Whether you are already a qualified Personal Trainer or you are yet to start your learning and still planning your Personal Training Package with Fitness HQ, Exercise Referral is a fantastic qualification you should be considering.

When carrying out an initial consultation with a client, one of the first things we do is to get them to complete a PARQ (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) where the client should identify any medical conditions that they have that could be made worse by exercise if not properly planned or instructed. If a client does indicate that they have one of these medical conditions such as ‘high blood pressure’, ‘angina’ or ‘diabetes’ then a Gym Instructor or PT will have to refer the client to their GP to get their consent to exercise. This throws up an immediate barrier to exercise for the client who now has to visit or contact their GP and may have to pay for a doctors’ note, and a barrier to the Instructor/PT who may lose out on a new client if the GP refers them to a different scheme or just loses motivation by the delay.

So how can we keep this client and make sure they’re having a positive experience of exercise, perhaps for the first time? The answer is to do the Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral with Fitness HQ. This course allows you to work with clients who suffer from medical conditions which require additional knowledge to deliver safely and effectively without the need to refer them to a GP. You will gain a greater understanding of 16 of the most common medical conditions which the population suffer from, the medications they take and the side effects of these and, most importantly, how to plan, manage and deliver suitable exercise programmes which will improve your client’s’ conditions.

Exercise Referral instructors can also become a full time job in its own right, salaries range from between £21k – £29k and the role gives you the opportunity to support clients who have been referred to you through a local authority health improvement scheme. This can be a great base from which to develop a PT client base and increase your income.

For many, working as an Exercise Professional is a passion and provides job satisfaction that is almost unrivalled. Helping people to become healthier and happier by doing something we love doing, exercising. That is what the Exercise Referral Qualification allows you to do with clients who need the support more than most.

For information on courses in your area check out the fitness courses tab on our website or email us on [email protected]