Specialist Exercise Instructor Training

The UK’s leading Specialist Cardiac Exercise Instructor training course for exercise professionals.

Why enrol and gain this qualification with BACPR?

  • To further your career in health and fitness

  • To enable you to safely prescribe and deliver an exercise programme for individuals with cardiovascular disease

  • To enhance your knowledge in the field of cardiovascular disease to use in your existing work whether working in a gym setting, personal training or supervising group exercise classes.

  • To gain the gold standard Specialist Exercise Instructor Cardiac Qualification recognised by CIMSPA and REPS Ireland.

Course Content

The training course is currently delivered remotely online with interactive tutor led sessions.

The sessions cover:

  • Anatomy and Physiology of the heart and cardiovascular system

  • Cardiovascular disease including investigations, treatments and medication

  • Exercise Physiology - acute and chronic responses

  • The cardiac rehabilitation process

  • Risk stratification

  • Exercise programming and prescription – Aerobic Endurance and Resistance Training

  • Clinical health and safety knowledge to deal with emergency scenarios

  • Psychological considerations in cardiovascular rehabilitation

  • Practical issues around delivering a community exercise session

Course Material:

  • Comprehensive training manual

  • Course workbook

  • Access to online resources

The course was really worthwhile; fascinating, informative, very well presented, excellent study material. I found the course challenging and that is how it should be. I would thoroughly recommend it.
From the course structure & content, to the regular communication and the consideration for my individual circumstances, this course truly exceeded my expectations

Assessment

This comprises of:

  • An online multiple choice question exam

  • Electronic submission of a case study and 30 minute online viva

  • Compulsory questions 30 minute online viva

How to apply

Download application form here

(Scroll down for course dates and venues)

Submit your application form and electronic copies of your exercise qualifications which meet the entry requirement below to vstockley@bacpr.com.

Please note you must fulfil both the exercise and experience entry criteria as detailed below:

Exercise qualification

Either hold a Level 3 exercise qualification e.g personal trainer and preferably, although not essential an exercise referral qualification.

Qualified Pilates and Yoga instructors can also enrol but they would need to also hold a Level 3 fitness instructing qualification as there are some general principles of exercise that this course assumes.

Students who are from outside the UK would need to hold a EQF L5 Exercise for Health Specialist qualification.

Or

If you have a related degree, you will need to hold a separate Level 2 exercise qualification recognised by CIMSPA, or be able to demonstrate by listing the modules within your degree where you have had your practical skills related to health related practical exercise programming and prescription assessed – this must be a practical assessment rather than in theory.

Experience

Have at least 150 hours of teaching land based exercise to adults in the last two years.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme visits

Students are also asked to contact their local Core ( Phase III) Cardiac Rehabilitation programme prior to the assessment day and organise an in-person visit to conduct a short interview with one of the cardiac rehab team. If an in-person visit is not possible then this interview can be conducted online or via telephone. Details of the interview questions to be covered are shared once you are enrolled on the course.

For contact details of cardiac rehab programmes click on the following link for UK PIII Programme Finder or Republic of Ireland IACR.

Please note revalidation of this qualification is required every 3 years. The revalidation process is recognised by CIMSPA and REPS Ireland and is awarded 6 CIMSPA CPD points and 10 REPs Ireland CPD points.

  • Intro session : Monday 4th November

    Days 1 & 2: Friday 8th & Saturday 9th November

    Days 3 & 4: Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd November

    Day 5: Saturday 30th November 2024

    Assessment Dates: Friday 13th December 2024 & Saturday 8th February 2025

  • Intro session: Monday 13th, January

    Days 1 & 2: Friday 17th & Saturday 18th January

    Days 3 & 4: Friday 31st January & Saturday 1st February

    Day 5: Friday 7th February 2025

    Assessment Dates: Friday 28th February & Saturday 15th March 2025

  • Intro session : Monday 10th February

    Days 1 & 2: Thursday 13th & Friday 14th February

    Days 3 & 4: Thursday 27th & Friday 28th February

    Day 5: Friday 7th March

    Assessment Dates: Friday 4th April & Saturday 10th May 2025

  • Intro session: Monday 17th March

    Days 1 & 2: Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd March

    Days 3 & 4: Friday 4th & Saturday 5th April

    Day 5: Friday 11th April 2025

    Assessment Dates: Friday 9th May & Saturday 7th June 2025

Course Dates

Please email vstockley@bacpr.com if you wish to be notified when new course dates have been confirmed.