Course Information

Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training  

 

Click here to book the personal training course

This qualification provides access onto the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) at Level 3.

Successful candidates can work as a self-employed personal trainer or be employed as a personal trainer in a club.

“What you need to be recognised as a personal trainer”.

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, read about gaining this Level 2 and Level 3 PT via HFI Graduate FAST-TRACK to Full level 3 personal trainer.

 

Who is this for?

• Anyone 16 years and above taking the Level 3 Personal Training Diploma or those already Level 2 Gym qualified

 

Course Format Options           

i)    Home study theory course + 1-day practical workshop

OR

ii)            HFI  graduate Level 3 PT fast-track - 3 day workshop

 

Qualification Structure and Unit Content

 

This qualification comprises of 7 mandatory units

The following 3 units have already been achieved at Level 2

•• Know how to support clients who take part in exercise and physical activity

•• Health, safety and welfare in a fitness environment

•• Principles of exercise, fitness and health

+ First Aid Qualification (this is a required element)

 

Unit 1 – Anatomy and physiology for health and exercise

Unit 2 – Applying the principles of nutrition to a physical activity programme

Unit 3 – Programming personal training with clients

Unit 4 – Delivering personal training sessions

Successful achievement of all 4 units must be achieved for the full qualification.

 

Assessment Information

Assessments are taken over the course of one day. We hold assessment days every month for your convenience. We also offer an on-demand assessment date service for an additional charge.

Click here to view all our assessment dates. 

Format: 1-day attendance consisting of 2 hour multiple-choice theory paper and 1 ½ hour gym practical. Candidates will have completed some required work beforehand and have planned and complete an 8-week progressive programme with their client and  will bring the client to the assessment day.

 

Assessment by 3 stages (units)

 

Unit 1: Anatomy and physiology for exercise and health assessment:

External theory paper – part of the 2-hour multiple-choice paper – 70% required.

 

Unit 2: Applying the principles of nutrition and physical activity assessment:

Part of the multiple-choice theory paper – part of the 2-hour multiple-choice paper - 70% required.

This unit is also assessed within the Unit 3 assessments – see below.

 

Unit 3: Programming Personal Training

Client interview and worksheet assessments – all done prior to the assessment day.

• Client Interview
• PARQ
• Client Analysis
• Overview of 8 Week Programme
• Programme cards X 2
• Evaluation and Modification Summary

 

Unit 4

• 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

 

 

Entry Requirements

• A suitable Level 2 qualification in Gym Instructing
• The course demands physical exertion and individual participation is essential, therefore a degree of physical fitness is necessary
• There is an element of communication (discussing, presenting, reading and writing) and application of number involved, and learners should have basic skills in communication pitched at levels 3 and 2 respectively
• First Aid
• For sport/health graduates refer to the HFI gym work experienced graduate level 3 PT assessment only

 

Target Learners

• Gym instructors wishing to pursue a career in the health and fitness sector as personal trainers.
• Individuals, who already hold a gym instructor qualification, wishing to become self-employed running their own personal training business

 

Aim

• To develop learners with existing knowledge and skills in gym instruction who would like to develop their skills and knowledge to pursue a career in personal training

 

Objectives

• To provide learners with the knowledge of anatomy and physiology, functional kinesiology and concepts and components of fitness
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to successfully gather and analyse client information using the most accepted techniques
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to assess a client’s current health and fitness status.
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to be able to plan and conduct a physical activity session, within a variety of environments using multiple resources
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to perform a client consultation, using the most accepted methods and providing strategies for successful behaviour change
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to be able to communicate effectively to build successful relationships with their clients and other health care professionals.
• To provide learners with the knowledge to be able to prepare for employment or to set up in business on a self-employed basis.
• To provide learners with the knowledge and skills to be able to manage, evaluate and improve own performance.
• To provide learners with the knowledge to be able to offer nutritional advice for physical activity based on clients’ needs

 

Progression

• This qualification provides progression to Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Personal Training for learners who wish to develop and demonstrate occupational competence in personal training
• Alternatively, learners may broaden their knowledge and skills by progressing onto qualifications mapping to additional branches of the Level 3 Standards, such as Exercise Referral and Leisure Management
• The qualification will provide knowledge and practical skills to enhance provision alongside other academic courses such as: National Diploma in Sports Studies, A-level PE and HND in Sport and Leisure
• ACSM Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM CPT)

 

 

 

More Information

Occupational Title   Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

 

Occupational Description

A fitness instructor/personal trainers’ role includes designing and implementing exercise programmes for a range of individual clients by collecting and analysing client information to ensure the effectiveness of personal exercise programmes. A personal trainer 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 personal trainer should be involved in:

• Collecting information relating to individual clients
• Carrying out fitness assessments to establish client fitness and skill level
• Analysing information relating to individual clients.
• Identifying, agreeing and reviewing short, medium and long term goals to ensure the effectiveness of exercise programmes
• Providing a range of exercise programmes in accordance with the needs of the clients by applying principles of exercise programming
• Making best use of the environment in which clients are exercising
• Providing clients with accurate information on the principles of nutrition and weight management
• Developing and applying strategies to motivate clients to join and adhere to an exercise programme
• Acting as a positive role model for all clients
• Proactively interact and develop positive relationships with clients in order to facilitate client retention
• Promoting healthy activities and related strategies for daily living to clients/members
• Keeping up-to-date with health and fitness industry developments to ensure high standards of programmes that meet client needs in the short, medium and long term goals
• Making the appropriate decisions relating to clients and their programmes/goals and, where required, refer the client to a more appropriate professional
• Working within the parameters given at Level 3, recognising the standards and professional limitations that this provides, referring to appropriate members of staff for guidance and support

 

 

Occupational Competence

 

Level 3 Personal Trainers should:

• Be aware of their professional role boundaries as listed.
• 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:

o   14-16 year old young people

o   disabled people

o   older people (50+)

o   ante and postnatal women

• 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.

 

 

Level 3 Personal Trainers (who do not posses the appropriate special population qualification/s in older adults, ante/postnatal women and disabled people) should NOT:

• Be a specialist instructor in the area of special populations, or advertise as such
• Instruct special population clients 1:1 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 1:1 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)
• Prescribe any form of exercise session or individual exercise that they have not been trained to deliver/teach effectively
• 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)
• Provide prescriptive nutritional advice or develop bespoke individualised nutrition plans for clients

 

 

Recommended Level 3 Personal Trainer text books

 

 

The HFI Personal Trainer Diplomas (Level 3 and Level 4)

 

HFI

REPs

Active IQ

HFI Personal Training Diploma (Level 2 and 3 together) – full Level 3 PT status.

 

 

 

HFI

REPs

Active IQ

HFI Elite Personal Training Diploma (Level 2 and 3

+ motivational skills) – full Level 3 PT status plus fast-tracking your skills ready to start your successful business.

 

 

HFI

REPs

Active IQ

ACSM CPT

HFI/ACSM International Elite Personal Trainer (Level 2, 3, 4, +motivational skills and ACSM CPT) – qualified, skilled and advanced knowledge and qualified to work all over the world!

 

 

HFI

REPs

Active IQ

ACSM CPT

HFI/ACSM Degree Level International Elite Personal Trainer (Level 2, 3+, 4, motivational skills and ACSM HFS) – degree level personal trainer qualified, skilled with advanced knowledge and qualified to work all over the world!

 

 

 

CPD            12 REPs CPD

 

Contact HFI for in-house training for your Level 3 personal trainers