American Council on Exercise

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a global leader in health and fitness education and certification, has partnered with Coursera to present the “Intro to Personal Training: A Career Starter Certificate.” 

Equipping health and fitness professionals to support both physical and mental health through practical, evidence-based coaching techniques. 

If you've ever wanted a workout full of moves that target multiple muscles at once, look no further. Called compound exercises, these moves come with plenty of benefits. According to the American Council on Exercise, they improve how efficiently you move, boost your overall coordination, help with flexibility, and get your heart rate up more than exercises where you work one muscle at a time.

According to the American Council on Exercise’s fitness calculator, a 150-pound person will usually burn about 272 calories climbing stairs for 30 minutes, while that same person would burn about 170 calories walking at a “very brisk” pace of 4 miles per hour (that doesn’t factor in an incline, though, so with that, the level of calorie burning is definitely higher).

According to the American Council on Exercise, your resting metabolic rate, a.k.a. your body’s ability to burn calories while sitting on the sofa doing nothing, decreases by about 1 to 2% per decade due to muscle mass loss and increased fat mass. Our diets usually don't change enough to account for this metabolic adjustment, meaning weight can creep up slowly but surely with every birthday.

ACE recently unveiled its 2023-2024 Impact Report, which reflects our commitment to translating the evidence of the benefits of physical activity into tangible action to get people moving.

As people age, they often experience natural changes in their physical abilities—especially in strength, balance and gait, which can impact everything from daily movement to overall independence. New research suggests that training for balance can be one of the most important keys to maintaining health and independence as we age. These findings open up exciting opportunities for health and exercise professionals to prioritize balance in your programming.

Quick-hit workouts and travel workouts are great options when missing time from the gym. Use this resistance band workout to stay on track when lack of time becomes an obstacle.

Fitness trends explored in this blog include fitness trackers, recovery tools, inclusivity and anti-obesity medications. Learn more from the ACE CEO and Scientific Advisory Panel.

Comprehensive course offers essential knowledge and skills for navigating anti-obesity medications and their impact on the health and fitness industry 

Eccentric muscle actions are more likely to cause DOMS, warns Woodward, so you may feel this exercise a day or two later. That said, the American Council for Exercise has consistently ranked the reverse crunch above the traditional crunch for strengthening both the rectus abdominus and the obliques, so the pain truly is worth the gain.

Especially during the busy holiday season, committing to staying active can not only help improve health, but also prepare you for the start of the New Year, according to Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of ACE, the American Council on Exercise.

Starting with proper form is critical to prevent injuries and maximize benefits. Working with a certified personal trainer can be invaluable for beginners. If that’s not an option, consider online resources or instructional videos from reputable fitness organizations like the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Determine how to split up your macros. - To lose weight and gain muscle: 30% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, 40% from carbohydrates, according to Czerwony. - To maintain weight: 10-35% of calories from protein, 20-35% from fat, 45-65% from carbohydrates, according to the American Council on Exercise.

Because CrossFit incorporates advanced movements, people who don't take their progression seriously and attempt to (or are allowed to, by a couch) do too much too soon, have an increased risk for injury, reports the research from the American Council on Exercise.

A study from the American Council on Exercise found that kettlebell training twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes increased aerobic capacity, improved dynamic balance, and dramatically increased core strength after five weeks.

This Q&A covers the wide range of health and fitness careers for moms, from part-time gigs to full-time careers, and discusses tips for getting started and the ways ACE will be there to support you every step of the way.

Walking for weight loss is effective and has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Even a few thousand steps a day can help you shed pounds if you’re consistent. Walking can also help you develop lean muscle, says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise...

Quick-hit workouts and travel workouts are great options when missing time from the gym. Use this suspension trainer workout to stay on track when lack of time becomes an obstacle.

A 150-pound person who jogs for 30 minutes will burn around 238 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise fitness calculator. When I tested out this experiment firsthand, I burned 400 calories on an 11 percent incline in 30 minutes.

Every group fitness instructor undergoes rigorous training so they can program workouts for all fitness levels and abilities and be able to answer questions and make on-the-fly suggestions or corrections for people in their class. For example, every Orangetheory Fitness coach is required to hold training certifications from nationally accredited organizations, like the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Fajardo explains.

