Become a Certified Personal Trainer Online in 6 Months or Less
- Become industry-recognized with AFPA and build a rewarding, life-changing career. Glassdoor lists the average salary for personal trainer jobs at $82,000.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.”
- Personal trainer job satisfaction is in the top 31% of careers—they are constantly rewarded by results one workout and client at a time.
Now is the perfect time to make your move! Enroll in AFPA’s personal training course today.
This Program is for You if…
You work in the health, fitness, or wellness industry and want new income opportunities
You are passionate about healthy living and considering a career change
You have a strong desire to become an expert in fitness, anatomy, nutrition, and exercise for any reason
You are entrepreneurially spirited and want the freedom to start a business
Learn Applicable Skills That Help You Each Day
The AFPA Personal Trainer Certification program provides unprecedented, evidence-based training in health, fitness, nutrition, and performance.
AFPA Certified Personal Trainers gain the knowledge, resources, and confidence to:
- Apply the principles of exercise science, human anatomy, and biomechanics to movement design and exercise instruction
- Assess cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular fitness, and flexibility to facilitate improvement
- Design educationally-based fitness programs to include cardiovascular training, resistance training, and flexibility
- Demonstrate proper use of commercial fitness machines and equipment
- Differentiate between appropriate exercise principles for adults, children, and seniors
- Perform exercise testing and modify training for special populations
- Incorporate the business fundamentals of administration, marketing, and management in personal training
- Operate with compassion and uphold the AFPA Code of Ethics
Why Become a Certified Personal Trainer Through AFPA?
- Voted a Top 10 Best Personal Trainer Certification by both LiveStrong and Huffington Post.
- 98.9% student satisfaction rate with over 130,000 certified professionals worldwide
- Trust 30 years of dedication to quality with third-party content reviews and a designated course update team
- Upskill for life with the industry’s largest variety of quality, affordable programs
- Access educational advisors before, during, and after your enrollment
Course Features That Help You Pass
Study Anywhere At Your Own Pace
Enjoy the freedom to study on your own time from anywhere in the world. Easy-to-follow modules and online assignments test your knowledge and keep you on track. Take your final exam online when you’re ready.
Affordable and Flexible Payment Options
AFPA offers payment plans with as low as 0% APR financing.
Kickstart Your Career with Included Client Resources
Support doesn’t stop once you’re certified. Get exclusive access to instructor forms, client resources, and bonus tools to ensure your success in starting your career.
All Learning Materials Included
Your enrollment cost includes all your course materials, including lifetime access to digital textbooks and the cost of your final exam.
Business Resources Included
Upon enrollment, we provide you with exclusive access to resources to help you build, grow, and scale your fitness business.
Unlimited Student Support
Email or chat with our educational advisors as you progress through your learning journey.
What Your Course Enrollment Includes
- Lifetime access to digital textbooks
- Chapter outlines and study guides
- Video presentations for each chapter
- Exercise video library
- Practice quizzes and self-assessments
- Descriptions and demonstrations of over 150 exercises
- Anatomical guides
- Ready-to-use exercise programs
- Forms, worksheets, checklists, and client questionnaires
- Online personal trainer final exam
- Personal Trainer Certificate (upon passing the exam)
- Bonus: Blueprint for increasing your potential income: “How to Start a Successful Online Personal Trainer Business”
A Look Inside AFPA’s Curriculum
Module 1: Scientific Foundations of Physical Activity & Performance Answer
Kick off with exploring functional anatomy and biomechanics as it relates to fitness performance, health, and longevity. You’ll also examine dietary intake and essential nutrients, energy requirements for activities, and physiology. Learn about metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory responses to exercise and understand muscle structure and function.
Module 2: Fitness Assessment Answer
Learn how to properly assess cardiorespiratory fitness and access graded exercise tests for future clients. You will learn to assess body composition, muscular fitness, flexibility, range of motion, and spinal function.
Module 3: Exercise Prescription for Health, Fitness, and Performance Answer
You’ll cover how to accurately prescribe exercise for a variety of needs and desired results, such as managing weight, increasing muscular fitness, enhancing flexibility and low-back function, and training for performance and events.
Module 4: Exercise Prescription for Special Populations Answer
Scientifically measure fitness levels and recommend appropriate exercises. Special populations include youth, older adults, women, people with heart disease, obese and/or diabetic clients, and those living with pulmonary disease.
