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Female bodybuilder lifting weights

PBC

Physique and Bodybuilding Coach

Want to learn the secrets to achieving a lean, muscular physique that inspires others? Become an NASM Physique and Bodybuilding Coach and you’ll gain the tools you need to help your clients achieve their physique goals through effective weight training, diet, and supplementation.

  • Help your clients achieve the physique of their dreams through a multidisciplinary approach to losing fat, building muscle, and developing an aesthetic physique

  • Teach your clients professional techniques to step on stage for a bodybuilding competition or photo shoot

  • Boost your reputation, earnings, and client base by training athletes of all ages and physique levels

  • Master the mental game with coaching principles and mindset shifts to help your clients make the changes necessary to achieve their goals

  • Gain access to a comprehensive curriculum crafted by 23 professional physique and bodybuilding experts

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

  • CEU Value: 1.9 NASM

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In NASM’s Physique and Bodybuilding Coach program, you’ll learn the diet and fitness secrets to help your clients reach their physique goals. With sections on nutrition, body aesthetics, exercise training principles, biomechanics of physique enhancement, and more, this comprehensive curriculum will arm you with the knowledge you need to help your clients reach their physique goals.

When you choose NASM to become a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach, 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 Physique and Bodybuilding Coach curriculum here.

NASM’s online program makes becoming a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach as easy and convenient as can be. By completing the self-guided study materials at your own pace, you can become a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach and begin working with clients in as little as 4 weeks.

To become an NASM Physique and Bodybuilding Coach, you simply have to:

  1. 1) Register in the PBC 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 become a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach. 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.

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Whitney Jones Headshot
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With NASM, you know you’re getting your information from the top source in the industry. You know you’re being set up to succeed. It’s the best guide to get you on the right path.

Whitney Jones | 3x Ms Fitness Olympia and an IFBB Fitness Pro

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NASM strategically constructed this training program with competitors and coaches so you’re getting the best, and that’s what they do. It’s definitely been proven to be a successful method.

Ashley Kaltwasser | 3x Ms Bikini Olympia Champion and IFBB Fitness Pro

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My life has completely changed and so I want as many people to feel what I feel and do what they want, what makes them happy.

Daniela C. | NASM CPT

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NASM offers a diversity and assortment of certifications across the board, they have the professionals to help you get there and that's something that I love. Their online program is flawless. I love everything about them.

Jack T. | NASM CPT

Joanne S. Headshot
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My dream is to reach out to as many people as I can. Inspiring them to live healthier lifestyles. I love challenging people and then seeing them overcome their challenges, that makes me so happy.

Joanne S. | NASM CPT

Chris Powell Headshot
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I wanted the most broad certification that I could apply to the general population. Getting certified through NASM, it was the perfect foundation for me to begin my journey.

Chris Powell | NASM CPT, IFBB Pro NYT Bestselling Author | Extreme Makeover WL

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CURRICULUM

There are no prerequisites for the Physique and Bodybuilding Coach Specialization. A fitness credential or a bachelor’s degree could be helpful. This specialization is intended for fitness professionals, bodybuilding and physique competitors and fitness enthusiasts.

Chapter 1: Welcome
Learn about the role of a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach, program objectives and how the NASM Specialization can help enhance your career.

Chapter 2: Introduction to Physique Enhancement
The learner will receive an overview of physique history and then define physique athletes and the broad spectrum of physique athletes. Physique enhancement will be discussed in terms of where it lies within the landscape of health, wellness, and sports performance.

Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biomechanics
This chapter provides the learner with a basic overview of gross anatomy, and the discussed bodily systems including the nervous, skeletal, muscular, and endocrine systems. The second half of the chapter examines disciplines of biomechanics and kinesiology, collectively termed Human Movement Science.

Chapter 4: Essentials of Metabolism, Energy Balance, and Fat Loss
Gain a deeper appreciation of metabolism, which refers to a living organism's chemical processes that provide energy. The ability to perform movement requires a constant supply of energy, and the process of generating kinetic energy from sources of potential energy is referred to as metabolism.

Chapter 5: Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy
Introduces the physiology of muscular hypertrophy. It will discuss myofibrillar hypertrophy (in-series in-parallel mechanisms) and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Also learn the major mechanisms of hypertrophy: mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress.

Chapter 6: Macronutrients
Learn the fundamental concepts of nutrition. The chapter will describe the structure and function of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, and discuss the digestion and absorption of each macronutrient.

