CERTIFIED ONLINE TRAINER LEVEL 1
#1 QUALIFICATION FOR ONLINE TRAINERS
Become a Certified Online Trainer and Level Up Your Fitness or Nutrition Business
ESSENTIALS
- OTA Success CenterThis interactive online learning platform will be your fun and engaging guide throughout the journey.
- Digital TextbookPhysical textbook available
- Digital Graduation CertificatePhysical certificate available
- Facebook Group SupportJoin our incredible online community of graduates and alumni to network, ask questions, and get support from your colleagues and our coaches.
- Certification Exam
- 1k Extra Success GuaranteeGenerate an extra $1,000/mo within your first 90 days or we'll give you your money back
- CEC Approval GuaranteeUpon successful completion of your certification exam, OTA guarantees that you will get approved for continuing education credits by your governing body or the cost of the entire program will be refunded to you.
- Legal Forms and Sales ScriptsOTA will provide you with all legal forms, insurance info, sales scripts, and all other documents needed for operating your business.
- OTA AnswersOTA Answers is here to provide clarity every step of the way. Our resource center offers solutions to every question you might ask along your journey.
ADVANTAGE
- + INCLUDES ALL ESSENTIALS FEATURES
- Free Worldwide Shipping
- Physical Textbook
- Physical Graduation CertificateHave your beautiful 'suitable for framing' certificate mailed to you upon graduation.
- Facebook Ads Minicourse ($199 Value)
- Instagram Mastery Minicourse ($199 value)
- Website Design Minicourse ($199 value)
- Unlimited Founding Client Challenge AccessThe Founding Client Challenge is a facilitated 7 day process guaranteed to get you 1-5 new online training clients in 7 days (with no paid ads or phone selling.) We recommend our students do 4 a year. The challenge runs every week and you get unlimited access.
- 12-Months Personal Breakthrough CoachingThe Breakthrough Coaching team is your secret to success. You'll be welcomed by your personal coach upon enrolling and have unlimited access to him/her for a FULL 12 MONTHS via one-on-one phone calls, live chat, and email to cheer you along, keep you accountable, and provide clarity. With your breakthrough coach, you'll never be guessing and you'll never be alone again.
NOTE: Due to recent world events we are currently experiencing much higher than normal enrollments. For this reason, we strongly suggest that you ENROLL NOW to secure your spot.
Yes, it’s possible! Our graduates have been training online since 2013.
Don’t just train people online.
Become a Certified Online Trainer.
Here’s what you get when you enroll:
Your copy of the seminal, 338-page textbook, The Fundamentals of Online Training V3.0. (Choose digital or hard copy.)
Your step-by-step workbook, to help apply what you learn.
Access to the OTA Success Center—our digital portal with video lessons, scripts, done-for-you templates, and more!
Personal one-on-one guidance from highly qualified coaches.
Get your FREE course preview!
Not quite sure if OTA is right for you?
Peek Inside Our Groundbreaking,
338-Page Textbook for Online Coaching.
Hi, I’m Jonathan Goodman, founder of the Online Trainer Academy, and I’ll tell you why it matters so much to me.
I started training clients in 2005.
It didn’t take long before I got frustrated, burned out, and beaten down by the industry.
I only got paid for the hours I worked. Many of those hours were the ones no one wants to work.
My days started before most people are awake, and ended after they’ve gone home from work. Those were some long days.
Worst of all, no matter how well I did with my client—and I was really good at my job—my pay was limited. I got paid for the hours I worked, and there was only so much I could charge for each of those hours.
Back then, I couldn’t see any other options.
I wanted to make more money, have a bigger impact on more people, and also work more reasonable hours, with more time for my own projects and, eventually, my own family.
I guess you could say that I wanted it all. That’s why I wrote my first book and started what’s now the largest independent community of trainers in the world. And once I did, I very quickly learned that I wasn’t alone.
I also saw the biggest stumbling block for fitness and nutrition pros and gym owners who crave independence: Without strong business-development and marketing skills, even the most skilled fitness professionals falter, flounder, and ultimately fail.
At the same time, I saw the ones who took the time to acquire those skills could build thriving, profitable businesses with satisfied clients, many of whom were happy to pay a premium price for excellent results.
