About the American Council
on Exercise (ACE)
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is the largest nonprofit
fitness certification and education provider in the world.
ACE is typically recognized as "America's Authority on
Fitness," and continually sets standards while protecting
the public against unqualified fitness professionals, and
unsafe or ineffective fitness products, programs or trends.
Since the 1985 founding, ACE has certified more than 200,000
health and fitness professionals in the United States, and
77 other countries. ACE certification exams are standardized,
broad-based tests of the knowledge necessary to safely and
effectively instruct one on one, lead group exercise, and
consult on lifestyle and weight-management issues. In addition,
ACE also offers a clinical exercise specialist certification
for fitness professionals who work with clients who have recently
recovered from injury or illness.
In 2003, the ACE was granted accreditation for all of its
certification programs by the National Commission for Certifying
Agencies (NCCA). ACE is one of a few select certifying organizations
in the entire fitness industry whose programs have been accredited.
Median annual earnings of personal trainers and group exercise
instructors in May 2004 were $25,470. The middle 50 percent
earned between $17,380 and $40,030. The bottom 10 percent
earned less than $14,530 while the top 10 percent earned $55,560
or more. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers
can be much higher. Because many fitness workers work part
time, they often do not receive benefits such as health insurance
or retirement plans from their employers. They do get the
unusual benefit of the use of fitness facilities at no cost.
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