1: How do I become a personal trainer?
Firstly, if you are considering becoming a Personal Trainer, make sure you choose a CIMSPA approved training provider who offers courses for Personal Trainer qualifications. This should be checked on the CIMSPA website (please see our blog on this here). Then look at what fitness industry awarding body that the provider you are looking at uses – the largest and most recognisable in the fitness sector is Active IQ. Then you will need to do a Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing (which will qualify you as a Gym-based Instructor) followed by a Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training (which will allow you to work as an independent Personal Trainer). With Study Active you can do these as one big course which is our most popular option. There is the option to opt for a higher-level package which includes Level 4 Advanced Personal Training and/or RSPH Level 4 Nutrition, however, whilst very useful development, such Level 4 qualifications are not essential to start off as a PT.
2: Are your Personal Trainer Courses Internationally recognised?
Our Personal Trainer courses are awarded by Active IQ, regulated by Ofqual and endorsed by CIMSPA. Anyone with a CIMSPA Personal Training qualification is eligible to join EREPS who will advise on international portability of health & fitness qualifications across Europe. Due to our courses for Personal Trainer qualifications carrying these prestigious accreditation and associations this mean that there are many countries throughout the world that will fully recognise these fitness qualifications. Indeed, there is no Personal Training qualification that we know of in the UK which is more internationally recognised than ours. You are of course always advised to check with the local fitness regulators for any specific country you wish to work in.
3: What courses do I need to complete to become a personal trainer?
To become a Personal Trainer, you will first need to complete a Gym Instructor qualification – however with Study Active you can do both Gym Instructing and Personal Training as one big course - this is our most popular option. Once qualified as a Personal Trainer you will then have the option to undertake additional fitness qualifications such as RSPH level 4 Nutrition. You may also wish to continue your professional development by studying additional qualifications such as Supporting Clients with Long-term Conditions or Pre & Post Natal exercise.
4: What previous experience do I need to become a personal trainer?
Whilst there is no official prerequisite, in terms of experience to qualify as a Personal Trainer it is highly recommended that a professional Personal Trainer for fitness has had at least some experience of the fitness industry in a gym-based setting. Often our students decide to get some paid or unpaid gym-based instructing experience whilst studying (this is not mandatory but can be useful) whilst others, upon completing their PT course, start off working in a Gym as an Instructor whilst building up PT clients. There is no hard and fast rule here of course and everyone is different. The main thing is that, before commencing work as a PT, that one feels both comfortable and competent. There are then of course additional fitness courses that we offer as you progress within the fitness industry.
5: How long does it take to complete one of your personal trainer courses?
The time taken to complete our Personal trainer course is largely up to you. Some people complete the Gym Instructor & PT course “fast track” in as little as five weeks whilst others may take several months of part-time study – it is absolutely dependent on things like previous fitness knowledge and the weekly study hours that you can commit to. Most of our Gym & PT student study part time and qualify as a Personal Trainer within 3-6 months, however those adding additional fitness courses to their package will naturally take longer.
6: Do I need experience in the health & fitness industry to become a personal trainer?
The only prerequisites to join our Gym Instructor & Personal Trainer course are an active interest in fitness and a positive attitude to learning. You will learn all there is to know to get started as a Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer. Whilst experience is not a mandatory part of the actual qualification (and many of our students already have some experience under their belt), it is recommended that you immerse yourself in as much health & fitness sector exposure as possible to optimise your own development as a fitness professional.
7: How much can I earn as a personal trainer?
This really depends on many factors such as what area you operate in, what services you offer, what experience you have etc. A newly qualified Personal Trainer for fitness may charge as little as £20-25 p/h. An established PT may well charge £35-50 p/h whilst a nationally renowned elite PT (which does not happen overnight!) may charge £60-80 p/h or more! It is important to remember that these figures are based on self-employed income, you will not find a gym paying the above figures as a salary, more so these are the amounts that PT’s can charge their own clients on a self employed basis.
8: What governing boards are your personal training courses accredited by?
Our courses for Personal Trainer qualifications are awarded by Active IQ who are the largest and most prestigious awarding body in the fitness sector. In addition to this our courses are regulated by Ofqual and endorsed by CIMSPA. Importantly Study Active is also a CIMSPA endorsed Training Provider – this is of the utmost important (please see our blog on this here). Further Study Active are a UK Active member and also have associations with the RSPH and the National Register of Personal Trainer (NRPT).
Further, our level 3 Nutrition course contains the AfN CPD Nutrition Essentials for Fitness and Leisure.
9: How long has Study Active been offering personal training courses?
Study Active first started delivering courses to be a Personal Trainer and/or Gym Instructor in 2012 making us one of the longest operating training providers of courses for personal trainer qualifications in the UK fitness industry. Since then, the company has grown considerably to where it is today. Study Active is now one of the leading providers of Personal Trainer for fitness courses in the country.
10: Do you provide personal training courses near me?
Study Active has students all over the UK studying our fitness courses to be a Personal Trainer. This is possible as we use a considerable amount of innovation and technology to allow you to study remotely via e-learning, digital resources, webinars, skype tutorials etc. We recommend that students visit us for gym-based practical input & assessments at our base in Hertfordshire. Alternatively, you may wish to record your practical assessments in a gym near to you and send to us on video.
11: Can I work as a PT in any gym with this personal training qualification? Our PT course is awarded by Active IQ, regulated by Ofqual and endorsed by CIMSPA. For this reason, in the UK, you will not find a more recognised PT qualification. As a result, any gym in the UK (and many abroad) will accept this Personal Trainer qualification. Some Personal Trainers will look to become employed as a Gym Instructor within a Gym (on a salary) whilst they then train PT clients privately alongside this at the same gym. Other Personal Trainers may decide to operate their PT business from a gym so they have a base there. Remember being a Personal Trainer is usually a self-employed position so using a gym’s facility will usually mean paying that gym some rent.
12: Are your personal training courses online?
Our nationally recognised online courses to be a Personal Trainer are delivered via blended learning. This means you study your Personal Trainer course using online learning and a wealth of digital resources whilst also being remotely supported by fitness tutors via webinars, skype/telephone tutorials and emails. For practical assessments you can either come into us for practical input and assessments or you can record your gym and PT practical assessments and send them to us on video.
13: Can I study part-time to become a personal trainer?
Our accredited blended learning courses to be a Personal Trainer can be studied full or part time as the amount of study hours that you put in are entirely up to you. For example, someone may study their Gym & PT course for 40 hours a week and complete in a few short weeks, whilst the next person may put in 10 hours a week and complete over a few months - it really is totally subjective to the individual student as to how long they take to qualify as a Personal Trainer.
If you have any other questions, please contact us using our contact form below or email us at info@studyactive.co.uk
