Personal trainer qualifications

Always ask to see a prospective personal trainer's qualifications. They should hold certificates relating to a specific or set of specific fitness qualifications. These may include:

• First degree or postgraduate degree in sports science
• An RSA/OCR qualification in fitness and exercise
• ACE Personal Trainer Certificate (American Council on Exercise)
• ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) award
• FitPro PT Diploma
• YMCA Personal Trainer Diploma
• Premier Training Diploma
• Lifetime Health and Fitness Personal Trainer award

First aid and CPR
It is imperative that a personal trainer is first aid qualified. If anything were to go wrong during a personal training session, heaven forbid, you need to know that the trainer will be able to cope. Make a point of asking to see their first aid qualification. Make sure it hasn't expired. If it has, they may not be insured!

The role of the Register of Exercise Professionals
The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) has been set up to regulate the UK health, fitness and exercise industry. REPs is working towards classifying all UK exercise and fitness professionals into one of three competency levels.

All accredited personal trainers will be on Level Three of REPs. However, that does not mean all Level Three holders are personal trainers! REPs listed personal trainers are given a REPs membership card and a certificate indicating their role. Ask to see it.

NOTE: Defining a personal trainer
The term 'personal trainer' is yet to be fully defined by the UK health and fitness industry simply because there are so many routes into the profession (See above). However there are a number of aspects recognised by REPs when awarding someone the title of personal trainer:

1. A recognised fitness and exercise qualification - least Level 3 S/NVQ or equivalent*
2. A valid First Aid certificate (CPR)
3. Liability insurance of at least £1 million