National Academy of Sports Medicine

Name

National Academy of Sports Medicine

Legal name

National Academy of Sports Medicine and Athletics & Fitness Association of America

Website

https://nasm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fitness Education and Certification

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual) (HSADAAAA), General Health Coaching (HSADAGAA), Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB), General Nutrition Coaching (HSADAFAA), Health Coaching & Lifestyle Coaching Education (EDAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Fitness certification
• Personal trainer certification
• Continuing education
• Nutrition coaching
• Wellness coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Chandler

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Programs: One-time fees for certification programs including Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Certified Wellness Coach (CWC), Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC), and various specializations. Programs range from essentials bundles to premium all-inclusive packages with varying price points and feature sets.
2. NASM One Subscription: Recurring subscription model offering access to CEU library, discounts on certifications, free specializations, and business tools. Provides recurring revenue through monthly or annual subscription fees.
3. Specializations and CEU Courses: Additional revenue from specialized certifications and continuing education courses including Weight Loss, Performance Enhancement, Corrective Exercise, Senior Fitness, and other niche certifications.
4. Mindful Drinking Course: Individual CEU courses offered at one-time prices (e.g., Mindful Drinking at $49), providing supplementary education revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) is a private fitness education provider founded in 1987 that sells NCCA-accredited personal trainer certifications, advanced credentials (Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Sports Nutrition Coach), more than a dozen specializations (Corrective Exercise, Performance Enhancement, Weight Loss, Senior Fitness, Women's Fitness, etc.), and continuing education courses to aspiring and working fitness professionals worldwide. It also operates proprietary technology platforms—EDGE (trainer/client management app) and ClaireAI (AI-powered virtual mentor)—and the NASM One subscription that bundles CEU library access, discounts, and business tools.

Product overview

NASM offers a comprehensive portfolio of fitness and wellness certification programs, specializations, and technology platforms. The core offering is the NCCA-accredited Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification, which serves as the foundation for the product line. Beyond the CPT, NASM provides advanced certifications including Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Nutrition Coach (updated 2026 with 23 chapters), and Certified Sports Nutrition Coach. The specialization portfolio includes 12+ focused credentials covering Corrective Exercise, Performance Enhancement, Weight Loss, Women's Fitness, Senior Fitness, Youth Exercise, Golf Fitness, MMA Conditioning, Stretching and Flexibility, Physique and Bodybuilding, Behavior Change, Virtual Coaching, and Home Gym Design. NASM One™ subscription service provides ongoing value through 350+ CEU courses, discounted certifications, and EDGE Trainer Pro access. The technology platform includes EDGE (client management and workout programming app with wearable integrations) and ClaireAI™ (AI-powered virtual mentor launched December 2025). Additional offerings include Virtual Live Workshops, Gymternship™ internship program, and various certification bundles for different career stages and specializations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ClaireAI: AI-powered virtual mentor for fitness professional certification and career development support.
• EDGE
• NASM One

