Awesome thread JohnShade. This really helped give me an understanding of both the test, and an example of how someone might use it afterwards.
John, thanks for the perspective :). It’s invaluable. I kinda figured it was Eric’s place but I didn’t want to ask lol. I’ve seen him in a couple conferences, the fastest presenter ever. But he’s a freaking encyclopedia and I loved every single second of it. I just need to remember to get a voice recorder because my pen can never keep up.
Glad it’s helped. I think wrt the internship, there are a number of ways to do that. You don’t have to go all in the way I did. My experience was incredible and as aragorn mentioned, I got 5 months of learning from the best but not everyone’s life circumstances line up that way.
I would also say that for me personally coming from another field, that I really benefited from working as a standard personal trainer for a while BEFORE doing the internship to just to learn my chops and get comfortable with clients. Other options might be looking to work with a local professional team for free to get experience and learn the ropes etc.
Let me also add this: you may find that working with athletes, while sexier on paper, may not be your cup of tea. Many of these athletes are so close to their genetic potential that it can amount to simple injury prevention/rehab type protocols. essentially you can play around the margins but you’re most likely not going to see the life transformation rewards you would with a standard GPP client. Just something to consider.
That said, my skills and understanding of corrective, functional anatomy, biomechanics, power development…and how to run a business etc were all GREATLY enhanced by my experience there. It was an incredible experience and save for the driving and finanacial challenge I only have postive things to say about it.
Eric is an innovator and it really helped to be around someone like that for a whole host or reasons.
Glad this thread is still alive, all questions about the CSCS are welcome.
So I’m getting ready to take my CSCS exam in a couple of weeks and was wondering if all the chapters in the book are included in the exam. Specifically chapters 7, 8, and 9 which are the age and sex differences, psychology of athletes, and performance enhancing substance chapters.
I’ve skipped over these chapters my second time through of the book and haven’t taken detailed notes like I have in the rest of the chapters. If these chapters are on the test would a quick read through to refresh be sufficient or should I go through in great detail like I have for the rest of the book.
Thanks for all the great info about the test by the way. This was definitely the most helpful post when trying to see what the actual test is going to be like since I’ve been kind of intimidated since everyone seems to say that it is the hardest test they’ve ever taken and the very low, I think mid 50’s, pass rate.
[quote]crazytri wrote:
So I’m getting ready to take my CSCS exam in a couple of weeks and was wondering if all the chapters in the book are included in the exam. Specifically chapters 7, 8, and 9 which are the age and sex differences, psychology of athletes, and performance enhancing substance chapters.
I’ve skipped over these chapters my second time through of the book and haven’t taken detailed notes like I have in the rest of the chapters. If these chapters are on the test would a quick read through to refresh be sufficient or should I go through in great detail like I have for the rest of the book.
Thanks for all the great info about the test by the way. This was definitely the most helpful post when trying to see what the actual test is going to be like since I’ve been kind of intimidated since everyone seems to say that it is the hardest test they’ve ever taken and the very low, I think mid 50’s, pass rate.[/quote]
Crazy, Absolutely do not ignore those sections. PEDs especially had lots of questions. You really need to have that stuff down cold and I dont mean in a common sense way…I mean memorize the specifics. I think I had two or three question that asked about EPO specifically. Same with the age difference stuff, though that is more common sense.
I had maybe one or two psychology questions. Many people say that chapter is the least represented on the test and I would agree…but there is no chapter that I would ignore.
Also, make sure you take the practice exams and the do the chapter quizes. You will get a sense of how the nsca asks questions. You need to first remove the answers you know are wrong and then take it from there.
Anything else I can help with, let me know
[quote]JohnShade wrote:
[quote]crazytri wrote:
So I’m getting ready to take my CSCS exam in a couple of weeks and was wondering if all the chapters in the book are included in the exam. Specifically chapters 7, 8, and 9 which are the age and sex differences, psychology of athletes, and performance enhancing substance chapters.
I’ve skipped over these chapters my second time through of the book and haven’t taken detailed notes like I have in the rest of the chapters. If these chapters are on the test would a quick read through to refresh be sufficient or should I go through in great detail like I have for the rest of the book.
