How to Become a Personal Trainer in Ireland

Inspire and help people to achieve their health and fitness goals with a career as a personal trainer in Ireland. This rewarding career is perfect for those who are able to motivate others, have a wealth of fitness knowledge and want to change peoples lives for the better. 

If this sounds like you, see what paths you can go down and find out how you can become a personal trainer today.

Personal trainers work with clients to help improve their health and fitness. They do this through one-to-one sessions or group fitness sessions, teaching clients which exercises will help them achieve their fitness goals, as well as providing general education on health, wellbeing and fitness. 

Person trainers will often put together work out routines for clients and coach them on the proper techniques and use of fitness equipment. Often Irish personal trainers will help with gym-based exercise, work in health clubs and coordinate with gym instructors, however they will also advise and motivate customers in other areas of health and fitness from nutrition to at-home exercise.

Some of the day to day duties of the personal trainer include:

In order to become a certified personal trainer you will need to obtain an accredited personal training qualification. Getting a qualification under your belt will mean you will be able to practise as a personal trainer in Ireland, and it will also help you stand out to employers and  potential clients, and demonstrate your expertise in health and fitness. 

There are several Personal Training courses in Ireland available which will help you, including those delivered by the NEFPC and with accreditation by the EHFA & REPs Ireland (register of exercise professionals). The course content covers key subjects such as training techniques, equipment health and safety, sports programmes for athletes, resistance training, strength & conditioning, energy nutrition and metabolism, anatomy and physiology, hormones and diet, weight loss strategies and biomechanics. 

Personal training programmes and fitness instructor courses can be delivered through blended learning, and are highly flexible. This means they accept all people of any age, and that you can study part-time or full-time, with payment options to pay the course fee in full or in instalments or on payment plans. Online learning courses and blended learning are a great option for many learners, as you can work around your current schedule and learn from qualified fitness professionals no matter where you are based. 

Make sure to check the entry requirements before you enrol on a course however, as some courses have prerequisites such as needing to hold a fitness instruction certificate, prior experience as a fitness instructor or experience in the fitness industry in order to achieve the qualification. For entry level and EQF Level 3 (European Qualifications Framework) courses however, learners may not need any professional fitness training or experience and instead it might be included in the specific personal trainer course itself.

Personal trainers are highly skilled individuals and need to use these skills to help their clients in health and fitness. Some of the main skills a personal trainer needs are: 

In most cases in order to become a personal trainer you will need some work experience. This could include working in a gym or fitness centre, working with a sports team or running a class such as pilates or coaching assistant or working in a health centre in the area of sports health and nutrition. 

Depending on the personal training course you are doing, you might be able to gain work experience as part of your course. Many personal training and fitness courses include a work experience module or work on a blended learning basis, where you will learn theoretical knowledge alongside practical work experience.

Apprenticeships are another great way of getting practical experience of personal training whilst also developing your knowledge. Approaching local gyms and fitness centres to see if they have apprenticeship schemes, or looking at an online personal training course to see if they offer blended learning, can help you gain the experience you need to secure personal trainer jobs.

There are several opportunities for career development as a personal trainer in Ireland. Once you have gained some experience as a personal trainer, you can become self-employed and begin your own personal training business. 

This is even easier to do nowadays when you can reach potential clients online and promote your business via social media. You can also choose to specialise in particular areas of personal training such as sports training for athletes or personal training for weight loss, or pivot into a healthcare and nutrition focussed career.

Personal trainers add so much value to the lives of their clients, helping them stay educated and motivated on their health and fitness journeys. If you want to become a personal trainer in Ireland, make sure to get as much experience as possible and explore the range of online personal training courses available to give you the best chance of success in this career.