The advanced skill-development step for current fitness professionals, following a practical approach to achieve success in the modern fitness industry. This course will take you deep into fitness practices, techniques, and exercises, as well as important client-centric principles around programming, training results and performance.
This Specialization is For
Fitness professionals looking to elevate their expertise and enhance the quality of service they offer to clients. Designed as the next step for current holders of CPT or GFI certifications, and FBA Certification.
Why this Specialization
With this course, you'll gain the advanced skills and confidence to help clients achieve success faster, and design and implement effective fitness programs for clients at all stages of life.
Key Learning
- Personalized Training: Gain skills to design individualized fitness programs using periodized and undulating approaches, tailored to each client’s needs and goals.
- Diverse Clientele Management: Strategies for working with older adults, beginners, and advanced clients, ensuring you can cater to a wide range of fitness levels and demographics.
- Building Strong Relationships: Learn techniques to strengthen client relationships, enhance client autonomy, and create a culture of results and referrals.
- Injury Prevention and Recovery: Discover methods to minimize injuries and optimize recovery, boosting client satisfaction and retention.
- Client Management Strategies: Master the art of client retention with proven strategies and guidelines.
- Nutrition and Mental Performance: Understand how to guide clients towards healthier nutritional habits and enhance their mental performance, contributing to holistic well-being.
From an Association Focused on Your Career Success
FBA develops education programs for in-demand skills, so you can build a long-term successful career delivering great results for your clients while enjoying a profitable profession.
100% Online and Self-Paced: Access the course materials anytime, anywhere, with 24/7 availability on any device. Benefit from videos with captions, searchable transcripts, and adjustable playback speeds.
Expert-Led Sessions: Learn from vetted top industry experts who provide actionable insights and strategies based on their extensive real-world experience.
Certification and Resume Enhancement: Build on existing certifications and gain specialized skills that will make you a more valuable asset to clients and fitness clubs.
Course Details
- 100% online.
- Self-paced, on demand, available 24/7 on any device.
- 2-year access to all materials.
- Enjoy the best online learning platform for video education.
Videos with captions, searchable transcripts and speed controls.
- No formal prerequisite.
Recommended to start: Training certification, FBA Certification and work experience. - No renewal requirement nor cost.
- Unlimited quiz retakes at no extra cost!
Final quiz: Open-book format, requires 80% passing grade. No penalty for retaking it.
About FBA Specializations
The professional education to increase your skills and impact. FBA Specializations build on your current certification(s) and field experience to advance your career.
There is no formal prerequisite, although technical certification (such as CPT) and FBA Certification are strongly recommended as a foundation before starting the specialization.
Provide Your Clients a Higher Level of Service
Gain Skills and Confidence in Your Chosen Specialty
Vetted Education from FBA and Top Experts
Increase Your Value as a Trainer to Clients and Clubs
Why FBA?
As the Fitness Business Association, all our education has a focus on developing the skills for long-term success in the fitness industry. Our programs have the dual purpose of making you a confident and skillful practitioner in fitness, and to empower you with the tools and practices to succeed in your career or business.
FBA is the parent company of the SUCCEED! Virtual Conference, the largest and highest rated virtual conference in the fitness industry. With the backing of over 100 industry brands and major certifying organizations, FBA and SUCCEED! have served world-class video education to tens of thousands of fitness professionals.
The FBA Specializations take advantage of 1000+ hours of video education content in the FBA catalog, delivered by 300+ expert presenters. Each Specialization is designed by conducting an expert panel review of our education catalog to select the best and most impactful education for your career success.
Learning Support & Accountability
Support and accountability are important components of an online self-paced education program. FBA provides various tools to help learners solve questions, and stay engaged to complete the program successfully.
Here are easy ways to get support when pursuing an FBA Specialization or Seminar:
- Specialization Library
A powerful library of select FBA and SUCCEED! resources, FREE for learners in the specialization and seminar programs. - SUCCEED! Events and Conferences
Attend any of the several SUCCEED! events each year to participate in education, ask questions and exchange ideas with peers and experts. - FBA Education Support Team
If you ever struggle with a topic and need additional resources, don't hesitate to contact FBA support. Our support team is empowered to provide additional resources to learners from the vast FBA library of videos, articles and guides.
