ISSA Bodybuilding Specialist Review: Our Experience With the Program

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While most sports focus on the function of the body, bodybuilding puts as much—if not more—emphasis on aesthetics as it does on physiology. Since you are training muscles not only to work well but also to look a certain way, training bodybuilders is a whole different game than training people for general fitness.

If you are a bodybuilder yourself or are thinking about getting into coaching bodybuilders, a certificate program can be a great way to get a proper education on how to coach athletes in this niche sport. The Bodybuilding Specialist program by the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) focuses on training, nutrition, injury-prevention, recovery, psychology and more. And since this is a self-guided program, it’s a great way to enter into a new career on your own terms, from the comfort of your home.

If you are considering the ISSA-BBS certification program but aren’t sure if it’s the right fit for you, keep reading to learn more about the program and what our tester thought about it.

Interested in a more comprehensive training certification? Consider an ISSA Personal Training Certification.

ISSA Bodybuilding Certification at a Glance

• Cost: $799, currently on sale for $639.20
• Course Length: Self-guided
• Pass Rate: Estimated 90 percent (based on ISSA-CPT course)
• Accreditation: NCCA
• Best for: Those looking for an intro into bodybuilding training

Overview of the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification

The ISSA Bodybuilding Certification is a personal training certification focused specifically on bodybuilding. This course covers a wide range of information you will need to train clients safely and successfully in bodybuilding. Some topics covered include muscle anatomy, kinesiology, and biomechanics, nutrition and supplementation, aerobic and resistance training strategies, injury cause and prevention, sports psychology and more.

This program is not just well-rounded, but it is a well-respected certification, in the same realm as other top personal training certifications like ACE and NASM. This is a great option for previously certified personal trainers looking to add a specialization to their portfolio, or those who are specifically interested in training powerlifters.

What we like about the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification:

• Relatively affordable course
• Self-guided study makes it flexible and accessible
• Open-book exam allows you to use notes
• Guidance from mentors and professors

What to consider about the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification:

• Some found the exam to be long and difficult despite being open book
• Assignments can be done on own time, but do require some semblance of weekly commitment
• May be difficult for those without being a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) or having a science background

Level of difficulty of course material

While this course does cover a lot of material, the open-book exam and self-guided study makes it incredibly user-friendly and accessible. This material goes into a lot of depth, particularly in the more scientific areas of biomechanics and anatomy, but you will have plenty of opportunity to familiarize yourself with the material before diving into the exam.

The course comes with an online textbook as well as practice exams, online exercise labs, a home study exam and even a dedicated Success Coach to help you with questions you may have or sections you may struggle with. There are also on-staff professors who are equipped to help guide you through the course as you complete it.

Customer support

Besides the support you will find through your coach and professors, ISSA has a number of ways to contact customer service. You can reach them on the website by email, phone, fax, mail or live chat.

Exam type

While some found the exam to be difficult—and long due to the 200 questions—it’s not impossible, and it has an open-book policy which you should absolutely take advantage of. It can be taken either in-person at a designated testing center, or online in the comfort of your home. The exam also offers one retest for no additional cost should you need to take it. While there was no set pass rate for the BBS exam, the ISSA CPT exam has a 90 percent pass rate, and uses the same open-book format.

Our Experience with the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification

To get a more personal look into the ISSA-BBS program, our expert tester Kayla Godfrey took the course. Kayla is an experienced weightlifter and trained competitively in powerlifting for two years.

“I feel bodybuilding was the one area of weight lifting I didn't quite understand,” said Godfrey. “There are many misconceptions out there and I thought by taking this course I could gain a better understanding of the industry. I was hoping to maximize my training efforts safely and effectively with this course.”

She noted she was provided with an online textbook, workbook and the online course. There were also reading assignments issued weekly that helped with quiz sections.

Though experienced in the world of lifting, Kayla was not a professional and did not hold a previous certification. “I think having your CPT certification before getting a specialization course would be the best route to go; I found myself a bit overwhelmed at first. The course is very informative and breaks down everything from names of muscles, muscle movements, program design and how to optimize your training efforts. I wouldn't say the course is easy by any means, but should be very attainable for CPTs.”

As for time commitment, she is currently studying about an hour each day. “Each ‘week’ of the course is broken down to roughly 10–20 textbook pages. For me, that equated to around 10–30 minutes of audio and visual instruction, a written assignment (250 words was my first assignment) and a quiz,” she said. 

While this is a self guided-program to an extent, there are weekly assignments to be completed at your discretion.

“Doing an hour a day, five times a week should be enough time to complete each week,” Godfrey said.

