ACSM: Health Fitness Specialist Exam
The American College of Sports Medicine’s Exercise Physiologist (ACSM EP-C) certification is considered by many to be the premier certification in the health and fitness industry.
ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist Scope of Practice
The ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist is a degreed health and fitness professional qualified to pursue a career in university, corporate, commercial, hospital and community settings. The EP-C is skilled in the following:
- Conducting risk stratification.
- Conducting physical fitness assessments and interpreting results.
- Constructing appropriate exercise prescriptions for healthy adults and individuals with controlled conditions released for independent physical activity.
- Motivating apparently healthy individuals with medically controlled diseases to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors.
- Motivating individuals to begin and continue with their healthy behaviors.
About the EP-C Exam
The test consists for 125 questions and has a 3.5-hour time limit. In 2018, the national pass rate for the exam was 72 percent. It is recommended that students study and prep for four to six weeks prior to taking the exam. Since the Liberty Exercise Science Program is accredited our students get a $100 discount on the exam. The exam consists of the following areas:
Competency Area / % of Exam
- Domain I: Health and Fitness Assessment / 30 %
- Domain II: Exercise Prescription, Implementation, and Ongoing Support / 30 %
- Domain III: Exercise Counseling and Behavioral Strategies / 15 %
- Domain IV: Legal/Professional / 10 %
- Domain V: Management / 15 %
Recommended books for the ACSM EP-C exam
- ACSM’s Resources for the Exercise Physiologist, 2nd edition (2018). Wolters Kluwer (ISBN: 978-1496322869)
- ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 10th edition. (2018). Wolters Kluwer. (ISBN: 978-1496339065)
- ACSM’s Certification Review, 5th edition. (2018). Wolters Kluwer (ISBN: 9781496338778)