The Best NASM Study Guide of 2024

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Are you a personal fitness trainer looking to figure out the best NASM study guide to help you study for the NASM certification exams? This is the right article for you. After a series of consultations and looking through tons of reviews, we’ve ranked the best books based on overall contents, practice tests, and quizlets. Our detailed reviews would help you pick the right choice for your needs. Read on to find out the details of our recommendations.

If you want to just get back to studying, get our top pick for NASM study guide here.
Our Top Favorite
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Our Top Runner Up
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide: NASM Test Review for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Examination (Mometrix Test Preparation)
Our Top Value Pick
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition Study Guide that highlights the information required to pass the National Academy of Sports Medicine exam to become a Certified Personal Trainer
Book Title
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Our Top Favorite
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Book Title
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Runner Up
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide: NASM Test Review for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Examination (Mometrix Test Preparation)
Book Title
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Value Pick
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition Study Guide that highlights the information required to pass the National Academy of Sports Medicine exam to become a Certified Personal Trainer
Book Title
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime

Last update: 2024-03-17

Our Favorites for Best NASM Study Guide

NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training 6th Edition by NASM

The 6th edition of the NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training is a study guide that offers you all the information, inspiration, and insight you’ll need to change the world as a fitness professional. Written by the NASM itself, this guide focuses on explaining all the foundations of exercise science, including nutrition, fitness assessments, and all the ways that a personal training business can be grown.

Having served so long as a global leader in providing evidence-based certifications, it’s evident that this book by the NASM would continue to top the chat in providing a comprehensive resource for fitness enthusiasts and aspiring professionals. The text features a range of topics designed to teach a systematic approach for designing exercise programs to help everyone reach their fitness goals. Most users are impressed by the clarity of the illustrations in the book. These lucid illustrations and detailed explanations of topics make it the right book for beginners and advanced learners alike.

What Makes it Unique:

  • NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training comes in a nice and manageable size. It is relatively light and comes with a hardcover that makes it easy to balance on a desk when reading.
  • Instead of loading the 700-paged book with texts, the authors have this one mixed with charts, diagrams, and images to make for interactive reading.
  • The topics covered in this book are well selected to help readers make the most out of any fitness or exercise-based lifestyle.

Why Choose this NASM Study Guide:

  • The book’s binding is good, ensuring that the guide lasts long without losing vital pages.
  • The authors adopt a simplified language to ensure that readers understand every exercise routine outlined in the book.
  • A combination of images and detailed illustration makes it great for self-study.
On Sale
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
  • Hardcover Book
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)

Last update: 2024-03-17


NASM Study Guide 1st Edition by Test Prep Books

This NASM Study Guide from Test Prep Books is another viable option for preparing for the NASM exams. Perhaps, an essential quality of this book is the presence of a comprehensive review by Test Prep Books in each section. These comprehensive reviews detail all the content that will likely appear on the NASM CPT test. With loads of practice questions in this guide, users would be prepared to face any questions that the exam brings. The authors also ensure to follow each of the test questions with detailed answers explanations. This is done to ensure that you understand your mistakes’ nature and how to avoid them in the future.

In addition to multiple examples and detailed explanations, this guide also features the latest test-taking strategies to help you prepare for what to expect on the exams. Understanding the exam strategies in this guide will help you get through the test without falling into avoidable errors. Coming from an organization as renowned as Test Prep Books, you can expect that this book covers the essential areas as you prepare for these all important exams.

What Makes it Unique:

  • The NASM Study Guide 1st Edition features a detailed review of the exam content and structure to better prepare readers for what to expect in the exams.
  • The inclusion of realistic practice questions and detailed answer explanations makes this guide a viable option for readers that may prefer self-study.
  • Each section of this guide contains a quick overview to help you pull through in moments when you’ll need last-minute refreshers.

