Personal Training Contract Template

A personal training contract is a legal document between a trainer or coach and a client who orders training services. This type of legal contract enables personal trainers for sports, business coaches, or other training employees to perform training services for clients. Create your training contract template with Lawrina, keep it safely in your inbox, and easily download the PDF document.

Template Description

A personal training client agreement form is a legally binding contract between a personal trainer and a client that outlines the terms of their engagement. The agreement may include the scope of services the trainer will provide, including frequency and duration of sessions, payment terms, and termination. Create and purchase a simple legal personal trainer agreement, complete it, download it, and sign it to have an amicable working relationship with your trainees.

What Is a Personal Training Contract?

A personal training contract agreement is a formal document that outlines the conditions under which personal trainers, business coaches, or other training professionals engage with clients or trainees. Fitness contracts help contractors and clients outline the training scope and timelines, plus fees for each training session or fitness program.

Parties of the Personal Training Contract

A personal training contract sets out the terms of engagement between:

• A Personal Trainer –– The individual or company issuing personal training services; and
• A Client — The individual or entity receiving the services.

Key Terms

A personal training contract template may have complex terminologies difficult for an individual not well versed in contract law. Some of these terminologies include:

• Force majeure — Outlines what the parties want to happen when an unforeseeable event, such as a natural disaster, makes it impossible for the parties to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations under the contract.
• Governing law — The term is used to define the law that will be used to interpret and enforce the contract. In case of disputes, the governing law also determines the jurisdiction or state where the matter will be heard and resolved.
• Indemnification — A waiver may include language that holds a trainer responsible for any harm, loss, or damages the client experiences due to their actions.
• Liability waiver – A term used in a clause that works to hold the personal trainer blameless for any injury or harm sustained by the client under circumstances beyond the trainer's control.

Comprehensive training services agreements protect both the trainer and the client. An indemnification clause protects the client's interest in case of harm, while a liability waiver protects the trainer if the client suffers harm because of the client’s actions.

Important Clauses in Personal Training Contracts

When you're drafting a personal training agreement form sample, here are the main terms and conditions for personal trainers you should include:

1. Training program: this section includes the framework the trainer should provide for a client or a group of clients. The program describes tasks and key performance indicators (KPIs) if applicable. Both parties should discuss all the training details before completing this provision.
2. Payment: this clause describes applicable fees for each session or training program. Trainers and clients can also agree on monthly payments in cases of long-term cooperation.
3. Consent and Need for Medical Examination: this clause specifies that clients should pass a medical checkup before training sessions. The trainer cannot force their clients to do this, but this provision protects the trainers from additional liability for a trainee’s pre-existing health issues.
4. Release Liability: if the client refuses to check his or her health before training sessions, the coach cannot take full responsibility for the physical harm that occurred during the training or that was exacerbated by the training.
5. Cancellation Policy: this provision describes the “penalties” if the client cannot make the training session on time. For example, the session can be refundable if the client has notified the trainer more than three days before the scheduled session. If the client cancels the training 24 hours before, the session traditionally cannot be refundable. Trainers and clients can also establish rescheduling terms and clarify which cases are considered “force majeure.”
6. Warranties: this section clearly states the training outcomes that the client and the coach may expect from each other and for which actions they are not responsible.
7. Contract Termination: either party may end their agreement if the other party breaks the agreed terms. For example, the trainer can terminate sessions if the client has missed the payment deadline multiple times. The client can also stop training sessions if he or she has faced a trainer's inappropriate attitude, and vice versa.

Staying on the same page on a personal training contract agreement will help clients and coaches avoid legal disputes and possible court hearings.

How To Write a Personal Training Agreement

The trainer and the client have different factors they need to consider while writing a pdf personal training contract template. Each will take the following steps.

Steps to take as a client include:

1. Determine your training needs — Think through your training objectives. Do you want to lose weight? Build muscle mass? Or improve your overall fitness and flexibility?
2. Research personal trainers and contact a few — Once you are clear on your objectives, seek out personal trainers in your area and contact a few. Ask them questions relevant to your training objectives, and be sure to ask them to give you testimonials from clients who achieved the same results as the ones you seek.
3. Negotiate terms and sign the agreement — After engaging a few trainers, settle on one individual or company and negotiate the terms. Essential terms may include training frequency, fees, payment schedule, liability, and indemnity.

Steps for the personal trainer are:

1. Understand the client's training objective — Take time to understand the client's objectives and create a personal fitness plan for them.
2. Propose a training schedule that will help meet those objectives — As informed by the plan, develop a training schedule with costs and share it with them for negotiation.
3. Negotiate — Agree on certain factors such as fees, training location, frequency of sessions, payment schedule, and other details.
4. Prepare and sign the agreement — Once you agree on the details, prepare the agreement and send it to them for signing.

Usually, personal training liability waiver template contracts include the Full Disclosure of Physical Conditions/informed Consent and Assumption of the Risk, and Release of Liability, according to which the Client confirms that he/she has given full disclosure of all physical conditions and illness that might affect the participation in the training activities. It also states that the Client releases the Trainer from any and all liability, claims, demands, which may arise in connection with his/her participation in the training activities.

When Should a Personal Training Contract Be Used?

A personal training contract template should be used when a client and personal trainer agree to work together towards a client's health and fitness objectives.

Common Use Cases

A personal trainer should use an agreement when working with clients who:

• Are preparing for specific sports events;
• Have clear long or short-term objectives, e.g., weight loss; or
• Want specialized training, e.g., yoga instruction or strength and flexibility training.

When Not To Use the Personal Training Contract

On the other hand, a personal training contract template should not be used when a client:

• Only seeks to participate in a one-time fitness class;
• Wants access to fitness equipment but not instruction; or
• Wants to participate in group sessions such as spin classes or aerobics.

Gyms across the U.S. have individual regulations on personal training contracts. Commonly, trainers are eligible to terminate the legal agreement with their client if the client doesn’t notify the trainer of the absence beforehand or doesn’t attend three or more sessions. You should learn more about your gym regulations on fitness contracts on the gym website or ask the authorized personnel to clarify the matter.

State Law

The personal training contract template should be written in accordance with your state law. Title 48 of Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 1 Subchapter F Part 37 “Service Contracting” applies to all contracts for services, regardless of the contract type and of the kind of service being provided.

Special requirements to training contracts may be established in certain U.S. states. For instance, in Georgia, every personal training establishment is required to submit a copy of a personal training contract for review and approval to the Consumer Protection Division. Moreover, a personal training establishment has on file a statement signed by the Attorney General certifying that a copy of the contract is on file with the Attorney General and follows the requirements of Fair Business Practices Act.