The Online Trainer Academy course is made up of 5 modules, each of which dives into a specific topic you’ll be expected to learn and pass a test on to become a Certified Online Trainer. Here’s a quick breakdown of the modules:

The first module lays down the foundation for the lessons to come. In it, Jon Goodman, the course creator and presenter, talks about how to use the textbook and digital portal together to maximise how you learn.

Straight away, Jon addresses some fundamental business principles you’ll need to create not only a profitable online business but an offline business that makes money too.

In module 1 you’ll address some of the most common questions personal trainers have when starting out, inducing how to define a niche, choosing a business name, creating a USP and how to get a couple of clients straight away so that you can hit the ground running.

The purpose of module 2 is to get your business running like a well oiled machine (Jon’s words, not mine). You’ll learn fitness business basics, including:​

• How to develop, package, and price your programs.
• The benefits of a hybrid model and how it can work for you.
• Business systems such as productivity, software, etc.
• How to get renewals and referrals so you have a steady stream of clients.
• What you need to know about legalities and finding a lawyer.​

In short, by the end of module 2 you’ll have your packages, prices and a business model set up, a good idea for what software to use, a better understanding of business legalities and a few strategies for gaining referrals and ensuring renewals.

I was a little surprised and delighted to see a whole module dedicated to taking care of clients. It’s not something most business owner talk about and it’s certainly not something you see being taught everyday.

However, being an ex personal trainer and now a website designer to personal trainers, taking care of clients is something I not only emphasise myself but also teach my clients.
In the chapters of this module, Jon talks about whether you can actually assess clients online and the validity of those assessments, celebrating little wins with your clients and using the tools available to you to make sure you acknowledge your clients’ hard work.
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Also included in the module is whether you can use training templates, when to use them and what considerations you need to take when creating specific training programmes for individual clients.

How to get clients is usually where most PT’s would like to jump in. But in good business fashion, the module on how to get clients is one of the last to learn. Presumably because there’s no point having a ton of clients if you don’t have the systems in place to serve those clients to your best ability.

In module 4 you’ll learn how to use your existing network to get more leads, how to build out your list of contacts and how to attract potential list of clients that aren’t just made up of your friends and family members.
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You’ll also cover important marketing topics like Facebook Groups, email marketing and Facebook ads. It might sound complex but don’t worry, each marketing strategy comes with its own how to guide and scripts you can copy and paste.

The final module is more of a skills add on to compliment the other modules. IN it you’ll learn about sales, sales copywriting, getting testimonials and becoming an expert.

You’ll also get answers to common questions like the difference between posting on Facebook Pages and posting on Facebook Groups, how to hire a virtual assistant and what to do if your gym doesn’t approve of your online training.

In short, Module 999 contains the less essential skills you need to get going and scale.