In a world that is now very much based on emerging technology, it was only a matter of time before Personal Training took to the internet! Personally, I believe Online Coaching is one of the greatest things to ever happen to technology (ok, I’m a little bias because it is my profession…). There are many reasons why I love Online Coaching that I will go over in this article, but first I should probably explain exactly WHAT Online Coaching is.
What is Online Coaching?
When I say “Online Coaching” I don’t mean looking up workouts on Pinterest, or following your favorite fitness Instagram star for workouts. Online Coaching refers to an actual certified personal trainer creating personalized programs for clients all over the world! Every online coach trains differently and uses their preferred method of coaching through technology. Some have apps to track workouts, some use PDF’s with instructions, and some use video methods to give 1-on-1 sessions to clients! When looking at Online Coaching, there are 2 different types: Personalized and Generalized. Both types have their pros and cons to them, but both are great tools for getting started!
Personalized Coaching
Personalized coaching includes workouts SPECIFICALLY made for an individual client based on an initial intake done by the coach. Personalized coaching takes into account a clients previous exercise history, injuries, and specific goals they’re working towards. Personalized coaching is great because it creates a great relationship between coach and client. The coach is more in tune with what the client needs and generally has more communication with the client than if a pre-made plan was purchased. The coach is able to collect more information from a client who is doing personalized coaching on whether they enjoy the program, need changes to be made, or if they are seeing any progress. I’ve found that motivation and accountability is way higher when using personalized coaching. The only con I see for personalized coaching is the cost. Personalized coaching does have a higher price than purchasing a generalized workout program, but I do believe the price is well worth it. You get what you’ve paid for as far as quality.
Generalized Coaching
Generalized coaching is a workout program that is handed out or bought by a number of people and is not specific to the individual. Generalized coaching tends to work for people who do not have existing injuries or medical conditions and have a basic understanding of exercise form. Usually with generalized coaching, there is very little communication between client and coach. The programs are made to “sit and sell” without further work done on them by the coach. These are great for people looking for specific types of workouts such as “Build a Booty” or “At Home Burn”. Generalized workout programs are also great for people just looking to add some new ideas and moves into their current routine or to target a specific body part in ways they haven’t before. The biggest pro of generalized online coaching is the price. It is cheaper than personalized coaching because, again, you get what you paid for. This workout program was in no way tailored to you, it just fits your interest is all.
Why Should you Choose Online Coaching?
Now that I’ve given you an idea of WHAT Online Coaching is, let’s talk about WHY is it so phenomenal. Before I begin, I really do want to stress that you should find a certified and qualified coach for Online Coaching. Always check qualifications. I also want to stress that you should find the right coach for you. I did a previous article about good coaching vs. bad coaching, so if you have any questions about what constitutes a good coach, be sure to check that out!
Unlimited Options
As a consumer, Online Coaching offers you an unlimited amount of coach options. Because the coaching is based through technology, you can literally pick a coach located anywhere! If there is a specific Online Coach that you look up to, you have the ability to reach out and become a part of their team, no matter where you’re located! This happens often with celebrity trainers, but it’s pretty cool that you don’t have to meet 1-on-1 in order to gain some of their knowledge and help. As an Online Coach, this means I can help anyone, anywhere, at any time. This thought is the most exciting to me because it is so different from working in a gym! When you work in a gym, your clients are your members. When you work online, your clients could be from anywhere, there is no limit to the amount of people you can help and spread your knowledge to! For me, personally, my lifestyle has me constantly moving around the US which has lead to me working in a lot of gym and inevitably leaving that gym to move to another state. I love 1-on-1 personal training because of the relationships I’ve built, but when it comes time to move on to the next state, I would have to go through the grieving process of all the wonderful people I had met and helped. I’m so happy that now I can have clients based all over the US and NOT have to say goodbye. There is no ceiling to the number of lives I can change.
Anytime…Anywhere…
Along with being able to choose a coach from anywhere, you can also preform your workouts anywhere! When you are a part of a personal training program in a gym, your workouts are to be done IN the gym and on the trainer’s schedule. When you are a part of Online Coaching, the workouts are your own. If you asked for at home workouts, that’s what you’ll get. If you want to be in the gym, your workouts will be geared towards the gym. During the initial intake meeting with your coach they should set the expectations you have for your program and make it customized to your lifestyle and workout settings. You also have the freedom to complete your weekly workouts whenever you have time! If you want to do your assigned workouts at 2 am, you go for it, you are on your own schedule. There is no need to schedule an appointment or session in order to get your sweat on! With how Emburn Fitness Online Coaching works, you receive 3-4 workouts a week based on your goals and initial intake meeting. You can complete these workouts at anytime during the week, and anywhere your little heart desires. You also have access to these workouts for the rest of your fitness journey! That’s another great thing about Online Coaching; if you like the workout, you always have it in your possessions so you can repeat it as many times as you like! You are always given different workouts each week, but it you have the CHOICE to complete whichever workouts you’d like. Basically, Online Coaching is for you. For your lifestyle. For your schedule. For your goals. You have someone for motivation and support while you go on YOUR journey. Your workouts are not curriculum that must be handed out because “corporate” says they need to be. They are not created and passed around to an infinite amount of people. They are for you and are meant to be done whenever or wherever the heck you want them to be done (As long as you complete them, otherwise your coach will be on your butt). FREEDOM!
