CSEP-CPT Scope of Practice

The CSEP-CPT Scope of Practice defines the actions and activities that CSEP Certified Personal Trainers® are qualified and insured to perform under their defined certification.

Effective as of August 2019.

The CSEP Certified Personal Trainer® (CSEP-CPT) is a professional with, at minimum, the equivalent of two years of full-time study (or 60 credits) of University/College coursework in the field of Human Kinetics, Kinesiology, Physicial Education, Fitness and Health Promotion, or Exercise Science, from an accredited post-secondary institution. A CSEP-CPT works with apparently healthy individuals or those with a stable health condition who are able to exercise independently.

The CSEP-CPT:

  • Conducts pre-participation health screening assessments on all clients using evidence-informed tools, and gathers information about physical activity and lifestyle behaviours.

  • Administers various fitness assessments on clients including submaximal aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal fitness (muscular strength, endurance, power, flexibility and balance), and anthropometry.

  • Gathers and applies information about the physical activity, fitness, and lifestyle of a client or group of clients to design, implement, and monitor client-tailored submaximal exercise programs for healthier living.

  • Recognizes their own area of expertise and refers clients who fall outside that expertise to a CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist™ (CSEP-CEP), physician, or other appropriate health care provider.

A CSEP-CPT is NOT sanctioned by CSEP to:

  • Utilize any assessment protocols or design exercise programs that require maximal aerobic or anaerobic effort.*

  • Assess muscular strength using maximal 1RM assessment protocols or design programs based on resistance loads exceeding 90% of the predicted 1RM. *

  • Use an ECG for any purpose

  • Administer fitness assessments, or design, implement and monitor client-tailored exercise prescription strategies for populations with unstable medical conditions or more than one medical condition, or that the CSEP-CPT feels ill- equipped to address.

*If the CSEP-CPT has successfully completed the CSEP High Performance Specialization™, they may use maximal assessment protocols (including maximal 1RM) and design programs that require maximal aerobic or anaerobic effort for apparently healthy clients.