Established in 1984, YMCAfit is one of the UK's leading trainers of fitness professionals. We have developed the largest portfolio of fitness training products available in the UK.

Winners of the 'Best Overall Contribution to Health & Fitness in London Award'

"Standards of training, qualifications and professionalism are key issues in the fast-expanding fitness business. Since it was established in 1983, YMCAfit has been to the fore in developing courses designed to produce fitness professionals of the highest competence and integrity. For the exerciser, choosing a YMCAfit qualified instructor is a guarantee of quality."Time Out, Health & Fitness Guide

REPs Lifetime Achievement Award 2004

Robin Gargrave, Director of YMCAfit, received the Register of Exercise Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 for "professional excellence as well as making a significant contribution to the industry, making positive difference to their clients' and customers' levels of fitness and quality of life and demonstrating a commitment to raising standards within the sector".

To receive the very first REPs Lifetime Achievement Award was a personal honour for Robin Gargrave but not as great an honour as to receive a posthumous award on behalf of Lesley Mowbray at the Flame Awards in 1999. Lesley was the founder of YMCA Training and Development. Her vision, passion for quality and standards, tenacity and drive has made the training and qualifications sector of our industry what it is today. When she began her work in 1983, people scoffed at the mere suggestion that the workforce in the Fitness Industry should be qualified. Today it is unthinkable that anyone employed as a Fitness Instructor should be unqualified….all thanks to Lesley and Central YMCA.

YMCAfit aims to provide the highest quality training and education services in fitness, exercise and activity for health in order to equip the individual with the skills and knowledge to improve their own quality of life and that of the community around them.

25 years of fitness industry experience

At YMCAfit (formerly known as YMCA Training and Development) we delivered the first Exercise to Music course in 1984 and have since trained over 67,000 instructors.

A registered charity

As we are not for profit, we are able to use all our resources to improve and develop our courses and customer service.

You've almost certainly come to us because you've heard about our reputation as providers of ‘Gold Standard' training for the dynamic and exciting fitness industry, but where did it all begin?

YMCAfit is a registered charity and began life as YMCA Training and Development, within the famous Tottenham Court Road Central YMCA Club, in London in 1983. It was there that a small group of visionary educators became inspired by a new exercise phenomenon sweeping the country, the use of music in exercise classes. Despite the massive growth in Exercise to Music (Aerobics) at that time, there was little or no opportunity for individuals to learn how to instruct classes which were creative, safe and effective. It was in answer to this demand that YMCA Training and Development was born.

In 1984 the first Exercise to Music (Aerobics) course took place and began a journey during which over 70,000 individuals have been trained to become professional fitness instructors. In fact, if you go to almost any gym in the country you'll find YMCA trained and qualified staff.

In 1997 Government legislation brought about widespread changes in funding support for education and YMCA Training and Development separated to become two independent charities: Central YMCA Qualifications (CYQ), a government approved qualifications awarding body, and YMCAfit as you know us now.

YMCAfit, just like the fitness industry, never stands still. We continue to invest heavily in a development programme that provides exciting, relevant and high quality training opportunities for instructors across a wide range of disciplines.

Whether you are thinking of beginning your career in exercise and fitness, or moving upwards into advanced levels, you'll find that there are many new and exciting ways to add skills to your professional repertoire.