Personal training forms are often overlooked, but it’s important for any reputable fitness business to have them in place. Having the right forms to hand can help you gain insight into your client’s current fitness level and health history, which can help reduce their risk of injury.
Most gym injuries result from overexertion or poor form. However, other accidents are common and can result from things like:
- faulty equipment
- health and safety breaches
- poor instruction
- forgotten or inadequate inductions
As a personal trainer, you have a legal ‘duty of care’ to your clients to reduce the likelihood of these accidents, whether you’re hosting training sessions at a local gym, a client’s house, outdoors, or online.
That’s why there are several forms you’ll need to complete and get signed by new clients before any physical activity can commence. These forms will help you design suitable training programmes for your clients to minimise the risk of injury and your potential liability.
6 personal training documents for screening your clients
1. Disclaimer form
Signing a disclaimer form should be an important consideration for anyone wanting to engage in activities with an element of risk.
As a personal trainer, you could be deemed liable if your client is injured during a training session. However, a disclaimer (also referred to as an exclusion clause, exemption clause, or waiver) is a legal statement designed to limit one party’s liability to another. In this case, your liability to your client.
That’s why a disclaimer is one of the most important personal training forms to have in place.
You’ll need to ask new clients to sign a disclaimer before they start their first session. Take time to review the disclaimer with the client, rather than asking them to sign it 5 minutes before the initial training session.
A disclaimer is a useful way to underscore the risks and importance of proper technique from the outset. That said, don’t rely on the disclaimer in the event a client is injured, as legally, clients cannot sign away their fundamental right to seek compensation for an injury.
If you have a website, blog, or social media presence, make sure you link to an appropriate personal trainer disclaimer form that warns of the health and safety risks of the exercises you’re promoting.
2. Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
Many clients who are looking for a personal trainer will already have experience with exercising, whether that’s from going to the gym or playing a sport. However, you should avoid relying on an individual’s informal assessment of their health and ability, as many will not know their limits or the risks of exceeding them.
That’s where the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) comes in. A PAR-Q form for personal trainers is a detailed questionnaire that should be part of the essential client screening process to help you discover your client’s general health and exercise history.
The form asks clients to disclose any health conditions, injuries, or illnesses that might affect their ability to exercise. It also asks questions about the client’s health goals and helps personal trainers design a programme that won’t put the client at undue risk of injury.
Should the client sustain an injury, a signed personal trainer PAR-Q form would demonstrate that you took the necessary steps to identify and mitigate the risk. You may also want to consider investing in first aid training to ensure you’re prepared should the worst happen. This can also improve your desirability if you want to work in a gym.
Clients must also notify you of any change in their circumstances—for instance, pregnancy or the diagnosis of an illness—so that you can update their forms accordingly.
3. Fitness assessment form
Although there may be some crossover with the PAR-Q form, you should use the fitness assessment form as an ongoing record of your client’s fitness and health levels.
You can tailor this personal trainer form to different exercises and client goals. You can also use it to track anything from weight to BMI or resting and active heart rates. A fitness assessment form can be used as an activity log as well as a food and nutrition diary.
You should complete this form during an initial training session and periodically (usually monthly) after that.
The fitness assessment form can serve as further evidence that you’re actively monitoring a client’s health in the event of a claim.
4. Emergency contact details form
Sometimes incorporated in the PAR-Q form, you’ll need your client’s emergency contact and medical information to be readily accessible.
You should have a clear procedure in place in case a client is seriously injured. For example, if you’re training in the park, you must ensure you have immediate access to the client’s contact information.
Whatever the initial cause of a client’s injury, you could be held liable if this is worsened due to your failure to access medical information (such as a heart condition or allergy).
5. Client-trainer service agreement
A service agreement is a good idea from a commercial point of view, as it helps formalise the client-trainer relationship.
You can use it to set your general terms and conditions, such as session cancellation fees and contract length.
This personal trainer form can outline training policies, your warranties to the client, and theirs to you. The client can also acknowledge that they have sought the green light from their GP to participate in the training programme.
Alternatively, the client can confirm their agreement to proceed without a medical exam, provided they absolve you from liability for any injury or illness that might have been preventable.
Furthermore, the client can use the agreement to consent to the programme and agree to notify you if their personal or health circumstances change.
6. Online forms
The popularity of online personal training means you might never meet your client in person.
However, you could still be liable for a client’s injury, even if it occurs at their home. Your duty of care to your client still exists, and you must ensure they complete your personal trainer forms.
For example, if you’re holding an online class over Zoom or Microsoft Teams, you’ll still need to ensure that the client has checked their training area for hazards.
The client also needs to confirm that they’ll use any personal equipment in line with manufacturer guidelines and that they’re fit enough to participate in the class to start with. You can add these clauses to your personal trainer disclaimer form.
Various third-party web form providers can integrate with your website, class sign-up process, or online training session provider.
Specialist personal trainer insurance through Insure4Sport
Despite your best endeavours, there’s always a risk that your client might injure themselves either during a session or as a result of your advice.
That’s why you may want to consider getting specialist personal trainer insurance, particularly Public Liability cover.
This will cover you if you’re held liable for a client’s injury or if they injure another person during a training session. Public Liability insurance can also cover damage to third-party property, such as exercise equipment at the gym you’re working at.
Find out more about personal trainer insurance through Insure4Sport, or get an online quote today.
