Office of Student Life
Recreational Sports
Personal Training - Become a Personal Trainer

Become a Personal Trainer

Are you interested in taking your fitness and wellness knowledge to the next level? Do you want to help others reach their fitness goals? Rec Sports offers two training programs to prepare Recreational Sports members and nonmembers to become nationally certified personal trainers. Programs outlined below will prepare participants to take a nationally recognized personal training exam such as the ACE Personal Training Certification Exam. Note: Autumn 2026 and Spring 2027 programming subject to change.


Summer 2026

The ACE (American Council on Exercise) Personal Training Prep Course is a fully online program open to both Recreational Sports members and nonmembers. Registration provides access to recorded lectures covering human anatomy, training physiology, program design and exercise science principles to help prepare participants for the ACE Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Exam. Participants will receive ACE study materials, including quizzes, recorded lectures and an in-house practice exam and will have two opportunities to attend live Q&A sessions. All lectures are prerecorded and available for review throughout the course. This program prepares participants to take the ACE Certified Personal Trainer Exam and become certified personal trainers. A registration fee applies and participants receive a discount on ACE CPT exam registration.

  • Access to virtual content: May 11 - August 15, 2026
  • Q&A Sessions: June 9 from Noon - 1 p.m. and August 13 from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. (Q&A sessions are live via Zoom and recorded/shared via OneDrive).
  • Location: Online 
  • Cost: Rec Sport Member Price: $125; Nonmember Price: $175

Registration opens May 11, 2026.


Autumn 2026

The BuckeyePT Prep Course is a free, in-house training program designed to prepare full-time Ohio State students who are interested in becoming personal trainers for the Department of Recreational Sports. This program combines lecture-based instruction with hands-on experience. Students meet two to three times per week throughout the semester to learn material on human anatomy, training physiology and program design. Students who complete the course and pass their Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam are then eligible for hire at Recreational Sports as personal trainers. Application instructions are listed below. Students who already hold a personal training certification must still complete the BuckeyePT Prep Course, but their process may be expedited.

BuckeyePT Prep consists of weekly lectures and small group training sessions. Small groups are scheduled based on participant availability and meeting times are determined during the first week of the course. To be eligible for employment as a personal trainer with Recreational Sports, students must complete the following: attend lectures and small group sessions, pass the in-house personal training exam, successfully conduct a mock client session and obtain a nationally recognized personal training certification such as the ACE CPT.

  • Course Dates: September 21 - November 30
  • Time: Mondays, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. (small group times vary and are selected during the application process).
  • Location: RPAC
  • Cost: Free (Columbus campus Ohio State students only).

 Application will open August 1, 2026.


For more questions about these programs, contact the Personal Training Coordinator, Mitch Miceli.