What are the best exercise physiologist qualifications and training to get ahead?

What is the best training for becoming an exercise physiologist? What types of ongoing training or certifications are necessary to be an effective exercise physiologist?

What do non-traditional career paths look like?

I would say start out by getting these at the very least:

1) EXPERIENCE
2) Bachelor's in Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology
3) ACSM-CES or ACSM-RCEP certification

I am in the process of getting the ACSM-CES certification and I am HOPING it will let me advance. If you choose the field of Exercise Science you have to be VERY creative and make it based on a special niche, it seems. It is definitely not a well-established path like PT, etc. Enter at your own risk. Would I have gone into a different major in school if I could have done it over? I don't know, but now that I have a wife and a baby I definitely don't know about this. I see people with high school degrees making the same as me.