In recent years major technological advances have been made to the point that personal training services can be delivered effectively and successfully online. Whilst traditional '1 to 1' training still has it's place, online will soon be the 'go to' solution for most busy people.
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Below are some of the many reasons why online personal training is fast becoming the top choice for so many gym goers and none gym goers:-
It's extremely Cost Effective:
If you compare the cost of traditional '1 to 1' training to online training the difference is undeniable. Often a Gym based personal trainer will charge more for a one hour session than they would for a full month's training online. How is it possible for the online trainer to make a living you may ask? The answer is two fold. Firstly the online trainer has no fixed overheads such as travel costs, and gym fees (gym's take a large percentage of all gym based PT's income, thus they have to charge the client more). Secondly, a well organised and efficient online PT can significantly reduce wasted 'downtime' via high level semi automated systems, meaning their time can be spent only on what matters - the client. In turn, the cost saving can be passed onto the client giving a 'win / win' situation.
If you do the maths the cost difference between the two methods of training is huge. Based on an average cost of £50 for a one hour '1 to 1' session, a yearly outgoing could be:-
* 2 x 50= £100 Per week (based on the two sessions per week most personal trainers recommend as a minimum).
* £100 x 52 = £5,200 per year!
That is a big amount of money, and almost 10 times as much as most online personal training will cost. Also, if you miss a session you're still going to have to pay with the conventional method of '1 to 1' training.
Wider choice of trainer:
When choosing a PT you are usually limited to the trainer at your gym who is available. With online personal training you get to pick the best trainer for your needs, whether they live next door or across the ocean. Online personal training is a competitive market, thus as a customer you stand to benefit from the competition that will drive online trainers to constantly improve the service they offer. Every year online fitness courses get better, offering the client new and inventive ways to enjoyable improve their health and fitness.
Time and location are not relevant:
When using an online fitness trainer you have complete control and freedom over your routine. You can workout at any time, night or day, as long as the work gets done. You can also workout anywhere, whether that be in a gym, at home, in a park or in your office. Your PT is there to work for you and with you, thus will develop a plan that works for you. Online training allows you to have your workout schedule, diet plan and motivation right in the palm of you hand on your mobile phone app.
Comprehensive email support:
This is often not taken advantage of when training with a trainer face-to-face. Continuous assessment and accountability have a large role to play in any training plan and good online training can provide this. You would also receive access to thorough exercise tutorials and videos on the correct way to be performing exercises - which can be performed and perfected without pressure and unwanted attention.
Motivation and Accountability:
While online training may sometimes involve more self-motivation, your online trainer is just a button click away. Your online trainer will also be messaging you on a regular basis to check in on your progress, answer your questions and make sure that you are completing your workouts.
One downfall sometimes associated with online training is the safety factor. Whilst it is true that online training is probably best tailored to people with at least a basic knowledge of exercises, there are still lots of options for the online trainer to utilise. They can provide custom exercise videos and concise instructions on how to do a specific exercise or workout. Also, if all else fails, the client can always message them with questions if unsure of anything. With online personal training you'll have support and fitness advice throughout, and all conveniently controlled from you mobile photo or device.
Physical exercise is an activity that improves physical fitness and benefits overall health. Frequent exercise has been shown to boost the immune system, and helps prevent heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and other obesity related diseases. It also improves mental health by reducing the risk of depression, helping to promote or maintain ones sex appeal, which is also found to be linked to higher levels of self-esteem.
Exercise forces the body to endure extremely high amounts of physiological stress. For example, during a marathon, the body's metabolism reaches 2,000% higher levels pt gym than normal. To put this in perspective, a fever that can kill you only accelerates the body's metabolism by 100%! An understanding of how the body works and how it reacts to the demands you place upon it can drastically reduce the time it takes to achieve your fitness goals.
Types of Exercise
Exercise is generally split in to three types: Aerobic, anaerobic and flexibility. Each of these types of training can then be broken down in to their sub types.
Aerobic training:
Aerobic (with oxygen) training consists of exercises that utilise the cardiovascular system, the heart and lungs. Exercises like running, cycling and swimming are good examples of aerobic exercise. These exercises force the body to use a particular muscle group repeatedly over a long period of time. Although the actual resistance on the muscles is low, the heart and lungs have to work hard providing the muscles with fresh oxygen rich blood from the lungs and to then remove the waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
Anaerobic training:
Anaerobic training (without oxygen) consists of exercises that utilise the immediate energy store within a muscle. Little to no oxygen is needed for these types of exercise. Anaerobic training can also be categorised further in to strength training, speed and agility, endurance and power.
Good examples of anaerobic exercises would be weightlifting, sprinting, high intensity interval training and plyometric training. These types of exercises typically demand only a few seconds of hard work from a muscle, which doesn't give the body enough time to utilise oxygen. In order to deal with this, the body has an immediate energy store within the muscles and a further reservoir of energy (in the form of glycogen) within the liver.
Flexibility training:
Flexibility training consists of exercises that stretch a muscle beyond its comfortable range of motion. The importance of flexibility is highly underappreciated by most fitness enthusiasts and even by a lot of health professionals. Different types of flexibility training can be used for different things and for different sports. There is even evidence to suggest that the current accepted hypothesis regarding the pre-workout stretch is flawed. There is mounting evidence to suggest that stretching before your workout actually reduces the contractile force of the muscle and therefore hinders performance.
The risks of exercise:
First of all, too much exercise can be harmful. Those of us with addictive natures usually find this out first. Feeling physically tired and mentally drained are the first signs of over exercising. But as well as what seem like unimportant symptoms that will go away with rest, you're also putting yourself at risk of a stroke and/or circulation problems.
Another way exercise can put someone at risk is taking part in inappropriate activities. This will vary depending on the individual. Running faster than you should and lifting more weight than is safe are good examples of inappropriate exercise. Injuries from over straining and exercise related accidents are still a major concern within the fitness industry. If you don't know what you're doing, ask the fitness instructor at your local gym. They should be trained to at least Fitness Instructor level 2.
On the flip side, stopping exercise suddenly can also lead to changes in mood and depression caused by a lack of endorphins (happy hormones) from exercising.
The key to exercise, and most other things health and fitness related, is to do everything in moderation.