That’s when I realized that adding in an online training component is the path to a better career, a higher income, and a more satisfying life.
In order for that to happen, the online fitness industry needed a mark of distinction allowing those actually qualified to stand out amidst the noise. And that’s why I created the Online Trainer Academy Certification.
I really do hope you decide to join us, and I can’t wait to meet you when you do.”
-Coach Jon
How the Program Works
Get Clarity
Discover exactly what to do, and when to do it!
Get Feedback
Feel more confident in your work.
Get Results
Add $1,000/month to your bottom line within 90 days.
Your Study Plan:
There are no deadlines to complete the course, and you have lifetime access. So if you’re working a full-time job (or if you’re a full-time parent), you can go at your own pace.
That said, if you’re ready to make a rapid change and finish the course in the next 8-12 weeks, you can expect to invest 3–5 hours each week on the program. Here’s how a typical study session might look:
Each section of the course is immediately applicable, so no matter how much time you’re able to dedicate, you’ll start seeing the rewards.
Meet Your Coaches
Jonathan Goodman
FOUNDER
Jonathan Goodman is the founder of the Online Trainer Academy (the only Online Trainer Certification in the world) and sold tens of thousands of copies of his books. He’s an advisor to the world’s top online coaches in the fitness and nutrition industry.
Alex Cartmill
HEAD COACH
Alex Cartmill began working for the PTDC in 2014 as an intern while he was still personal training. In 2016 he began working alongside Jonathan Goodman to develop the OTA. He’s been overseeing the operation and development of the program ever since, including the team of coaches. Alex resides in Portland, Oregon with his dog Charlie.
Amber Reynolds
COACH
Amber is the owner and operator of Glow Mama Fitness, an online coaching service that helps women regain a healthy relationship with their bodies. Residing in Beaufort, South Carolina with her son Nate and three rescue dogs, Amber enrolled to the Academy in May, 2017 and has been an OTA mentor since November, 2017, and continues to grow on both sides of the aisle.
Brad Overstreet
COACH
Brad Overstreet is an online coaching ninja with no business name or website. He has been coaching for 2 plus decades and has owned and managed several gyms. He joined OTA in November of 2017 and, a few months later, moved from Texas to Roatan, Honduras with his wife Misty and 16-year-old daughter. There he uses the freedom of online coaching to allow him time to pursue other passions such as free diving, underwater photography, and of course helping other coaches realize and achieve their freedom.
Brent Thompson
COACH
Brent Thompson is the owner and founder of Sanuk Movement, an online fitness coaching business aimed at helping men transform their bodies without having to devote their lives to fitness. Brent joined OTA in January 2019 and at the time was a full-time Personal Trainer, Yoga Teacher, and Thai Yoga Massage Practitioner living in Toronto. Fast-forward 7 months, Brent had transitioned his business fully online and was able to move out of the city to enjoy a quieter life and more freedom with his husband Guillermo and their dog Rex.
Chloe Shovein
COACH
Chloe Shovein is the owner and operator of Coaching W/ Chloe, an online coaching service that helps women regain their confidence through customizable coaching. Residing in Minneapolis, MN with her dog Kiwi, Chloe enrolled to the Academy in September 2018 with the goal of escaping the burnout the traditional gym environment was creating for her.
Jasneet Jhinger
COACH
Jasneet Jhinger is a mechanical engineer turned Fitness Coach, and the owner and operator of Livfit Lifestyle Personal Training & Online Coaching where she specializes in empowering women with physical & mental strength through strength training and mindset coaching. Born in India but residing in Sydney, Australia, Jasneet enrolled into the Academy in November, 2017. Since graduating from the Academy, Jasneet has been able to move a percentage of her business online, regaining her sanity, and the ability to actually enjoy the work she does both online and in-person.
Kaye Otis
COACH
Kaye Otis is the owner of Titanium Fitness, an online coaching service that works exclusively with women. After years of long, exhausting days and nights she decided she wanted her life back. She enrolled in the OTA in February of 2017 and never looked back. After 20 years of supporting her husband during his military career and moving often they have recently returned to the Pacific Northwest where they both grew up. She now uses her free time to explore the outdoors as often as possible.
