How to become a Personal Trainer in Singapore
Planning to expand your passion for health and fitness into a career in Personal Training? This is a fulfilling and rewarding job if you’re someone who is passionate about helping others reach their fitness goals and feel good in their bodies. The fitness industry is vibrant and booming, with the adoption of personal fitness trainer services likely to rise at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2022 to 2032. Becoming a personal trainer can definitely be a promising career, but before you dive in, here are 3 basic steps you can take to launch your PT career.
Get Certified
The first order of business would be to obtain a form of personal training certification.
Some well-known certifications include:
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness (FISAF)
- International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Keep an eye out for the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation. This board accredits personal trainer programmes to ensure they are of a certain standard. Many reputable certifications such as ACE are accredited by NCCA.
Where to get certified
| Institute | Duration | Cost | Subsidies |
| NCSF Singapore | Course Duration: 2 days
12.00 pm – 5.30 pm
Exam: ACE Exam Exam is a 150-question MCQ examination that is done online at your own convenience. Participants have 6 months from registration to complete the exam. Passing rate is high for participants in Singapore. |
NCSF is also one of the more budget-friendly certifications.
|
SkillsFuture
Fee Claimable: $700 | Claim Period: Expires 21 Jan 2025 All Singaporeans aged 25 and above can claim up to $700 SkillsFuture Credit from the government to pay for this approved skills-related course. NTUC UTAP All NTUC Members are able to claim up to 50% of unfunded fees (up to $250 for <40 years old, up to $500 for >40 years old). |
| PSB Academy | ACE CPT Course
Course Duration: 4 days Intakes: March, June, September |
Total Course Fee: S$1,296.00
*CPR-AED Fee is only applicable for students who do not have a valid CPR-AED Certification |
Eligible for NTUC UTAP claims |
| International Sports Academy | Course Duration: 50 hours over 3+ months/ 29 hours over 4 months (Independent Online)
Next Intake: 15 Dec 2022 – 17 March 2023 Exams:
|
Total Course Fee: S$ 2198.85/ S$1,500 course and exam fees (Independent Online) | Eligible for SkillsFuture & UTAP claims
Special ISA discounts:
|
| FitAsia – Personal Trainer Development Program
(ACE Education Partner) |
Course Duration: 9 days over 2 months 9 am – 5/6 pm
Next Intake: January – February 2023 Exam: ACE Exam One of the highest passing rate among local academies with a 90% success (first attempt) in 2022 |
|
Eligible for SkillsFuture & UTAP claims |
| ACE | Course Duration: 80 – 100 hours (3 – 4 months) | US$649 (S$893) course and exam fees | No |
| ISSA (Online) | Course Duration: 12 months or less (approx 41 hours) (Online self-paced content)
Exam:
|
US$688 – 888 | No |
Getting started – Locations
Choosing the right location for your PT business is essential for its success. Fortunately, as a freelance trainer, you can afford more luxury of deciding where you would like to hold training sessions. Explore different gyms and studio rental options while considering their accessibility, price and amenities available.
| Private gym | The Gym Pod
|
$7.50 – $9.50 (per pax) per 30 min session |
| Gyms that allow access to their facilities for freelance PT sessions | iGym
|
$6 per entry per pax |
| MAX OUT Fitness | $15-$30 per hour slot | |
| Hybrid Fitness | Enquire for price | |
| Unstoppable Fitness | $15-$20 per session | |
| Platinum Fitness | Enquire for price | |
Core Collective
|
From $30 per hour | |
| Public Gyms | ActiveSG
|
$2.50 – $3.30 per entry |
| Other public spaces |
|
Free |
How much should you be charging?
According to a survey done by StringsSg on the market rate of PTs in Singapore (2022), the current personal training market rate can start as low as $50 to $180 per hour or session.
Ideally, for most fitness businesses, a healthy profit margin needs to be over 60%.
Profit Margin = Profit (Revenue – COGS) ÷ Revenue x 100%
When deciding on your PT rates, it is important to keep in mind:
- Target Market
- Who is your target market? Age and other demographics play a role in how your clients are willing to spend
- According to the same survey by StringsSg, the amount each age group is willing to pay differs drastically.
- Location
- Depending on your location and rent, you will need to adjust your prices accordingly
- Experience Level – According to SalaryExplorer
- Personal Trainers with less than two years of experience make approximately S$3,480 per month
- Someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn S$4,480 per month
- An experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of S$6,180 per month
In a nutshell
Starting your Personal Training journey is definitely exciting, and there are great opportunities that await you. The cost of starting your PT business can vary drastically from as low as $200 to $ 20,000. A well-thought-out plan is hence crucial to account for your expenses, and ensure that your business is sustainable and profitable in the long run.
This article was written by Liza Wee.