Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing (Gym)  

 

Click here to book the gym instructor course

This qualification provides access onto the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) at level 2.

The Level 2 Certified Fitness Instructor is the qualification that means successful candidates can work for an employer as a gym instructor. Level 2 gym instructors can progress to the Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification. 

“A great a way into work as a gym instructor and starting your career in the fitness industry”

A very popular choice is to take the Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer together as the HFI Personal Trainer Diploma. These two qualifications are completed in smooth succession at a pace to suit individual candidates – fast track or slow and steady.

If you are a sport/exercise degree graduate or 3rd year undergrad and have ACSM Health Fitness Specialist read about HFI graduate fast-tracking to full level 3 PT.

 

Who is this for?

• Anyone of 16 years of age or more

 

Course Format Options           

i) home study theory course (+online learning for additional fee) + 1-day practical workshop.

ii) special university undergraduate 3-day workshop +home study

iii) 5-day workshop + home study

Qualification Structure And Unit Content

This qualification comprises of 6 mandatory units

Unit 1 - Anatomy and physiology for exercise

Unit 2 - Know how to support clients who take part in exercise and physical activity

Unit 3 - Health, safety and welfare in a fitness environment

Unit 4 - Principles of exercise, fitness and health

Unit 5 - Planning gym-based exercise

Unit 6 - Instructing gym-based exercise

+ First Aid Qualification (this is a required element).

Successful achievement of all six units must be achieved for the full qualification.

 

Assessment Information  

Assessments are carried out over the course of one day. There are assessment days at least once per month so you can tailor your study time to suit you best.

We also provide an on-demand assessing date for your further convenience. There is an additional fee for this service.

Click here to view all available assessment dates.

Format : 1-day attendance consisting of 1 ¾ hour multiple-choice theory paper and 1 ½ hour gym practical. Candidates will have completed some required work beforehand and they will bring a client to the assessment day.

 

Assessment by 6 stages (units)

 

Unit 1

External theory paper – 1 ¾ hrs (Exercise and Fitness Knowledge) – 70% required.

 

Unit 2

Client interview – done prior to the assessment day.

 

Unit 3

Worksheet or professional discussion – done prior to the assessment day.

 

Unit 4

Internal theory paper (Principles of Exercise, Fitness and Health) – part of the 1 ¾ hr multiple-choice theory paper done on assessment day.

 

Unit 5

• Worksheet or professional Discussion – done prior to the assessment day.

• PAR-Q

• Programme card

• Session plans x4

 

Unit 6

• Observed summative assessment – this is a part of the 1 ½ hr gym practical.

• Session and self-evaluation – this is a part of the 1 ½ hr gym practical.

• Observed formative assessment – this is done at the practical workshop.

 

 

Entry Requirements

•• Some experience of gym-based exercises, including free weights, is highly recommended.

•• The course requires physical exertion and individual participation is essential, therefore, a degree of physical fitness is necessary.

•• There is also an element of communication (discussing, presenting, reading and writing) involved and learners should have basic skills in communication pitched at level 2.

**First Aid.

 

Target Learners

•• Adults (aged 16+) wishing to pursue a career in the health and fitness sector as gym-based fitness instructors.

•• Please note that 16 to 18 year-olds may need to be supervised in the workplace, once they have achieved the qualification.

 

Aim

•• To train learners to a professionally competent level, enabling them to prescribe, plan and deliver safe and effective exercise programmes within a gym or health club environment.

 

Objectives

•• To develop learner’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology and how it relates to exercise and fitness.

•• To develop learner’s ability to plan and deliver safe and effective gym sessions.

•• To provide learners with the knowledge to develop good customer service and the personal.

qualities required by the exercise and fitness industry.

•• To provide learners with an awareness of health and safety in an exercise and fitness environment.

•• To provide learners with the opportunity to progress to further qualifications in the exercise and fitness industry.

 

 

Progression

•• This qualification provides progression to Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Instructing Exercise and Fitness, for learners who wish to develop and demonstrate occupational competence in gym instruction.