Module 5: Comprehensive Exercise Program Considerations Answer
Dive into key coaching topics such as:
- How to spark behavior change and sustain motivation through health and fitness counseling
- ECG and exercise performance
- Preventing and treating injuries
Module 6: Bodyweight Training Program Design Answer
Begin developing programs that incorporate and/or isolate particular muscles. Learn to structure workouts for all major muscle groups and design metabolic training programs (ex. HIIT and MRT) featuring whole body exercises.
Additionally, learn to consider the full picture as you program. See how structural balance, training goals sport-specific training, strength hypertrophy body part specialization, fat loss training, split frequency, volume, and periodization all work together.
Module 7: Muscle, Strength, Speed, and Performance Program Design Answer
You’ll learn the key principles behind functional training and design programs that incorporate a wide range of exercises. Topics include:
- Types of resistance exercise, total-body power exercises, cross-body exercises, and compound and isolated exercises
- Movement-speed and movement-strength training
- Types of cardio conditioning and metabolic conditioning protocols
- Upper body, lower body, and core exercises
- Performance programming, muscle programming, and custom programming
130000+ students certified
30+ years of excellence in education
30+ certification programs offered
98.9% student satisfaction
What Other Students Are Saying
Let Customers Speak for Us
FAQs
What qualifications are needed to enroll and get certified? Answer
Personal Trainer Enrollment Requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Have a solid understanding of the English language.
- Have a high school diploma.
Certification Requirements:
- You need a minimum final exam grade of 85% to pass.
You will be able to retest with a $75 fee.
After successful completion, you will earn the title of “Certified Personal Trainer.”
What is the AFPA certification exam like? Answer
The AFPA final exam includes 260 multiple-choice questions. On average, it takes students 3 hours to complete.
You must earn 85% or higher to pass your final exam. However, if you don’t pass the certification exam on your first try, you may retake it for a retest fee of $75.00.
Pass rates for the final exam are 93%.
How fast can I get my Personal Trainer Certification? Answer
The speed at which you can obtain your AFPA Certified Personal Trainer certification depends on several factors, including your individual circumstances, educational background, study habits, and commitment. However, most individuals can achieve certification competence in less than six months when dedicating 7-10 hours of study per week.
The flexibility of the AFPA Certified Personal Trainer program allows candidates to progress at their own pace.
Are textbooks included in my enrollment fee? Answer
Yes! Your enrollment fee includes lifetime access to all of the digital textbooks you will need to complete this course.
Digital textbooks allow us to offer the most up-to-date curriculum, give you immediate access to the materials, plus offer portability across devices.
We understand that learning styles and preferences vary. If you are interested in purchasing physical textbooks in addition to the digital textbooks that are included in your course enrollment fee, you can find a complete book list within your online student learning platform.
How do I sign up for a payment plan? Answer
Select Affirm at checkout to split your purchase into monthly payments starting at 0% APR with no hidden fees.
Pick the loan that fits your budget and make payments over three, six, or 12 months. Our safe and secure payment plans offer instant approval.
How do you train personal training clients online? Answer
To start, trainers need to establish a strong online presence through their website or social media platforms to attract potential clients. Consider offering virtual assessments through video calls to evaluate clients’ fitness levels, goals, and limitations. Based on this assessment, design personalized workout plans and nutrition guidance. Communication with clients is key, and trainers should maintain regular contact through video calls, emails, or messaging apps to track progress, provide feedback, and answer questions.
To ensure clients are performing exercises correctly, create instructional videos and ask clients to send recordings of their form. Additionally, trainers may use fitness apps and software to monitor clients’ progress and adjust their programs accordingly. Motivate and hold clients accountable through goal setting, tracking achievements, and providing encouragement.
What job opportunities will become available after certification? Answer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most fitness trainers and instructors work at health clubs, yoga studios, and recreation centers. Additionally, many personal trainers start their own online businesses, training clients virtually or in-person.
What is a personal training degree? Answer
You don’t need a degree to become a personal trainer – a trusted online program will equip you with necessary skills and knowledge. However, a degree in exercise science or kinesiology will support your personal training career.
Payment Plans Available Starting at 0% APR
Choose from 3, 6, or 12 months. Instant approval. Safe and secure.