The American Sports and Fitness Association (ASFA) offers a broad range of personal training certifications, all 100% online; however, one crucial fact that makes them stand out from the rest is that students only pay if they pass the test. This not only makes for a quick way to become certified, it also makes the company more budget-friendly than other credentialing organizations like ACE NASM and NACA, where students pay upfront and may even pay for a retesting fee if they fail an exam. But is ASFA, which calls itself “The Online Resource for Fitness Professionals,” legit, credible, or better for you than other personal trainer licensing companies? Here are the pros and cons of this fitness-certifying organization to help you make the best decision.
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ASFA Company Information
The American Sports and Fitness Association company has been in operation since 2007 and is located at 11628 Old Ballas Rd. STE 326, Creve Coeur, MO 63141. The official website is AmericaSportandFitness.com. There are two ways to contact customer support:
- Phone: call 877-851-0283 M-F 9 am to 5 pm CST
- Email: CustomerSupport@AmericanSportandFitness.com
There are many acronyms among fitness certification organizations. To avoid confusion, the ASFA is not the same company as AFAA, the American Athletics and Fitness Association.
American Sport and Fitness Certifications and Prices
- Personal Trainer:$399
- Advanced Personal Trainer:$449
- Master Personal Trainer: $499
- Group Fitness & Bootcamp: $399
- Master Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor: $499
- Master Health & Wellness Coach: $499
- Advanced Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor: $449
- Health & Wellness Coach: $399
- Advanced Health & Wellness Coach: $449
- Water Aerobics: $349
- Advanced Water Aerobics Instructor: $399
- Cycling: $349
- Advanced Cycling Instructor: $399
- Senior Fitness: $ 349
- Advanced Senior Fitness Instructor: $399
- Pilates: $349
- Advanced Pilates: $399
- Sports Nutrition:349
- Advanced Sports Nutrition: $399
- Yoga: $349
- Advanced Yoga: $399
- HIIT certification: $349
- Functional Fitness $299
ASFA Textbooks
When you choose a certificate, you have the option to purchase textbooks and manuals that you should study prior to taking the exam. For example, the books recommended for the Master Personal Trainer exam are:
- Fitness Professionals Handbook 7th edition
- Strength Training Anatomy
- Muscle Mechanics
- Serious Strength Training
- Nutrition for Sport, Exercise & Health
- Kinetic Anatomy
Fitness Professionals Handbook 7th edition. Click to see the cost.
All of these books would add value to any personal trainer library. Be aware that there is a considerable markup when purchasing education manuals from the ASFA website. For example, the Fitness Professionals Handbook 7th edition is priced at $119 on the ASFA website. This same textbook can be purchased on Amazon for about $40 less.
How Much Does It Cost to Renew ASFA Certifications?
In general, you must renew each year to maintain the validity of your fitness credential. The cost to renew is $99 annually for most degrees, such as personal fitness trainer and master personal trainer. There may also be a renewal processing fee of $10. Your certification will have an expiration date on it. It's suggested you add that date to your calendar so you don't forget to renew.
Additionally, you must also submit proof that you earned 20 continuing education units (CEUs) every two years as well. The cost of obtaining CEUs will vary depending on who you obtain the credits from (e.g., ACE, Exercise Science Inc., AAAI-ISMA, NASM, etc.).
The organization also offers virtual CEU courses, which range from $10 to $50 per course. If you take a course that requires you to pass an exam, then the fee for the exam is $99.
The organization does offer some free CEU courses, so be sure to inquire about those. Be aware that if you do not renew on time, the cost of your new, updated certification will increase from $99 to $149.
Total Cost for ASFA Fitness Certification (Summary)
- Certification and exam cost: $399 to $499
- Standard certification renewal fee $99
- CEUs $10 to $50 per course
- Cost for CEU courses from other organizations (price will vary)
- CEU exam fee is $99 (only if an exam is part of the CEU course)
- Processing fee $10
Lifetime ASFA Fitness Certification
The ASFA offers a variety of lifetime fitness certificates. Having this privilege means you do not have to pay renewal fees to maintain your credentials.
For example, you could obtain lifetime credentials for:
- Personal fitness training
- Master personal trainer
- Group fitness instruction
- Health and wellness coach
and many others.
While this may sound appealing, obtaining a lifetime cert does not mean you do not need to do anything ever again to maintain that credential. Those who hold a cert without an expiration date must remain active in the fitness field and submit to ASFA 1 CEU classes, courses, or seminars that they attended each year.
The price of ASFA lifetime certifications is significantly increased from a standard cert. While in the short term, this means you pay more upfront, those who stay employed for many years may end up saving money in the long run.