Community
Most Online Coaching programs give their clients access to an online community of people working towards their own fitness goals. This can be one of the most powerful and motivating parts of Online Coaching. The online community will be clients of the Online Coach who are partaking in personalized coaching, just like you. It gives the sense of community, but it still structured around individuals specific needs. Emburn Fitness utilizes an online community in ways of a Facebook Page, as do most fitness businesses. On this page are clients only. They are free to post about their workout, post any questions, and overall share their successes/failures with the group. It is constant motivation and accountability to see others going through the same things you are. The coolest thing about online communities is that everybody has a back story and everyone is at a different place in their fitness journey. In a gym this is also true most of the time, but it’s harder to go up to someone and start talking about your experiences than to post about them and watch others relate directly to you. In an online community clients push each other to keep going and they help each other when motivation is lacking. It’s a great tool for accountability and support. In an online community, you are able to meet people from all over the world that have come together to work on their goals with the same online coach as you. You are able to network and create relationships that you otherwise would not have made.
24/7 Support
A unique part of Online Coaching is the amount of communication you have with your coach. Online Coaches don’t exactly have “office hours” and are usually free whenever you need them. In a gym there are set hours that a trainer will work. There also is a set time they will meet with you each week. At any given time during those staffed hours a trainer will likely be with another client and will be unable to answer any questions until they have free time. When I compare my time as a 1-on-1 trainer to my time as an Online Coach, I have to say I’ve had more communication and support given to my Online Clients strictly because of time. I am on my own schedule, and available to help multiple clients at once if need-be. Support can be given by an Online Coach in the form of email, posting on the online community page, text message, or phone call. I often have people wondering about form or equipment. I love utilizing video calls or sending videos to explain form and to correct any imbalances they have going on. This can be done at anytime, I don’t have to wait to get back into the office to help. It might sound like constant work for the coach, but there are down times, it’s not like I’m answering emails/texts 24/7, but it is great to let my clients know I am here for them whenever they need it. With Emburn Fitness, my clients have my email, my phone number, and have access to the Facebook page for direct communication. Along with these resources, I also send out a weekly accountability email to check in on progress and get feedback on how their life and program are going. This makes for a great conversation and a way to constantly know what is going on in my client’s lives. Overall, Online Coaching involves way more communication than I have experienced with other training jobs, and I believe it is very effective at holding clients accountable and pushing them past their goals!
Cost
The final reason why I think Online Coaching is so wonderful for clients is the cost. I’ve worked in gyms and seen the pricing for 1-on-1 personal training, and while I truly think it’s worth the price I know that all the money is not going directly to the personal trainer. I also know that the price was not determined by the personal trainer. One of the most freeing parts about creating Emburn Fitness was being able to put my own price tag on it. I know that knowledge and help is worth a lot, but I also know how hard times can be for people and wanted to make it realistic.
Having a coach in a gym franchise tends to cost more than an Online Coach because of the reasons above… the price is set by someone else, and not all the money goes to the trainer. Also, Online Coaches are not meeting with you in person most of the time, so pricing is lower. You also do not have to pay for a specific gym membership to have an Online Coach because as I stated above, you can do these workouts where ever you choose!
“The average trainer may charge around $70 to $100 for an hour-long training session, whereas if you buy a six-, eight-, or 10-week [online] program, you’re paying anywhere from $100 to $200, depending on the coach,” Baltimore-based personal trainer Erica Suter, C.S.C.S. It truly is more cost effective to hire an Online Coach to write you a personalized program than to meet with a trainer once or twice a week to take you through a workout. All pricing really depends on the Online Coach that you choose, and every coach has multiple options for you to look through. Just make sure that they are willing to make something work for you, and choose the right coach!
No matter what you decide to do with your fitness goals, find something that works for you. Find someone who will make you follow through, hold you accountable, motivate you, and be able to answer any questions you have along the way. Whether it’s in person or online, find a coach and CRUSH YOUR FITNESS GOALS!