Necessity As The Mother…A Preamble
This article is for anyone who is still unsure about hiring a Virtual Personal Trainer (VPT).
The first Covid-19 lockdown had an immediate effect on many businesses. Specifically, businesses in the hospitality industry felt the hit right away. And in particular, within the health and fitness industry, gyms, clubs, and health and fitness specialists. Many of us mobilized and became familiar with the most accessible virtual platform. Whether it was Zoom, FaceTime, Messenger etc. We quickly began to think of ways to generate an income and provide services to our clients.
Social media platforms saw a huge surge in health and fitness experts who realized the need to adapt. In particular, personal trainers and fitness specialists took to Instagram and TikTok, to promote their services. Freelance and solo trainers quickly made a do or die decision to hop on board. Many gyms and clubs also capitalized on the opportunity and began offering virtual training. Clients could join group ex classes, yoga, personal training, from the safety and comfort of their own homes.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/business/fitness-studios-coronavirus/index.html
The pandemic and the lockdown truly necessitated and popularized what we now know as Virtual Personal Training. Many people were hesitant at first, and many still are. But after nearly a year, more and more are realizing that there is value in VPT. And while it is not a substitute for the charm of a gym, beggars can’t be choosy…when in Rome…and whatever euphemism you’d like to apply. But just how effective is VPT for the average person? And is it worth the price you pay?
5 Things You Should Know about VPT
I decided to focus on five main points for why VPT is valuable for most people, for a couple of reasons. One, the average gym goer who wants support, instruction, motivation and accountability. And also for anyone who wants to start working out but isn’t sure where to start.
The Five points are: Safety, Convenience, Affordability, Effectiveness, Supporting Local Business
1-Safety
First and foremost, VPT is Covid-free, your mind can rest at ease. You don’t have to wear a mask or worry about social/physical distancing. There’s no travel, and no interaction with anyone else outside of your home.
Furthermore, the chance of being injured on a piece of equipment is greatly reduced! And the fact that you also have a coach who monitors your form/technique also reduces the risk. A 2015 study by Gray and Finch found that most injuries in fitness facilities were related to overexertion. In particular, the study found a link between rate of injuries and free weight activities (52.6%) and group ex classes (38.9%). And in pretty much all the cases the those activities had minimal to no supervision.
As such having a coach to watch you and guide you reduces your chance of injury in general. Whether in a facility or at home, a good coach comes prepared. We usually perform an initial fitness assessment to understand people’s challenges and limitations, and any contraindications to exercise.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5005555/
2-Convenience
All you need is a screen with an internet connection, and you can do VPT from anywhere. Fitness professionals immediately saw the potential for VPT beyond and post the pandemic. Taking a day off work but still want to train? VPT. Travelling for work with not access to gym? VPT. Couldn’t make it to the gym for whatever reason? VPT.
Good coaches and trainers know enough about you, exercise physiology and anatomy to give you a kick ass workout. And it doesn’t mean that every workout has to leave you sweating and out of breath. Maybe you need to work on mobility and flexibility. Maybe you need to work on specific rehab protocols. We are able to coordinate with other health and fitness professionals like physiotherapists and chiropractors to modify and incorporate movements and exercises.
So there’s no travel, no waiting for equipment, you don’t have to put up with sweat stains on anything. Except yours of course. And best part of it all, you have your own personal shower once you’re done.
3-Affordability
In most cases fitness specialists and personal trainers have a lot of costs to cover. If they’re employed at a gym/club they have to pay a cut usually as % or $ amount. And in most cases it’s 50% or more of whatever you pay the trainer. Travel expenses are another cost, equipment/space rental, can also be part of it. And that’s not counting the professional development, certifications, membership dues to governing bodies etc. This is a big part of why training rates can seem so expensive.
VPT means I don’t have to worry about giving a cut to the gym/club owner or travel expenses is a big plus. This works out for both the trainer and the client. As a trainer I can offer services at a lower cost because I don’t have as many expenses. This also means I don’t have to take on as many clients to break even or make a little profit. This means that I can provide better quality service since my energy and resources aren’t spread as thin. Ultimately, my clients benefit from more affordable sessions, without diminishing the quality of service.
