Courses in London

A career as a personal trainer can be both financially lucrative and emotionally rewarding. You have the opportunity to run your own business and develop a career that that you can build around your life. It offers a break from the mundane cycle of working nine to five and ensures that no two days are the same.

There is no such thing as a 'one size fits all' exercise programme. The focus of this course is to give you the in-depth knowledge to develop bespoke, varied and effective exercise plans to meet your clients' specific goals.

At some point in your career, whether you are a personal trainer or fitness instructor, you are likely to find yourself teaching women who are pregnant or who have just had a baby. Or perhaps you wish to create and deliver programmes or classes exclusively for this important client group within your community. Either way, this course will provide you with the expertise and confidence you need to deliver safe and effective exercise to ante or postnatal women.

Aqua exercise is an effective format that continues to flourish in leisure facilities around the country. It is very popular with a wide variety of exercisers, as a result of its fun, low-impact approach. Instructors in this discipline are in demand wherever there is a pool. This course provides an entry into the fitness industry for those whose interests or background lead them in the direction of the pool, rather than the gym or studio. This course is an excellent addition for personal trainers who want to give their clients an opportunity to train in water.

High industry demand for aqua instructors makes this an ideal course for studio and gym instructors looking to become more versatile and employable. You will study the theory of how the body responds to training in water and gain practical experience in how to deliver fun and effective sessions using a variety of different approaches, with or without music.

To have a successful career as a personal trainer or freelance instructor, self-employed or not, requires more than just technical expertise. You also need to be able to sell your skills to potential clients, as well as understand how to run a business competently and profitably. This course will give you essential business know-how and show you how to capture and retain clients.

Cardio Kick is a dynamic, motivating and intense workout that combines simple aerobic choreography with martial arts and boxing-based moves. This module will give you the ability to build your own fresh, distinctive and fun routines, guaranteed to give your classes extra punch.

Circuit training continues to be a hugely popular class. This module will show you how to plan classes using a range of equipment and body weight exercises and also incorporates sports-specific and health-related approaches. We will teach you how to deliver exhilarating and enjoyable circuit classes.

In every community across the country there are people embedded and trusted within the community with natural charisma, leadership qualities, good communication skills and a passion and commitment for health and physical activity. The YMCAfit Community Activator programme is designed to give such people the skills, knowledge and confidence to successfully support others in the community to adopt and maintain a healthier and more physically active lifestyle.  

Core Stability is recognised as a vital element of fitness, taught by studio instructors, gym instructors and personal trainers. Core stability exercises can now be enhanced by using additional core/balance equipment (medicine balls, stability discs, bosu, foam rollers and additional available equipment), making them more challenging and fun. 

The popularity of Yoga for its health and fitness benefits continues to grow. Both gyms and yoga centres are seeing an increased demand for yoga classes on their timetables. There are many different styles of Yoga. This Yoga Professionals course is based around the practice of Hatha Yoga – the foundation from where many popular styles of yoga have developed. On the course you will learn yoga asanas (positions), pranayama (breath control), mudra (hand positions), as well as meditation and yoga kriyas (cleansing techniques).

Age should not be a barrier to exercise. For this growing section of the population exercise is an essential ingredient for a happy, healthy and active lifestyle. Choose to specialise in exercise to music, weights or circuit training to broaden your client base and ensure that you can deliver the appropriate programmes or classes and really make a difference to peoples' lives.

At some point in your career, whether you are a gym or ETM instructor, you are likely to find yourself teaching women who are pregnant or who have just had a baby. Or perhaps you wish to hold classes exclusively for this important client group within your community. Either way, ensure that you have the expertise and confidence to deliver safe and effective exercise for ante or postnatal women.

Age should not be a barrier to exercise. For this growing section of the population exercise is an essential ingredient for a happy, healthy and active lifestyle. This course will give you the tools to create fun, functional, safe and effective sessions for older adults within your area of expertise. Suitable for Gym and ETM Instructors and Personal Trainers, it will also allow you to broaden your client base and ensure that you can deliver programmes and classes that really make a difference to peoples' lives.

