How To Become A BODYATTACK Instructor In The UK | Origym

Becoming a Les Mills BODYATTACK instructor is an exciting career move with opportunities across the UK. We've curated the perfect guide to help you on this journey, covering:

• Become A Group Fitness Instructor
• How To Become A Qualified Les Mills Instructor
• Les Mills Instructor Salary

If you want to know how to become a BODYATTACK instructor, make sure you’re qualified with a Level 3 PT Diploma! You can learn more about this and the range of other fitness courses we offer by downloading our course prospectus.

Step 1: Getting Qualified as a BODYATTACK Instructor

The process of becoming a BODYATTACK begins with you gaining a level 2 gym instructor qualification. This is for two reasons. 

First, most job vacancies at gyms and leisure centres require you to have this qualification to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to run group fitness classes. Secondly, a level 2 qualification is required for you to be covered by the facilities insurance policy.

David Lloyd in London, for example, recently advertised for a BODYPUMP instructor. Like BODYATTACK, BODYPUMP is a class created by Les Mills, so it’s safe to say the role requirements are the same for the two.

The text we have highlighted indicates they are searching for a member of staff with a level 2 qualification, along with the relevant Les Mills qualification.

Aside from being a job requirement, completing a level 2 qualification also informs you how to correctly teach fitness classes and create successful sessions for groups. These skills translate to the BODYATTACK class when you’ve to manage larger numbers of people.

If you already have a gym instructor qualification, then you can skip straight to achieving the relevant Les Mills qualification - in this case, a BODYATTACK course.

However, if you don’t hold this qualification, this should be the first certificate you should obtain.

Take a Les Mills BODYATTACK Course

After achieving your gym instructing qualification, you will then need to carry out Les Mills BODYATTACK instructor training.

This course is trademarked, so you must enrol through the Les Mills website. The reason for this is that their classes can, BODYATTACK included, only be carried out at licensed-approved venues and by Les Mills certified instructors.

This point is supported by the job advert by David Lloyds, a Les Mills-approved venue, that we referred to above. As their job advertisement shows, they're exclusively searching for a candidate with the relevant Les Mills qualification. 

It is important to understand that without the relevant qualification, being able to teach a Les Mills course like BODYATTACK becomes impossible.  

Enrolling on the BODYATTACK Course

Enrolling on a Les Mills BODYATTACK course can be completed through Les Mills' official website.

The course has the following sections that need to be completed:

• 2 days to complete the initial training
• 2 days to complete your advanced training within 12 months
• Submission of video assessment

The training can be completed online, so there is no concern about travelling to complete the course in person.

When you click on the company’s official website, you will see dates for you to complete the online training. Depending on the date, prices will vary. If you look at the dates for October and November, these classes range between £380 and £470.

If you click on the ‘More Info’ tab on the BODYATTACK enrolment page, you will get a breakdown of what the course will teach you across the two days of initial training.

The course will teach you programming to understand how Les Mills sequences a class to successfully combine cardio and strength exercises in a BODYATTACK class.

The course is split into 5 elements to train you to the industry standard expected by Les Mills. These elements include choreography, coaching and performing to name a few. 

Choreography, for example, is crucial to your success, as Les Mills is heavily sequenced. Understanding the steps of a BODYATTACK workout will help you optimise the fitness of members.

During your initial training, you will be required to complete the following segments across two days:

Following the initial training, you will need to submit an assessment video to finish the course. This will contain evidence of you performing a track you’ve memorised that also demonstrates your knowledge of the course.

Tips to Prepare for the BODYATTACK Course

If you want to increase your chances of passing the course there are several things you can do:

• Attend BODYATTACK classes in your area-this will give you an idea of what they entail and allow you to speak to the instructor for advice.
• Visit the Les Mills website-they have plenty of clips of BODYATTACK exercises. It will help you understand what exercises are performed during the session.
• Learn tracks for assessment video submission-a great tip to help you build confidence as you learn basic sequences and the steps it involves to successfully perform each step.

Go the Extra Mile With a Personal Training Qualification

Earlier, you saw the David Lloyd job required a fitness professional with a level 2 and Les Mills qualification.

However, it is important to remember the industry has changed since the start of the 21st century. Where a level 2 qualification once increased your job prospects, holding a level 3 personal trainer qualification gives you a competitive edge over a gym instructor, today.

Depending on the gym you end up working at, they might need someone who can deliver more than BODYATTACK classes.

Many gyms look for employees with diverse skills that can help the gym function in different areas. For example, a new employer might want you to work as a personal trainer at their gym to deliver one-to-one training sessions and generate revenue for their business. This is something a level 2 gym instructor can’t provide. 

As you can see below, employers often specify the desire for level 3 qualifications even when advertising for a fitness instructor:

With a level 3 PT qualification, job opportunities increase dramatically. You will have advanced anatomy, nutrition and leadership skills compared to a gym instructor.

