The UK’s 11 Best Personal Trainer Courses
If you’re
looking to become a qualified personal trainer or fitness instructor, you have
a wealth of options in terms of training course providers.
In no particular order, we’ve selected the eleven best personal trainer courses in the UK and spoken to each provider to find out what makes their courses so appealing.
Table of contents
THFISummit FitnessStudy ActiveOriGymFuture FitYMCA FitHFETrain FitnessDiverse TrainersAMAC TrainingThe Training Room
Courses include:
Personal trainerNutrition transformation coachStrength and conditioning coachWellness coach
The Health and Fitness Institute go further to support your new career. Yes, you can gain your Diploma in Personal Training, but by studying with THFI, you get access to proprietary content, designed in conjunction with leading Gym Operators, which is focused on preparing you for a successful career.
Not only that, once qualified, THFI will continue to support
the first 12 months of your career with an unparalleled mentoring programme.
THFI are the pioneers and leading experts of practically focused, digital learning, their online PT courses providing the ultimate learning experience. THFI tutors are leading educational specialists and there to help and support you at every step.
THFI offer 0% payment plans on all courses.
Dan Rees, Managing Director of THFI: “For far too long education providers have let trainee PT’s down. A qualification is a minimum standard, but at THFI we’ve worked collaboratively with gym operators to create much needed additional learning and application focused content, making sure our graduates go far beyond that minimum standard, and once qualified, we continue to mentor and support our graduates for 12 months.”
Summit Fitness specialises in online gym instruction and personal training qualifications and has students from all over the globe. Summit champions flexible learning and prides itself on providing excellent customer service to its learners.
Once qualified, Summit provides bespoke business mentorship to kickstart your fitness career.
Thomas Williams, Director at Summit Fitness said: “At Summit, we’re dedicated to setting the global standard in online fitness education.
Our priority is to ensure an enriching learning experience that empowers our students to excel professionally and personally in the fitness industry”.
Course include:
Personal trainerGym instructorExercise and nutrition coursesPhysical activity and lifestyle coursesMental health awareness courses
Study
Active’s renowned Active IQ-approved programme of ‘blended learning’ between
online and in-person teaching is available to students across the UK.
It
includes a mixture of e-learning resources, webinars, tutorials, and practical
workshops. This flexible approach allows students to work at their own pace
alongside other commitments.
James
Luscombe, Managing Director of Study Active: “Our team of tutors support students every step of
the way and fully prepare them for their assessments.
“Once qualified, our graduates are given the further support and guidance they need to get started in the sector. And, through our relationships with various nationwide fitness operators, we help them to find roles and progress to the next step.”
Courses include:
Online personal trainerStandard personal trainerSpecialist fitness coursesCPD fitness coursesTeaching and assessing courses
OriGym qualifies
more fitness professionals than any other course provider, with more than 9,000
graduates each year.
With tutors
based nationwide, OriGym offers tailored learning methods to suit all styles –
be it online or in the classroom.
Luke
Hughes, CEO and Co-Founder of OriGym: “Our online learning platform is designed by
fitness professionals, for fitness professionals, and is fully interactive,
packed with videos, eBooks, online lectures, and engaging learning material.
“Every
staff member at OriGym is a qualified fitness professional in their own right,
so we’ve all been where you are.”
OriGym also
offers free resits on both its practical and theory exams, so students aren’t
punished financially if they don’t pass first time.
The business has also produced some great, educational YouTube content for budding trainers – check it out.
Courses
include:
Personal trainer (from Level 2 Gym Instructor to Elite Level 4)Nutrition (from Level 3 to the UK’s only Ofqual-recognised Level 5)Strength and ConditioningSports MassagePilates InstructorLife Coaching
Future Fit have been forging outstanding health and fitness professionals for over 30 years, amassing a wealth of industry awards that cement their reputation as one of the UK’s most trusted providers of personal training courses. Future Fit aren’t aiming to provide a quick-fix qualification, and every course is custom-built by in-house experts to meet and surpass industry expectations. With accreditation from CIMSPA, and the most comprehensive training available, Future Fit provides an education that gives their personal trainers a competitive edge when it comes to launching their new career.
From hybrid learning to flexible payment options, Future Fit are committed to making their learning as accessible as possible so that anyone can realise their dream of working in the industry.
Carl Richards, Head of Group Operations and Education, said: “Our mission, quite simply, is to raise the bar in the health and fitness industry. We want to create personal trainers that can make a real impact, and that’s only possible if they receive not only the highest-quality training but the best support throughout their career.
“We’ve learned from the 50,000 students we’ve trained so far, and we act upon their feedback to provide what they need—such as Lifetime Access to their course and a dedicated Job Board to give them access to the latest roles within the biggest names in the industry.”
Future Fit also offers free introductory short courses. Those that decide to progress to the full course after completing the introductory course will receive an exclusive discount.
Courses
include:
Personal trainerGym and fitness instructorSports massagingYoga instructor
YMCA Fit is
one of the UK’s oldest fitness training providers. From humble beginnings, the YMCA
was founded as a charity in 1844 and expanded into the fitness industry with
the formation of YMCA Fit in 1984.
Today, more
than 120,000 fitness professionals nationwide are YMCA alumni. Almost every UK
gym has a YMCA-qualified member of staff on its books.
YMCA Fit
instructors believe that fitness training improves your quality of life – a
quality that you can share with those around you.
