
Workshop Options: Weekday and Weekend (ran every 8 weeks)
Workshop Length: option of between 9 – 13 days (09:00 to 16:30)
Location: Batley, West Yorkshire
Expected Course Length: 4-12 weeks
Accredited Achievement: Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training
To book - choose your preferred course dates below
Assessments will take place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th March and Sun 25th April 2021.
Day 1: Fri 19th Mar
Day 2: Sat 20th Mar
Day 3: Sun 21st Mar
Day 4: Sat 27th Mar
Day 5: Sun 28th Mar
Day 6: Fri 9th April
Day 7: Sat 10th April
Day 8: Sun 11th April
Day 9: Sat 17th April
Day 10: Sun 18th April
Day 11: Sat 24th April
Day 12: Sun 25th April
Assessments will take place on Thursday 13th and Monday 24th May and Tues 1st June 2021.
Day 1: Mon 10th May
Day 2: Tues 11th May
Day 3: Wed 12th May
Day 4: Thur 13th May
Day 5: Mon 24th May
Day 6: Mon 17th May
Day 7: Tue 18th May
Day 8: Wed 19th May
Day 9: Thu 20th May
Day 10: Fri 21st May
Day 11: Tue 1st June
Day 12: Wed 2nd June
Assessments will take place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th July and 7th August 2021.
Day 1: Fri 9th July
Day 2: Sat 10th July
Day 3: Sun 11th July
Day 4: Sat 17th July
Day 5: Sun 18th July
Day 6: Fri 23rd July
Day 7: Sat 24th July
Day 8: Sun 25th July
Day 9: Sat 31st July
Day 10: Sun 1st August
Day 11: Sat 7th August
Day 12: Sun 8th August
Assessments will take place on Thursday 26th August, Monday 6th September and Tuesday 28th September 2021.
Day 1: Mon 23rd Aug
Day 2: Tues 24th Aug
Day 3: Wed 25th Aug
Day 4: Thur 26th Aug
Day 5: Mon 6th Sept
Day 6: Mon 13th Sept
Day 7: Tue 14th Sept
Day 8: Wed 15th Sept
Day 9: Thu 16th Sept
Day 10: Fri 17th Sept
Day 11: Mon 27th Sept
Day 12: Tue 28st Sept
Course Details
What is your goal:
Fast track to becoming qualified: The Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing and Personal Training provides a fast-track route for those wanting to work as a Personal Trainer in the Active Leisure Sector.
First step towards a career in health and fitness: The Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing may be a more suitable starting point.
Already Level 2 qualified and want to be a Personal Trainer: The Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training is the next step for you.
The Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training allows access to the The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) and the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs).
Learners can attend a combination of between 8-12 workshop days, depending on their preferred attendance for the Level 2 Gym Instructor course and the Level 3 Personal Trainer course.
The preferred option must be stated at the time of booking but it is recommended you phone us to discuss your options as you do not need to attend all workshop dates consecutively.
Workshop | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Session 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Day 1 | Methods of Screening | Goal Setting, Behaviour Change and Fitness Testing | Client Consultation Practice Assessment | How to monitor CV Training |
Day 2 | Cardiovascular Training and Prescription | Cardiovascular Training and Prescription | Cardiovascular Training and Prescription | Resistance Training programme variables, Sequence and Balance |
Day 3 | Resistance, Free Weight and Body Weight Training | Resistance, Free Weight and Body Weight Training | Resistance, Free Weight and Body Weight Training | Resistance, Free Weight and Body Weight Training |
Day 4 | Group Inductions and Delivery | Group Inductions and Delivery | Summative Practical Assessment Preparation | Summative Practical Assessment Preparation |
Day 5 | Summative Assessments | Summative Assessments | Summative Assessments | Summative Assessments |
Day 6 | Client Analysis | Goal Setting and Behaviour Change Models and Fitness Testing | Client Consultation Practice Assessment | Advanced CV training methods |
Day 7 | Nutrition and lifestyle analysis | Nutrition and lifestyle analysis | Nutrition and lifestyle analysis | Goal Setting and Behaviour Change Models |
Day 8 | Advanced CV training methods | Advanced CV training methods | Advanced CV training methods | Advanced CV training methods |
Day 9 | Advanced resistance training methods | Advanced resistance training methods | Advanced resistance training methods | Advanced resistance training methods |
Day 10 | Periodisation and Programme Planning | Periodisation and Programme Planning | Core, Flexibility and PNF stretching | Core, Flexibility and PNF stretching |
Day 11 | Case study hand in | Professionalism and business acumen for personal trainers | Practice Assessment | Practice Assessment |
Day 12 | Summative Practical Assessment | Summative Practical Assessment | Summative Practical Assessment | Summative Practical Assessment |
When you enrol on the Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training you will receive your joining instructions via email giving you access to your Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing and Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training learning resources.
