Personal Training Qualifications and Professional Standards
When you choose a personal trainer you are trusting that person with your health and your movement and your progress. I believe you should know what your coach has studied and how that knowledge will be used to support you.
My name is Jonathan Gomez Alexandra. I am the founder of All Round Athlete and Gomez Valiant Performance. I provide personal training and strength and conditioning coaching at VFit Ewell near Epsom.
See My Coaching Approach
Watch the video below to learn more about All Round Athlete and the experience and professional standards I bring to my coaching.
Why Personal Training Qualifications Matter
Personal training is not simply about choosing exercises and counting repetitions. A professional coach needs to understand how to assess a client and plan appropriate training and teach movement clearly and adapt a programme as that client progresses.
Qualifications provide a foundation of professional knowledge. They help a trainer understand exercise technique and programme planning and basic anatomy and client safety.
A responsible trainer should also understand the limits of their role. If something needs the attention of a doctor or physiotherapist or another healthcare professional then the trainer should say so.
Qualifications are important but they are only one part of good coaching. Experience and communication and professional judgement also matter. A certificate does not automatically make someone a brilliant coach. The trainer still needs to apply that knowledge properly with real people.
I do not believe in giving every client the same workout. I use my education and experience to build training around the person standing in front of me.
You can read the CIMSPA Personal Trainer professional standard to learn more about the skills expected within the UK fitness profession.
My Personal Training Qualifications and Certifications
My qualifications cover personal training and strength and conditioning and body composition and athletics and boxing based fitness. Each area has helped shape the way I assess and coach and support my clients.
NASM Personal Trainer Level 2 and Level 3
My NASM personal training education gave me a formal foundation for planning exercise and teaching movement and creating structured training programmes.
I use that foundation when I assess how you move and choose exercises that suit your ability and build a plan that can progress over time.
APEC Strength and Conditioning Certified
My strength and conditioning education supports the way I coach strength and power and speed and work capacity.
I use these principles with athletes and combat sport competitors and active adults who want their training to improve real physical performance.
Poliquin Group BioSignature Modulation Certified
This education developed my approach to body composition assessment and lifestyle review.
I use body composition information as one part of a wider picture. I also consider your training and nutrition and recovery and daily habits before making recommendations.
Muscle Nerds Level 1 and Level 2
My Muscle Nerds education added to my understanding of how training and nutrition and recovery and lifestyle can work together.
It supports the whole person approach I use with clients. I want to understand more than what happens during one hour in the gym.
Athletics Coach Level 1
My athletics coaching qualification supports my work with running mechanics and speed development and athletic movement.
This is strengthened by my own background as a sprinter and my experience training in competitive athletics environments.
Padbox Level 1
My Padbox qualification supports the safe use of pad based boxing exercises within fitness sessions.
My practical background also includes amateur boxing and ongoing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training and experience with combat athletes.
My Education and Coaching Experience
My development as a coach did not begin and end with a personal training course. I have more than 20 years of sporting and training experience.
My journey began when I was 16 at Kingston College while I was also working at Virgin Active. I soon began building my private coaching business at Epsom College.
I have competed in sprinting and boxed at amateur level and trained in high performance environments. My sporting journey also took me to the United States where I experienced a different level of training culture and athletic preparation.
I continue to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I continue to learn through professional seminars and practical coaching.
Additional Study and Development
- Diploma study in Physics and Biology and Chemistry and Sports
- Continuous professional development seminars
- Training with experienced coaches and athletes
- Practical experience in boxing and athletics
- Ongoing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training
- Coaching content through the Prospect Academy app
How My Qualifications Support Your Training
Personal Assessment
I begin by learning about your goals and your health and your training experience and your lifestyle. I then look at how you move before deciding how your programme should begin.
Appropriate Exercise Selection
I choose exercises because they serve a purpose. Every movement should match your ability and support the result that we are working towards.
Clear Technique Coaching
I teach you how to perform each movement and help you understand why it is included. Good coaching should give you confidence rather than leave you guessing.
Structured Progression
Your programme changes as you improve. I adjust the exercises and training load and volume so you continue to progress.
Strength and Performance
My strength and conditioning education allows me to support clients who want to become stronger and fitter and more athletic.
Support Beyond the Session
Training is only part of the picture. I also help you consider recovery and nutrition and daily habits so your programme works within your real life.
Train With Me at VFit Ewell
I provide personal training and strength and conditioning coaching at VFit Ewell. The gym offers a focused environment where I can give you individual attention and coach every part of your session properly.
VFit Ewell
57 to 61 High Street
Ewell
Epsom KT17 1RX
What to Look for in a Personal Trainer in Epsom
Finding a fully qualified personal trainer in Epsom should involve more than looking at photographs or choosing the person with the biggest social media following.
Ask questions and make sure you feel comfortable with the answers. A professional coach should be willing to explain their qualifications and their experience and the way they work.
Relevant Qualifications
Ask what qualifications the trainer holds and whether their education is relevant to your goals.
Real Coaching Experience
Ask how long they have coached and whether they have experience with people who have needs similar to yours.
A Personal Approach
Your programme should reflect your body and your goals and your lifestyle. It should not be copied from another client.
Health Screening
A responsible trainer should ask about your health and injury history before beginning demanding exercise.
Clear Communication
You should understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. Your coach should also listen to your feedback.
Professional Boundaries
A trainer should understand the limits of their role and refer you to an appropriate healthcare professional when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Training Qualifications
What qualifications should a personal trainer have?
A personal trainer should have an appropriate qualification that covers exercise planning and coaching and client safety. The right additional education will depend on the people and goals they support.
Are qualifications more important than experience?
Both matter. Qualifications provide an educational foundation. Experience helps a coach apply that knowledge with different people. I believe the strongest coaching combines both.
What qualifications do you hold?
My published qualifications include NASM Personal Trainer Level 2 and Level 3 and APEC Strength and Conditioning and Poliquin Group BioSignature Modulation and Muscle Nerds Level 1 and Level 2 and Athletics Coach Level 1 and Padbox Level 1.
Are you a strength and conditioning coach?
Yes. I hold an APEC Strength and Conditioning certification. I use strength and conditioning principles with active adults and athletes and combat sport competitors.
Where do you provide personal training?
I provide personal training at VFit Ewell near Epsom town centre. The address is 57 to 61 High Street in Ewell with the postcode KT17 1RX. I also offer online coaching.
Can I discuss my goals before booking?
Yes. Your first telephone consultation is free. We can talk about your goals and your training history and what type of coaching may suit you.
Ready to Train With a Qualified Personal Trainer?
Tell me what you want to achieve and what has made progress difficult in the past. I will explain how I work and help you decide whether my coaching is the right fit for you.
Your first telephone consultation is free and there is no pressure to commit.