Hi, Next month I'm gonna be starting a level 2 Fitness instructor course progressing on to the level 3 personal trainer award with YMCA. I know there have been posts before mentioning the difficulties in being successful in such a career but I'm just curious, how hard is it really to make it as a PT? I would have thought with how health conscious society is these days, now would be a more oppurtune time than ever to pursue such career. Obviously I'd have to be based in the more affluent areas. Living near Durham, that shouldn't be a problem (I hope). I was hoping some of you out there who are already personal trainers (especially the UK guys and girls) could give me some advice? One thing I'm wondering is what kind of prices a guy like me would want to be charging immediatley upon recieving my qualification? There is surprisingly little information available on the net on stuff like this. Either that or I just suck at searching? Any advice would be much appreciated. CraiG
Just be careful not to be abused and verballed raped off the forum hehe. That tends to happen quite a bit
Well I started the course today. I'm pleased to see I am familiar with a lot of it thanks to A-level Human Biology and my own personal research. Onwards and upwards
Hi Craig, how is the course going now? What qualification will the level 2 give you, and will you gain entry on the REP? Also level 3 Personal Training is made up of five level 3 units. Maybe this is different between examining bodies I'm starting level 2 later in the year before doing the level 3's. There doesn't seem to be much about on this but I agree with society waking up to health and fitness, it should be successful. (though, I've scrolled through jobs offered and wages seem to be NMW!) I think you'd have to look at going private but it might take you some time to get established and known. What I'm planning is doing freelance on the side while at uni. Do you have any experience in instructing/coaching/gym/leisure centre work? If you're doing level 2 now then maybe not, so you'd need to look at that. (not that you need level 2 for leisure centre work)
Hi Victoria, The level 2 will give me a qualification in Instructing Gym, and will gain me entry to REP's. Following this I do level 2 circuit training then the 5 Personal Trainer award units (advanced gym instructor, training in different environments, lifestyle and fitness assessment, nutrition and weight management, and business skills). I'll come out of this with an NVQ level 3. There is also around 60 hours of work experience to be completed as part of the course. I've been thinking along the same lines as yourself regarding going freelance. It definitley seems the way to go, although I understand it may take some time to build up a client base. At the end of the day though 20-25 hours a week is all I'll be looking to work. What uni course are you doing? Thankyou for the reply Craig
Yep that's it Same as me. I hadn't seen about the 60 hours work experience but I might have missed it If successful it'll work out a lot better than being employed for NMW. The job center isn't much to go by but if you look at fitness instructors and onwards, the wage is robbery (It almost put me off). Freelancing would certainly be best, especially if you're doing something else like uni/another job while you build up experience. I'm hoping to do sport and exercise science, when I finish the college I dropped 7 years ago Are you doing anything related or just Personal Training?
What sort of program do you have to follow with these courses? I was planning to start a sport & exercise science degree this year and also look at taking some sort of personal training course but am unsure if i'd have time for both. Are there any good books on the subject?
Few things- Have cards made up that are easily accessible to potential clients in teh gym. You might have to take on a couple or so free clients and when others see results, that will speak volumes about yoru ability and essentially it's advertising. Don't be afraid to specialize but don't get caught up in specializing because it can limit you. Don't get discouraged if things don't happen quickly. There are A LOT of personal trainers out there. Do A LOT of outside research.
Thanks blessed samurai Some good ideas. Luckily one of the sections covered is business so we should have a much better idea at that point Program? Here's a link for a level 2 Gym Instructor course, but it might vary depending on where you are/who you're doing the course with: http://www.fitnesswales.co.uk/view_course.asp?ref=30 The courses are available as short courses/weekends/evenings. Have a look around. The link above is one that's completed on weekends over the course of a few weeks. So it's not like a two year qualification I'm planning to have done these courses before starting uni, but I should imagine it would be ok to do them while at uni depending on other commitments. I'm sorry I don't know about books. Try searching on Amazon (and remember go through MAP if you purchase anything )
Personal training is an very hard area to get into, in the old days gyms would allow outside trainers to bring clients in to train them in exchange for a cut of what you took on site. So a trainer would charge a client say £25 for a hour give the gym £5 and make £20. The big gyms cottened on to this an put in place thier own trainers paying them £10 per hour and charging £25, making the gym £15 per hour. This leaves the freelance trainer with home base sessions/corporate/other, avenues of work. Unless you are very lucky and get yourself a place in a small independent gym. A few companies like fitness first still allow freelancers in but take a massive cut and you have to do large amounts of free gym floor work. If you are only doing a level two i would suggest you get yourself some decent gym based experience. Most freelance PT's are level three with advanced add ons such as over 50's, anate/post natal, gp referral, etc... There is still alot of work out there but as i say it is very hard to brake into. Get gym based experience, build you skill bases up, get a level three plus as many other courses as you can, build your adherance skills up, build up a contact network in your area. Then very carefully look at your market and see if there is space for you. CraigLeeJKD PM sent TOM
Thank you very much Tom. Myself and Craig are both looking to do level 3's. If the PM is Personal Trainer related maybe you could post it here so I (and anyone else doing the same thing) can see too?
Nice tips Blessed and Tom, thankyou. Victoria, I'm finding it strange to be in the whole academic structure again. Much of the material I have already covered doing A level Human Biology and my own personal research but some of it is very new. I need some books actually, especially around things like ossification, joints, muscle structure etc. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've got a timetable set out, which means I've arranged so that I'm studying at least 10 hours a week. I expect it will take me til about July to complete the level 2, then around this time next year should hopefully be when I complete the level 3. Is it September you start your level 2? Peace, Craig
Hi Craig, that sounds interesting! I didn't think there'd be that much new academically, but it sounds like there's quite a bit. Do they give you the notes/recommend books or are you expected to learn off your own back? Yes it's September I'm planning on doing it. Better get the brain cogs back in motion :Alien:
The majority of my course is actually home-study through www.fitnessindustryeducation.com, but they do it through CYQ (Central YMCA qualifications) so it is very much valid and reputable. Basically, I download all of the notes from their site. I study, attend optional training days, do some work experience, then sit the exams (practical and theory). Although there is a lot of information I, personally, dont feel the notes they have given me are enough, thus I feel the need to grab some books on the topics. I've matched the material I have been given with that of what my local college teaches (as they also do level 2 fitness instructor gym and level 3 personal training) and the course I am doing covers everything the college teaches, and more! The bonus being I get to study when I want, and can take as long as I want before I need to sit the exam. It benefits my learning style as well. I can never really absorb anything in a class room, I have to study in my own time, alone, to be able to really understand and learn something. Come September I'm sure you will be fine
