Since the birth of the internet, more and more products and services have moved online. Everything from banking to shopping. You can even speak to your doctor online now! But what about online fitness training? Can it and does it really work?
The short answer is YES! Absolutely!
A lot of people use their personal trainers as a motivational tool and accountability asset. Past a certain point though, a personal trainer in a traditional sense isn’t as useful as before – once the client understands exercise technique and form, then much of what a personal trainer does can be achieved online, especially from a programming point of view.
If you are self-motivated and are working with a personal trainer purely to have your workouts planned, perhaps ask do they offer an online service? You may be able to save yourself a lot of money yet still benefit from the training programmes.
Online training still offers the accountability service because you have to check in for your workouts, meaning your trainer is still on top of the work you are doing. There’s no hiding place!
Finally, online training is usually much cheaper than working with the trainer in person, so explore it as a possibility.
Here’s a few pointers when it comes to looking for an online trainer…
What to look for in an online trainer
In a world where you can become famous for a large Instagram following, it’s more difficult than ever to find the difference between good and bad quality online fitness programming. It’s important to look beyond how popular someone is on social media and instead look at their credentials.
Here’s a checklist as to what you should be looking for….
- Experience – are they just a kid with a six pack, or are they experienced in the fitness world?
- Results – Can they prove they’ve gotten people results? Do they look genuine? Are the results honest?
- Personality – Are they approachable? Can you contact them personally via phone and email, or is it all anonymous?
- Offering – What is their service? Is it realistic? Will it work for you?
- Price – Are they clear on their pricing? Can you ask them questions? Do they encourage contact from clients?
Once you have established those points, explore whether or not you are a suitable candidate for online training. Can and will the services of an online trainer help you achieve your health and fitness goals?
Who won’t benefit from online fitness training
It’s my personal belief that online fitness training isn’t suitable for all – especially beginners.
If you are brand new to exercise and training, you’d be far better served by using an in-person personal trainer. They’ll be able to explain and teach you proper exercise technique, meaning you’ll learn both how to perform the exercise and also how it should feel when it’s done.
Only when you have a level of confidence in the gym should you consider online fitness training.
Who online fitness training works for
Online fitness training works fantastically well for those people who understand weight lifting technique and are confident in the gym, but would like a little extra help on their exercise programming. They don’t need a personal trainer as such, but they’d benefit from having a professional trainer set their workouts and give them guidance on their training.
This is the ideal candidate for online fitness training.
What to expect from online fitness training
Online fitness training comes in a variety of forms, so the service you get will depend on what exactly you have signed up for. Here are the outlines of the basic packages…
Online Personalised Training – this is the most expensive form of online training.
You’ll have workouts sent to you and nutritional support. Depending on the trainer, you’ll have some access to the coach. Some will allow email contact, some will allow email and text, others will allow email, text and video calls depending on the monthly package.
Price: £100-£500 per month.
Example: https://scottlaidler.com/online-personal-training/
Online Fitness Programming – this is the ideal hybrid.
You’ll have workouts sent to you and plenty of coach contact. There’ll also be some nutritional help alongside it. This is for people who know their way around a gym but need some extra help. A good online coach will allow text, email and video/phone access.
Most people will benefit from this approach and the fact that it is the most coach contact at a reasonable price range suggests it’s the best value for money.
Price: £50-£100 per month.
Example: https://www.hoylesfitness.com/online-personal-trainer/
Online Group Programming – usually celebrity led with no coach contact.
This type of training is usually ‘hosted’ by a well-known fitness celebrity. It’s the cheapest in terms of monthly outlay, but the workouts are very generic and there’ll be absolutely no coach contact. It’s very much the budget option in the industry, but one that a lot of big names in the fitness industry are turning to, as it allows them to make a lot of money for no work!
Price: £10-£30 per month.
Example: https://www.jillianmichaels.com
What is the Right Online Fitness Coaching Option For Me?
First of all I’d suggest you decide exactly what you want from your online fitness coaching package. If you want 1 to 1 bespoke help and are willing to pay for it, then the online personalised training is obviously the one for you.
If budget is a little tighter, but you still want great programming with a lot of coach contact, then the online fitness programming is the option you should consider.
If your budget is tight but you’d like a little guidance, then the online group programming should be helpful as a starting point.
Online Fitness Training – Conclusion
There’s no doubt that for the right kind of person, online fitness training works very, very well. You just have to be honest with what you’re looking for from a coach and what you’re willing to pay. If you find the right person, they’ll help and support you towards your fitness goals. If you work with the wrong one, you’ll have a very miserable experience!
If you’re interested, my suggestion is to email the trainers and see what kind of response you get from them – that’ll tell you an awful lot about how they work and what they’d be like to deal with. How about online hair transplant consultations? We have also got you covered there, too 🙂
There are plenty of great packages and coaches out there – you just have to find the one that works for you!