Fortunately, you can save both time and money by completing your level 2 and 3 qualifications as part of a personal training diploma.

Step 2: Getting Insured as a BODYATTACK Instructor

After you’ve completed your Les Mills BODYATTACK instructor training, you will want to secure insurance. This is to protect yourself from any claims or damages that occur whilst you’re working.

There are various kinds of insurance you can purchase to help you perform your duties with the right protection. The essential insurance policies you will need in this role are: 

• Public Liability Insurance
• Professional Indemnity Insurance

Public Liability Insurance Explained

Public liability insurance covers claims whilst you’re running a class; it covers injuries the public suffers or any damage to their property. Whilst you’re training a member, they could potentially fall and hurt their ankle. This insurance covers such a claim being made against you.

Alternatively, if a member of your group has their phone damaged due to your equipment falling on it, public liability will cover damages. 

Professional Indemnity Insurance Explained

Professional indemnity insurance provides cover against any claims made regarding losses or damages that come as a result of negligence.

For example, if a client claimed that they got injured or became ill as a result of bad advice provided by yourself, they could claim damages.

A client could even claim for losses associated with the cost of your training if they feel your advice or guidance has not led to their desired results.

You might not think that this could happen to you, but even the most experienced fitness professionals are at risk of clients making such claims, so it's always best to be covered.

Les Mills Instructor Policies

Fortunately, Les Mills offers insurance with coverage for both public liability and professional indemnity. These policies are available from their website for fitness professionals carrying out Les Mills classes and cover a range of trademarked classes, along with non-Les Mills classes.

The snapshot below shows how much the insurance would cost based on the following factors:

• You’re based in the UK
• You’re a Les Mills Instructor 
• Policy starts on the 1st of February 2023
• Delivering classes in the UK
• Overseas extension in Europe 

This type of insurance will cost you £51.88 a year or just £4.15 per month and will get you up to £10 million coverage for both public liability and professional indemnity each. 

If you are enjoying this article, why not explore the other articles we have on Les Mills?

• Les Mills Instructor Salary
• How to Become a Les Mills Instructor
• What Is A BODYPUMP Class? Definition, Benefits & What To Expect

Step 3: Finding a Job as a Bodyattack Instructor

After you’ve achieved your qualification and secured your insurance, the next step in our answer to how to become a BODYATTACK instructor is to begin your job search.

Your first point of call should be to visit the Les Mills website. There you can see where licensed approved Les Mills classes are held in your area.

Take a look at this snapshot of London below, there are 315 options where you could carry out BODYATTACK classes:

This gives you an indication of places to work in the future, including fitness chains such as David Lloyds, Nuffield Health and Virgin Active. 

However, you will need to perform a job search online to see what is currently available. Indeed and Reed is good job-hunting websites to consider, however, a simple Google search is a great place to start. 

A simple Google search for ‘BODYATTACK jobs in the UK’ will give you an understanding of what vacancies are out there, for example, this job vacancy at Freedom Leisure in London:

The text we have highlighted in orange for you indicates that this company is looking for a fitness professional for BODYATTACK and other Les Mills classes. If you feel as though you aren’t getting enough results, get creative with the keywords you type into the search engine.

In another Google search, ‘level 2 gym instructor body attack job’, generated even more results. One for a Fitness Instructor at The Fitness Directory:

The other was for Casual Generic Leisure Assistant for North Northamptonshire Council:

Both of these jobs vary in the wages they offer, with factors such as company type and location influencing earning potential. The Fitness Directory position is a zero-hour contract with a minimum of £12.50 to £27.50 per being offered based on experience. 

By contrast, the Northampton job is offering £9.90 per hour for gym instructors and £19.74 for a Group Exercise Instructor. However, this is based on demand from the gym itself.

Earlier, when we discussed qualifications to secure a BODYATTACK instructor job, we emphasised the importance of securing additional qualifications to increase your employment prospects.

If you research the Fitness Directory position, they want a recruit with Les Mills qualifications, but also Personal Training experience: 

On the other side of the job market, the North Northamptonshire Council job is looking for students with Les Mills qualifications, alongside a gym instructor qualification.

Step 4- Progressing Your Career After Becoming a BODYATTACK Instructor

Once you’ve achieved your Les Mills BODYATTACK certification, there are multiple different paths you can take to progress in your career. 

The most obvious next step is to achieve further Les Mills qualifications to increase the range of classes you can teach, and therefore boost your employability and potential income. 

There is a fantastic range of Les Mills courses available to choose from on their website, including:

• BODYPUMP
• BODYSTEP
• BODYBALANCE
• BODYJAM

Previously, we mentioned that you will need a level 2 gym instructor qualification to enrol on the BODYATTACK course and secure future employment. 