Ren Jones
COACH
Ren Jones is the owner of Fitness Jones Training, an online coaching business where he specializes in coaching overworked moms by giving them simple, short workouts and uncomplicated nutrition strategies. After leaving the sales/finance side of corporate America in 2014, Ren started a career as a personal trainer. He enrolled in the very first class of OTA students in 2016 and never looked back. Ren resides in North Carolina and now only leaves his home for snacks, fun, and sunshine.
Rob Yontz
COACH
Rob Yontz co-owns and operates Stress Made Simple and True North Fitness & Health along with his wife and business partner, Shannon. They recently relocated to their new home in Olympia, WA. Rob joined the Academy in September, 2016 with the goal of transitioning their in-person training studio business in Ventura, CA into a location independent international online health coaching business by 2020 (they got there 18 months early).
Here's What You'll Learn In
the Online Trainer Academy
1. Getting Started
Get an unfair advantage over your competitors and guarantee your success by identifying what sets you apart (even if you don’t know yet), determining exactly how much you need to make and charge, and get your first few clients — right away.
- 3 proven ways to become a successful online trainer.
- How to make online training work for you (even if you’re just getting started)
- The $1k extra approach (used by all successful online trainers) that gives you the freedom to spend more time with your family and friends and less time in the gym
- The 2 golden rules to success: do a great job and make sure that everybody knows about it.
- How the evil drunk monster under your bed is stealing your freedom (and what to do to fix it).
- The #1 WORST mistake you can make when starting your online training business. (Even if you do everything else “right”, your business will fall apart if you make this common mistake nobody talks about).
- Why your business name doesn’t matter as much as you think it does.
- Your 11-step daily ritual to getting more clients without ever leaving your home.
- The 27-hour day: how to buy back your time at a discount.
- What to do if you need new clients now (the 6-step solution).
2. Structuring Your Business
At the end of this module, you’ll have everything you need to get your business functioning like a well-oiled machine. Everything from done-for-you intake forms and welcome packages for you to customize— to how to protect yourself legally and find the perfect pricing and packaging for your unique niche. (Along with tons of experience on what NOT to do or offer.)
- How to transition from in-person training to online training (page 73 of the textbook).
- A secret, “back door” way of creating irresistible programs and packages that your online clients just can’t say “no” to..
- The 10-minute online trainer’s dream week installation system.
- The plug-and-play “silver bullet” welcome package that instantly kills the “buyer’s remorse werewolf”.
- The “1% uniqueness factor” that gets prospects begging to work with you (instead of you chasing them).
- The 3 software options for delivering your training services that save you time and mental energy (even if you are “tech-challenged”, these options are so easy that a 5-year old could do it).
- A smarter way to offer client support.
- Client renewal magic: how to renew clients on autopilot.
- “How much can I charge for my services?”: Finally, an answer to the million-dollar question (forgive the pun).
- The “legal landscape” of online training and how to best protect yourself legally.
3. Taking Care of Clients
The cornerstone to every successful business (including ours) is delivering incredible results. Once you’re done with this module you’ll know exactly what you need to do (and not do) in order to deliver incredible results to your clients and turn them into word-of-mouth marketing machines. And we’ll show you how to do it without having to become a slave to your phone or computer.
- A simple method to get your clients to actually do what you say and get the best results from your program (which means you’ll never need to worry about your clients ghosting or quitting on you).
- The 4-question matrix that turns even the most resistant clients into raving fans.
- How to assess online clients using the “assessment arsenal” (this isn’t what you think).
- The easiest method to hold your clients accountable so that they get more results, you get better testimonials, and they become a client for life.
- Why templates are actually OK to use…I promise.
- The “online coaching referral system” (page 171).
- Why people buy coaches, not coaching (and how you can use this to keep your client forever).
4. How to Get Clients
We believe in delivering incredible results, and making sure people know about them. This module is dedicated to making sure new clients know about your incredible results — so your business grows without ever having to feel sleezy or pushy.
- Why your next (and best) clients are people you already know, and how to market to them without looking like a greasy, hypey trainer (even if you’re an introvert).
