Do personal trainers need first aid training

As a personal trainer, working with
clients to reach their fitness goals can be a really rewarding experience.
However, training in the gym doesn’t come without its risks.

A recent study found that nearly half of gym users have
experienced an injury while at the gym. Having a first aid qualification as a
personal trainer could mean that you’re able to help your clients should they
experience an accident during training.

Read our blog below
to find out if personal trainers need first aid training, as well as what’s
included in first aid training, why it’s important, and what to consider before
getting qualified.

Do personal trainers need first aid training?

The short answer is no; it’s not mandatory for personal
trainers to have first aid training. The only mandatory qualifications to
become a personal trainer are a Level 2 Gym Instructor and a Level 3 Personal
Training qualification.

However, there are several benefits to having a first aid
qualification, which we will cover later in this blog.

What’s included in first aid training?

What’s included in the first aid training you receive
depends on the course you choose. St John’s Ambulance offers Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work, and Defibrillator training courses, which could all be useful
for personal trainers.

First aid courses can help you learn about topics such as
adult resuscitation, bone, muscle, and joint injuries, chest pains, fainting,
and head injuries.

What are the benefits of having first aid training as a personal trainer?

There are several benefits to having first aid training in
any profession. However, as personal trainers work in environments where clients
are exercising and using heavy equipment, having a first aid qualification can
be particularly useful.

In our list below, we’ve picked out 4 key benefits of first
aid training for personal trainers so you can decide whether to add first aid
to your list of qualifications.

1.  You could help a client when they’re injured, or even save a life

Of course, the most important benefit of having first aid
training is that you’ll be able to help your clients should they injure
themselves during training. Knowing how to perform CPR could even help save a
person’s life.

2.  It could help give you peace of mind

Knowing that you can help in an emergency could give you
better peace of mind, allowing you to concentrate on training your clients.

You can even find first aid courses tailored to
personal trainers, with some providers offering the ability to
request additional training if you have something, in particular, you wish to
cover as part of the assessment.

3.  You’ll stand out from other candidates

In addition to the two mandatory qualifications needed to
become a personal trainer, having a first aid qualification on your CV when
you’re looking for a new role can help you stand out from the crowd.

Gyms are also legally required to have at least one
qualified first aider on site at any one time, so if they’re looking for a
replacement with this qualification, it may be a requirement in the job
description.

4.  It could help you attract more clients

Having a first aid qualification won’t just be attractive to
prospective employers, either. You may find that some of your clients are
looking for a personal trainer with first aid training for their own peace of
mind, or if they have a health condition that may be affected by their
training.

If you are ever in a situation where you are the only
fitness professional present, you are also required to be first aid trained, so
it’s particularly important for those who do freelance work, too.

If you’re interested in expanding your expertise, companies
like OriGym offer specialist courses for different health conditions, such as
its Level 4 Diabetes Control and Weight
Management course.

What to consider before getting first aid training as a personal trainer

If you choose to get a first aid qualification, it’s a good
idea to ensure you’re aware of your responsibilities per the law.

As a first aider, if you choose to help someone in an
emergency and you are found to be negligent (by causing further injury that
they wouldn’t have otherwise sustained or making the injury worse), you could
be sued.

For example, if you were to provide CPR to a person who didn’t
need it, and subsequently caused an injury such as a broken rib, you could be
at risk of a negligence claim being made against you. It’s also worth noting that
you are not legally required to provide first aid as a first aider, but you
should help in another way, such as calling 999 if necessary.

Therefore, choosing to take a first aid course can be a big
responsibility and should be treated as such. You should only provide first aid
if you feel you can do so safely and get further help from the emergency
services when needed.

As a personal trainer, you may already be aware of how
important insurance can be for you when operating in a professional
environment. Even if you are employed by a gym with its own insurance in place,
you may still be required to have your own additional cover, so you should
always check this with your employer.

Whether your equipment gets damaged or you or a client suffers
an  injury, specialist personal trainer insurance can give you the
peace of mind you need.

Specialist insurance for personal trainers and fitness
instructors through Insure4Sport can help protect you against third-party
claims, theft and loss of or damage to any sports equipment you own, and even
loss of earnings should you suffer a personal injury that results in your
inability to work.

Learn more about specialist personal trainer insurance
through Insure4Sport here, or get a quick quote today.