Products and services

• NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) NCCA-accredited flagship certification for aspiring personal trainers, covering exercise science, program design, and client assessment; graduates earn on average 22% more than industry peers.
• Certified Wellness Coach Coaching certification focused on holistic wellness, addressing physical, mental, and emotional health of clients.
• Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) Science-backed nutrition coaching certification updated in 2026 with 23 chapters and two pathways, covering behavior-change psychology, entrepreneurial tools, trending diets, and weight-loss medications.
• Certified Sports Nutrition Coach Specialized nutrition certification for sports performance, helping coaches optimize athletic clients' fuel, recovery, and performance.
• Corrective Exercise Specialization (CES) Advanced specialization teaching trainers to identify and correct movement dysfunction, prevent injuries, and design rehabilitation-focused exercise programs.
• Performance Enhancement Specialization (PES) Specialization in advanced training methodologies for maximizing athletic performance, including speed, power, agility, and sport-specific conditioning.
• Weight Loss Specialization (WLS) Comprehensive specialization integrating evidence-based nutrition, exercise, and behavior change for sustainable weight loss outcomes.
• Understanding Weight Loss Medications Specialized course helping fitness professionals safely guide clients using GLP-1 weight loss medications; updated in 2026 with coaching tools and client interview videos.
• Women's Fitness Specialization Specialization addressing the unique fitness needs of women at different life stages, enabling tailored coaching and training approaches.
• Senior Fitness Specialization (SFS) Specialization for designing safe, evidence-based exercise programs for older adults and those with chronic conditions; worth 1.5 CEUs.
• Stretching and Flexibility Coach Specialist certification for creating personalized stretching programs to prevent injury and increase flexibility.
• Physique and Bodybuilding Coach Specialization covering competition preparation, posing, meal prep strategies, and periodization for bodybuilding clients.
• Mindful Stress Management Evidence-based wellness course teaching mindfulness, movement, and recovery strategies for managing stress; includes guided audio sessions and downloadable worksheets; worth 0.4 CEUs.
• Mindful Drinking Wellness-focused course exploring informed alcohol consumption's effects on movement, nutrition, cognitive function, and sleep; includes 10 downloadable mocktail recipes; worth 0.4 CEUs.
• Behavior Change Specialization Advanced specialization teaching cardiorespiratory programming skills and behavior change techniques to drive lasting client habit changes.
• Group Personal Trainer Specialization Specialization enabling trainers to lead smaller groups of up to 10 people through more individualized workouts, bridging personal training and group fitness.
• Youth Exercise Specialization Specialization focused on age-appropriate exercise programming and coaching strategies for youth athletes and young clients.
• Golf Fitness Specialization Specialization for trainers helping golfers improve their game, reduce injury risk, and achieve peak performance through tailored assessments and progressive programming.
• MMA Conditioning Specialization Specialization teaching conditioning program design for martial artists, including motivational and nutritional guidance for optimal health.
• Virtual Coaching Specialization Specialization for fitness professionals to effectively train clients virtually, covering technology platforms, remote communication, and digital program delivery.
• Home Gym Design Specialization Specialization teaching fitness professionals to design effective home gym setups for clients, covering equipment selection, space optimization, and budget considerations.
• ClaireAI AI-powered virtual mentor providing personalized, 24/7 assistance to fitness professionals based on NASM's proprietary content, initially focused on certification support and career development.
• EDGE Comprehensive training management platform enabling trainers to create workout programs, track client progress, conduct assessments, integrate wearable data, manage scheduling, and use Trainer Pro features for business management.
• NASM One Subscription Subscription membership providing access to 350+ CEU courses, 50% savings on certifications, 8 free specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro access, and no recertification fees.
• Gymternship Internship program connecting aspiring fitness professionals with gym partnerships for hands-on training experience and career development opportunities.
• Virtual Live Workshop Live virtual workshop sessions delivered via Zoom, allowing trainers to complete practical training requirements with instructor guidance in real time.
• Elite Trainer Bundle Comprehensive certification bundle combining CPT with premium resources and support for aspiring elite fitness professionals seeking the most complete training experience.
• CPT All-Inclusive Bundle Complete CPT certification bundle offering everything needed to become a Certified Personal Trainer, including study materials, exam prep, and practical workshop access.
• Nutrition & Fitness Coach Bundle Bundle combining personal trainer certification with nutrition coaching credentials, featuring the updated CNC program content for comprehensive fitness and nutrition coaching.
• Career Kickstarter Bundle Entry-level certification bundle for individuals launching a personal training career, providing essential study materials and exam preparation resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• NASM-certified professionals earn 22% more on average than industry peers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Warba BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 February 2026Warba Bank renewed its partnership with NASM for the second consecutive year to launch a health and fitness awareness campaign during Ramadan. The partnership focuses on promoting health awareness and fitness education during the Ramadan period.
• 14,000+ Gyms and Health ClubscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership network with over 14,000 gyms and health clubs worldwide including Lifetime Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Gold's Gym, Anytime Fitness, UFC Gym, and Hyperice. These partnerships create employer recognition and preferential hiring pathways for NASM-certified professionals.
• Health & Fitness Association (HFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in HFA advocacy initiatives including the 2026 Fly-In and Advocacy Summit in Washington DC, advocating for physical activity as essential healthcare infrastructure. NASM participates in industry-wide initiatives to advance the fitness profession.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association): ISSA is one of NASM's most direct competitors in online personal trainer certification, offering self-paced CPT programs with similar NCCA-equivalent accreditation and a strong D2C marketing engine. The two compete head-to-head for aspiring fitness professionals across overlapping price points.
• ACE (American Council on Exercise): ACE is a long-standing NCCA-accredited personal trainer and group fitness certification provider, with comparable product breadth across CPT, health coach, and specialty credentials. It competes directly with NASM in both consumer certification sales and employer recognition among gym chains.
• NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association): NSCA offers the CSCS credential, the dominant certification for strength and conditioning professionals working with athletes and tactical populations. It competes with NASM's Performance Enhancement Specialization at the elite sports and collegiate strength coach end of the market.
• ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine): ACSM provides EP-C and clinical exercise certifications widely recognized in medical and university settings. It overlaps with NASM in serving exercise professionals pursuing science-based credentials and competes for the higher-end clinical and academic segment of the market.
• NCSF (National Council on Strength and Fitness): NCSF offers NCCA-accredited personal trainer and specialty certifications with a strong club-channel distribution model. It competes with NASM particularly in gym partnerships and price-sensitive segments of the personal trainer certification market.
• AFPA (American Fitness Professionals & Associates): AFPA provides online personal trainer, nutrition, and wellness coaching certifications aimed at aspiring holistic health professionals. It competes with NASM in the wellness coach and nutrition coach certification categories with a comparable self-paced online delivery model.
• NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association): NESTA offers online personal trainer, sports nutrition, and fitness specialty certifications positioned at lower price points. It competes with NASM's CPT and CNC bundles for budget-conscious aspiring trainers, particularly in the entry-level segment.
• Precision Nutrition: Precision Nutrition is a leading provider of nutrition coaching certifications and coaching software for fitness and health professionals. It competes most directly with NASM's Certified Nutrition Coach and weight loss specializations, and overlaps with NASM One on the subscription/content side.

Emerging players

• Athlean-X (Jeff Nippard / ATHLEAN): Athlean-X is a digitally native fitness education brand built around evidence-based training programs and certifications. While not a direct credentialing body in the CPT sense, it competes for the same aspiring trainer and serious enthusiast audience through online courses and creator-led content.

Broad incumbents

• Under Armour / Nike Trainer Education Programs: Large global athletic apparel brands with adjacent fitness professional training programs and employer-of-record relationships in the gym channel. They are not direct certification competitors but influence hiring and credentialing decisions that affect NASM-certified trainers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-academy-of-sports-medicine-nasm-
• Instagraminstagram.com/alexhigginscoaching
• Xx.com/nasm
• Facebookfacebook.com/personaltrainers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Academy of Sports Medicine