The Pros and Cons of Virtual Personal Training

June 28, 2020

A jagged dark mass curves beneath a bright, white background.

With Covid- 19 and social distancing, there has naturally been a huge increase in virtual personal training. The fact that people are getting a virtual personal trainer for the first time is a good thing! There are not very many options right now.

However, as things start to return to normal, there are pros and cons to virtual personal training to be considered.


Pros:

  • Accountability- With all personal training, accountability is a big reason people see such great success. It is no different with virtual training; you are still paying for a session and scheduling your time with a personal trainer and that keeps you accountable to your workouts.
  • Ease of scheduling- When you do not have to go anywhere, it’s pretty easy to make that appointment at the right time and stick to it.
  • Learning new ways to get active- Whether it is a pandemic, a snowstorm, or lack of babysitting, there are times when we cannot leave our home. Virtual personal training has taught many people many different ways they can get a great workout from their home; even if they don’t have any exercise equipment.


Cons:

  • Increased risk of injury- Although a personal trainer is still there to guide your form, it is not the same as spotting and correcting form for a client in person. Especially if you have limited experience in exercise, proper form through virtual training can be challenging and risky.
  • Limited exercises- Although there are hundreds of bodyweight exercises that are terrific ways to increase your strength and stamina, there are still limitations when you do not have a lot of exercise equipment. For optimal health, we should do dynamic workouts that include several different pieces of equipment to adequately hit every muscle and every mode of exercise.
  • Not a great way to track progress- Most people are concerned about the scale and their pant size, which can certainly be tracked from home. But at Axio Fitness, we care about so much more than your pant size. For optimal results, it is ideal to have a professional to track things like strength, endurance, heart rate, flexibility and body composition. Although many things can be tracked from home, it is better to track progress in several different ways to adjust an exercise program accordingly.



At Axio Fitness, we offer the best of both worlds! Virtual personal training is an option, but we also have private, fully equipped training rooms. No audience, no spreading germs and no distractions. Many clients call us their “home away from home.” If you are interested in personal training but unsure about virtual training or going back to a crowded gym, give Axio Fitness a call today!

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