ASFA Lifetime Fitness Instructor Certification Cost
| 1-year Certificate | Lifetime Cert | |
| Personal Trainer | $399 | $1,199 |
| Advanced Personal Trainer | $449 | $1,299 |
| Master Personal Trainer | $499.00 | $1,499.00 |
| Master Health & Wellness Coach | $499.00 | $1,499.00 |
| Master Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | $499.00 | $1,499.00 |
| Advanced Personal Trainer | $499.00 | $1,299.00 |
| Health & Wellness Coach | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Advanced Health & Wellness Coach | $499.00 | $1,299.00 |
| Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Advanced Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | $449.00 | $1,299.00 |
| Water Aerobics Instructor | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Water Aerobics Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Cycling Instructor | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Cycling Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Senior Fitness Instructor | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Senior Fitness Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Pilates Instructor | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Pilates Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Yoga Instructor | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Yoga Instructor | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Sports Nutrition | $349.00 | $999.00 |
| Advanced Sports Nutrition | $399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Functional Fitness Training | $299.00 | $899.00 |
| HIIT Certification | $349.00 | $999.00 |
If you search the website, you may able to find discount codes that reduce the cost you pay. Searching on the Promotions tab at the top the website can review discount coupon codes that take anywhere from 15% to 33% off eligible certifications.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Take an ASFA Exam?
The website didn't specify how young a person could be in order to become certified. Technically, this could mean a teenager under the age of 18 could take a test and become credentialed. While this flexibility with age will appeal to some, keep in mind that many gyms require fitness staff to be at least 18 years of age prior to employment. For younger people interested in a future career in fitness who want to test their knowledge, the ability to take exams before age 18 is a plus.
Does ASFA Require CPR and AED Certification?
While the risk of injury with physical activity is low, exercise-related medical emergencies do occur. Because of this, all fitness trainers should be both CPR and AED certified.
When last checked, the ASFA website did not require proof of AED or CPR certification as a prerequisite before taking an exam. However, the ASFA website does link to a website where people can get CPR and First Aid certs if they choose. Regardless of degree status, gyms may require fitness staff to hold these credentials prior to employment, so it's recommended to have them prior to seeking a job.
How Do You Take An American Sports And Fitness Exam?
Those looking for the quickest way to become a certified fitness professional will find this organization appealing because you can take ASFA exams right on their website without registering. Simply select a certification program you want (Master Personal Trainer, Bootcamp Instructor, etc.) and certificate options and click the red “Start The Test” button. The exam questions will appear, and you can begin the test immediately. The exam is not timed, so you take as long as needed to complete it.
The number of questions varies depending on the certificate you are testing for. Both the Master Personal Trainer and Master Health and Wellness Coach certifications have 150 questions, which is the most of any ASFA exam.
| Certification | Number of Exam Questions |
| Personal Trainer | 100 |
| Advanced Personal Trainer | 125 |
| Master Personal Trainer | 150 |
| Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | 75 |
| Advanced Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | 100 |
| Master Group Fitness & Bootcamp Instructor | 125 |
| Master Health & Wellness Coach | 150 |
| Health & Wellness Coach | 100 |
| Advanced Health & Wellness Coach | 125 |
| Water Aerobics Instructor | 75 |
| Advanced Water Aerobics Instructor | 100 |
| Cycling Instructor | 75 |
| Advanced Cycling Instructor | 100 |
| Senior Fitness Instructor | 75 |
| Advanced Senior Fitness Instructor | 100 |
| Pilates Certification | 75 |
| Advanced Pilates | 100 |
| Yoga | 75 |
| Advanced Yoga | 100 |
| Sports Nutrition | 80 |
| Advanced Sports Nutrition | 100 |
| HIIT Certification | 75 |
| Functional Fitness | 75 |
The format of ASFA exams is multiple choice and true/false.
What Grade Is Needed To Pass An ASFA Test?
To successfully complete the certified personal trainer exam or other fitness credentials offered by the organization, you need to have a passing score of a minimum of 70%.
Can a Personal Trainer Certified by ASFA Get Liability Insurance?
This is not a fake personal trainer certification because Those who successfully pass an ASFA exam and pay for certification can get personal trainer liability insurance through a company called CPH. This insurance company has been around since 2007 and is well-known in the industry. It's likely that other insurance companies also work with fitness pros certified by ASFA, so shop around for the best price and perks that work best for you.
What Happens If You Fail the ASFA Fitness Exam?
One appealing fact that sets the American Sports and Fitness Association apart from many other organizations is that you do not pay anything if you fail a test. There is also no retesting fee either. You only pay when you pass.
Does the American Sports And Fitness Association Offer Refunds?
The Terms and Conditions page of the ASFA website clearly states, “All sales are final” and that they have a “No Refund Policy.”