It seems that every day we are bombarded with conflicting information about nutrition, obesity or new diets, making this a subject your clients are guaranteed to want to discuss. This course covers the principles of healthy eating and weight management in relation to exercise, enabling you to offer nutritional advice in an exercise context.

Exercise referral schemes continue to grow in number through Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), local authorities and the private sector. This qualification will enable you to advance your career in an extremely rewarding field working with medically referred clients with low-risk medical conditions.

Exercise to Music (ETM) instructors work in fitness centres and health clubs, they also teach in community centres, church halls, schools - in fact, wherever there's a suitable space and a stereo. You will learn to use your personality to inspire groups of people of different ages and abilities. The emphasis on freestyle teaching allows students to express their creativity and imagination confidently when delivering a studio class.

Are you a gym instructor looking for a new challenge, a burst of inspiration or a way to increase your earning potential? This module will show you how to adapt your existing knowledge to the studio environment.

You will be able to create an effective exercise programme tailored to each individual client based on their physical strengths and weaknesses and their wants and needs. We recommend that this course is completed before Advanced Training.

The gym floor is vibrant, varied, often challenging and most of all, fun. You will have the opportunity to improve customers' overall well-being, enhance their fitness levels, improve their confidence and help them train for specific sports or events. You will be designing tailored gym programmes, encouraging gym users to train effectively and ensuring that they work out safely. Our Gym Instructor course will give you the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to begin your fitness career. You will receive comprehensive learning resources, guidance and support and be taught be highly qualified tutors.

If you're an ETM instructor looking to broaden your fitness horizons, this module provides an ideal introduction to gym training. It is also an essential step towards becoming a personal trainer.

Developed in conjunction with leading indoor cycling specialists Keiser, this exhilarating module, will give you the essential knowledge to deliver basic, fun and effective studio cycling classes.

YMCA Kids' Fitness courses are designed to help you reach out and inspire children to enjoy fitness and activity. We'll give you the specialist knowledge to design and deliver safe, fun-filled children's exercise programmes.

With younger children effective sessions need to be based on fun. Sessions will incorporate movement to develop balance, coordination, body and spatial awareness, confidence and social interaction.

Join the boot camp fitness phenomenon sweeping across the UK! Take a walk through the park and there is a good chance you will see people taking part in organised fitness sessions, taking advantage of the great outdoors, and escaping the confines and expense of the gym. This course will help you to find a new source of clients, expand your business, and keep more of the money you earn.

Padwork for PTs is a martial arts based approach to fitness that provides a popular and effective addition to the personal trainer’s skill set. The relentless rise in the popularity of combat style fitness training can be seen in gyms and parks across the country and is a format which appeals to an increasing numbers of clients.

Increasing number of PT clients are interested in running – the rise of the mass participation event is clear evidence of this! Learn the key skills to help your clients to improve their performance, their overall fitness, and avoid injury with this comprehensive toolkit.  

Sculpt is designed for ETM instructors who wish to include studio based resistance sessions into their portfolio of classes. This course will teach you techniques for a range of barbell training exercises, how to plan an effective workout with barbells to a group of differing fitness levels and the ability to manage and teach a group resistance training session.

Deliver effective training for clients taking part in a range of sports and events, from football to fun runs and tennis to triathlons. You will be able to create progressive sport-specific programmes to help your clients develop their skills and fitness and ultimately increase their performance. You will learn to analyse sporting movements and sports actions and create a variety of sports conditioning sessions, including integrating sport-specific activities into your overall training offering.

Designed specifically for the ETM instructor, this module builds upon basic step knowledge and allows you to develop advanced step teaching skills and techniques across a wide range of styles including tap-free, partner step, line stepping and step circuits.

ABRL equips you with 14 Advanced level exercises plus modifications using the Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector and Arc Barrel for the highly conditioned client.

