Personal Training Contract Template + Filled Example

A personal training contract template is the written agreement a trainer and client sign before the first session: what the client is buying, how sessions are booked and cancelled, how and when they pay, what health information you need first, and who carries which risk when someone lifts, runs or jumps under your supervision. Below is a complete, copyable template with 14 sections written for personal trainers, covering in-person training, online programming and hybrid packages, followed by a section-by-section guide, a filled example for a fictional client and a comparison of ways to send it.

We make Coachful, so we will show where this contract fits in a working practice: in Coachful the agreement is sent for e-signature before the first session, signed online by the client, and stored on the client record next to their intake answers, sessions, payments and check-ins. You can also paste the template into a Word file or any e-signature tool. The wording works either way; what changes is how many places you have to look when a client disputes a late cancellation in month four.

Where does a personal training contract sit between first enquiry and first session?

The contract belongs after the consultation and before the first paid session, and it should be signed at the same moment the client commits money. Signed too early, it scares off people who have not yet met you; signed too late, the first session happens on goodwill and the cancellation rules are a conversation instead of a clause.

Most personal trainers move a new client through the same six stages, whether they meet in a gym, a private studio, a park or a video call. The contract has a job at each one.

For trainers moving part of their roster online, the same contract has to cover a second delivery mode: programming delivered through an app, form-check videos and messaging between sessions. That is why the template below has a separate online section rather than treating online clients as an afterthought. If you are in the middle of that shift, our guide to moving in-person training clients online covers the client conversation itself.

What is in the personal training contract template?

The template has 14 numbered sections plus a signature block. Copy it into your own document, replace every [bracketed] item, delete the options that do not apply to your business and have it reviewed by a lawyer in your state or country before you use it with paying clients.

PERSONAL TRAINING AGREEMENT

This Personal Training Agreement ("Agreement") is made on [date] between [Trainer legal name or business name], of [business address] ("Trainer"), and [Client full name], of [client address] ("Client").

