More and more people are turning to online personal training to help them reach their physical and fitness goals. However, this form of training has both benefits and drawbacks, and it’s essential to understand both before deciding whether to pursue an online personal training program or a trainer.

The Pros

The pros of online personal fitness training are numerous. For starters, there is no need to travel to a gym to train. Online programs let you train at your convenience anytime, anywhere. So, there is no excuse for getting stuck in traffic or waking up late for your session.

Training is at Your Pace

One of the significant benefits of online personal fitness training is that you can train at your own pace. In addition, you can tailor your program to your schedule and cater it to your interests through your trainer.

Use an International Trainer

Another exciting advantage of online personal training is its accessibility. Online training allows you to access personalized coaching and consulting from anywhere in the world. So, you can choose a strength specialist in Germany, a power trainer in Austria, or a soccer coach in Brazil.

Bodyweight Programming/ Minimalist Training

Online is an excellent advantage if you do kettlebells, bodyweight training, HIIT, etc., or any type of minimalist program since they can be easily created and done in your own home. In addition, you don’t need to transport equipment to the gym– just your body, a kettlebell, a resistance band, a computer, and an internet connection is all you need.

Convenience and Flexibility

Online training programs allow you to decide your schedule. You can cut out your travel time, start immediately, and have a meeting right after your session. So, it helps you maximize your time. This is especially useful for people who are busier than average and have demanding schedules. Also, they can be helpful for people who are seniors, pregnant women, or those with certain health conditions that make it difficult to travel.

The Cons

Regarding the cons, one difficult aspect of online personal training is a lot of competition. Having a lot of competition can make choices challenging. For example, some trainers have great marketing and websites but poor advice and programming. And others hook you with a piece of info and make you pay for the main point of the program.

Restricted to Technology

If your service is down or running slow, you will lose time in your training session waiting for reconnection. And lose your focus.

Need Specific Equipment to Train Properly

If you have a gym membership, it may be convenient to use the equipment required for your training program. But if you don’t have a membership and need a cable machine and a bench, then it will be difficult. Another issue that arises when doing online personal training is that you may be limited to the options and equipment available in your home or office where you are training.

Lack of Truth

What you say you can do and what a trainer sees are two different things. For example, you can say you can do five reps of a certain weight where the last rep almost dropped on your face. And if a trainer saw, he would lower the weight. So, you lose accountability and responsibility due to ego or lack of knowledge.

Poor Inaccurate Evaluation of Movement

A good personal trainer will do a functional movement assessment or evaluation before prescribing a program. It is challenging to evaluate a person’s posture and movement online. For example, the camera may be in a poor position to see the person’s alignment correctly. Even the best strength program can injure you if your body is not aligned and positioned properly.

In-Home Distractions

Being at home has a different energy than being at the gym or a studio. There is no doorbell or phone to answer. No kids to disrupt your session. And no husband or wife to ask you a favor or a quick question. Training out of your house creates a focus that produces motivation.

Lack of Motivation

Online training is definitely not an option if you need motivation in the gym. However, a benefit of in-person training is to help, walk, and guide you through that low-energy, dragging, challenging times.

How to Choose an Online Personal Trainer

• Can they keep you motivated and on track online?
• Can they effectively tweak your program?
• How do their clients rate them?
• Does the trainer have experience working with clients in person?
• Does the trainer have the expertise you need as a beginner, intermediate and advanced client?

Overall, you won’t have the same level of direct contact with your online personal trainer as you would have in person. The feedback on your progress can be limited, slow, and unexpected. This can hinder your results and possibly injure you. So online may be a disadvantage or detrimental for some people.

If you are interested in online personal training, it is essential to do your research before signing up. Ask for a complimentary session and consultation.