Personal Fitness Trainer - Level 1

Hours: 180 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Open, Mentor Supported
Retail Price: $1,625.00

Course Overview:

Personal Fitness Trainer – Level 1 contains essential information for students interested in a career as a personal trainer. This course provides an introduction to the profession along with coverage of exercise physiology, biomechanics, anatomy, motor learning, and nutrition. In this Personal Fitness Trainer – Level 1 course you will learn how to establish goals for clients and assess strength, flexibility, and risk as well as develop resistance, cardiorespiratory and flexibility training programs. Learn to be a Personal Trainer and change people’s lives!

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Identify current trends in the field of personal training
  • Comprehend biomechanics and nutritional needs for fitness
  • Define coaching and behavior modification theory
  • Identify the steps for an initial client screening and exercise program development
  • Identify the principles for starting your own personal training business

Course Outline:

Personal Fitness Trainer Module 1
Introduction to the Field of Personal Training
  • The Current State of the Fitness Industry
  • Exercise is Medicine
  • Professional Career Environments
  • Core Body of Knowledge
  • Options for Personal Trainers
  • Future Trends in the Fitness Industry
  • Code of Ethics for ACSM Professionals
  • Career Track for Professional Personal Trainers
  • Becoming a Personal Trainer
  • Areas of Specialization
  • Establishing a Client Base 
Personal Fitness Trainer Module 2
The Science of Personal Training
  • Anatomy & Kinesiology
  • Musculoskeletal System
  • Biomechanical Principles
  • Key Terminology
  • Applied Biomechanics
  • 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Class Lever
  • Effects of Gravity
  • Angular Work & Angular Power
  • External Torque, the Movement of Inertia, & Angular Acceleration
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Physiological Mechanism
  • Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems
  • Muscular & Neurological Systems
  • Nutrition & Human Performance
  • Essential Nutrition Concepts
  • Nutrients that Provide Energy
  • Nutritional Considerations
Personal Fitness Trainer Module 3
Behavior Modification
  • Bringing Coaching to Personal Training
  • What is Coaching?
  • Integrating Coaching Skills
  • Understanding Behavior Changes
  • Behavior Modification Theory
  • Different Stages of Change
  • Cognitive & Behavioral Change Processes
  • Client Relationships
  • Establish Credibility
  • Maintaining Confidentiality
  • Develop Trust & Being Present
  • Give & Receive Feedback
  • Model a Healthy Lifestyle
  • Motivational Tools
  • Appreciative Inquiry
  • Setting SMART Goals
  • Training the Whole Client
  • The Behavior Change Pyramid
Personal Fitness Trainer Module 4
Initial Client Screening 
  • The Initial Client Consultation
  • Successful Client Relations
  • Principles of Relationship Marketing
  • Screening & Risk Stratification
  • The Screening Process
  • Health-History Evaluation
  • Documentation
  • Medical Clearance & Referral
  • Client Fitness Assessment
  • Heart Rate & Blood Pressure
  • Body Composition
  • CRF Assessment
  • Muscular Strength Assessment
  • Muscular Endurance Assessment
  • Flexibility Assessment
Personal Fitness Trainer Module 5
Developing the Exercise Program
  • Program Design
  • Types of Training
  • Functional Training
  • Resistance Training Programs
  • The Science Behind Resistance Training
  • Resistance Training Modalities
  • Machines versus Free-Weight Exercises
  • Acute Program Variables
  • Periodization of Exercise
  • Cardiorespiratory Training Programs
  • Exercise Intensity & Exercise Session Duration
  • Designing Flexibility Programs
  • Three Types of Stretching
  • Flexibility Program Development
  • Sequencing the Personal Training Program
  • Exercise for Special Populations
  • Programing for Older Adults
  • Programing for Pregnancy & Postpartum
  • Programing for Obese Clients
Personal Fitness Trainer Module 6
The Personal Training Business
  • Business Basics & Planning
  • Legal Issues & Responsibilities
  • What Do Personal Trainers Do?
  • Who Is Your Market?
  • Designing Your Business
  • Business Plan Elements
  • Structuring Your Business
  • Locating and Setting Up Your Business
  • Operating in Cyberspace
  • Setting Yourself Apart
  • Start-Up Expenses & Financing
  • Maximizing Your Human Resources
  • Building Client Relationships
  • Advertising & Marketing
  • Fiscal Fitness
  • Maintain a Client Base
  • Be Your Own Advertisement

All necessary materials are included.


System Requirements:

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:
  • Cable and DSL internet connections are recommended for the best experience.
Hardware Requirements:
  • CPU: 1 GHz or higher
  • RAM: 2 GB or higher
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher
  • Speakers / Headphones
  • Microphone (Webinar / Live Online sessions)
Operating System Requirements:
  • Microsoft Windows 7 or 10 (Home, Pro)
  • Mac OSX 10 or higher.
  • Latest Chrome OS
  • Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:
  • Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
  • Latest Mozilla FireFox
  • Latest Microsoft Edge
  • Latest Apple Safari
Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):
  • Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
  • PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
  • Courses may require other software that is denoted in the above course outline.


** The course outlines displayed on this website are subject to change at any time without prior notice. **