Use these accountability tools to keep you on track:
- Periodic Check-ins
The FBA Education Support Team will check in periodically to answer any questions. - Online Learning Success Tips and Self-Paced Calendar
You can learn your own way, or rely on the online success plan provided by FBA. We can help you plan your weekly schedule to find time to study and stay on track with your skill development.
Education in the Fit Pro Advanced Practitioner Specialization
Video education from selected sessions recorded at SUCCEED! events.
Clients are arguably one of the most important factors in starting and sustaining a successful Health and Fitness business. Without clients—especially those who return to hire you again and again—your business would be non-existent.
The creator of Fitness Integrated Science™, Lauren Eirk, has spent her life teaching and studying in the health, fitness, and yoga communities, learning from some of the top minds of our time. She has worked in the health education field for over 30 years.
Lauren is a Mastery Level Muscle Activation Techniques™ Certified Specialist and MATRx Certified Full-Body Specialist Full Body, making her one of 57 MATRx world-wide leading experts in the treatment of muscular imbalances. Lauren is an International Continuing Education Provider with an established personal training business since 2006 plus three decades as a certified group fitness instructor and manager. She is the creator of Yoga with Resist-A-Ball®, a former Resist-A-Ball® and FiTour® Master Trainer and the recipient of the ECA OBOW Award 2007 “Most Mindful Program”.
Lauren’s work has been featured in such magazines as Yoga Journal®, Self®, IDEA® Fitness Journal, American Fitness Magazine, ACE Fitness Magazine, American Fitness Magazine, Fitness First Quarterly Magazine, AKWA Aquatic Exercise Magazine, Business First, Natural Awakenings, and New Woman Magazine. Lauren has presented for such fitness-health organizations and education conferences as IDEA World, IDEA Personal Trainer, Inner IDEA, FACTfest, AFPA, DCAC Fitness, SUCCEED! Conference, ACSM Fitness Summit, AEA/ IAFC, ECA World Fitness, Can-FIT Pro, Fit in the City®, Fitour®, Resist-A-Ball®, and Sarah’s City Workout®
How do you find that sweet spot in the first few workouts where the client is challenged but not crushed during the workout? This session will help you better understand where to start when writing a workout for a new client at any level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced.
Kinsey Mahaffey is a Master Trainer and Master Instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. As an experienced trainer, she is passionate about using her knowledge in fitness, health promotion, and behavioral science to help her clients reach their health and fitness goals. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health from the University of Houston, and a master’s degree in health promotion and behavioral sciences from UT-Houston. Certifications: NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS, ACE-Health Coach
Join Jenna as she discusses simple, in-session teaching strategies that encourage your client's decision-making, personalization, and implementation in their workouts outside of the session.
Jenna is a dynamic leader who offers education for your brain, body and business through professional coaching, movement experiences, writing, and speaking. The balanced alignment of this trifecta is the platform from which Jenna helps hundreds of fitness and wellness professionals access mindset shifts, physical resiliency and empowered individuality in their business practices.
Jenna is a seasoned Pilates Teacher Educator, a Small Business Coach, and a Certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She has evolved her small business from a multi-purpose movement center to an online educational hub and support system for wellness pros. Motivated by her own personal recovery from professional burnout, Jenna hosts online support programs, tours internationally with her speaking and coaching courses and hosts her wildly popular podcasts, Pilates Unfiltered™ and Moving.
Your Key to Retention is based on developing and mastering a set of guidelines and practices that will help you retain your clients longer and grow your business.
Bryant Sharifi is the co-founder of Perform for Life in San Francisco, CA. A seven-figure fitness studio that is at the forefront of the fitness industry by fostering opportunities for trainers to build their professional careers. After graduating with a Kinesiology Degree, Bryant began his career as a Certified Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He quickly found that the industry had not regulated qualifications and its values were not aligned with his own - sales were celebrated over service and knowledge.
After being immersed in the corporate box gym mentality for several years, he decided enough was enough. He followed his own path and began to create Perform For Life with his wife, Justine Sharifi.
