The ASCM Personal Trainer certification exam consists of 150 questions to be completed within two and a half hours. The exam is administered in a computer-based form which candidates can take at any one of 5,000 test centers world-wide. Test sites and specific information about registering for the certification exam can be found at the ACSM website
The ACSM Personal Trainer certification exam will test your knowledge in eight specific areas including exercise prescription and programming, exercise physiology and related exercise science, health appraisal and exercise testing, clinical and medical considerations, nutrition and weight management, client safety and injury prevention, human behavior, program administration and outcome assessment.
The ACSM produces its own study guide which you can be order from the ACSM website. The guide, titled, "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer," contains information in all eight of the exams content areas. The ACSM also recommends that you review the contents of, "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer, 2nd ed.", "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 7th ed.", and "ACSM's Certification Review, 2nd. ed."
In addition to passing the ACSM Personal Trainer certification exam, to qualify for certification as a personal trainer you must be at least 18 years of age, have earned a high school diploma or equivalent, and hold a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation such as that provided by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.