Godfrey noted that as she began the course, she found the interface a bit dated, but eventually figured out how to navigate it successfully. As a visual learner, she noted how using the visual aids for lectures and investing in a hardcopy textbook was helpful in helping to retain information more successfully—though a physical book would come at an additional expense.

When it came to the exam, she was concerned it would be challenging, but noted the new exam excludes case studies which seemed to be where most people got tripped up. “I do also appreciate how the final exam is open-book, so that is why I believe purchasing the book and taking notes is going to be the best way to pass with flying colors.”

Benefits of the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification

If you are looking to do personal training of any kind, you really need to have some sort of certification. Whether that means a general CPT program or something more niche like the BBS, a program like this—especially from a credible association—will both help you obtain a job or clients, and give you the information you need to be able to train people safely and successfully.

Certifications like this also give you access to other health and fitness professionals whether it be through connections you make in your course or through social media. There are ISSA certification groups you can join once you are certified.

While you don’t need to be a CPT in order to take this course, it could prove helpful especially since it delves into some pretty detailed anatomical science. But if you are more STEM-minded, you can probably handle the course without previous certification. And if you are interested only in training bodybuilders, this could be the right option for you.

How Much Does the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification Cost?

This certification will cost $639.20 in full, but you don’t have to pay it all at once. They have financing options for six payments of $106, or 12 payments of $53. There are no additional accessories you will have to purchase as everything you need comes with the cost of certification. You do however have to be CPR certified in order to complete the certification. If you are not already CPR-certified, you can add on a certification for $49, which has to be completed before you take your exam.

What Certification Students Say About ISSA Bodybuilding Certification

This certification is rated 4.8/5 stars on the ISSA website with over 300 reviews. Those who took the course ranged from fitness newbies to bodybuilding professionals—and no matter their previous experience, found they learned a great deal about bodybuilding and powerlifting through the course.

Many noted the psychology chapters and appreciated how it taught not only the physical components of bodybuilding, but mental technique as well, which reviewers found useful in both coaching and helping them to reach their own goals.

Who the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification Is Best For

This program is really designed for those who are particularly interested in learning more about bodybuilding. Whether you are seeking out information as an athlete or coach, it can be equally useful for you due to the wide breadth of material it covers.

Since this is quite an in-depth program, you may find it somewhat difficult if you do not have a background in personal training or extensive experience in bodybuilding or sports science. That being said, just because this course may be a challenge by no means makes it impossible. Since it is open-book, you can use your notes during the ISSA exam. If you find yourself confused along the way, you can also reach out to your mentor, or the panel of professors for assistance.

Ultimately, if you are a current CPT looking to focus in on bodybuilding, or are just getting started in fitness coaching, and want to be a bodybuilding trainer, this is an excellent program to consider. Since ISSA is so well respected, the certificate will also give you credibility as a trainer and reinforce your knowledge to your clients.

ISSA vs. NASM

ISSA and NASM are both well-respected, well-recognized fitness training certificate programs. Both offer a bodybuilding certificate, and both programs have comprehensive curriculums that cover all important aspects of bodybuilding.

The biggest difference between the programs is that NASM is significantly more expensive at $899. But this program also requires no prerequisites (not even a CPR certification). The exam is only 100 questions and can be completed online and you have three attempts to pass with a score of 70 percent or higher. This exam is timed, and must be completed within 90 minutes. The course is usually completed in about four weeks, and is also a self-guided program.

While both of these are excellent choices, it really comes down to how much you are willing to pay. ISSA also has the benefit of a mentor and professors you can reach out to for assistance during the course.

If you're still deciding between these two programs, check out our ISSA vs. NASM review. 

ISSA Bodybuilding Certification FAQs

What does a bodybuilding specialist do?

Bodybuilding specialists help to train amateur and competitive bodybuilders by coaching them through exercises, recovery, mentality and diet.

How do I become a bodybuilding specialist?

To become a bodybuilding specialist you must have a certification—especially if you are interested in taking on clients. It also helps to have a dual certification as a personal trainer especially if you are looking to take on clients full time.

Is the ISSA bodybuilding specialist credible?

Yes, the ISSA is a very credible association, and the well rounded nature of the program makes it a great starting point for those interested in coaching bodybuilders.

The Takeaway: Is the ISSA Bodybuilding Certification Right for You?

If you are serious about pursuing a future in bodybuilding coaching, investing in this certification is a great place to start. At only $640, it is cheaper than most personal training programs, and offers a very in-depth education on a niche topic.

This program will prepare you to coach yourself or your athletes to their fullest potential while simultaneously helping them to prevent injury, and make sure they are fueling their bodies properly. If you are already a CPT, this can also be a great addition to your training roster and help you extend your client base. No matter your background, the ISSA-BBS program can get you started on a career in the fitness field from the comfort of your own home.

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