ACAD prepares you to teach 28 Advanced level exercises plus modifications using the Cadillac for the highly conditioned client.

With this one day course you will learn how to teach the new Advanced Matwork exercises ranging from the ‘corkscrew’ to ‘scissors in the air’. The new Advanced Matwork exercises build on the principles of core stability and fluidity.

Learn to use the various reformer components and accessories to intensify reformer repertoire and provide a stimulating workout for athletes, dancers, and highly conditioned clients. Exercises in the Advanced repertoire require greater strength, stability and flexibility. 

ACHR provides you with 14 Advanced level exercises plus modifications using the Stability Chair for the highly conditioned client.

Incorporate a Foam Roller into exercises adapted from both the Matwork and Reformer repertoire for a workout that will challenge balance and coordination. Learn how the roller targets core stabilizers, cues alignment and challenges strength through the periphery and core and discover how to use cues and corrections to maintain safety and effectiveness in all workouts.

This unit is ideal if you are planning to work with clients who have specific problems. You will learn to customize workouts to address weaknesses, health conditions, postural problems or injuries.

IBRL prepares you to teach Level 1 (Essential and Intermediate) exercises on the Barrels. By the end of this course you will be able to fine-tune personal and circuit training programs to meet a variety of clients’ conditioning goals with 98 exercises on the Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector and Arc Barrel.

The intensive Cadillac course prepares you to teach Level 1 (Essential and Intermediate) exercises on the Cadillac. By the end of this course you will be able to fine-tune personal and circuit training programs to meet a variety of clients’ conditioning goals with 125 exercises on the Cadillac Trapeze Table.

The intensive Chair prepares you to teach Level 1 (Essential and Intermediate) exercises on the Stability Chair. By the end of this course you will be able to fine-tune personal and circuit training programs to meet a variety of clients’ conditioning goals with 63 exercises on the Stability Chair.

This course will provide you with the skills to design and teach essential and intermediate level matwork classes, integrating small equipment, which will allow you to add variety to your sessions.

This workout is designed specifically for golfers looking to increase club head speed and get more distance on the drive. Learn specifically chosen and modified STOTT PILATES Matwork exercises, which work on increasing focus and body awareness, isolating crucial core muscles and combining the elements of strength with flexibility. Trainers will be able to use this workout to benefit any level of golfer from amateur to professional.

This course will prepare you to teach a broad range of exercises, variations and modifications performed on the Reformer, and how to combine Mat and Reformer based workouts for increased variety and intensity.

Learn select exercises from the STOTT PILATES Essential Matwork repertoire incorporating the Arc Barrel for support, challenge and variety in this interactive workshop. Discover how the barrel can be incorporated into any Matwork routine for variety and challenge. Learn to support the spine in flexion, lateral flexion or extension, to target core and peripheral muscle groups, and to adapt exercises to specific body types

Learn how to adapt the STOTT PILATES® principles and exercises to a client with restricted mobility that is better suited to working in a seated position. A variety of exercises will be discussed, demonstrated and experienced that work both the core and peripheral muscle groups while keeping the body upright. The Flex-Band® exerciser will be incorporated into many of the exercises, to provide light added resistance and add variety to this full-body program.

Learn to take your clients’ game to the next level in this sports conditioning workshop. Improve strength, power and agility through new variations of familiar exercises that challenge unilateral movement, weight transference and core stability. This workshop has a special focus on the core, arms, legs, shoulders and hips as well as rotation. Learn a format on the Reformer perfect for your sports enthusiast clients and athletes of all levels. 

Give your clients and classes something to jump about with this pumped up workout on the new Cardio Tramp on the Reformer. Increase intensity and challenge coordination and cardiovascular fitness using more complex jumping intervals while ensuring safety and proper technique. Incorporate strengthening exercises for upper and lower body as well as the all-important core. Designed for intermediate to advanced level clients or groups, this plyometric workout will deliver all-over fitness while easily motivating and maintaining interest.  

