What Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?

Qualifying as a personal trainer opens up a world of career opportunities! So, just what can you do with a personal trainer certification?

We’ll answer this in four sections:

• What Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?
• What Tasks Does a Level 3 Personal Training Certification Qualify You to do?
• What Career Options Can You Pursue With a Personal Trainer Certification?
• What Further Courses Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?

But first, are you eager to get started in the industry and gain your personal training certification to pursue these roles? Get in touch about our Personal Trainer Diploma or download our course prospectus here.

What Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?

When it comes to answering ‘what can I do with my level 3 personal trainer certification’, this question can be broken down in two ways - what you’re qualified to do and where you’re qualified to work.

By gaining a Level 3 Personal Trainer Certification, some tasks you will be qualified to do include:

• Working with clients on a 1-on-1 basis
• Creating and delivering tailored workout programmes
• Leading group fitness classes

You can then work as a personal trainer in various places, such as:

• Gym
• Personal Trainer Studio
• Leisure Centre

Once qualified and after gaining enough experience, you can start your own personal trainer business, building your own client base and working on a self employed basis.

What Tasks Does a Level 3 Personal Training Certification Qualify You To Do?

A Level 3 Personal Training Certification is the minimum qualification required to work as a personal trainer in the UK. 

While roles may differ from employer to employer, the ones discussed below are the most common ones you’ll undertake. 

So, here are 5 of the main tasks to answer your question of - what can I do with a personal training qualification?

#1 - Design Tailored Fitness Programmes for Clients

One of the main responsibilities of a personal trainer is to create bespoke workout programmes, specifically designed to help clients meet their fitness goals.

After gaining your level 3 personal trainer certification, you will know how to create tailored exercise programmes based around a client’s specific goals.

It’s important to note, creating tailored fitness programmes is something you can only do as a qualified Level 3 Personal Trainer. For example, if you’ve only completed a Level 2 Gym Instructor course you will not be able to fulfil this responsibility.

Compared to generic fitness programmes, diets or regimes, personalised fitness programmes help clients reach their goals faster and see results as it takes their current fitness levels, health, and any issues they may be having into account.

As a personal trainer, you will typically be on hand to supervise your clients on the gym floor throughout their workout programme. However, their programme should be simple enough that they can work independently, ensuring their progress is maintained outside of your regular sessions.

#2 - Conduct 1-on-1 Personal Training Sessions 

When you become a personal trainer, one of the main tasks you will perform is 1-on-1 sessions with clients following a customised workout programme. 

These sessions will usually last around 40 minutes to an hour and you will guide the clients through the programme you’ve created. This will involve demonstrating exercises, counting reps, and checking their form.

#3 - Give Nutritional Advice to Clients 

During a Level 3 Personal Trainer Course, you will learn about the foundations of food and nutrition. Armed with this knowledge, you will be able to provide clients with nutrition advice that supports their workout programme and facilitates their goals.

For example, if a client wants to gain muscle, you would be qualified to give them advice on the kinds of foods they should be eating, such as suggesting some high protein snacks they could include in their diet.

There are also further courses you could take after your personal trainer certification to enhance your nutritional knowledge, such as our Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course.

However, as a Level 3 Personal Trainer, you can only provide general nutrition advice and recommendations. You cannot prescribe meal plans for specific dietary or medical requirements. 

#4 - Lead Group Fitness Classes

Most gyms and fitness centres will want to hire personal trainers who can fulfil multiple responsibilities. 

For example, in addition to training clients on a 1-to-1 basis some employers will want candidates to lead group fitness classes such as this job ad from Team Breakthrough:

Some examples of popular group fitness classes you can teach as a Level 3 Personal Trainer are:

• Indoor cycling 
• Circuit training
• Aerobics 

On completion of your PT diploma, you will possess the knowledge and skills needed to successfully plan and deliver an engaging group fitness class. You’ll also know how to motivate class members and be able to confidently adapt exercises for individuals with different fitness abilities.

However, be aware that your Level 3 Personal Training qualification does not qualify you to teach popular branded fitness classes like Les Mills or Zumba. If you wish to teach these classes, you will need to enrol with the brand itself and earn a specialist qualification.

#5 - Have Multiple Career Options

Questions like ‘What Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?’ can be answered in a variety of ways, as there are a plethora of career options beyond just working in a gym. 

Gaining a Level 3 Personal Trainer means you have more freedom and opportunities to shape your own career in the way most suited to you.

