Welcome to the ultimate NASM Senior Fitness Specialist certification review.

It will open your eyes to the following:

  • The purpose of the certification
  • The core competences
  • The cost, study materials, and much more.

I’ll tap into all I’ve learned in my 10+ years of using the certification to help you get a good grasp.

Let’s review the NASM Senior Fitness Specialist certification.

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Introduction to NASM SFS

In this article, you’ll learn all about the SFS (Senior fitness specialist) certification from NASM.

By the end, you will know precisely whether or not this certification is something you want to pursue.

I also suggest checking out other advanced NASM CPT certifications and the top corrective exercise certifications, as this information is crucial for senior population training.

Let’s get right into it and stop wasting time!

Another great type of certification for working with seniors is a corrective exercise certification.

Take the quiz here to determine which corrective exercise certification would be the best option.

Ultimate NASM Senior Fitness Specialist Review ([year]) 2

What certification is right for you?

We developed this critical quiz to help you find the best certification for you and your goals.

The menu at the top of this page will answer any question related to your personal training certification.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave me a comment here (I’ll respond within 24 hours).

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Also, visit the home page for the most recent and popular articles.

If you have lots of elderly clients, this may be a good option for you.

It is also a great complementary certification for the NASM CES (corrective exercise specialist) certification because many older adults have muscular imbalances that need to be treated.

One of the best habits any senior can develop is to exercise frequently.

Most individuals have no idea what to do when they start exercising, and that is our job as personal trainers to guide them in the right direction.

There are many benefits of exercise for older adults.

Balance training is essential so that you can avoid falling and injuring yourself.

As we age, our bone density decreases, and it has been proven that resistance training is crucial for maintaining that bone density and preventing osteoporosis.

As personal trainers, we are responsible for improving clients’ balance, stability, and strength for them to live healthily for many years to come.

That is one of the main reasons why I became a personal trainer!

The importance of exercise for seniors cannot be over-emphasized, given the benefits of exercise for older adults.

Becoming a certified personal trainer for seniors’ fitness classes will also boost your earnings.

An important part of senior exercise ideas is inculcating fitness nutrition with exercise for the elderly to bring about a complete behavior change.

Let’s look at some of the things you’ll learn from the NASM senior fitness specialist certification!

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NASM Gold Standard Personal Trainer Certification - Save 25&percnt off
Most Popular Cert
ISSA - Most Popular Online Personal Trainer Certification 3 Certs for
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Check out the NASM website for more information and current prices on the senior fitness training certification after the review!

Here is what you will get out of the SFS certification

  1. You will learn how to reach out to elderly clients and show them how you can help them with your newly learned knowledge
  2. You will become an expert at designing exercise routines specifically for elderly individuals using NASM’s optimum fitness training model.
  3. You’ll also be able to reap the benefits by working the same hours as retired individuals
  4. You’ll learn all about the risks of falling and how to prevent them for your elderly clients
  5. You’ll understand regular medical conditions for elderly individuals and the limitations that they will have during training sessions
  6. You will gain an understanding of core training techniques, balance, and flexibility for elderly individuals
  7. You will be able to address the psychological as well as physiological requirements of your elderly clients
  8. You will learn the right way to do fitness assessments for elderly individuals

Here is everything that is included in the NASM SFS Cert!

One of the best things I like about the senior fitness specialist certification from NASM is that all of their study materials are available online from their website.

As of the time of writing this article, the senior fitness certification course costs $199.

This includes a downloadable version of their textbook, free online quizzes, a programming manual, and an online exercise library specially designed for seniors’ exercise programs.

I like having all of my study materials on my tablet and other training software because it makes everything much more accessible.

It is excellent to have downloadable digital textbooks because if you have a smartphone or tablet, you can load it up and carry it anywhere you want.

You can cram a mini-study session wherever you are!

This elderly fitness certification will fulfill most certifying agencies’ continuing education requirements, such as ACE and NASM.

