Whether you’re the kind of person who went to the gym every morning like clockwork, or you got a majority of your exercise walking around the mall window shopping, 2020 has thrown all of our fitness routines out the window.
While it’s easy to focus on the downsides that have come with the changes in lifestyle we’ve been forced to endure, I want to familiarize you with an amazing new fitness trend that has arisen out of the necessity of the situation we find ourselves in that is here to stay. Virtual Personal Training
If you would have asked me at the beginning of 2020 if I thought I could effectively train my clients online, using only equipment in their homes such as bands and a few light dumbbells, I would have told you it was a waste of time and money. But, the results I’ve seen over the last six months have not only changed my mind but have me as excited as I’ve ever been as a trainer at the opportunity I have to improve people’s lives!
The first time one of my clients told me that they are “now, from training at home, in better shape than they’ve been in the last ten year”, I realized that virtual personal training is not only effective but has created a fitness revolution. Everyone now has access to elite trainers who were previously only available to those who could afford expensive gym memberships and even more expensive training packages. And trainers now have access to help improve the health and fitness of people who they never would have been able to reach otherwise.
5 Benefits Of Virtual Personal Training
- Remote training fits far more easily into your schedule & lifestyle
- Virtual personal training is often much cheaper than training at a gym
- You now have access to elite trainers from wherever you are in the world
- Gyms can be intimidating
- Set yourself up for nutrition success by walking your trainer through your kitchen
Remote Training Fits Far More Easily Into Your Schedule & Lifestyle
One of the biggest hurdles to getting in shape is consistency. Whether the issue is getting out of the house because someone needs to be home to watch the kids, or because your work hours are inconsistent and it’s hard to stick to a routine, the flexibility of training from home makes it easier to stay consistent.
Imagine you have spent months progressing towards your weight loss goals and then suddenly, quarter end hits and you’re stuck in the office until midnight for two weeks. While quarter ends will still busy, the reality that most people are working from home means that for lunch instead of ordering in pizza and eating at your desk, you can escape for 60 minutes to get in a quick training session and still make it back in time for the afternoon status meeting!
Vacations are always a major hurdle to achieving dream fitness goals. Now your coach can be there with you. Maybe, you don’t have to stick to your three times a week workout program, but taking a morning or two to train might help motivate you to have fewer drinks the night before and leave you feeling and looking great for the pool the next afternoon.
Virtual Personal Training Is Much Cheaper Than Training At A Gym
For most people training in a gym means paying for a gym membership and then shelling out even more money for a personal trainer. Virtual training cuts out the need to pay the extra membership fees. This could mean significant savings, especially for those members of high-end gyms, where membership fees can eclipse $200 per month!
On top of that trainers usually incur fees for taking their clients to a gym, which often gets reflected in their training session fees. In New York that fee is regularly between $25-$40 per hour. With access to free apps like Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime, some of the overhead involved in the traditional training process is removed. This means trainers have been able to offer their services at significantly reduced rates. From a survey of trainers completed in New York, on average, trainers were charging $35 less per remote training session than they were when training in the gym.
You Now Have Access To Elite Trainers From Wherever You Are In The World
The best trainers in the world usually flock to the places where they can train the most clients and make the most money. As a result, access to these trainers were typically restricted to those living in major cities, or near towns with elite college athletic programs.
With the ability to train online, you can now have direct in-person access to the best trainers from Los Angeles while at home in Alaska.
You suddenly have access to trainers who have received the best education and learned from directly networking with industry leaders. Take this opportunity to pick their brains and learn about topics that are important to your health and fitness. You can carry the lessons you learn now in training sessions, into your fitness routines for the rest of your life.
Gyms Can Be Intimidating
Maybe in the past you were being held back from exercising because you were too intimidated to go to the gym. That was definitely the way that I felt the first time I went into a gym as a lanky teenager. In my mind I was going to be surrounded by all of these fit muscular people, who I assumed would look at me and judge because I didn’t look like them or didn’t know what I was doing.
You are safe from all judging looks in the safety of your own home! And with the assistance of your coach the learning curve of going from workout novice to understanding how to workout safely and correctly will be cut down significantly, along with the intimidating distractions.
Set Yourself Up For Nutrition Success By Walking Your Trainer Through Your Kitchen
In most cases, a successful health and fitness plan must include some adjustments to your eating habits. In the past, trainers who offered nutritional services had to provide them via conversations in the gym, before, or after workouts, or even worse during workouts, when your mind is in a million other places and you can’t think about planning your meals for the week.
Virtual training gives you the ability to bring your coach into your kitchen with you. This brings a personal touch that was never available before. Many coaches will walk you through how to set up your kitchen and pantry in a way that you can set yourself up for nutritional success, often for no additional charge.
Bottom Line: In many ways, virtual personal training can be even better than training in a gym.
With the benefits it has already proven since early in 2020, the trend of hiring a personal trainer to train you virtually is here to stay.
But, be sure you’re doing your research when choosing a virtual trainer. Many gyms required their trainers to hold national accreditation, insurance, and complete continuing education courses. Make sure the trainer you are hiring has accreditation from a reputable organization like NCSF, NASM, or ISSA. A good personal trainer should also be building a program specific to your goals and needs. So, ensure your trainer takes the time before you start your workout program to learn about your specific goals, needs, and medical/exercise history. There is no such thing as a one size fits all workout program, so make sure your trainer has built a program that is specific to you.
