The internet along with the recent pandemic has revolutionized virtually every industry, including the fitness industry. There are many pros and cons to online personal training. So many people moved their fitness online and signed up for Online Personal Training. It h as been great to see people getting motivated and taking action to manage their health.
Recently, the availability of online training has been growing and developing at an exponential rate. In this article, I’ll speak about the two main types on
Online Training. On-demand online training sessions and Online Training with weekly check-ins. In the latter, your coach will provide you with all the information you need and you’ll have an informal check-in once per week to sort through any issues, increase your knowledge and make adjustments.
So what exactly are the pros and cons of online personal training? There are many pros and cons of online personal training and it really is person dependent. With this article, you’ll find out everything you need to make the right decision for your future.
Pros of online personal training
Remote
One huge advantage to working with an online trainer is the accessibility it offers to individuals. A client who lives in another country has the ability to work with a coach like me at no extra cost. If you choose to do a 1:1 session via a video platform it saves you travel time and complications, a big win in many busy professionals’ books.
Many of my clients who hire me as their online trainer (this links to my blog about why hiring one might be a good idea) do so to be able to have consistent access to me on a daily basis. They can send me videos of their movements for analysis, ask questions and reach out if they have any requests. No need to be in the gym for their paid hour with me like a personal trainer on the gym floor.
Flexible
Online Personal Training opens up the doors to be able to work out whenever and wherever. Whether you’re in your normal routine at home, travelling for the Summer or with friends for the weekend you can still get your sessions in.
If you’re working via online sessions they’re flexible to you and your location. If you’re working with a trainer on a weekly check-in basis you can plan and adjust accordingly to your upcoming week with expert advice.
Online Personal Training, depending on the service you subscribe to, can be extremely flexible. Hours of travelling to the gym and adding yo tour schedule are much less of a constraint for working out and getting healthy if you’re doing online sessions.
If you’re working with a trainer on a weekly check-in basis you can work to achieve your goals over a week period rather than having to stick to your schedule sessions you’ve booked and paid for with your trainer in your gym. Flexible to your schedule and overall more manageable.
Cost
I recently wrote a blog all about the costs of a personal trainer. Hiring an Online Personal Trainer can be much more cost-effective and can often give you closer access to the coach with many offering personalised video check-ins and calls if you go for a weekly check-in option.
If you’re working with a Personal Trainer twice per week in person it could work out at roughly €50- €100 per week. Compare that to working with an Online Coach from Ireland and you could be looking at anywhere from €35 to €75 per week for highly personalised and daily to weekly support.
I personally offer consultation calls, daily support and weekly educational check-ins at an affordable price.
Online Personal Trainers have far fewer overheads to take care of, which means that they can operate at less of an expense. They are then able to pass these savings on to you!
The results are still the same
There are sceptics out there who believe online personal training won’t produce the same results as face-to-face training will. However, from being an online coach for over 2 years now I know it’s 100% true!
By receiving your own personalised programmes and meal plans, there’s no reason why you can’t see the same results you would from training in an actual gym.
It’s true a lot of the accountability is down to the client but with weekly check-ins, education and daily contact, it has the potential to produce better results. Your coach has a more holistic view of everything and can constantly monitor your progress without having to wait until the next time they see you.
Take a look at these transformations of my recent online clients:
Privacy
Online Trainer is also great for people who don’t feel fully comfortable entering the weights area of a gym. It can be really intimidating for people and that’s completely understandable. If you go with an online training session at home you could feel more at ease and worry less about people looking at you in your judgment-free home environment.
There’s a mountain of ways to train at home with equipment, bands and with bodyweight and all good coaches will work to your resources.
Cons of online training
Self-motivation
Unless you’re doing on-demand online training sessions , it can be tricky to have and keep the motivation to train if you’re a beginner. However, what I’ve found from years of coaching is opening up the channels of communication and education is the most important thing. Like my article about the weighing scales maybe you need a new perspective or increase in education on ‘how hard training should be’.
Many clients come to me consistently falling off the wagon because they think they need to do one hundred burpees with a host of other mind-numbing exercises to lose weight. Nobody can keep that up! When really three days of weight training can be much more beneficial and easier to do consistently.
Less in person/ face to face connection
While your online personal trainer can provide you with motivation, support and education some clients may find it tough without the in-person connection. The routine of putting on your gym gear and getting in the zone in the gym with your trainer When can help create a ‘fitness’ mindset.