When you plan to purchase another Les Mills course, read all the information made available to you. This will make sure you have got the correct qualifications to start learning and for any positions, you apply for.

Become a Les Mills Presenter

After you’ve completed the advanced training for your BODYATTACK course and achieved more Les Mills qualifications, you can apply to become a Les Mills presenter.  

This will allow you to instruct at Les Mills' live events in front of a wider audience. To be hired as a presenter, there are a couple of hurdles you would need to jump over first:

• Complete advanced training in your respective classes
• Run more than two programs
• Establish yourself as a tribe representative
• Attend quarterly workshops

The criteria for each of these varies between countries, some, for example, require you to run several programs.

It is important to remember that you won’t see this job advertised publicly, this is because the recruitment is done through the Les Mills community. So, it is important to establish a strong reputation at Les Mills licensed venues if you’re hoping to become a presenter.

This will give you the chance to take on more responsibility which will positively impact your earning potential.

You could also consider becoming a Les Mills Ambassador. Similar to the presenter role, you will need to establish yourself as a positive figure within the Les Mills community.

It is a great opportunity if you want to help with educational content that the company supplies to its instructors. You will also be able to help with the company’s marketing strategies and visit Les Mills gyms globally. 

If this position interests you, it will be beneficial for you to understand what each Les Mills class involves, so you can help the company create premium content.

Teach Other Group Fitness Classes

In the industry, there are plenty of high-paying fitness jobs and gyms are always looking for instructors with specialised skills. That is why having CPD qualifications are useful.

For example, if you decide to study a Body Weight Training CPD course, you will learn how to plan and deliver different training sessions centred around the client's abilities. This will be useful should you ever wish to create a HIIT class plans.

Unlike Les Mills courses, general fitness CPDs allow you to choreograph your fitness classes, giving you much more creative freedom over your role and allowing you to broaden the type of classes you can run.

Paired with your experience instructing BODYATTACK classes, which means you will already know how to manage groups of fitness enthusiasts, you can start to offer your own, independent classes that offer something new to attendees.

Our earlier example job description from North Northamptonshire Council is a prime example of how fitness professionals with more qualifications increase their earning potential. A group exercise instructor there earns £19.74 per hour compared to gym instructors who only earn £9.90 per hour. 

So, if you want to build up your levels of expertise in a specific area of fitness, then a CPD course will be ideal for you.

Take On 1-to-1 Clients for Personal Training

Deciding to become a personal trainer is a wise investment for your career. Not only does it expand your knowledge, enabling you to write tailored programs for new clients but it also allows you to conduct health screenings and work with higher-risk clients. 

One way to earn a healthy personal trainer salary is to offer your services to your existing class members.

Building on your reputation for BODYATTACK instructor training, you could use these classes for a recruitment drive.

Becoming a level 3 PT can help increase your salary as you will have a new market of clients to serve. For example, the average salary of a London gym instructor is £20,457.89, whereas the salary of a London personal trainer is £32,542.27

To start a level 3 personal trainer course, you will need to have achieved your gym instructor qualification as a prerequisite.  Thankfully, if you’re teaching BODYATTACK classes, you will already have this.

Being qualified in personal training provides you with the perfect opportunity to pursue a level 4 advanced personal trainer certification. This will help you develop your knowledge in focused areas such as Obesity, Diabetes and Lower Back Pain Management.    

If you decide to improve your knowledge in one of these areas, you will be able to provide tailored services to support clients suffering from one of these conditions. 

This will give you a competitive edge in the market and allow you to set prices for the specialised services you offer. 

Pursue A Career As A Gym Manager

After teaching BODYATTACK classes, you may wonder what options are available outside the Les Mills family. One option is you become a gym manager. 

Suppose you’re passionate about teaching recruits to company standards and want to use your knowledge of group classes to create profitable timetables. In that case, this could be the next step to take in your career development. 

Whilst you have a direct influence on people’s fitness through training and organisation, there will be a fair amount of administration work for you to complete such as maintaining financial records and health and safety compliance. 

The first step you could take to become a gym manager is to become an assistant manager. This will be a great way for you to put the skills and expertise you’ve accumulated into practice.

Gyms hiring for this position will typically try to hire people who can guarantee the gym is adhering to health and safety policies, have strong knowledge of industry practices and possess adaptability and motivation to support the acting manager. 

Establishing yourself as a successful assistant manager will be a great role to include on your CV for a gym manager position.

You can find gym manager positions to apply for through online job websites such as Reed and Indeed and internal vacancies posted by your current employers. 

Before You Go!

We hope these tips will provide you with the support you need to become a BODYATTACK instructor with Les Mills. 

Remember, no BODYATTACK instructor journey can begin without a Level 3 PT Diploma. If you want to learn other subjects with us, you can learn about them by downloading our free course prospectus.