Girls Gone Strong's
Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification
Girls Gone Strong's
Women's Coaching Specialist Certification
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration opens April 21st, 2026 for our Women's Coaching Specialist Certification, the industry’s top Certification for professionals who work with women.
When you become a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’ll get everything you need to help women live stronger, healthier, more confident lives — and grow a thriving business — all in one place.
You can transform your career — and change your clients’ lives forever.
This university-level program was developed by 20 trailblazing women's health professionals, coaches, and trainers (PhDs, pelvic health physios, OB-GYNs, university researchers, psychologists, Registered Dieticians, and more!).
To learn more about how you can set yourself apart, increase your impact on women, and become the go-to expert for women in your community, checkout the frequently asked questions below.
But, first, watch this short video.
You’ll learn exactly how the program works, and hear from our team of experts including Molly Galbraith, CSCS; Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OB-GYN; Dr. Meryl Alappattu, DPT, PhD; Carolina Belmares, PN-2, Doula; and former USA Olympic Team Member and 2009 Olympic Weightlifting Champion Ingrid Marcum:
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
Why become a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist?
Because 67–75% of all people who hire a health, fitness, or nutrition professional are women.
And yet—there’s a massive gap in comprehensive women-specific resources available for health and fitness professionals.
(Spoiler alert: a paragraph about a woman’s menstrual cycle doesn’t cut it.)
This is where you come in.
Becoming GGS Certified is your big opportunity to help women in need while setting yourself apart from other professionals in the industry.
This Certification dives deep into often ignored, but critically important women-specific topics that aren’t covered in other education including…
Menopause
Menstrual cycle issues
Pelvic health
Hormone issues
Disordered eating
Emotional eating
Restricting calories
Body image
Diet culture
PCOS
Hashimoto’s
And much more
… all within a coach’s scope of practice.
You’ll also learn:
- How-to write training programs for women at any stage of life
- How-to coach nutrition habits and skills through women-specific challenges
- How-to use behavior-change psychology to navigate critical and challenging situations that women struggle with like:
… all within a coach’s scope of practice.
You’ll also learn how to write training programs for women at any stage of life, coach women-specific nutrition habits and skills, and use women-specific behavior-change psychology to navigate critical and challenging situations about:
Unrealistic expectations
Yo-yo dieting
The social media comparison trap
Fear of getting bulky
Self-doubt & lack of confidence
Guilt
Shame
… and other common roadblocks impacting women’s health in today’s world.
That means when you become a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’ll not only gain the exact knowledge and skills to help any woman—at any stage of life…
… you’ll also become the go-to expert for women in your community and beyond.
Who is your Certification for?
This Certification is for any current (or aspiring) health and fitness professional who wants to know exactly how to help women feel strong, confident, and empowered in their lives and bodies.
Our students and grads include:
Personal trainers
Nutrition coaches
Group fitness instructors
Strength & conditioning coaches
Health & wellness coaches
Physios & rehab professionals
CrossFit & sport coaches
Nurses & doctors
Yoga & Pilates teachers
Life & business coaches
Midwives & doulas
Parents & partners
Even fitness enthusiasts
We have thousands of students and grads in over 125 countries around the world, including countries in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia, and Africa.
So if you check one or more of these boxes:
A new trainer or coach wanting to get your first clients
A veteran who’s been working in health and fitness for years
Someone who’s passionate about helping women
Someone who wants to set yourself apart in a crowded industry
Or someone who’s considering a career change or starting a side hustle
… our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification will provide you with everything you need to become the go-to expert for women in your community and beyond.
Trista Eason, 34
GYM OWNER AND PERSONAL TRAINER
WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS
Trista raised the standard of coaching women and became a leader in her community.
“The knowledge I’ve gained has helped us set the bar for our gym and for our coaching program much higher than our ‘competitors.'
By leveling up our coaching, our entire community of gyms and trainers have noticed and it’s pushed them to get better, too.”
Hilary Milsome, 61
PERSONAL TRAINER,
GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Hilary is living her dream after switching careers later in life.
“Starting a new career at 58 was pretty scary for me, especially because I don't look like a conventional personal trainer.
But this Certification gave me everything I need to empower women to be strong and confident, and I absolutely love what I get to do for a living now!”
Dr. Neha Rao, 40
SURGEON AND NUTRITION COACH
HARYANA, INDIA
Neha is changing women’s lives with her newfound knowledge and skills.
“Understanding the psychological aspects of coaching women is a game-changer for any professional who works with women.