The resources are divided into unit order providing you with the relevant manuals, worksheets, case study documents, mock exams and knowledge checkers required to help you complete your learning and prepare for your workshop/assessment days.
All learners on the Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training are supported with:
- A PDF Manual for each unit downloaded via our Virtual Learning Environment Interactive and engaging e-learning content to help you prepare for assessments and workshop days
- Tutor support via phone and e-mail
- The option to attend between 8-12 workshop days. This must be confirmed at the time of booking
Please note: Students will be required to bring a participant to two of the assessment days.

Learners wishing to complete the Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training should be:
Aged 16 years old or above
We strongly recommend that you have experience of gym-based exercises including free weights.
You should be fit enough to cope with the physical exertion and individual participation involved in the course.

Course Cost: £2,100
Payment Method:
Option 1: Pay the full balance
Option 2: £150 deposit and set up an interest free payment plan

In order to achieve the Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing learners must achieve the below units by completing the relevant assessments:
Unit 1 Principles of anatomy, physiology and fitness A/616/7499 2
- Multiple Choice Exam Paper for which 35/50 (70%) is required to pass.
This unit is assessed via an online 50 question multiple-choice exam. The pass mark is 35 / 50 (70%) and you have 1 hour 45 minutes to complete it.
You can sit your exam either:
- Face-to-face at CMS premises on an agreed assessment date/time
- Online on a date/time of your choosing via remote proctor software (please note there is an additional fee of £25 for a remote exam)
To book your exam or see planned theory exam assessment dates click here.
You can re-sit an exam as many times as needed, however CMS Fitness Courses has a responsibility to ensure that teaching and learning occur in between each exam to promote learner development and quality of delivery. Re-sit fees are £25 per exam.
Unit 2 Professionalism and customer care for fitness instructors K/616/7501 2
- Professionalism and customer care for fitness instructors Worksheet
- Assignment – Personal and professional development plan
- Training needs analysis
- SWOT
- Personal Development Plan
Unit 3 Health and safety in the fitness environment M/616/7502 2
- Health and safety in a fitness environment worksheet
- Assignment – Risk assessment, maintenance checks and handover
Unit 4 Conducting client consultations to support positive behaviour change A/616/7504 2
- Conducting client consultations to support positive behaviour change worksheet
- Assignment – Health promotion – the importance of a healthy lifestyle
- Modular Summative Observation of Client Consultation and Programme Delivery
Unit 5 Planning and instructing gym-based exercise F/616/7505 2
- Modular Summative Observation of Client Consultation and Programme Delivery
- Client Consultation
- Session / Programme Card
- Practical Assessment
- Group Induction delivery
- Single person programme delivery
- Session self-evaluation
The Modular and Summative Assessment
A modular summative observation is a flexible assessment format which allows the completion of an assessment on one or more occasions. For example, the consultation assessment may involve your assessor observing the whole consultation with your client in one session, or they may observe each section at different times.
A summative observation is where the assessment takes place on one occasion. For example, the personal training session will be observed and assessed in one session.
The Modular summative assessment covers three units:
- Professionalism and customer care for fitness instructors Unit Accreditation Number: K/616/7501
- Conducting client consultations to support positive behaviour change Unit Accreditation Number: A/616/7504
- Planning and instructing gym-based exercise Unit Accreditation Number: F/616/7505
And involves completing a:
- Client consultation
- Planning a session / programme card
- Practical assessment under assessor observation
- Session self-evaluation
The client consultation is assessed by a CMS tutor via a video recorded submission.
In addition to the consultation, your consultation paperwork and your programme planning paperwork must be submitted and marked as passed by a CMS assessor prior to your final assessment day or you will not be allowed to progress onto your practical assessment. The documents and guidance for all of these assessments are available on your Virtual Learning Environment.
Your practical summative assessment covers:
- Planning and instructing gym-based exercise Unit Accreditation Number: F/616/7505
And involves you:
- Delivering your session / programme card under assessor observation. Please note students are required to bring their own participant to deliver on.
You will have the opportunity to practice your final delivery the day before and all components of the assessment will be explained by your workshop tutor.
To achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training the below units must be achieved by completing the corresponding assessments.
Unit 1 Applied anatomy and physiology for exercise, health and fitness (F/615/4012)
This unit is assessed via an online 40 question multiple-choice exam. The pass mark is 28 / 40 (70%) and you have 1 hour 30 minutes to complete it.
You can sit your exam either:
- Face-to-face at CMS premises on an agreed assessment date/time
- Online on a date/time of your choosing via remote proctor software (please note there is an additional fee of £25 for a remote exam)
To book your exam or see planned theory exam assessment dates click here.
You can re-sit an exam as many times as needed, however CMS Fitness Courses has a responsibility to ensure that teaching and learning occur in between each exam to promote learner development and quality of delivery. Re-sit fees are £25 per exam.