1. Services. The Trainer will provide the following training services: [package name], consisting of [number] [in-person / online / hybrid] sessions of [length, e.g. 60] minutes each, [plus / not including] individual program design, [weekly / fortnightly] check-ins and [nutrition guidance within the Trainer's qualifications / no nutrition guidance]. In-person sessions take place at [gym name and address / the Client's home at address / an outdoor location agreed in advance]. Online sessions and programming are delivered through [platform or app name] and by video call.
2. Term. This Agreement starts on [start date] and runs for [number] weeks, ending on [end date], or until all purchased sessions are used, whichever comes first. Sessions not used by the end date [expire / may be carried over once for up to number weeks].
3. Fees and payment. The Client will pay [total fee in currency] for the package, [in full before the first session / in number instalments of amount on dates / as a recurring monthly payment of amount on the date of each month]. Payment is made by [card through the Trainer's payment processor / bank transfer]. Gym entry, guest fees, equipment purchases and supplements are not included unless stated here: [list or "none"]. If a payment fails, the Trainer may pause sessions until it is resolved and will notify the Client in writing.
4. Booking and scheduling. Sessions are booked through [booking link or app] at least [number] hours in advance. The Trainer will confirm each booking and send a reminder. Regular weekly slots are held for the Client only while the Client keeps to them; a slot unused for [number] consecutive weeks may be released.
5. Cancellations and late arrival. The Client may cancel or reschedule a session without charge up to [24 / 12] hours before its start time. Later cancellations and no-shows count as a used session. If the Client arrives late, the session ends at its scheduled time. If the Trainer cancels or arrives more than [number] minutes late, the Client receives a replacement session or a credit of equal value at the Client's choice.
6. Health screening and medical clearance. Before the first session the Client will complete the Trainer's pre-exercise health questionnaire truthfully and in full. If the questionnaire or the Trainer's judgment indicates a need for medical clearance, training will not start, or will be limited, until the Client provides written clearance from a qualified health professional. The Client will tell the Trainer before each session about any new injury, illness, pregnancy, medication change or symptom such as chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath.
7. Scope of service. The Trainer is a [qualification, e.g. certified personal trainer with certifying body] and provides exercise instruction and general wellness guidance. The Trainer does not diagnose or treat injuries or medical conditions, does not provide physiotherapy, and does not prescribe diets for medical conditions. Where the Client needs that care, the Trainer will recommend they see an appropriate professional and may adjust or pause training.
8. Assumption of risk. The Client understands that exercise involves risk of injury, including muscle strains, joint injury and, rarely, cardiac events. The Client agrees to follow the Trainer's instructions, use equipment as shown, work at a level they can control and stop exercising and tell the Trainer immediately if they feel pain, dizziness or unwell.
9. Liability. To the extent permitted by law, the Trainer is not liable for injury or loss arising from the Client's failure to follow instructions, to disclose health information, or from exercise performed without the Trainer's supervision, including programs followed at home or in another gym. Nothing in this Agreement limits liability for the Trainer's negligence where the law does not allow it to be limited. The Trainer holds professional liability insurance with [insurer], policy number [number], valid until [date].
10. Online training terms. For online and hybrid clients: programs are released [weekly / at the start of each block] in [app name]. The Client will log workouts and submit check-ins by [day and time]. The Trainer will respond to messages within [number] working hours, Monday to Friday, and review form-check videos within [number] working days. The Client is responsible for a safe training space, suitable equipment and having someone nearby when training at high intensity or with heavy loads at home.
11. Pauses, refunds and transfers. The Client may pause the Agreement for up to [number] weeks in total for illness, injury with a written note, or travel booked before signing, by telling the Trainer in writing. Refunds: [no refunds for used sessions; unused sessions refunded at the per-session rate minus a fee of amount / no refunds after number days]. Sessions [may / may not] be transferred to another person [with the Trainer's written approval].
12. Privacy and data. The Trainer collects the Client's contact details, health questionnaire answers, measurements, progress photos (only with the Client's consent), workout logs and payment records to deliver the service. This data is stored in [system names], is not sold or shared except with service providers needed to run the business, and is kept for [number] years after the Agreement ends unless the law requires otherwise. The Client may ask to see, correct or delete their data by emailing [email]. Progress photos and testimonials will not be published without separate written consent.
13. Conduct. Both parties will treat each other with respect. The Trainer may end a session early, or end this Agreement, if the Client is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, behaves abusively or repeatedly ignores safety instructions. Session times are for training; the Trainer will keep communication professional and within the channels listed in this Agreement.
14. Ending the Agreement and general terms. Either party may end this Agreement with [number] days' written notice. On ending, the Client pays for sessions already used and any refund due under section 11 is paid within [number] days. This Agreement is governed by the laws of [state or country]. It is the entire agreement between the parties and may only be changed in writing signed by both. Electronic signatures are valid and binding.

Signatures

• Client: [name], signature, date
• Trainer: [name], signature, date
• For a client under [18 / age of majority]: parent or guardian [name], signature, date

What does each section do, and what should you watch for?

Each section closes a specific gap that trainers tend to discover only after a dispute. The table explains the purpose of each clause and the mistake that usually sits inside it.

If you want deeper wording for the clauses that cause most disputes, we have separate guides to cancellation clauses, refund policy models and payment terms. They are written for coaches generally, so swap "session" for "training session" and add the health-screening link from section 6.

What must personal trainers add that other coaches can skip?

Trainers put clients under physical load, so four things matter more than in a mindset or business coaching contract: health screening, scope of practice, sensitive data and local law. A general coaching agreement leaves all four thin.

Health screening and red flags

Use a pre-exercise readiness questionnaire before the first session and keep it with the contract. Many trainers base theirs on the PAR-Q+ published by the PAR-Q+ Collaboration; do not copy that form word for word into your own documents, but write your own questions that cover the same ground and name your source. As a minimum, a client should get written clearance from a doctor before training starts if they report any of the following:

• Chest pain at rest or during activity, or a diagnosed heart condition
• Fainting, loss of balance from dizziness or loss of consciousness in the last year
• Diagnosed high blood pressure that is not controlled, or a doctor's advice to only exercise under medical supervision
• Pregnancy or recent birth, for programs beyond light activity, unless their care provider has cleared them
• Recent surgery, a current injury being treated, or a bone or joint problem that worsens with exercise
• Diabetes, kidney disease or another chronic condition that affects exercise tolerance, if the client is unsure how training will interact with it

When a client reports a red flag after you start, the contract already tells them to stop and tell you, and section 6 lets you pause until they have clearance.

Scope of practice

Personal training is exercise instruction, not treatment. You can program around a healed injury with a physiotherapist's guidance; you cannot diagnose a shoulder or prescribe a diet for a kidney condition. Section 7 says this in writing. If you also give nutrition guidance, describe it in the same terms your qualification uses, and refer clients with eating disorders, medical diets or rapid weight-loss goals to a registered dietitian or doctor.

