In-Person or Online Personal Training: Which is Right for You?

So, you have set your mind on getting in shape and hiring a personal trainer to help you get there. Congratulations, you have taken the first step to better health.

The next step – choosing a training program – can be downright daunting. The fitness world is drowning in a sea of information and training options are limitless. Between social media posts and YouTube videos, everyone is seemingly an expert. Their workout plans and training systems run the gamut and their promises seem too good to be true.

So, how do you know who to trust and where do you start?

Because this is such a critical juncture in your fitness journey, Fit by Michele has asked several fitness experts to provide their take on choosing a personal trainer. We are kicking off this series of guest blogs with Adam Atkinson, a fitness guru who has been training clients with a wide range of goals for more than two decades.

In the article below, Adam provides an overview of the most common personal training options now available and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each.

 Personal Training in the Era of COVID-19

Personal training has taken on a new look with the COVID-19 pandemic. For the time being, traditional hands-on instruction by personal trainers in close quarters is limited and protective measures are advised.

No matter, personal trainers are still committed to helping people become healthier and have found new, innovative ways to help their clients, aided primarily by new technology.

Today we have settled into three basic options: in-person sessions, online sessions and online plans with training on your own. And while there are other options as well, such as in-home training, these three are the most common and a great place for almost everyone to start.

Which training program is best for you? Let’s break these services down and explore some of the pros and cons of each. Then, you can decide which plan suits you best.

In-Person Sessions

In-person sessions are the traditional personal training regimes that come to mind when someone expresses interest in working with a personal trainer.

In-person sessions are held in a gym or fitness center. With this option, clients work one-on-one with a trainer. Clients may also train in small groups, with a single trainer overseeing the session.

Pros:

1. Your personal trainer will instruct you how to properly perform an exercise and correct form when necessary.
2. You will get instant feedback on your form.
3. Your personal trainer is an exercise expert, so can explain the purpose of machines and fitness equipment and show you how to use them.
4. Your personal trainer or other members of your group will push you. No skipping exercises, sets or reps and no excuses.
5. Workouts are “no brainers.” Your personal trainer does the planning and thinking for you. You just need to do the work.
6. There is a wide variety of equipment available at most training centers, so exercises can be varied.
7. With one-on-one, you will get a program tailored to your specific needs and goals.
8. Small groups can be cost effective because trainer expense is split among several individuals.

Cons:

1. Right now, the obvious risk is exposure to COVID-19.
2. Some people are self-conscious training in a group setting.
3. This option can get very pricey, depending on how often you train.
4. Finding a personal trainer who specializes in your goals may be difficult at your local gym or fitness center. For example, if you are a power lifter, bodybuilder or physique competitor, your gym may not have trainers who specialize in these areas. If they do specialize in your area of interest, they may not be the caliber of coach you desire.

Bottom Line: This option is best for people who belong to a gym or plan to join one. It is ideal for showing newbies how to use equipment and become comfortable in the gym setting. This is also a great plan for those who have no desire to design their own training program and when finances are not limited.

In-person sessions are effective when paired with the cardio classes offered by most gyms and fitness centers. This is also a good choice for people looking for fitness as a social outlet since they will be exposed to like-minded people on a routine basis.

One-on-one sessions are also effective for those with special needs, such as injuries or the elderly. Just make sure your personal trainer is certified and capable of training for your circumstances.

Online Sessions Through Video Conference Platforms

Online sessions connect personal trainer to client through video conference platforms like Zoom and Skype. They are typically conducted at home. With COVID-19, this format has become increasingly popular. And as this technology becomes more widespread, it is bound to become more mainstream.

Pros:

1. Social distancing can be maintained.
2. Your personal trainer will instruct you how to properly perform an exercise and correct form when necessary.
3. Your personal trainer will push you. Again, no skipping exercises, sets or reps and no excuses.
4. No travel is required to train.
5. Training can be accomplished from the comfort of home.
6. Funds that would normally be used for the gym or fitness center can be used for video conferencing or training instead.

