Ok guys alittle background into me, I’m 22, just graduated school and have been personal training. I have a huge interest in strength and conditioning and all i do is research the subject and learn more and more. Here’s my issue at times I get frustrated because I want to learn everything so fast. I’ve been studying for my CSCS oon and off for about 6 months now. Which direction should I go?
A) stop reading other manuels and put everything into my CSCS prep as that will make me more credile
OR
B ) continue to do alittle CSCS work and alittle of my own research(pubmed studies, a few boards, reading supertraining by Siff)
The CSCS exam is a strange one. A lot of the content of the exam I took wasn’t even in the core text!
A note: Make sure you learn basic facts about performance averages (e.g. 1rm bench, VJ etc) for each group of athletes because they ask you questions related to this.
Basically I knew the answers to 50% of the questions because they were “good” questions related to the text. The other 50% were really just hit and miss regarding things some of which i know for sure weren’t in the text and you just had to guess. There were even about 4 basic math questions thrown in for good measure!
The only problem with learning things from other books is that it often conflicts with the CSCS material and this can throw you in the exam. I guess it depends whether you can keep the two separate or not in you mind.
Bigpump, I’m in a similar situation as you. I graduate this May and know what I’m doing job wise, but we’re at the same age with the same type of passion. I took the CSCS exam this past December and here’s my advice. If you know alot of basic stuff you should be fine. I didn’t study much or buy any of their manuals and I easily passed. The hardest part is learning things the “NSCA way.” Even if you’re right, you can’t disagree with the test. For a week or two before the test, I would only read NSCA info, then throw it in the trash after the exam! There were some questions that are worded to throw you off. Just stay focus and you’ll be fine. The certification is needed to get your foot in the door at some jobs, but means shit in my opinion. However, if you want to work in pro sports or at the college level, it will more than likely be required. Good luck.
yeah I always had that opinion that you have to learn it the NSCA way. I think that is one of the reason alot of degreed people fail it, they go in with the attitude I know such and such because I have my degree in it but they do not know it the NSCA way. I agree, I know some CSCS trainers and they don’t know shit but it’s all credetionals. I’d probably never pick the book up after the exam. I just have a hard time not reading stuff by CT,CF, Poliquin, Siff, CW because their stuff is practial real world work. I’m nevere going to have to explain certain things the CSCS makes you do. Like I say everytime I come to this crossroad, I’m gonna dive into the CSCS material