Jennifer Rizzuto is a freelance fitness journalist based in New York, NY. She’s been a NASM-certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and performance enhancement specialist for over a decade. She holds additional certifications in nutrition coaching from Precision Nutrition, and pre/post-natal exercise from the American Council on Exercise.

Recently published research looked at health disparities and resilience in Native American communities, suggesting that it’s time to look at these issues through a new lens. Reframing these issues can position you to better serve a long overlooked community.

New research suggests that smiling during conversations plays a significant role in establishing positive interpersonal connections. Learn how understanding the science of smiles can enhance your coaching practice and contribute to client success.

With longevity a strong trend, ACE Fitness is hosting a virtual summit to empower fitness professionals to work with clients towards a longer and healthier life. Taking place on 8 November, the one-day summit will include five sessions focused around how to work with clients to improve their length and quality of life. It will include a panel discussion about the role of exercise in health span and longevity, as well as a deeper dive into how yoga and Pilates can impact healthspan.

Apart from being a low-impact exercise that you can do literally anytime, anywhere, walking can be just as great (if not better!) at spurring weight loss compared to high-intensity boot camps and other balls-to-the-wall workouts, says personal trainer Chris Freytag, CPT, founder of Get Healthy U TV, and board member of the American Council on Exercise.

In addition to the potential to limit hunger, working out at a higher intensity burns more calories as it requires more oxygen, according to the American Council on Exercise. These effects also last after a workout, so you continue burning calories even after ending your exercise.

Quick-hit workouts and travel workouts are great options when traveling or missing time from the gym. Use this body-weight training circuit to stay on track when lack of time becomes an obstacle.

"One of the things that’s inhibited growth in the industry is that we’ve traditionally viewed each other as competitors, as opposed to peers who are trying to achieve the same mission" - Dr. Cedric Bryant, CEO, American Council on Exercise

Pitt, 5'11", got his body fat percentage down to roughly 5% and clocked in around 155 pounds. For context, 18 to 24% body fat for men is considered healthy by the American Council on Exercise.

"Walking 10,000 steps daily will help you feel more focused, sharp and happier—leading to fewer feelings of physical tension, providing both mental and physical benefits," says Rachel MacPherson, CPT, an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews.

Do bodyweight workouts ’count’ as strength training? The answer is a resounding yes. “Bodyweight workouts definitely count as strength training,” says [ACE] certified personal trainer Nicole Thompson, CPT. “Bodyweight exercises can stimulate muscle growth, enhance muscular endurance, and improve overall health.”

Make sure your trainer is well qualified. Cedric Bryant, the president and chief executive of the American Council on Exercise, recommended looking for someone with an accredited certification from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, and confirming their credentials through the searchable database from the Coalition for the Registration of Exercise Professionals.

This Q&A covers longevity and exercise and how to use the topic of longevity to motivate and empower clients. Explore expert insights into the role of exercise in aging and the concept of lifespan vs. healthspan.

While low-intensity exercise typically takes more time to generate results, as the American Council on Exercise points out, it’s still an effective way to train your aerobic system and burn calories.

Squeezing exercise into a busy day can be challenging, but with this 10-minute power dumbbell walking workout you can hit your step count and strength train in one quick session...

Inflammation in the body is a significant health concern that demands a comprehensive approach. As a health and exercise professional, you play a critical role in guiding clients toward reducing inflammation through healthier eating patterns. By understanding the impact of diet on inflammation, addressing socio-demographic disparities, and incorporating practical, holistic strategies, you can help clients lower their risk of chronic diseases and improve their overall well-being.

It can be a challenge to know how to help clients who have experienced an injury, as physical pain and limitations may only be a part of their struggle. Often just as debilitating is the emotional consequence of being unable to pursue their preferred activity of choice. Learn how you can help clients address this common scenario and turn injury-related “time off” into a new training cycle that will help them maintain their physical and emotional fitness.

While you’re going to want to select a trainer certified by an accrediting body like the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE) ... every certified personal trainer has their own niche, says Greaves. (Greaves especially enjoys helping women over 40 gain strength and confidence, for example.)

In observation of Health Literacy Month, ACE created a FREE resource guide for health coaches and exercise professionals to share with their clients. Empower your clients through education.