The American Council of Exercise (ACE) has developed an industry-leading certification program that is the standard for personal trainers in the United States. The ACE Personal Trainer Certification Program tests candidates’ knowledge of exercise principles and human anatomy.
It also assesses candidates’ ability to perform various exercises safely, efficiently, and effectively. The exam is available in multiple formats, including computer-based, paper-based, and sometimes an extended practice test.
Suppose you are serious about becoming a specialist in your field and want to pursue an advanced degree or better your current position. In that case, you should consider preparing for this exam as soon as possible. We will walk you through the critical aspects of preparing for these ACE personal trainer exam questions so that you can ace them without fail.
What is the ACE Personal Trainer Exam?
What is the ACE Personal Trainer Exam?The ACE exam is a national certification exam used to prove that candidates have the knowledge and skills to become certified personal trainers. The exam contains a variety of topics related to exercise science. Topics include safe and effective exercise techniques, nutritional guidelines, and guidelines to avoid injuries from performing specific exercises.
What Kind of Questions Are on the ACE Exam?
The ACE personal trainer exam questions consist of approximately 150 multiple choice questions administered for about 4 hours. The questions cover various fitness-related topics such as program design, exercise technique, anatomy, nutrition, and injuries.
The exam includes ten clinical conditions clients may encounter, such as low bone density, hormonal imbalances, arthritis, and pregnancy. Candidates must undergo a 30-minute lecture and perform a 10-minute case study to demonstrate their clinical and hands-on skills.
The ACE exam tests candidates’ knowledge of exercise principles and human anatomy. The knowledge of human anatomy is significant for the exam because it covers the basics of health and fitness for both men and women. The exam also covers the safe and effective performance of various exercises. The following are the topics that are covered on the ACE exam:
- Basic anatomy of the human body, muscles, joints, and how they work together.
- Anatomy of the human body during exercise, how to make corrections if someone performs the routine incorrectly, and how to adjust the intensity of the exercise to maintain intensity at the desired level.
- Statistics of various exercises, how to calculate the resistance used to perform the exercise, and how to calculate calories burned based on the resistance used.
- Nutrition guidelines are foods that can help athletes and everyday people reach their fitness goals.
- Guidelines for preparing and eating meals for daily nutrition and training for overall health.
- Injury prevention guidelines, how to prevent injuries from occurring while performing exercises, and how to care for injuries once they have happened.
What is the Passing Rate for the Test?
The exam is intended to measure a candidate’s knowledge and competency. Candidates who pass the exam receive a provisional certification, which will expire after two years. At that point, candidates must pass the exam again to maintain certification. The ACE has not released the exact passing score for the exam, but the passing score for the exam’s prototype is 63%.
If you plan to take the exam at a testing center, you can expect the actual test to be somewhat more challenging. The ACE personal trainer exam passing score is 60% or above. You can also check out the sample test questions given by the ACE to get a better idea of what is on the test. Computer-based exams can have a higher failure rate, so you will want to decide which format will work best for you.
The testing centers that offer the ACE exam will give you a score report after you take the exam. The report will show you the percentage of questions you got right, and you will also get information about your performance in each exam section. If you plan to retake the exam, you will want to review the report and see where you need to improve before retaking the exam.
How Do I Prepare for the ACE Exam?
As one of the most recognized certifications for personal trainers in the industry, passing this exam is possibly your best bet at accelerating your career as a personal trainer. Below are essential tips for successfully preparing for your ACE exam.
Know What to Study and How to Study
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to studying for the ACE exam. While each exam offers the same questions, the content and format vary from one exam to the next. Therefore, instead of following a rigid formula, we recommend that you carefully assess your current skills and knowledge.
In other words, before you begin studying, determine what you feel confident in and what you’d like to improve upon. Once you know where you stand, it’s time to identify which topics you should focus on.
Prepare With Practice Exams
If you’re serious about studying for the ACE exam, you should use practice exams to assess your strengths and weaknesses and gauge your progress. Practice exams are critical because they will allow you to identify areas where you need more practice and insight.
In other words, practice exams are valuable because they allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses so you can focus your limited time on areas where you experience difficulty. Further, practice exams will enable you to gauge your progress to identify areas where you need more practice.
With that said, it’s worth noting that practice exams are not designed to replicate the actual ACE exam—instead, practice exams are designed to help you identify areas where you need more practice.
Studying Requires Time Management
Now, one thing you must remember when studying for the ACE exam is that you must have a plan. Your plan should be simple while also being realistic and attainable. In other words, while having lofty goals is important, it’s also important to avoid setting yourself up for failure by setting yourself up to fail.
With that said, all important considerations are how long you plan to study per day, what time you plan to study, where you plan to study, and what you plan to study.
Sharpen Your Test-Taking Skills
If you want to be successful on the exam, you must practice. While this may seem obvious, it’s important to remember that practice can only improve you. With that said, to become a better test-taker, you must practice taking tests in real-life scenarios. This will help you identify areas where you need more practice and hone your test-taking skills.
There are several ways you can practice for the exam: You can create a study schedule and block out time to study for the exam. You can also create a study environment that helps keep you on track and motivated by, for example, setting up a study station with snacks and drinks. And you can sign up for practice exams to help identify areas where you need more practice.
Have Confidence
If you’re serious about taking the exam, you must be confident in your abilities. Further, you will have difficulty studying for the exam if you’re not confident in your abilities. With that said, you can’t learn something if you don’t believe in yourself.
Therefore, during your study for the exam and before the exam, spend a few minutes reflecting on where you currently stand and why you want to succeed. With that said, identify any areas you want to improve and use those as motivation for studying for the ACE exam.
Which Test is Harder? ACE or NASM?
The ACE exam is generally more complicated than the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NASM) certification exam. However, the passing score for both exams is 60%, covering similar topics. The most important factor when choosing which exam to take is which is more convenient for you. If you can take the exam at the most convenient time, you will likely have a better time slot.
Additionally, if you have a large distance to travel to take the exam, you may want to consider taking the NASM certification exam. If you can take the ACE exam at the most convenient time, you will likely have a better time slot. Additionally, if you have a large distance to travel to take the exam, you may want to consider taking the ACE exam.
So how do these certifications compare? Let’s take a look here.
Wrapping Things Up: How Hard is the ACE Personal Trainer Exam?
The ACE certification exam is a difficult hurdle to jump as a personal trainer. While the exam is challenging and requires a lot of study, it can be quickly passed if you put the necessary time and effort into preparing.
The best way to prepare for the exam is to study, find a study group, and attend workshops to help you increase your skill set. These ACE personal trainer exam questions can be challenging, but you can successfully pass with a little effort.
Make sure not to skip any days you study, and eat the right foods to support your studying and practicing. Make sure to stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and eat the right foods to help you stay focused and ready to tackle the exam.
