Exercise Professionals' Strength Training Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge: A Survey

McCall, CH, Handlery, K, Stock, MS, and Handlery, R. Exercise professionals' strength training attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge: A survey. J Strength Cond Res 40(1): 24-38, 2026-Strength training is frequently used by various professionals, yet little is known about their attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge concerning strength training. An anonymous survey incorporating items on strength training attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge was distributed online (i.e., social media, email, listservs) and responded to by 1,298 exercise professionals (68 athletic trainers, 171 personal trainers, 23 exercise physiologists, 780 physical therapists, 35 physical therapist assistants, 78 strength and conditioning coaches, 87 faculty members, and 56 others). Attitudes and behaviors were compared among professions using Pearson's chi-squared test; average knowledge scores were compared through 1-way analysis of variance. A binary logistic regression (cutoff score = ≥70%) was used to determine how demographics, attitudes, and behaviors affected knowledge scores. Alpha was set at 0.01 for all comparisons. Sixty-eight percent of physical therapists felt that strength training is inadequately applied in their profession compared with 11% of strength coaches. Strength coaches (73.1%) and personal trainers (65.5%) were the most likely professions to document rest periods. Compared with physical therapists, personal trainers and strength coaches were less likely to score ≥70% on knowledge items (OR = 0.22, 99% confidence interval [CI] 0.06-0.79 and OR = 0.21, 99% CI, 0.06-0.80), respectively. Having a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist certification increased the odds of scoring ≥70% (OR = 2.47, 99% CI, 1.46-4.16). Exercise professionals have similar attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of strength training, with a few important exceptions. Results can be used to guide conversations between professions with the goal of improving strength training implementation.