Before the IFPA began, in 1994, Dr. Jim Bell and many friends, who rank among the world's foremost authorities on fitness, health, nutrition, sports conditioning, sports medicine and other related fields identified a major problem in the fitness industry. The major certification organizations had fitness certifications that did an excellent job of meeting the academic criteria of what fitness professionals and specifically a certified personal fitness trainer should know, but fell far short of the practical knowledge, skills and abilities that a certified personal fitness trainer must know to conduct safe and effective personal fitness training sessions.

This team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) put together the first Job Analysis Survey (JAS) in 1993 to determine the actual knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for the certified personal fitness trainers to do their job with perfect execution. The JAS has been updated throughout the years and continues to be updated. The JAS is used by the IFPA Certification Commission to develop all IFPA Exams and IFPA Item Banks (Exam Questions).

The IFPA-JAS is also used by the Fitness Institute of Technology to develop all IFPA course work. Since 1994, the Fitness Institute of Technology has developed over 60 IFPA Certification Courses, over 100 Continuing Education Credit (CEC) courses and multiple college degree programs (A.S., B.S., M.S. PhD) in Medical-Fitness Training; Sports and Fitness Training and Personal Fitness Training. The SME's involved in this meticulous development process, use the highest level of effort, attention to detail and both scientific knowledge as well as expert skills and abilities to always deliver the highest level course work available in the world today!

While the IFPA, the IFPA/ Fitness Institute of Technology Faculty Institutors, The Founders of the IFPA Dr. Jim Bell and one hundred thousand and counting IFPA Certified Instructors and Candidates continue to receive virtually limitless accolades due to the IFPA Mission of constantly striving for perfect execution and "Mastery of Our Craft" a few of those honors and evidence are listed here:

• Dr. Jim Bell appointed to the Florida Governor's Council on the Obesity Epidemic
• Dr. Jim Bell appointed as Co-Chair for the American College of Anti-Aging Sports Medicine Professionals
• Dr. Jim Bell appointed as Board Member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
• Dr. Jim Bell was selected as the lead speaker on fitness and nutrition at the U.S. Olympic and Pan American Coaches College. The first time 1996 and the second time in 1998 (a rare honor shared by only 3 other individuals)
• The IFPA has certified 100,000 Fitness Professionals
• The IFPA has 200,000 Candidates in various levels of training preparing for certification.
• The IFPA has certified the "Stars" and "Leaders" within the fitness, health, nutrition, sports medicine and conditioning arena's
• The IFPA has certified and trained the "Stars" and Leaders of the famous ESPN TV Fitness Programs; International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB); National Physique Committee (NPC); Olympic Gold Medal Athletes and other Olympians; World Champion Athletes and Coaches in virtually every sport
• The IFPA offers the industries most practical Sports Conditioning Specialist Certification with ten sports specific certifications
• The IFPA has received thousands of testimonial letters, raving about the IFPA course quality, fair and practical certifications and highest levels of customer service in the industry.
• Dr. Bell has been hand picked as a featured presenter, world-wide, in such places as Bali, Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe, Central America, South America and more!
• The IFPA and Fitness Institute of Technology offer the finest educators in the industry.
• The IFPA Fitness Conferences next scheduled for Las Vegas, Nevada; December 13-15, 2007 is considered to be the highest quality fitness educational program in the world.
• The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine has invited the IFPA to hold joint conference in Las Vegas and the first joint conference will be Las Vegas, December 13-15, 2007.