Robin
Gargrave, Executive Director of YMCA Fit: “Our ethos is simple – we want to provide
high-quality training and fitness education to help our students grow. We’re a
not-for-profit charity, so our main focus is to see our students succeed and
give them the best experience.
We understand there’s not one set pathway into the fitness and exercise industry. We also understand that as individuals, we learn in different ways. Therefore, we provide courses in various forms to cater for people’s different goals.”
Courses include:
Personal trainerPilates instructorYoga instructorExercise-to-musicSports massaging
Health and Fitness Education (HFE) is one of the UK’s leading fitness and active leisure industry training providers.
With more than 30 venues nationwide open to HFE study, its qualifications are authenticated by specialist fitness industry awarding organisations such as Active IQ.
HFE’s unique CV Connect programme is a game-changing recruitment tool that connects newly-qualified fitness professionals and trainers with employers actively seeking staff.
Lee Cain, Managing Director of HFE: “At HFE, we deliver internationally recognised and professionally accredited courses across a broad range of subjects – and our personal training courses are no exception.
“Developed
and delivered by experts and industry professionals, our CIMSPA-approved personal
trainer courses come with a wealth of resources to ensure students succeed.
“We offer students unrivalled support from dedicated tutors, high quality digital and physical training manuals, and our unique CV Connect programme, which puts recent graduates in front of hundreds of relevant employers.
“We believe it’s not necessarily what you get from your qualification, but who and what you become that matters most. That’s why we say become more with HFE.”
Courses
include:
Personal trainerGym instructorPilates instructorYoga instructorChildren’s fitness instructor
Train Fitness was first established in
Australia and was brought to the UK in the late 1990s – making it one of the
oldest in the personal training game.
Driven by the belief that education drives
positive change, Train Fitness’ industry-accredited courses put human
connection first. They combine full-service training with online learning, slick
content, and standout tutor support.
Michael Betts, Director at Train Fitness: “As one of the first training
providers to offer online education back in 2000, we’ve continued to use technology
to enhance our learning experience.
“We have more than 30 courses, all of which are
available both in-person and online.
“Our aim is to give every person the
opportunity to start and advance their career in fitness, regardless of their
location, situation, lifestyle, or needs.”
Train Fitness courses are available UK-wide.
Courses include:
Personal trainerGym instructorYoga instructorExercise-to-musicSports massagingStrength and conditioning
Diverse
Trainers is a great start point for those looking to make their first steps
into the fitness industry.
Proud of its
unique fast-track approach to qualifications, Diverse Trainers’ goal is simple
– to give budding trainers an affordable pathway into the industry.
Whatever your niche, Diverse Trainers has a CIMPSA-recognised course to match, boasting an impressive 99.4% pass rate across its offering.
Chris
Green, Business Development Manager at Diverse Trainers: “We aim to provide a positive
learning experience which will equip our students with the skills and knowledge
required to succeed.
“Diverse tutors have a combined total of more than 50 years of industry experience and are highly committed to helping every student thrive.”
Courses
include:
Personal trainerGym instructor
AMAC
Training is a friendly, family-run company that combines its roots in the
education sector with fitness industry expertise.
All AMAC
courses and learning resources are produced in-house by its dedicated team,
meaning materials are continually adapting to meet students’ changing needs.
Through its partnership with the Education & Skills Funding Agency, AMAC also offers Advanced Learner Loans to students alongside various course payment options to make fitness education accessible for all.
Dave
Lee, Education and Training Director of AMAC Training: “The most special thing about AMAC
Training, for me, is our people.
“They’re
one of our biggest assets. Most of our course tutors and assessors are
graduates themselves and have worked in the fitness industry for many years.
“We’re fully transparent with our course offerings, and we tailor our packages to suit our students’ individual requirements and interests. Whether you’re just starting out in the industry or have an established career in the field already, we offer courses to suit you and your lifestyle.”
Courses
include:
Personal trainerHealth and fitness courses
If you’re
limited for time, The Training Room offers fast-track personal trainer courses
which you can complete in just five weeks.
With a
variety of course types available, from Level 2 through to CPD, The Training
Room graduates are eligible to register with CIMPSA as a Level 3 personal
trainer in no time at all.
What’s more,
with new courses starting every two weeks, you could be ready to start a new
career in just two months.
If that’s
too quick, though, The Training Room courses are also available part-time (ten
weeks) and online (which is fully self-paced).
The
Training Room also provides professional training courses and role placements
in industries including IT, events management, and accounting.
Chris
Peel, CEO of The Training Room: “We specialise in connecting talent to opportunity. For us, it’s about
more than just the course.
“Accessibility
to opportunity is paramount. That’s why we offer fully-regulated, in-house
funding options that allow people to spread the cost of their learning for up
to three years.
“We’re also
passionate about empowering real and sustainable careers through our
outcome-orientated approach, which is why we guarantee to support our learners
for three years after enrolling.
“We match them to opportunities within our vast employer base, and if working for a big-name gym isn’t for them, our expert tutors and career support staff will help them to establish their own path or business instead.”
Whichever
training programme you choose, once you’re fully qualified, you need to make
sure you have the right insurance before taking on any clients. Most gyms and
sports centres will require proof of insurance before you can start working on
the gym floor.
At Insure4Sport, our specialist personal trainer insurance policies are designed to protect you from potential liability claims up to the value of £10m. They can also cover the damage, loss, or theft of your equipment, as well as loss of earnings if you suffer a serious injury and can’t work as a personal trainer for a long period of time.
Find out more about our personal trainer insurance and get an instant online quote today.
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