Sensitive data

Health questionnaires, body measurements and progress photos are sensitive personal data. Under UK and EU data protection law, health data is a "special category" with extra conditions on how you process it; the UK Information Commissioner's Office explains this in its guidance on special category data. In the US, rules vary by state. Collect only what you use, keep it in one place with access control, and tell the client where it lives (section 12 does this).

Coachful is not HIPAA-certified and does not sign business associate agreements. If you work inside a clinic or receive records from a medical provider, those clinical records belong in the clinic's own system. Coaching notes, workout logs and the client's own check-ins can live in your coaching software.

Local law

Contract enforceability, liability waivers, cooling-off rights and auto-renewal rules differ by state and country. Electronic signatures are generally valid for this kind of agreement; in the US the ESIGN Act gives them legal effect, and in the EU the eIDAS regulation covers them. Minors, recurring billing and gym-premises rules are the areas where local requirements most often change the wording.

How do you send and sign a personal training contract in Coachful?

In Coachful, the agreement is one step in the client journey rather than a separate document trail: the client books, answers your intake questions, signs the agreement before the first session, pays, and then receives programs, habits and check-ins in the same branded app. Everything they sign or submit lands on their client record.

Coachful is a coaching platform where one subscription covers booking, payments, contracts, program delivery with habits and check-ins, courses, a community, a website with funnels and email, and an AI assistant. It is built for coaches who deliver programs rather than just sessions, including solo trainers growing into a small team, and for anyone replacing four to six separate tools. It is not a medical records system, it does not take PayPal, and it does not sync with Garmin, Fitbit, Whoop or Oura. To start, take a free trial and, if you want, ask the Coachful team to build your setup for you at no cost. Current plans: Lite: $29/month for up to 5 clients; Solo: $49/month for up to 20 clients; Pro: $99/month with unlimited clients; Studio: $199/month with unlimited clients.

This short walkthrough shows the client journey from the coach's side:

Step 1: Collect intake answers when the client books

Add intake questions to your consultation booking type: training goal, current activity, injuries, preferred training times, in-person or online. Booking pages handle availability rules, buffers, minimum notice and time-zone detection, and sync both ways with Google, Apple/iCloud or Outlook calendars. Answers appear on the Intakes page and on the client record, so you walk into the consultation already knowing about the knee surgery.

Step 2: Send the agreement before the first session

Paste your finished template into a Coachful coaching agreement and send it for e-signature before the first call. The signed agreement is stored on the client record. If a client signed on paper at the gym, drop the signed PDF onto the Agreements tab so it sits in the same place as everything else. See how coaching contracts work in Coachful for more detail.

Step 3: Take payment the way the contract says

Payments run through your own Stripe Connect or Razorpay account: one-time packages, monthly subscriptions, payment plans, coupons, refunds, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Each transaction gets an invoice, and you can raise manual invoices for gym guest fees or extra sessions. Session credits let a client buy a 10-pack and book against it, which makes section 2's expiry rule easy to track. Coachful takes a 0% platform fee; only Stripe or Razorpay processing applies.

Step 4: Book sessions with reminders that back up your cancellation clause

Clients book paid sessions or use credits from your booking page, with built-in video or auto-created Zoom, Meet or Teams links for online sessions. Email reminders go out automatically, plus SMS 24 hours before and WhatsApp 1 hour before once messaging is enabled. A reminder the day before a late-cancellation cutoff is the cheapest way to avoid enforcing it.

Step 5: Deliver programs, habits and check-ins

Section 10 of the template promises programs, check-ins and form reviews; the Fitness & Nutrition pack (see the fitness and nutrition features) delivers them. It includes a workout builder with an illustrated exercise library (supersets, circuits, AMRAP, EMOM, intervals, tempo), client workout logging with set history and PRs, nutrition targets up to calories and macros, private progress photos and measurements, weekly check-ins, and private form-check video with timestamped coach comments. Coachful has no stock exercise videos; attach your own demos. Morning and evening check-ins and habits keep online clients moving between sessions.

Step 6: What the client sees

The client opens your branded app (inside the Coachful app, under your branding) and sees their next session, any required pre-session task, their programs, progress and a Documents tab. If you build group programs, a cohort group is created automatically when they enroll.

