Certified Professional Kinesiologist (CPK)

Through the Professional Kinesiologist Qualification System (PKQS), the Asian Kinesiology Society (ASK) aims to help enhance the kinesiology education capacity of universities and ultimately increase job opportunities for Kinesiology students in Asian countries.

The PKQS as an Education Examination System was an Asian model of the Professional Kinesiologist Accreditation System made by taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of various qualification systems such as NSCA-Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), ACSM-Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C), NATA-Athletic Trainer Certified (ATC), and NASM-Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).

The ultimate goal of the PKQS is to train Professional Kinesiologist (PK) as a future-oriented and multi-functional health expert based on kinesiology, make their roles and functions recognized anywhere in the world so they can work self-employed or in collaboration with various health experts, and supply experts with the Certified Professional Kinesiologist (CPK). The CPK credentials tailored to Asian students based on their academic background in Kinesiology, especially in exercise and sports science, will be issued by the Kinesiologist Evaluation Institute (KEI) with accreditation of the Asian Society of Kinesiology (ASK).

A Certified Professional Kinesiologist (CPK) is a health professional who evaluates physical fitness and analyses the process of movement to identify issues in physical activity. This enables them to develop and monitor effective and safe exercise programs for health promotion, disease prevention, injury prevention, physical training, and performance rehabilitation, all within the study of Kinesiology.

The CPK certification was created to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of qualification systems managed in some countries. The CPK is expected to fulfill the roles of multiple specialists, such as a personal trainer, health fitness instructor, physical trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, exercise physiologist, kinesiotherapist, athletic trainer, etc.

Work Scope

• Health fitness testing and assessment
• Exercise functional testing and assessment
• Exercise counseling
• Personal training and health fitness instruction
• Exercise prescription: Organizing an exercise program that includes exercise type, content, intensity, duration, frequency, period, and more
• Exercise guidance and management for health promotion
• Sports technique guidance
• Athletic/Sport health management: Includes sports injury prevention, management, rehabilitation, and more
• Management and operation of sports facility programs: Includes safety guidance and operation log creation

Career Opportunities (list is non-exhaustive)

• Personal Trainer
• Group Exercise Leader
• Health/Fitness Instructor
• Athletic Trainer and Sport Rehabilitation Specialist
• Exercise Specialist and Clinical Exercise Specialist
• Exercise and Sport Studio Manager: Yoga Studio, Pilates Studio, Gyro-exercise Studio, Correct Exercise Studio, and Sport Rehabilitation Studio
• Health/Fitness Club Manager
• Public Health Centre Manager
• Industrial Musculoskeletal Disease Prevention Centre Manager
• Clinical Exercise Program Administrator

Tracts to be an ASK-CPK

• 1) Special Course of Educators
• 2) Examination Qualification

Eligibility for ASK-CPK

• 1) Eligibility for Special Course of Educators for CPK.
       This course is open to individuals who meet one of the following criteria and wish to participate in specialized university-level training for CPK development:
  • Full-time lecturer holding a doctoral degree.
  • Full-time lecturer holding a master's degree with at least 3 years of teaching experience in practical courses of the CPK Certification Workshop (for details on practical courses, please refer to the CPK Certification Workshop curriculum).
• 2) Eligibility for CPK Qualification Exam.
       The following individuals are eligible to take the CPK Qualification Exam:
  • Graduates or soon-to-be graduates from different disciplines like kinesiology, sport science, physical education, or other related fields of human movement, physical activity, exercise, and sport.
  • Have completed at least 21 credits related to the curriculum of the ASK-CPK Certification Workshop.
  • Have at least three years of experience in health/fitness instruction after qualifying in health, fitness, and medical fields.
  • Have completed a CPK Certification Workshop approved by ASK.

Upcoming Certification

• The 1st Special Course of Educators for CPK Certification in 2025 WCKSS
• CPK Qualification Exam: There will be two times of “CPK Qualification Exam” in summer and winter every year. Refer “the menu of the News & Notice on the ASK website” to learn more about upcoming certification for CPK in detail.

Exam Subject Description

Kinesiology Knowledge Test (KKT)

• Health Fitness (25%): Personal Training, Exercise Training and Conditioning
• Clinical Exercise (50%): Pathophysiology, Exercise Testing and Prescription
• Principle of Athletic Training and Therapy (25%): Athletic Injuries, Therapeutic Exercise & Sport Rehabilitation

Application Competence Test (ACT)

• Practice in Strength & Conditioning (30%)
• Practice in Clinical Exercise Education (30%)
• Practice in Therapeutic Exercise and Sport Rehabilitation (40%)

• * The proportion of each subject in the KKT and ACT exams may vary slightly from exam to exam.
• * To check the scope of the Application Competence Test (ACT), please click [here].
• * For more detailed information on the exam subjects, click [here].
• * To view the reference materials for the ASK-CPK exam, please click [here].

CPK Examination Passing Circumstances

to be prepared