Technology and online personal training go together like honey + peanut butter 🙂 like chalk + power bars, like creatine and protein powder. Yes, technology has completely transformed the landscape of online personal training, offering innovative tools and platforms that enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, and convenience of online training.Â
I bet you’ve tried some of these, and maybe some are new to you. Let me know which work for you! Here are several ways in which technology is revolutionizing the field of online personal training.
Virtual Workouts
Technology enables trainers to conduct virtual workouts in real-time via video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. This allows clients to engage in personalized training sessions from the comfort of their homes or any location with an internet connection.
Virtual workouts offer flexibility and convenience, eliminating the need for clients to commute to a gym or training facility. These are great if you want to work with someone who is not close to you geographically.Â
Fitness Apps and Platforms
There are so so many fitness apps and platforms available that provide comprehensive training programs, workout routines, and exercise demonstrations. These apps often incorporate features such as customizable workouts, progress tracking, nutrition tracking, and goal setting, allowing trainers to deliver personalized training plans tailored to each client’s goals and preferences.Â
Examples include apps like MyFitnessPal, Nike Training Club, and Fitbit Coach.
Note that many of these auto generate or use AI for their training programs. These are different than customized, coach written programs.
Online Coaching Platforms
Online coaching platforms connect clients with certified personal trainers and coaches who deliver customized training programs, nutritional guidance, and support remotely. These platforms facilitate communication, progress tracking, and accountability through features such as messaging, video calls, and progress photos.
Examples include platforms like TrainHeroic, Trainerize, TrueCoach, ProCoach by Precision Nutrition.
If you need to find an online personal trainer, these platforms are great places to start. You can see a coach’s specialty and samples of other programs they have made. For example, here are all my plans and programs on TrainHeroic. If you want to look further, here’s an in-depth article on how to find the best online personal trainer for you.
Wearable Fitness Technology
Wearable fitness technology, such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and heart rate monitors, provide valuable data and insights into clients’ activity levels, heart rate, calorie expenditure, and sleep patterns. Trainers can use this data to monitor clients’ progress, adjust training plans accordingly, and provide personalized recommendations for optimizing performance and recovery.
Common examples of these are Whoop Straps, the Oura Ring, and even features of the Apple Watch.
Online Assessment Tools
Technology enables trainers to conduct remote assessments and evaluations of clients’ fitness levels, movement patterns, and health metrics using video analysis tools, online questionnaires, and assessment protocols. These assessments provide valuable insights into clients’ strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, allowing trainers to design tailored training programs that address specific needs and goals.
Nutrition and Meal Planning Apps
Nutrition and meal planning apps offer clients access to personalized dietary guidance, meal plans, recipes, and nutritional tracking tools. Trainers can leverage these apps to educate clients about proper nutrition, support their dietary goals, and monitor their nutritional intake. Examples include apps like MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, and Lifesum.
Social Media and Online Communities
Social media platforms and online communities provide avenues for trainers to connect with clients, share educational content, and foster a sense of community and support. Trainers can use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to share workout videos, nutrition tips, motivational content, and client success stories, thereby enhancing engagement and accountability.
If you’re still wondering if online personal training is for you, check out this article about the benefits of online personal training. It might be worth exploring!
Technology and Online Personal Training
Technology has revolutionized online personal training by providing innovative tools and platforms that facilitate virtual workouts, deliver personalized training programs, track progress, support nutritional goals, and foster communication and community.
These advancements have made fitness more accessible, convenient, and effective for those seeking guidance and support in achieving their health and fitness goals.
TrainHeroic and Whoop Strap
I want to expand on the Whoop Strap and TrainHeroic. I’ve personally used both of these and found them very usable.Â
All my clients use TrainHeroic, whether they are in person clients, online personal training clients, or a hybrid.
The Whoop Strap
The Whoop Strap is a wearable fitness tracker designed to provide insights into an individual’s physiological data, sleep patterns, recovery, and overall performance. Here are some ways people use the Whoop Strap:
- Monitoring Physical Activity: Users wear the Whoop Strap throughout the day to track their physical activity levels, including steps taken, calories burned, and active minutes. The device uses built-in sensors to accurately measure movement and intensity of workouts.
- Sleep Tracking: The Whoop Strap monitors sleep stages, including deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep, as well as sleep disturbances such as wake-ups and interruptions. It provides users with insights into their sleep quality, duration, and patterns, helping them optimize their sleep habits for better recovery and performance.
- Recovery Tracking: Whoop uses heart rate variability (HRV) and resting heart rate (RHR) data to assess an individual’s recovery status. By analyzing these metrics, the device provides insights into the body’s readiness to perform, indicating whether an individual is fully recovered, moderately recovered, or under-recovered.
