Tools of Strength

A Subsidiary of Strengthgineering, LLC

There are several personal trainer certification organizations to choose from. Many are comprehensive with respect to nutrition, anatomy, and exercise methodology. A few claim to provide H.I.T. credentials. However, all of the existing programs have one or more of the following problematic characteristics:

• They take questionable stances with respect to anatomy or nutrition (contradictory to one another and to recognized experts, and themselves over time)

• They claim to be a H.I.T. oriented program yet address plyometrics, explosive training, aerobics, and/or other facets which are clearly contradictory to the H.I.T. purpose, personal preferences with respect to one's philosophical outlook on life, or exercise methodolgy (criminal malpractice)

• They require a substantial fee (profit motivated)

• They require purchasing relatively expensive study materials (profit motivated)

• They are biased by the politics of personalities which restricts their thought processes and completeness.

Many of the widely recognized certification programs do provide important study guidance in selected areas. They provide the resources for a reasonably sound foundation in the basic sciences related to strength training provided the shortcomings are kept in perspective. However, there had not been one single, focused, dedicated H.I.T. oriented certification program until now.

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program is administered by Jim Bryan, through The Strength Department in Winter Haven, Florida. Jim is certified by N.F.P.T. (National Federation of Professional Trainers), and Desert Southwest Fitness (six certifications). He has also taken the certification tests for Strength Fitness by Wayne Westcott, PhD, and Practical Approach to Strength Training by Matt Brzycki. He is a test proctor for the N.F.P.T. Jim is also an original trainee of and long time friend of Arthur Jones.

Clearly, Jim has a significant background in personal trainer certification programs. He has a working knowledge of program administration and is well aware of the benefits and foibles of several organizations.

The purpose of the H.I.T.S. Certification Program is to provide an inexpensive study guide and certification as a H.I.T. Specialist. It fills the void that no other organization has adequately addressed. H.I.T.S. is an adjunct to certification in a major program.

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program does not address anatomy, physiology or nutrition. These are specialty topics that are and should be appropriately covered in legitimate medical programs.  

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program is apolitical. It is based on the philosophy and methods of Arthur Jones. Arthur 'evolved' what became known as the high intensity training principles. While the concept of high intensity training does not suffer from the democratic fallacy (the notion that anyone's opinion is as good as another's), it is likewise not hobbled by the aristocratic fallacy (the notion that one single person is wiser than everyone else).

While the H.I.T.S. Certification Program does mention authors and practitioners by name, it is with the intent of directing the student to genuine study resources. The H.I.T. FAQ on CYBERPUMP! is a primary resource. Virtually all of the necessary material can be found there. Your registration includes an 18-month subscription to CYBERPUMP!, a non-commercial website. Additional material written by Arthur Jones (the BULLETINs, articles that appeared in Athletic Journal, Iron Man, Ironman, etc.), Dr. Ken Leistner, Matt Brzycki, the early works of Ellington Darden, and others, is recommended but not necessary. In fact, the information necessary to pass the test can be gleaned from any number of sources that have been published over the years. You are encouraged to use whatever resources you prefer. The only advantage to the H.I.T. FAQ on CYBERPUMP! is that it is a comprehensive compendium presented in an orderly manner for a specific purpose - to concisely define H.I.T. Your 18-month pass means you also have full access to all the training information and features on CYBERPUMP! Additionally, you will receive supportive material in the form of a copy of the authorized biography of Arthur Jones, Younger Women, Faster Airplanes, Bigger Crocodiles. You will find no fluff in YWFABC. You will find a coherent stream of facts as well as the specific Colorado Experiment and West Point Study workouts.

All in all, the H.I.T.S. Certification Program is training in common sense H.I.T. principles. The fact of the matter is, there is no one, single way to train properly in the H.I.T. style. There are no legitimate restrictions with respect to speed, equipment, personalities, philosophers, etc. There are underlying principles that do not waiver and legitimate variations in how they are applied in practice.

Above: Jim Bryan (left) and friend at York, PA in the '70s.

Above: Jim Bryan, 2004 at 58.

Above: Jim Bryan's road sign (by LaVerne).

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program does not require the purchase of materials, a membership fee, annual dues, periodic seminars, etc. There is a modest fee. The fee approaches covering administration and real expenses.

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program is administered by email. The test consists of 200 true/false, yes/no and multiple choice H.I.T.-specific questions. There are no 'trick' questions. They are all straightforward. There is no partial credit. There are no 'nonsense' or technical deductions. There are no 'philosophically debatable' questions. The test must be completed within 30 days of disbursement. Candidates that pass the test with a score of 95% or better, receive a university quality, personalized, dated certificate of successful completion. Candidates that do not pass the test must reapply.

We do not want to dampen enthusiasm, but we forewarn you realistically. The H.I.T.S. Certification Program is not a 'certification mill' or pushover. Some have enthusiastically jumped in presuming they know and understand the H.I.T. principles. While many truly have understood them, and or studied the material with due care, the failure rate is over 20%. What does that indicate? That the successful candidates, that pass the test have met very high standards and are High Intensity Training Specialists that know their business.

The H.I.T.S. Certification Program is unlike any other certification program. It does not force-feed you questionable information in scientific, biological, and similar fields that are clearly developing and evolving year-by-year, oftentimes contradicting the 'accepted theories' that just preceded the current thinking.

Successful completion of the H.I.T.S. Certification Program assures you and your clients you are qualified to train in H.I.T. style when called upon to do so. The fact that you are H.I.T.S. certified does not mean it is the only type of training you can or will offer to your clients. It does not mean you are out to make converts to one way of training, one way of thinking. It does mean that you have a truly effective tool in your resources, that you have a solid knowledge base in this area, and that you have passed a rigorous accreditation program.

Following is the step-by-step process:

1. Submit your registration. PDA will process your registration, initiate your H.I.T.S. Checklist (which tracks each step of the process), and forward your application to Jim Bryan and CYBERPUMP!

If you select the H.I.T.S. Certification package, your copy of the Arthur Jones biography, Younger Women, Faster Airplanes, Bigger Crocodiles (YWFABC), and NB3 Text Only will be sent directly to you from PDA. You can upgrade to NB3 Pictorial.

Optionally, you can add the Arthur Jones Training Legacy Package which includes YWFABC plus:

2. You will be contacted by CYBERPUMP! to activate your access to the site and download the H.I.T. FAQ. Your test and instructions will be mailed electronically from the Strength Department. Both occur within 72 business hours of fee approval.

3. You will then have 30 days to complete the test.

4. Upon completion, the test answers are to be returned to the Strength Department in the format outlined in the instructions.

5. The test answers will be checked, the test graded, and the results returned within 72 business hours.

6. Certificates will be mailed to successful candidates within 72 business hours of successful completion.

All certificate mailings:

A. Include an dated, personalized enclosure letter on GenIII Nautilus stationery.

B. Include at least one random choice photo circa mid 1980s from the Archives.

7. Successful candidates will be added to the onsite list of High Intensity Training Specialists.

Click here for a partial list of High Intensity Training Specialists.