- What "CSCC Training" Actually Means
- How the ISSA Course and Exam Work
- The 24-Chapter Curriculum Map
- Phase One: Science Foundations (Domains 1-7)
- Phase Two: Assessment and Program Design (Domains 8-11)
- Phase Three: Exercise Technique and Systems (Domains 12-17)
- Phase Four: Periodization, Conditioning, and Recovery (Domains 18-20)
- Phase Five: Nutrition, Psychology, and Professional Practice (Domains 21-24)
- Training for an Open-Book Final
- Cost, Deadlines, and Renewal Mechanics
- Frequently Asked Questions
- This CSCC is the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach credential from ISSA, built on a 24-chapter textbook curriculum.
- The final exam is online, at-home, and open-book, with two free attempts and no time limit.
- The displayed package price is USD 639, but ISSA's terms add a 5% administrative and technology fee and exclude tax.
- Confirm the operative passing threshold in your own final exam; ISSA materials cite at least 75% in each section.
What "CSCC Training" Actually Means
When people search for CSCC training, they usually want to know one thing: what do I have to learn, and how do I get through it? For the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach credential, the answer is a structured, self-paced online course issued by the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). ISSA currently markets this specialization under the name Strength and Conditioning Certification, so you may see both labels used for the same program.
The training is not a weekend workshop or a practical skills check-off. It is a textbook-driven curriculum, Strength and Conditioning, 2nd Edition (copyright 2020), paired with course quizzes and a final exam you take at home. If you are still orienting yourself, our explainers on what CSCC certification is and what CSCC stands for cover the basics, and this article focuses on the actual training path.
How the ISSA Course and Exam Work
Understanding the mechanics up front prevents surprises later. Here is what the published ISSA materials establish for this specialization.
| Element | What ISSA Publishes |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Online course with an at-home final exam |
| Exam style | Open-book, open-note |
| Gate to the final | All course quizzes must be completed and passed first |
| Time limit | None on the final; you can save and resume |
| Attempts | Two free attempts during enrollment |
| Retakes | Immediate retakes allowed; USD 99 for each attempt beyond the two included |
| Package price | One-time USD 639 displayed, including course and final exam |
| Course completion window | FAQ cites eight months for specialization courses; your portal deadline governs |
Two cautions deserve emphasis. First, ISSA's help center mentions an average completion estimate for the final exam, but that is not an exam timer. Second, a program-specific question count and pass rate were not verified, so be skeptical of any site quoting precise numbers. We unpack this in our CSCC pass rate analysis.
The 24-Chapter Curriculum Map
The public sample of the textbook includes the complete table of contents, which gives us 24 chapter headings. Because the final is open-book, the chapter structure matters more than rote memorization: you need to know where to find answers fast and how concepts connect across chapters. The full breakdown lives in our guide to all 24 CSCC content areas; here is the training-oriented grouping we recommend.
| Training Phase | Chapters | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Science foundations | 1-7 | Introduction, nervous, muscular, skeletal, cardiorespiratory, bioenergetics, biomechanics |
| Assessment and design | 8-11 | General and performance assessments, program design principles, flexibility |
| Technique and systems | 12-17 | Plyometrics, core, lower body, upper body, Olympic-style lifting, resistance training systems |
| Periodization and recovery | 18-20 | Periodization, cardiorespiratory programming, recovery and injury prevention |
| Fuel, mind, and practice | 21-24 | Nutrition, supplementation, performance psychology, professional practice |
Phase One: Science Foundations (Domains 1-7)
The first seven chapters build the vocabulary that every later chapter assumes. Skimming here is the most common reason candidates stall at the quizzes.
Domain 1: Introduction to Strength and Conditioning
Sets the scope of the profession and the language of the field. Read it closely, since it frames how the rest of the text uses terms.
- Role and scope of a strength and conditioning coach
- Core terminology used consistently through later chapters
Domains 2-4: Nervous, Muscular, and Skeletal Systems
These chapters explain how force is produced, transmitted, and expressed at the joint. Expect questions that connect structure to function.
- How the Nervous System drives motor unit recruitment and coordination
- Muscle fiber characteristics and contraction types in the Muscular System
- Joint actions and planes of motion in Skeletal System and Joint Actions, which you will reuse when analyzing exercises later
Domains 5-7: Cardiorespiratory, Bioenergetics, and Biomechanics
Here training becomes more quantitative. Energy system logic and mechanical principles underpin nearly every programming decision downstream.
- How Cardio Respiratory and Support Systems respond to training stress
- Energy pathways in Bioenergetics and which activities tax each one
- Levers, force, and movement analysis in Biomechanics
Phase Two: Assessment and Program Design (Domains 8-11)
This is where a coach's thinking is tested: choose the right assessment, interpret the result, and turn it into a plan.
Assessments: General versus Performance
General Assessments and Performance Assessments are separate chapters for a reason. One screens readiness and movement quality; the other measures athletic qualities. Practice stating what decision each type of test supports, because scenario questions tend to ask what a result should change about a program.
Principles of Program Design
Domain 10 is the hinge of the whole course. Variables like volume, intensity, frequency, and exercise selection reappear in the resistance training systems, periodization, and cardiorespiratory chapters. Master it before moving on.
Phase Three: Exercise Technique and Systems (Domains 12-17)
These six chapters are the most applied part of the curriculum. For each, ask three questions: what is the movement goal, what are the key coaching cues and errors, and how does it progress?
Domains 12-15: Plyometrics, Core, Lower Body, Upper Body
Exercise-specific chapters reward organized notes. Build a one-line entry per exercise: purpose, primary movers, common faults, regression, progression.
