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National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) Review

Filed Under Certifications

This is a Chapter Excerpt from my book “How to Become a Personal Trainer” written to help aspiring trainers understand the certification business

This is my review of the National Personal Training Institutes’s (NPTI) Personal Training Program and certification process.

Summary

I believe that NPTI offers what very few schools offer, yet what should be mandatory for new personal trainers…actual EXPERIENCE! Not only will you have to learn the material, you will also have to train your fellow classmates for over 500 hours before you are certified.

500 Hours! That’s right, real training!

You won’t be allowed to interview for a job and being unable to show the proper technique for an exercise or mispronounce a muscle group. National Personal Training Institute shows you the ropes and, in my book, really sets its graduates above the level of the eight NCCA personal training certifications.

Overview

The National Personal Training Institute, also known as “NPTI” is a state-recognized certification that is quite different than all the other certifications available. The National Personal Training Institute certificates are more like a degree, rather than an assortment of courses. Graduates of NPTI have a minimum of 500 hours of classroom and gym instruction. They have a flexible schedule that allows you to complete the course in six or twelve months, either full-time, on weekends, or in the evenings.

The connections, experience, and opportunities that you will get in your training easily put all the other ‘at-home’ programs to shame. Not that the regular NCCA certification’s are less important, but for someone with no experience in the industry, nothing can compete with the preparation that NPTI provides.

(I have absolutely no relationship with NPTI, nobody’s payin’ me a dime to say this…Although I wish they would!)

Benefits

The National Personal Training Institute has a massive variety of unique benefits…

• Flexible schedule, including day, evening, and weekend classes on either a six or twelve month plan.

• Financial assistance and convenient payment plans.

• Outside resources that expose students to a variety of disciplines, like natural health nutrition and athletic trainers.

• Interaction with trainers that have “been there”, offering multiple opinions about everything you can think of…which is much more helpful than a single ‘mentor’ trainer to show you their limited brand of “the ropes”.

• Certification is recognized by the government, which not only garners more prestige for graduates, but also creates an environment where the training really is top-level.

• Daily workouts are part of the curriculum, so you can also get in better shape as you prepare to begin as a trainer.

• Personal Training certificate is also complimented by a “Nutritional Consultant” certification. (100 hours of nutritional schooling)

• Free membership in the gym where the classes are held.

• Train new NPTI students after 3 months, which allows you to learn how to build programs, motivation skills, and gets you comfortable as a personal trainer.

• Graduate with multiple certifications:

Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Certification

Certified Nutritional Consultant Certification

Personal Training Diploma

CPR Certification

Topics Covered

A personal training certificate from NPTI covers a wide breath of topics, in broader depth, than almost all other programs. Additionally, graduates are certified as “nutrition consultants” which helps broaden the recommendations and marketability of your services. The classroom setting covers a multitude of topics, including:

• Business Management, Marketing, Etiquette, legal concerns, etc.

• Strength Training Programs

• Anatomy

• Nutrition

• Injuries and rehabilitation

• Practical, hands-on, instruction.

Typical Day

Curious what a day is like as a full time National Personal Training Institute student? Here’s what we’ve seen as our peers have gone through the program.

Day (Monday thru Thursday)

8:30 – Arrive at gym, hit locker room to store bags

8:45 – Exercise on your own, a little cardio to wake up

9:00 – Shower and dress for class

9:30 - 11:00 – Class lecture (Nutrition/Anatomy)

11:00 – 12:00 – Exercise with NPTI partner – Test new training regimen

12:00 – 12:30 – Lunch

12:30 – 2:00 – Lecture/Floor demonstration (Strength Training)

~2:00 or 2:30 – Class ends

Evening

5:00 – 6:30 – Study for practical and exam (Exams are usually every 4 weeks)

This is just a random day…The flexibility of the full time NPTI program allows you to have a part-time job with good opportunities to work while you are training. You are free in the afternoons and all of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The part-time (evening/weekends) programs allows you to work full time and complete your NPTI certification in your spare time.

Statistics and Numbers

There are always a whole bunch of numbers, so let’s put them all in one spot!

Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age

• US Citizen or Green Card Holder

• High School Graduate, GED holder, or pass an exam measuring the equivalent.

• Doctor certification that shows you are free from communicable diseases.