In Bryant's own words..."I believe that the fitness industry has a responsibility for trainers and coaches to have proper credentials and continue their education regularly along with building authentic relationships. Through my leadership, my goal is to mentor a new generation of trainers and coaches who will bring outstanding professionalism to the industry."
Enhance your programming skills by learning key considerations when designing a proper strength training program for your clientele. From needs analysis to program layout and exercise selection. You will learn how to progress and individualize for client sucess.
Tasha is a 20 year professional in the fitness industry and currently is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Facility Manager, and Personal Trainer Mentor at PRO Sports Club near Seattle, WA where she has been awarded multiple times, Coach and Trainer of the year.
Additionally, she is a Master Instructor for the Pain-free Performance Certification Course where she leads and instructs on Program Design, Advanced Training Protocols, Movement Quality, Mastery and Strategy to keep people pain-free and progressing toward their goals. Tasha holds multiple degrees including Anthropology, Archaeology, Exercise Science, and Dance. Tasha also competes at an elite level in Powerlifting and Strongman.
In this presentation, we’ll cover how to assess a client’s nutrition foundation and lifestyle to clarify their expectations. From there, we’ll discuss how helping clients’ awareness will help them achieve lasting, more meaningful change.
Gianna Masi, RDN, CISSN is the Manager of Nutrition Education & Innovation at Stronger U Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian and personal trainer in NY/CT. She is the founder of Gritty Nutrition, LLC and previously worked with the NY Rangers and NY Knicks.
She loves working with general population clients and youth through retired athletes. Gianna’s goal is to be accessible and practical in her approach and elevate her client’s awareness. Her mantra is: “With good basics comes endless options.”
In this mental performance talk, you will learn a few key strategies that can be easily implemented in all client programs to help them succeed not only physically, but mentally and emotionally.
Tasha is a 20 year professional in the fitness industry and currently is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Facility Manager, and Personal Trainer Mentor at PRO Sports Club near Seattle, WA where she has been awarded multiple times, Coach and Trainer of the year.
Additionally, she is a Master Instructor for the Pain-free Performance Certification Course where she leads and instructs on Program Design, Advanced Training Protocols, Movement Quality, Mastery and Strategy to keep people pain-free and progressing toward their goals. Tasha holds multiple degrees including Anthropology, Archaeology, Exercise Science, and Dance. Tasha also competes at an elite level in Powerlifting and Strongman.
You’ve worked so hard on getting your client in and signed up using your marketing and sales systems. Now its time to shine and continue to grow that clientele. There is a direct correlation of results-driven programs and personality.
Annie Malaythong is the owner of Fitness Studio 108 in Atlanta, GA, and international presenter on fitness related topics, tv personality, mom and NASM Master Instructor.
As a former collegiate pole-vaulter that worked through two knee surgeries and competed at the Division I collegiate level for Boise State University and California State University, Fresno, Annie is known for “raising the bar” in everything she does in her personal and professional life.
Annie's educational background and experiences working in Physical Therapy, leading teams in a corporate gym setting earlier in her career and having her own Personal Training Studio (Fitness Studio 108) has led her to become a Master Instructor for The National Academy of Sports Medicine, International Speaker and Presenter on Fitness Education, Nationally certified personal trainer, Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach, TV Personality and most importantly Mother and Wife.
She is the Founder and President of Fitness Studio 108 and opened her first fitness studio in 2009 in Fresno, CA and at the height of the Great Recession in the United States. After leaving her beloved position of managing fitness teams at Gold’s Gym Fresno, California, (where she single handedly was responsible for the development of a personal training department that increased revenue by tenfold within 1 year), Annie has proven time and time again that she is dedicated to educating and inspiring current and aspiring career personal trainers to be successful.
She has also presented fitness business workshops for Net Profit Explosion (Fitness Business Coaching), selected as a head coach for Everlast Boxing as a F.I.T Master Instructor/Head Coach and was selected as a reoccurring personal trainer on a popular television show on MTV called “I Used To Be Fat” where she was responsible for developing nutrition and fitness plan and coaching on and off screen for teens looking to lose 80 to 100lbs in 3 months on television.
