contracts
Personal Training Contract: Template and Key Clauses (2026)
A personal training contract is the agreement between a trainer and a client who is buying in-person coaching, usually a block of sessions. It sets out how many sessions the client has bought, how they are scheduled and cancelled, the health information the trainer needs, and how injury risk is handled. Because training involves physical exertion and the client pays in advance, a clear contract protects both the trainer's income and the client's safety. Below is a template you can copy, followed by a walk-through. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules on liability waivers, consumer rights and prepaid packages vary by country and state, and a waiver cannot remove liability for everything, so confirm the local position. ## A personal training contract template you can copy ``` PERSONAL TRAINING AGREEMENT Date: [date] Trainer: [name, qualification, contact] Client: [full name, contact] 1. SERVICES The Trainer will provide [number] one-to-one training sessions of [length] each, at [location], covering [goals, e.g. strength, weight loss]. The Trainer is not a doctor, physiotherapist or dietitian. 2. HEALTH SCREENING The Client completes a health questionnaire before the first session and confirms they are fit to exercise. The Client will tell the Trainer about any injury, illness, pregnancy or medication that affects training, and is advised to consult a doctor before starting. 3. FEES AND PACKAGES Package: [number] sessions for [amount], paid [in advance / per month]. Sessions must be used within [number] weeks. Packages are [non-refundable / refundable on these terms]. 4. SCHEDULING AND CANCELLATION Sessions are booked [weekly / as agreed]. A session cancelled with less than [number] hours notice, or a no-show, is counted as used. The Trainer will give [number] hours notice to reschedule. 5. LATE AND MISSED SESSIONS If the Client arrives late, the session still ends at the scheduled time. If the Trainer is late, the time is made up or the session is rescheduled. 6. ASSUMPTION OF RISK The Client understands that exercise carries a risk of injury and agrees to train within their own limits and to stop and tell the Trainer about any pain or discomfort. 7. LIABILITY The Trainer is responsible for delivering sessions with reasonable care and skill. The Trainer's liability for matters that can lawfully be limited is capped at the fees paid. Nothing limits liability that cannot be excluded by law, such as death or injury caused by negligence where the law does not allow it to be excluded. 8. CONFIDENTIALITY The Trainer keeps the Client's health and personal information confidential and uses it only to deliver training. 9. STATUS The Trainer is an independent contractor, responsible for their own taxes and insurance, and is not an employee of the Client or the gym. 10. GOVERNING LAW This agreement is governed by the law of [place]. SIGNED Trainer: ____________ Date ______ Client: ____________ Date ______
Frequently asked questions
- Does a liability waiver fully protect a personal trainer?
- No. A waiver can record that the client understands exercise carries injury risk and agrees to train within their limits, which helps. But in many places you cannot sign away liability for injury caused by your own negligence, and some courts refuse to enforce broad waivers. Treat the waiver as one layer, keep a completed health questionnaire, and carry proper insurance.
- Should training packages have an expiry date?
- Yes. Set a window, for example that a ten-session package must be used within twelve weeks, so a prepaid block does not hang over you indefinitely. State clearly whether the package is refundable. Be aware that a blanket no-refund rule on prepaid services can conflict with consumer protection law in some places, so keep the terms reasonable.
- How should I handle late cancellations and no-shows?
- State a notice period in hours, often 24, and provide that a session cancelled inside that window or a no-show counts as used. Apply the same notice period to yourself when you need to reschedule. Without this clause your diary becomes a loss, because the time you reserved cannot be resold at short notice.
- What health information should I collect before training?
- Use a pre-exercise health questionnaire before the first session that asks about injuries, heart and blood pressure conditions, medication, pregnancy and anything that affects exercise. Ask the client to confirm they are fit to train and to see a doctor if anything suggests it. Keep this on file and keep it confidential, as it both guides your training and shows you took reasonable care.
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