About RTS

Founded in 1997 by Tom Purvis, the Resistance Training Specialist® (RTS) education system was created to bridge the gap between traditional exercise certifications and real-world professional practice. Built on decades of clinical experience, teaching, and applied research, RTS introduced Exercise Mechanics™ and a truly client-defined approach to exercise long before individualized training became common in the industry.

Today, RTS is recognized internationally as one of the most advanced educational pathways for exercise professionals. Trainers, therapists, and performance coaches worldwide trust RTS for its depth, objectivity, and emphasis on professional-level decision-making that leads to consistently better client outcomes.

RTS Foundations

RTS Foundations is the introductory program within the RTS education system. While introductory within the RTS curriculum, it is often challenging for professionals trained in traditional models, as it requires a shift away from generalized programming toward Client-Defined™, Custom Fit Exercise®.

RTS Foundations is designed specifically for professional exercise practice. The program focuses on exercise design, execution, delivery, and—most importantly—decision-making for the individual client or patient. Rather than relying on protocols, choreography, or averages, RTS Foundations teaches professionals how to think critically about exercise through the lens of Exercise Mechanics™.

From Information to Professional Practice

The goal of RTS Foundations is to begin the path toward true professional practice by developing a deeper understanding of how and why exercise works—based on mechanics, client response, and continuous assessment. Unlike many certifications or academic programs that rely heavily on generalized data, RTS Foundations emphasizes principles that support precise, individualized exercise decisions.

The program includes 26 hours of online lectures and 42 hours of in-person practical lab experience, making it more comprehensive than standard certifications while remaining accessible to professionals committed to elevating their craft.

Scope of Practice

RTS Foundations practical labs focus on resistance exercise for “real people” across general fitness populations. The program emphasizes quality movement, appropriate challenge, and intelligent progression. Specialized decision-making related to rehabilitation, sport performance, or bodybuilding is addressed in the advanced RTSm program.

Program Objectives

Perform exercise-specific assessment and ongoing decision-making.
Apply PPFC (Progressive Preparation for Challenge) to warm-up strategy.
Define the G.O.T.E. (Goal of the Exercise) to guide appropriate progression.
Recognize ownership (contractile control) as a key driver of progression.
Determine the TOW (resistance–muscular response) for each exercise.
Identify exercise-specific ranges and planes of availability.
Assess tolerance and stress thresholds to guide progression.
Match effort levels to the individual, regardless of load.
Distinguish between focused and dispersed challenge to support exercise intent.