With her experience and love for the industry, Annie continues to be sought out by various fitness companies for her expertise to teach, present or contribute content.
Annie is actively still the owner of Fitness Studio 108 in Atlanta, Georgia and a Master instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is also a mom of 4, a wife and dedicated practitioner of MuayThai and all things wellness.
To see Annie's full bio- please visit www.FitnessStudio108.com
You will learn the most important steps to take to customize and individualize fitness programs. You will also learn how to follow a periodized and undulating approach for individual and group training based on the OPT model.
Michael is a certified and accredited personal trainer and nutritionist who has helped hundreds of clients reach their health and fitness goals. Michael is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Health Science and finishing his MBA.
He received a Master’s of Science in Exercise Science & Health Promotion and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology & Psychology. He currently holds several nationally recognized personal training certifications through accredited organizations such as NASM, NCSF, PFIT, NFPT, NSCA, CrossFit, FMS, TRX, USAW, Cooper, and ISSA.
He also has seven advanced specializations in nutrition, PEMF, corrective exercise, performance enhancement training, rehabilitative exercise training, physical therapy, and strength and conditioning.
In this session, we will discuss key demographic markets and the services that attract them. Further, we will elaborate on how to implement new ancillary services that support these needs, and a new revenue stream. And we’ll review success stories of real clubs who have implemented these services.
Lauren Shroyer has been working with athletes for almost 20 years. In her practice today, Lauren specializes in the rehabilitative exercise of athletes with chronic overuse injuries, helping athletes of all ages return to the sport & activity they love.
In addition to her NATA-BOC certification, Lauren has a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from Illinois State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois.
In this session, you will learn why aerobic programming is so important and how to design a cardiorespiratory program to help your clients get lasting results.
Michael is a certified and accredited personal trainer and nutritionist who has helped hundreds of clients reach their health and fitness goals. Michael is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Health Science and finishing his MBA.
He received a Master’s of Science in Exercise Science & Health Promotion and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology & Psychology. He currently holds several nationally recognized personal training certifications through accredited organizations such as NASM, NCSF, PFIT, NFPT, NSCA, CrossFit, FMS, TRX, USAW, Cooper, and ISSA.
He also has seven advanced specializations in nutrition, PEMF, corrective exercise, performance enhancement training, rehabilitative exercise training, physical therapy, and strength and conditioning.
Learn to thoughtfully and thoroughly design any strength program to meet your clients where they're at, progress them appropriately, and understand how to pick the right movements and exercise to safely achieve their goals.
Dan Stephenson is a highly sought-after Strength Coach and Mentor in the PNW and beyond. Dan has over 16 years of coaching experience and has spent the last 9 years at PRO Club in Redmond, WA where he is the Lead Personal Trainer Mentor.
Dan has received multiple awards at PRO Club including Personal Trainer of the Year in 2019 and Performance Coach of the year in 2020. Dan is a competitive powerlifter, competing for more than a decade, and has competed on multiple world championship stages placing 2nd in his weight class and breaking both state and national records.
Dan is known for his intelligent and thorough programming abilities, designing many results driven programs for all training populations. Dan’s programming skills and knowledge have earned him many speaking and presenting opportunities to help educate hundreds of fitness professionals better their own coaching and programming skillsets. Furthermore, Dan is a Master Instructor for the Pain-free Performance Specialist Certification Course helping to spread knowledge and education across the world.
To create drastic, lasting changes for a client, a trainer must provide a holistic, lifestyle-based training package that includes in-person sessions, homework, and habit coaching. Expanded services allow the trainer to increase their sphere of influence beyond the gym walls and will help their clients reach their goals faster.
Gini is the Director of Fitness Product for VASA Fitness. She is known for creating cutting-edge programming and introducing approachable, results-driven fitness concepts. She enjoys any opportunity to empower the next generation of fitness professionals and is passionate about furthering their education and expertise to provide opportunities for development and career advancement.
Gini earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise & Sport Science and a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, and was an accomplished Division I and professional basketball player.
In this session, you will learn what happens when you demonstrate poor posture and how to train a client with muscle imbalances or postural deviances. You will discover why we have developed evolutionary mismatches and how to avoid them.
