Are you looking to become an online personal trainer – or advise on where to start?
It’s actually so much easier than you might think to become an online personal trainer or fitness coach. Whether you want to do your course online, or in-person, there are so many places offering this type of qualification. The only thing you need to decide is which approach to take. Once you have your level 3 personal trainer qualification, the fitness world opens up to you, to pretty much do what you want.
Online personal trainers seem to be all over the place these days. No doubt flooding your Instagram feed with tips and tricks to help you meet your fitness goals. It looks like a great way to earn a lot of money, with very little effort – no wonder it’s become one of the most popular career paths for young people to take. How do you find great online fitness coaching packages?
So, before we get in to the nitty gritty of becoming an online personal trainer, here’s how i personally did it back in 2018.
A Quick Background Into My Fitness Journey
Back in 2018, after many years of being into fitness. Sailing for the British team. Running cross-country for my county. Wining the National swimming championships, and being a frequent gym-goer, i decided to take my personal training qualification. Mainly more for me than as a career path, i wanted to learn more about technique, form and how to better myself through fitness.
However, this turned into a career very quickly after becoming qualified as my love for fitness only grew more and more. Seeing it suddenly click with people when they realised they could do a certain exercise was the best feeling in the world. I realised i wanted to help people on their fitness journey and the buzz for me was seeing clients thrive and start to enjoy exercise.
After experiencing this myself, i wanted to share my journey incase you’ve been thinking about doing your PT qualification, but need that little kick to get going. This is where your journey starts!
How To Become An Online Personal Trainer
First things first, you need to be a qualified level 3 personal trainer before you can be an online personal trainer. So how do you do this?
You need to decide on how you want to do your qualification. Do you want to do it in person – going to classes…etc. Or, would you rather do it all online in your own time? Once you’ve decided this, you can start booking your course.
What To Look Out For When Choosing A Provider
Of course, there are some companies offering these courses, who aren’t actually registered to do so, so you here are some things to look out for when choosing your provider…
- CIMSPA Registered
- Does the course cover level 2 and level 3 qualifications
- Is there a specific timeframe in which the course must be completed
Which Personal Training Provider To Go With?
With so many different companies now offering these courses, it can be hard to know which one is right for you – where do you start? Personally, i did the online course as there weren’t any training facilities near me and with other commitments, it was easier for me to do it in my own time. However, some great UK providers are…
Origym
I’ve heard nothing but great things about Origym from people who have taken their courses and they have 4.9/5 on trustpilot. Origym has over 9,000 students graduate every year, and is the most popular here in the UK. They have both online fitness coaching packages, as well as in-person classes.
Online & In-person classes
Price – £1,299
Locations
- London
- Birmingham
- Nottingham
- Leeds
- Newcastle
- Hampshire
- Colchester
- Bristol
- Liverpool
- Cardiff
- Galsgow
- Belfast
Other Courses Include
- Online personal trainer
- Standard personal trainer
- Specialist fitness courses
- CPD fitness courses
- Teaching and assessing courses
Premier Global
Another very popular company to go with is Premier global. However, this one is online only and is more expensive than Origym for the same qualification. The team have over 50 years experience between them so you’ll learn a lot from them. Premier global have only online fitness coaching packages.
Online only.
Price – £1,529.10
Other Courses Include
- Personal trainer courses
- Gym and fitness instructor courses
- Nutrition courses
YMCA Fit
YMCA fit is an in-person only course provider so if you choose this one, make sure there are facilities in your area. You can choose from full time courses on weekdays, or part time courses just at the weekends.
In-person only
Price – £1,995
Locations
- Birmingham
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Leeds
- Leicester
- London
- Manchester,
- Milton Keynes
- Norwich
- Nottingham
Other Courses Include
- Personal trainer
- Gym and fitness instructor
- Sports massaging
- Yoga instructor
If you want to get experience in the fitness industry, you can apply for personal training jobs here.
How To Get Started As An Online Personal Trainer
You firstly need to decide the type of clients you want to work with – men, women, both. Older people with more specific needs, beginners just starting out, weight loss or weight gain goals…etc.
Once you have your client in mind, you need to work out how you’re going to reach them. A great way to get started is to actually work n a gym for a while so you can get your name out there and start making connections.
Or, perhaps you have a strong social media following who know you’re trustworthy in the fitness world. Start posting form videos online to help people, but also to show you really know you’re stuff. If you do have a strong online presence, you could start offering online fitness coaching packages right away!
To begin with, you really don’t need a fancy website, instead you could use social media to promote your business. Only when you get further down the line will you really need to start thinking about getting a website set up. Plus, a website makes you look more professional and put together.
Find your niche in the fitness industry to make your mark and draw in your clients.
Are In-person Classes Better Than Online?
Of course, on an in-person course, you’re much more likely to learn more from being in the room with the trainers. Being able to ask more questions as you go, and watching their technique when performing exercises. However, you will also need to give up larger chunks of your time going to and from the training facility, and being there all day.
Whereas with the online courses, you could do them in your pyjamas from your bed if you really wanted to. You also get to fit it around your busy schedule, so if time isn’t on your side, this could be the better option.
Both have pro’s and con’s so it really depends on what suits you better. If being in a classroom helps you learn better, online probably isn’t for you.
Overall, what I learnt from this journey is that you’re never too old to learn a new something new, or to start a new career. Do what makes you happy. There is so much more to life than having the most money or stuff. Get yourself a great work life balance and everything else will fall in to place.
FAQ’s
How Do Online Personal Trainers Make Money?
According to a survey by Personal Trainer Development Centre, the average income for personal trainers is approximately $46,000 per year. However, the average income for online personal trainers was said to be around $54,000.
Can You Be A Personal Trainer Online?
Yes of course! Once you have your level 2 and 3 qualifications you can be an online personal trainer.
How Much Should You Charge As An Online Personal Trainer?
This will of course vary depending on your experience and what you are planning to offer your clients. However, it could be anywhere from $20 – $40 per session, or approximately $500 per month. If you simply plan to offer an exercise program with no one to one, you could expect to charge around $30 per session, or $100 per month.
Can I Be An Online Personal Trainer With No Experience?
Yes of course! As long as you are qualified, you don’t need to have previous clients – we all have to start somewhere.
Are Online Personal Trainers Worth The Money?
If you plan to put the effort in and you can be self motivated then they are great! An online coach is much cheaper than an in-person coach. They can give you tips and advise on how to improve, give you feedback on your form and even give you meal plans to stick to. A coach will be there to guide you and push you – as long as you have the motivation to push yourself as well.
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