Behind the scenes, the client record collects goals, check-ins, habits, notes, intake answers, tags, payments and sessions, and shows a status of thriving, active, quiet or at risk. When a client disputes a charge or asks to pause, you have the signed agreement, the booking history and the payments in one view. You can export all client data as a ZIP at any time.

Why Coachful stands out: a free white-glove service. From Create, choose "We'll build it for you · FREE", describe what you need (a booking funnel for consultations, a 12-week hybrid training program, your website, an intake form or an email sequence), attach up to 8 reference links and up to 10 files such as your logo, photos and existing contract, and the Coachful team builds it inside your own account, usually within about 24 hours. Nothing is invented: no fake credentials, testimonials or prices, and gaps are left for you to fill. It does not include filming exercise videos, logo design or running ads. Read more about the white-glove build service.

What are the ways to send and store a training contract?

You can run this contract from a Word file, a Google Doc, a standalone e-signature tool, a client-management CRM or a coaching platform. The real difference is whether the signed contract lives next to the client's bookings, payments and health questionnaire, or in a separate folder you have to search later.

Fitness programming apps such as ABC Trainerize, TrueCoach and Everfit focus on workouts, habits and nutrition and are priced by client count; contracts and, in several cases, scheduling or payments sit outside them or in paid add-ons, according to their pricing pages and our September 2026 profiles. Client CRMs such as HoneyBook and Dubsado handle contracts and invoices well but have no client programs, habits or check-ins. Whichever you use, the test is the same: when a client asks "how many sessions do I have left and what did I agree to about cancelling?", can you answer in one screen? Our roundup of the best apps for personal trainers and the guide to scheduling software for personal trainers go deeper on those tools.

What does a filled personal training contract look like?

Here is the template filled in for a fictional hybrid client. Names, prices and dates are an illustrative example, not a recommended rate; set your own prices from your costs, local market and hours.

Example only. Fictional trainer and client.

This Personal Training Agreement is made on 3 November 2026 between Iron Lane Training (Sam Okafor), Unit 4, 22 Harbour Road, and Priya Desai, of 18 Elm Street.

1. Services. Hybrid 12-Week Strength package: 12 in-person sessions of 60 minutes, one per week, plus individual program design for two additional home workouts per week, weekly online check-ins and general nutrition guidance within the Trainer's qualification. In-person sessions take place at Northside Fitness, 9 Mill Lane. Online programming is delivered through the Trainer's coaching app and by video call.
2. Term. 10 November 2026 to 9 February 2027. Unused sessions may be carried over once for up to 2 weeks.
3. Fees and payment. $1,080 total, paid as 3 monthly instalments of $360 on the 10th of November, December and January, by card. Gym guest entry is included. If a payment fails, sessions pause until it is resolved.
4. Booking. Standing slot: Tuesdays 07:00. Extra or moved sessions booked at least 24 hours ahead through the booking link. Slot released after 2 consecutive unused weeks.
5. Cancellations. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Later cancellations and no-shows count as used. If the Trainer cancels late, the Client chooses a replacement session or a $90 credit.
6. Health screening. Client completed the questionnaire on 1 November 2026 and reported a left knee arthroscopy in 2023, cleared by her surgeon. No other red flags. Client will report changes before each session.
7. Scope. Trainer holds a Level 3 personal training qualification and does not provide physiotherapy or medical nutrition.
8. Assumption of risk. As in the template.
9. Liability. As in the template, with the Trainer's insurer, policy number and renewal date filled in.
10. Online terms. Home workouts released every Sunday. Check-ins due Sunday 20:00. Messages answered within 24 working hours, form videos reviewed within 2 working days.
11. Pauses and refunds. Up to 3 weeks of pause for illness, injury with a note, or pre-booked travel. Unused sessions refunded at $90 each minus a $30 admin fee.
12. Privacy. Measurements and progress photos stored in the coaching app; photos are private and never published without separate consent. Data kept 3 years after the Agreement ends.
13. Conduct. As in the template.
14. Ending. 14 days' written notice by either party. Governed by the laws of the Trainer's state.

Signed electronically by Priya Desai and Sam Okafor, 3 November 2026.

Notice what the example does: it names the gym, the standing slot and the exact pause allowance, and it records the knee surgery and clearance without pasting the medical details into the contract. Sections marked "as in the template" are shortened here only; in your real contract, keep the full wording.