- The “top of mind” system that turns even the weakest prospects into your hottest clients (it sounds too good to be true, but it’s a strategy based on universal human psychology that’s been around for thousands of years).
- Attraction marketing on Facebook: what to post, when to post, and how to become famous overnight.
- The online trainer’s email marketing blueprint.
- How to attract clients through the “brown M&M method” (page 250).
- Want to get clients fast? Run transformation contests.
- Facebook ads 101: proven strategies to finally cracking the code (without risking your hard-earned dollars).
Bonus: Skills Module
We’ve spent years perfecting online marketing and in this bonus module, we pull back the curtain so you can feel confident in your sales copy, packaging and pricing your products, and even when and how to hire and onboard your first virtual assistant. It’s everything we wish we had known about the sales side when we started.
- The introvert selling system: how to sell on the phone without ever selling like a greasy salesperson.
- Sales copy secrets: how to write a killer online coaching sales page.
- Price theory: this chapter will have you changing the way you position and sell your service (the proven method developed by Starbucks).
- A simple system to generate high-quality testimonials from every client.
- How to run your business like a business and not like a job so that you have more free time to do what you want, when you want, with whomever you want.
- Why a virtual assistant is an online trainer’s best friend.
- What to do if your gym doesn’t approve of you being an online trainer (the easy solution).
Take a peek at what our graduates have accomplished
“That moment when you realize...you help change lives while making more money than you ever dreamt of.”
Marc-Andre Seers, OTA-2, PN-2, CanFit Pro CPT
Quebec | CANADA
I’ve been traveling the world with my girlfriend for years (California, Honolulu, etc.). Business is booming. I just had my first $35,000 month.
“My youngest (of four) just turned 1. And this is why I am absolutely in love with what you have created!”
Yusra Es-haq, OTA-1, NASM CPT, GGS-1, CPPC, PN-1
LONDON | UNITED KINGDOM
I didn’t want to leave them hanging when I went on maternity with my fourth … this is where the online training idea evolved.
This is not just convenient and affordable for our clients but also it allows for trainers like me to still be able to do what we love whilst raising a family at the same time.
I work around my kids, what more could I ask for!
“My dream was to open up my own gym.”
Malcolm Wilson, OTA-1, NASM-CPT, TRX
CONNECTICUT | USA
I thought, instead of opening up the gym, first I should have a successful online business.
That would let me be more flexible with my time, give me more time with my son. And there were fewer barriers to entry. Less was required to start up.
My credit’s better now, I have some money saved up, and my wife and I bought a house. The Online Trainer Academy has really helped me build confidence. If you’re someone who wants to run your own business, it helps you realize, you can do this.
Malcolm’s now opened up his gym. It’s called Level Up Fitness.
“I was looking for a way to transition into the industry from a career in electrical engineering”
Gil Mesina, OTA-2, B.Eng, PN-1
ONTARIO | CANADA
I have no formal background in personal training.
I am an Electrical Engineer by formal education. I always want to learn ways to become more efficient and optimize my time for the effort I am putting in. I was attracted to OTA because of all the great reviews.
When I started back in 2016, I trained 4 friends for FREE.
Today I have trained almost 340 people (paid, of course) in 19 countries.
”We wouldn't have been able to provide the value or free information that we do if it wasn't for online training.”
Molly Galbraith, OTA-1, CSCS, GGS-1, CPPC
KENTUCKY | USA
If we didn’t incorporate online training into Girls Gone Strong (GGS), we wouldn’t have grown and hired a team as we have. It takes money to increase overall impact. I’m proud that we’re able to provide work and income for a team of 40+ strong women.
GGS has evolved into an international training, education, and empowerment organization that serves a community of more than a million women from 80+ countries around the world.
“I used to be the trainer who loves to train but sucked at the business side.”
Kristy-Lee Wilson, OTA-1, PN-1, CPT, CES, PES
AUSTRALIA / USA
I was burnt out and frustrated and almost quit the fitness industry for a corporate job.
OTA gave me the clarity and confidence to penetrate the noise and simplify my approach. My husband and I now own and operate a studio and I work with 30-50 online clients.
Incredibly, this past year we exceeded our year-end revenue goal in July!”