What I would say to this is to choose your trainer wisely. I make an effort to chat with (via audio or video) every client as often as possible so we have a close connection. Not meeting with someone can reduce the pressure of not wanting to let them down. This is why it’s important to take your training seriously regardless of whether you’re actually meeting with a trainer for sessions.
Added screen time
With many aspects of our lives being online now screen time usage has skyrocketed. I myself can flip flop between loving the remote working and being done with being on a screen all the time.
If you’re doing on-demand online training sessions you’ll need to consider the extra screen time you might be adding to your already heavy load. However, if you’re doing Online Personal Training with weekly check-ins and following a plan this shouldn’t be a problem. Your coach will send you video, written or audio feedback that won’t be anywhere near a full forty-five to sixty-minute session.
You need a good eye to keep track of your progress and movements
Again depending on the option you choose to go with it can be tricky to know if you’re doing things right. True, it is easier to see and cue clients when they are in front of you. But while this is a valid concern, a good trainer will be able to cue you and help you learn the movements risk-free whether it is done virtually or not.
If you’re working with an Online Coach and getting weekly check-ins most trainers will ask for videos of your movements to offer advice and help you improve to get the safest bank for your buck.
No spotting with movements
One con of Online Personal Training can definitely be not having a person there to spot you. Spotting is when another person safely helps you grind out the last few reps to push a weight or set of reps that you may not be able to get training alone.
One point I’d add to this though is from experience I see that clients usually aren’t lifting near as heavy as they’re capable of. I’ve noticed from Online Coaching that through feedback I can usually help them push beyond their limitations and really increase their strength.
For me, the most important thing is a client’s safety so knowing they’re performing the movements safely and slowly increasing the weights is more important for me.
How much does online coaching cost?
Online Coaching costs vary depending on the amount of access to the coach the client has, the coach’s education and ongoing education and their experience.
I recommend checking out this podcast episode with my long-term client Sarah to show how in-depth Online Coaching can be. We chat about how we personalised many aspects of training and nutrition to her so she could get and maintain long-term results.
In-person Personal Training in Ireland works out at about €200-€400 per month if you are training twice per week in a gym. Online Personal Training costs an average of €150-300 per month for unlimited support and weekly check-ins.
How to find a good online trainer?
Taking your time to do your own research on a trainer will save you money and time in the long run. It gives you a chance to dig deeper to ask any questions you have and find out about their client results, experience and history.
I recommend checking out my article on where to find a good personal trainer as most of the principles apply for Online Personal Training too. Having a clear idea of your goals and the type of coach you want to work with will get your journey off on the right foot and help you feel at ease.
I offer a free consultation call for anyone interested in signing up. This gives me and the client a chance to talk about our approaches and goals and to see if we are a good fit for one another.
FAQ
Is Online Personal Training effective?
It’s true a lot of the accountability is down to the client but with weekly check-ins, education and daily contact, it has the potential to produce better results. Your online coach has a more holistic view of everything and can constantly monitor your progress without having to wait until the next time they see you.
From helping you with your nutrition and training to mindset and outlook I think Online Personal Training has the capability to offer a deeper and more holistic approach getting you closer to the results you want.
Online coaching VS In-person training
Of course, you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons for yourself on what type of coaching will work better for you and your lifestyle. Ultimately, finding personal trainers should be based on your specific goals and needs. If you’re ready to take the next step but have any questions feel free to reach out to me via my contact form or Instagram . I help clients every single day and am happy to help you weigh up the pros and cons.
Conclusion
Movement should be part of your lifestyle and should be a commitment over the long term. In making a decision you’ll have to consider whether you need that in-person commitment for your motivation or if cheaper and more in-depth online coaching could be a viable option for you and if it will fit into your overall life.
My coaching service is based around helping people achieve sustainable weight loss without restriction. I coach clients online and have seen people turn their lives around and get into their best shape and feel their best ever. If you’re tired of doing the rounds on restrictive diets and overly-difficult workout plans get in touch with me here for a free consultation to see if I can help you.
Luckily the availability of online training is growing and developing at an exponential rate so there are trainers out there to suit nearly every type of person with every type of goal. Now you know all about the pros and cons of online personal training, it’s time to start your fitness journey!