Why Choose this NASM Study Guide:

  • In addition to being easy to understand, the NASM Study Guide 1st Edition contains several practice questions to help prepare your mind for what’s coming.
  • It’s an excellent read for you even when you are not preparing for any exams.
On Sale
NASM Study Guide: NASM Personal Training Book & Exam Prep for the National Academy of Sports Medicine CPT Test
  • Test Prep Books (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 238 Pages - 05/03/2017 (Publication Date) - Test Prep Books (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-03-17


Runner Ups for Best NASM Study Guide

Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide by Mometrix Test Preparation

This guide is an ideal test preparation solution for anyone looking to pass the NASM certification examination. The authors of this guide understand how challenging the exam is for most people, and they don’t want to complicate the preparation phase any further. Hence, the production of a thorough test preparation guide that will be essential for success. This guide features tons of practice questions spanning different topics. The authors didn’t just stop at including practice test questions, but they went further to have detailed answer explanations. These explanations would get you very familiar with the questions, getting you ready to tackle similar questions in the exams.

The Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide doesn’t just name concepts and principles in the passing. It goes on to explain them in detail, offering a practical illustration of each. With special attention paid to accessibility and technical accuracy, readers won’t need to worry about the possibility of getting lost in densely academic jargon.

What Makes it Unique:

  • The Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide comes with loads of detailed and specific information key to passing the NASM certification exams.
  • This guide features a logical and well-organized layout allowing each section to flow from the preceding section naturally.
  • It includes tips and strategies designed to help users perform at the top in the exams.

Why Choose this NASM Study Guide:

  • It is a combination of all the critical information needed for the NASM exams, including principles, concepts, and procedures.
  • Different sections of this book contain worked examples that help you see exactly what to do in similar circumstances.
On Sale
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide: NASM Test Review for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Examination (Mometrix Test Preparation)
  • NASM Exam Secrets Test Prep Team (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 192 Pages - 03/15/2016 (Publication Date) - Mometrix Media LLC (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-03-17


NASM Personal Training Prep Book by NASM Personal Fitness Training Exam Prep Team

If you look past the small size of this guide, you’ll find that it contains nearly everything you’ll need to pass the NASM exams. Most users are typically drawn to the fact that this book includes complete practice tests with answers. The tests and solutions allow users to get a good handle on what the test looks like. A good practice of the tests would put you in control when you sit for the exams.

In addition to the numerous practice questions, this guide also features basic and applied sciences and nutritional concepts. This means that aspiring trainers also get to learn more about the basic sciences of physical training. The authors of this guide designed it for learners and professionals alike. This means that you can still refer to the guide for exercise techniques and training instructions even after acing the NASM exams that it is designed for.

What Makes It Unique:

  • It contains a series of training instructions and exercise techniques to make professional development a breeze for physical trainers.
  • Each section of the book contains full practice tests that accurately reflect the exams to help you understand how to tackle the exams.

Why Choose this NASM Study Guide

  • The NASM Personal Training Prep Book is written in simple language to understand an otherwise complex study area properly.
  • The authors show great experience in selecting the contents of the guide to help you achieve personal goals.
On Sale
NASM Study Guide 2017-2018: Personal Fitness Training Prep Book and Practice Questions for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Exam
  • NASM Personal Fitness Training Exam Prep Team (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 350 Pages - 05/23/2017 (Publication Date) - Ascencia Test Prep (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-03-17


Value Pick for Best NASM Study Guide

NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition by CPT Exam Prep Team

The amount of information contained in this guide easily gives it off as one of the most valuable NASM exams guides you’ll get in today’s market. There’s so much about the NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition that stands it out, but most people prefer how simple the guide makes studying look. The authors of this book believe that studying smarter is better than studying harder. Therefore, they adopted a unique strategy to help users prepare better for the NASM exams.

The study guide covers everything you’ll need to know before sitting for the exams. It references the latest edition of the NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training, presenting it in an easy to read format to help readers comprehend and retain the information. The conciseness of the guide’s information would help you make the most of your limited study time.

What Makes It Unique:

  • The NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition features several quick reference pages to areas of focus, conversions, and formulas required for the exam.
  • It includes tons of practice questions and detailed answers to help you understand the question and independently answer them.
  • This guide’s information is not just clear and concise; it is also well-organized to make reading and understanding easier.

