Personal training

NDIS support

One-to-one fitness training tailored to a person’s abilities and goals, to build strength, movement and confidence.

The short answer

Personal training is one-to-one fitness coaching tailored to your abilities and goals, to build strength, movement and confidence.

About Personal training

Regular physical activity supports health and wellbeing for everyone. A personal trainer designs a program around your goals, whether that is building strength, improving fitness, losing weight or feeling more confident. For people with disability, a good trainer adapts exercises, equipment and pace to your abilities.

Trainers vary in their experience with disability. Some have extra training and work with health professionals, while others may need guidance. Ask about their experience with your needs and whether they will liaise with your therapist or doctor.

A health professional such as an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist is the right choice when you have a medical condition or injury, while a personal trainer suits general fitness goals. Many people use both, and it is worth talking to your health team before starting.

Who is this service for?

People who want a fitness trainer to work with them, at their own pace, to build strength, movement and confidence.

What a typical session looks like

A personal training session begins with a warm-up and moves through exercises chosen to suit your body and goals, such as strength, balance, endurance or flexibility. The trainer demonstrates each movement, watches your technique, adjusts equipment and encourages you. Sessions can take place in a gym, at home, outdoors or in a pool.

A good trainer for someone with a disability is experienced in adapting exercises, understands your health and pays attention to how you feel. They set goals with you, track progress and change the program as you get stronger. The aim is to help you build a habit of regular activity that you enjoy.

Who delivers this support

Personal trainers hold fitness qualifications and are usually registered with a fitness industry body. For people with medical conditions or complex needs, an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist may be a better starting point, and a trainer can then continue the program. Ask about experience with disability and how the trainer works with your health professionals.

How to choose a provider

• Ask about the trainer's qualifications and experience with your needs.
• Find out whether they will speak to your health professionals.
• Check how they adapt exercises and equipment.
• Ask where sessions take place and whether they are private.
• Ask how they set and review goals.

Questions to ask a provider

• What qualifications do you hold, and are you registered with a fitness body?
• Do you have experience training people with disability?
• How will you adapt exercises to my body and my goals?
• Will you work with my doctor or therapist?
• Where will sessions be held, and is it accessible?
• How will we track progress?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting a program without checking it is safe for your health.
• Choosing a trainer with no experience of your needs.
• Pushing too hard and risking injury.
• Not having a plan for continuing exercise between sessions.
• Ignoring pain or unusual symptoms.

Getting started

1. Talk to your doctor or therapist about exercise.
2. Contact trainers and describe your goals.
3. Try a session to see whether the style suits you.
4. Set goals and review them regularly.

How it fits with the rest of your plan

Personal training complements therapy and exercise physiology. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist may design a program, and a trainer may help you carry it out. It also links with community access, since a gym or pool can be a place to meet others. Checking with your doctor first is sensible if you have a health condition.

Eligibility

You can use NDIS funding for Personal training if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

Funding

Which part of an NDIS plan pays for Personal training depends on the specific support and on how your plan is set up. Your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator can confirm where it fits, and providers can give you a quote to check against your budget. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.

What it costs

Supports such as Personal training that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.

Checking credentials

• Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
• Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
• Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.

Regulation and safeguards

NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
• National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.

Related services

• Training for carers and parents
• Assistance animal training and assessment
• Assistance animal upkeep
• Assistance animals

Frequently asked questions

How is personal training adapted for disability?

A good trainer adjusts exercises, equipment and pace to your abilities and goals, and works with your health professionals where needed.

Is personal training the same as exercise physiology?

They overlap, but exercise physiologists are university-trained health professionals who often work with medical conditions. Ask a trainer about their experience with your needs.

What should I ask a trainer?

Ask about their qualifications, their experience with people like you and how they will set and review goals.

Do I need to get clearance from my doctor?

For many people it is a good idea, particularly with a health condition.

Can I train at home?

Many trainers can visit you, or you can train at a gym, park or online.

How often should I train?

It depends on your goals and health. A trainer or health professional can advise.

When is an exercise physiologist a better choice than a personal trainer?

An exercise physiologist has clinical training and works with medical conditions, while a personal trainer focuses on fitness. For complex health needs, an exercise physiologist is often the right person.

Can personal training be done at home?

Yes, many trainers offer home sessions, which can suit people who find it hard to get to a gym.

Do I need my doctor's approval?

It is a good idea if you have a health condition. A trainer or therapist can tell you what information they need.

Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Personal training?

If Personal training is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

How do I find a Personal training provider near me?

Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.

Sources and further reading

• NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint

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