American Council on Exercise

A partnership between the American Council on Exercise and American College of Lifestyle Medicine expands the reach of health coaches in underserved communities. This three-year collaboration focuses on the intersections of behavior change, chronic disease and health equity.

Comprehensive certificate program equips aspiring fitness professionals with essential and practical knowledge

Learn how you can honor Native American Heritage Month by working in communities that are traditionally underserved by the health and fitness industry.

Five fitness industry veterans offer advice for those trying to figure out how to take their first step in a rapidly evolving industry.

What is the truth about the mesomorph body type? Learn the history of somatotypes and how being a mesomorph impacts the body’s response to eating and exercise.

What is the truth about the endomorph body type? Learn the history of somatotypes and how being an endomorph impacts the body’s response to eating and exercise.

What is the truth about the ectomorph body type? Learn the history of somatotypes and how being an ectomorph impacts the body’s response to eating and exercise.

When you're sitting, your hip flexors shorten and limit the range of motion in your hips. With shortened hip flexors, your glutes can't engage properly to fully extend the hip when you stand up straight (per American Council on Exercise).

The Parkinson’s Foundation recently developed competencies for exercise professionals. Learn how exercise can benefit people with this disease—and how you can help.

ACE offers answers to frequently asked questions about our efforts around the world. Learn about our international partners, language options and exam locations.

Could the activities we do every day—from vacuuming to wiping down the kitchen counters—help lower our risk of heart disease? A new study offers good news about the benefits of daily activity beyond structured exercise and suggests that every bit of movement and activity counts toward improving overall health and well-being.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), your body converts energy from food into adenosine triphosphate, otherwise known as ATP, which is an immediate form of energy.

The American Council on Exercise suggests drinking 17 to 20 ounces of water a few hours before your workout to set up your body for high performance.

Representation isn’t the only way the fitness space is evolving. It’s no longer just about, say, lifting more or running faster, but also strengthening mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness—or “feeling better as a whole person,” says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, president and chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise.

To perform any type of movement, your body needs energy. And there are three main systems your body uses to make that energy: the phosphagen system, the anaerobic glycolysis system, and the aerobic system, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Long-time ACE Pro Ronald McEntire leaves behind a valuable message about the importance of inspiring others to get moving and lead healthier lives.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to take stock of how well the fitness industry is reaching Spanish-speaking communities. Read tips and strategies that will help you expand your reach.

Education is also essential: the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is working to ensure that those in the LGBTQIA+ community will experience a welcoming and inclusive fitness environment.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is the perfect time to think about how the health and fitness industry can optimize its efforts to make a positive impact. Learn about tools and strategies you can use with younger clients and their families, as well as on ongoing research project that aims to better understand youth movement behaviors.

Building a coaching or training?business online is something that all professionals should consider. Use these 5 steps to broaden your reach and increase your income.

The last thing one might want to think about leading up to surgery is getting enough exercise, but a new study from researchers at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, suggests that a short period of high-intensity interval training four to six weeks before having surgery can significantly help with recovery post-surgery.

According to the American Council on Exercise, improving your muscular endurance could help you maintain a good posture, improve the aerobic capacity of your muscles and enhance your functional strength.

VO2 max is basically the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume and deliver to your organs and muscles, according to the American Council on Exercise.

“When someone successfully passes an accredited personal trainer certification exam, you can trust that you’re working with a person who has achieved a certain level of professional competence to safely and effectively work with a variety of different types of people,” says Sabrena Jo, Ph.D, the former senior director of science and research for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and aForbes Health Advisory Board member.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to working out—or like it’s slowing you down—CPT and ACE Senior Director of Science and Research Sabrena Jo, PhD, says that spending at least one minute between sets is necessary to really reap the rewards of lifting.

We took some time to chat with and learn from ACE Pro Karen Woodmansee, who recently received the Raising the Bar Award at the 2023 Health and Well-Being Coaching Conference.

Discover how ACE commemorates Women’s Equality Day and supports gender equity in the health and fitness industry, including commitments to the Equal Pay Pledge and promoting women's advancement. Join ACE's call to action to address gender pay disparities and empower women in fitness.

In recognition of Women’s Equality Day, ACE publicly commits to the California Equal Pay Pledge

While working as a registered behavior technician and volunteering with Special Olympics, Mark Fleming, an ACE-certified fitness professional, noticed the kids he worked with shared similar muscular deficiencies as the adults he coached. He made the connection there was a clear gap of physical activity within the disability community.

A new study reveals important, if not altogether surprising, findings: When female athletes don’t consume enough calories to support their training, it negatively impacts not only their response to training, but their overall health as well. Learn more about the study and how you can help your clients balance their training and nutrition to support their health and athletic goals.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) proudly announces the launch of its latest offering, the updated ACE Group Fitness Instructor (GFI) certification study program, which includes the all-new textbook, "The Exercise Professional’s Guide to Group Fitness Instruction."

In a new study, researchers investigated how junk food affects sleep. Learn what the results showed about how consuming a healthier vs unhealthier diet impacts sleep quality and how you can use this information to help your clients understand how lifestyle habits are interconnected.

Award recipients are exercise professionals and health coaches making a difference in their communities.

"When considering your options for compact treadmills, there are a lot to choose from," says Chris Gagliardi, the scientific education content manager for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an ACE-certified health coach and personal trainer in San Diego.

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently adopted a new policy encouraging physicians not to rely on body mass index (BMI) as the sole means of assessing an individual’s weight status.

The new partnership provides health and fitness professionals a website-building platform as part of the expanding career support tools offered by ACE.

On August 21, 2023, a new Exam Content Outline for the ACE Personal Trainer Certification exam will go live.

A 3-Year Study Reveals Effectiveness of the ACE Integrated Fitness Training® Model.

A new study analyzing data on more than 20,000 U.S. adults links a healthier diet and greater levels of physical activity to weight loss that reduces heart disease risk. No big surprise, right? Read on to learn what researchers found was linked to minimal weight loss, weight maintenance or weight gain.

Juneteenth, which is celebrated annually on June 19, commemorates the true emancipation of slaves in America. However, its meaning has grown over time to encompass not only freedom, but also justice and equity in terms of opportunity and access.