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How To Become A Personal Trainer - UCAS
UCAS handles university admissions in the UK and has a lot of knowledge for those who want to train as a personal trainer.
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Personal Trainer
Imagine a career where your clients range from A-list actors, musicians, and models, to professional athletes, combat fighters, and high-profile business leaders—and you also have the opportunity to help everyday people transform their health through rehabilitation, weight loss, and life-changing fitness goals. As a personal trainer, your role isn’t just about fitness; it's about inspiring lasting change in people’s lives, both physically and mentally.
This is a career where every day brings new challenges—whether you’re preparing someone for a movie role, guiding an athlete to their peak, or helping someone regain their mobility and confidence. The impact you have can be life-changing.
To thrive in this role, you'll need more than just knowledge of anatomy and fitness routines—you'll need to be a communicator, motivator, and guide. You'll craft personalised training plans, inspire your clients to push past their limits, and support them in their fitness journey every step of the way.
What’s more, as a personal trainer, you’re not limited to one-on-one sessions. You could one day create your own online training academy, reaching clients around the world, or even own your own gym, building a community and expanding your influence in the fitness world. It’s a career that offers immense growth potential and the chance to scale your impact.
Summary
Becoming a personal trainer is more than just a job; it’s about transforming lives. It’s about empowering people to overcome challenges, pushing them past their limits, and seeing them achieve things they never thought possible. It’s about being part of their journey, whether that’s helping someone lose weight, building strength, recovering from injury, or simply helping them feel more confident in their own skin. The moments of success—whether big or small—are what make this career deeply fulfilling.
This career isn’t for the faint-hearted. It requires dedication, knowledge, and a deep understanding of the body, nutrition, and recovery techniques. But it’s equally about emotion, connection, and motivation. It’s about creating bonds with your clients, being their cheerleader, and guiding them through their challenges. Every client’s journey is personal, and as their coach, you get to be part of their growth—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
As a personal trainer, the flexibility of the role allows you to shape your own path. You can build a schedule that works for you, and the satisfaction of seeing your clients achieve their goals will be your daily motivation. Beyond training individuals, there’s room to grow. You could build your own online academy, helping clients from around the world, or even open your own gym, creating a community of people who share your passion for health and fitness.
It’s a career that brings a sense of pride, fulfilment, and connection to something larger than yourself. Whether you're just starting out or dreaming of building your own fitness empire, the opportunities to grow and make a real impact are endless.
Responsibilities
A personal trainer is responsible for devising and overseeing training plans and workouts for groups and individuals. Their responsibilities include:
Designing Personalised Fitness Plans Personal trainers create tailored exercise plans based on clients' fitness levels, goals, and health conditions to ensure effective and safe workouts.
Educating on Technique Trainers teach correct form and exercise techniques to minimise injury risk and maximise the effectiveness.
Motivation and Accountability Personal trainers inspire and encourage clients to stay committed to their fitness journey and help with staying motivated – something many people struggle with.
Monitoring Client Progress They track clients' performance over time, adjusting routines as needed to align with their fitness goals and prevent plateaus.
Nutrition and Rehab Advice Personal trainers may also provide help and advice with things like nutrition and even rehabilitation from injury.
Key Skills & Traits
To succeed as a personal trainer, you need a diverse set of skills that go beyond just fitness knowledge. The role requires a combination of technical expertise, strong interpersonal skills, and adaptability to help clients achieve their goals and maintain long-term success. Whether you’re motivating clients through their fitness journey, tailoring training plans to individual needs, or managing your own schedule, every day brings new challenges and rewards. Below are the key skills you’ll need to thrive in this dynamic and fulfilling career.
Good Communication
Personal trainers must clearly explain exercises, provide constructive feedback, and maintain open dialogue to ensure clients understand the instructions and stay motivated. Strong communication also helps build trust and keeps clients engaged in their fitness journey.
Motivating Others
The ability to inspire and encourage clients is key. Personal trainers must help clients stay committed to long-term fitness goals, even when progress feels slow or challenges arise. Motivation is about more than cheering clients on—it’s about creating a mindset that helps them push past their limits.
Knowledge of the Human Body
A deep understanding of anatomy, physiology, and how different exercises impact the body is essential for creating safe and effective training programs. Knowledge of injury prevention and recovery techniques is also vital to keep clients safe and help them achieve optimal results.
First Aid
As a personal trainer, you may be required to give first aid treatment in case of emergencies. Basic first aid and CPR are essential skills to ensure the safety and well-being of clients during training sessions.
Adaptability
Working with clients from diverse backgrounds and fitness levels means you need to be flexible. Personal trainers must adjust workout plans on the fly to accommodate individual needs, such as changes in fitness levels, injuries, or specific goals.
Time Management
Managing your schedule efficiently is essential, especially if you are a self-employed trainer. Time management ensures that you maximise your time with clients, balance multiple sessions, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Organisation
Personal trainers need to manage multiple clients, track their progress, and sometimes handle their own accounts. Being organised is crucial for scheduling sessions, maintaining accurate client records, and ensuring smooth operations, especially if you are self-employed.
Fitness
Personal trainers must have a solid level of fitness themselves in order to demonstrate exercises effectively and ensure that they lead by example. Being fit also helps you understand the challenges your clients face and motivates them to stay on track.
Education & Qualifications
Anyone can become a Personal Trainer—with the right certification and a passion for helping people achieve their fitness goals. You don’t need a degree or years of experience to get started. What really matters is your ability to motivate, coach effectively, and tailor workouts to individual needs. Many successful Personal Trainers began with nothing but a love for fitness, a positive attitude, and the willingness to learn.
Success in this field is built on trust, communication, and results. Whether you're training clients in a gym, working freelance, or building your own brand, your ability to get people moving and keep them inspired matters more than academic background.