I tried to find online the time that you need to take the certification exam after purchasing the SFS, but I could not.

Most NASM preferred certifications give you a year from when you buy it, so that is my guess with this certification.

Once you are ready to take the exam, it is as comfortable as hopping on the website and taking it.

You are not required to go into a test-taking facility like most of their advanced certifications or general CPT.

NASM makes getting certified as a senior fitness trainer pretty easy because its curriculum is excellent.

Conclusion on the NASM Senior Fitness Specialist (SFS) certification

Right now is a great time to start specializing in the elderly population.

The baby boomer generation is getting to the age where they must start exercising to stay healthy.

Group fitness classes for senior exercise are becoming very popular because they help achieve fitness goals, weight loss, and corrective exercise among the elderly.

This is also the majority of individuals who are purchasing personal training, so it can significantly increase your personal training salary!

Not only do they have the time for training because they are most likely retired, but they also have the money to spend!

I love working with my elderly clients!

By getting the certification, you can show them that you are the right personal trainer with the right skill set to help them achieve their goals.

If you need continuing education credits, I recommend this certification to fulfill them!

Having a personal trainer certification alone is not enough for fitness professionals; you need other fitness certifications to become an exercise specialist.

Or if you do not yet have the NASM certification as your general certification (link to the site), I suggest that as well!

You open up a vast market for yourself as a personal trainer for older adults and learn valuable information as well.

The elderly Population

Another certification that goes well with the senior fitness specialist is the ACE health coach certification because it is all about habit development!

You should check out my article on how to become a health coach!

I hope you liked my article on the NASM senior fitness specialist; please share this using one of the social media buttons or tell your friends and family about it!

Leave me a comment down below in the time in which you think! Happy personal training!

Tyler Read - Certified Personal Trainer with PTPioneer

Tyler Read


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16 thoughts on “Ultimate NASM Senior Fitness Specialist Review (2024)”

  1. Does the senior fitness specialist certification allow people to train with older people compared to a regular PT? Or can a PT train with all ages?

    Reply
    • Hey Jordan, a Personal Trainer can already train all ages of the general population, but a senior fitness specialist certification will allow them to focus more and get more information in that realm than is offered in a PT cert.

      Reply
    • Hey, this one is an open-book exam done on the NASM portal. If anything has changed, though, make sure to check with NASM directly.

      Reply
  2. Hello I am a college student and I am very interest in nutrition and personal training. I am trying to figure out my career. Lately I have been considering training older adults. I wanted to ask you how much money they make for a living?

    Reply
    • Hey Maria, it will all really depend on where you are located and what type of facility you are training in. It is hard to predict salary without having all of this information. But, I will say, the industry is growing and senior fitness training salaries are growing along with that.

      Reply
  3. What is the difference between the ACE and NASM senior fitness specialist? I’m an Occupational Therapist interested with this.

    Reply
    • Hello Mike,
      honestly, I have never gone through the ACE senior fitness specialist program, just the program from the National Academy of sports medicine. That being said, both are specializations and are not technically full certifications. I would be very surprised if there was a lot of differences between the two in terms of information. I hope this helps.

      Reply
      • Hi
        I was wondering if you are familiar with the ISSA senior fitness certification. Is it worth the money. I can’t decide whether to take that or their group certification. Any suggestions.
        Love your site

        Reply
        • Hey Loretta,
          the senior fitness certification from the international sports sciences Association is definitely an legitimate option if you are looking to train elderly clients. Just like the National Academy of sports medicine, ISSA is definitely a well-recognized certification organization. I hope this helps answer your question.

          Reply
    • Hey Gil,
      That is great to hear. The senior citizen certification will expand your job opportunities due to the fact that they are the people that are primarily purchasing personal training.

      Reply
    • It’s good to hear that you are looking to get the senior fitness specialist. In what way do you need guidance?

      Reply

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