The online coaching industry has positively exploded within the last decade, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. By 2027, the online fitness industry is projected to be worth a whopping $59 billion and is growing by a rate of around 30% year on year.
Being able to incorporate online coaching elements into your personal training (PT) business isn’t just about tapping into the latest fitness trend, however. It’s a viable way to earn more revenue and rapidly scale your client base. It also allows for greater convenience, flexibility, and faster program delivery.
The traditional PT model can all too frequently involve becoming shackled to the gym floor, exchanging time for money. The hybrid and online coaching space offers many advantages to personal trainers looking for a more sustainable and convenient alternative to the gym floor grind.
Even if running a six-figure coaching business from a beach in Bali isn’t as simple as many social media influencers might suggest, remote coaching has become a very attainable and attractive option for thousands of fitness coaches worldwide. Success for you may simply be the ability to take on your PT business full-time, regain some work-life balance to be with your family, or earn some extra cash to supplement your 1:1 sessions.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at online PT programming and service delivery. You’ll learn more about what it is and, importantly, when it’s most effective.
After highlighting the key benefits, we’ll show you how to develop this type of programming for your clients. Then, we’ll share tips for how to start offering online PT programming quickly to get you up and running online.
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Understanding Online PT Programming
Online PT programming involves creating, planning, and implementing personalised fitness coaching for your clients via internet-based tech. The major difference between online and in-person coaching is obvious. As an online coach, you don’t need to be physically present with your clients to train them.
Hybrid Coaching
Some clients or trainers prefer to take a “hybrid” approach to online PT programming. This typically means a blend of in-person sessions (often in a gym or studio) and online coaching elements that clients can complete as “homework” when you’re not physically there to instruct them.
Online Coaching
In contrast, other clients or trainers opt for a purely online approach, meaning that coaching is delivered exclusively via online means. This approach usually necessitates an app-based approach using personal training software to create and assign plans, take payment, communicate with clients, and track their progress.
For both online coaching styles, these types of fitness programs have many of the same elements as in-person personal training. But there are some unique aspects, too. Here is a look at the different components of online fitness programming
- Start with an initial consultation. Sit down with the client and discuss concerns and goals over video chat, phone, or messaging service.
- Create a tailored fitness program. Create a personalised fitness plan based on the information from the initial consultation. This might include a summary of their fitness goals and nutritional preferences/allergies, initial measurements or photos, a multi-week training program and/or nutrition guide based on their macros.
- Give the client instructions. Send the client your plan. This will typically include videos or text-based instructions to ensure that your clients adhere to proper form and don’t overtrain or injure themselves. You can then meet with the client via video link or phone to answer questions.
- Check clients’ progress. Use a video chat to check that the client is performing the exercises correctly. They may also send you a video of their workout to show you their form and technique. You can then make corrections if needed. Creating an online exercise log will help you track each person’s progress, too.
Top Tip: A personal training software provider like My PT Hub will allow coaches to do everything from creating and assigning workout and nutrition plans to performance tracking, messaging, check-ins and more, all in one place.
The planning and instruction elements are the same for online and in-person programs. The primary difference is that communications happen online rather than face-to-face. You’ll need to hone your skills for giving verbal instructions. You may also have to demonstrate proper exercise techniques via on-demand or live video.
You must be prepared for these differences to ensure you provide the same quality service online and in person.
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The Benefits of Offering Online PT Programming
Is it worth adding online PT programming to your service offerings? Absolutely. You can enjoy some important benefits by providing internet-based services.
Here are the advantages you might expect:
- Provide more flexibility to clients. Clients can work out on their own schedule. This also benefits you, as you won’t have to balance your own life around your clients’. Instead of heading to the gym at the crack of dawn or late on a Friday night, you can simply check in with clients from home.
- Enjoy lower overhead costs. Clients will be responsible for obtaining their own home workout equipment or gym membership. As their coach, you simply have to buy and maintain your personal training software and internet connection.
- Manage time more efficiently. You’ll need to make time to check in with clients and assess their work. But this will take less time than in-person training. Not only will you avoid having to travel to the gym, but with a personal training software subscription, you’ll also have all of your clients’ fitness metrics easily available at your fingertips and in one place.
- You will likely attract more clients. In-person training at your local gym or studio restricts your potential clients to a physical location (i.e. where you live and work). Online coaching opens up your potential client pool from a 10-mile radius to anyone in the world with an internet connection and a credit card. Some clients will likely even prefer the added flexibility that comes with remote coaching, especially those with busy personal lives.
Related Article: Personal Training Templates: Downloadable Workout Programs
Developing Your Online PT Programming
You can develop online fitness programs with several steps. Here is how to get started:
Define Your Audience.
What type of clients do you serve? Determine the needs of your target audience. What equipment do they need? What type of exercises will they have to do?
Answer these questions before you get started. It will help you decide if online programming is feasible for your client base.
Plan Services and Develop Content.
You may be able to pre-record on-demand content. For example, you can make instructional videos demonstrating specific exercises.
You can also create workout and nutrition plan templates to help you work faster and program for multiple clients simultaneously. These may change slightly for each client. However, having outlines can save you from developing individual plans and instructions from scratch.
Choose Software.
Choose a software management platform that offers all the features you need for your services. For instance, you may need a platform with fitness-tracking features, a powerful workout builder, and the ability to integrate with third-party software like Fitbit and Apple Health to track your clients’ health data.
Other components, such as nutrition planning and habit-tracking applications, can also be extremely useful.
Incorporate Online Services into Your List of Offerings.
Decide how you will balance online and in-person training. For example, you can use the same software to track client progress in both online and in-person sessions. This allows them to switch seamlessly between the two without confusion.
In the long term, offering online PT programming can decrease your operating costs. But in the short term, you will need to invest extra time into planning. And you’ll have to make some purchases, such as a software license.
Related Article: 5 Things Your Personal Trainer Software Should Be Doing for You
How You Can Start Incorporating Online PT Programming Right Now
You do not have to invest in a software platform right now. But you can take steps to get started adding online training to your services. With them, you can develop effective, high-quality online programs for your clients.
Here are 4 things you can do to start the process before investing money:
1. Talk To Clients.
See if your current clients would like online programs. Ask what type of training they would like to have access to. Try to get insights into their willingness to purchase necessary equipment for home-based workouts.
2. Look for Free Trials.
You will eventually have to purchase licensed software. But some companies will provide you with free trials. You can use these to test your ideas for online training. You’ll also get hands-on experience to help you choose the right software when the time comes.
3. Make an Instructional Video.
You can create a video that demonstrates an exercise or a full workout. Show it to select clients and get their feedback. Use these insights to improve quality and correct mistakes before you use the videos for paying clients.
4. Decide How to Balance Your Schedule.
Online PT programming is an important addition in a business sense. It can help your clients achieve their goals and increase your customer base. However, you may also find in-person training rewarding. Choose how to balance these two parts of your business before you get too deep into planning your online PT programming.