American Council on Exercise Background
America’s Authority on Fitness™
Part 1
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a nonprofit organization that
promotes the benefits of physical activity and protects the public against
unqualified fitness professionals and unsafe or ineffective fitness products,
programs and trends. As the nation’s “workout watchdog,” ACE conducts
university-based research and testing that targets fitness products and trends.
ACE sets education standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest
nonprofit fitness certifying organization.
ACE is committed to ongoing public education about the importance of exercise.
Through its research and independent comparative studies, ACE enables the
public to make informed decisions about the safety and effectiveness of fitness
products. ACE further protects the public by setting certification and continuing
education standards for fitness professionals.
Directing its messages to varying segments of the population, from youth to older adults, ACE strives to stay
attuned to the fitness needs of individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
To help further educate the general public and fitness professionals, ACE has launched numerous outreach
programs. Operation FitKids™ was created to improve the health and fitness of America’s youth through
enhanced education for healthy lifestyles and increased opportunities for physical activity. The program provides
professional training and educational resources to those working to promote youth fitness. ACE has also
distributed a series of Public Service Announcements to encourage the public to get moving and emphasize the
importance of working out with certified trainers.
The council's magazine, ACE FitnessMatters, provides fitness enthusiasts with reliable health
and fitness
information. The bimonthly publication accepts no advertising so as to remain unbiased in its coverage.
Established in 1985, ACE has since emerged as a significant force in the field of physical fitness, growing from a
small operation to a full-service entity with a staff of more than 50. Now the largest nonprofit fitness certifying
organization in the world, ACE has certified more than 250,000 health and fitness professionals in more than 77
countries. Certification exams are standardized, broad-based tests of the knowledge necessary to instruct group
exercise (various specialties), one-on-one (personal training), special populations, and lifestyle and weight
management issues.
