How to become a personal trainer

The health and fitness industry has never been more popular. The number of gym members in the UK has now hit 11.5 million, and the industry is now worth more than £5 billion.

With this unprecedented growth comes an increased demand for personal trainers; therefore, it might have crossed your mind to become a part of this thriving industry.

There are a few key things you need to know before getting started, though. We’ll cover how to become a personal trainer, the qualifications you may need, and how much it can cost.

How do I become a personal trainer?

Research the job

Before you commit yourself to becoming a personal trainer, you need to do your homework and decide if it’s the right job for you.

Here are some of the things you need to consider:

• The qualifications required to become a personal trainer
• How much it will cost you to get qualified
• How long it will take you to get qualified
• The difficulty level of the courses
• What the career prospects are like once you are qualified

See our list of the best personal trainer courses here.

Weigh these demands up against your personal responsibilities, temperament, personal skills, and interests. Personal training is as much about knowledge of fitness and exercise as it is about being motivational, organised, patient, and enthusiastic. You need to make sure the move is the right one for you.

Odds are you already go to the gym or are active with sports clubs, so approach PTs and fitness instructors in person and ask them what it’s like. You could even reach out on social media to any personal trainers you follow; they got into the business to help people, after all!

Figure out your niche

You can go in many different directions as a personal trainer. Your areas of expertise could include bodybuilding, athletics, weight management, physiotherapy, senior training, junior training, pre- and postnatal training, and women’s/men’s training.

You can always undertake additional qualifications to branch out into other areas at any point in your career, but while you’re establishing yourself, you should have a particular personal training niche in mind. It’ll more clearly define your identity in the marketplace and dictate the direction of your career. You should factor it all in before making a decision.

It’s quite common for personal trainers to pair fitness qualifications with related qualifications in fields such as nutrition. This can really give you an edge in the marketplace, as it shows that you offer a more comprehensive service to prospective clients.

Some qualification programs guarantee interviews with gyms at the end of the course too, so if you’re settled on the idea of working as an in-house PT, these might be of interest too.

Get qualified

You don’t need a degree to be a personal trainer, but it’ll help you stand out when applying for jobs.

The core qualifications are a Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing and a Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training.

The minimum qualification required to work in the fitness industry is a Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing, which teaches you the basics of human physiology. Holding this qualification enables you to be an instructor in a gym or sports centre.

The Level 2 qualification also gives you access to Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training, which is the formal qualification you need to be a personal trainer.

It’s important to ensure any qualifications you attain are accredited by an awarding body such as CYQ or Active IQ and recognised by CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity). If you’re uncertain, the National Register of Personal Trainers has a full list of respected awarding bodies.

Set up your business

You might want to get the ball rolling on setting up your own business while you’re in the process of getting qualified. Once you are qualified, the next step is to define your business and start generating interest in your services.

In defining your business, these are some of the key questions you need to answer:

• What will you call your business?
• What services will you offer?
• How much will you charge?

The chief factor that’ll inform the answers to these questions is how you want to operate as a personal trainer. Do you want to be self-employed or work in a gym? Each approach has its pros and cons.

Being self-employed means you’ll choose your own hours, generate your own network of clients, dictate your own fees, and train how you want to train. However, this comes with equipment overheads and potentially less stable income.

Alternatively, working in-house at a gym will mean you work contracted hours, are guaranteed clients, and will have equipment provided for you. However, it can take away some of your freedom as a trainer.

Whichever path you choose, it’s important that you build a profile for yourself and your services. Even in a gym, you need to attract clients. Given the personal and physical nature of fitness, social media is a great way to engage with a pool of potential clients. There’s a huge fitness subculture on Instagram. Offer consistently valuable insights into fitness and exercise, share the results, and show your personality.

Becoming a personal trainer: FAQs

How much does it cost to become a personal trainer?

The average cost of becoming a personal trainer in the UK is around £2,500, though this isn’t typically all paid at once. It all depends on what extras are included, accreditation status, and whether the course is conducted online or in person. Many courses also include first aid training, as this is a legal requirement once you’re working as a PT.

How long does it take to get qualified as a personal trainer?

The time it takes to become a qualified personal trainer can vary depending on whether you attend classes in person or online and whether you do a full-time or part-time course. The most intensive of the qualifications can see you become a qualified PT in as little as four weeks, but that can equate to a 40-hour week, Monday to Friday, with work to take home in the evening.

On the other hand, there are part-time courses that can take up to a year to complete, but you may find they’re easier to fit around your current schedule if you want to work while you train. Therefore, it’s worth reviewing your options and finding a schedule that works best around your existing commitments.

Specialist personal trainer insurance through Insure4Sport

Once you have your personal training business set up, you may want to consider getting specialist personal trainer insurance.

Specialist personal trainer insurance through Insure4Sport includes Public Liability, Loss of Earnings, and Personal Accident cover. Find out more about personal trainer insurance and get an instant online quote today.