Become Certified
The (ESA) Exercise Safety Association is a national certification organization for Fitness
Instructors and Personal Trainers.
Certification is the mark of a professional, the ESA Certification, established by educational and medical experts, is the mark of a fitness professional that makes safety a priority.
Most employers require a national certification. ESA has been certifying instructors across the United States since the 1970's and has a reputation for educational quality.
ESA Certification gives your clients the assurance that you have been trained in the techniques that will keep them injury free and is a key that opens doors to success in a fitness career.
The ESA Method
The Exercise Safety Association, E.S.A. and the ESA Method is founded on a simple yet powerful principle:
exercise should enhance the body - not compromise it in a S.E.E. (Safe, Effective, Efficient.) approach.
In an industry often driven by trends, extremes, and aesthetic outcomes, the ESA Method returns to what is fundamentally true for all individuals - the human body thrives when movement is safe, effective, and efficient.
Safety is not viewed as a limitation, but as the foundation for all successful training. When the body is aligned, supported, and respected, it can achieve strength, mobility, and resilience without unnecessary strain or injury. The ESA Method emphasizes proper mechanics, controlled movement, and mindful execution to ensure that every exercise serves a purpose and delivers benefit.
Effectiveness is achieved through intelligent program design rooted in experience and observation. Rather than excess or intensity for its own sake, the ESA Method prioritizes movements that create meaningful results - improving strength, stability, balance, and overall function.
Efficiency recognizes that the body does not require endless repetition or exhaustion to change. Through precise technique and intentional programming, optimal results can be achieved in a way that conserves energy, supports longevity, and respects the individual.
Developed through years of practical application and real-world experience, the ESA Method reflects a commitment to training that is sustainable, adaptable, and grounded in the well-being of the individual. It is not defined by a single modality, but rather by philosophy, scientific evidence, Scientific research, education, and evidence that can be applied across all forms of movement, including different modalities - Personal Training, Pilates, Yoga, Stationary Cycle and general fitness.
At its core, the ESA Method is about empowering both instructors and participants to move with awareness, purpose, and respect for the body - creating a foundation for lifelong health and freedom of movement.
The Exercise Safety Association (ESA) Method is founded on a simple yet powerful principle:
exercise should enhance the body - not compromise it in a S.E.E. (Safe, Effective, Efficient.) approach.
Marsha Sobonya,
ESA Director of Training & Education
ESA 12 STAR, Certified Professional since 1992
Training Programs
The Exercise Safety Association with its
Board of Educational Advisors sets safety standards and program behavioral objectives. It manages the certification examinations.
ESA STAR,
School for Training and Advanced Resources publishes the training materials that meet the learning and behavioral objectives set by ESA.
Courses are in a self-study format and include the guidance of a mentor, who is an ESA Certified Instructor in the subject matter and can be consulted to assist with learning the program objectives, either remotely or in private or semi-private in-person sessions.
Seminar in Aerobics, Fitness, and Exercise is the foundational training for the primary certification called Safe Exercise Leader.
It teaches the basic sciences needed to lead every form of exercise, including ESA’s formulas to evaluate exercises for safety.
It is a prerequisite for the specialty certifications.
ESA Specialty Training courses and certification examinations cover a variety of popular exercise disciplines.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) or
Continuing Educational Credits (CEC's)
is an industry standard for certified fitness professionals. ESA requires 6 hours of ongoing education each year, and accepts a wide range of continuing education, the most comprehensive list of accepted learning experiences of any certification organization.
ESA‘s .1 CEC articles (1 hour) are available at no charge on this web site for ESA certified professionals. In addition, ESA certification training programs earn CEC credits with or without earning the certification.
Laurie Gorman Ph.D.,
Moriches, New York,
ESA 3 STAR, Certified Professional since 1989
Why Choose ESA
If you are seeking the highest quality fitness education, personal attention, pricing that fits your budget, and a nationally accepted fitness certification with a long-standing reputation that focuses on safety, ESA is for you.
ESA has certified over 100,000 instructors in the past 50 years.
FITNESS PROFESSIONALS CHOOSE ESA
Andrea Evans, Prescott, Arizona, ESA 4 STAR, Certified Professional since 1999
A NATIONAL CERTIFICATION
Bejan Faraji, Cleveland, Ohio and Sarasota, Florida, ESA 3 STAR, Certified Professional since 1998,
THE FIRST ACCREDITED FITNESS TRAINING ORGANIZATION
IN THE UNITED STATES
Jan Capen, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, ESA 6 STAR, Certified Professional since 1987
SERVING INSTRUCTORS SINCE 1978
Debi Ferrel,
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma,
ESA 7 STAR, Certified Professional since 1994
S.E.E.
approach
~SAFE~
~EFFECTIVE~
~EFFICIENT~
Beverly Hennet,
Lady Lake, Florida,
ESA 7 STAR, Certified Professional since 1992
TRAININGS
AVAILABLE
~ON-SITE~
~HOME STUDY~
~C.E.C.'S~
~WORKSHOPS~
~RETREATS-
Outstanding Service
Serving instructors is our priority.
ESA pays special attention to every individual and prefers speaking with you to understand your unique situation.
A friendly ESA advisor will patiently answer all of your questions. We place special emphasis on your needs and can help with fitness career guidance as well as place you with a mentor, who will help you complete your training program to earn certification.
If you prefer, you can email questions; however, all orders are placed by phone.
Call Us: 407-951-6222