What Are the Benefits of an Online Fitness Coach?

Like a lot of other services, fitness is moving online. Whether it be from YouTube channels, fitness blogs, or social media, you can learn a lot about fitness from the web. A growing area is online training, so in this article, we’re going to talk about the benefits of online training.

When stress, work, and other responsibilities take over it’s easy to push training and diet to the side. It can sometimes feel like it’s the only option. But having a fitness coach in your corner helping you overcome barriers to success can be potent.

Having an online personal trainer and nutrition coach gives you the opportunity to let someone else put together customized workouts and a diet that works with your lifestyle. As well as, gives you someone to hold you accountable. 

What Is Online Personal Training?

Online personal training is the same thing as in-person personal training except you’re not relying on someone else’s location and schedule.

You can get better fitness, nutrition, mindset, and lifestyle input custom tailored to your particular objectives with an online coach that has more time to answer your questions and furnish direction.

It’s a relatively new and invigorating way to get what you need, when you need it, without the constraints and expenses of the gym. This allows online personal fitness coaches to offer better and more cost effective services.

How Does Online Personal Fitness Training Work?

Step 1: Consultation

Traditionally, when you sign up for online personal fitness training an initial consultation between you and your potential personal trainer will take place.

This initial consultation can take place over the phone, via video call, text, zoom, or email. Every trainer will operate the initial consultation in a different way and may also accommodate it to your personal choice too.

The benefits of an online personal fitness coach having an initial consultation is that you’ll be able to discuss the following topics:

• Health and fitness goals: People search for online personal training for various reasons. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or have more energy in your daily life it is important that your online coach knows what you want out of your training program.
• Your fitness background and how long you’ve been exercising: Regardless of whether you’re new to exercising or not, a personal trainer will need to know your skill level. A common illusion is that personal training is just for beginners, but that is not the case. You could have a very experienced background in exercise or even be an accomplished athlete and still require (and benefit from) a personal trainer.
• Workout preferences: This can relate to a host of things. Whether it be exercises you like or want to pursue specifically, to integrating your own equipment into a session, it’s important to let your personal trainer know.
• Length of program: It is significant that you detail clearly how long you want this training to last as this can be a factor as to the price and how long you have to wait to get started. Personal trainers can be in high demand so be sure to mention how long you want your training program to last so they can accommodate you.
• Medical History: As part of your consultation, you should also expect to share your medical history with your online personal trainer. This includes any injuries or pre-existing conditions that you may suffer from. Additionally, some personal trainers may ask you to disclose previous medical surgeries or health problems.

Step 2: Developing a Training Plan

Your personal fitness coach will take all the personal information that you have given in the consultation and begin to develop a personalized exercise plan, tailored specifically to you and your exercise goals.

You will not need to figure out the perfect plan. You just need to follow the instructions that are personalized to you. You’ll wake up everyday knowing exactly how to exercise and what to eat to achieve your goals. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the choices out there, you’ll feel confident knowing exactly what to do. Instead of getting frustrated with yourself for not having enough willpower, you’ll have a plan that will keep you motivated by knowing that you’re always headed in the right direction.

Step 3: The Workouts

When it comes to your workouts, most online personal trainers will use the following methods:

• App-based training: A lot of trainers will use apps to conduct sessions, monitor training, and communicate with you one on one. Apps such as YouTube may be used to demonstrate poses and exercising techniques. Whereas apps like TrueCoach, ProCoach, or Trainerize will be used to track your progress.
• Digital spreadsheets: Think of these as your personal grading system. Your personal trainer may use spreadsheets to highlight areas that you’re both strong and weak in. This will benefit your overall performances, as you will be able to see what areas need improvement allowing you to work on said area.
• Live classes: These types of classes may be conducted over Skype, Zoom, or Facetime etc. It will involve the trainer interacting with you personally, guiding you through the class, as if you were having a one to one session at a gym.

Step 4: Nutrition Guidance

Your online fitness coach will be someone who can look at your food log and suggest changes, and even recommend what your caloric intake and portion sizes should be with each meal.  Heading to a restaurant, traveling, or not sure what to pick up at the grocery store? That’s what your coach is there for. 

Diets can be very confusing for many, most people have tried dieting and may have found success, but eventually fall back into old eating habits. The role of the coach is to steer you back on track (not punish you for being human). Consistency is where the results come,and a coach can help you stay consistent.

Step 5: Updates

Virtual training benefits you even further when you engage one to one to check in with your personal trainer. Much like the initial meetings, these will be conversations taking place on the phone, via text, or over email.

