【NSCA Japan Member Survey】Voices of 2,512 Members Reveal a Dream: 'We Want to Create a Society Where the Value of S&C is Naturally Delivered'

This organization endorses April Dream, an initiative to share dreams on April 1st. This press release is the dream of 'NSCA Japan'.

Today, April 1, 2026, marks the 35th anniversary of NSCA Japan. The NSCA Japan, a non-profit organization (Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture, Representative: Masashi Shibata), gathered voices from a record-breaking 2,512 members through a survey conducted from November to December 2025. What emerged was not just numbers, but a single earnest wish: the dream of professionals working on the front lines to 'deliver the value of S&C professionals more to society'.

We, NSCA Japan, embrace these voices under our mission 'to serve as a bridge between research and practice,' and hereby declare: Our dream is to 'create a future where Strength & Conditioning professionals are legitimately recognized in Japanese society'.

Survey Overview Survey Name: 2025 Fiscal Year NSCA Japan Member Survey Target Audience: NSCA Japan Members Survey Period: November - December 2025 Number of Respondents: 2,512 Survey Method: Online Survey Survey Sponsor: Specified Non-Profit Corporation NSCA Japan

Main Survey Results

### POINT 1: Young and Mid-Career Professionals Lead Japan's S&C Coaching Scene Analyzing the age demographics of respondents, individuals in their 20s (36.7%) and 30s (30.1%) accounted for approximately two-thirds (66.8%) of the total, indicating that the central force consists of young and mid-career professionals. Furthermore, while members with less than 3 years of membership constituted nearly half (45.5%), about a quarter were long-term members of over 10 years, showing a balanced membership composition of new and established individuals.

### POINT 2: Professionals Active in Diverse Fields The most common primary occupation was 'Personal Trainer' at 34.1%. This was followed by 'Medical/Therapy' (17.2%), 'Fitness Instructor' (9.8%), and 'S&C Coach' (8.5%). Additionally, approximately 80% of those whose main profession is Athletic Trainer are also involved in S&C coaching as a side job, indicating an increase in 'hybrid coaches' who possess multiple roles.

### POINT 3: Demand for 'Career and Business Weapons' from Certifications Regarding the benefits of holding an NSCA certification, 'Useful for job hunting/career change' (52.5%) and 'Leads to acquiring new clients/customers' (52.0%) received over half of the responses. This shows that certifications are not merely proof of knowledge but are practically viewed as 'weapons' for career formation and business acquisition.

### POINT 4: Annual Income from S&C-Related Work Varies Widely For S&C-related work (including primary and secondary jobs), the income range of 'less than 2.5 million to less than 5 million JPY' was the volume zone at 36.8%. On the other hand, 4.1% earned 10 million JPY or more, revealing significant income disparities based on experience, expertise, and working style. For the association, creating a system to support income improvement, especially for younger members, is a crucial challenge.

### POINT 5: Strong Desire for Establishment of 'Social Status' as Professionals Among expectations for the country and the association in the future, 'Increased NSCA recognition' (60.6%) and 'Establishment of a professional licensing system' (56.4%) ranked highest. The strong demand for heightened social recognition of the S&C profession and legal/systematic backing indicates that elevating the status of the entire industry is an urgent task.

NSCA Japan Comment This time, a record-breaking 2,512 members responded. While many members feel that their certifications directly contribute to their careers and income, a significant number of voices were received requesting greater social recognition and institutional development for S&C professionals.

This is not just data; we perceive it as the 'dream' of each and every member who strives daily on the front lines.

On this milestone of our 35th anniversary, we have re-examined our origins. NSCA Japan's dream is to 'create a Japan where individuals with S&C expertise are justly evaluated by society and can proudly thrive.' We will continue to move towards realizing this dream, with increased recognition, expanded online education, and support for income improvement for young members as our top priorities from fiscal year 2026 onwards.

Details of the survey items and results can be confirmed via the link below: NSCA Japan Member Survey Results

Organization Overview Organization Name: Specified Non-Profit Corporation NSCA Japan Location: Mae-Hirai 85, Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture Representative: Masashi Shibata Established: April 1, 1991 Business Activities: As a global authority in Strength & Conditioning, NSCA promotes the dissemination of research-backed knowledge and supports its application in health and sports settings. With headquarters in the US and branches in 5 countries including Japan, it has approximately 54,000 certified individuals in 90 countries and regions. URL: https://nsca-japan.or.jp/