Unit 2 The principles of nutrition and their application to exercise and health (J/615/4013)
This unit is assessed via an online 40 question multiple-choice exam. The pass mark is 28 / 40 (70%) and you have 1 hour 30 minutes to complete it.
You can sit your exam either:
- Face-to-face at CMS premises on an agreed assessment date/time
- Online on a date/time of your choosing via remote proctor software (please note there is an additional fee of £25 for a remote exam)
To book your exam or see planned theory exam assessment dates click here.
You can re-sit an exam as many times as needed, however CMS Fitness Courses has a responsibility to ensure that teaching and learning occur in between each exam to promote learner development and quality of delivery. Re-sit fees are £25 per exam.
Unit 3 Understanding lifestyle, health, wellbeing and common medical conditions (R/615/4015)
- Assignment – Infographic and educational information handout
- Biopsychosocial model and 2 conditions
- Causes or potential causes.
- Any associated risk factors.
- Clinical signs and symptoms.
- Impact on the client’s lifestyle.
- Benefits of exercise.
- Exercise guidelines (including risks of exercise, contraindications and restrictions).
- Nutritional guidelines.
Unit 4 Encouraging positive health and fitness behaviours in clients (Y/615/4016)
- Assignment – Recommending the use of technology to clients
- Research and evaluate 3 methods of using technology
- Recommend one explaining how and why it may be useful
- Compile an email or social media post explaining the above
Unit 5 Programme design and delivery for personal training (H/615/4018)
- An initial consultation
- A modular summative observation – Consultation (your assessor will observe you with your client). The client consultation is assessed by a CMS tutor via a video recorded submission.
- A food diary analysis
- A client education activity – you will need to design an educational activity (e.g. leaflet, handout, newsletter, webpage, PowerPoint presentation). The educational activity should be designed so it could be used in the consultation with your client and adapted for use with future clients.
- The educational activity must include the following:
- Exercise guidance to include the current evidence-based exercise frequency, intensity, time and type (FITT) guidelines.
- Nutrition guidance to include information from one or more of the following:
- National food guides
- Professional dietetic bodies
- Independent scientific bodies
- A periodised programme including commentary/rationales and individual session plans
- A modular summative observation* – Training techniques (your assessor will observe you with a client/peer).
- Prepare 3 Advanced Cardiovascular Training methods – deliver 1
- Prepare 4 Advanced Resistance Training methods- deliver 2
- Prepare 3 Advanced Flexibility Training methods – deliver 1
- A summative observed session – Personal training (your assessor will observe you with your client)
- Self-evaluation and reflective practice worksheet
- The educational activity must include the following:
Unit 6 Professionalism and business acumen for personal trainers (D/615/4020)
- Assignment – Developing a new personal training business
- Initial business evaluation
- Market research
- Business planning
Diploma in Personal Training worksheet
This forms part of the assessment for the following units:
- The principles of nutrition and their application to exercise and health (J/615/4013)
- Understanding lifestyle, health, wellbeing and common medical conditions (R/615/4015)
- Encouraging positive health and fitness behaviours in clients (Y/615/4016)
- Programme design and delivery for personal training (H/615/4018)
Self-evaluation and reflective practice worksheet
This forms part of the assessment for the following units:
- Encouraging positive health and fitness behaviours in clients (Y/615/4016)
- Programme design and delivery for personal training (H/615/4018)
The Modular and Summative Assessment
A modular summative observation is a flexible assessment format which allows the completion of an assessment on one or more occasions. For example, the consultation assessment may involve your assessor observing the whole consultation with your client in one session, or they may observe each section at different times.
A summative observation is where the assessment takes place on one occasion. For example, the personal training session will be observed and assessed in one session.
The modular summative assessment covers:
- Unit 5 Programme design and delivery for personal training (H/615/4018)
And involves completing a:
- Client consultation
- Practical assessment under assessor observation
The client consultation is assessed by a CMS tutor via a video recorded submission.
In addition to the consultation, your case study paperwork and your programme planning paperwork must be submitted and marked as passed by a CMS assessor prior to your final assessment day or you will not be allowed to progress onto your practical assessment. The documents and guidance for all of these assessments are available on your Virtual Learning Environment.
Your summative practical assessment covers:
- Unit 5 Programme design and delivery for personal training (H/615/4018)
And involves completing a:
- Programme delivery under assessor observation. Please note students are required to bring their own participant to deliver on.
You will have the opportunity to practice your final delivery the day before and all components of the assessment will be explained by your workshop tutor.

Achievement of the Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing & Personal Training qualification allows progression on to:
- Level 2 Award in Kettlebells
- Level 2 Award in Instructing Studio Cycling
- Level 2 Award in Instructing Circuits
- Level 3 Award in Designing Pre and Post Natal Exercise Programmes
- Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral
- Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage
- Level 4 Certificate in Exercise for the Management of Low Back Pain
- Level 4 Certificate in Physical Activity and Weight Management for Obese and Diabetic Clients
