International Sports Sciences Association

The International Sports Sciences Association is an organization that operates as an education and certification company for fitness trainers, personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, nutritionists, nutrition coaches, aerobic instructors, and medical professionals.

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
Founded1988 (1988)
FounderSal Arria
Frederick Hatfield
TypeFor-profit
FocusCertifications, Training
Location
Area served
Members in 104+ countries[1]
MethodCertifications, technical assistance, trainings and seminars
CEO
Andrew Wyant
Websitewww.issaonline.com

The ISSA offers a general fitness certification course for personal training and ten specialized fitness certification courses, including fitness nutrition, sports nutrition, strength and conditioning, bodybuilding, transformation, exercise therapy, senior fitness and youth fitness. The student obtains the status of “Coach” after completion of two specializations, ”Elite Trainer" after completion of three courses and "Master Trainer" after completion of six courses.

Instruction is based on exercise assessment, nutritional planning, fitness instruction, sports medicine practice, and post-rehabilitation training. The school has enrolled over 300,000 students, both in fitness education and continuing education courses.[2]

History

No official requirements or standards of physical training existed until the fitness boom of the 1980s. The International Sports Sciences Association was founded in 1988, when, "recognizing the need for standardization and credibility, Dr. Sal Arria and Dr. Frederick Hatfield created a personal fitness training program to merge gym experience with practical and applied sciences."[3] In keeping with this standard, the ISSA became a Provisional Affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners in 2004.

The National Board of Fitness Examiners was founded to develop nationally based and uniform standards of practice for personal fitness trainers to be used to administer an NBFE provided written and practical examination followed by registration of those who successfully pass the test process. Under NBFE’s procedure, preparation for the NBFE examination can take several forms and includes training through a number of affiliated organizations who themselves include certifying organizations for fitness professionals,[4] including the ISSA. In 2009, the ISSA became the first fitness organization to earn accreditation by a federally recognized accrediting agency—the Distance Education and Training Council[5][6] (an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation).

As a result, the ISSA was added to the list of GI Jobs' Military Friendly Schools in 2010, being approved by the Department of Defense for the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) to accept U.S. Armed Forces Tuition Assistance and the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Financial Assistance program.[7][8]

Divisions
  • Public Division: no restrictions, open to current students, current members, and the general public.[9]
    • Primary function: to encourage enrollment in ISSA education programs...[and] provide information via articles and links on health and fitness.[9]
  • Education Division: access restricted to students enrolled in ISSA education courses, and ISSA certified members in good standing.[9]
    • Primary function: to provide specialized education in health and fitness.[9]
  • Professional Division: Exam access for ISSA students qualified to sit for final exam, full access for ISSA certified members in good standing.[9]
    • Primary function: To administer final exams, issue certifications, [and] oversee maintenance of professional status.[9]

Accreditation and affiliations

The ISSA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).[10] The DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized agency,[11] is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA),[12] and by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).[13]

ISSA is registered with the Better Business Bureau and has been awarded the highest company rating of A+.[14] The ISSA is approved by the New York Chiropractic College for Postgraduate and Continuing Education.[15] The ISSA is also a Provisional Affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NFBE).[4][16]

Affiliation with U.S. service members

The ISSA is recognized by the Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES) as a Nationally Accredited Distance Learning Program for Military Service Members. It is also approved for Armed Forces Tuition Assistance and Military Spouse Financial Assistance (MyCAA).[17] "The ISSA is also GI Bill approved by the Bureau for Private and Postsecondary Vocational Education (BPPVE) under contract with the Veterans Administration. Active military, veterans, and eligible spouses and dependents can receive reimbursement from the Veterans Administration for testing fees for any ISSA fitness certification courses."[7]

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See also

References
  1. "clubindustry.com ISSA Launches New Certified Personal Trainer Program". clubindustry.com. November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  2. About ISSA
  3. Fitness: The Complete Guide, 8th edition. Hatfield, Frederick C., MSS, PhD. ISSA, Carpinteria, CA; 2007.
  4. "Certification of Fitness Professionals: Separating Myth from Fact." Herbert, David L., J.D., page 2.--Full Article Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ISSA Press Room Article
  6. Consumer Information Disclosure
  7. ISSA Press Room Article
  8. ISSA Press Room Article
  9. ISSA Division Breakdown Page
  10. DETC 2009-2010: Directory of Accredited Institutions. DETC, Washington, DC; June 9, 2009. Link to DETC pdf
  11. USDE Recognized Accrediting Agencies
  12. Council for Higher Education Accreditation
  13. "International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association". Archived from the original on 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  14. Better Business Bureau Company Rating Page
  15. ISSA Affiliates and Recognition
  16. "National Board of Fitness Examiners Affiliate Page". Archived from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  17. ISSA Military Home Page
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