American Council on Exercise

Discover the most effective approach to training the hamstrings. This evidence-based workout features exercises to improve function and avoid injury.

Meet Ashley Carter, an ACE Certified Pro living the mission and shaping the future of fitness. Ashley offers strategies for pros just getting started.

Completed by more than 400 participants, the CPAL course is helping empower people to lead inclusive physical activity programs in their communities

ACE and Jonathan Ross collaborate to bring education on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia to health and fitness professionals.

Meet Guy Voisey, an ACE Certified Pro living the mission and shaping the future of fitness. Guy offers strategies for working with clients with intellectual disabilities.

Still, research classifies hot yoga as light-to-moderate intensity, meaning that you’ll see an increase in your heart rate, but it won’t be to the upper-limits of your heart rate zones. (An older study done by the American Council on Exercise found that women’s heart rates increased to 72 percent of their maximum heart rate, or Zone 3, during a hot yoga session.)

“When you perform the same exercises over and over, your muscles, joints, and nervous system become more efficient at those movements,” causing progress to plateau, explained Erin Nitschke, CPT, a certified personal trainer and American Council on Exercise health coach. “Changing your workout routine periodically helps you continue to challenge your body, improve your strength and endurance, and keep your workouts mentally engaging.”

Then there’s the advice that applies to everyone: hydrate, go gently and listen to your body. The latter is particularly important; a study conducted by the American Council on Exercise on the risks associated with Bikram yoga recommended watching for fatigue, headaches, dizziness, general weakness, paleness, cold, clammy skin and profuse sweating.

Meet Ajia Clancy, an ACE Certified Pro living the mission and shaping the future of fitness. As a cancer survivor and equestrian, Ajia knows firsthand the power of health and fitness.

From HIIT lovers to yoga adherents, personality helps explain what feels good in training—and why some clients get outsized stress benefits. Learn how to translate trait patterns into week-to-week programming that boosts adherence, enjoyment and mental health.

Several new studies show that eating dinner earlier and walking after meals can significantly improve next-day blood glucose levels and reduce long-term glycemic variability. Learn how to coach clients toward these simple yet effective habits.

This blog presents My Physical Activity Plate, an evidence-based but user-friendly tool that you can share with clients. Learn why it’s time for a redesign of physical activity recommendations and how unstructured movement and structured exercise can improve public health.

In today’s crowded fitness industry, standing out online takes more than just great workouts—it takes strategy. Monetize your passion and find your niche with these proven tools.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is proud to announce its support of Project COURAGE, a Matrix Fitness initiative expanding opportunities for students and professionals at the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States. The project is designed to open doors for those interested in fitness-related fields and to strengthen community through greater access to education and resources.

Reduced-exertion high-intensity training (REHIT): Per the American Council on Exercise’s recommendation, this consists of 20 seconds of work followed by three minutes of recovery, repeated two times.

Downing seven to 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes is a solid rule of thumb, according to both the American Council on Exercise and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, as SELF has previously reported. “You want to make sure you're properly fueled for your performance and recovery,” McDonald says.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is proud to announce its support of Project COURAGE, a Matrix Fitness initiative expanding opportunities for students and professionals at the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States.

Calorie burn isn't the be-all and end-all in workouts (far from it), but here's an interesting comparison: trampoline workouts can burn as many calories per minute as running at a pace of 10 minutes per mile, according to a study by the American Council of Exercise.

The American College of Sports Medicine released the 12th edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Read about key updates.

Discover the most effective approach to abdominal training. This evidence-based workout features effective ab exercises that build strength and endurance and improve posture.

As you get stronger, you can try other plank exercises, like lifting one foot off the floor and bringing it to your opposite elbow, recommends the American Council on Exercise. For more advanced exercisers, try raising your opposite arm and leg off the floor while stabilizing your body.

HIIT sparks something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which enables people to burn calories even after their workout ends. The American Council on Exercise says that HIIT works best for kickstarting EPOC.

Any activity that puts pressure on the abdominal area can lead to a hernia, especially if you have had surgery in the area or an injury. Can you get a hernia from sit-ups? Sit-ups and over-training before you’re ready may be the cause according to the American Council on Exercise, if you are doing a lot of them, or they may just be making the hernia worse or more noticeable.

Support for Project COURAGE continues to build heading into 2026, backed by new collaboration with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Finding they were aligned with the Project COURAGE mission, ACE is backing the initiative by providing educational resources and professional development opportunities that advance Matrix’s mission to empower underrepresented communities.

Plus, building muscle and strength improves confidence, regulates muscle repair hormones, and stimulates the brain, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). These benefits are especially important after 60.

Circuit training combines strength training and cardiorespiratory exercise in an effective and time-efficient way. Learn programming strategies for clients with larger bodies.

In today’s influencer-led landscape, it seems like there’s something eye-catching every time you scroll: a new “must-do” trend, a newly recommended daily step count, podcast sound bites that lack context and anti-aging misinformation at every turn. Watch this video to learn how to separate fact from fiction.

Running for one mile burns approximately 100 calories, but the exact number depends on factors such as body weight and running pace, according to the American Council on Exercise.

Circuit training combines strength training and cardiorespiratory exercise in an effective and time-efficient way. Learn programming strategies for clients with larger bodies.

The new Certification Advisory Board will enhance integrity and oversight of the ACE credentialing process.

Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to reflect on Hispanic/Latino health and how ACE Certified Pros can better serve members of this vibrant community. Learn how you can help.

Meet James Kropp, an ACE Certified Pro living the mission and shaping the future of fitness. James is a Special Olympics athlete and coach inspiring others to find joy in physical activity.

“The treadmill endures because it really delivers on the essential basics: accessibility, convenience, and proven effectiveness,” says Cedric Bryant, the president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise. “The most basic element to maintaining an independent lifestyle, typically, as we mature, is to be able to ambulate and move on our own. Treadmills help to maintain that quality.”

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) have announced a new strategic partnership designed to strengthen and elevate the health and fitness industry. Through this two-year agreement, the organizations will jointly offer high-quality, evidence-based education for health and fitness professionals worldwide.

Discover the most effective approach to resistance training for the chest. This evidence-based workout features chest exercises to build strength and improve function.

When your client says they “already walk every day,” what’s your next move? Groundbreaking research shows that increasing walking pace—not just walking more—is a game-changer for improving longevity and functional ability. This article describes how you can use cadence as a simple, objective measure of walking intensity and offers strategies for helping clients safely and confidently increase their pace.

Can two diets with identical nutrients lead to very different health outcomes? New research suggests that how much a food is processed may be just as important as calorie count or macronutrient balance. Drawing on two major 2025 studies, learn how ultra-processed foods (UPFs) affect weight, appetite regulation and cardiometabolic health, as well as practical strategies you can use to support clients in making meaningful dietary changes.

Let’s start with a quick physiology lesson. 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).

The ACE RRAMP approach significantly boosts exercise adherence and motivation in group fitness classes  

The Community Physical Activity Leader course empowers people who are not currently exercise professionals, including people with intellectual disabilities, to lead others to perform community physical activity sessions. Read on to learn how those who completed the course plan on implementing what they’ve learned.