Personal Fitness Trainer

ATI's Personal Fitness Trainer program will prepare students for entry-level personal trainer positions with the basic knowledge and skills required to assist their customers in reaching their fitness goals. Students will learn how to plan routines, choose different movements for each set of muscles depending on participants' capabilities and limitations, as well as evaluate individuals' abilities, needs, and physical conditions, and develop suitable training programs to meet any special requirements.

The entry-level Personal Trainer will demonstrate how to carry out various exercises and routines, watch clients do exercises and show or tell them correct techniques to minimize injury and improve fitness, give alternative exercises during workouts or classes for different levels of fitness and skill, monitor clients' progress and adapt programs as needed, explain and enforce safety rules and regulations on sports, recreational activities, and the use of exercise equipment, give clients information or resources about nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues, and give emergency first aid if needed.

Students completing this program will be eligible to take a certification exam from one of the major certifying organizations: National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Personal Fitness Trainer program students will take practice exams for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach exams throughout the program and officially take these exams during the program. Passing these NASM exams is not a condition for graduation from the PFT program.

NASM exams during the program. Students officially sit for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer exam (in PFT104) and the NASM Certified Nutrition Coach exam (in PFT105) during the program; PFT108 prepares students to take NASM's Corrective Exercise Specialist credentialing examination and includes certification in CPR.

In-person training. ATI's Personal Fitness Trainer program takes a hands-on, in-person approach in a real gym and classroom environment on our S. Decatur Blvd. campus: 800 clock hours of structured, in-classroom and lab-based training; live instruction from experienced trainers who coach your form, cueing, and programming in real time; and hands-on practice with assessments, program design, strength & conditioning, and corrective exercise on actual equipment.

Equipment. Students train with cardio equipment, Hammerstrength machines, stationary plyometric trainers, medicine balls, kettle bells, resistance trainers, free weights, a Synergy multilayer, skeletal models, muscular diagrams, CPR training aids and a networked computer lab.

The admission procedure requires an exchange of information between the applicant and the school, which maintains a staff of representatives for this purpose. These representatives conduct a personal interview with each prospective applicant before any decision is made to submit an application for admission. During the interview, the representative will discuss the School's educational programs in relation to the applicant's career preferences, training needs, and individual motivations.

ATI administration will review the information and inform the applicant in writing whether they have been accepted for enrollment. If an applicant is not accepted, all monies paid by the applicant are refunded. Admissions representatives are available for day and evening appointments; high school applicants should be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

All students will have a weekly time commitment of 20 hours of lecture and lab on one of the following schedules: AM 8am-1pm, AFT 12:15pm-5:15pm or EVE 5:20pm-10:20pm, Monday through Thursday (5 hours per day). Normal program length is 40 weeks; the maximum time frame is 60 weeks.

Orientation is scheduled for the Thursday prior to the first week of class; all newly admitted students are required to participate.

Upcoming start dates. The catalog's 2026 course schedule lists remaining starts on November 9, 2026 and December 7, 2026.

Tuition and fees. Per the 2026-2028 catalog Tuition and Fee Schedule, the Personal Fitness Trainer program costs:

• Tuition: $13,657.00
• Registration Fee: $75.00
• Books: $971.00
• Uniforms: $125.00
• Total: $14,828.00

Books. Required books for Personal Fitness Trainer (Website Published Book List effective 12/19/2025): Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition, 6th edition; Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training, 2nd edition; NASM Essentials of Sport Performance Training, 3rd edition; Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professionals, 3rd edition; Exercise Physiology: Integrating Theory and Application, 3rd edition; Manual of Structural Kinesiology; and Trail Guide to Movement, for an ATI student price of $971.00 (retail $1,028.29). Per the catalog, the cost of original course books is included in the price for the Personal Fitness Trainer program; additional or replacement books are available for a fee.

Payment plans. Tuition, fees, and book and supplies charges are due and payable in full at registration; accepted methods of payment include cash, personal check and credit card. Arrangements may be made for students to pay the portion of charges not met by financial aid, scholarships, or other sources on an installment basis. If one of the primary financing options does not fully cover the student's program costs, the School offers institutional payment plans; the first payment is due 30 days from the day the student begins school and the interest rate is fixed throughout the term of the note/contract.

Federal financial aid. Financial aid is available for those who qualify, including the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Direct Parent PLUS Loans. Students apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov; ATI's federal school code is 041710.

Veterans. Programs at ATI are approved for the training of veterans. To check eligibility for benefits, call 1-888-GIBILL-1. The school does not penalize students using VA Education benefit programs under Chapters 33 and 31 due to delayed disbursement funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Other financing. Students eligible for tuition assistance from their employer, workforce agency or the Veteran's Administration may use the Employer/Agency Contract Billing Program. Climb Credit is a third party lender that offers financing options to help eligible students pay for their training; approval is not guaranteed and is subject to Climb Credit's terms.

Indirect costs. Advanced Training Institute does not offer housing, meal plans or transportation for students. Estimated monthly indirect costs are $1,578 for students living off campus (room & board $1,017, personal expenses $412, transportation $149) and $762 for students living with parents (room & board $393, personal expenses $220, transportation $149).

Net Price Calculator. Want a personalized estimate of what your program could cost after grants and scholarships? Try ATI's Net Price Calculator at https://atitraining.edu/net-price-calculator/.

Successful completion of this program will prepare students for entry-level work with: fitness or recreation facilities, gyms, country clubs, hospitals, universities, and resorts. A graduate of the Personal Fitness Trainer program is qualified for entry-level positions with the following titles:

• Personal Trainer Fitness (SOC 39-9031)
• Nutritional Specialist (SOC 29-1031)
• Group Personal Trainer (SOC 39-9031)
• Weight Loss Specialist (SOC 29-1128)
• Performance Enhancement Specialist (SOC 39-9031)
• Corrective Exercise Specialist (SOC 29-9091)

It is important to note that while NASM certification (or other industry certifications) is not an industry requirement for employment as a Personal Fitness Trainer, it is highly desired by most employers such that a lack of certification may limit employment opportunities for graduates.

Completion and placement. According to ATI's 2026 ACCET Completion and Placement Statistics (annual report filed with ACCET in May 2026, students scheduled to complete January–December 2025), the Personal Fitness Trainer program had a completion rate of 73.91% (17 of 23 eligible students) and a placement rate of 100.00% (16 of 16 eligible completers).

ATI does not promise or guarantee employment to any student or graduate. Some entry-level positions may require additional certifications, background checks, drug screenings, or state licensure not provided by the ATI program.

Advanced Training Institute occupies an approximately 78,000-square-foot facility in Las Vegas, with roughly 36,000 square feet dedicated solely to lab space equipped with the latest industry-standard tools. The campus includes classrooms, administrative offices, a student lounge, restrooms, and a Learning Resource Center, and is handicap accessible with free student parking.

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) is designed to support the programs offered at the campus. Students and faculty have access to a wide variety of resources such as books, periodicals, audio-visual materials and digital resources, including access to 40 online databases and a digital collection of over 135,000 scholarly titles. The average class size is 24 students.

ATI's Career Services Department offers career-related employment assistance to current students and graduates throughout their entire career, at no additional cost, including resume writing assistance, interview preparation, job search strategies and employer connections. Employment is not guaranteed.