Why You Shouldn't Hire an Online Fitness Trainer

At a time when everyone's going digital, we can't help but wonder if EVERYTHING really belongs online. When it comes to your health, fitness is one of those things that works best face-to-face in a traditional gym setting.

Right?

You come in at 5pm, the gym's packed with other plebeians who had the same idea, you talk to your trainer for a bit, warm up, have what felt like a 30-minute workout, cool down for 10 minutes while still talking to your trainer, and you're out of there!

"$110 + tax, please," said the sales rep at the chain gym.

Now, what if you had the ability to make it into the gym at any hour you damn well please, had no one to ask you about your weekend so you could get a legitimate 1-hour workout in, and you had a detailed plan in your hands so you know what the hell you're doing ahead of time?

How about we throw in a weekly check-in with a qualified coach who isn't interested in standing next to you counting your reps for you for 45 minutes? During that check-in, you get to ask questions, get them answered in real time, AND get sent away with actionable solutions to all the problems you had before joining the call?

Sounds like a game-changer to me!

There's nothing wrong with in-person personal training. There are some EXCEPTIONAL, highly-qualified personal trainers who only train face-to-face.

However, what most people probably don't realize about large chain gyms is that they're a scam for everyone involved:

• Chains like Planet Fitness are in the numbers business. They strive to keep you fat by providing you with Tootsie Rolls at the counter and "pizza days." They also sell WAY more memberships than they can handle, knowing full well that most of their members won't actually come consistently. Even better if they never show up again!
• High-end clubs bank on members valuing comfort over efficiency, so they offer every amenity under the sun to make it seem like they have it all. In reality, their trainers usually aren't allowed to stray from their basic cookie-cutter workouts or speak too much about nutrition. The result? You pay $100+ for a workout you could've bookmarked on a blog for free and you just put $70 of that in the gym's pocket. Your trainer sees a very small percentage.
• Finally (the list goes on and on, actually), personal trainers in chain gyms aren't necessarily knowledgable or educated. Some gyms require specific qualifications, but there are plenty who allow weekend or several-week certifications from unregulated organizations who still teach outdated curriculums that are not evidence-based. You'll pay the price both financially and physically.

It would be unfair to suggest that it's difficult to find good, experienced, and well-educated in-person personal trainers out there because they DO exist. It just requires you to do your research and ask questions ahead of time.

Same goes for an online trainer:

• The online fitness world is currently UNREGULATED, which means that it's COMPLETELY up to you to do your research and decide if this the right person to guide you from your current situation to your end result.
• Luckily, most online fitness coaches who are not experienced or who are only in the business of promoting themselves are fairly easy to spot. If the person provides great content that TEACHES instead of SHOWS (AKA abs and booty bands), they might be a great fit. Always ask as many questions as you need to and pay attention to their ability to respond.
• Finally, lots of online trainers will give you a run-of-the-mill Excel sheet that they share with everyone and send you on your way. Just because $19.99/month sounds like a great deal doesn't mean it's any better than the free one you could've Googled yourself. You get what you pay for.

So which is best: in-person or online training?

It really depends on what you're looking for and how your work best, but online training is definitely the top pick for people who are short on time, need efficiency, and love to plan. Flexibility is key to achieving your fitness goals, and online training allows you access to your coach at any time and the freedom to work out outside of the 1-hour time slot in their schedule.

In person might be best for visual learners who have a hard time grasping the movements, but even complete beginners can benefit from having an online coach. Instead of having their attention for only one or two hours and being left to your own devices for the rest of the week, you can get help or guidance anytime you need it.

What a way to cut that learning curve in half!

Whichever option you choose, just remember to ask questions and don't be afraid to challenge the person if what they're saying seems wrong or unfair.

Keep in mind that if you're seeking their expertise, you theoretically shouldn't know better than they do, but on the off chance that you do, don't feel obligated to agree with the person if they clearly have no idea what they're talking about.

Are you thinking about getting to work on your fitness goals but don't know where to start? Get in touch with me anytime and we'll make it happen!

-Adam

AMP Fitness

About the Author:

Adam is a University of New Mexico graduate with a degree in exercise science and nutrition (BS) and several personal training certifications (CPT). He currently lives in Montreal, Quebec where he is finishing his master’s degree in Exercise Science (MSc) at Concordia University and running his online fitness coaching business. His research focuses on muscle memory and the effects of lifetime physical activity and inactivity on trainability in sedentary, healthy adults. In other words, he studies the effects of exercise on people who used to be active, stopped for years, and started again.

Sound like you? Ask a question anytime: @thefitadam on all platforms.

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