Level 4 Personal Training

As an advanced personal trainer, you’ll need to learn how to apply scientific research to your fitness regimes. Many clients with conditions, including Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or hypothyroidism, will seek a specialist to support them with their weight loss and fitness journey, as these conditions require extra support. Upon completing this module, you’ll be able to quickly research different conditions and how they impact weight management and present the information to your clients.

• How to access reputable information to support clients and continue your own professional development.
• Learn about the advantages and limitations of different sources of information, including how to separate reputable sources from unreliable ones.
• Applying research to support each client's journey and presenting it in a way they understand.

Technology is making it easier for people to monitor their lifestyles and change their exercise routines. Personal trainers have extensive health and wellness industry knowledge, so clients will often look to you for advice and support. This module will give you valuable techniques to motivate your clients, identify barriers to their weight loss journey and enable you to help individuals utilise technology.

• Identify technologies to support, enhance and manage the client journey (applications, social media, wearables, digital and video analysis tools, software and retention tools)
• Learn different theories such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), confidence building and behavioural support to enhance each client's journey.
• Use other communication techniques to motivate your clients and maintain their focus.

Client assessments are integral to providing a bespoke service because they enable you to evaluate a client’s current health. For example, an athlete recovering from an injury will have different abilities from a middle-aged woman who hasn’t exercised for years. By analysing a client’s abilities, you can create impactive exercise and nutrition plans that suit each person’s needs.

• Understand assessment methods that can be used to identify a client's current capabilities.
• Perform appropriate assessments in a safe setting.
• Analyse and evaluate assessment results to create specific client goals.

Goal setting allows clients and personal trainers to stay on top of their goals and measure progress throughout the fitness journey. It’s also a great way to offer a more personalised service, as each client will have different objectives. If someone has an injury, their short-term goal might be to walk without support, while their long-term objective would be to return to playing sport. Similarly, people with obesity might set a short-term goal to exercise more and change their diet, while the long-term objective would be to reach a particular clothing size. This module enables you to support each client with goal setting and create a fully bespoke plan that ensures they’ll move towards the final objective and achieve the best possible outcome.

• Design a periodised progressive plan that effectively facilitates the achievement of a client's short, medium and long-term goals.
• Minimise the risk of injury and put measures in place to protect clients.
• Justify how each phase of the plan will facilitate the achievement of goals using credible information from reliable sources.

Coaching clients can often seem easy, but how you approach these sessions will define your – and your clients – success. Our course teaches you how to communicate effectively with each person and adapt to their learning style. We’ll teach you the difference between verbal, visual and kinaesthetic teaching techniques, so you can adapt your style and help each client be successful.

• Use client-friendly instructions, rules and techniques to develop a mutual understanding.
• Appropriate verbal, visual and kinaesthetic cues to maximise performance and potential during each session.
• Record key data and session modifications in a manner that adheres to legal and professional requirements.

Your client will progress differently, and while some might see a great deal of weight loss at the beginning of their journey, others will experience slower results. As the training sessions continue, your job will be to monitor your client’s progress and use the information to modify plans to generate better results.

• Use a range of methods to collect relevant information.
• Analyse and explain the evaluation findings in a client-friendly manner.
• Identify and agree on future modifications.