The concept of an online personal trainer is relatively new, and it can seem a bit foreign at first. How can I workout without someone next to me telling me what to do? Well the Internet is pretty amazing, and since we can now order groceries online to be delivered to our door (total game-changer, am I right?!), we can use online services to make our fitness lives easier, too.
If you’ve ever belonged to a “big-box” gym, well-known chains with multiple locations, and you’ve sought out personal training, you know that you have to choose from among the 2-6 or so trainers who work there. They may or may not have expertise in your particular needs and goals. Most of these trainers service a wide range of clients day in and day out, so even with the best intentions, they may not be as well-versed in the programming that best suits you. There’s usually a high turnover, so you may have to jump around to multiple trainers just when you were building rapport. And even though you were paying a substantial amount of money, the trainers only received a fraction of that in their paychecks, so they probably weren’t available to you outside of your 25-minute time slot 1 or 2 times per week.
Enter online personal training.
Working with a trainer online helps you get more by paying less, because trainers have more time to spend on you without paying the gym overhead. When I worked at a big-box gym, my clients were paying anywhere from $35 – $65 for each 25-minute session (the cost went up when I was promoted). If they saw me as little as 1x per week or about 4 sessions per month, that cost them between $140 – $260 per month. All they got for their hard-earned dollars was that many 25-minute sessions. There was no other time built in for me to check in with them or provide nutritional guidance. There was no extra time if a workout ran over due to questions or mobility work. The clock dictated start and finish, and if you missed your time slot, you could be charged whether you were trained or not.
Specific training appointments don’t fit everyone’s lifestyles. You may have young kids at home and you’re without childcare. You may work long or irregular hours and have to cancel appointments for last-minute projects or meetings. You may be caring for a loved one and you can’t miss doctor appointments. You may travel often. While fitness should be a priority in everyone’s life, it’s not going to take precedence over loved ones and career obligations. That’s why online training can easily fit your lifestyle, so you can fit it in when you can.
Online training’s other HUGE pro is that instead of choosing between 2-6 trainers, you can choose from thousands, anywhere in the world. This helps you find someone who has expertise in your particular needs, goals, and preferences. Someone who shares your philosophy of fitness, or whose philosophy you want to adopt. Someone who you connect with, making the training more “personal”, and hence motivating to keep you going.
Have more questions about online personal training? Comment below.
