Introduction to Personal Trainer Courses

People who work as personal trainers are some of the most well-known and important in the fitness industry. These days, personal trainers are in high demand. Managers, sales staff and receptionists all play important roles in the gym, but the personal trainer is mostly in charge of making sure the end user has a good time and gets good results. A personal trainer will write exercise plans, lead clients through their workouts, and give them nutritional advice on a daily basis, just to name a few of the things they do.

However, even though you need a lot of knowledge to become a personal trainer, you also need a good attitude. For example, if you want to become a successful personal trainer, you’ll need to be willing to work long hours. The working day can start as early as 6am and last all day. You also need to invest in your education, recruit clients, and manage your own schedule. Remember, too, that you need to be engaged and professional for every single session you deliver, whether it’s the first or the eighth of the day. People who work as personal trainers say it can be both enjoyable and financially rewarding. There is more to it than just standing next to your client and counting reps.

What Qualifications do I need to become a Personal Trainer?

A career as a personal trainer or fitness instructor can be very rewarding, but what’s the best route in?

The qualifications and skills you need will depend on the role, but here is our guide to help you decide.

Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing is an entry-level qualification, which is required for employment in the industry in gym instructor roles. It is the minimum qualification you need to gain employment in the health and fitness industry and provides options for progression on to other qualifications.

Continuous Professional Development

People who want to be personal trainers need to get a certification first. It’s possible to get a lot of different kinds of degrees, from weekend courses to full-time degrees. To be taken seriously by most employers, you need to have a Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training. The pre-requisite to the Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training is the Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing, to get a job in the fitness sector. These can be done in a number of ways, including full-time face-to-face, part-time, or 100% online personal training courses.

This means that there’s a type of course that will work for all learners. A lot of courses have both theoretical and practical components, and they end with a range of assessments.

Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training Course - Unit Assessment Overview

After completing your initial personal training course and having the ability to work and flourish in the industry it is important to knowledge, skills and credibility in order to open up the door to new opportunities.

This could include:

• Level 3 Diploma in Long Term Conditions
• Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy
• Level 3 Award in Supporting Pre and Post Natal Clients with Exercsie and Nutrition
• Level 4 Certificate in Certificate in Physical Activity and Weight Management for Obese and Diabetic Clients
• Level 4 Certificate in Exercise for the Management of Lower Back Pain

How do I know if a personal training course is legitamate?

Whatever personal training course you decide to study there are several checks you can do to ensure it is a legitamate qualification which will be recognised by employers internationally.

Ofqual

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. Ofqual operates a Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) which all recognised qualifications sit on. Regulated personal trainer courses can be searched for via the Ofqual site. Search personal training courses and you will be presented with a list of recognised qualifications.

It is worth noting that the same qualification can be offered by numerous awarding bodies.  No one personal training qualficiation at a the same level is more valid than the next.

Awarding Bodies

Awarding bodies are the organisations approved and regulated by Ofqual to offer qualifications. Training providers like CMS Fitness Courses gain approval with an awarding body in order to offer personal training courses.  CMS Fitness Courses currently work with Active IQ.  This means that your certificate would be issued as an Active IQ certificate and would be recognised internationally by employers.

Ofsted

Ofsted is the ‘Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills’. They inspect services providing education and skills for learners of all ages. They also inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people. As a training provider contracted with the Department for Education (DfE) through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), and offering apprenticeship and advanced learner loan personal trainer courses CMS Vocational Training trading as CMS Fitness Courses are inspected by Ofsted intermittently.

To remain a contractor to the DfE and the ESFA, CMS Fitness Courses are required to uphold high standards of education.  These are standards not all training providers are required to uphold and should act as a standard of quality when choosing your personal training course. CMS Fitness Courses latest Ofsted report can be found here.

CIMSPA

CIMSPA, The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity. CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector, committed to supporting, developing and enabling professionals and organisations to succeed and, as a result, inspire our nation to become more active.

Qualifications offered by awarding bodies, which also sit on the Ofqual RQF are also accredited by CIMSPA. It is a further kite mark of authenticity you should look for when choosing your personal training course.

What will I learn on my Personal Training Course?

You will learn how to gather client information, design and deliver individual exercise programmes based on each client’s needs. This will range from how to carry out static fitness assessments to how to apply advanced cardiovascular and resistance training methods as well as be able to prescribe nutrition for physical activity.

For more detailed information on these personal training courses, please refer to the relevant pages on our website.

In all cases, you will need to first pass your Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing (or equivalent qualification). However, it’s optional whether you want to also take your Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training before you embark on these courses.

A Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral is a prerequisite to progress to any Level 4 qualifications. They are designed to lead into work with special populations, for example those who have specific medical conditions such as lower back pain, high blood pressure or mental health issues. These courses include the Level 4 Certificate in Exercise for the Management of Lower Back Pain and the Level 4 Certificate in Physical Activity and Weight Management for Obese and Diabetic Clients.

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