Michael is a certified and accredited personal trainer and nutritionist who has helped hundreds of clients reach their health and fitness goals. Michael is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Health Science and finishing his MBA.
He received a Master’s of Science in Exercise Science & Health Promotion and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology & Psychology. He currently holds several nationally recognized personal training certifications through accredited organizations such as NASM, NCSF, PFIT, NFPT, NSCA, CrossFit, FMS, TRX, USAW, Cooper, and ISSA.
He also has seven advanced specializations in nutrition, PEMF, corrective exercise, performance enhancement training, rehabilitative exercise training, physical therapy, and strength and conditioning.
In this session, Robert will deliver seven strategies that will assist you in your efforts to work with the older adult. From proper movement mechanics and physical limitations to fall prevention and cognitive development, there are several areas of education that personal trainers will want to make sure they are well versed in to deliver a high-quality product to their customers.
Robert Linkul is the owner of TOA (TrainingTheOlderAdult.com) a personal training studio and online continued education provider for fitness professionals in Shingle Springs, California.
Robert is an internationally known continued education provider for fitness professionals with his area of expertise being in resistance training strategies for the Older Adult with physical limitations and/or decreased quality of life.
Linkul has his master’s degree in personal training, is the NSCAs 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year award winner, a 2017 NSCA Fellowship inductee and was voted on to the 2021 NSCA Board of Directors (Personal Trainer Position).
Learn to understand the power of bringing intention to your training and programming and how this change positively affects your athletes. If someone does get injured, understand how the movement that created the injury. Don't just focus on the injury itself. And finally, understand the differences between elasticity and flexibility and what that means for your clients' everyday success.
Michael Hughes is the founder of Gymnazo, a 7-figure functional training facility located on the Central Coast of California that focuses on integrating restoration with performance in a variety of services. In 2019 Gymnazo was ranked in the top 5% of American like-sized gyms for revenue. With a churn rate of under 3%, being able to retain over 80% of his clientele during the pandemic, Gymnazo’s business model and training style have created security in a volatile market.
In 2020, Michael founded Gymnazo Edu to share his formula for success with the training community. The core program of Gymnazo EDU is the coach certification program called Multi-Dimensional Movement Coach (MDMC). This certification program, approved for a variety of CEU’s, teaches personal trainers and fitness business owners how to program, coordinate a high-quality customer experience, tailor motivation, and correction to a client’s communication style and modify for a variety of common movement dysfunctions.
FBA Education FAQs
Are there any prerequisites before I purchase this education program?
There are no formal prerequisites for adults pursuing FBA education.
Please keep in mind that FBA education like FBA Certification, FBA Specializations and Seminars is designed around the needs of fitness professionals working in the industry. Therefore, FBA education is tailored to fitpros that are already certified for training through a technical certification like CPT or GFI, and have some work experience. Learners that are not currently certified might struggle with the depth and complexity of the topics covered.
As a reminder, fitpros that are certified through a technical certification should be at least 18 years of age, be current with their technical and first-aid certifications, and be familiar with the appropriate scope of practice pertaining to their certification.
How long does it take to complete the education program?
All education becomes available on-demand when you start the program. Programs that lead to a certificate of completion such as Specializations and Seminars will consist of video education, and completed with knowledge checks and multiple-choice quiz(s).
Most Specializations are intended to be completed in about 3 weeks, and Seminars in about 1 week. However, you are welcome to take your time, or pursue faster progress at your convenience.
How is the program completed?
When pursuing a certificate of completion, after watching all videos make sure to complete any applicable knowledge checks and module quizzes. Follow instructions on the page that will show you which education elements are not yet completed. After all requirements are met, you'll see the option to submit a request for audit and be granted your certificate.
How can I retake a quiz or knowledge check?
There are no penalties for retaking any mandatory education elements. If you fail a quiz or knowledge check, take time to review your notes and the education content, and then simply follow the instructions on the page to start a new attempt.
Will this program expand my scope of practice for training clients?
FBA education is intended to increase your skills and effectiveness as a fitness practitioner, while respecting your current technical scope of practice.