Why Choose this NASM Study Guide:

  • The NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition makes studying simple, saving you time as you prepare for the exams.
  • It covers every topic you’ll need to understand as a fitness enthusiast.
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition Study Guide that highlights the information required to pass the National Academy of Sports Medicine exam to become a Certified Personal Trainer
  • Team, CPT Exam Prep (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 120 Pages - 04/04/2017 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-03-17


How to Choose the Best NASM Study Guide for You

The NASM certification exam is a pretty complicated exam that requires adequate preparation to ace. What’s even more complicated is getting the right materials to help you prepare well. There are so many materials and study guide out there, yet few of them possess the right quality to help you. The ratio is so thin that you will have a headache picking the right guide to fit your NASM test format. To help, we’ve reviewed some of the best NASM guides in the market. Our recommended NASM study guides were selected after looking at a broad range of independent customer reviews. However, if you still want to explore other options, here are important questions that will help point you in the right direction.

Are there Practice Questions?

Certainly, the NASM certification exam is a very complicated one. The questions are pretty technical and can quickly become confusing for anybody. Hence, the need to get yourself acquainted with the standard of questions before stepping into the exam hall. To help, many exam study guides include practice questions. The NASM practice tests in these guides will not only get you acquainted with exam questions. They also help you realize and improve on your areas of deficiencies. Therefore, one pertinent question you should ask before selecting a study guide is whether it has practice questions to help you.

Do they Have a Thorough Explanation of Exam Topics?

A NASM textbook would offer explanations to basic and advanced topics, but they don’t do so much justice to past exam questions. To help, you’ll need to get additional guides that do not just focus on providing past questions. They must also offer detailed explanations to the answers to these questions. Typically, you’ll know guides that provide detailed explanations by looking at their specifications, but you can also look at reviews to be sure. Thankfully, most of the options listed in this article include a detailed explanation of the answer, so you’ll get everything you need by picking one of them.

Do they Cover All Major Topics?

Another area to pay attention to when choosing a NASM exam guide is the number of topics contained. Of course, different guides have varying contents. While some guides would encompass all the topics, you’ll need to ace the exams; others won’t. Therefore, it’s vital to check out different options to know their contents. However, bear in mind that more content would mean additional cost, but it’s worth the extra bucks spent on it.

Wrapping Things Up: The Best NASM Study Guide

Putting everything together, in this guide we reviewed the following:

Our Top Favorite
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Our Top Runner Up
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide: NASM Test Review for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Examination (Mometrix Test Preparation)
Our Top Value Pick
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition Study Guide that highlights the information required to pass the National Academy of Sports Medicine exam to become a Certified Personal Trainer
Book Title
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Our Top Favorite
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Book Title
NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Runner Up
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide: NASM Test Review for the National Academy of Sports Medicine Board of Certification Examination (Mometrix Test Preparation)
Book Title
Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Value Pick
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep: 2020 Edition Study Guide that highlights the information required to pass the National Academy of Sports Medicine exam to become a Certified Personal Trainer
Book Title
NASM Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime

Last update: 2024-03-17

It’s a wrap: a detailed article reviewing the best NASM study guides. Becoming a NASM certified personal trainer brings you respect both from your fellow trainers and clients. However, earning the certification is pretty tricky, and you’ll need every help you can get. Having the right NASM study guide would help you get the right information. Apart from pointing you to essential NASM flashcards and textbooks, these guides would help you understand the NASM test format and how it works.

There are so many options available in the market today that you’ll need an expert guide to buy what would be right for you. To help, we’ve reviewed the best NASM study guides in the market. These guides are equipped with all the information you’ll need for proper study. We’ve also included a buying guide that answers vital questions to guide when you want to explore other options.

Not ready for all the details? Check out our favorite option, NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training 6th Edition, a study guide that offers all the information, inspiration, and insight needed to make you a fitness expert. Our runner up, Secrets of the NASM Personal Trainer Exam Study Guide, offers you several test questions and answers to prepare you for the certification exams.

Looking for more professional study guides? Check out our other posts here:

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> The Best USPS Study Guides

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Professor Conquer
Professor Conquer

Professor Conquer started Conquer Your Exam in 2018 to help students feel more confident and better prepared for their tough tests. Prof excelled in high school, graduating top of his class and receiving admissions into several Ivy League and top 15 schools. He has helped many students through the years tutoring and mentoring K-12, consulting seniors through the college admissions process, and writing extensive how-to guides for school.

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