•• Alternatively, it provides progression to Level 3 qualifications in Personal Training for learners who wish to further their knowledge and skills and become personal trainers working with specialist populations as well as the general population.

•• Learners may also broaden their knowledge and skills by progressing to Level 2 qualifications in Instructing Circuits, Exercise to Music and Aqua.

 

Level 2 (European Qualifications Framework EQF Level)

More information about the Level 2 Gym Instructor

 

Occupational Title - Gym Instructor

 

Occupational Description

A fitness instructor’s role includes planning, instructing and evaluating gym-based inductions and ongoing client/member programmes. They should also assist more qualified instructors in the delivery of personal training programmes. A fitness instructor should also actively encourage potential clients/members to join and adhere to regular exercise programmes, employing appropriate motivational strategies to achieve this.

 

Occupational Roles

The fitness instructor should be involved in:

1. Collecting and checking information relating to individual clients.

2. Analysing information relating to individual clients.

3. Identifying and agreeing basic short, medium and long term goals.

4. Planning, instructing and evaluating safe and appropriate gym-based exercise sessions.

5. Providing one-to-one or group inductions and general exercise programmes, including the introduction to new equipment where appropriate.

6. Selecting relevant exercises and designing appropriate programmes which address safety at all times.

7. Producing suitable programme cards for a range of clients/members.

8. Suggesting relevant exercise adaptations to allow for individual client differences or needs.

9. Using logical and progressive teaching methodologies to introduce a range of exercises in relation to client’s goals.

10. Selecting and/or correctly demonstrating a variety of cardiovascular and resistance training methods that can be used by clients/members.

11. Providing clients/members with general advice on how to progress their individual programmes.

12. Observing clients/members at all times in order to correct unsafe technique where required.

13. To positively interact and motivate clients/members using appropriate strategies in order to promote retention and adherence to exercise.

14. Acting as a positive role model at all times for all clients/members and staff.

15. Proactively developing and maintaining high standards of customer care in order to facilitate the retention of clients/members.

16. Promoting healthy activities and related strategies for daily living to clients/members

17. Monitoring maintenance schedules and assisting in the upkeep and cleanliness of the environment and all associated gym equipment.

18. Working within the parameters given at Level 2, recognising the standards and professional limitations that this provides, referring to appropriate members of staff for guidance and support.

 

Occupational Competence

L2 Gym Instructors should:

1. Be aware of their professional role boundaries as listed.

2. Give guidance to encourage special population clients* to follow the key safety guidelines and discourage them from anything deemed to be potentially hazardous/contraindicated to enable them to take part in sessions.

*Special population clients including:

•• 14-16 year old young people

•• disabled people

•• older people (50+)

•• ante and postnatal women

3. Get advice from another appropriate professional if there are any objectives, physical activities or risks that fall outside their professional boundaries or that they do not feel competent to deal with and/or refer on to the appropriate person.

 

L2 Fitness Instructors (who do not possess the appropriate special population qualification/s in older adults, ante/post-natal women and disabled people) should NOT:

1.

•• Be a specialist instructor in the area of special populations, or advertise as such.

•• Instruct special population clients one to one or in groups on a regular or progressive basis.

•• Plan a progressive, long-term special populations exercise or physical activity programme.

•• Play any role in exercise or physical activity programming or monitoring in condition management on a one to one or group basis. (For this, a Level 3 Exercise Referral qualification is required and for certain conditions, where national occupational standards are in place, a Level 4 qualification).

2. Prescribe any form of exercise session or individual exercise that they have not been trained to deliver/teach effectively.

3. Instruct exercise in disciplines in which they are not qualified or where they do not hold appropriate endorsed training (e.g. a Level 2 fitness instructor should not ‘cover’ an ETM class or a spinning class if they do not hold the appropriate certificates).

4. Provide prescriptive nutritional advice or develop bespoke individualised nutrition plans for clients.

 

Recommended Level 2 Gym Instructor text books.

 

CPD            12 REPs CPD

 

Contact HFI for in-house training for your new trainee fitness instructors

0207 231 3981