Training two or three clients together: the paperwork for small-group sessions
When you train two or three clients together, each person needs their own health screening and signed consent, plus a simple record of who attended and what was agreed about the format. We have not found a UK law that sets a maximum group size for this kind of session, so check your insurer's wording and your venue's terms for any limits.
Why small-group sessions need their own paperwork
A one-to-one agreement assumes that you are the only person the client is training with. In a pair or a team of three, other people share the space, the equipment and your attention, and a client can be affected by what someone else does. A form written for one person does not cover that.
Our guide to group training waivers covers the waiver itself. This article is about the practical paperwork around it: who is in the session, what each person has agreed and how you record attendance.
Is there a legal limit on numbers?
Clients and trainers often ask whether you are allowed to train a team of three. We have not found a UK law that sets a maximum number of clients per trainer for personal training sessions, and we do not know of an official figure you can rely on.
Limits are more likely to come from places you can check: your insurance policy wording, your venue's hire or licence terms, and the space and equipment you actually have. Ask your insurer in writing whether small-group sessions are covered and whether the policy sets a maximum number of participants.
Assess the risk for the format, not just the person
The Health and Safety Executive describes a five-step approach to risk assessment: identify hazards, assess the risks, control the risks, record your findings and review the controls. When you work through it, the HSE says to think about who might be harmed and how.
For a shared session that means asking questions you would not ask one-to-one. Is there enough room between people? Are weights and equipment shared? Does an exercise suit everyone in the group, or only the strongest? The HSE says that the legal requirements depend on your circumstances, and that if you are self-employed you should check whether health and safety law applies to you. It also says to focus on controlling risks in practice rather than relying on paperwork alone.
What a small-group consent and attendance sheet should capture
Give each participant their own sheet, and keep the attendance record alongside it.
- The format agreed. Day, time, venue, maximum group size and price per person.
- Who else is in the group, by first name, so the client knows who they are training with.
- Consent to shared training. That the client understands others will be present and that exercises may be adapted for the group.
- A reminder to disclose changes. That the client will tell you privately if their health changes.
- Photo and video permission, asked separately and optional.
- Attendance dates, so you can show who was at which session.
Keep health details off the shared sheet
Each client's PAR-Q and screening answers should stay in their own record, not on a sheet others can see. The ICO says health data is special category data, which needs a valid condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR before you process it, and it needs to be treated with greater care.
Do not put names, medical notes and attendance on one sheet that is passed round the group. A register that records only who attended is enough for most purposes. If a client's circumstances mean you must adapt an exercise, note that in their individual record.
What a small-group consent and attendance sheet should ask
A preview of our free Small-Group Session Consent and Attendance Sheet. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Participant details
- Full name
- Phone number
- + 2 more in the full form
The sessions agreed
- Day and time
- Venue or meeting point
- + 4 more in the full form
Training together
- I understand that other people will train in the same session and in the same spaceYes / No
- I understand that exercises may be adapted for the group and that I can ask for a different option at any timeYes / No
- + 4 more in the full form
Session safety (completed by your trainer)
- Space, surface and equipment checked for this group sizeYes / No
- Risk assessment reviewed and recorded for this formatYes / No
- + 1 more in the full form
Attendance log
- Dates attendedFree text
- Dates missed, and whether notice was givenFree text
The full form has 21 questions in 5 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready Small-Group Session Consent and Attendance Sheet
A print-ready sheet for each participant: the format agreed, consent to shared training, photo permission and an attendance log. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
How many clients can a personal trainer train at once?
We have not found a UK law that sets a maximum for personal training sessions. Limits are more likely to come from your insurance policy, your venue's terms and the space and equipment available, so check those in writing.
Does each person in a small group need their own PAR-Q?
Yes, as a matter of good practice. Each person's health is individual, so each should complete their own screening and keep it in their own record, not on a shared sheet.
Can I use my one-to-one agreement for small-group sessions?
A one-to-one agreement does not cover shared sessions, other participants or group-specific risks. Use a version that describes the group format, and check your insurer is happy to cover it.
Should I record attendance for small-group sessions?
It is sensible to. A simple attendance log shows who was at which session, which helps if there is a dispute about payment or an incident. Keep it separate from health information.
Sources
- Risk assessment: steps needed to manage risk, Health and Safety Executive
- Health and safety for self-employed people, Health and Safety Executive
- What is special category data?, Information Commissioner's Office
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See the packs, from £29 →These articles are general guidance for UK personal trainers, not legal, tax, insurance or medical advice. Our forms are editable templates: adapt them to your own services and your insurer's terms, and take advice from a qualified adviser where you are unsure.