What are the most common personal training contract mistakes?

Most disputes come from vague wording, not missing clauses. These are the mistakes that show up most often in trainers' contracts.

• No expiry on session packs. A pack bought in January and used in November ties up your schedule at last year's price. Set an end date.
• One-sided cancellation rules. Clients accept a strict late-cancel rule more readily when you hold yourself to the same standard.
• Health questions inside the contract. Keep the questionnaire separate so you can update it when health changes and store it with stricter access.
• Promising outcomes. "Lose 10 kg in 12 weeks" in a contract is a refund argument waiting to happen. Promise the service, not the result.
• Online clients on in-person terms. Without response times and check-in deadlines, online clients expect round-the-clock messaging.
• Using photos without consent. A signed training contract is not consent to post before-and-after pictures. Get separate written consent.
• Copying a gym's membership contract. Gym contracts cover facilities and memberships, not one-to-one programming and supervision.
• Never updating it. Review the contract when you change prices, add online coaching or move gyms. Our contract amendment template shows how to change terms mid-package.

If you are still setting up the business side of an online practice, our guide to starting an online personal training business covers offers, pricing structure and the tools you need. For more contract wording beyond training, the coaching agreement template with 12 clauses is a useful companion, and our contract generator turns your answers into a draft.

Is this template legal or medical advice?

No. This personal training contract template is a starting point written for general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Laws on contracts, liability waivers, consumer refunds, auto-renewing payments, minors and data protection vary by state and country, and a clause that is enforceable in one place may be void in another.

Have a local lawyer review the contract before you use it, and again when you add a new service such as online coaching, group training or work with minors. Have a doctor or other qualified clinician review any health questionnaire you write, and refer clients with medical conditions for clearance before training. For questions about tax on packages or instalments, check with an accountant.

Frequently asked questions

Is a personal training contract the same as a liability waiver?

No. A waiver addresses risk only, while a contract also covers services, payment, cancellations, data and how the agreement ends. Many trainers use one document that includes assumption-of-risk and liability sections, as this template does, but some lawyers prefer a separate waiver. Ask yours which works better where you train.

Do I need a different contract for online personal training?

Not a different contract, but different terms. Online clients need written response times, check-in deadlines, program release dates and a clause about training safely at home. Section 10 of the template covers these, so one document works for in-person, online and hybrid clients.

Can clients sign a personal training agreement electronically?

In most places, yes. In the US the ESIGN Act and in the EU the eIDAS regulation give electronic signatures legal effect for ordinary commercial agreements like this one. Include a line stating that electronic signatures are binding and keep the signed copy with a date.

Should the health questionnaire be part of the contract?

Keep it separate and refer to it from the contract. Health answers change and are sensitive data, so they need their own update cycle and tighter access. The contract's job is to require the questionnaire and require the client to report changes.

What cancellation window should a personal trainer use?

Most trainers use 12 or 24 hours, but the right number depends on how easily you can fill a slot. A trainer with a waiting list for 6 a.m. slots can afford 24 hours; one with open evenings may accept 12. Whatever you pick, apply it consistently and send reminders before the cutoff.

Can I train minors with this contract?

Only with a parent or guardian signing as well, and only after checking local rules on working with minors, which can include background checks and supervision requirements. Ask your lawyer and insurer before you add youth clients.

Where should I store signed contracts and health forms?

In one access-controlled place linked to the client, not in email attachments and phone photos. In Coachful the signed agreement and intake answers sit on the client record. Coachful is not HIPAA-certified, so clinical records from a medical provider belong in a clinical system.

What is Coachful's free white-glove build service?

It is a free build service on every plan: you describe what you need, such as a consultation funnel, a training program, an intake form or your website, attach references, and the Coachful team builds it inside your account, usually within about 24 hours. It does not invent credentials, testimonials or prices, and it does not include filming videos or running ads.

How often should I update my personal training contract?

Review it at least once a year and whenever you change prices, packages, delivery mode or location. Existing clients keep their signed terms until the package ends, so use a written amendment for changes mid-package.

Does Coachful replace my fitness programming app?

For many trainers it can. The Fitness & Nutrition pack includes a workout builder, client logging with PRs, nutrition targets, progress photos, check-ins and form-check video, alongside booking, contracts and payments. It has no stock exercise videos and no wearable sync, so trainers who rely on Garmin or Whoop data should factor that in.