Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Why is it that most of the authors these days list the NSCA CSCS certification as their first credential?  Especially when they have a masters or PhD in sports science?  I just read Mike's bio http://www.elitetrack.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=99 which is what prompted me to mention this.  I notice the same phenomena with alot of coaches/trainers/articles.

Who the hell cares if you have a CSCS?  I have one and I don't know shyt.  I got it like 4 years ago passing with high marks.  That same year I also failed to produce good results with athletes I worked with.  So really…if you have a masters or PhD who the hell cares if you passed the CSCS  :flaming: ???

I think it's market driven. The CSCS is the only legitimate cross-market (track, strength coaches, football coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, academicians, researchers, etc) certification that exists (outside of perhaps the almost unheard of ACSM certifications). It shows some level of competency to a wide range of people. Also, the health and wellness / strength and performance fields are in love with 'alphabet soup' or placing as many letters behind their name on their business card as possible:

Joe Smith
ATC, LMT, CSCS, ACSM, USAW 1, USATF 1, 2, 3, BSc, MS, PhD, DC, CPT

If you read through any article from an NSCA publication you'll see practically every author do this type of thing.

The funny thing is that as you indicated, the CSCS doesn't really distinguish anyone all that much. Many people don't know this though and many employers demand CSCS certifcation (above all other certs).

I've long said that to really do well on the CSCS exam you either need to limit what you know (because if you know more than average you might answer questions wrong) or know what they want you to answer (even if you know it perhaps isn't the best answer).

Mike said I've long said that to really do well on the CSCS exam you either need to limit what you know (because if you know more than average you might answer questions wrong) or know what they want you to answer (even if you know it perhaps isn't the best answer)."

Unfortunately most exams are like that.  Recently I lectured a basic T&F course and I had to basically give the answers to the athletes because I thought they where wrong - I told the organiser this.