Every time I read a section of the Certification I’m able to immediately use it to help my clients.”
What does the Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification cover?
Our Certification covers everything you need to feel confident and qualified to safely and effectively coach and train women at every stage of life.
You’ll master the art and science of women-specific:
- Coaching
- Psychology
- Anatomy and physiology
-
Nutrition
-
Exercise
-
Exercise programming
-
Rest
-
Recovery
-
Rehabilitation
By the time you graduate, you’ll feel confident and qualified to:
- Write training programs for women at any stage of life
- Coach women-specific nutrition habits and skills
-
Use women-specific behavior change psychology to empower your clients to be stronger, healthier, and more confident in their lives and bodies
All in one place.
For a more detailed overview of what our Certification covers, download the PDF below:
>> Download the Certification Overview and get a sneak peek at our textbook
What do I get with the Certification?
Once you register, you’ll get immediate access to your online learning platform. Plus, your Certification materials will be shipped to you — free of charge — anywhere in the world.
Printed Materials:
GGS Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification textbook (593 pages)
Companion workbook (138 pages)
Official Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist Certificate (upon graduation)
Online Resources:
Online learning platform (mobile-friendly)
Demonstration and coaching videos to deepen your understanding
Unlimited support from GGS Academy Experts
Time-Saving Bonuses:
Client assessment tools
Exercise program design templates
Case studies and scripts
Downloadable forms and questionnaires
Extra Money-Saving Bonuses:
FREE worldwide shipping
100% tax deductible
CEUs from 17 global organizations
Lifetime access to the materials
How does the program work?
This Certification was created to help you learn the art and science of working with women so you can help your clients feel strong, confident, and empowered in their lives and bodies.
When you become a Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’ll get the exact knowledge and skills you need to effectively coach and train women—at every stage of life.
Once you've enrolled:
You’ll receive a printed textbook and workbook (shipped FREE to you anywhere in the world) and access to a mobile-friendly online learning platform.
Start studying whenever it works best for you and your life. Because our Certification is 100% self-paced, there’s no deadline to start or finish your Cert — so you can study stress-free on your own schedule.
Put what you’re learning into practice right away with dozens of time-saving, done-for-you, women-specific forms, questionnaires, assessments, and tools.
Have questions along the way? You’ll get amazing support from our Client Care Team and unlimited access to our GGS Academy Curriculum Developers.
You’ll take chapter exams over the course of your Certification, each one consisting of both multiple choice and true/false questions. Exams are open book and untimed, and they’re available in your online learning platform whenever you’re ready.
A unit exam grade of 73% or higher is required to pass, and you’re given three opportunities to take each exam.
Once you pass your final exam, you’re officially a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist!
As a new graduate, we’ll send you a beautiful hard copy certificate you can frame, hang on your wall, and share on your social channels—letting everyone know you’re the go-to expert for working with women.
When you’re a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to effectively coach and train women at every stage of life.
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
What makes your Certification different from other Certification options?
It's the world's first and only comprehensive, evidence-based, interdisciplinary Certification focused on coaching women.
Our Experts:
This Certification was developed by 20 world-leading, trailblazing women’s health experts from 12 fields of study, including:
Physiotherapists who specialize in pelvic health
PhDs in exercise science, psychology, biology, rehabilitation science, and gender studies
Strength & conditioning coaches
Registered Dietitians
Psychologists
Exercise Physiologists
OB-GYNs
Midwives
Doulas
Our trailblazing women’s health experts come from five different countries including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, and the UK, and currently work (or have worked) at Johns Hopkins, Baylor Medical, University of Florida, Georgetown University, and Precision Nutrition.
(In fact, the three female co-authors of the PN Certification helped develop this Cert, making it the perfect complement to PN Level 1.)
And what's even more special is our experts’ *process* for creating the curriculum
Every single chapter was written, reviewed, and edited by 6–10 of the experts listed above.
We asked each expert to challenge one another's ideas and methods and integrate the best available evidence and research with their professional experience so we could create the world’s first and only truly interdisciplinary, evidence-based, practical coaching Certification.
In other words, the women behind this Certification weren’t just “kind of involved”—they dedicated hundreds of hours of wisdom and passion to this project…
… and the result is a one-of-a-kind Certification that stands alone at the top of the industry.
Our Curriculum:
Bringing these experts together allowed us to create the world’s only comprehensive, trusted, and globally relevant Women’s Coaching Certification in the industry.
