Does online personal training work?
That's one of the top questions I get asked from my in-person clients.
And the answer is yes -- if done correctly.
While there are a ton of advantages to having an online personal trainer, there are things to be aware of too. Every online trainer is different and approaches training differently.
Some have little experience, some don't understand technology, some without basic facilities like a community forum -- the lack of these features can have a strong negative impact on your training and your results.
Online Personal Training Examined
So in the following, we are going to break the conundrums that might be troubling you about online personal training and help you reach a wise and sensible decision so you can go into it with your eyes wide open.
Let’s break it down.
The Advantages of Online Personal Training
Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of hiring a great online personal trainer.
Access to Expert Advice from around the World
There is no more centralization in the world, it’s all about thinking globally. So why should you spend precious time searching for a personal trainer in your area, only to find out they weren’t a good choice after all?
There is absolutely no need for that anymore.
In our digital age of global communication, you can hire any reputable name in the fitness industry to be your personal trainer and reach your goals faster than ever before.
It doesn’t matter where the person is physically, you can rest assured that you will receive proper guidance from any expert in the world.
You can Easily Ascertain a Trainer’s Expertise
One of the most annoying things about hiring a personal trainer on location is finding out that he or she is inadequate in some way or simply doesn’t possess the necessary expertise to guide you to your goals.
After some trial and error, you are faced with the unpleasant duty of letting go of the trainer.
Online training ensures that you are able to verify a trainer’s credentials before ever engaging with the person in any way, which gives you room avoid making the wrong decisions right from the start.
You will be able to have your questions answered once you make contact and decide whether that would be a right fit for you.
More often than not, it’s Less Expensive
Online training is less expensive because the trainer has more time to devote to every client for not having to physically be there and spend time with the client.
Also, personal coaches get booked very fast and it becomes virtually impossible to book training sessions on a regular basis.
That is why the same coaches that charge $150 for a single hour of personal training would charge a month for online guidance for the same price.
This is something that is definitely lighter on the wallet.
Time and Location is Not Important
Your online trainer will deliver you all the necessary components for a great workout, and you won’t have to worry about making the appointed session at a specific time and place.
This freedom allows you to access your workout and nutrition plans anywhere and anytime so you can fit training sessions into your daily schedule.
Constant Support
With online training, you get the benefit of free access to the trainer's online support and forums, where you can follow and get advice in discussions so that you can always learn something new and stay on top of the fitness game. Additionally, you always have your email, voice and video correspondence with your trainer who also provides weekly physique and strength & nutritional journals assessments.
These benefits will guarantee you’ll have a tailored experience for your needs and constant, personal guidance.
The Disadvantages of Online Personal Training
Seeing as there are always two sides of a coin, let’s devote some attention to the possible negative aspects of online personal training.
No real-time guidance
Given the fact that you are able to choose the time you work out, you are left doing all of the work by yourself with nobody there to actually monitor your form and tempo, and therefore the trainer will have to rely on you adhering to his or her predefined guidelines.
It will be up to you to follow the instructions the coach has set out for you, and it will be best to provide him with weekly videos of you executing movements in order to enable him to correct your form.
Make sure to get detailed video explanations of the workouts from your trainer, and stick to them for maximum results and avoiding injury.
Lack of Motivation
If find it hard to stay motivated to work out and push through the toughest roadblocks on your fitness journey, then hiring an online personal trainer would probably be a bad idea, unless the trainer offers inspirational videos and finds a way to motivate you from afar.
Although it is doable, many online coaches don’t offer personal motivation and therefore many people struggle to keep going.
You can avoid this by picking those coaches that offer a way of constant motivation for their clients.
Monitoring Progress Accurately
If a coach is inexperienced, he might find it difficult to adequately track your progress via emails and video messages.
You will need to ensure that you stay diligent in your workouts, provide detailed reports to your coach and give everything you’ve got day in and day out, in order to get the results your coach is trying to achieve with his program.
Is Online Personal Training for You?
Maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t, it will depend on your willingness to commit to your goals.
Because even though online personal training provides you with the methods, professional accountability, and expert training guidance, ultimately it will be down to you to follow through and push hard with devotion toward reaching your goals.
If you believe you are able to do that, then you will definitely achieve results with online personal training.
The Makings of a Great Online Personal Trainer
In order to make your decision as smart and beneficial as possible, here are some general traits that make or break a personal trainer.
- The coach monitors the progress of each client on a weekly basis at least
- The coach asks for videos of their clients executing exercises in order to monitor their form
- The coach tailors every program to your specific needs
- He or she will ask you detailed questions about your lifestyle in order to create a program
- The coach has prolonged experience in training people in person
- He or she will encourage you to train with more experienced lifters trying to reach the same goals
Hopefully, all of this will have helped you shape our opinion on online coaching and has answered the troubling question: does online personal training work?
