Online coaches/personal trainers
Discussion
My social feeds seem to be full of reels from the likes of Tony McAleavey, Alex Beevis, Scott Waterfall etc., all of whom seem to be promising to get you in seriously good shape in no time. Has anyone used any of these folks (the ones above or any others) and got any feedback, either positive or negative? I could do with getting into a bit better shape but wary of online scams...
If you're wanting to get a PT and/or nutritionist, I'd always recommend going with someone you know or a recommendation from a friend, even better someone from your gym. Actually meet them on real life, do 1:1 sessions and get to know them. So long as it's not sport-specific, just about anyone can knock you a decent training and nutrition plan together, the difficult bit is you staying accountable and consistent. This is made a lot easier if you have a good relationship with the person telling you what to do.
About 10 years ago, I followed Tony Horton's P90X routine. Was in my late 40s and got into the best shape I've ever been. I've since done his P90X3 series which was equally good and benefs from shorter workouts (half an hour compare to an hour for P90X). The caveats to these - and anything similar - is that you have to follow the nutrition plan they provide, not just from a weight management perspective but in oder to manage your calorie intake to levels that enable you to perform the excesses.
If you're looking for something online and don't want to hire a PT directly, P90X and a load of other routines are on https://www.beachbodyondemand.com
I'm currently coming to the end of the Lift 4 programme. Going to give Insanity a go next!
If you're looking for something online and don't want to hire a PT directly, P90X and a load of other routines are on https://www.beachbodyondemand.com
I'm currently coming to the end of the Lift 4 programme. Going to give Insanity a go next!
I think a lot of this depends on where you are with your health and fitness; what your training history is; what your goals are and where you find your motivation.
What a PT will try to provide is knowledge, structure and accountability. They can only devise and adapt a plan based on the information you provide and your willingness to follow it.
I'd say take a step back and consider what your goals are rather than the process. The higher the specificity of the goal, the easier it is to plan training. PTs will be used to the 'lose weight, gain muscle get fitter' but these are so generic, you will get a generic output which, unless you really buy into a PT/client relationship, will be of little value. If your goal is 'complete Parkrun in under 25min by 1st March' then a coach has a specific goal to work on. Having said that if you read a bit, plan your training and record your progess, you probably don't need a coach.
I'm a big fan of goals which are maybe a bit ambitious and scary as they can be motivating. Even the simple Parkrun goal means you may pay more attention to strength and conditioning to avoid injury and eat better to make sure your weight is not holding you back.
Motivation is very interesting. I'm of the view that motivation follows action rather than being a prerequisite for action. That's where a plan you have devised comes in. The diary says 4k easy run tomorrow. Kit ready night before. Tomorrow morning there is no decision. You do it. Unless you are very ill or injured, do it. It's a rare session that doesn't get better after the first five minutes (partcularly true of running and partly why warm up is important to get you throught he cold grim bit)
This way of motivating yourself may work well if you're on the introverted/self sufficient side. There are some people who simply have to experience sport/exercise as a team/social event; seeming to need an audience and external acknowledgment of their efforts (hence posting on social media and Strava). If this is you then, despite the fact that gaining the knowledge required to self coach and planning training is not difficult, paying for a relationship may be what is required to provide extrinsic motivation and accountability.
For skills/technique training then it's difficult to see how online can substitute for hands on.
Or you could turn off your socials. They're designed to make you feel s
t about yourself and shell out cash for st you don't need.
What a PT will try to provide is knowledge, structure and accountability. They can only devise and adapt a plan based on the information you provide and your willingness to follow it.
I'd say take a step back and consider what your goals are rather than the process. The higher the specificity of the goal, the easier it is to plan training. PTs will be used to the 'lose weight, gain muscle get fitter' but these are so generic, you will get a generic output which, unless you really buy into a PT/client relationship, will be of little value. If your goal is 'complete Parkrun in under 25min by 1st March' then a coach has a specific goal to work on. Having said that if you read a bit, plan your training and record your progess, you probably don't need a coach.
I'm a big fan of goals which are maybe a bit ambitious and scary as they can be motivating. Even the simple Parkrun goal means you may pay more attention to strength and conditioning to avoid injury and eat better to make sure your weight is not holding you back.
