Personal Training Level 3 (Progressions)

If you’re passionate about fitness, training and helping people achieve their goals, the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training could be the course for you.

This course is designed for students aged 16-18 who want to develop the knowledge, practical skills and professional experience needed to progress towards a career in the fitness industry.

You will learn how the body works, how to design effective training programmes and how to work with clients to help them achieve their health and fitness goals.

You will study topics including:

• Anatomy and Physiology - understand how the body works and how it responds to exercise
• Exercise, Health and Fitness - explore the principles behind effective training and physical activity
• Nutrition - understand the role of nutrition in health, fitness and exercise performance
• Client Consultations and Assessments - learn how to communicate with clients and assess their health and fitness needs
• Personal Training - develop the skills to plan and deliver safe and effective training sessions for individuals and groups
• Exercise Programming - learn how to design, adapt and evaluate training programmes to meet individual goals
• Health, Wellbeing and Medical Conditions - understand how lifestyle and common health conditions can affect exercise
• Professional Practice - develop the communication, customer service and professional skills required to work within the fitness industry
• Business Skills - explore how personal trainers can build their own client base and develop a successful fitness business
• Nutrition for Sport and Exercise Performance - explore how nutrition can support training and performance. 

This is a hands-on fitness course, so you will spend significant time developing your practical skills in the gym as well as studying the theory behind personal training.

You will have opportunities to plan and deliver training sessions, work with others, complete fitness assessments and develop your own training knowledge and experience.

The course will also help you develop your confidence, communication, leadership and professional skills, preparing you for working with real clients in the fitness industry. 

Work experience forms an important part of your study programme and gives you the opportunity to develop your skills in a real fitness environment. All students must complete 35 hours of work experience which can be gained through placements, guest speakers, experience of work and masterclasses.

You will gain an insight into the day-to-day role of a fitness professional and develop the communication, customer service, organisation and professional skills needed to work with clients.

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, knowledge assessments, practical demonstrations, assignments and a portfolio of evidence. Active IQ's current qualification guidance includes coursework/projects, examinations, portfolios and practical assessment methods.

Lessons will combine classroom learning with practical gym-based sessions, allowing you to put your knowledge into practice.

You could be assessed through:

• Anatomy and physiology assessments
• Written coursework and assignments
• Nutrition tasks
• Client consultations
• Health and fitness assessments
• Designing exercise programmes
• Planning and delivering personal training sessions
• Practical demonstrations
• Presentations and group activities
• Building a portfolio of evidence.

You will learn by doing as well as studying, giving you the opportunity to develop the practical confidence required to work with clients.

The Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training can provide a pathway into employment, starting your own PT business, management,  further training and specialist qualifications within the health and fitness industry.

The qualification can help prepare you to explore careers such as:

• Personal Trainer
• Fitness Instructor
• Gym Instructor
• Fitness Coach
• Health and Wellbeing roles
• Fitness Centre and Leisure roles
• Self-employed Personal Trainer
• Online Fitness Coach
• Strength and Conditioning pathways, offered as an adult course at Oldham College.

You will also develop transferable skills in communication, leadership, customer service, business and professional practice. 

After completing the qualification, you can progress onto additional specialist qualifications and higher-level study, including areas such as:

• Level 4 Advanced Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning
• Exercise Referral
• Sports Massage
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Specialist exercise programmes for different populations.

Whether you want to become a personal trainer, work in a gym, build your own fitness business or progress into a specialist area of the fitness industry, this course will give you the knowledge and practical experience to take your first steps.

If you’re passionate about fitness and enjoy training, working with people and helping others achieve their goals, the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma can help turn that passion into a potential career.