Lifestyle
Becoming a personal trainer offers a flexible lifestyle, especially for those who want control over their own schedule. Self-employed trainers enjoy the freedom to arrange sessions around other commitments, but this also means managing income variability and not having guaranteed holiday pay. While working independently can provide a sense of autonomy, trainers in gym settings may enjoy more social interaction with colleagues and clients. Earnings can fluctuate depending on client demand and hours worked, and financial stability can vary between self-employed trainers and those in salaried positions.
45%
Remote SuitedWhile the majority of sessions take place in person, many personal trainers also work with clients remotely through platforms like Zoom or other digital tools.
60%
StressfulThe job can be very rewarding, but sources of potential stress include dealing with health issues, delivering first aid and finding enough clients.
80%
Work Life BlancePersonal trainers can often retain a good work-life balance, though there may be some weekend work and unsociable hours required.
For those who enjoy fitness and exercise and don’t mind being outdoors, this can be an enjoyable role with many rewards.
40/hrs
WeeklyTypically, people work between 35 and 40 hours a week at this role but the self-employed will have more control over this. It can be a part-time role, too.
Salary Data
Employed personal trainers in the UK typically earn between £18,000 and £30,000 per year. Self-employed trainers can earn £30+ per hour, but income can fluctuate depending on client base and schedule. Business owners running their own gyms or fitness businesses have higher earning potential, but also face greater risks, such as overhead costs and the need for continuous client acquisition.
Self-employed trainers and business owners enjoy flexible hours but must manage their own taxes, insurance, and admin. While earnings can be higher, financial stability is less predictable compared to salaried roles. Irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, are common across all roles.
£21,000
Entry
£30,000
Average
£42,000
Senior
Career Path
The path to becoming a personal trainer typically starts with gaining the necessary qualifications and experience, such as a Level 2 Gym Instructor Certificate or Level 3 Personal Trainer Certificate. While there’s no rigid corporate ladder to follow, there are numerous growth opportunities depending on your interests. Many trainers specialise in areas like sports nutrition, rehabilitation, or group fitness, or move into management roles.
Junior Personal Trainer
Even at an entry level, most gyms will still expect some form of qualification such as a Gym Instructor Certificate or Fitness and Personal Training Course, which are outlined in the Education & Qualifications section of this article.
Personal Trainer
With the necessary qualifications and knowledge, many people will be able to enter the field at this level and start work as a fully-fledged personal trainer - with all of the Responsibilities that come with it.
Gym Manager / Assistant Manager
Capable and qualified Personal Trainers will be well placed to apply for managerial positions within the gym or others nearby, as they will be familiar with the gym environment and knowledgeable about gym equipment, classes and operations.
As a personal trainer, you can choose to evolve into management roles, such as gym manager or head trainer, or build a freelance career by offering online coaching and creating fitness programs. Alternatively, you could start your own fitness business or gym, gaining the flexibility and independence that comes with entrepreneurship. These options allow you to shape your career path while increasing earning potential and autonomy.
History of the Profession
The evolution of personal training has seen remarkable growth in recent years, but its roots trace back to ancient times—arguably beginning with the physical preparation of soldiers before going into battle. Below, we highlight key milestones that have contributed to the rise of personal training as a professional career.
Reviews
Wondering if this is a good fit for you? Other personal trainers can be the best resource for working out what life might look like if you pursue this role.
Personal Trainer – Gym
Simon
I left the army and took a job in a local gym where I provide personal training. I work some evenings, but generally speaking, the work-life balance is great and seeing people hit their goals is always really rewarding.
💰£31,000Annual
salary
salary
💼38Weekly hours
🏝️10%Remote suited
🤷♀️20%Stressful
⚖️80%Work life balance
Freelance Personal Trainer
Mel
I started personal training once my kids got a bit older as a part-time position, but it has snowballed and I work full time now. I mainly work with women in a one-to-one environment and I love it, especially when people grow in confidence. I do travel a lot as a freelancer which is a downside, but a couple of my clients are even online in other countries.
💰£35,000Annual
salary
salary
💼35Weekly hours
🏝️15%Remote suited
🤷♀️40%Stressful
⚖️85%Work life balance
Seeing people succeed is well worth it.
Jordan
After completing my fitness qualification, I started working at a local gym. I really enjoy helping people reach their fitness goals and making a difference in their lives. The hours can be unpredictable, as I often work evenings and weekends, but the flexibility is a big plus. It’s great to see clients make progress, and the overall work-life balance is good for me. While there’s always a level of stress when it comes to meeting client expectations and maintaining motivation, the satisfaction of seeing people succeed is well worth it. I feel fortunate to be in a role where I can have a real impact on others.
💰£28,000Annual
salary
salary
💼35Weekly hours
🏝️5%Remote suited
🤷♀️25%Stressful
⚖️75%Work life balance
Have you been a personal trainer? Leave a review of the career to help out others who are considering the role!
Similar Careers
The following careers have some connection to personal training and may be a progression route or alternative option.
Resources
Want to learn more about being a personal trainer? We’ve collected some brilliant resources that can help with training and understanding the career.
Book
Personal Training: Theory and Practice
This well-reviewed book provides an insight into the career and what it entails, including how to qualify, from James Crossley
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Video
How to Become a Personal Trainer UK
Alasdair from The Fitness Group talks people through how to become a personal trainer in the UK and the a little about his experience in the role.
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Specialisms
A few personal trainers may have specialisms in certain areas that can be appealing to clients who are looking to achieve specific goals.
Regulatory Bodies
Personal training does not have a huge number of regulations, but there is a professional body involved that helps to keep clients and trainers safe.