Personal trainers need skills, communication, certification and community. FASTER has delivered that, uniquely, since 2006.
I set FASTER up to certify you (through CIMSPA, via FOCUS Awards) and then take you beyond it, with a wealth of education built around you, whether you are just starting out or you are an industry veteran. Use the WhatsApp and get through directly to me, founder John Hardy. No sales people. Just someone who genuinely wants you to succeed as a personal trainer.
Which one is you?
FASTER is not for everyone. It is for people who want more than a certificate and a pat on the back from a gym chain.
To work as a personal trainer in the UK, you need a CIMSPA-endorsed Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification and a Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification. FASTER delivers both online, at your own pace, with no deadline and permanent course access.
When you need to revisit something after you have qualified, you come back. No charge.
The Level 3 certificate gets you through the door. What happens once you are in front of a client is a different matter.
Biomechanics, injury rehabilitation, pelvic floor, motor learning, business. Most providers do not offer this level of CPD because beginner intake is more profitable. FASTER CPD courses carry FOCUS Awards accreditation and count toward CIMSPA membership maintenance.
Not all personal trainer
courses in the UK are the same.
The differences below affect your career. Some of them affect your finances.
(We wrote this table. The facts are checkable.)
Start where you are.
Progress as far as you want.
Every FASTER student gets free return access to every course they have taken. For life. Because your career does not stop when your course does.
To work legally and professionally as a personal trainer in the UK, you need a CIMSPA-endorsed Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification followed by a Level 3 Personal Trainer Certificate. FASTER delivers both online, at your own pace, through FOCUS Awards accreditation. These are thorough qualifications. Speed is not the objective.
Start hereBiomechanics. Movement assessment. Client retention. Business. This is the CPD that turns a qualified PT into someone their clients recommend to other people. Most providers do not offer this because beginner intake is more profitable. FASTER has been offering it since 2006 because it is the part that matters.
See CPD coursesSpecialist qualifications for personal trainers who want to work in a specific area and be the clear choice in it. Pelvic floor and pre/postnatal exercise are required qualifications to work safely with those populations. Motor learning and advanced programming are for trainers who want to understand the mechanism behind what they do. All specialist courses carry FOCUS Awards accreditation.
See specialist coursesPeriodisation science. Evidence-based programme design. Advanced assessment. Most UK providers do not offer this level of education because teaching it requires someone who knows it. John Hardy MSc holds a postgraduate degree in Sports Science: Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement. He wrote and co-wrote this material, and personally supports every student working through it.
Advanced educationReal trainers. Real words.
Not the ones we chose.
We didn't pick the kind ones. These are straight from Google, unedited.
Qualifying as a personal trainer in the UK.
You need a Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification and a Level 3 Personal Trainer Certificate, both CIMSPA-endorsed. These are the minimum requirements to work unsupervised with clients in a professional setting.
It depends on your study pace. Some providers advertise 4 to 6 weeks. FASTER qualifications are self-paced and online, with no minimum or maximum time. Most students complete Level 3 within 3 to 6 months around existing commitments.
The qualification itself does not expire once you hold it. At FASTER, your course access also never expires. You can return to any course you have taken, free of charge, at any point in your career.
CIMSPA is the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity. It is the UK professional body for the fitness industry. Employers and professional indemnity insurers recognise CIMSPA-endorsed qualifications as the industry standard.
FOCUS Awards is a regulated awarding organisation. Qualifications delivered through FOCUS Awards are listed on the Regulated Qualifications Framework and recognised by CIMSPA. All FASTER qualifications are delivered through FOCUS Awards.
Yes. All FASTER qualifications are delivered online, at your own pace, with assessments submitted remotely. Practical competencies are assessed through guided observation and client work.
CIMSPA requires members to complete a set number of CPD hours each year. FASTER CPD and specialist courses carry FOCUS Awards accreditation and count toward this requirement.
Prices vary significantly by provider. Some UK providers charge over £1,000 for a Level 3 Personal Trainer Certificate. FASTER's Level 3 starts from £650 and includes free lifetime return access to the course material.
Latest from our blog
Not sure if this
is right for you?
Ask John.
Tell him where you are in your career and what you want to achieve. He will tell you whether FASTER fits, and point you somewhere else if it does not. It is how the entire business has always worked.