How to become a personal trainer
If you’re thinking of becoming a personal trainer, read our guide to decide which type of course best suits your learning style.
CONTENTS
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Routes to becoming a personal trainer
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Skills you’ll need
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Finding work experience
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How to get a job as a personal trainer
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What it's like to be a personal trainer
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Routes to becoming a personal trainer
There are many ways to become a personal trainer. You might train as a fitness or gym instructor first and then do further qualifications to become a personal trainer. Alternatively, you might decide to qualify as a personal trainer from the get-go, choosing one of the qualifications below.
Undergraduate degrees
It is not essential to do an undergraduate degree to become a personal trainer, but it will equip you with the right skills to succeed. It’s also advisable to complete a relevant first aid qualification. Check that the degree you want to do includes a Level 3 personal training qualification and is accredited by a relevant organisation like UK Coaching or the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Degree apprenticeships
It may be possible to find a personal training apprenticeship by searching for apprenticeship vacancies via Find an apprenticeship
You’ll still study, but you’ll do so part-time alongside work. These courses are employer-led and will usually take the same length of time to complete as an undergraduate degree.
Entry requirements are set by the employer and the course provider. Your employer pays for the course, not you. Employers looking for an apprentice personal trainer could include the Armed Forces, leisure centres and health clubs.
Postgraduate degrees
You could progress your personal training career by undertaking a postgraduate qualification or want to complete some research in an interest area. Possible options include Exercise and Sports Medicine MSc, MPhil Research Sport and Health Science or Sports Business and Management MSc. A postgraduate degree usually takes a year to complete full time or two years part time. An undergraduate degree in a related subject is often a minimum entry requirement.
As well as having a passion for personal fitness, you’ll need to develop your skills in:
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Motivating others
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Customer care
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Time management
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Organisational skills
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Communication
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Problem solving
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Safeguarding
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Tailoring programmes to suit a client’s need
Getting some work experience not only looks good on your CV, it also gives you a taster of the realities of the role and provides networking opportunities within the fitness industry.
Try looking for work at:
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Local leisure or sports centres
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Hotels, resorts or spas
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Health care charities
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Youth centres or after school clubs
Many personal trainers are self-employed and win work from individual clients or businesses through word of mouth and online promotion. Alternatively, you might work for an employer such as a gym or personal training studio, leisure centre, professional sports club, a workplace with its own fitness facilities, or even a cruise line company.
Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include:
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Helping clients set short- and long-term fitness goals
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Planning fitness programmes
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Teaching motivating and coaching clients in how to complete their programmes safely and effectively
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Giving advice on health, nutrition and lifestyle changes
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Helping clients with their workouts
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Checking and recording clients' progress, by measuring things like heart rate and levels of body fat
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Promoting your business and doing admin tasks if you’re self-employed
You might work in several different environments both indoors and outside, especially if you are a freelancer, including fitness centres and at client’s homes. Your working pattern may also vary and involve evening and weekend working.
The average salary for a personal trainer starting out is approx. £15,000 rising to £22,000 with more experience. You could earn significantly more if you specialise in an area of personal fitness. On average personal trainers are expected to earn between £15,000 and £60,000 a year across the UK. Fitness instructor salaries will be lower than a personal trainer's; this is because a fitness instructor is qualified at level 2 whereas a personal trainer is trained at level 3.
Is a role as a personal trainer right for you?
Working as a personal trainer could be the ideal way to share your enthusiasm for health and well-being. You’ll need to be prepared to work unsociable hours and be self-motivated if you decide to set up your own business.
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