ACSM Continuing Education: Does It Help With NASM or ACE?

Continuing education is a cornerstone of professionalism in the personal training industry. Whether you’re certified through NASM, ACE, AFAA, or ACSM, maintaining your certification requires an ongoing commitment to learning. If you’re wondering whether ACSM continuing education credits can help with NASM or ACE recertification, you’re in the right place. This post dives deep into how continuing education units (CEUs) work across these certifying bodies, explains renewal timelines, details what counts as CEUs, and unpacks the critical role of provider approval status.

Why Does Continuing Education Exist?

The fitness industry evolves rapidly—new research, techniques, client needs, and safety protocols continually shape best practices. Continuing education ensures that certified professionals don’t fall behind. Here’s why these ongoing requirements matter:

Maintain professional competence: CEUs promote lifelong learning, so trainers stay knowledgeable and effective.
Protect clients: Current evidence-based practices reduce the risk of injury and increase client success.
Industry standards compliance: Certification renewal upholds recognized standards mandated by accrediting bodies like NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies).
Career advancement: In some cases, meeting CEU requirements opens doors to specialization and employment opportunities.

Renewal Cycle Differences: ACSM vs NASM vs ACE

One key consideration when planning your continuing education is understanding the renewal cycle timing for each certification. Renewal cycles impact how frequently you need to collect and submit CEUs.

Certifying Body Renewal Cycle Length Typical Required CEUs Renewal Submission Method ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) 3 years 45 credits (varies by certification) Via ACSM certification portal NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) 2 years 2.0 CEUs (20 hours) Via NASM CEU Tracker portal ACE (American Council on Exercise) 2 years 2.0 CEUs (20 hours) Via ACE My Certification account AFAA (Athletics and Fitness Association of America) 2 years 1.6 CEUs (16 hours) Via AFAA recertification platform

Note that ACSM’s renewal cycle is typically longer (3 years) and requires more credits overall, while NASM and ACE operate on 2-year cheap fitness ceu courses cycles. This means ACSM-certified trainers often accumulate CEUs over a longer period, while NASM and ACE trainers must renew more frequently.

What Counts as a CEU and What Does Not?

Not every course, workshop, or webinar qualifies as a valid CEU for your certifying body. Understanding what counts can prevent wasted time and frustration. Here are the key factors:

Approved CEUs

Courses offered by an approved provider: Certifying bodies like NASM, ACE, and ACSM publish lists or databases of approved continuing education providers.
Content must be relevant: Topics should relate to exercise science, program design, nutrition (where allowed), client communication, special populations, or other directly applicable skills.
Past coursework that’s recent: Some certifying bodies limit how far back CEUs can date (usually the duration of your renewal cycle).
Completion with documentation: You must earn a certificate of completion—typically a PDF issued through the course provider’s system.

Common CEU Pitfalls

Non-approved providers: CEUs earned from unapproved, general fitness webinars may not count. Always check the provider’s approval status.
Self-study without proof: Simply reading a book or watching videos without a formal certificate usually isn’t accepted.
Duplicate credits: You can’t count the same course twice, even if it’s taken for multiple certifications.
Expired CEUs: CEUs older than your current cycle typically won’t help you renew.

Pro tip: Always save official certificates in PDF format in a dedicated CEU folder. Screenshots or photos can be poor quality and difficult to submit if requested during audit.

ACSM Continuing Education CEUs and NASM/ACE Acceptance

Here’s the million-dollar question: If you take ACSM continuing education courses, can you apply those CEUs to renew NASM or ACE certifications?

Generally Yes, But It Depends on Approval Status and Provider Eligibility

NASM and ACE both accept ACSM CEUs under certain conditions. Many ACSM courses and workshops are approved or pre-approved to carry over. However, this is not automatic for all ACSM offerings.
Provider approval verification is critical. For example, NASM’s CEU Tracker allows you to search providers and courses that have been pre-approved. The same is true for ACE’s My Certification portal.
ACSM itself approves certain course providers that also have agreements with NASM or ACE. If the ACSM course provider is on NASM or ACE’s approved provider lists, their CEUs can usually transfer.
Not all ACSM courses automatically qualify. Some ACSM continuing education that is more academic or specialized may not meet NASM or ACE’s criteria.

How to Double-Check CEU Acceptance

Log into your NASM or ACE renewal portal.
Search for the ACSM course provider or specific course name in the CEU provider list.
Confirm the course or provider is listed and approved for the current renewal cycle.
Verify the number of CEUs awarded matches your needs.
Obtain the official completion certificate (usually PDF) from ACSM’s course provider immediately upon finishing.
Upload the certificate to your NASM or ACE renewal portal according to instructions.

If you don’t see the provider or course listed, don’t assume it qualifies. Reach out to customer support or confirm with both ACSM and NASM/ACE before investing time and money.

Role of Certificate Issuance and Documentation in CEU Submission

One common headache during recertification is dealing with course completion proof. Here’s what you need to know:

Certificates are official documentation: Whether you’re taking ACSM continuing education or another provider’s offering, a formal certificate—usually a PDF—is your key proof.
Save all certificates in a dedicated CEU folder: I can’t stress this enough. When renewal time comes, you don’t want to scramble or rely on screenshots.
Online portals often require uploads: Both NASM and ACE allow you to upload your CEU certificates directly. ACSM also has its own certifying body renewal portal.
Processing time counts: After submitting CEUs, some certifying bodies take 1–2 weeks to review and approve credits. Plan ahead.

Pro tip: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your CEUs. Give yourself enough lead time to resolve any discrepancies or missing documentation requests from your certifying body.

Summary: Can ACSM Continuing Education Help With NASM or ACE Recertification?

The short answer: yes, often—but it depends on provider approval and course eligibility. Here’s the recap:

ACSM CEUs can count toward NASM or ACE renewal if the course provider is approved by these bodies.
Always use the certifying body renewal portal (NASM CEU Tracker, ACE My Certification) to verify qualifications before signing up.
Saving course completion certificates as PDFs is crucial for smooth recertification.
Renewal cycles differ—ACSM allows 3 years, NASM and ACE require recertification every 2 years.
Not every ACSM continuing education offering qualifies—verification saves headaches.

By staying organized, verifying provider approval status, and saving your CEU certificates properly, you can confidently use ACSM continuing education to support your certification renewal efforts with NASM, ACE, or even AFAA.

Additional Resources

ACSM Continuing Education
NASM CEU Tracker
ACE My Certification Portal
AFAA Recertification