Thanks for all the great info about the test by the way. This was definitely the most helpful post when trying to see what the actual test is going to be like since I’ve been kind of intimidated since everyone seems to say that it is the hardest test they’ve ever taken and the very low, I think mid 50’s, pass rate.[/quote]
Crazy, Absolutely do not ignore those sections. PEDs especially had lots of questions. You really need to have that stuff down cold and I dont mean in a common sense way…I mean memorize the specifics. I think I had two or three question that asked about EPO specifically. Same with the age difference stuff, though that is more common sense.
I had maybe one or two psychology questions. Many people say that chapter is the least represented on the test and I would agree…but there is no chapter that I would ignore.
Also, make sure you take the practice exams and the do the chapter quizes. You will get a sense of how the nsca asks questions. You need to first remove the answers you know are wrong and then take it from there.
Anything else I can help with, let me know[/quote]
Thanks. I’ll definitely go back over those chapters and make sure I know everything. I’m not going to take any practice tests but I think I have a good handle on how that questions will be asked. I am am very adaptable too so I’m not to worried about how the questions are asked, just that I know what I need to and can remember all their nutrition crap which I don’t believe in.
Just know the book. The chapter quizzes will give you an indication of the questioning style so if you find those easy and manageable then you’ll be fine. The test questions are just harder and more in depth versions of those.
Remember to that you never know which version you may get. For example I didnt have hardly any questions about heart rate testing and Ive heard others having tons of those.
Wrt nutrtion I also remember having to know exact amounts for post workout replenishment of fluids etc. earing disorder stuff …
John, thanks so much for posting this, and keeping up with the thread. Congrats on getting to work with Eric! I have him to thank for really getting me interested in Exercise Science and corrective exercise. The second “program” I ever did was Maximum Strength, there is even a log on here I did about it.
I am planning on taking the CSCS in a couple of weeks, and was curious what people were doing to prepare. I have a B.S. in exercise science so I bought the volume 1 practice exam to see how I do and what other learning materials I should buy to help me pass. The NSCA has also started doing exam prep symposiums, do you know anyone who has attended one?
Again, congrats on passing the exam, and scoring a bad ass internship.
[quote]armygrunt82 wrote:
John, thanks so much for posting this, and keeping up with the thread. Congrats on getting to work with Eric! I have him to thank for really getting me interested in Exercise Science and corrective exercise. The second “program” I ever did was Maximum Strength, there is even a log on here I did about it.
I am planning on taking the CSCS in a couple of weeks, and was curious what people were doing to prepare. I have a B.S. in exercise science so I bought the volume 1 practice exam to see how I do and what other learning materials I should buy to help me pass. The NSCA has also started doing exam prep symposiums, do you know anyone who has attended one?
Again, congrats on passing the exam, and scoring a bad ass internship. [/quote]
armygrunt82,
If you have a BS, you’re going to be fine. You still have to know the book though. Even, with a degree, the NSCA has its own view on things. Definitely try the practice exams and see how you do. I really think that piece was as important for me as the book studying…and if for some reason you dont feel prepared then you can always pay the small fee and reschedule. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
I’d also like to encourage any cscs’s out there to share there own experiences on the test. This is an open discussion and the more insight the better IMO
I have the 3rd edition book and I am looking to take the exam next august after I graduate from college and my college baseball career is complete. Im looking to open my warehouse gym and I feel that having the CSCS next to my name will help draw me more athletes. I constantly seek out new information and have great resources that I read from (Cressey, Wichlinski, and DeFranco). The main reason im entering the strength business is because I am passionate about training and I believe if an athlete is on a good training program, it gives them the best shot to excel in their sport. Also, like a lot of guys out there, I didn’t know what I was doing in the past and ive learned a lot and I want to give back to my community and see kids excel in sports. When I pass this exam, I plan on attending seminars and I also want to get certified in teaching Olympic lifts (USA Weightlifting Cert.) and I want to hone down on my kettlebell technique. I want to be the best there is in sports performance enhancement training in Virginia Beach and knowledge and hardwork will allow me to excel.
I have well over a year to prepare. I am just reading through the book right now. I know the first time around, I wont comprehend a lot. Then I was going to read through it again with a highlighter and make flashcards with the vocab. I am also going to purchase the study materials and continuously take them.