No other Certification helps you master the art and science of women-specific coaching, psychology, nutrition, exercise, anatomy and physiology, rest, recovery, and exercise programming.
And no other Certification helps you navigate so many critical and often-ignored topics like body image, disordered eating, emotional eating, pelvic health, menopause, menstrual cycle, hormonal issues, and more (all within your scope of practice).
>> Download the Certification Overview and get a sneak peek at our textbook
In addition to a beautifully designed, one-of-a-kind, 593-page textbook you can keep and reference for years to come, you’ll get a 100+ page workbook designed to deepen your understanding of the material and prepare you for your exams.
Plus, you’ll have lifetime access to our online learning platform complete with dozens of time-saving forms and questionnaires, workout templates, assessment tools, and coaching and demonstration videos you can use with your clients immediately.
Our Evidence-Based Approach:
Our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification includes all of the latest women-specific research (including 1,000+ references throughout the textbook!) integrated with the practical and clinical experience of our world-class experts, and considers client and patient values.
All references are listed at the end of each chapter so they’re super easy to find if you want to do further research.
Our Reputation:
Our experts have worked with organizations like Johns Hopkins, Baylor Medical, Precision Nutrition, and Yale, and our Cert is recommended by industry legends like Dr. John Berardi, Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, and renowned Olympic Sprint Coach Stu McMillan.
What’s more, organizations like NSCA, Perform Better, Goodlife Fitness, and IDEA Fit trust our experts to educate their coaches and trainers on working with women.
All of these factors—our experts, our curriculum, our evidence-based approach, our reputation—come together to make this Certification the most trusted resource of its kind.
Our Focus On Psychology:
We recognize that coaching women better is about understanding so much more than just anatomical and physiological differences (though those are important).
That’s why this Certification dives deep into women-specific behavior-change psychology and topics that affect a woman’s health including:
Body image struggles
Feelings of shame
Guilt and self-judgment
Lack of confidence
The comparison trap
Unrealistic expectations
Diet culture
As a coach, you'll want to be prepared to have conversations around these challenging topics to help your clients feel seen, heard, and supported—and our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification will show you how.
Why was the Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification created?
Molly Galbraith, CSCS
GGS Woman-in-Charge, creator of GGS Academy
“When I first started in the fitness industry 19 years ago, I was often the only woman in the weight room. All my teachers and mentors were men, and there was almost zero women-specific coaching and training education available. What was available was outdated, shaming, or steeped in diet culture.
Given 67–75% of all people who hire a coach or trainer are women—that’s not OK.
Women deserve better.
So GGS pulled together 20 trailblazing women from 12 fields of study to create this industry-changing Certification that teaches health, fitness, and nutrition professionals (like you) how to help women to feel strong, confident, and empowered in their lives and bodies.”
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD
HEAD OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AT PRECISION NUTRITIONTORONTO, CANADA
“As a developer of this Certification, I’m excited to be part of helping health and fitness professionals bring women’s coaching into the 21st century with this truly timely, progressive, and empowering approach.
The majority of people who hire a coach, trainer, or nutrition professional are women. Yet to date, few coaching organizations have truly met women’s diverse needs—until now.”
Who are the experts that created the Certification?
Our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification was created and developed by 20 leading women’s health experts.
They span 12 fields of study and include the following industry trailblazers:
- Molly Galbraith, Girls Gone Strong Academy founder
-
Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD, PN Curriculum Director
- Dr. Helen Kollias, PhD, PN Curriculum Developer
- Dr. Jessica Shepherd, MD, MBA, FACOG
- Dr. Meryl Alappattu, DPT, PhD
-
Dr. Lisa Lewis, EdD, CADC-II, Licensed Psychologist
-
Marika Hart, PT
-
Dr. Christle Guevarra, MSc, DO
-
Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro, PhD, BSc
-
Dr. Rozalia Kouvelioti, PhD, MSc, BSc, RD
-
Dr. Elnaz Moghimi, PhD
-
Larissa M. Mercado-López, PhD
-
Kara Stewart-Agostino, CPT, DTS-1, PN-1
-
Amber Leonard Thome, MS, ACSM-CEP, PN-1, GGS-1, CPPC
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Jen Comas, NASM-CPT, USAW Level 1
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Reshaunda Thornton, MS, RD, LD, CSSD
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Carolina Belmares, CPT, PN-1, PN-2
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Ingrid Marcum, CSCS
-
Heba Shaheed, PT
-
Dr. Kara Mohr, PhD
Each of these women has 10–20+ years of practical and clinical experience in their respective fields and they’re the best at what they do.
