As an Online Coach myself, I want to start off by saying that I was initially very hesitant to become one.
I am a Personal Trainer and have been working in-person with clients for the last 5 years. The thought of not being able to physically be there with someone and make adjustments put me off the the idea of training someone 'online.'
But in 2017, I released my first online coaching program. And it was an absolute life changer.
And a few months ago I hired my own online coach because I saw how valuable it can be for someone who wants to transform their health & fitness.
(regardless of how much you know about fitness & nutrition)
Before I go into the 5 benefits, I want to clarify what working with an 'online coach' actually means because this can easily be misunderstood.
It means. . .
- Having a coach design a workout and/or nutrition program for you.
- Communicating directly with a fitness professional on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
It does NOT mean purchasing a program online without having any human actually coach you, communicate with you, and get feedback from you along the way.
There has to be actual 'coaching' being done.
With that being said, here are the 5 major benefits I found in working with an online trainer and why it might be a great option for you as well.
1) Accountability
This is the main reason I hired a coach. As a fitness professional myself, I know the strategies and techniques that I should follow to reach my goals. But having someone hold me accountable who I have to report to makes an incredible difference in my execution and results.
If you've ever had an accountability partner or coach in your business, career, or another area, chances are you know the impact this can have on results. The same goes for your fitness.
2) More Affordable
Hiring a Personal Trainer is not an inexpensive commitment. People commonly pay over $100 for one session. Online Coaching is an opportunity to work with a trainer for a fraction of that price. Yet, the client would still get all the knowledge, guidance, and programming from the professional.
3) Save Time
I found that I saved around 20 minutes PER WORKOUT after hiring my coach. When I was on my own, I would show up to the gym and decide what exercises to do while I was there. There was no game plan set beforehand. Which left a few minutes here and there for deciding on exercises, and letting rest periods linger on.
A coach should have every exercise laid out for you 100% so you don't have to think about it.
They SHOULD have your reps, sets, and rest periods all laid out as well. Once you have specific rest periods to stick to, you will see your overall time in the gym decrease.
4) Maximize the use of your gym
This is a major reason I decided to create my online coaching program. I realized that those who couldn't afford my in-person services or weren't in my area could still benefit from my guidance.
I found that a high percentage of people who go to the gym on their own aren't sure what type of exercises would help them see real results. So they end up on the treadmill or elliptical each time.
By providing a step by step program, an online coach can help you maximize the use of your gym, eliminate some of the guesswork and also the boring cardio.
5) Not alone on your journey
After spending over 5 years in the fitness industry in various settings, I've noticed that most people are on a constant roller coaster of being consistent for a while and then falling off track for a while.
(Not everyone, but many people are)
They may lose some weight then gain it back a few months later.
And one reason I believe so many people are experiencing this is because they are on their fitness & health journey completely on their own.
This is a lifetime journey.
It's so much easier to skip a workout, 8 workouts, a month of workouts when there is no one you have to answer to. Whether it be a workout partner, a coach, an accountability partner, anyone.
Having a coach with you on the journey can be the difference maker in being on that inconsistent roller coaster or not.
Those are my 5 benefits of working with an online fitness coach. I hope this provided some information that was helpful and I wish you the best on your journey!