Personal trainer

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly
• specialist courses run by private training organisations
• the armed forces

Entry requirements:

College

You could take a college course in personal training or gym instructing.

Entry requirements:

Apprenticeship

You could do a Personal Trainer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

Entry requirements:

DirectApplication

You can apply to become a personal trainer or set up your business, if you've got qualifications and experience as a fitness coach or gym instructor.

OtherRoutes

You can do qualifications through private training companies who offer specialist courses in gym instructing and personal training.

You could train in a similar role as a physical training instructor in the armed forces.

You can find out more through the:

• Royal Air Force
• Royal Navy
• Army

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Skills:

• customer service skills
• the ability to teach people how to do something
• the ability to work on your own
• physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• knowledge of psychology like theories of motivation
• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design fitness programmes
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• to enjoy working with other people
• excellent verbal communication skills
• physical fitness and endurance
• knowledge of English language
• a desire to help people
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
• active listening skills
• thinking and reasoning skills
• concentration skills
• the ability to work well with your hands

What you'll do:

Personal trainers work with clients to improve their health and fitness.

As a personal trainer you could:

• help clients set short and long-term fitness goals
• plan a fitness programme to help clients achieve their goals
• teach, motivate and coach clients in how to follow their programmes safely and effectively
• give advice on health, nutrition and lifestyle changes
• help clients with their workouts
• check and record clients' progress, like measuring heart rate and levels of body fat
• promote your services and do business admin tasks if you are self-employed

Location : You could work at a fitness centre or at a client's home.
Environment : Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.

Salary:

Starter : variable
Experienced : variable

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

32 - 34 hours variable

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends / bank holidays as customers demand

Career Path:

You could take further instructor courses to learn new skills to offer clients, like:

• yoga
• pilates
• nutrition
• group training

With further training, you could also work with people recovering from illness or who have certain medical conditions.