This post is not about me getting you to be one of my online coaching clients. I have already a lot of online coaching clients. What I really want is to esplain’ to you why having an online coach is a valuable thing and what some of the advantages are.
With an online coach, there are many advantages, in fact. The first is flexibility, because unlike with having a personal trainer, you don’t have to “show up” at a certain time to workout, which if you miss it, well then too bad. The online coach (however) is able to work around your schedule and give you a program to get done on YOUR time. So that’s the first thing.
Personal training is really just babysitting for adults, whereas online coaching is about empowerment and education. The online coach doesn’t just watch as you workout and talk about how your sister is doing, they actually do something entirely different. What the online coach does is both provide and teach. They give you the tools (workouts, nutrition, accountability, motivation, etc) you need to reach your goals while at the same time explaining the reasons behind the process.
The online coach goes beyond just giving you workouts. Online coaching (at least the way I do it) is about designing completely transformative programs, broken into “phases.” Each phases includes a particular emphasis of what we want to get out of it–fat loss, strength, muscle, mobility, etc. The length of each phase varies on the goal, but gives a clear path on what to do and how to do it. There is no confusion with online coaching and so you will never feel you are working out arbitrarily, which many personal trainers do not offer any kind of structured, long term, periodized plan, most of them are just pulling workouts out of their pocket that were given to them by some corporate headquarters.
The online coach also gives completely customized, training, nutrition and ongoing support, something most personal trainers do not. Unlike a trainer who you may only see two or three times a week, the online coach is available at anytime to help. Just send an email, and the answer will be on its way–unless they are sleeping, of course. This type of fast response is what will keep you on track and be sure there is no confusion along the way.
And do not worry that because you are working together online that the coach will not be able to review your technique or be sure you are exercising safely. Because any good online coach should have a process for movement review and technical evaluation. With my coaching program, for example, your movement and technique is the first thing we assess and so we can be sure we are addressing any functional imbalances, weaknesses, asymmetries, dysfunction, etc. This process is to ensure not only that YOU understand what needs to be worked on from a functional movement perspective, but also so you can train hard without getting injured.
And let’s be clear, most personal trainers while they may “watch your technique” do not offer any kind of in-depth, global movement assessment, where as the online coach (assuming he is as handsome and competent as I) does.
And finally let us talk about another main advantage–cost. So while online coaching is not “cheap”, when compared to the average rate of personal training, it delivers way more valuable at a much more affordable price.
For example, the average rate of personal training is around $60-100/session. So assuming you are meeting with your trainer 3x/week, that would come out to–hold on, have to open the calculator–$720/mo on the low end, but more likely around $1200/mo for someone who actually knows what they are doing. Of course “prime” trainers are even more expensive than that, running upwards of $2000/mo.
But with online coaching you can get someone such as myself (both handsome and insanely qualified–published author, leading fitness expert, world renowned strength and kettlebell coach, car with 385hp, etc) for less than even what a “cheap” personal trainer costs. My coaching packages are between $350-500/mo, and with those you are not limited to just, say, 3x a week, but have access to me whenever you need, and are provided a program for everyday of the week.
OK, so that’s about then.
Strong ON!
– Pat
PS – If you think you may want to work with me 1-on-1 online, then you’ll have to get on my email list. I don’t have any spots open right now, but when I do my subscribers are the first (and usually only) to know.
Aly Di says
Precisely!
I wouldn’t trust an online coach whose car has anything less than 350 hp.
…wait a second…
…upon further consideration, I think I draw the line at 135 hp…
Definitely wouldn’t trust any coach whose car has anything less than 135 hp.