Note here that although I think the HRV is fascinating and I enjoyed tracking it, I encourage you to still think for yourself. If you are feeling great and you are ready to train, you do not have to change your plan because your HRV was less than optimal. These metrics are a supplement to your decision making, remember; they do not make the decisions for you. - Strain Monitoring: The Whoop Strap calculates a daily “strain” score based on the intensity and duration of physical activity, providing users with a quantitative measure of their training load and exertion. Users can adjust their training intensity based on their strain score to optimize performance and prevent overtraining.
- Performance Optimization: By tracking physical activity, sleep, recovery, and strain, Whoop helps users optimize their performance and achieve their fitness goals. Users can identify patterns, trends, and correlations in their data to make informed decisions about training, recovery, nutrition, and lifestyle habits.
- Personalized Insights: Whoop provides personalized insights and recommendations based on an individual’s data, helping users understand how their behaviors and habits impact their health and performance. The device offers actionable advice and suggestions for improving sleep, recovery, and overall well-being.
- Community and Social Interaction: Whoop users can connect with a community of like-minded individuals, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts through the Whoop app. Users can share their data, achievements, and experiences, as well as participate in challenges, competitions, and discussions related to fitness, health, and performance.
People use the Whoop Strap as a tool for tracking, analyzing, and optimizing their physical activity, sleep, recovery, and performance. By leveraging the insights provided by the device, users can make informed decisions about their training, recovery, and lifestyle habits to achieve their fitness goals and improve their overall well-being.
One more caveat about the Whoop Strap: I did find it measured cardiovascular strain better than it quantified lifting metrics. This is again an example of how we use this as a tool, and are not married to the data. Monitor it for yourself and see how well it quantifies your exercise.
TrainHeroic
If you’ve worked with me or read any of my blog posts, you’ve probably heard of TrainHeroic. TrainHeroic was made by strength coaches for strength coaches, and you can see that in it’s use and design. I’ve used it for many years and will continue for many more.
TrainHeroic is a comprehensive training platform designed to support coaches and athletes in achieving their fitness goals. It offers a range of features and tools tailored to enhance training programs and facilitate progress tracking. Here are some of the key features of TrainHeroic:
- Customizable Training Programs: TrainHeroic allows coaches to create and deliver customized training programs tailored to the specific needs, goals, and fitness levels of their athletes. Programs can be designed for various sports, disciplines, and training modalities, including strength training, conditioning, powerlifting, weightlifting, and more.
- Exercise Library: TrainHeroic provides an extensive exercise library featuring a wide range of movements, drills, and workouts with detailed instructions, demonstrations, and coaching cues. Coaches can easily select and incorporate exercises into training programs, ensuring proper form and technique.
- Workout Builder: The platform offers a workout builder tool that enables coaches to design and schedule individual workouts or entire training sessions. Coaches can specify sets, reps, rest periods, intensity levels, and exercise progressions to create comprehensive and structured training sessions.
- Performance Tracking: TrainHeroic allows athletes to log their workout results, track progress, and monitor performance metrics over time. Athletes can record data such as weights lifted, reps completed, distances covered, and times achieved, providing valuable insights into their training progress and improvements.
- Data Analysis and Reporting: Coaches can analyze athlete performance data, track trends, and generate reports to assess training effectiveness and make informed decisions. The platform offers tools for visualizing data, identifying areas for improvement, and adjusting training plans accordingly.
- Communication and Feedback: TrainHeroic facilitates communication and feedback between coaches and athletes through messaging, commenting, and feedback features. Coaches can provide guidance, support, and encouragement to athletes, while athletes can ask questions, seek clarification, and share feedback on their training experience.
- Team Management: For coaches working with multiple athletes or teams, TrainHeroic offers team management features that streamline communication, programming, and administration. Coaches can organize athletes into groups, assign training programs, and monitor progress for each individual or team.
- Mobile App: TrainHeroic offers a mobile app for both coaches and athletes, allowing users to access training programs, log workouts, track progress, and communicate on the go. The app provides flexibility and convenience for users to stay connected and engaged with their training wherever they are.
Overall, TrainHeroic provides coaches and athletes with a comprehensive set of features and tools to enhance training programs, track progress, facilitate communication, and achieve fitness goals effectively. Whether you’re a coach looking to optimize athlete performance or an athlete striving for personal growth and improvement, TrainHeroic offers a powerful platform to support your fitness journey.
Technology and Training for You
Work With Me!
If you are looking for a personal trainer in Austin, I’d love to talk with you! If you are not in Austin, Round Rock, or central Texas, let’s talk about online training.
Message me here for a free consult about personal training in Austin, Texas, or here for online personal training, and we’ll discuss your goals, background, equipment availability, schedule, and exercise preferences.
Let’s get you strong and healthy! 💪
About the author
Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.
