1. An introduction to personal training

What is a personal trainer?
What does a personal trainer do?
The characteristics of a personal trainer
Setting up as a personal trainer
Your working hours
Ten factors that make a good personal trainer

2. Anatomy and physiology for personal trainers

Why you need to be familiar with the structure of the body.
The musculo-skeletal system
The nervous system
The cardiovascular system
The respiratory system
The basic energy systems
Adaptation to training
Exercise prescription

3. Getting started

Choosing a training location
What equipment do I need for a home gym?
Is equipment essential?
Getting your client to stick to a regime
Easing your client in
Assessing your client’s fitness
Fit? or unfit?!
Techniques for getting your client to keep to an exercise routine

4. Preparing a fitness plan for your client

How to assess your clients needs
Types of training regimes
Choosing a workout location
How the personal trainer works with the client
Checklist for what to include in a training plan

5. Getting your client to incorporate activity into their existing lifestyle

Being a kid
Office fitness
Household fitness

6. Helping your client choose an aerobic activity

Walking
Jogging and running
Cycling outdoors
Racket games
Swimming
Roller skating

7. Other activities to suggest to your clients

Stepping
Skiing
Treadmill
Exercise class or video
Trampoline
Dancing
Varying your exercise

8. Getting your clients to stretch

Shoulders
Back
Legs and buttocks

9. Find an activity that your client enjoys

Don’t make your client overdo things
Encourage your client to enjoy themselves
Make it a priority
Find a diversion
Reward your client

10. Assessing and improving your client’s diet

Assessing your client’s current diet
Educating your client about a healthy and nutritious diet
Preparing a diet plan
Motivating your client to make and follow dietary changes
Healthy eating tips

11. Strengthening exercises

Push ups
Tricep dips
Sit ups
Squats
Lunges

12. Toning the upper body with light weights

An upper body workout
Shoulder (military) press
Chest press
Flys
Standing dumbbell rows
Bent over rows
Bicep curls Hammer curls
Tricep kickbacks
Oblique bends

13. A complete workout

Flexibility and stretching
Weight-bearing exercises (anaerobic)
Fat burning routines (aerobic)
Taking weather into account
Exercising mantras
5 ways to help your client get over a slump

14. More stretches

Upper body stretches
Lower body stretches

15. Marketing: Finding clients and promoting your services

Who needs a personal trainer?
Where do you find private clients?
How do you promote your service?
How much should you charge?
Why do I need to network with other personal trainers?

16. Handing the initial enquiry

How to respond to an enquiry from a prospective client
The cautious prospect
Identify the client’s area of improvement
Demonstrate that you can help
Listen for buying signals
Move towards a sale
Talk about payment
Finishing the call
Next steps for the unsure prospect
Next steps for your new client
Keeping track of your prospects

17. Managing your finances

Setting up your business on a small budget
Putting together a business plan
How to keep financial records in four easy steps
Paying tax
Indemnity insurance

From time to time we may improve, amend or extend the items mentioned here.