How I passed the CSCS Exam

For the sake of utlity I'm going to write this in a very blunt manor

So, you want to be a strength and conditioning coach, eh? Well, once you've managed to make it through pretty much everyone (rightly so) telling you this is a terrible idea, the CSCS exam will rear it's ugly, arbitrary, meaningless head. If you're like me and you love coaching because of the actual coaching reps and not because of the clerical work and study associated with the job, this may seem like a monumental undertaking. The NSCA's Essentials of Strength and Conditiong (the book on which the exam is based) is 500+ pages, 26 chapters, and although it actually is a worthwhile textbook, it doesn't exactly read like your favorite 20th century author's seminal work. This can seem like a sizable roadblock, although, like most barriers in life, it's a problem we've put in front of ourselves and made to seem much larger than it actually is. So, with that being said, here's a few tools that should get you through it.

Studying takes time (duh). Let's assume you've never touched a dumbbell or seen a Crunch Fitness in your life. Expected time to learn what you need to pass the CSCS exam: about one year. Now, realistically if you're reading this it's not too late; you are/were an athlete, you're coaching at least part time, maybe you even studied exercise science or somesuch at the higher education level. In that case, for someone who has some prep already built into their life, if you crack open Essentials for the first time today you can probably pass the CSCS exam in about 90 to 120 days. I took the exam the autumn after I graduated from Springfield College with a B.S. in applied exercise science; I studied moderately hard for about 90 days and surrounded myself with great coaches. By the time I took the exam, I was more nervous about having to pay more money for a retest than taking the test itself. I passed with flying colors not because I'm smart (spoiler alert: most S&C's probably aren't geniuses) but because I'm disciplined.

If you want to skip the rest of this article, go here to see a folder on my google drive. The folder has the following:

My study plan that worked well for me and will likely work for most people regardless of experience
Notes that I wrote on Essentials chapters 15-17 which are arguable the most important. Use these notes as a sample to see the depth of knowledge needed to pass
A PDF copy of an unnamed textbook that DEFINITELY isn't *cough* Essential *cough* to be bought when it can be found online for free
PowerPoint presentations of Kenney et al.'s Physiology of Sport and Exercise

"But Alec, why are you sharing these materials? What do you get from putting your neck out for other strength coaches? Won't you have more job competition?"

The CSCS can cost up to $475 to take, not to mention potential retakes, textbook costs, and the overall cost of time committed to studying. What's good about that is that it might ward off some folks who are not dedicated to the field or passionate about coaching from sitting for the exam. The problem, however, is that it wards off coaches who are extremely dedicated although lack financial security. About three months ago I started to write an article about the problem with how S&C coaches are recruited and paid; rather than moaning about what's wrong, I think my time is better spent by being apart of the solution. Share these materials and share them widely. The NSCA has enough money; your friend who is working doubles at their local restaurant so they can try and support their dream of becoming an underpaid personal trainer does not. Use these resources, pass them along, and make the field better. I'll direct you to a story about the importance of engendering a great quality of work (that was told to me by a fellow strength coach ironically) as a final way of illustrating the point of why I'm fed up with seeing great coaches getting priced out of the field.

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