Chapter 7: Micronutrients and Hydration
Introduces the learner to micronutrients. The chapter will detail the differences between water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, and minerals. Furthermore, the implications for health and physique considerations will be discussed.

Chapter 8: Supplementation
Learn common supplements' risks, benefits, and efficacy to enhance fat loss and muscular hypertrophy, and examine myths about supplements.

Chapter 9: Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)
Learn common PEDs used to enhance fat loss and hypertrophy. This chapter will educate the Physique Coach regarding the dangers of commonly used PEDs such as anabolic steroids and stimulants.

Chapter 10: Fitness and Body Aesthetics Assessments
Teaches the Physique Coach how to perform a comprehensive fitness and body aesthetics assessment as related to the physique athlete. The chapter will introduce the preparticipation health screening process before undergoing various physiological, posture, and body composition assessments.

Chapter 11: Nutrition Assessment
Provides a basic introduction to healthy eating habits, the dietary guidelines, and the components of healthy eating patterns. Next, the chapter will discuss a detailed approach to assessing a client’s dietary intake.

Chapter 12: Warm-up, Recovery, and Injury Prevention
Teaches the Physique Coach how to implement a corrective exercise warm-up to reduce injury risk, increase joint mobility, and muscle activation.

Chapter 13: Resistance and Core Training
Learn scientific and application aspects of resistance training to the aspiring Physique Coach. The chapter also discusses core training, and it will begin by describing the benefits of core training.

Chapter 14: Cardiorespiratory Training and Non-Exercise Physical Activity
Introduces the learner to established cardiorespiratory training guidelines and applications. Also learn the effects of cardio training and NEAT on body composition (fat loss, muscle gain, muscle atrophy).

Chapter 15: Coaching Principles
Understand essential coaching principles to help motivate and support physique athletes through their journey. The chapter will briefly overview psychology and behavior change and how these principles apply to coaching physique athletes.

Chapter 16: Exercise Programming
Understand exercise programming for physique athletes and examine various program protocols and how they apply to the physique athlete. Review two in-depth case studies and how resistance training programs were developed for these personas.

Chapter 17: Nutrition Programming
Learn various nutrition programming strategies for physique athletes including determining calorie needs, macronutrient targets, and nutrient timing and periodization. Review three example case studies.

Chapter 18: Peaking for Competition or Personal Goals
Learn important nutrition and exercise training components for physique athletes trying to peak at their time of competition. Learn the important considerations when preparing for a physique/bodybuilding competition.

Chapter 19: Physique Transformation Sustainability
Identify strategies for preventing hyperphagia after reaching a physique milestone. The chapter will detail long-term strategies for sustaining gains made during the physique transformation.

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, that consists of 100 questions. Each question will be multiple-choice. The exam is timed and cannot exceed 90 minutes. To pass, you need a score of 70% or higher. Don’t fret though, if you score below that, you have up to 3 attempts to pass.

Exercise Programming Manual: Access canned assessment templates, handouts, and exercise programs, including assessment forms, corrective exercise warm-up programs, and exercise programs for four phases of the OPT™ Model.

Nutrition Programming Manual: Access canned meal plans, including meal plans for various divisions (bikini, bodybuilding, physique) and goals (bulk, cut) from real life examples.

Physique and Bodybuilding Coach 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 Physique and Bodybuilding Coach certification, 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

Becoming a Physique and Bodybuilding Coach can boost your fitness knowledge and career in a variety of ways. The bodybuilding techniques you learn will help you to achieve your own physique goals, boost your professional reputation, and grow your earnings by expanding your client base to include athletes of all ages and physique stages.

The NASM-PBC specialization is approved for the following Continuing Education Units (CEUs):

  • NASM Approved

    1.9 CEUs

You are required to earn 1.9 CEUs, in addition, you also have to earn 0.1 CEUs from the CPR/AED certification for a total of 2.0 CEUs to get the recertification.

The NASM-PBC program is an advanced specialization intended for fitness professionals, bodybuilding and physique competitors, and fitness enthusiasts. There are no official prerequisites, but it’s recommended to have a fitness credential, such as being a Certified Personal Trainer, or a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

You will have 1 year from the day of registration to take your final exam. An extension can be purchased by calling Member Services at 1-800-460-6276.

The Physique and Bodybuilding Coach program 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 Physique and Bodybuilding Coach 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!