Many more women will survive breast cancer today than ever before and a specially designed fitness program will be a tremendous asset to provide a more comfortable recovery and deliver increased strength and endurance to resume an active lifestyle. This workshop looks at a series of gentle, targeted resistance-based Reformer exercises, focusing on ROM for the entire shoulder girdle. Other areas of emphasis include establishing mobility, restoring posture, ensuring proper biomechanics and developing core and peripheral strength to address muscular imbalances created from various types of surgeries.

Get ready for the Matwork exam by reviewing specific Matwork exercises during this two-hour workshop. Emphasis will be placed on corrections and cues, and what to focus on during the exam. The use of props and modifications based on posture and programming will also be addressed.

Increase strength, flexibility and muscle tone with the dynamic Fitness Circle® resistance ring. This energizing workout will help you develop greater body awareness. Learn new exercise variations which target the upper and lower body including arms, shoulders, legs and abs in an all-round toning routine.

Give your clients and classes something to jump about with this pumped up workout on the new Cardio Tramp on the Reformer. Designed for intermediate to advanced level clients or groups, this plyometric workout will deliver all-over fitness while easily motivating and maintaining interest.

Learn to challenge and motivate your clients and classes using innovative and simple jumpboard combinations, separated with intervals of upper and lower body strength and flexibility exercises on the Reformer. This ultimate cardio / strength interval class, challenges your clients core, and total body strength, elevates your heart rate, while focusing on proper jumping technique. This new format keeps your clients and classes on the move.

This workshop explores the anatomy and biomechanics involved in the normal healthy functioning of the lumbo-pelvic region, some of the dysfunctions that can occur and exercise progressions to restore optimal function. 

Most women will be able to return to exercise 4-6 weeks after a regular birth or when they get clearance from their physician. Many of the exercises they may have been performing during the second and third trimester of pregnancy will be suitable now, but other exercises can be added to focus on reactivating and stabilizing the pelvic floor, transversus abdominis and obliques as well as developing lumbo-pelvic stability. This gentle but effective workout will incorporate Toning Balls to get mothers back on the right track.

This hands-on workshop outlines the importance of postural analysis in programming STOTT PILATES® workouts. Discuss the differences between static and dynamic posture and consider how each will affect exercise choices and modifications necessary. Review postural theory relating to the effect of certain postures on muscle length and strength and actively practice postural analysis.

This exciting, fast-paced workout uses the Fitness Circle® resistance ring in innovative ways to add variety and challenge to group classes or personal training programs. Learn fun yet demanding programming designed to complement Matwork and motivate clients. Let the power of the Fitness Circle increase intensity while maintaining a focus on core connection and exercise execution. 

This interactive seminar will draw upon the most current medical information, exercise guidelines, and research available on pregnancy and movement. Appropriate STOTT PILATES Matwork exercise adaptations will be explored, and programming concepts for teaching small groups and private clients will be discussed. Anatomical and physiological changes, risk factors and movement considerations will be discussed with an eye to providing a safe and effective workout throughout all trimesters and will provide strategies for building new pre-natal programs as well as enhancing those already in progress.

The Stability Ball is the perfect tool to use with prenatal clients, and adding resistance with the Flex-Band exerciser delivers a safe and effective workout for mothers-to-be. In this interactive seminar you will learn to apply the most current medical information, exercise guidelines and research available on pregnancy and movement when using innovative STOTT PILATES exercise adaptations. Learn programming concepts for teaching small groups and private clients specifically in the second trimester. Discuss anatomical and physiological changes, risk factors and movement considerations and leave with strategies for building new prenatal programs as well as enhancing those already in progress.

Seasoned instructors already know the benefits of incorporating the Fitness Circle in most Matwork sessions. Now, learn how this sprung steel circle can bring the same variety and challenge into group or private Reformer settings. Discover modifications that bring focus to a different aspect of many traditional exercises. Add more challenge to adductors and abductors of the peripheral limbs as well as assist in activating the core. The addition of the Fitness Circle reinforces correct muscle firing patterns and helps ensure correct positioning while adding an element of fun and variety to each workout.

