How To Do Online Personal Training

Guest writer, professional personal trainer and owner of Positive Impact Fitness, James Drabble, shares his views on how to conduct a professional online personal training experience for your clients…

This is where we’re all at, right? Remote Personal Training. Funny old thing. Reminds me of a scene you’d get in Back to the Future II on how Personal Training might look in years to come. Well, here we are: The future. (Or indeed five years ahead of the future if we’re going specifically on that movie.)

Despite seeming straightforward, coordinating an online session still requires rigid regulation. Here are my five advance checkboxes to send to clients prior to the newest PT trend.

To conduct a professional online personal training session, you must:

1. Confirm a preferred method of communication

FaceTime, WhatsApp and Skype all do a job, whereas Zoom and Google Hangouts provide a more stable workspace. Ensure, if you plump for Zoom, you have enough time to complete the session and clarify any contact details, meeting room ID and passwords well in advance. Failure to do so could result in a late start.

2. Confirm equipment they own

Planning your session is far simpler if you’re aware of amenities available to your client. 

It’s not just about gym-specific equipment, either. Knowing the layout of one’s house or suitable furniture temporarily commandeered as a barbell, a squat bar or a platform for calf raises, for example, is all beneficial. 

Should they wish to purchase gym equipment, offer to research, and recommend. You are the expert, after all.

3. Find a suitable area to train

Granted, your client may be forced to occasionally switch location depending on the session, but generally they’ll be fixed in one specific space. 

Wi-Fi needs to be strong, interference from others should ideally be minimal and a solid standing for their communicative device should be strategically placed so you can view both them and the surrounding space.

4. Use a tablet or laptop

Let’s be honest, attempting to follow a Personal Training session over a mobile phone isn’t ideal. Not everyone is fortunate enough to own a tablet or a laptop but, if your client does, politely request they use it. 

You want them to clearly see your demonstrations and hear your instructions. Having to intermittently pick up and fiddle with a handset will disrupt momentum – especially if they’re receiving calls and messages throughout.

5. Be ready to rock

Again, it all sounds so straightforward. However, I’m guessing – in fact, I know – I’m not the only PT to have experienced the fashionably late client on occasions. 

Communicate the need to be prepared and primed for PT patter five minutes before the session is due to commence. Devices must be fully charged or plugged in. Bluetooth, if wearing headphones, must be connected.

Broaching the above may need to be tailored to each individual client depending on their circumstances. You know the deal, so judge as you see fit.

And remember: Gyms? Where we’re going, we don’t need gyms. For now, at least.

 Onwards and upwards.

James 

About James Drabble

Owner and Founder of Beaconsfield based Positive Impact Fitness, James takes a whole body approach when working with people of all ages and abilities. Providing his clients with a variety of exercise techniques as well as realistic nutrition advice. James has a vast experience working with injury rehabilitation as well as sports specific conditioning.

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