How hard is the AFAA personal training exam? | Exercise.com Learn: Your Fitness Business Resource

How hard is the AFAA personal training exam?

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life. He has been featured in Shape, Healthline, HuffPost, Women's...

Full Bio →

Written by

UPDATED: Aug 25, 2020

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about your brand. Let us do the heavy lifting.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident fitness software decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. Our partners do not influence our content. Our opinions are our own.

Editorial Guidelines: The Editorial Team at Exercise.com is dedicated to providing fair, unbiased information about the fitness industry. We update our site regularly and all content is reviewed by credentialed fitness experts.

Get the Basics...
  • The test is not considered easy, but there is a bounty of resources available to help you
  • Like certification tests for any industry, the AFAA exam includes a written portion. In addition to the written exam, there is a practical portion of the AFAA exam.
  • There are 100 multiple choice and matching questions. This leaves you just 40 seconds to answer each question.
  • The practical exam consists of two 30 minute demonstrations.

AFAA stands for the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. AFAA is one of the most well-established certifications for personal trainers. The test is not considered easy, but there is a bounty of resources available to help you.

The important thing is to not take preparation lightly. There is a cost every time you take the exam and you don’t want to spend more money than you need.

Like certification tests for any industry, the AFAA exam includes a written portion. In addition to the written exam, there is a practical portion of the AFAA exam. There are several available courses and materials to prepare you for the exam. Make sure you know your weaknesses and prepare accordingly.

Once you have your certification in hand, request a demo of our All-in-One Fitness Business Management Software so that you can run your training business smoothly and efficiently.

What Is the First Step Towards Attaining AFAA Certification?

The first step to receiving AFAA certification is to obtain a valid CPR certification from the Red Cross or the American Health Association. CPR courses must not be taken online.

You will need to attend an AFAA workshop, as well as pass the written and practical exam. Continuing education credits are required and you must apply for recertification every 2 years.

How Do Group Certification Workshops Apply to AFAA Certification?

You’ll have to attend the group certification workshop. During this workshop, they will cover all of the material that will be presented to you during the written and practical portions of the exam.

For your benefit, you should adequately prepare to take the test before you attend the workshop. If you prepare this way, then the workshop will be able to fill any gaps you have from your own study sessions.

They will have an anatomy review to cover muscle names, joint actions, and planes of movement that you will need to know for the exam. After this is a group demonstration. This focuses largely on the practical aspect of the exam. This includes movements and exercises for all of the muscle groups. If you brush up on the study guide beforehand, you should have a good idea of what to expect here.

In addition, there is a section for you to prepare and audition your individual presentation. This is a useful tool as you will be able to receive feedback from the guides and instructors. They know what is required to pass this part of the exam. This is your opportunity to make any necessary adjustments to give yourself greater odds of passing.

Following this, there is a final review that covers all of the material for the written exam. Pay close attention here. You’ll be able to fill any gaps in knowledge that you may have during this portion of the workshop.

See for yourself - Meet with the Exercise.com Team today

Train Anyone, Anywhere in the World.

What Is the AFAA Personal Training Final Exam Like?

The exam is the final two hours of the workshop. You have one hour for the written portion. There are 100 multiple choice and matching questions. This leaves you just 40 seconds to answer each question.

If you prepare yourself ahead of time, it will help to cut down nerves while taking the test. In addition to the material review that the workshop offers, completing this portion of the test in the designated time should not be a difficult task.

The practical exam consists of two 30 minute demonstrations. The first part of the practical exam will be a warm-up, a demonstration of a cardiorespiratory workout, and a cool down. The next part is the muscle group demonstration. You will be asked to perform an exercise for a specific muscle group. You’ll have to do two of these exercises. The next part is to demonstrate a stretch.

The final part is the individual demonstration. This requires you to lead the group in an exercise. You will demonstrate at a beginner level, intermediate, and advanced. The time is between one and two minutes. You will need to give the name of the exercise, the muscle group it works, and describe the movement.

What Should I Do to Prepare for the AFAA Personal Training Exam?

The AFAA workshop offers a lot of assistance to help you pass the final exam. This should help ease your tension whenpreparing yourself for the certification.

The workshop does not ensure that you will be able to pass the exam.

It is important to adequately study ahead of time to understand what types of questions and activities you will have to perform. There are study guides available and practice exams to take online.

Make sure you get enough sleep and have a good breakfast on the morning of the workshop. The AFAA exam is not something that would be considered easy; this is why it is respected in the fitness industry. Although with enough face time with the materials and the workshop, you shouldn’t worry yourself too much.

Request a demo of our All-in-One Fitness Business Management Software today so that you can manage your business better.

Learn more about Exercise.com Fitness Business Management Software.

Schedule your demo today.