You can go on to deliver different services and choose from a variety of PT roles, such as:

• Group Personal Trainer - Train more clients at the same time and earn more without increasing your working hours.
• Mobile Personal Trainer - Travel to your clients and train them in the comfort of their own space.
• Online Personal Trainer - Make your service virtual and expand the number of clients you can train in a variety of locations.

To be the ultimate personal trainer, you can gain additional qualifications in different specialisms, allowing you to carve out a niche in a particular area of the industry.

Once you have sufficient experience in the industry, you can even go on to develop your own personal training business and eventually employ your own staff!

What Career Options Can You Pursue With A Personal Trainer Certification?

There are a host of personal trainer career options and specialist areas you will be able to embark on once qualified.

Here are 6 career opportunities you can pursue, answering the question of - what can you do with a personal training certification?

#1 - You Can Work as a Contracted PT in a Gym

In order to work as a personal trainer in a gym, employers will require you to hold a Level 3 Personal Training certificate at a minimum!

Contracted personal trainers will typically work at one primary location, on either a part or full-time contract. They will work predetermined hours and receive an annual wage, an example of which can be seen below:

Working in a contracted position for a gym is a great option if you have just recently qualified as a personal trainer as there are lots of benefits, such as:

• You will have a stable income. This is important as it means you’re able to plan your future and have a better idea of how much money you’ll be bringing in each month. 
• It provides structure and routine. Working under a contract for a gym provides stability since you will be working set hours.
• You will have access to an eager pool of potential clients. Working for a gym helps the problem of finding clients as they’re practically coming straight to you as they’ll already be interested in fitness and will be more likely to use your service.
• It allows you to gain valuable experience. This will stand you in good stead for any future jobs you apply for as you will build experience working on a gym floor and running fitness classes.

If you gain your personal trainer certification with OriGym, you will have access to our post course support, including interview advice and personal trainer CV tips to help trainers who want to work in gyms.

#2 - Work as a Freelance or Self-Employed PT in a Gym

Another popular answer to the question, ‘what can I do with a personal trainer certification?’ is to become a freelance personal trainer.

This is a popular option for many personal trainers as you can work at multiple gyms as a freelancer, allowing you to expand the clients you train and build your reputation on a larger scale.

There are two ways in which you can work as a freelance personal trainer in a commercial gym: 

• As an employee for a gym with a set number of hours per week, in exchange for being able to use their facilities to train your clients.
• Pay rent to the gym as a fixed monthly fee, in order to train clients at their facility.

The first option is a good place to begin if you’re new to the industry and trying to start a personal training business as you get to keep 100% of your earnings from clients. 

Just take a look at this job advertisement from Xercise4Less below:

This is a great option if you’re just starting out as a freelance personal trainer as it gives you the opportunity to build your clientele while not actually investing anything other than your time.

While the second option is also suitable, you will have to pay the gym a fee to train clients at their facility, meaning a portion of your income will be spent on paying rent.

For example, this is what most personal trainer roles at PureGym offer. As you can see from the job advert below, to operate as a freelance PT in their gym, you have to pay rent to the gym:

Regardless of how you choose to work, there are plenty of benefits to being a freelance personal trainer, such as:

• It increases your earning potential. For those who don’t work set hours, you can choose your own rates. This means as you become more experienced and build up your clientbase, you can start to charge more.
• More flexibility. As a self employed PT, you can be your own boss. This means there are no obligations to work a set amount of hours and undesirable times such as early mornings or late nights.
• Find your niche. You have the freedom to train who YOU want! This allows you to really hone your niche as you can choose a particular type of clients to take on that align with your career goals.

#3 - Offer Online Personal Training Classes

Online personal training can involve a wide range of roles, such as:

• Training clients one-to-one via video software such as Zoom.
• Creating bespoke programs for clients that they do in their own time.
• Conducting check ins via social media.
• Posting interesting content on social media to increase engagement.

To become an online personal trainer, you simply need a Level 3 Personal Training certification. This means you don’t need any additional specialist qualifications to make your service virtual and work on a self-employed basis!

Some of these benefits include:

• You will have less outgoing costs. Since you can operate from your own home, you won’t have to pay outgoings such as renting a space, travel costs or giving a cut of your earnings to a gym. 
• You can take on a wider range of clients. As you won’t be limited by location, you can technically take on clients from all over the world!
• You will have greater freedom and flexibility. By not having to travel to a specific location to train clients, you will have more time to pursue other commitments, such as a part-time job, childcare or studying.

