Perks and Drawbacks of Online Personal Trainers

Introduction

Chances are, you probably haven’t heard that personal trainers can now work with you online. But now that you have, you’re probably wondering how that can even work. However, the fitness field has begun to recognize that with everyone’s work schedules so varied these days that not everyone has time to stop by a gym anymore. As a result, many of them are now taking advantage of the rapidly advancing technologies. These are often more affordable than brick-and-mortar gyms. One vicarious advantage is that if you have kids, they can join you. Most brick-and-mortar gyms have separate gyms specifically for kids much under the age of about 12 or 13. The advantages outweight the disadvantages by a long shot.

Advantages

Some of the advantages to having a personal trainer online include the affordability, flexible schedules, digital communication, not even having to live in the same area, and accountability. Several programs have bodyweight workouts which can be easily done at home. Investing in an online trainer for a month is often less than you would pay for one live in an hour. The fact that you can communicate with your trainer at any time with apps such as Trainerize, Skype, or even texting means that the communication lines are open 24/7. Many programs offer free trials and discounted programs as most fitness trainers recognize that the best way to gain new clients is by letting them try out their services first. Since you don’t have to live in the same area as him or her, it’s also easier than ever to find the best trainer for you. Your trainer should message you once a week to help you trek your progress.

Disadvantages

The only times online personal training may not be for you is if you’re not a disciplined self-starter, you don’t like the idea of working out at home, or just prefer the social atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar gym. Also, if you think you’re at risk for injuring yourself by performing the exercises correctly, or are recovering from an injury, online training may not be for you. One thing that most online training programs do not do is allow your trainer to see and be able to correct your form on the spot.

Other Reasons Personal Trainers are Going Digital

Operational excellence maximizes ROI and customer satisfaction. It helps to boost their brands and keep up with the competition. It helps them to build differentiation. It also makes it easier to assign challenges, points and other rewards when fitness is transformed into gamification. Also, going digital saves time not only for clients but for the trainer as well. The fast and efficient services also helps to attract millennials. Currently, most of the human population can’t even imagine living in a world without smartphones, which makes it easier for trainers to gain clients on a national, and maybe even internationally.