Introduction
Becoming an online personal trainer is a very flexible career option, as it allows you to work from anywhere in the world. However, in order to be competitive in this sub-industry, you need to make sure you have the right qualifications and skills.
This article will break down all the qualifications that you need to become an online PT, plus some of the ones that aren’t essential, but you should definitely consider to ensure you’re fully prepared to have a successful online personal training business.
Qualifications you Need to Become an Online PT
Put simply, the only qualifications you actually need to become an online personal trainer are the same ones to become a standard personal trainer; namely, you need to have completed a Level 2 Gym Instructor Course and a Level 3 Personal Trainer Course. At the PFCA, we combine these courses together, into one convenient training course, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT).
Level 2 Gym Instructor Certificate
The Level 2 Gym Instructor Certificate is your first step to becoming an online personal trainer. As an entry level qualification, it provides you with the foundational knowledge required to work as a fitness instructor in a gym environment or online.
It gives you knowledge in topics such as:
- Anatomy & Physiology: Having an understanding of how the body works and responds to exercise.
- Health & Safety: To ensure that clients can conduct exercises safely.
- Programme Design: How to create workout plans for specific goals.
Whilst this certificate will enable you to work in gyms, it doesn;’t fully qualify you as a personal trainer. So, in order to become an online personal trainer, you also need the Level 3 Qualification.
Level 3 Personal Trainer Qualification
The Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training is the one which will officially qualify you to become an online personal trainer. The Level 3 Personal Trainer Course goes deeper into exercise science whilst providing you with the knowledge and skills to design fully tailored programmes for clients. With the level 3 qualification, you can work as both an in personal personal trainer and an online personal trainer. You’ll learn topics such as:
- More Advanced Anatomy & Physiology: You’ll get a better understanding of how the body works with regards to muscle, joints and energy systems.
- Assessments of Clients: You’ll learn how to assess your clients’ fitness levels and create proper, personalised programmes.
- Some Nutrition Advice: You’ll be able to provide clients with basic dietary guidance to suit their goals. You won’t however, be able to prescribe a specific meal plan or foods, as this requires further qualification.
Further Qualifications to Maximise Success as an Online Personal Trainer
So, although once you have achieved your level 3 personal trainer qualification status you have officially become a PT, in order to stand out from other PTs, you should consider further qualifications.
Functional Fitness Coach
Functional Fitness Coach (FFC) is the gold standard in fitness coaching, and one of the best things that you can do to stand out from others in the online personal training space. You take the basics that you’ve learned in L3, and develop them way further, learning how to create programmes from scratch that are client centric and work towards specific goals that truly matter to your clients, all around the modality of functional fitness.
Level 4 Courses
Level 4 personal training courses are advanced qualifications which allow you to specialise in specific areas such as strength and conditioning, weight management, or Nutrition. They qualify you to specifically coach these things, which you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do with just the L3 qualification.
Personal Training Business Course
One part of personal training that is often overlooked is running the business. Whilst you might understand the basics of client acquisition, client satisfaction and client retention there are nuances of personal businesses that you will not understand without having done it. Personal Training Business Courses like GROW will show you the way.
Digital Marketing Courses
As an online personal trainer, you need to deeply understand digital marketing. Key channels such as social media and website SEO will be key for lead generation, whilst channels like email will be key for converting new leads and to some extent client retention. Having a website where you can show reviews and client wins is also beneficial for getting sales over the line.
Conclusion
Whilst to become an online personal trainer you might only need to tick the boxes of level 2 and level 3 personal training qualifications, it is likely that to run a successful operating business, you need much more. Further qualifications with courses such as FFC, further specialisation courses, digital marketing education or business courses can all help to progress you in your online personal training career.