The Southwest Voice

By: Jennifer Shultz

Aaron O. Gillies of Pair & Marotta Physical Therapy, 1723 27th St., completed the certification process to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) by the NSCA Certification Commission. The CSCS certification is for professionals who design and implement strength training and conditioning programs for athletes in a team setting.

To earn the CSCS credential Gillies passed a written exam that was prepared by experts in the strength training and conditioning profession. The exam consisted of two sections, scientific foundations and practical/applied, and has a total of 190 questions. Typically, 65.6 percent of individuals who sit for the CSCS exam pass. By passing the exam, Gillies has obtained the first nationally accredited strength training and conditioning credential.

The CSCS program was established in 1985 as a way of identifying individuals who possess the knowledge and skills needed to competently train athletes and is the only strength and conditioning credential that has been nationally accredited since 1993. To earn national accreditation by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies, the NSCA Certification Commission demonstrated the ability to administer examinations that effectively discriminate between qualified and unqualified individuals. Today, there are more than 21,000 CSCS certified professionals throughout the world.

For more information about the NSCA Certification commission’s credentials, visit: www.nsca-cc.org or call 888-746-2378.