Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) is a uk rep-based scheme for personal trainers and fitness instructors. It recognizes industry-based qualifications, provides public liability insurance and requires members to follow a code of conduct for the industry of conduct.

It was disbanded in 2020 and its members moved to CIMSPA. What does this mean for fitness professionals?

How do I become a REP?

If you are an active member of Prospect already, talk to the representative who runs your branch about becoming rep. It's contingent on how much time you have and whether you are able to perform union-related duties during work time. You are not subject to discipline because you are a union rep, and there are laws that protect you from being victimized. Some branches have equality reps, like a women's officer or a black members' representative.

What is CIMSPA

CIMSPA the UK-based professional body for health and fitness professionals is an industry-recognized body that regulates trainers. Its goal is to protect the public's interests in hiring fitness professionals by ensuring they have all of the relevant abilities and technical expertise and also training and insurance. It is also responsible for ensuring and establishing standards for professional practice in the industry.

The organization combines input from a variety of stakeholders that include employers and deployers, NGBs, awarding organisations, higher educational institutions, training providers and practitioners to to shape the sector and help its professionals and their workforce. This is achieved through working in collaboration with the industry to comprehend and recognize the professional needs and barriers to the ability of the sector to meet these needs.

As part of its mission, CIMSPA provides the framework for an assurance system of quality for fitness professionals by means of an endorsement process. This process recognises the quality and content of formal qualifications and training courses. CIMSPA will typically endorse regulated (Ofqual) qualifications that are certificated by an approved awarding organisation like Focus Awards, Active IQ or YMCA Awards as well as certain types of specialist continuing professional development training (CPD).

Membership in CIMSPA also confers a degree of status within the industry. CIMSPA members have access to specialist insurance coverage that includes public liability insurance of up to PS10 million and personal accident insurance. It also lets members keep track of their professional growth. Members can enroll in online courses at no cost and access a career website that is updated frequently with new job openings.

The body is also a member of the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs), meaning that its members can utilize their registration to work in other countries, as long as they hold the appropriate qualification. The organization is working to ensure that a uniform standard is set across the world in order to help the industry grow and maintain its standing.

The organization is a non-profit and works in partnership to provide education, support and guidance. In addition to this the CIMSPA Academy offers free e-learning courses for its members, including the full range of professional development topics that are relevant to the industry.

Are REPs certificates recognized internationally?

The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) was an independent public register that operated through a membership program. It was created to protect the public and provide employers and fitness professionals the confidence they wanted to know that a person was a professional with qualifications that were recognized as valid and approved, and that were aligned with National Occupational Standards.

REPs was a UK based register and, as such, only covers the UK fitness industry. Reputation was not a requirement under the law, however it gave clients the confidence that the fitness professional they worked with was fully qualified and Reps operating in accordance with the highest standards of professionalism.

In 2020, REPs will be sold to UK Coaching. An agreement with CIMSPA has been signed that will merge the reps (click the following document) Directory with the CIMSPA directory. Fitness professionals still have the option of joining both REPs and CIMSPA however, renewing REPs membership is no longer an option.

ICREPs which connects fitness professionals from all over the world with international registers, has a worldwide presence. This means that if REPs registered in the UK you can transfer to become an avon rep personal trainers in other countries of ICREPs such as Australia, Ireland, Poland, South Africa and UAE.

It is important to know, however, that REPs cannot guarantee fitness professionals a job or insurance coverage. REPs is an industry association and not a governing authority, is voluntary. International certification bodies with top international standing like ACSM, NSCA, ISSA, NASM, and ACE are not affiliated with REPs, and therefore never guarantee employment or insurance coverage to their fitness professionals.

REPs is dedicated to keeping their members up-to-date of the constantly changing trends in the fitness industry. This is why REPs has a REPs points system which requires members to obtain an amount of REPs points each year in order to maintain their REPs status. These REPs points are based on their level of education and the number of CPD courses they take.