Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

The Register of Exercise Professionals is an UK scheme for fitness trainers and instructors. It recognizes industry-specific certifications and covers public liability and requires that members follow an industry-specific code.

In 2020, it was defunct and its members transferred to CIMSPA. What do this mean for fitness professionals?

How do I become a rep an REP?

If you are already a member of Prospect already, talk to the representative who runs your branch about becoming avon sales rep. There is no fixed amount of time required depending on whether you're eligible to fulfill union responsibilities in work time (sometimes called facility time) and the amount of free time you have. You can't be disciplined simply because you are a union avon rep in my area, and there are laws that protect you from being victimized. Some branches have equality reps, such as women's officers or a black members' representative.

What is CIMSPA

CIMSPA, the professional body in the UK for fitness and health professionals is a reputable industry body that regulates trainers. Its goal is to protect the public's interest in using the services of fitness experts by ensuring that they have the appropriate expertise, technical know-how, training and insurance. It is also responsible for maintaining and establishing standards for professional practice in the industry.

The organisation brings together input from a wide range of stakeholders including employers NGBs and deployers, as well as higher education institutions, training providers, and professionals to shape the sector and support its professionals and workforce. This is achieved by working with the industry to understand and understand the needs of professionals and the obstacles that hinder its ability to deliver.

CIMSPA as part of its mission, provides a framework for a quality-assurance system for fitness industry in the form of an endorsement process. This process recognises both the content as well as the quality of formal qualifications and training. CIMSPA will typically endorse regulated (Ofqual) qualifications that are recognized by an approved awarding organization like Focus Awards, Active IQ or YMCA Awards as well as certain kinds of specialist continuing professional development training (CPD).

CIMSPA membership also confers a certain level of standing in the field. Members can access special insurance coverage, which includes public liability coverage of up to PS10 million and personal accident insurance. It also lets members keep track of their professional growth. They can also take online courses for free and access an online career site that is updated frequently with new job openings.

The organisation is also a part of the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals. This means that its members can use their registration for work abroad as long as they hold the appropriate qualifications. The body strives to establish standards that are consistent across the world to assist in the development of the industry.

The CIMSPA Academy is a non-profit organization and works in partnership with other organizations to provide support, education and guidance. Additionally, the CIMSPA Academy offers free e-learning courses for its members, and includes various professional development topics that are relevant to the industry.

Are REPs qualifications recognised internationally?

The Register of Exercise Professionals was an independent public registry that operated through an membership system. It was created to protect the public and give fitness professionals and employers the confidence they needed that an individual had qualifications that were recognized as valid and approved, and that were that were in line with National Occupational Standards.

REPs is a UK-based registry, and as such only covers the UK fitness industry. The requirement to have REPs was not a legal requirement, however it did give clients the confidence that the fitness professional they worked with was fully trained and operating within the highest standards of professionalism.

In 2020, REPs will be sold to UK Coaching. An agreement with CIMSPA has been reached that will combine the REPs Directory with the CIMSPA directory. Fitness professionals still have the option to join both REPs and reps CIMSPA, but renewing REPs membership is no longer possible.

ICREPs which connects fitness professionals from around the world to international registers, has a worldwide presence. This means that if you're REPs-certified in the UK you are able to work as a personal trainer in other ICREPs countries such as Australia, Ireland, Poland, South Africa and UAE.

However, it is important to keep in mind that REPs isn't a guarantee of a job or insurance protection for fitness professionals. REPs, which is an industry association and not a governing authority, is a voluntary association. Top international certification bodies like ACSM, NSCA, ISSA, NASM, and ACE are not affiliated with REPs, and therefore never guarantee job or insurance coverage to their fitness professionals.

However REPs is committed making sure that their members are up to date with the constantly changing trends in the fitness industry. REPs employs an REPs point system that requires members to earn a specific amount of REPs each year to maintain their REPs status. These REPs points are determined by their level of education and the number of CPD courses that they attend.