REPs + CIMSPA Explained

If you’re looking to work in the fitness industry, you'll see terms like ‘REPs’ and ‘CIMSPA’ for personal training qualifications. In this article, we'll explain discuss these organisations and their importance.  

Before we get started, check out our guide to how to become a personal trainer for a step-by-step guide on how to start this career! 

What is REPS?

REPs stands for the ‘Register of Exercise Professionals’ this is an independent register for the health and fitness sector in the UK. The main aim of this organisation is: 

...to ensure that all exercise professionals are suitably knowledgeable and qualified to help safeguard and to promote the health and interests of the people who use their services.

They do this in 2 main ways: 

1. Giving accreditation to fitness course providers
2. Offering membership to individual fitness professionals

#1- REPs Give Accreditation/Recognition to Fitness Training Course Providers 

One of the main functions of REPs is that it provide recognition and accreditation to fitness training providers. 

For example, all of OriGym’s health and fitness courses have this REPs recognition.

If a course is endorsed by REPs, it means that it meets the standards of education set by the National Occupational Standards (NOS). 

These standards are set by Ofqual (the government body responsible for setting standards for all vocational training courses). 

When looking at whether to give a course REPs accreditation, the NOS considers factors such as teaching quality, learning resources and assessment criteria. 

Choosing a course provider with this REPs endorsement therefore gives you peace of mind that you will qualify with all the skills, knowledge and experience you need to be a competent and successful fitness professional. 

This then increases your employability, as having a REPs-endorsed qualifications on your CV shows gyms or studios that you have been trained to a high standard, making them more likely to hire you! 

REPs-endorsed qualifications are also internally-recognised, meaning that you can use your qualification to work as a fitness professional abroad as well as the UK. 

REPs Offer Membership for Fitness Professionals

If you have received a qualification from a REPs-endorsed course provider, you will become eligible to register for REPs membership as a fitness professional.  

It is not essential to be a REPs member in order to operate as a personal trainer or fitness professional- it is entirely optional. 

However, there are some benefits to being a REPs member, such as:

• Show clients and employers that you are committed to operating in-line with the highest industry standards. This can therefore increase your employability and help you attract more clients!
• Include your REPs status on things like your CV, website and social media. 
• Appear on the REPs register of fitness professionals, which will display your contact details, qualifications and social media profiles for those who want to contact you. 
• REPs offer insurance that you can add-on to your membership, however this is at an extra cost.

To become a REPs member, you must also pay a yearly membership fee, which starts from £49. You will also need to complete a certain amount of CPD courses each year (worth 12 REPs points) to renew your membership. 

What Are REPS Points? 

When looking into fitness qualifications, you may have also come across REPs points system. 

REPs attribute a certain amount of points to different qualifications. The amount of points a qualification is given is based on factors such as the length and difficulty of the course. 

For example, here are some of the points attributed to OriGym’s qualifications:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor - 20 REPs points
• Level 3 Personal Trainer - 20 REPs Points
• Level 3 Exercise Referral - 20 REPs Points
• Level 4 Specialist Courses (such as Level 4 Advanced Sports Nutrition) - 20 REPs points

Please note you will only receive these points after you have completed your chosen qualification. 

To maintain your REPs membership, you have to have completed a minimum of 12 REPs points in CPD courses every year.

The REPs points attributed to CPDs vary, depending on the course length, difficulty and whether there is a formal assessment. 

For example, here at OriGym, our CPD courses earn between 8 and 16 REPs points, because they are a minimum of 8 hours and include a formal assessment.

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What is CIMSPA?

CIMSPA stands for the ‘The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity’ and is the professional development body for the sport and physical activity sector in the UK. 

CIMPSA therefore acts to provide regulation across the health and fitness industry to ensure high standards of practice amongst both course providers and individual fitness professionals- just like REPs does! 

Having a qualification with CIMSPA accreditation therefore also acts as a ‘stamp of approval’ to employers that a fitness course has met the highest industry standards in terms of teaching, resources and assessments. 

For example, all of OriGym’s health and fitness courses are endorsed by CIMSPA, giving you even more assurance that you are receiving the highest quality of education in the industry. 

Like REPs, CIMSPA-approved qualifications such as OriGym’s are also internationally-recognised. 

CIMSPA also offers a membership system for fitness professionals, which has similar features to REPs membership and costs around £30 a year. 

We have a whole article here explaining exactly what CIMSPA is for more detailed information about this organisation and what membership involves. 

What is The Relationship Between REPs and CIMSPA?

There is often some confusion between REPs and CIMSPA since both have the same overall aim of regulating the fitness sector. 

This confusion may also come from the fact that in 2020, REPs and CIMSPA merged together to create one single directory of fitness professionals in the UK. However, this is no longer the case, as REPs and CIMSPA are now 2 separate organisations!

You may therefore be wondering which is the best accreditation to look out for in a course provider: CIMSPA or REPs?

In short, it is best to look for a personal training course that has both, such as OriGym’s!

Since they are so similar, there is also no right or wrong answer as to which organisation you register for a membership with as a fitness professional- if any! 

It is also worth noting that a lot of the benefits of a REPs or CIMSPA membership, you will receive from OriGym’s post-course support. For example, like the REPs directory, all OriGym graduates get access to our vast network of partner gyms all across the UK, with which we guarantee you a job interview after you qualify! 

This all comes absolutely free to all of our alumni, whereas REPs and CIMSPA members come at a yearly membership fee.

Before You Go!

We hope that you now have a clear understanding of REPs and CIMSPA, the difference between them and the importance of choosing a qualification with their endorsement. 

Feeling inspired? Check out our guide to becoming a personal trainer for everything you need to know about starting this lucrative career!