Are you looking into qualifying as a personal trainer but feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that’s available? To help you navigate the best route for your future career, we’ve compiled this clear guide to the different personal training qualifications and what they mean for you.
Why are there different personal training qualifications?
As with many industries, the tiered qualification levels are recognised by industry professionals and employers and ensure that fitness professionals have adequate skills and training to deliver a safe, trusted service to clients.
What are the qualifications?
There are three levels of qualification for fitness industry professionals:
Level 2 Gym Instructor
This entry-level qualification is the first step in a career in the fitness industry and is a must-have qualification to progress to taking the Level 3 qualification and becoming a personal trainer.
Once qualified, Level 2 gym instructors are trained to prescribe, plan and deliver safe and effective exercise programmes at a gym, health club or leisure centre.
Level 3 Personal Trainer
For many fitness professionals, becoming a Level 3 personal trainer is a natural progression in their career journey, enabling them to work as a personal trainer on a self-employed basis, creating bespoke training programmes and plans. Courses generally include training on nutrition, exercise, physiology and anatomy as well as the practical aspects of running a fitness business. Developing much of the knowledge gained at level 2, further modules include: programme design and delivery, principles of periodisation in training and developing a way of working that will suit you post qualification.
To qualify for the course, applicants must already hold a Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification and be over 18 years of age.
Further qualifications
Once you have secured your Level 3 PT you can add to your skills set with courses in sports massage, strength and conditioning, group circuit training and studio cycling, for example. An area we see growing in requirement over the next 5 years is supporting clients with ‘long-term conditions’ and we plan to run this section on our L3 course from Autumn 2023.
A PT qualification takes a minimum of 200 hours of studying and up to around 400 hours, depending on the amount of self studying required.
Qualify with the Fitness Garage Academy
At the Fitness Garage Academy – an Active IQ-approved training centre – all participants will study for both their Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer qualifications throughout our five-month, Ofqual-accredited course.
We know how busy life is which is why our courses combine at-home online study and in-person training at the Fitness Garage Academy. We guarantee at least ten days of face-to-face learning with our team of personal trainer tutors, all of whom run their own fitness business, working from the Fitness Garage gym in Harrogate.
As well as teaching you the physical knowledge to train clients, we will equip you with the skills to run your own fitness business from day one.
For further course information, please visit our website www.fitnessgarageacademy.co.uk, email hello@fitnessgarageacademy.co.uk or call Andy Gardner, Head of Centre on 01423 317 117.