Online Personal Trainers

As we’ve mentioned in similar posts, the pandemic has ravaged an innumerable number of sectors. We haven’t seen economic collapse like this since perhaps the Great Depression, and this still might end worse. Yet, with every crisis, there are winners, and one of those with COVID-19 are online personal trainers. Many of these folks were “in-person” trainers prior to the virus. The business model that most trainers followed was paying the gym where they train and conducting individual or group classes with clientele (members of said gym). Now, however, they’re stuck inside, but the good ones are maintaining their client base and doing away with the gym fees. 

On the client side there are multiple benefits to having an online trainer. First is flexibility, and the ability to tailor the workout to your needs. Personalized plans work far better than cookie-cutter workouts. We’re all different, and while burning more calories than we consume will lead to weight loss, how that’s achieved can vary drastically. Second, not everyone simply wants to burn calories. Some folks want to build muscle, while others want to reduce muscle mass but not overall weight. The permutations are endless and individualized personal trainers can hit all the key areas. 

Second is communication. If you counted on a private, in-person trainer then communication was likely fluid pre-COVID-19. But many people trained in groups, and this obviously lessened the amount of 1-1 communication you could have with your trainer. If you’re training for an hour in a group of seven, there’s only so much time for personalized communication. Online this is much easier, even if you are in a group. Platforms like Zoom are getting better by the day, and trainers have adapted well to this new (we hope temporary) reality.

Another plus of working with an online personal trainer is progress tracking. There are a host of apps where you can track your progress, align short and long-term goals, and really key in on where you’re performing well and what still needs strengthening. In conjunction with progress tracking is accountability. When you’re training in-person distractions are natural. When you’re training online, focus can be enhanced and that helps with accountability. With fitness, accountability is everything, and without it short and long-term goals are simply unachievable.

Finding an online trainer is easy in theory but finding a good one is the challenge. There are tons of them, but some companies do a better job at matching the trainee and the eventual trainer. Trainiac costs roughly $80 per month and they set you up with an individualized fitness program plus a trainer. You receive daily workouts and in constant touch with the trainer via text messaging and video chats. 

Future is another recommended company. More expensive than Trainiac ($149 per month) you begin with a diagnostic test to define goals, eating habits, availability to exercise during the week, etc. Your trainer then sends you custom video each week and the whole system pairs with your Apple Watch. Through this you can take the trainer literally wherever you go. 

Lastly, Mirror charges per session. Some are more expensive than others, but this is a good option if you already have a routine in place but are just looking to complement it every now and again with a class. The big catch with Mirror (but something Mirror fans swear by) is the $1,495 Mirror hardware to use the system. The hardware provides a two-way camera so you and your trainer can see each other in real-time. It’s a heck of an investment, but one apparently most feel is completely worth it. 

It’s an investment, but fitness is more than a hobby, it’s your health. Put down the Netflix and pick up a trainer!