Male NASM coach filming an arm workout with small weighted plate
Female NASM coach filming a cooking segment in her kitchen

VCS

Virtual Coaching Specialization

What better way to magnify your impact—not to mention your income—than by reaching clients all around the world through virtual coaching? In the Virtual Coaching Specialization, you’ll gain the coaching and business skills you need to reach through the computer screen and change the lives of people on the other side.

  • Expand your fitness business by coaching clients virtually from anywhere in the world

  • Gain the skills to start and scale your own virtual coaching business

  • Master the sales & marketing techniques you need to differentiate your business and attract new clients

  • Effectively communicate and motivate clients online, even with limited space and equipment

  • Gain coaching and communication strategies to effectively train clients virtually

  • Learn the essentials of building a virtual fitness business, from budgeting & bookkeeping to choosing the right technology

  • Self-paced online program makes it easy and convenient to launch your new career from home in as little as 2-4 weeks

  • CEU Value: 1.5 NASM

$/month

$0 down + 12 payments

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$ $

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up to % off

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Virtual coaching might be the most high-leverage way there is to maximize the impact of your fitness business. Learn the essentials you need in this specialization, including guidance on how to run your business, how to coach virtually, how to drive sales online, and more.

When you choose NASM to pursue your Virtual Coaching Specialization, you’ll get access to:

  • • World-class fitness & nutrition experts

  • • Peer-reviewed content from the brightest minds in the industry

  • • State-of-the-art digital learning platform designed to meet multiple learning styles

  • • A curriculum that is consistently reviewed and updated with the most up-to-date material available

See the full Virtual Coaching Specialization curriculum here.

NASM’s online program makes getting your Virtual Coaching Specialization as easy and convenient as can be. By completing the self-guided study materials at your own pace, you can begin working with clients in as little as 2-4 weeks.

To get your NASM Virtual Coaching Specialization, you simply have to:

  1. 1) Register in the NASM VCS program.

  2. 2) Complete the self-guided online study materials in your own time from the comfort of home.

  3. 3) Pass the certification exam.

After completing the study materials, you’ll take an online exam to quality for your Virtual Coaching Specialization. This exam features:

  • • 100 multiple-choice questions

  • • 90 minutes to complete

  • • Open-book format

  • • 70% required to pass

  • • 3 test attempts included

NASM has over 35 years of experience training the world’s top fitness professionals, and we do it better than anyone else. NASM credentials stand out to employers and distinguish you as a highly trained fitness professional.

Since our formation, we’ve trained over 1.5 million fitness professionals in 100+ countries. In that time we’ve developed extensive partnerships with over 12,000 gyms and health clubs. That means we have the connections necessary to help you get in the door and gain employment from the fitness company of your dreams.

Questions? Get guidance from our Program Experts

1-800-460-6276

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CURRICULUM

A fitness or wellness credential or a bachelor's degree is recommended but not required. This course is intended for personal trainers, wellness professionals, life/accountability coaches, nutrition coaches, group fitness instructors, PE teachers, and youth sports coaches.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Virtual Coaching
Virtual coaching provides the ability to train more clients, avoid geographical limitations, and increase revenue but comes with certain challenges as well. This course provides the necessary business, physical training, behavioral and technological knowledge necessary to build a thriving virtual training business.

Chapter 2: Building a Business
A sustainable business requires strategic planning and considerations that extend beyond having knowledge of exercise science principles. This chapter will provide information related to financial forecasting, budgeting, bookkeeping, sales & marketing, and how to differentiate your virtual coaching business in a competitive marketplace.

Chapter 3: Technology Considerations
From filming high-quality videos to choosing the correct video conferencing software, this chapter will review the necessary and ancillary technologies that will help fitness professionals develop, run, and scale a successful virtual training business.

  • • 2 Infographics

  • • 3 Videos

  • • 3 Printable Handouts

Chapter 4: Communication and Coaching Strategies
Communication is necessary to establish and maintain a trusting trainer-client relationship. This chapter will review best practices for virtual communication from the initial visit to explaining programs and maintaining compliance.

Chapter 5: Administering Virtual Assessments
Based on your client’s goal, sport, or previous injuries, it is important to develop a baseline and ongoing assessments to achieve outcomes in the safest and most efficient manner possible. This chapter will review how to develop and execute comprehensive assessments in a remote capacity utilizing technology and other resources.

Chapter 6: Implementing Coaching Sessions
Recommendations and guidance for appropriate spacing, flooring, lighting, camera angles, equipment, and coaching cues will all be provided in this chapter.

  • • 10 Infographics

  • • 3 Videos

  • • 5 Printable Handouts

Chapter 7: Integrating Wearables into Virtual Coaching
This chapter will focus on education and validation of health and performance of common wearable biometrics, the development of data-driven programs, and how to leverage wearable data for compliance monitoring and client reinforcement to maintain motivation and retention.

Chapter 8: Selling Virtual Coaching
Understanding individual expertise and personal goals will help fitness professionals develop a niche, unique selling proposition, and pricing model to differentiate from the competition and drive sales.

Chapter 9: Marketing Virtual Coaching
Fitness professionals must be savvy and possess a working knowledge of marketing strategies to attract potential clients. This chapter will review marketing resources, the 4 P’s of marketing, and how to leverage social media and referrals to attract new virtual clients.

  • • 22 Infographics

  • • 3 Videos

  • • 1 Printable Handout

After the completion of the course, you will take an online final exam from the comfort of your own home or wherever you prefer to take tests. The exam consists of 100 questions and there is a time limit of 90 minutes. You must pass with a scaled score of 70% or better.

Virtual Coaching
Specialization FAQs

As one of the most trusted sources of fitness training certifications in the world, NASM is a distinguished name that will stand out to fitness employers. When you choose NASM for your Virtual Coaching Specialization, you’ll get access to world-class fitness experts, your top choice of gyms to work for, and much more:

  • • Peer-Reviewed Content from the Brightest Minds in the Industry

  • • State-of-the-Art Digital Learning Platform

  • • Programs Designed to Meet Multiple Learning Styles

  • • 35+ Years Of Experience Training Fitness Professionals

  • • 1.5M+ Fitness Professionals Trained

  • • 100+ Countries with NASM Fitness and Coach Professionals

  • • 12K+ Gym & Health Club Partnerships

This course is a perfect complement for fitness professionals who want to effectively train their clients virtually. It’s a great fit for personal trainers, wellness professionals, life/accountability coaches, nutrition coaches, group fitness instructors, and youth sports coaches.

No. A fitness, wellness, or nutrition credential or bachelor’s degree is recommended but not required.

You can complete your personal training certification in as few as 2-4 weeks, but you can feel free to take your time—you’ll have access to the course materials and the online exam for 365 days.

Absolutely! You can complete the Virtual Coaching Specialization while also working full-time. The study material is 100% online and self-paced, and can be accessed on a computer, or a mobile device such as a phone or tablet.

The Virtual Coaching Specialization exam is taken online inside your student portal. You'll have 365 days from the date of purchase, to study and complete the exam. This exam features:

  • • 100 multiple-choice questions

  • • 90 minutes to complete

  • • Open-book format

  • • 70% required to pass

  • • 3 test attempts included

Don’t worry! You’ll have 3 attempts to pass the final exam, and you can purchase additional retests by calling Member Services at 1-800-460-6276.

No. Once you pass the final exam, your Virtual Coaching Specialization with NASM will never expire.

If you have any additional questions about this course, check out the NASM FAQ page or contact us today 1-800-460-6276!