Do you recommend anything else I can do?
Thanks
[quote]Chasekyriacou19 wrote:
I have the 3rd edition book and I am looking to take the exam next august after I graduate from college and my college baseball career is complete. Im looking to open my warehouse gym and I feel that having the CSCS next to my name will help draw me more athletes. I constantly seek out new information and have great resources that I read from (Cressey, Wichlinski, and DeFranco). The main reason im entering the strength business is because I am passionate about training and I believe if an athlete is on a good training program, it gives them the best shot to excel in their sport. Also, like a lot of guys out there, I didn’t know what I was doing in the past and ive learned a lot and I want to give back to my community and see kids excel in sports. When I pass this exam, I plan on attending seminars and I also want to get certified in teaching Olympic lifts (USA Weightlifting Cert.) and I want to hone down on my kettlebell technique. I want to be the best there is in sports performance enhancement training in Virginia Beach and knowledge and hardwork will allow me to excel.
I have well over a year to prepare. I am just reading through the book right now. I know the first time around, I wont comprehend a lot. Then I was going to read through it again with a highlighter and make flashcards with the vocab. I am also going to purchase the study materials and continuously take them.
Do you recommend anything else I can do?
Thanks [/quote]
If you want to open your own place eventually and work with athletes then getting the CSCS will help. That said, getting the CSCS will not prepare for the realities of running that business or how to handle the intricacies of training a wide range of clients. To that end, I have the following suggestions:
1.If you have time, get a part time job training people now. Or if you at a school volunteer your time in the weight room. I can’t emphasize this enough if you haven’t done it already. The CSCS is “the bare minimum” required to get into the industry. It won’t mean at ton to clients, more likely prospective employers. That said, its worth the money for sure.
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As far as the test itself. I would just casually continue to work through the book. Read through once. Then slowly reread each chapter for deeper comprehension when you’re done. Brush up on anatomy and biomechanics.
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Other than the book? I’d say skip the DVDs and the Seminars(waste of money) Just have the book, the practice exams and the exam prep booklet. Thats it really. Take all the chapter tests and the practice exams and then mark any questions you either got wrong or that you got right but don’t know why exactly, then go back and brush up.
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Lastly re the warehouse space. I think thats a great goal. I can tell you, and this is directly from Cressey himself, the biggest mistake gym owners make is tey buy/rent too large a space at first and then try to fill it. If money is no object, then fine, but all the suggestions I’ve heard are to start modest and small, build a reputation and client base AND THEN slowly grow into a new space.
Well I took my CSCS exam and I am happy to say that I passed. I’m sure glad that I found this post since it definitely gave me a little bit of an idea on what to expect for the test.
I took my CSCS over 10 years ago. A great certification to have and I’ve never regretted it. Having those letters after your name will open many doors for you.
At the time, I was finishing my BS in Kinesiology. Obviously, much of that knowledge helped with my test prep.
With that said, I would still only recommend purchasing the book (Essentials) and nothing else. If you know the book, you will pass…simple as that. However, you must read (and retain) the majority of the book and it’s principles. I read a chapter or two every 1-2 days, thus completing my reading in about a month. Don’t skip any chapters. I still vividly remember a question on how high mirrors should be from the floor in a gym setting from the end of the book lol…glad I read it! Best of luck
crazytri, congrats!
[quote]crazytri wrote:
Well I took my CSCS exam and I am happy to say that I passed. I’m sure glad that I found this post since it definitely gave me a little bit of an idea on what to expect for the test.[/quote]
Congrats crazytri, I’m glad the thread helped you. Let us know what you decide to do next?
[quote]crazytri wrote:
Well I took my CSCS exam and I am happy to say that I passed. I’m sure glad that I found this post since it definitely gave me a little bit of an idea on what to expect for the test.[/quote]
Crazytri or any of the others who have recently taken the exam:
If you have the time, write down some of your immediate impressions on the exam itself. Would probably help future test-takers to have multiple perspectives.
Well I’m actually going on to grad school so that I can get some hands on experience training athletes. I will be an assistant strength coach at the school I am going to the first year to start gaining some experience. I hope to be able to land an internship somewhere with a proven strength coach that has a history successfully training elite athletes. Also I would like to see if I can get an internship at the USOC in Colorado Springs next summer with their strength program.
