"What’s it like to qualify as a PT online? My honest review of The Fitness Group’s course"

Bad news for bosses: almost a third of us are considering a career change – and with the health and fitness industry booming (despite the savage cost of living crisis), becoming a personal trainer is an increasingly appealing option. But how do you actually qualify as a PT? And more importantly, how can you upskill yourself when you’re already juggling a full-time job and generally busy life?

Step forward: online personal training courses.

It might sound counterintuitive to study for such a hands-on career virtually, but it is doable. The Fitness Group is one of the UK’s leading providers in this space, with over 25,000 learners to date, a 98% pass rate, and consistently positive reviews. You also don’t have to train fully remotely if that’s not your bag, as they offer IRL and blended studying options too – but, if you’re like me and annual leave is a precious resource, remote learning is a decent way of adding a fitness-related string to your bow without sacrificing all your holiday.

Since stepping up as Cosmopolitan’s Features Editor a few years back, and taking charge of the Body section of our website, which involves writing, researching and editing fitness and wellbeing content, my love of health and exercise has seriously deepened. I’m now really into exploring the science behind everything, as well as working out (seriously, I listen to podcasts about gut microbiomes for ‘fun’) – and realised that when interviewing experts for stories, I wanted to gain a greater level of knowledge myself. Not only would it inform my reporting, but it’d equip me to ask more challenging questions. Plus, while I’m not looking for a total career change any time soon, the idea of adding ‘personal trainer’ to my side-hustle CV is pretty enticing.

In order to train clients on a one-on-one basis though, you need to qualify as a Level 3 Personal Trainer – and you can’t do that until you’ve got a Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification ticked off. The Fitness Group offers both certificates, as either individual courses or combined, and that’s what I signed up to do last February. There is such a thing as Level 1, but it’s very basic and you don’t have to do it before cracking on with Level 2 – which is what I opted for.

I’m now partway through Level 3 (it’s been a slower process than anticipated, more on that below) and here’s how I’ve found the journey so far…

Note: I received free access to the course in exchange for an honest review, though I paid for extras like my in-person practical exam date.

My ultimate goal is to complete my Level 3 Personal Training course and in order to get that qualification, you first need to graduate as a Level 2 Gym Instructor. This is the entry-level qualification needed to work in and teach classes at a gym. It sounds weird and as though teaching group classes of multiple people should be part of a higher level qualification, but actually, becoming a PT presents far deeper challenges. People come to you wanting personalised, tailored advice. You’ll be working with them far more closely, navigating their challenges (mental and physical), and will have your knowledge tested in different ways.

The course structure is similar for both Level 2 and Level 3, but the latter delves much deeper into the topics outlined below, particularly when it comes to nutrition and working with clients who might be injured or who have long-term health conditions. Both qualifications involve a mix of coursework, exams and practical demonstrations (e.g. creating and safely teaching an exercise routine, along with engaging with a mock ‘client’).

Jennifer demonstrating an exercise routine as part of her practical assessment

It’s a mix of coursework, where you have to answer worksheets about the topics below and create a poster on healthy eating habits, an exam about anatomy (which you can take online and which is, thank God, multiple choice) and practical assessments.

For the assessment, you carry out an induction chat with a client, asking what their goals are (or helping them to create some), devising an exercise plan around that, and then demonstrate said workout, while advising them on how to overcome any challenges that might prevent them from smashing their aims. If, for instance, your client says they struggle to fit exercise into their busy lifestyle, you could advise them to do a couple of 30-minute sessions a week, rather than spending an hour in the gym at a time.

With The Fitness Group, you can choose to study entirely online at your own pace, fully in-person, or via a blended option (the bulk of the work done remotely but you can be assessed on practical elements IRL). In-person courses are trickier to access though — spaces are limited and sell out fast.

For Level 3, the in-person tuition route involves three four-day weeks, running 9am–3pm. That’s 12 days of annual leave if you’re employed, as no weekend-only options are offered.

When it came to studying, I dedicated Wednesdays and Sundays to watching the pre-recorded lectures (spanning everything from how to use different pieces of gym equipment to tricks for keeping a client motivated and the role of healthy fats in our diet), making notes and revising. Sticking Post-It notes around my flat with things I was finding especially hard to retain helped a lot, ditto taking mock anatomy and physiology quizzes online, and watching ‘for dummy’ YouTube explainers on topics when I felt I needed more intel.

Watching a Fitness Group lecture and sticking Post-Its to the screen as part of a related task

The Fitness Group also provide PDFs on the same topics covered in the lectures, and if I had questions I could ask my tutor Alasdair for an explanation (or my own PT, Hannah, who massively helped with growing my confidence when it came to performing exercises safely and knowing which muscles ought to be switched on during particular moves – something that doesn’t always translate well via a screen).

Being able to supplement my learning with The Fitness Group with IRL gym sessions was something I’d recommend anyone thinking of doing a course does too: it’s one thing to have a piece of paper saying you’re qualified to do something, it’s another to actually have experience in a gym setting and feel able to do it.

The Level 2 Gym Instructor course covers:

• Anatomy and physiology basics
• Professionalism and customer care
• Health and safety in the gym
• Client consultations and behaviour change
• Planning and instructing gym-based exercise

I found some of it really challenging (anatomy and physiology in particular, you learn things like how bones are built and regenerate after a fracture, and therefore need to get familiar with terms like ‘osteoblasts’), and some of it was basic sense. The health and safety stuff in particular should be pretty obvious e.g. one question asks what you should do if a glass smashes on the gym floor. The answer, unsurprisingly, is not roll around on it but safely clear the area, pick up the mess and ensure no clients are injured.