During these chats you should discuss what you feel good about and areas where you feel you need improvement. Additionally, you should use the time to discuss any issues or concerns you may have as your trainer will be able to suggest an immediate solution. This is the time to tweak and troubleshoot the overall plan as well as day to day specifics.

What Are the Benefits of an Online Personal Fitness Coach?

Fits Your Schedule

With in-person coaching if you need to cancel a session late due an emergency you’re often charged for it. With online personal training, you have the ability to workout when it fits your schedule, not the coach’s.

• Your kids have a school evening you need to attend? No problem.
• Need to stay late at work? You can.
• Want to sleep in and move your workout to later in the day? Yes, you can do that too.

Additionally your online workouts can have a range of shorter and longer classes to aid you in time management. For example, if you are extremely busy you might do a 30 minute workout during your lunch break or wait and do a longer workout after work.

In comparison to working with an in-person trainer, this is a huge benefit. With a face-to-face personal trainer, you will almost always have to adapt to the schedule of your personal trainer.

You Choose the Location

If you’re someone with an unpredictable schedule or a job that often involves working away, being able to train in any location offers great comfort. No matter where you are, you will have access to guided exercise.

Multiple Trainers

The online fitness trainer benefits extend to the fact that many online personal training programs offer access to more than one trainer. While you’ll consult with one specific trainer regularly, and even have live sessions with said trainer, many programs also offer other trainers and a range of classes.

Having access to other trainers can open you to workouts with trainers that have special areas of interest be it weight lifting, marathon running, or even swimming. Should you ever want to try new things or branch out into a different area of exercise, there might be someone on the team that can help you out without additional fees.

Access to Any Trainer

There are no boundaries, not even geographical ones, when you use an online personal fitness coach. If you’re looking for an in-person personal trainer, you’re going to have to stay within the boundaries of your city and the surrounding area.

Not so with online personal trainers. If there is a trainer that you want to work with, but lives thousands of miles away, being trained by that person is still a possibility with online personal training. You can even have an online personal trainer from another country.

Online personal training provides a tremendous opportunity to be trained by the best in the world. You are not confined to one area, one gym, or any other location-based factor.

Your Coach Is Always There with You

Online personal training advantages can also be found in the way in which you and your online personal trainer communicate. During your off hours you’ll be able to contact your personal trainer through texts and calls. Some even use their social media platforms as an extended line of communication, offering advice from their posts as well as direct messaging.

This may vary from trainer to trainer, so it’s important to ask them first if they have hours of inactivity. Like everything with online coaching, all you need to do is ask your trainer whether they work on a schedule and what time they are available.

It’s Cost Effective

Another benefit of online personal training is that it is substantially cheaper than in-person training. While a single 30 to 60 minute session with an in person trainer can run from $60 to $200 or more depending on location, online fitness coaching typically offers incredible value and cost savings.

Also, your coach doesn’t have gym fees or extensive overhead costs and thus is able to charge clients much less. Without sacrificing personal attention and care, you will receive a customized program, at a reduced cost, and with great flexibility.

Makes You Accountable

With in-person training, you see your coach once or twice a week at your sessions, but beyond that you’re on your own. With online training you have a fitness professional at your fingertips anytime you have questions. In fact, most online personal fitness trainers require you to send updates frequently so they can help track your progress and make modifications as needed.

Is Online Personal Training a Good Fit for Me?

It’s not the right fit for everyone but it could be a good fit for you. 

Do you:

Want to be fitter, healthier and stronger and stay that way?

Coaching can help you lose weight and body fat, build up physical strength and confidence, and get results that last. Experienced coaches will not give you a crazy diet and overly intense exercise programs to follow. Instead, they’ll help you build good habits that will last forever.

Are You:

Tired of quick fix programs and willing to dedicate the time to get in shape the sustainable way?

If you tried something before and “failed” or just can’t stick with it, know that you are not alone. And it’s not your fault. After all, self-directed training and nutrition programs fail 98 percent of the time.

Great online personal trainers will teach you doable daily actions that are designed to fit into your busy lifestyle. Bottom line: learn to make fitness and nutrition a part of your life without it taking over.

Do You Want:

An expert to hold you accountable and coach you consistently through the program?

A personal online fitness trainer works closely with their clients to help them eat well and exercise, no matter what other craziness is going on in their lives. You’re busy enough and have enough to worry about; your coach’s job is to take care of the fitness and nutrition details so you don’t have to.

Are you ready to take your fitness to the next level? Are you ready, willing, and able to put in the work? Be patient? And communicate? Then online personal fitness training and nutrition are worth it.

If you are ready for results then contact us at Nick Ball Fitness. The key is accountability and motivation. We will be with you every step of the way as you crush your fitness goals.