Qualify as a Personal Trainer in 12 weeks
A structured 12 week program to help you launch your Coaching Business
Built for those who prefer structure over self paced study. Maximum of 8 spaces.Â
- CIMSPA Endorsed Certification
- Begins 14th September 2026
- Interest-Free Payment Plans
- CIMSPA Endorsed Certification
- Begins 14th September 2026
- Interest-Free Payment Plans
Duration
12 weeks starting from Monday 14th September 2026
Spaces available
Only 8 spaces available to ensure dedicated 1 to 1 support
Location
Practical days — Gain Forth Gym Belfast
A course built for the career changer.
For almost ten years we've delivered the Diploma in Personal Training as a self-paced course, qualifying over 1,000 students. That format suits many — but some students want more.
More structure. More accountability. Live lessons, set weekly check-ins, and a fixed timeframe so you know exactly when you'll qualify.
That's why we created the structured 12-week option — the same qualification, wrapped in the support a career changer actually needs.
-
Live lectures
Several live online lectures with your course tutor. Can't make it? The recording lands within 24 hours.
-
Weekly one-to-one check-in
A 1:1 call with your tutor each week to keep you on track — daytime and evening slots available.
-
Two practical coaching workshops
Full days on the gym floor with an experienced coach, turning theory into practice in a live environment.
-
Two practical assessments
Your workshops prepare you to excel in the assessments that earn your accredited certification.
-
Business launch preparation
The actual mechanics of setting up, pricing and finding your first clients — so you finish Week 12 qualified and ready to work.
Is this the right course for you?
Honest self-assessment saves everyone time. If the first list sounds like you, we should talk. If the second list is closer to the mark, our self-paced Diploma is probably a better fit.
This is for you if
- You want to qualify while staying in your current job
- You've trained consistently and feel comfortable in a gym environment
- You prefer structure over flexibility — you'd rather have a set weekly lecture than a library of videos
- You want weekly check-ins with a tutor, not just support as and when you need it
- You're planning to work as a Personal Trainer after qualifying — self-employed or employed
- You're serious about coaching as a career, not just a certificate — the optional Coaching Business Seminar is built for you
- You're based in Northern Ireland and can attend practical days in Belfast
- You're willing to commit 5–6 hours to study every week
It's probably not for you if
- You need completely open-ended flexibility — our self-paced Diploma will suit you better
- You want the fastest possible route to a certificate, regardless of depth
- You can't meet weekly deadlines — self-paced would be the better route
- You're based outside Northern Ireland — this cohort is delivered for NI-based learners only
- You're hoping to qualify without in-person practical work — the two workshops and two assessments are mandatory
Gold standard coaching qualifications.
Nothing about the cohort format changes what you walk out with. Same Ofqual-regulated, CIMSPA-recognised certification — just delivered differently.
Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing
Focus Awards, Ofqual-regulated. Qualifies you to work as a Gym Instructor and forms the foundation for the Level 3 Diploma.
Level 3 Diploma Practitioner in Personal Training
Focus Awards. The regulated PT qualification that qualifies you to work as a Personal Trainer in the UK and beyond.
CIMSPA practitioner membership eligibility
Meets CIMSPA's Personal Trainer professional standard on completion — the most widely-recognised PT registration in the UK industry.
Group Circuit Instructor CPD
A one-day CIMSPA-recognised Circuit Instructor CPD course, included with your place. Runs every quarter — book yours after the 12-week course.
The Coaching Business Seminar.
Qualifying is one thing. Building a career from it is another. This optional half-day seminar covers what the industry actually looks like from the inside — and how to build a coaching business that lasts.
The reality of the fitness industry
- Where the industry is right now — the job roles that actually exist
- Employed vs self-employed, offline vs online, small group PT and beyond
- Honest expectations for your first two to five years
Becoming a great coach
- Communication skills that separate good coaches from average ones
- Building trust — the coach–client relationship
- Long-term results and why retention matters more than acquisition
Building the business
- Finding your niche
- Pricing accordingly — selling without guilt
- Running consultations that convert
- Organisation and time management
Marketing that works
- Personal branding
- Social media and content that actually attracts clients
- Building authority in a saturated market
Professional development — what to do next
- CPD and where to take your qualifications from here
- Networking within the industry
- Finances and taxes as a self-employed coach
- Long-term work–life balance
Your total investment.
One price, everything included — the qualifications, the weekly one-to-ones, the practical days, the Coaching Business Seminar and the bonus accounting webinar. Enrol by Friday 21 August to secure the early bird fee.
The 12-Week PT Diploma
- Both qualifications: Level 2 Certificate and Level 3 Diploma
- Twelve weekly live lectures (plus recordings)
- Twelve weekly one-to-one check-ins with your tutor
- Two practical workshop days and two practical assessments
- Coaching Business Seminar — Friday 25 September
- Bonus: Accounting for Coaches webinar + discounted accountancy services for graduates
- Full portfolio marking, feedback and certification
- Business launch preparation in Week 12
- Group Circuit instructor CPD Course
- Ongoing post-qualification support and alumni access