Is International Sports Sciences Association legit?
International Sports Sciences Association (issaonline.com) has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 203 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Sports and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 92% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 45% of negative reviews. Last updated 2026-08-10.
I was very disappointed in all of the material the sales person suggested even though I was only looking to focus on a select group of clients. There also was much information that wasn't discussed, I had to reach out for it. I would suggest they provide additional training so everyone speaks the same language and provides accurate information. When they tell you the total cost is one amount, that should be the total, not the amount before taxes.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-17
Thank you for sharing your candid feedback. We're incredibly sorry to hear that your experience with our sales team left you feeling disappointed and frustrated. That's certainly not the standard of service we strive to provide, and we apologize for any communication gaps or confusion regarding your materials and the final pricing.
We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention, as your feedback regarding team consistency and upfront cost clarity is incredibly valuable for our ongoing training. Our goal is always to provide a smooth, transparent experience for our students as they prepare to work with their target clients.
If you would like us to look into your account details or if you still have unanswered questions about your materials, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] so we can best assist you.
ISSA change my life. The program has everything that you need to know. It's affordable, and you work on your own pace. I highly recommend ISSA. ISSA is the way. And now im ready to conquer. Im ready to help others feel good and look good. Thanks to ISSA.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-17
Thank you so much for this inspiring review! We're thrilled to hear that ISSA has changed your life and that the program gave you everything you needed to succeed at your own pace and within your budget.
There's nothing better than hearing that our graduates feel completely ready to conquer their goals and help others feel and look their best. Welcome to the fitness industry -- we know you're going to make a massive impact. Thank you for choosing ISSA, and go conquer the world!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-17
Thank you so much for the high recommendation! We're thrilled to hear that you found the wealth of knowledge in our programs so amazing.
Providing deep, comprehensive education to fully prepare you for success is exactly what we strive for. Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best on your fitness journey!
Deeper understanding of human anatomy and physiology
I have been going to the gym for 15 years and I thought I learned a lot from friends and YouTube, but I was dead wrong it barely scratched the surface. A lot of stuff never heard of and the course taught me so much I felt like it was my first time ever learning about the gym and how to eat! It even breaks everything down to a cellular level on everything. I’m glad I chose ISSA I would refer them to anyone even if you don’t want to do it professionally, but for the knowledge it’s well worth it and more!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-16
Thank you for your feedback! It's incredibly common to have that "mind-blown" moment when transitioning from gym lore and YouTube to actual exercise science! Even with 15 years of consistent training under your belt, lifting a weight is one thing, but understanding the actual cellular pathways, energy systems, and muscle fiber mechanics that make it happen is a whole different ballgame.
That shift from just doing the movements to understanding exactly what is happening at a cellular level completely changes how you look at a workout and a plate of food. It turns guessing into a science.
We also love that you pointed out how valuable this knowledge is even for personal use. Understanding how your own body functions is the ultimate tool for longevity and performance, whether you ever plan to train a single client or not.
Thank you so much for choosing ISSA to take your 15 years of dedication to a whole new level!
M
Mark A. · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-07-16 ·
★★★★★
Powerlifting Coaching Course Evaluation
The course was informative and was a good learning experience. I find one ingredient difficult to address with all athletic online training, however. When learning about conducting assessments, without actually being there in person, it is difficult to master all of the elements to become experienced at assessing others, which is the first step in instruction. This does not take away the fact that I will take other courses from ISSA in the future. Thank you for this opportunity.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-16
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback on our Powerlifting Coaching course! We're thrilled to hear it was a valuable learning experience and that you plan to study with us again in the future.
You make an excellent point about assessments. Learning to evaluate complex lifting mechanics, joint angles, and movement patterns remotely is indeed one of the toughest aspects of online athletic training to master without immediate, in-person practice. We always encourage our students to practice these assessment protocols on friends, family, or local lifters to help bridge that gap and build that hands-on confidence.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we look forward to supporting you in your next course!
I didn't want to sit in front of my desktop the entire time studying. Luckily, the app worked great on my phone and I could download PDFs, study guides and more to my tablet to read. Good value to get started in the industry.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-16
Thank you for sharing your experience! We love hearing that you were able to take your studies on the go. Not everyone wants to be chained to a desktop, so having a mobile-friendly app and downloadable PDFs for your tablet is a game-changer for study flexibility.
We're so glad you found it to be a great value as you launch your career in the fitness industry. Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best on your journey!
I liked that I could work at my own pace. The videos and audio were helpful. The short quizzes also solidified the reading and videos.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-16
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed the self-paced flexibility and that the combination of videos, audio, and short quizzes helped lock in everything you read. Designing a program that fits into your life and supports different learning styles is exactly what we aim for.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the best on your fitness journey!
A
Andrew · 1 review · Experienced 2026-07-14 ·
★★★★★
The employees that Im dealing with at…
The employees that Im dealing with at ISSA are not listening to my issues but giving standard answers when I'm asking for help on my account copying and pasting responses on emails.
I signed up for a training program from ISSA and realized it was the wrong platform. I didn't log in until the 13th day of me signing up. I only logged in once and called and emailed about please cancel and made and honest mistake on it. They do have a 7 day grace period and I keep asking for an exception but they are refusing. I know I waited past the 7 days but it seem like we could come to some agreement on me not having to pay for something I'm not using and only used once.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-16
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're incredibly sorry to hear about your experience and that you feel your concerns are being met with standard, copy-pasted replies instead of genuine, personalized support. That's certainly not the level of service we want to provide, and we sincerely apologize for the frustration and stress this situation has caused you.
We completely understand that honest mistakes happen, and we want to personally look into your account and your communication with our team to see how we can help address these frustrations.
