about in a typical week?
Start thinking about how you will fit CPT study time into
your days. Create a weekly schedule and block out your
current time commitments for work, family, and any other
activities you engage in on a regular basis. Hopefully, you
see available pockets of time during the week that you
can devote to your studies. If not, consider changes you
are willing to make to ensure you meet that weekly time
commitment. Keep in mind that it is better to spread out
Create a study space for yourself. This space should be
somewhere quiet and away from activity, where you can
concentrate and establish your study routine. Gather any
supplies you think you need before sitting down, and keep
them within reach. Think about what might distract you
as you work, and be proactive to limit those distractions.
Silence the ringer on your cell phone. If working on your
computer, close any Internet applications such as e-mail,
social media sites, or games. Turn off the TV or other
devices unless background noise or music helps you
concentrate. This is your study space, and time spent here
is devoted to your course work.
Copyright © 2013
National Academy of Sports Medicine
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Distributed by:
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All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of
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hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, and in any
information-retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the
National Academy of Sports Medicine.
So, you have your study schedule, your study space is set
up, and you are ready to start reading. How are you going
to read the material? Many students think they can read
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NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
something once, and that is enough for them to understand
and remember the content. Unfortunately, that just does
not work very well for most of us. The best approach is to
use active reading, which consists of techniques that will
help you stay focused and attentive to details. There are four
steps in the active reading process: previewing, marking,
reading with concentration, and reviewing.
Previewing gives you the big picture of what you are
about to read, and connects you with what you might
already know about the topic. Skim the introductory
paragraph(s) and the summary. Now, skim through the
reading. Note the topic headings and subheadings, and
the length of the chapter. Use this information to decide
how much material you can cover in this first session.
Over time, you will find your concentration builds and
you can plan your study sessions accordingly.
Marking can mean anything from highlighting text
to making notes in the text margins. There are two
guidelines to follow in this step: read before you mark
and think before you mark. Read through a section and
think about what you read. If you like to highlight or
make notes, do that after you read the section. This will
help you better decide what is important. Alternatives
to highlighting are creating outlines, visual maps, or
flash cards, or taking notes. Any of these tools will be
very helpful for reviewing the material later.
Reading with concentration simply means you
want to create the best possible situation for you to
concentrate on what you read. Consider the following
to help you concentrate better: minimize distractions,
read in blocks of time with short breaks in between, set
goals for your study period, take a short exercise break to
refresh if you feel sleepy or have trouble concentrating,
write down questions, reread confusing sections, and
consult the glossary for unfamiliar terminology.
Reviewing is the final step and is just as it sounds:
making time to review what you read. This should
be done regularly in your study time, and is easier if
you made notes, cards, maps, or outlines earlier in
the reading process. Look at the questions you wrote
down, and see if you know the answers. In reviewing,
you might use any techniques you know to help you
remember and connect all the new information you are
learning. You want to understand not only the factual
information, but also why those facts are relevant to
your future as a personal trainer.
Following the suggestions discussed here can help
you on your path to a career in the fitness industry
by accomplishing that first big step: obtaining your
personal trainer certification. Remember, your success
is entirely up to you, so take control. Own it. Think
about your motivations for pursuing this program and
the goals you want to achieve. Organize your time and
your space for maximum benefit. Work through the
CPT material in a step-by-step manner with attention
and persistence. Look for ways to apply what you learn
in your life. Most of all, enjoy this learning experience
for the opportunities it may open for you and for your
own intellectual curiosity. Good luck!
Success plan
You have 180 days from your registration (the date of purchase) to take the
final examination. Be sure to schedule your time accordingly! The study
planner below has been created as a suggested guide to help you along your
journey. The study planner follows a 75-day schedule, but feel free to move at
a pace that is right for you.