• Registration fee of $75 (which is applied to your tuition, therefore is less a “fee” and more of a “proof of interest”)

CEC’s / CEU’s

What does it take to keep your NPTI certification current? Guess what, nothing! NPTI is a lifetime certification, that means no Continuing Education Credits, no reoccurring fees, none of that junk.

Although the initial cost of the National Personal Training Institute is high, when you factor in the savings you receive every year in not shelling out a few hundred dollars here, a few hundred there, for recertification and CEC fees, it really cuts into the lifetime cost of NPTI.

I know a few trainers who are so established, they let their certifications lapse…why? Because of the hassle and fees from CEC’s and CEU’s, not to mention the few hundred bucks every two years just to stay ‘certified’. For those of you considering this as a lifetime career, this is a very significant benefit.

Locations

There are 23 National Personal Training Institute locations in the United States, centering around major metropolitan areas. If you don’t live near one of these places, why not move to Orlando for a few months and go to school in paradise?

- Costa Mesa, CA

- Riverside, CA

- San Diego, CA

- San Francisco, CA

- Santa Monica, CA

- Colorado Springs, CO

- Lakewood, CO

- Stamford, CT

- Miami, FL

- Orlando, FL (Residential Program)

- Alpharetta, GA

- McDonough, GA

- Chicago, IL

- Lisle, IL

- Skokie, IL

- Waltham, MA

- Rochester Hills/Detroit, MI

- White Bear, MN

- Hoboken, NJ

- Richmond Heights, OH

- Philadelphia, PA

- Falls Church, VA

- Bellevue/Seattle, WA

(The Wilmington, DE school has been consolidated into the Philadelphia location and isn’t accepting new students)

Cost

• Varies between $5,200 and $5,900. (See my book for ways to finance NPTI)

• If you want to spice up your life, you can take the residential program in Orlando Florida, live at NPTI’s vacation-like villas, and complete the program in 4 months. (There is some extra cost for your living expenses)

Paying for the National Personal Training Institute

“WOW! $5,900, you have to be kidding me!!!” NPTI is aware that the cost is higher than a run-of-the-mill online certification, so they offer a variety of assistance to help you pay for your certification.

First, you can pay all at once, or halfway through, or monthly. Generally, you receive a $200 reduction in price if you pay it all at once. You save $100 if you pay in two separate halves (beginning and middle).

You can pay by credit card, so make sure you use one that gives you points back, to lower your overall cost!

(If you need more information about how to pay for school, you should probably check out my chapter on financial aid for personal training in my report if you need more information.)

Financial Assistance is also available, much like assistance for college, through Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae could help pay for 60% of your tuition AND living expenses while you are a student. (Just like it does for regular college students)

In order to apply, you must apply with NPTI’s school code. In order to do that, you need to contact NPTI first. Once you have the process set, you will authorize Sallie Mae to conduct a credit check, answer some questions about your finances, and get an answer concerning the amount, rate, etc in minutes.

Although NPTI is more expensive than other programs (but less than an exercise science degree), however, this is a case where you get what you pay for.

Intangible Benefits

The National Personal Training Institute offers a lot of intangible benefits that many people don’t recognize at first.

• Upon graduation, you already have 6-12 months experience. This is an amazing advantage when looking for your first job, as you can explain how you are not only recently certified, but you have been doing training for XX number of months. I have seen graduates of NPTI get jobs requiring 3 years experience (and paying $50/hour) the moment the graduate.

• Networking opportunities abound. Anyone who’s spent time on this site knows how valuable networking is to your personal training business. You will meet people who’ve been in the field for 20+ years who are there for nothing other than letting you in on what they’ve learned. Having a network when starting out, just in like any business, is an irreplaceable asset for NPTI graduates.

• Developing training programs every day that are tested by real people! Instead of a chart of numbers and multiple-choice questions asking what you would do, you actually have a real person that you must assess, develop a program for, and teach how to follow. You will do this day in and day out. Most new personal trainers from other programs know all the answers to the ACE certification exam, but have no idea how to work with clients, operate machines, or navigate a gym. Again, irreplaceable advantage for National Personal Training Institute graduates.

Summary

It’s pretty hard to beat the advantage that the National Personal Training Institute gives to new graduates. I realize it’s expensive and a serious investment of time. However, for a new professional in a competitive field, it’s just about the best way to break into the business.

This is a Chapter Excerpt from my book “How to Become a Personal Trainer” written to help aspiring trainers understand the certification business