ISSA CPT Review 2024

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) has exploded in popularity, primarily due to aggressive marketing and a unique testing structure: an open-book, non-proctored final exam.

The NCCA Catch (Crucial)

By default, the standard ISSA exam is not NCCA accredited. Because it is unproctored and open-book, it cannot meet NCCA standards.

To get NCCA accreditation with ISSA (which many gyms require), you must take the NCBC (NCCA-Accredited) exam. This version is closed-book, heavily proctored, and has a significantly lower pass rate.

Curriculum Strengths

Business Acumen: ISSA spends significantly more time teaching you how to get clients and market yourself than NASM or ACE.
Special Populations: Excellent sections on training clients with chronic conditions.

Should you choose ISSA?

If you plan to be an independent or online coach where gym mandates don't matter, ISSA is an excellent choice for its business focus. If you want to work at Equinox, stick to NASM or take the ISSA NCBC proctored option.