Personal Fitness Trainer

Lamson’s Personal Fitness Trainer diploma program is 800 clock hours of traditional in-classroom and lab-based training in a real gym and classroom environment. It prepares students for entry-level personal trainer positions with the knowledge and skills to help clients reach their fitness goals: evaluating individuals’ abilities, needs and physical conditions, planning routines and choosing movements for each muscle group, demonstrating exercises and correcting technique to minimize injury, monitoring progress and adapting programs, enforcing safety rules, giving nutrition and lifestyle information, and giving emergency first aid if needed.

The curriculum covers anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, exercise nutrition, assessment and program design, strength and conditioning, corrective exercise, biomechanics and the business side of personal training. Students take practice exams throughout and officially sit for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Nutrition Coach exams during the program; passing is not a graduation requirement. The program also prepares students to test for the NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist credential, and graduates receive CPR certification.

Lamson Institute has provided hands-on career training in Northwest San Antonio since August 2007, as a branch campus of the Institute for Business and Technology, which was founded in 1965. The school’s mission is to prepare students for career-focused employment by delivering relevant career training, and its curriculum is reviewed regularly by industry professionals.

• Programs can be completed in as few as 9 to 11 months, with morning and evening classes.
• The campus occupies approximately 55,000 square feet in the Exchange Plaza at N.W. Loop 410 and Bandera Road, with classrooms, lecture rooms, a learning resource center, computer labs, medical labs and specialized instructional areas.
• Small classes: traditional class size is up to 30 students, the maximum student-teacher ratio in a laboratory class is 20 to 1, and computer labs have one-to-one equipment.
• USA TODAY, with research firm Statista, named Lamson Institute one of America’s Top Vocational Schools for 2026.
• Graduates may retake any course they have completed at no charge, apart from books and supplies, when space is available.

To be eligible for enrollment at Lamson Institute, applicants must:

• Have a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent, such as a GED or HiSET certificate, a foreign secondary credential with a third-party evaluation, a qualifying college transcript, or a homeschool credential.
• Be at least 18, or 17 with written parent or guardian approval and turning 18 before their expected graduation date or before beginning any externship, whichever comes first.
• Take and pass the EduReady Admissions Assessment with a minimum score of 75 (two re-tests with an alternate form are allowed). This is waived for applicants with an associate degree or higher from an accredited U.S. school.
• Visit and tour the school and complete a personal interview with an admissions representative.
• Show a valid Social Security card and a valid government-issued photo ID or driver’s license.
• Complete an enrollment agreement, attend a financial aid interview if appropriate, and pay the one-time registration fee.

Students enrolling in the Electrical Technician and Commercial Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning programs must provide evidence of a valid, current driver’s license, because employers in these fields require one. Dental Assisting applicants must also pass a criminal background check and fingerprinting/drug screening and provide a signed order for x-rays (18 fmx/pano) from their dentist.

The program runs in 4-week modules, with classes of 5 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, in the morning (8:00 am – 1:00 pm) or evening (5:45 pm – 10:45 pm) session. The expected completion time is 40 weeks.

2026 start dates (and graduation dates): January 19 (October 22, 2026); February 16 (November 19, 2026); March 16 (December 17, 2026); April 13 (January 28, 2027); May 11 (February 25, 2027); June 8 (March 25, 2027); July 6 (April 22, 2027); August 3 (May 20, 2027); August 31 (June 17, 2027); September 28 (July 15, 2027); October 26 (August 12, 2027); November 23 (September 9, 2027).

The school is closed on Memorial Day, July 3, Labor Day, Veterans Day (November 11), November 26–27 for Thanksgiving, and December 21, 2026 – January 1, 2027 for winter break.

Program costs (starts on or after February 1, 2026): tuition $13,954; registration fee $50; books $971; uniforms $200; total $15,175. Students may opt out of buying their books from the school. Tuition is guaranteed for the term of your enrollment.

Financial aid. Lamson is approved to participate in federal Title IV programs for students who qualify: the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct PLUS Loans for parents. Apply by completing the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov. Institutional payment plans are available for charges not met by aid, Climb Credit offers third-party financing, and the school can bill employers, workforce agencies or the VA for eligible students.

The program prepares students for entry-level work with fitness or recreation facilities, gyms, country clubs, hospitals, universities and resorts. Example entry-level job titles include Personal Trainer/Fitness Trainer, Group Personal Trainer, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Weight Loss Specialist and Nutritional Specialist. Graduates are eligible to take a certification exam from NASM, ACE, NSCA or ACSM; certification is not required for employment, but it is highly desired by most employers. In larger facilities personal trainers often sell their training sessions to members, and in smaller facilities they may also work the front desk, sign up members and supervise equipment areas.

Outcomes. In the 2025 ACCET report (students scheduled to complete in 2024), the program had one student, who completed (100%); that completer was not placed.

Career services. The Career Services Department helps students and graduates with job leads, resumes, cover letters, applications and interviews, at no additional cost throughout their careers. Lamson does not promise or guarantee employment. Graduates who show 30 days of career-related employment receive a $100 Graduate Employment Gift.

Class schedule. In-classroom programs meet Monday through Thursday for 5 hours each day or evening: the morning session runs 8:00 am – 1:00 pm and the evening session 5:45 pm – 10:45 pm, in 50-minute class periods with breaks. When a holiday falls on a Monday, classes meet Tuesday through Friday that week. All students have a weekly commitment of 20 hours of lecture and lab.

Support. All new students attend an orientation that introduces faculty, administrators and academic life. Tutors are available as needed at no charge, and the Director of Education and Director of Career Services offer advising.

Grading. Grades are A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79) and F (below 70), based on written exams, practical exercises, projects and other work.

Graduation. To graduate you must complete all required courses and credits, earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, complete each course with at least 80% attendance, and pass all required competency and skill testing. Graduating students also complete an exit interview with Career Services and submit an approved resume, cover letter and three references.