- Plyometric Exercises: landing mechanics, intensity progression, and readiness before loading the stretch-shortening cycle
- Core Exercises: stability versus movement-based trunk training
- Lower-Body Exercises and Upper-Body Exercises: movement patterns, joint actions, and technique cues
Domain 16: Power and Olympic-Style Weight Lifting
Technique-heavy and prerequisite-driven. Know the phases of the lifts, the faults that derail them, and when simpler variations are the smarter coaching choice.
Domain 17: Resistance Training Systems
This chapter organizes how sets and exercises are arranged. Be ready to match a system to a training goal and explain the trade-offs, not just recall names.
Phase Four: Periodization, Conditioning, and Recovery (Domains 18-20)
ISSA's product summary highlights periodization and performance tracking, speed, agility, and recovery programming, and injury prevention with functional movement. Those themes land here.
- Applying Periodization (Domain 18): organizing training across phases so qualities peak when needed. Practice sequencing a season and justifying each transition.
- Cardiorespiratory Programming (Domain 19): selecting modes and progressions for conditioning, tied back to the energy systems in Domain 6.
- Recovery and Injury Prevention (Domain 20): managing fatigue, monitoring athletes, and reducing risk. This chapter rewards integrative thinking across anatomy, biomechanics, and program design.
Key Takeaway
Domains 10, 18, and 20 form a loop: design the plan, periodize it, then monitor recovery and adjust. Study them together, and scenario questions become far easier to reason through.
Phase Five: Nutrition, Psychology, and Professional Practice (Domains 21-24)
The final four chapters cover what happens around the training session.
Domains 21-22: Nutrition and Supplementation
Know the role of macronutrients and fueling for performance, and understand supplementation at the level of evidence, safety, and scope of practice. A coach should know what falls inside their remit and when to refer out.
Domain 23: Performance Psychology
Motivation, focus, and arousal regulation. Expect applied questions about how to support an athlete's mindset in training and competition.
Domain 24: Professional Practice
Ethics, professionalism, and the realities of working as a coach. If you are weighing where the credential can take you, see our overview of CSCC jobs and the CSCC salary guide.
Training for an Open-Book Final
An open-book, open-note format changes what "preparing" means. You are not training to memorize every fact; you are training to locate, interpret, and apply. Here is one compact, CSCC-specific way to sequence your weeks.
Systems and Mechanics
- Domains 1-7, building an index of key terms with chapter references
- Do the course quizzes as you go; they gate access to the final
Assessment, Design, Flexibility
- Domains 8-11, with extra time on Domain 10 because later chapters depend on it
Technique and Systems
- Domains 12-17, with one-line exercise entries and technique fault lists
Programming, Support Topics, Review
- Domains 18-24, then a cross-chapter pass linking design, periodization, and recovery
The eight-week pacing mirrors ISSA's stated eight-month course window only loosely; most candidates can finish well inside it, but your enrolled portal's deadline is the one that counts. Adjust for your schedule, and see our CSCC study guide for a deeper walkthrough and our CSCC cheat sheet for a condensed review.
Cost, Deadlines, and Renewal Mechanics
What You Will Pay
The displayed package is a one-time USD 639 that includes the course and the final exam. ISSA's general terms specify a 5% administrative and technology fee and state that prices exclude applicable tax, so the displayed price is not a guaranteed checkout total. After your two free attempts, each additional attempt is USD 99. Our CSCC certification cost breakdown goes further, and the ROI analysis helps you decide if the spend fits your goals.
Eligibility and Certificate Release
- Candidates must be at least 18 years old.
- Current adult CPR/AED from an approved provider is required, and the help center requires documentation before the certificate is released.
- If you use a payment plan, you must have paid at least 1/12 of the total order and stay current on payments before release.
More on prerequisites is in our CSCC requirements guide.
Passing Score: Verify Before You Test
ISSA's FAQ and general terms both reference at least 75% in each section of specialization exams. However, the current help center directs students to the passing requirement displayed in their own final exam. Treat 75% per section as the planning target, and confirm the operative threshold in your course. Details are in our passing score article.
Renewal
| Renewal Item | Published Rule |
|---|---|
| Cycle | Every two years |
| Continuing education | 20 CEUs, equivalent to 20 contact hours |
| Other requirements | Current CPR/AED and a renewal submission |
| Standard fee | USD 99; may be waived when all 20 CEUs are earned through ISSA |
| Late renewal | Guidance conflicts between ISSA pages; confirm in your enrolled course and portal |
Because the renewal page and the terms describe late renewal differently, do not rely on a grace-period assumption. Calendar your renewal early. For scheduling context, see CSCC exam dates and deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). Here, CSCC refers specifically to the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach credential, which ISSA currently markets as its Strength and Conditioning Certification.
ISSA describes the final as online, at-home, and open-book with no time limit, and you can save and resume. You must complete and pass all course quizzes before accessing it.
Two free attempts during enrollment. Immediate retakes are allowed, and each attempt beyond the two included costs USD 99.
A program-specific question count and pass rate have not been verified, so we do not publish figures. Brand-level banners and rules for other ISSA exams do not establish facts for this specialization.
You must be at least 18 and provide current adult CPR/AED documentation from an approved provider. Payment-plan students must also meet ISSA's minimum payment and current-account conditions before certificate release.
Start with our pages on what CSCC is and the broader CSCC certification, then check how difficult candidates find it in our difficulty guide. When you are ready to test your knowledge, try the CSCC practice exam.