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
How long does it take to complete the Certification?
We know life is busy. And that’s exactly why we’ve designed our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification to be entirely self-paced.
If you’ve got kids, a career, or other responsibilities to attend to, then you can customize your time and approach to suit your life and make sure you’re getting the most out of the materials.
While there’s no deadline to start or finish, many of our students (and now grads!) set a goal to complete one chapter of Cert materials per week. That’s about 3–5 hours per week to get through:
- Reading the chapter in your textbook
- Watching the accompanying videos and resources in the online portal
- Answering the workbook questions and case studies
- And taking the chapter exam
There are 20 chapters in the textbook, so including all the exams, you’ll become a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist in about 4 months (or sooner!).
The best part? Every chapter of our textbook gives you immediately actionable tools you can take advantage of right away. So if you can’t get through a whole chapter in one week, don’t sweat it. You’ll already be reaping the benefits of your investment.
Do I need to be a personal trainer or fitness pro to be able to get certified?
No prerequisites needed here! Our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification is for any current or aspiring forward-thinking professional who wants to have a bigger and deeper impact on women's lives.
In fact, our students and graduates include personal trainers, strength or nutrition coaches, group fitness instructors, physios and rehab professionals, Pilates and yoga instructors, mental health professionals, medical doctors, sport coaches, Registered Dietitians, nurses, midwives, doulas, massage therapists…
… as well as fitness enthusiasts, and people looking to change careers or build a business.
So what brings together this diverse group of people from different backgrounds?
A deep desire to create a better world for women by giving them the compassion, care, and coaching they deserve.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been coaching for years, this Certification will give you everything you need to help women feel strong, confident, and empowered in their lives and bodies.
How many CEUs do I get?
The GGS Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification will qualify for continuing education credits with the following organizations worldwide:
- NSCA: 2.0 CEU
- NASM: 1.9 CEU
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AFAA: 1.9 CEU
-
ACE: 5.3 CEC
-
CanFitPro: 4 credits
- AUSactive: 15 CPD
-
ESSA: 15 CPD
-
ACSM: 39 CEU
- ISSA: 20 CEU
-
NESTA: 4 CEU
- CPTN: 14 CEC
- REPs New Zealand: 20 CPD
- CIMSPA: 10 CEU
- AFLCA: 6 CEU
- NCSF: 7 CEU
- Kentucky Physical Therapist Association: Category 1 - 56 hours
- Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy: 56 hours
Even if your organization isn’t listed above, we’ll help you petition and gain CECs / CEUs. Our students have successfully petitioned and gained CECs / CEUs from NETA, NFPT, AAPTE, IFPA, and many more.
Shoot us an email at [email protected] for any questions about approved organizations or for help with the petitioning process.
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
Dale Hill, 58
PERSONAL TRAINER AND NUTRITION COACHSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Dale is now the go-to coach for women in his gym.
“Once I became a Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, the front desk staff and even other trainers at my gym started recommending my services to potential clients.
I recommend putting women-specific coaching knowledge in your coaching toolbox.”
How will becoming a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist grow my business?
There’s a massive gap in comprehensive women-specific resources available for health and fitness professionals—which is surprising, considering that more 67–75% of all people who hire a health, fitness, or nutrition professional are women.
This is where you come in. Becoming GGS Certified is your big opportunity to help women in need while setting yourself apart from other professionals in the industry.
When you become a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’ll become the go-to expert for working with women—and you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to effectively coach and train women—at every stage of life.
This means:
- Attracting new clients with your expanded knowledge, skills, and services.
- Becoming the obvious choice in your gym or your community for women.
- Getting recommendations and referrals from other industry professionals because they don’t know how to help women like you do.
GGS Certified Coaches also report using their newfound knowledge and skills to:
Get better results for their clients, which means developing longer lasting relationships that make more money over time.
Create and sell their own products and courses.
Teach workshops and present at events with other industry leaders.
Collaborate with other professionals and create meaningful partnerships that allow their businesses to thrive.
As your reputation for being the go-to coach for women grows, you’ll continue to build a rewarding business, career, and life you love.
In other words, you’ll have everything you need to make the difference you want to make.
And along the way, you’ll find that you have a thriving business that has the potential to provide you with…
... more money to support your family…
... more time to spend with your friends and loved ones…
... and more flexibility in your schedule for the things you enjoy, so you can get the most out of life every single day.
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
What are other industry professionals saying about your Certification?