Thoughts about the exam:
Well I completed my BS in exercise science a couple of months before I took the test so I already had a background in the science section. This came in handy in the test and I didn’t think this section was too bad since it was basically a watered down version of my undergrad. Just know how the body works and how it responds to exercise. The second part of the test, the applied section, was a whole different story. In school, my courses never actually really taught how to train athletes so this was a bit tougher. But like most people that take this test I do have a lot of personal experience with strength training programs so it wasn’t too bad.
The second part test itself was pretty tricky. When correcting exercise form and technique it was hard to pick a definite answer because their was almost always more than one thing wrong with the technique being shown. What I did was pick the most important aspect to the exercise and stick with it. Also don’t second guess yourself in this section because your initial gut instinct is probably going to be right. And if the form looks right it probably is, don’t over think it. Also you only get to view the videos in this section once so pay attention.
As for the rest of the test know the book. And when we all say this we mean know the rep ranges, % weight, number of sets and so on for different training goals. If you got these down you’ll be good. Questions that ask about what area the athlete should improve in or how to improve a certain area, just think about what type of athlete they are and what traits are the most crucial for their position and sport. I think if you have read the book once and then go through it again writing down only the most important aspects, which is what I did, and you should be fine. I also temporarily blocked out all other forms of training that I have read about and personally use and focused solely on what the NSCA has in the book.
What you don’t need to know/have memorized: I had 1 question on the entire test about psych so don’t stress out about that chapter at all. All of the norms for different athletes and estimating 1 rm don’t worry about memorizing. If your going to stress over certain sections like I was make it section 3 and 4 or chapters 13-19.
As for what material you absolutely need, the book itself will suffice. All I had was the book. I didn’t buy or take any of the practice exams, symposium, or anything else. As long as you know the book you will be fine. But I was very confident in my background and the things that I already knew from experience, so you may feel you need these extra materials and I’m sure they do help, but they aren’t required.
If you have studied enough and know the material you should be able to pass. Just don’t over think questions, get up and perform the exercise and movements if you need to (it only helps), and trust in yourself and you’ll be fine.
Just wanted to thank you guys for this thread/info. Planning on taking the exam in a month myself.
Was wondering how much Anatomy was on the exam? Coming at this w/ no background>self-taught. Ended up buying STRENGTH TRAINING ANATOMY by Delavier. Great book. Really glad I got it and highly recommend it to anyone as a primary reference or just to add to their library.
Finally to add to everyone else’s great advice mine would be really have a firm grasp of the info/concepts in CH.1-6 before moving ahead, those Chapters are the foundation for the rest of the book.
[quote]surfer_dude wrote:
Just wanted to thank you guys for this thread/info. Planning on taking the exam in a month myself.
Was wondering how much Anatomy was on the exam? Coming at this w/ no background>self-taught. Ended up buying STRENGTH TRAINING ANATOMY by Delavier. Great book. Really glad I got it and highly recommend it to anyone as a primary reference or just to add to their library.
Finally to add to everyone else’s great advice mine would be really have a firm grasp of the info/concepts in CH.1-6 before moving ahead, those Chapters are the foundation for the rest of the book.
[/quote]
Surfer,
Glad it helped. When you’re done with the test come back and add your observations. As far as anatomy for those of us that don’t have degrees in the field, I’d say just be confident with major muscles. you’re not going to get asked super specific details on the rotator cuff or anything like that but if you don’t know where most of the basics are and what they do biomechanically you’ll get stuck in certain areas. Could cost a few questions. That is the only area that I went off on my own to study. Well that and I did a quick tutorial of muscle anatomy b/c I thought the way the book explained it was bunk.
I would agree that that the first section gives you the foundations without a doubt. I did spend more time on those than any other but I didn’t approach it the same way. I went through the book once with a highlighter all the way through. Then I studied much more closely. I wanted to plant the seed of the information first.
Hi John,
Thanks for the suggestions, I am thinking about sitting CSCS exam.
Would you mind having a Skype chat? I wanted to send you PM, but I don’t have permission.