pH Certification

Performance Health Certification

Certification Overview

If you are a Strength Coach or Trainer, this will be the most important certification you get. This is a journey that will take you step by step on how to become an amazing Strength & Conditioning Coach.

Start with Foundations and why you want to be or are a Strength Coach. This is not a prerequisite for Level I, but it is highly encouraged. From there it is building on Foundation with Biomechanics (Level I) and Physiology (Level II) before learning the fundamentals of Programming (Level III).

This is your step by step guide to becoming an amazing Strength Coach.

After that, we have Advanced Program Design. We intentionally hold off from giving advanced methods and protocols because it’s not what moves the needle for higher performance, but why and how that creates incredible outcomes.

Each level is a combination of remote and in-person learning. This is not a passive experience. You will be tested, you will be pushed, and you will become the Strength & Conditioning Coach you always hoped to be.

Why Levels?

A mistake with education is assuming everyone already knows everything. Another mistake is expecting everyone to understand what you are talking about. The best remedy to increasing understanding and creating better lines of communication is to build a foundation of knowledge that gradually progresses in nuance and complexity. The best indication of this being worth your investment is if you improve, not being exposed to something. pH Certification is built on making coaches better, which is based on creating a sequence of learning that develops understanding and skill over time.

Levels

The levels are designed to create foundational knowledge before attempting to incorporate advanced methods and protocols. To be a pH Certified Coach, which means something, you will be held to our rigorous standards of understanding basic and agreed-upon foundation knowledge.

There are five levels to the pH Certification. Level I-Level IV is prerequisite-based. Foundations are independent but highly encouraged. Each Level comes with a year Subscription to the pH Membership ($240 Value) giving you access to a membership forum, Weekly Webshows, Bonus Videos, Suggested Material and Research Articles.

Level 0 – Foundations (Virtual)

Prerequisite – None
Goals: S&C Career Optimization
Target Audience: Aspiring S&C Coaches, Transitional S&C Coaches
Format: Virtual
Foundations Course Breaks Down:
- I What do you want?
- II Why do you want that?
- III How
- IV Build knowledge
- V Build skill
- VI Maintain motivation
- VII Practice
- VIII Evaluation & Feedback
- IX Communication
- X Develop your Business
- XI – Lay Out Your 1, 5, 10 Year Plan
- XII – Next Steps

Level I – Biomechanics

Prerequisite – None
Goals – Create a Baseline Understanding of Biomechanics for Exercise Selection
Target Audience: All S&C Coaches and Trainers
Format:
- In Person: 3 Day Seminar
  - Day 1: Objective Biomechanics Analysis using Force Plates and Joint Force Testing
  - Day 2: Movement Screens
  - Day 3: Table ROM Tests
- After Seminar – Remote: 12 Biomechanics Modules
  1. Movement Variability
  2. Force Length
  3. Flexibility
  4. Capsular Space
  5. Mobility
  6. Longitudinal Hypertrophy
  7. Levers
  8. Tensegrity
  9. Centration
  10. Gear Ratio
  11. Mechanical Advantage
  12. Screening

Level II – Physiology

Prerequisite – Level I
Goals – Create a Baseline Understanding of Physiology for Periodization
Target Audience: All S&C Coaches and Trainers
Format:
- In Person: 3 Day Seminar
  - Day 1: Objective Physiology Analysis using Body Composition Testing
  - Day 2: Cardiovascular Assessments
  - Day 3: Biometrics Analysis
- After Seminar – Remote: 10 Physiology Modules
  1. Bioenergetic Variability
  2. Duality
  3. Metabolism
  4. Nervous System
  5. Cardiovascular System
  6. Endocrine System
  7. Immune System
  8. Macronutrients
  9. Nutrient Timing
  10. Body Comp Screening

Level III – Programming

Prerequisite – Level II
Goals – Create a Foundational Knowledge of Integrating Principles In Training and Creating-Implementing Rules of Training
Target Audience: All S&C Coaches and Trainers
Format:
- In Person: 5 Day Seminar
  - Day 1: Relative Strength Testing & Structural Balancing Testing
  - Day 2: Integrating Exercise Selection & Variables
  - Day 3: Training Session Design
  - Day 4: Microcycle Design
  - Day 5: Mesocycle Design
- After Seminar – Remote: 20 Physiology Modules
  - 1 Force – Velocity – Work
  - 2 Central Governor
  - 3 Fitness Fatigue
  - 4 Periodization
  - 5 Eccentric – Concentric Contractions
  - 6 Energy System Development
  - 7 Principles – Individuality
  - 8 Principles – Specificity
  - 9 Principles – Progressive Overload
  - 10 Principles – Progression
  - 11 Principles – Reversibility
  - 12 Principles – Diminishing Returns (Critical Drop Off)
  - 13 Exercise Selection
  - 14 Exercise Order
  - 15 Frequency
  - 16 Sets/Reps
  - 17 Programming
  - 18 Hypertrophy
  - 19 Relative Intensity
  - 20 Structural Balance

Level IV – Advanced Programming

Prerequisite – Level III
Goals – Be an Industry Leading S&C Coach and Trainer
Target Audience: All S&C Coaches and Trainers
Format:
- In Person: 5 Day Seminar
  - Day 1: Force Velocity Profiling
  - Day 2: Force Length Profiling
  - Day 3: Muscle Fiber Testing
  - Day 4: Strength Deficit
  - Day 5: Athletic Profiling