The feedback on the GGS Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification is overwhelmingly positive.
We’ve enrolled thousands of students from 125 countries around the world in our Certification, and student satisfaction ratings far exceed the industry average.
Here are some thoughts from a few of the top experts in the industry:
Dr. John Berardi
CO-FOUNDER OF PRECISION NUTRITION,
CREATOR OF CHANGE MAKER ACADEMY
"The GGS Academy is second-to-none and is an absolute must for any coach or trainer who works with women.
Molly Galbraith is one of my go-to health and fitness experts, especially when it comes to coaching women."
Greg Nuckols, CSCS
THE INDUSTRY’S TOP SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH EXPERT
“If you coach women, you owe it to yourself and your clients to learn from Girls Gone Strong.
I'm constantly impressed by everything they put out and by their commitment to following the scientific evidence over industry orthodoxy.”
Stu McMillan
LEGENDARY OLYMPIC SPEED
AND SPORT COACH
“This Certification will help you become a better coach.
With 30 years of experience coaching Olympic female athletes, I know how important the work is that Molly and her team at Girls Gone Strong are doing. If you coach women, I recommend you learn from GGS.”
How much does your Certification cost?
The general public price of our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification is $1500 USD.
But when you join our free, no-obligation pre-sale list today, you’ll get the chance to enroll for only $89 USD per month or a one-time payment of $899 USD — up to $600 savings.
Once I become certified, are there any requirements to maintain my Certification?
We make it super simple — and totally free — to stay certified with us because we want you to spend your time helping your clients and growing your business.
As a GGS Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, you’re required to take a recertification exam every two years from your date of course completion to keep your Certification active.
This ensures your knowledge stays current and you stay practicing at the top of your field. Recertifying also maintains your status in our Online Directory of Certified GGS Academy Professionals.
The good news is that recertifying is free if you do it within 90 days of your Certification expiring. We’ll send you emails to remind you when your expiration date is close.
Even more good news? You don’t have to pay for additional CEUs or fulfill other requirements to maintain your Certification beyond taking the one exam every two years. The process is that simple!
When does enrollment open?
Our next Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification enrollment opens April 21, 2026.
We only take a select number of new students each enrollment period so we can maintain excellent support and manage textbook and workbook inventory.
By joining our free, no-obligation pre-sale list, you’ll get the chance to enroll 24–48 hours before everyone else and save up to 40% off the general, public price.
Enrollment is first-come, first-served, so don't miss out because spots are limited!
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)
What if I enroll and realize the program is not for me?
If you try our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification and you’re not happy with what you learn, just return your textbook and materials within 60 days of enrollment. We’ll give you your money back, so there's absolutely no risk to you.
With thousands of happy students and grads in over 125 countries around the world, we have a proven track record you can trust.
If you’re not satisfied for any reason let us know, and we’ll make it right. Guaranteed.
How can I learn more about the Certification?
To learn more about our Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification, join our free, no-obligation pre-sale list below.
We’ll follow up with more details about the Certification — plus you get the added bonuses of (1) being able to register early before everyone else, and (2) saving up to $500 off the general, public price.
Interested? Add your name to the pre-sale list. You’ll save up to $600 and secure your spot 24–48 hours before everyone else.
We’ll be opening up spots in our next Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification group on April 21, 2026.
If you want to find out more, join our pre-sale list to get these two advantages.
Pay less than everyone else. We like to reward people who are eager to boost their credentials and are ready to commit to getting the education they need. So we’re offering a discount of up to $600 off the general price when you sign up for the pre-sale list.
Enroll 72 hours before the general public and increase your chances of getting a spot. We only open the Certification program twice per year. Due to high demand and limited textbook and workbook inventory, spots in the program are limited and have historically sold out in a matter of hours. But when you sign up for the pre-sale list, you'll get the opportunity to register a full 72 hours before the general public.
If you’re ready to master the art and science of coaching women so you can set yourself apart, increase your impact, and become the to-go coach for women in your community and beyond…
... this is your chance to see what the world’s most comprehensive, evidence-based, interdisciplinary women’s coaching Certification can do for you.
Spots open April 2026 — don't miss out! Get on the Women’s Coaching Specialist Certification pre-sale list today.
If you're interested in the Certification, we strongly recommend you join the pre-sale list below. Spots are limited and open just twice per year.
We'll send you more info about the Certification—and give you the chance to enroll early and save up to 40% off the general price.
(Limited inventory. First-come, first-served.)