Now that the pandemic is behind us and our lives have gone back to “normal”, many people believe that the need for online or virtual services is over. As a personal trainer and group fitness professional I can certainly say that the gym is once again full, and people are comfortable with working out in a packed and crowded environment. This has brought up the question of whether online fitness and wellness services are still relevant and why someone would choose them over in-person services.
I greatly enjoy working with people in person and there are many benefits with training people in this manner. In-person training is the best option for personal training clients who are very new to exercise and need help with the correct form or clients who have physical limitations that they need to pay special attention to. However, almost everyone else can greatly benefit from exploring online health and wellness services.
How Online Health and Wellness Coaching Works
In online health and wellness coaching, you will only meet with your coach virtually or over the phone. Usually, you will start with a consultation where your coach collects a lot of information about your strengths, limitations, goals, and resources. This is a great opportunity to ask questions as well. You are looking to determine if the coach is a good fit for you and if they can help you achieve your goals.
After the consultation, the coach may send you assessments that you can complete at home, and more questionnaires if more information is needed.
Once the coach has all of this information, they are ready to develop a plan for you based on what you are looking to achieve. This plan may include a strength training routine, a cardio exercise program, some stretches or corrective exercises, and a nutrition plan. All these components are personalized based on the information collected and your current goals.
Now it is time for you to begin the program the coach has outlined for you. However, you are not alone in this process. The coach will still be holding you accountable by checking in to see if you are doing the work and answering any questions you have along the way. With the use of a training app like the one at Trainerize, this process is very easy and straightforward. Your coach is watching to see that you have completed your workouts and food log. If you miss a day or two, they are right there to put you back on track. The app works so well that I find my clients who are using the app and knowing that I am watching tend to have a much greater success rate than those who only see me in person.
Some Benefits of Coaching Online Verses In-person.
Now that you have a basic understanding of how online coaching works, I want to outline some of the benefits that online coaching services have over seeing your coach in person.
- Time efficient. Time may be the number one reason people do not address their health and wellness. You have to find time in your busy life to complete the workouts, practice self-care, and cook nutritious meals. If you are seeing an in-person coach, you need to find time to meet with them as well. A simple 30-minute meeting often takes an hour and a half or more due to travel. This can be a major disruption in your day depending on what time you have it scheduled. If you are meeting virtually then it only takes 30 minutes, and you can fit it into your schedule where it works best for you.
- Cost-effective. A second reason people tend to put off caring for themselves can be the costs of these services. Online coaches can often afford to charge a little less for these services because they too are saving time. In some in-person training cases, you also need to purchase a gym membership to begin training. Online coaching doesn’t require a gym. You can complete all your workouts at home with whatever equipment you have available.
- Person-centered. My favorite benefit of online coaching is that our meetings are private, personal, and usually undisrupted. You are in the comfort of your own home when we meet, not a crowded gym environment and I can spend more time addressing any concerns or questions you may have.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has cleared up some of your questions on what online coaching services are and why you should explore them. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to me and I would be happy to meet with you to address them.
