Short answer
A personal trainer can send a training agreement, liability waiver and PAR-Q health questionnaire as one PDF through Sign PDF, and the client completes and signs it on their phone before the first session. If the client answers yes to any PAR-Q question, the usual step is to ask them to get their doctor's clearance before training starts.
Updated 25 October 2026
The three documents a new client signs
Most trainers send three things before session one, and they can go as a single PDF so the client signs once.
- The training agreement: the package, price, expiry, cancellation window, and what happens if the client gets injured or moves away.
- The liability waiver: the client acknowledges that exercise carries risk, agrees to tell you about pain or symptoms, and follows your instructions.
- The PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire), or the longer PAR-Q+: a short set of yes or no health questions, plus emergency contact details.
Handling the PAR-Q properly
The PAR-Q is a screening tool, not a medical assessment. Its job is to flag who should speak to a doctor before starting. If a client ticks yes to chest pain, dizziness or a heart condition, ask for medical clearance and do not try to interpret the answer yourself.
Use checkbox fields for the yes and no answers and a free text box for details. The completed form is health information, so in the UK and EU it counts as special category data under GDPR, and other places have their own privacy rules. Keep only what you need and store it securely. If you work inside a gym, it may require its own forms; check before using yours.
Do fitness waivers hold up?
It depends where you are. Many US states enforce a clearly written waiver for ordinary risks of exercise, but few let you waive liability for your own negligence, and UK consumer law limits how far a business can exclude liability for injury. A waiver is still worth having because it records that the client was told the risks. Have a local lawyer review your wording. This is not legal advice.
Online clients and pricing
Online coaching clients may be in another country. They sign on their phone from the email link, confirm a six-digit code, and the certificate records the device and time. A trainer onboarding a few clients a month will find Light at $5 for 2 documents tight; Full at $10 is unlimited and lets you keep the onboarding pack as a template.
We do not sell session packs, take payment or book sessions. Keep your booking or coaching app and send the paperwork through us.
Questions people ask
Can the client fill in the PAR-Q answers as well as sign?
Yes. Add checkbox and free text fields where the answers go, and the client completes them before signing. Existing PDF form fields are detected and kept.
Should the PAR-Q be updated?
Many trainers ask clients to redo it every year or whenever their health changes. Send a fresh copy; each one counts as a new document.
Can a parent sign for a teenage client?
Yes. Add the parent or guardian as a signer alongside or instead of the client. Check local rules on training minors.
Is this the same as a gym membership contract?
No. Membership contracts are usually covered by the gym's own system. This is for independent trainers and coaches.
Send your next personal training agreement for signature
Upload it from your phone or laptop. The boxes go in the right places, your client signs on their phone, and you get a sealed copy back.
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