ASFA Better Business Bureau Rating
The BBB gave the company an A+ rating when their website was last checked. The official rating was 4.6 out of 5 stars. There were no complaints levied against the company by unsatisfied customers. The ASFA has been in business since 2007.
ASFA Personal Trainer Complaints
While the Better Business Bureau did not reveal any negative reports from customers, some were found on other consumer sites; for example, Trustpilot revealed a total of 9 reviews by people and gave the company an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars. A breakdown of those reviews revealed that:
- Five people (69%) rated the organization as 5 out of 5 stars.
- Three gave it 3 out of 5 stars.
- One person rated the company as poor with 1 star.
The lone individual who gave the company a 3-star rating declared that in the state of Georgia, it was challenging to find a gym that would accept or recognize the ASFA-certified personal trainer certification.
Can You Cheat On ASFA Fitness Exams?
While many will applaud the company for providing all their exam questions upfront online, free of charge, with no fee to retake an exam if it's failed, this same openness can be a weakness. When answering the exam questions, it does not appear that students are proctored via webcams. Also, exams do not appear to be timed either.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that a dishonest person could simply right-click on a question and search the internet for answers without even studying. It's possible that this potential for misuse may reduce the odds of gyms accepting ASFA certifications and hinder those who hold this credential from gaining employment. This, however, may not be an issue for self-employed personal trainers.
Is the American Sports and Fitness Association Accredited by the NCCA
The company states on its FAQ page that ASFA qualifications do not require accreditation. While achieving accreditation through independent 3rd party agencies like the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is popular with some fitness credentialing organizations, not all companies elect to do this because of the exorbitant costs and time commitment that are required.
Even getting one fitness course accreted by the NCAA may cost thousands of dollars plus regular fees paid to the organization to maintain accreditation. So bypassing NCCA accreditation may be one method to keeping costs down for students.
Certifications that are accredited by the NCCA and other similar organizations are not inherently better than non-accredited fitness certifications. For example, many organizations that are accredited do not test students on critical information about rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition that can result from over-exercising.
Are ASFA Fitness Certifications Legit & Worth It?
As with any health and wellness credential, you get out of it what you put in. The American Sports and Fitness Association allows anyone with access to a computer to quickly and easily take a certification exam for free. That is a huge plus. However, this same strength could be a weakness because the exams are not proctored. This allows dishonest people to cheat and pass a test with relative ease. This may be the biggest downside to using an ASFA cert as your primary fitness cradential.
The lack of hands-on practical experience may also hinder those who go looking for jobs; however, this argument can also be said for many other organizations that have embraced virtual fitness certifications.
Regardless of which certifying agency is decided upon, those who are looking to become a certified personal trainer should remember that passing a fitness exam does not mean one is automatically qualified to work safely one-on-one with clients. That requires an ongoing pursuit of education.
My name is Jeff Potts, I just took the test for group fitness and boot camp certification. I scored 84% then was told to pay $400 and some odd dollars. what does that mean. what else do I have to do or is that all?
Hi Jeff, so if I understand you correctly, you passed the ASFA group fitness and bootcamp fitness certiiations. Even though you passed, they informed you that you had to pay $400 extra?That does not make sense to me. You passed so you should get your fitness certifications and that’s it. The only thing you should have to think about is when you need to get recertified (its usually every 1 or 2 years).
Did ASFA tell you the reasons why you had to pay an additional $400 after you passed the exams? Were they offering you a deal on personal trainer insurance or some perk like a lifetime certification?
If they sent you an email about this, paste it into the reply so I can read it.
Either way, I would call them and find out. Let me know what happens Jeff. I’m curious.
Hi, I’m wondering if the AFSA certification is valid in Canada? Do you know of any personal trainer courses that are accepted in Canada? How is ISSA?
Hi Mary, I’m not sure if ASFA is accepted in Canada. I would reach out to them about that. I believe ISSA is accepted and ACE is too
You can find my revies on ACE, ISSA etc here: https://joe-cannon.com/category/certifications/
If you are going to be working Canada, take a look at CanFitPro (Canadian Fitness Professionals), which is a Canadian organization. While I am not familiar with Canadian regulations, getting a canadia-accepted cert may help you with personal trainer insurance, if that is required.
I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, just ask and do circle back and let me know what path you decide to take.
Hi Joe appreciate your comments and all your info. As a physician, Fellow of American Board of Functional Medicine, personal trainer, senior fitness trainer and sports nutrition coach, you’re absolutely correct, you make of it what you want to put into it. All of the above has enabled me to transform my practice into what I always wanted, making a difference in patients lives by changing habits and lifestyles.
Thanks so much for saying that Marvin. I’m so glad to you’ve been able to blend functional medicine, exercise and nutrition together to help your patients!
Great review. Helpful and informative
Thanks so much Marlene!! 🙂