Adding these specially designed STOTT PILATES® Reformer exercises to a male client’s routine will boost athletic performance and strengthen the core to minimize the risk of injury. Learn how to tackle this total body workout for optimum strength, endurance, agility and conditioning. Discover how adding hand-held Toning Balls™ to a Reformer workout can build coordination and challenge the body from the inside out.

Discover how to add variety and challenge to existing Matwork routines by incorporating the Flex-Band® exerciser. Use the dynamic resistance of the Flex-Band® to isolate and tone peripheral muscle groups, while assisting core stabilization. Learn cues and corrections as well as modifications to ensure safety and effectiveness for all body types.

Appropriate exercise can help to prevent and alleviate common back problems. The key is to introduce modified exercises designed to restore the natural curves of the spine while increasing core stability, mobility and function. In this gentle but strengthening workout, you’ll learn how to use basic STOTT PILATES® exercises to strengthen and stabilize core musculature and protect the body from pain.

Appropriate exercise can help to prevent and alleviate common back problems. The key is to introduce modified exercises designed to restore the natural curves of the spine while increasing core stability, mobility and function. In this gentle but strengthening workout, you’ll learn how to use basic STOTT PILATES® exercises to strengthen and stabilize core musculature and protect the body from pain. 

Zero in on common trouble spots with the precision of STOTT PILATES exercises. Use this targeted routine to gain greater tone, strength and body confidence. Incorporate the foundation concepts to target arms and shoulders, as well as legs and buns in a workout that will keep clients coming back for more. 

Explore the anatomy and biomechanics involved in the normal healthy functioning of the shoulder girdle, discuss some of the interruptions that can occur, and exercise progressions to restore optimal function. Firstly, available ROM and typical movement patterns of the shoulder girdle are broken down, analyzing scapular movement, humeral movement and relevant muscular action. Next, common abnormal or dysfunctional movement patterns are addressed. And finally, exercise progressions to rebuild normal muscle action and movement patterning are covered, as well as shoulder girdle exercises that can challenge and prepare for specific activities and enhance performance.

Incorporate soft hand-held Toning Balls™ into select exercises from the STOTT PILATES Essential Matwork repertoire. The use of these weighted balls not only targets the rotator cuff, but increases awareness and strength of the entire upper quadrant. Discover how core musculature can be stimulated to stabilize and control with the addition of light weight.

Encourage your participants to engage their minds as well as their muscles! Blending elements of yoga, Pilates and body conditioning, we will give you the tools to build a challenging holistic workout. You will explore exercises geared towards building strength and flexibility through a focus on posture, core stability and body alignment.

Suspension Fitness is an approach to fitness training that uses a system of ropes and pulleys to manipulate client’s bodyweight to produce an all body workout. The equipment used is light, small and quick to assemble which offers great portability to the freelance trainer.

Ideal for personal trainers or gym instructors, this course introduces a variety of training methods that allow you to take invigorating sessions away from the confines of the gym and into the home or the great outdoors! It will provide you with a range of options for clients with a low level of skill or fitness and who are intimidated by, or don't have access to a gym. Includes an introduction to running work outs.

Help your clients to go for gold! All across the UK and internationally the number of fitness fanatics taking part in triathlon and multi-sport events is on the rise. Lured by the eclectic range of events on offer and inspired by the positive impact of the Olympics, this trend is set to continue.

This course is ideal for instructors wanting to progress into the area of teaching instructor courses. YMCA Tutor Training gives you the skills required to deliver training in the area of fitness. This is a great first step in developing a career in tutoring in the fitness industry.

Weight Loss Guru is an innovative weight loss programme whereby personal trainers and/or fitness instructors provide support sessions for clients working their way through the online programme. Developed by Weight Loss Guru Pete Cohen - www.weightlossguru.com - the programme helps people to lose weight and live healthier lives.