#4 - Become a Mobile Personal Trainer

By becoming a mobile personal trainer you will travel to your clients rather than being based at a gym. Some locations you can work from in this capacity include:

• A client’s homes
• Their workplaces
• Outdoor spaces - e.g. local parks

Similar to online personal training, becoming a mobile personal trainer means you’re operating on a self-employed basis. This comes with the freedom and flexibility of being able to dictate your own schedule, fitting your clients around your other commitments such as part-time work or studying.

Working as a mobile personal trainer also allows you to expand your clientbase. For example, you can work with clients outside of your local area, and those with disabilities who are physically unable to travel to a gym.

#5 - Offer Group Personal Training Classes

In answer to the question, ‘what can you do with a personal trainer certification?’, you may think you’re limited to just one-on-one training. 

You can teach a range of clients and earn more in the same length of time. However, group personal training is different to teaching a group fitness class.

Fitness classes are when a group follows the same choreographed routine at the same time, whereas group personal training sessions can involve clients doing different exercises at different times. 

Training multiple clients at once means you’ll have to consider different needs, splitting your time and attention equally between everyone. 

One of the main benefits of being a group personal trainer is you can earn more even when charging less. 

For example, if you charged £20 per person for an hour of group training and £45 for an hour of 1-to-1 training, you’d only need 3 clients to earn more money from the same time spent training. 

#6 - Run Group Fitness Classes

Although teaching group fitness classes is often simply part of your role in a gym, you can also choose to pursue it further by starting your own business running group classes.

There are a whole host of different types of fitness classes you could run, including:

• Bootcamps 
• HIIT Workouts
• Aerobics
• Indoor Cycling
• Kettlebell Training

Some of the benefits of running group fitness classes are:

• It is a great way to hone your niche. For example, you may start your own business running dance aerobic classes. As your business grows, you can start to dominate that particular area of the fitness industry. You can then charge more for your classes, since you can market yourself as a specialist in a specific type of fitness class.
• It is highly rewarding. Designing your classes is a great way to express your creativity and share your passion for a particular type of exercise with others. Plus, there is a huge social element to teaching an exercise class since you will be interacting with lots of different people every day.

What Further Courses Can You Do With A Personal Trainer Certification?

Our final, yet arguably most important answer to the question, ‘what can a personal trainer do?’, is that you can use your Level 3 qualification to become a Level 4 personal trainer. 

Level 4 is the highest level of qualification you can get as a personal trainer in the UK and allows you to specialise in a particular niche of the fitness industry.

At OriGym, we offer a wide range of Level 4 Fitness Courses:

• Level 4 Advanced Sports Nutrition Course. This qualifies you to create meal plans and give nutritional advice for your clients. 
• Level 4 Qualification in Lower Back Pain Management. This qualifies you to create specialist programmes for clients with lower back pain.
• Level 4 Obesity & Weight Management. This qualifies you to create programmes for obese clients with the aim of long-term weight loss and weight management. 
• Level 4 Diabetes Control & Weight Management. This qualifies you to create training programmes for clients with Type 1 and 2 diabetes.

Here’s 3 reasons why you should gain additional Level 4 Fitness Qualifications:

You Can Attract a Unique Demographic

As a level 4 trainer, you can take on a wider range of clients, compared to just being qualified up to level 3.

For example, if you have a Level 4 Qualification in Obesity & Weight Management, you will have the knowledge to train clients with obesity or other weight-related issues. This can increase your earnings as you will be able to expand your clientbase.

Charge More for Your Services

As a level 4 trainer, you will be a specialist in a specific area of fitness. Since you’re offering a higher level of service, clients will be willing to pay more for your sessions.

For example, a personal trainer with a nutrition qualification can offer specialist nutrition advice to clients. This is an extra service many clients will be happy to pay more for, compared to a Level 3 Personal Trainer who isn’t qualified to offer nutrition plans.

Increase Your Employability

If you’re looking for a contracted role as a personal trainer, a specialist in a particular area of fitness can help you have an edge over other applicants.

Additional qualifications make you more appealing to potential employers because the more qualified you are, the better personal trainer you will be!

Ready to Begin Your Personal Trainer Career?

OriGym specialises in helping beginner and experienced fitness professionals reach their career goals, which is why we’re one of the UK’s most trusted providers of health & fitness courses.

For more information on the range of courses we offer to kickstart an exciting career, download our course prospectus or enquire about our Personal Trainer Diploma.