As a result, many fitness specialists and personal trainers are able to offer training at a reduced cost! In many cases shaving 20-50$ off of training sessions. Score!
4-Effectiveness
VPT works, whether you are looking for an in-home program that you can follow on your own, or a live guided sessions. Many trainers offer both services, depending on what equipment you have, and what kind of training you want. But I will be honest, nothing can replace the kind of progress you can make with the proper equipment. And everyone would have access to all the right equipment, if this were a perfect world. So for the average person, this is the next best thing.
In my experience, the average person needs consistency and proper instruction, more than fancy equipment of any kind. It is very realistic for the average person to build a base level of strength with a home workout program. That being said, there are loads of options in so far as home workout/gym equipment! You can get adjustable dumbbells that take up virtually no space at all (pun intended). You can get resistance bands that are versatile enough to do a full body workout. All you need is a door to attach set them up, and they take up no space at all.
So you can develop strength, work on movement and mobility, manage stress etc. And for anyone working from home, sitting in front of the screen all day, locked down, it’s a great self care activity.
5-Supports Local Business
Let’s face it, the pandemic and the lockdowns have been hard on everyone. But we all know that it’s affecting some of us a lot more severely than others. Personal trainers, fitness specialists, whether they are freelance or employed, feel it first hand. Many of us were immediately laid off, had to file for employment insurance or other government relief. And whoever was left had to work at a much reduced capacity, which meant a lot less income.
So it totally made sense for many trainers and fitness specialists to go off on their own and find a way to earn a living. Some of us connected with old clients, and, through word of mouth, new clients. None of us are getting rich doing this, we are trying to survive and pay the bills. Not to mention that many of us are working just as hard, if not even harder than before the pandemic.
As such, take the opportunity to hire a trainer directly and cut out the middle person. You would be helping support small, local business, and with the right coach you’d be getting a deal and a half!
The Struggle Is Real
Businesses and companies are worried going bankrupt and having to close their doors. Meanwhile, employees and freelance workers are worried about getting kicked out of our doors because we can’t afford the rent. Many small gym owners have decided to work with the trainers to find solutions that accommodate everyone. And to say that it has been a challenge is an understatement.
I’ve personally spoken to many people who were still on the fence about VPT or who just were not interested in it. And that has been disheartening to say the least. These were people who had no issue putting their trust with their trainer, but completely backed out when they couldn’t have the physical presence. I must admit that I had an easier time accepting this reason at the beginning of the pandemic. But we’re now heading into almost a year of little to no access to a gym or training space. Furthermore, the winter has made it even more difficult for those who provided outdoor sessions.
Despite all that, health and fitness are working harder than ever to adapt and accommodate. We are still following through with professional development and continuing education. Many of us have a much stronger social media presence than before. And the lot of us are providing more complimentary content online, because we love what we do and we think it’s important.
Final Thought
It is very difficult as a trainer to listen to people fortunate enough to still have employment and opportunity to work from home. When you don’t have any reasons for supporting trainers and VPT, beyond “I don’t like it”, it’s not because VPT isn’t effective. Especially if you have not tried it. Clearly, many trainers, health and fitness specialist, and their clients say otherwise.
From the looks of it it’s going to be a while before any gyms or clubs open up at the same capacity as before the pandemic. VPT is here to stay, and we can’t question its value anymore. Especially when we consider the amount of hard work and struggle that health and fitness pros are putting into it.
So at this point, most people who want a trainer, but don’t support VPT, are being either selfish, ignorant, or both. One of my good friends, who is also one of the best coaches I know said it best: “Online training is hard, and I know you don’t like it. But don’t expect the trainer who made no money during lockdowns to be available for you when gyms open back up. If you’re on a salaried wage, small businesses aren’t your convenience, they’re your responsibility” -Usama Mujtaba M.Eng, CSCS- You can find Usama on Instagram under @fivefourperformance