Motivation is very interesting. I'm of the view that motivation follows action rather than being a prerequisite for action. That's where a plan you have devised comes in. The diary says 4k easy run tomorrow. Kit ready night before. Tomorrow morning there is no decision. You do it. Unless you are very ill or injured, do it. It's a rare session that doesn't get better after the first five minutes (partcularly true of running and partly why warm up is important to get you throught he cold grim bit)
This way of motivating yourself may work well if you're on the introverted/self sufficient side. There are some people who simply have to experience sport/exercise as a team/social event; seeming to need an audience and external acknowledgment of their efforts (hence posting on social media and Strava). If this is you then, despite the fact that gaining the knowledge required to self coach and planning training is not difficult, paying for a relationship may be what is required to provide extrinsic motivation and accountability.
For skills/technique training then it's difficult to see how online can substitute for hands on.
Or you could turn off your socials. They're designed to make you feel s
t about yourself and shell out cash for st you don't need.horsemeatscandal said:
If you're wanting to get a PT and/or nutritionist, I'd always recommend going with someone you know or a recommendation from a friend, even better someone from your gym. Actually meet them on real life, do 1:1 sessions and get to know them. So long as it's not sport-specific, just about anyone can knock you a decent training and nutrition plan together, the difficult bit is you staying accountable and consistent. This is made a lot easier if you have a good relationship with the person telling you what to do.
100% this.If you really want / need a PT, find someone you can actually speak to.
I'd bet some of these social media ones just send out a generic diet with slight alterations for your weight and that's it, never hear dark them again. Maybe a email from an assistant.
Apart from the nutrition bit, I m not sure how you can do this online. Like correct your technique on the fly etc.
It’s one thing watching someone do an exercise on a screen, and another thing to do it yourself with good form.
I always get a PT to set a new exercise routine, even if I train by myself later on, so someone who knows what they are doing can correct my form.
When I tried going alone by watching youtube videos, I buggered my shoulder, then my knee, then I spend so much money on osteopaths, I thought it was a false economy.
It’s one thing watching someone do an exercise on a screen, and another thing to do it yourself with good form.
I always get a PT to set a new exercise routine, even if I train by myself later on, so someone who knows what they are doing can correct my form.
When I tried going alone by watching youtube videos, I buggered my shoulder, then my knee, then I spend so much money on osteopaths, I thought it was a false economy.
wyson said:
Apart from the nutrition bit, I m not sure how you can do this online. Like correct your technique on the fly etc.
Whilst a PT is always the best option, online can work but is dependant upon the quality of the content. The Beachbody course I mentioned above go into a lot of detail about form with detail content about position and the like. The one exception is yoga! When you're contorted into some weird figure of 8 move and you hear the words.... "like this" and you can't see the telly
Aged 50, I needed to get back into some sort of shape and shed some weight. I tried various online courses, but I do lack the self-motivation sadly!
Instead, I joined our local general sports centre and started to go to the group classes. 2 years later, I've lost 2 stone, gained muscle and feel so much better about myself. I do typically 4 classes a week (spin, spin & strength, Arms and Abs, and Circuits). You have to book in well in advance as they are generally over-subscribed and have to turn up or you get a black mark! I've met so many lovely people at the classes and genuinely look forward to going to them. My wife now also joins me, which has done wonders for our relationship.
It costs £40 a month, which is a bargain considering what I get out of it. I can highly recommend this route. Oh, and the instructors are fabulous. I have also massively cut back on the booze and eat better/less. Not due to anything in particular, but am just enjoying seeing the fruits of my labour.
Instead, I joined our local general sports centre and started to go to the group classes. 2 years later, I've lost 2 stone, gained muscle and feel so much better about myself. I do typically 4 classes a week (spin, spin & strength, Arms and Abs, and Circuits). You have to book in well in advance as they are generally over-subscribed and have to turn up or you get a black mark! I've met so many lovely people at the classes and genuinely look forward to going to them. My wife now also joins me, which has done wonders for our relationship.
It costs £40 a month, which is a bargain considering what I get out of it. I can highly recommend this route. Oh, and the instructors are fabulous. I have also massively cut back on the booze and eat better/less. Not due to anything in particular, but am just enjoying seeing the fruits of my labour.
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