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NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
75-Day Study Planner
Study
Day
Completion
Date
Chapter
Assignment
Introduction to the Optimum Performance Training Model
Day 1
1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated
Training
⦁⦁
Become familiar with study materials and
online format
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations for Chapter 1
Day 2
1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated
Training
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 1
Day 3
1 – The Scientific Rationale for Integrated
Training
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 1
Professional Development, Practice & Responsibility
Day 4
20 – Developing a Successful Personal
Training Business
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 5
20 – Developing a Successful Personal
Training Business
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 20
Day 6
BOC Candidate Handbook
⦁⦁
Read NASM BOC Candidate Handbook
Day 7
20 – Developing a Successful Personal
Training Business
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 20
Client Relations & Behavioral Coaching
Day 8
19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral
Coaching
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 9
19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral
Coaching
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 19
Day 10
19 – Lifestyle Modification and Behavioral
Coaching
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 19
4
NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
75-Day Study Planner continued
Study
Day
Completion
Date
Chapter
Assignment
Day 11
2 – Basic Exercise Science
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 12
2 – Basic Exercise Science
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 2
Day 13
2 – Basic Exercise Science
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 2
Day 14
3 – The Cardiorespiratory System
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 15
3 – The Cardiorespiratory System
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 3
Day 16
3 – The Cardiorespiratory System
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 3
Day 17
4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 18
4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 4
Day 19
4 – Exercise Metabolism and Bioenergetics
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 4
Day 20
5 – Human Movement Science
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 21
5 – Human Movement Science
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 5
Day 22
5 – Human Movement Science
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 5
Day 23
Appendix D – Muscular System
⦁⦁
Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁⦁
Become familiar with the names of muscles
and their general location on the body
⦁⦁
Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁⦁
Become familiar with the names of muscles
and their general location on the body
Basic and Applied Sciences
Day 24
Appendix D – Muscular System
Assessment
Day 25
6 – Fitness Assessment
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 26
6 – Fitness Assessment
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 6
Day 27
6 – Fitness Assessment
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 6
Day 28
Appendix D – Muscular System
⦁⦁
Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁⦁
Learn the “isolated function” of muscles
discussed in Table 6.12
⦁⦁
Review muscles in Appendix D
⦁⦁
Learn the “isolated function” of muscles
discussed in Table 6.12
⦁⦁
Review online content and chapter 6
Day 29
Day 30
Appendix D – Muscular System
6 – Fitness Assessment
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NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
75-Day Study Planner continued
Study
Day
Completion
Date
Chapter
Assignment
Exercise Technique and Training Instruction
Day 31
7 – Flexibility Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 32
7 – Flexibility Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 7 and review flexibility
exercises in Appendix A
Day 33
7 – Flexibility Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 7 and review flexibility
exercises in Appendix A
Day 34
7 – Flexibility Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 7
Day 35
8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 36
8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 8
Day 37
8 – Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 8
Day 38
9 – Core Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 39
9 – Core Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 9 and review core exercises in
Appendix A
Day 40
9 – Core Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 9
Day 41
10 – Balance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 42
10 – Balance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 10 and review balance
exercises in Appendix A
Day 43
10 – Balance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 10
Day 44
11 – Plyometric Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 45
11 – Plyometric Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 11 and review plyometric
exercises in Appendix A
Day 46
11 – Plyometric Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 11
Day 47
12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 48
12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 12
Day 49
12 – Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 12
Day 50
13 – Resistance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 51
13 – Resistance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 13 and review resistance
training exercises in Appendix A
Day 52
13 – Resistance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 13 and review resistance
training exercises in Appendix A
Day 53
13 – Resistance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 13
Day 54
13 – Resistance Training Concepts
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 13
6
NASM CPT 4 Syllabus
75-Day Study Planner continued
Study
Day
Completion
Date
Chapter
Assignment
Day 55
14 – Integrated Program Design and the
Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 56
14 – Integrated Program Design and the
Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 14
Day 57
14 – Integrated Program Design and the
Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 14
Day 58
14 – Integrated Program Design and the
Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁⦁
Complete online Case Studies
Day 59
14 – Integrated Program Design and the
Optimum Performance Training Model
⦁⦁
Review online content, Case Studies, and
Chapter 14
Day 60
15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 61
15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 15
Day 62
15 – Introduction to Exercise Modalities
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 15
Day 63
16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical
or Functional Limitations
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 64
16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical
or Functional Limitations
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 16
Day 65
16 – Chronic Health Conditions and Physical
or Functional Limitations
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 16
Day 66
17 – Nutrition
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 67
17 – Nutrition
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 17
Day 68
17 – Nutrition
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 17
Day 69
18 – Supplementation
⦁⦁
Watch online presentations
Day 70
18 – Supplementation
⦁⦁
Read Chapter 18
Day 71
18 – Supplementation
⦁⦁
Review online content and Chapter 18
Program Design
Considerations in Nutrition
Prepare for Certification Exam
Days 72-75
⦁⦁
Take practice exam as many times as necessary
⦁⦁
Review notes and highlights in your textbook
⦁⦁
Schedule the final exam