Going self-employed
Going self-employed as a personal trainer?
Get your session and online-coaching pricing, client records and no-show policy organised before your diary fills up.
Instant digital downloads · UK-focused templates and guides · Not a substitute for professional advice.
The work is one thing. The setup is another.
Coaching a great session is one thing; running it as a business is another. Once you're working for yourself, whether you're renting a gym floor on a percentage split, building your own studio or training clients outdoors and online, you're also pricing single sessions against blocks and monthly coaching, taking deposits so packages actually pay, keeping your PAR-Q and client records tidy, and chasing retention past that first block. LaunchKit is a set of UK-focused, downloadable templates and guides designed to help you think through that setup side and get organised. It's a practical starting point, not a substitute for professional advice.
- Pricing single sessions against blocks and monthly online coaching without quietly undervaluing your time
- Working out gym-floor rent or your percentage split so what's left after the gym takes its cut still pays you properly
- Keeping PAR-Q health-screening forms and client records tidy and easy to find for everyone you train (practical record-keeping, not medical or health advice)
- Setting a clear cancellation and no-show policy so a late drop-out doesn't blow a whole morning of slots
- Holding onto clients past their first block and staying visible on Instagram so referrals and rebookings keep coming
What to sort first
Your get-set-up checklist
- 1
Set your session, block and online pricing
Work out what a single session, a 6 or 12-week block and monthly online coaching should each cost, so you're not undervaluing longer commitments.
- 2
Work out your gym-floor costs
Factor in rent or your percentage split before you set rates, so what's left after the gym's cut actually pays for your time.
- 3
Get your client records organised
Have a tidy place for PAR-Q health-screening forms and client notes for everyone you train. This is practical record-keeping, not medical or health advice.
- 4
Decide your cancellation and no-show policy
Set a clear deposit and cancellation rule before you book anyone in, so a last-minute drop-out doesn't cost you the slot.
- 5
Plan how you'll keep clients
Decide how you'll move clients onto their next block or monthly coaching, including how you'll deliver online programmes through a coaching app, so you're not constantly starting from scratch. Keep any results talk honest and realistic rather than over-promised.
- 6
Make yourself easy to find
Plan how new clients find you on Instagram, on the gym floor and through referrals, keeping any progress posts honest and modest about results.
- 7
Look into the basics for your setup
Insurance and your training space are worth sorting early. This is a prompt to look into, not insurance advice, and the templates don't replace your qualifications, insurance or professional judgement.
Recommended LaunchKit tools
Tools that help you get set up
Walks you through the practical first steps of setting up as a self-employed personal trainer so you're not guessing what to sort first.
See what’s inside Your paperworkReady-to-use consultation, PAR-Q and client-agreement templates plus session paperwork, to keep your client records consistent (a starting point to think through, not legal advice).
See what’s inside Your pricingHelps you work through single-session, block and online-coaching pricing alongside gym rent or your percentage split so your rates cover the work.
See what’s inside Getting foundContent templates to help you stay visible on Instagram and the gym floor so referrals and rebookings keep coming, with progress posts kept honest.
See what’s inside Your wordsHelps you write enquiry replies, programme descriptions and Instagram captions without staring at a blank screen between clients.
See what’s inside Money adminA set of forms to help you keep deposits, block payments and session takings organised across a busy week of clients.
See what’s inside Record-keepingA structured workbook to help you keep records organised for Making Tax Digital as a sole trader.
See what’s insideNot sure where to start? See everything for personal trainers or browse all LaunchKit products.
Suggested starter stack
A sensible order to build up
The same tools, grouped in the order most people pick them up. You don’t need everything at once — start with the essentials, then add the rest as your business grows.
Add next
Common questions
Before you buy anything
- Do I need to buy everything before I start taking clients?
- No. Most trainers start with the startup guide to get the basics organised, then add the client templates and a pricing tool as they go. It's designed to help you build up your setup at your own pace.
- Are these legal or compliance documents?
- No. These are downloadable templates and guides to help you get organised and set up practically. They're a way to keep your own records tidy, not medical or health advice, and they're not a substitute for professional advice. They don't replace any qualifications, insurance or professional judgement you're responsible for as a personal trainer.
- Can I use these if I'm already training clients?
- Yes. Plenty of trainers who are already working pick these up to tidy up their pricing, client records and no-show policy rather than starting from scratch.
- How do I receive the files?
- They're instant digital downloads. After purchase you can download the templates and guides straight away and start using them.
- Which should I buy first?
- A good practical starting point is the startup guide, followed by the business documents for your consultation and PAR-Q paperwork and the pricing calculator to set your session and block rates. From there you can add the other tools as you need them.
Start with the right tools
Get the admin side organised so you can focus on the work. Browse the tools built for personal trainers businesses.
Related
Going self-employed in a related field
Free updates
Thinking about going self-employed?
Occasional practical tips and new tools for UK small businesses. No spam.