Please reach out to us directly at [email protected] and include your full name, the email address associated with your account, and a quick reference to this review. Once we receive your details, we will review your case to see how we can best assist you. We hope to hear from you soon so we can work together towards a positive resolution.
I absolutely love this school! The course work is way to follow, explains everything in a way that is understandable and has multiple different ways to teach from chapters, videos and real life case examples and walls you through everything! I cannot get enough and I’ll end up doing more specializations with them!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you so much for the incredible feedback! We're thrilled to hear how much you love the school and that our mix of reading, videos, and real-life case studies has made learning so enjoyable and seamless for you.
We can't wait to have you back for your next specializations! Expanding your toolkit is one of the best ways to stand out and help even more clients. Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we'll be right here ready to support you in your next course!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you found the course so practical and useful.
Our main goal is to provide education that you can immediately take out of the textbook and confidently apply in the real world with real clients.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best as you put these practical skills to work!
It was a very good learning experience, specially i enjoy to solve that case study at the end of exam that made me really feel proud of myself .
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a great learning journey with us.
Hearing that you enjoyed solving the case study at the end of the exam is fantastic! We design those case studies to mimic real-world scenarios, so successfully completing one is a huge achievement. You should absolutely feel proud of yourself—it shows you are ready to take your knowledge and confidently apply it to help real clients.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best as you take this proud milestone out into the field!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We believe in keeping things straightforward, so we are thrilled to hear that your experience was exactly as advertised. No gimmicks, just high-quality fitness education designed to help you succeed.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best on your journey!
T
Taylor J. Eaddy · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-07-10 ·
★★★★★
Best exercise science platform known to man!
Very informative and completely scientific
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you for the incredible feedback! Hearing that you consider us the best exercise science platform known to man is the ultimate compliment.
We take great pride in delivering content that is completely scientific, evidence-based, and deeply informative, so it’s wonderful to know that our dedication to high-quality education resonated so strongly with you.
Thank you for choosing ISSA to back your fitness career, and we wish you the absolute best as you take this powerful scientific foundation out into the field!
Being able to set my own schedule for completing the course.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed the course and appreciated the flexibility of being able to set your own schedule.
We know our students have busy lives, so we design our programs to let you study at whatever pace works best for you. Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best on your fitness journey!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-15
Thank you so much for the great feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you found the course perfectly organized, easy to follow, and that the videos were a helpful part of your learning.
That's an excellent suggestion about adding a full audiobook version of the textbook. While we do offer audio lectures for many of our programs, having a complete, word-for-word audiobook is a game-changer for convenience and accessibility. We'll definitely share this idea with our product and content teams as we look for ways to improve!
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the absolute best in your fitness career!
N
Noorhasifah Binti Ab Aziz · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-07-11 ·
★★★★★
very excellent modules
very excellent modules. not so easy to passed final assessment.but I made it!very eager to practice as certified health coach.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-14
Thank you for your feedback, and congratulations on passing your final assessment and becoming a certified Health Coach!
We purposefully keep our final exams challenging to ensure our graduates are fully prepared and confident out in the real world—so you should be incredibly proud of yourself for making it through! It's fantastic to hear that you found the modules so excellent and valuable.
We love your eagerness and passion. The world needs great health coaches now more than ever, and we know you are going to do amazing things out in the field. Welcome to the ISSA family, and best of luck as you begin your practice!
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-14
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We love providing a wide variety of resources, from videos and audio lectures to quizzes and study guides, because everyone learns differently.
We're so glad these tools helped you succeed! Thank you for choosing ISSA!
J
Jim D · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-07-09 ·
★★★★★
ISSA Training Course
The course is really easy to follow and broken out well. The quizes & case studies helped me to get ready for taking the tests. The summary and highlighted notes in the read outs are a great help to understand the material.
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-14
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're so glad to hear that the structure of the course made your learning experience smooth and manageable.
It's fantastic to know that the quizzes, summaries, and highlighted notes served as great study tools, and that the case studies did their job in preparing you for the exams! We design those case studies specifically to bridge the gap between textbook theory and real-world training scenarios.
Thank you for choosing ISSA, and we wish you the best as you put all of this great preparation into practice!
The lessons were amazing and structured in a way that helped me understand
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-14
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that the structure of the lessons made the material so easy for you to understand and absorb.
We work hard to design our courses in a way that breaks down complex fitness and nutrition concepts into clear, manageable steps, so hearing that it clicked for you is the best reward.
Thank you for choosing ISSA to back your education, and we wish you the absolute best as you apply this amazing foundation to your work!
M
Michael Ring · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2026-07-10 ·
★★★★★
Excellent Experience with ISSA
Title: Excellent Experience with ISSA
Review:
I have had an excellent experience with ISSA. The courses are well organized, easy to navigate, and allow you to study at your own pace. I completed my Certified Personal Trainer, Senior Fitness Specialist, and Nutrition certification through ISSA, and I found the material practical, informative, and relevant to the work I plan to do with clients.
The flexibility of the online program made it possible for me to move through the courses efficiently while still going back to review important material in greater depth. I also appreciated the support I received when enrolling in additional certifications, including assistance with military pricing.
Overall, ISSA has given me a strong foundation as I begin my career in personal training, and I would recommend it to anyone who is motivated, self-directed, and serious about working in the fitness industry
Reply from International Sports Sciences Association2026-07-13
Thank you for sharing your feedback! Congratulations on earning your Certified Personal Trainer, Senior Fitness Specialist, and Nutrition certifications! Balancing multiple programs is a major achievement, and we are incredibly honored to have supported you through our military pricing options.
We're thrilled that the flexibility of our self-paced online platform allowed you to study efficiently and that you found the material so practical for your future clients.
Thank you for the high recommendation, and we wish you the absolute best as you launch your career in the fitness industry!