Cons:

1. Adjusting the camera and fiddling with angles takes time and may eat into training time.
2. Like in-person sessions, online sessions can be pricey depending on how often your train with your coach.
3. There is no ability to split the cost of the trainer among several people.
4. Exercise options may be limited with home gyms due to limited availability of equipment.

Bottom Line: This option is best for people who cannot travel to a gym or for those who are presently concerned about exposure to COVID-19. It is also a great option for those who have limited, but flexible time and may not be comfortable in gym settings.

This plan is also ideal for people who live in rural areas or have limited access to training facilities.

Online Training Programming

With this program, a personal trainer develops a specific training plan for a client based on their goals and needs. Clients execute this program on their own either at a gym or at home. In the past, personal trainers have primarily written these plans for gym and fitness settings. But with the closure of gyms and exposure concerns, online programming for home settings has become more popular.

Pros:

1. Your plan is customized to you. It is based on your goals, your setting, your schedule, and your physical limitations, among others.
2. It is less expensive than the other options, but still designed to help you reach your goals.
3. You may train wherever you want and whenever you want. You will not be tied to the gym of your personal trainer or his or her hours.
4. You can choose the coach whom you feel is best suited to helping you reach your goals. Your coach need not even be from the same city as you. The sky is the limit here.

Cons:

1. If you are not an experienced lifter, you may feel overwhelmed by new terms and different equipment and have concerns on using proper form.
2. You need to have inner drive to push yourself and execute the training on your own.

Bottom Line: This option is ideal for the experienced lifter who has trained for years and has established a regular routine for workouts. It is ideal for someone who wants to work with an elite trainer to reach new levels of fitness. An example of this is a physique competitor who wants to take advantage of the skills of a trainer living outside their area, perhaps even located on the other side of the country or abroad.

This is the plan many newbies opt for due to its cost. However, it may not be the best option unless you are very disciplined and accountable and have someone who can show you the ropes in your gym or at home.

Other Options

The fitness plan that works best for you may be a hybrid plan. Some clients opt for a combination of two or even all three of these personal training options. For example, they may have an in-person session one day a week and execute online programming the rest of the week on their own time at the gym or home.

Expectations are important when deciding what option or combination of options you choose for personal training. Do your research and decide what factors are most important to you. Consider such things as goals, finances, level of experience, schedule and so forth.

Talk with your perspective coach about your expectations, so you are both on the same page! A good trainer will be able to help you choose the best fit for you and your individual needs. He or she may even ask questions you didn’t pose or offer options you didn’t consider.

In the end, you reaching your goals makes for a rewarding relationship for both the personal trainer and you.

 

About Adam

Adam has had a passion for fitness and bodybuilding since he was a child. He and his dad, an avid lifter and fitness enthusiast, created their own home gym and Adam’s enthusiasm for the sport took off. After lifting and bodybuilding as a hobby for many years, he knew the next step was to turn this love into a career.

He trained at the local YMCA for a short time and then became a certified personal trainer with International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). Over an 18-year period, he grew his client base for training and soon realized his clients wanted proper nutrition counseling and guidance as well. To fill this void, Adam founded See You Later Leaner, based in Columbus, Ohio.

To provide the very best nutrition coaching possible, Adam was hand-picked by Dr. Joe Klemczewski to be a peaking director and co-host of Contest Prep University. He works with a breadth of clients, from elite bodybuilders to those wanting to shed a few pounds and tone up. He has trained and coached many competitive bodybuilders, figure, bikini and physique clients. Among their laurels are first place wins, overall finishes and pro-card or pro-titles in federations such as the National Physique Committee (NPC) and the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB).

Adam has competed in several bodybuilding competitions himself and qualified for the NPC Team Universe three times. While he enjoys competing, his true passion is helping others make transformations they never dreamed possible.

Post feature image of kettlebell courtesy Corrie Miracle from Pixabay.