The Level 3 Personal Training course builds on this with:

• Applied anatomy and physiology
• Nutrition principles
• Lifestyle, wellbeing and common medical conditions
• Encouraging behaviour change in clients
• Programme design and delivery
• Creating a PT business plan

Both courses involve theory, coursework (note: you’ll need to rope in a pal to be your ‘client’) and a practical exam. The practical can be submitted as a video – where you must stay in frame the whole time… slip up and it’s an automatic fail! – or be assessed by a clipboard-holding tutor in-person.

For Level 2, you’ll greet and assess a client (AKA a willing volunteer you’ve roped in to play the role, likely another student), ask about their health and fitness goals, take measurements and design a workout especially for them. You then demonstrate the routine with them, showing how to use the equipment and perform exercises safely and effectively.

Booking in-person assessments can be tough — dates are limited, released only a few weeks in advance, and capped at 12 students to afford everyone lots of time to practice. I eventually secured a London slot, but the scarcity did delay my progress.

The Fitness Group also runs assessments in the likes of Glasgow, Manchester, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool.

The Fitness Group says on average, it takes around 12 weeks to complete Level 2 and Level 3 when studying from home but it can be as quick as 6 weeks if you do the full-time, in-person course. But there are no hard deadlines, other than the ones you set yourself.

For me, it took six months to complete the Level 2 and I've been working on Level 3, on and off, for a year now (gulp!). Factor in two house moves, a busy full-time job and some unexpected health issues and... it's been tough. But I know I'll get there eventually.

Right now, I’m trying to do as much of the revision, coursework and master the exam side of things as I can at home, and will book on for the practical assessments in-person at a later date.

• Level 2 Gym Instructor: from £695
• Level 3 Personal Trainer: from £1,395

Flexibility

Studying around a demanding job (and, in my case, two house moves and some unexpected health issues) wasn’t easy, but the self-paced approach helped. I carved out Wednesday and Sunday evenings for revision, with no rigid deadlines hanging over me. Of course, that freedom cuts both ways — discipline and motivation are crucial.

Supportive tutors

My tutor, Alasdair, was knowledgeable, approachable and quick to respond to emails, often hopping on video calls to explain tricky concepts or provide feedback on my coursework. On my practical day, Harry and Alan were also equally encouraging. Some of my fellow students had gripes about their less responsive tutors, but my personal experience on that front was great.

Clear structure

On enrolment, you’re given a ‘blueprint’ that outlines every step you’ll need to take — from coursework to exams — in a suggested order. Video lectures (ranging from a few minutes to 30–40) support the PDF study guides that can be downloaded for offline use. Everything felt pretty clear and manageable, and anything that didn’t was soon clarified by Alasdair.

High pass rate

On my practical day, everyone passed, even if not everyone had put in the same prep (which I guess was good for them, but kind of annoyed me given I’d spent loads of time preparing an exercise routine – and one guy in my group seemed to have no idea what the day was even about, and was totally winging it). While some people do fail, Steven Dick, co-founder of The Fitness Group, says tutors work closely with students until they’re ready to re-sit.

Fitness is a huge part of Jennifer’s life – even on holiday

You need self-motivation

The biggest challenge isn’t the content, but juggling study with life and other commitments. I’d aimed to finish Level 2 in three months; in reality, it took double that. Burnout and other things really slowed me down.

Some outdated content

Like many fitness qualifications, the material still leans on BMI as a health indicator (as one example), despite criticism in recent years. Dick explains this is down to aligning with examining bodies: “Our materials need to be in line with the exams, otherwise students wouldn’t pass. The Eatwell Guide, for example, is still NHS guidance, and trainers must stick to this when giving advice.”

To bridge the gap, The Fitness Group has launched fresher in-house courses on more current topics like postnatal fitness and gut microbiome health, which they say can be updated regularly.

Patchy polish

Some slides contained typos, and tutor videos weren’t always slick. While occasionally giving ‘Is this thing on?’ *taps camera* energy, the informality also made the tutors feel more approachable and human – something I appreciate in this AI era we’re currently navigating. So this could also be a plus point in its own way.

Limited offline access

PDFs were easy to download, but video lectures required Wi-Fi — frustrating when trying to revise on a commute!

Tricky booking for practicals

As mentioned, securing in-person practical slots was a hassle. Dates were limited and not always announced with a tonne of notice beforehand, making it tough to arrange annual leave.

Would I recommend The Fitness Group? Absolutely — in fact, I already have to several people! The courses are well structured, tutors are supportive, and pricing is fair compared to competitors. I now feel a lot more knowledgeable when it comes to building exercise routines relating to specific goals, how the body is all so interconnected and how I can help support others on their health journey.

A lot of the detailed anatomy stuff probably won’t be information I’ll need to draw on super regularly, so I imagine I’ll need to brush up on that by the time I feel ready to take on clients who aren’t friends or family, or as and when my brain goes blank – but I now have a folder packed full of notes, ready and raring to go.

If you’re considering studying a remote PT course yourself, be realistic about the time commitment and your own motivation levels. But if you’re serious about retraining as a gym instructor or PT, The Fitness Group offers a flexible, credible and well-supported path into the industry.

Find out more about The Fitness Group online, by calling 0330 175 8209 or emailing info@thefitnessgrp.co.uk

Jennifer Savin

Features Editor

 Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.