Lately, I have had a fair few disabled people ask me, how to train to be either a PT or a fitness instructor (teach group fitness classes).

There are 2 routes into the industry.

First off, if you want to be a PT, you will need to do your Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification. This enables you to do basic gym inductions. Then you will need to do your Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification. Most courses include the Level 3 nutrition as part of it. Ideally you want to find a course that has both included.

If you want to go on to specialise in Rehabilitation, this is the route you will need to go down.

The other route is teaching fitness classes, where you will need your Level 2 Group Fitness qualification. This splits into 2 courses – Exercise to Music (ETM), or group training.

ETM is where you learn how to teach a group fitness class to music, so think of good old fashioned aerobics.

Group Training is if you want to teach Circuits or bootcamps.

Not only did I struggle with the ETM practical exam but so have others with disabilities. So I would say really research the company you use and ask how disabilities are taken into account in the practical exam.

If you want to work with disabled clients in any fitness setting, be it gym / PT or Classes you need to have your Level 3 Exercise & Disability Qualification. This teaches what you need to know relating to the main disabilities, contradictions to exercise and medications. You would not be insured if you don’t have this qualification.

Additional qualifications available:

Level 2 Kids Fitness

Level 3 Exercise Referral (rehabilitation)

Level 3 Exercise for Older Adults

Level 3 Pre / Post Natal

Level 3 Pilates or Yoga

Level 4 qualifications. (Cardiac Rehabilitation, Cancer, Diabetes & Obesity, Lower Back Pain).

Other things to think about:

You need to have insurance which is about £60-100+ a year depending on who you go with. Some exercise centres require up to £1,000,000.00 insurance coverage.

If you teach fitness classes- you need music licences (ppl / prs / pro dub) if you teach licenced programmes (Zumba, Clubbercise, RockBox, Les Mills – LM is Gym only), you will have to pay a fee each month to use the name & choreography. Usually about £18 a month. Zumba is more, due to the dollar exchange rate.

Most of these brands can be taught in the community which means you hire the hall, charge per class & people pay you directly. You would take all expenses including rent out of the amount you earn. (Rent, petrol, music licences, insurance etc etc)

If you are looking at going down the gym route please check out Instructability. They are funded to train up disabled people to be gym instructors. This is how I trained & 7 years on, I’ve not looked back.

You can find more out about Instructability at http://www.instructability.org

If you are looking at courses for group fitness, I can highly recommend EMDUK. They are the governing body for group exercise, and you can save on courses with my discount code SJAMES. I am a member organisation with them under my company name of Inclusfit.

A few memories of my working career so far…..