Technology is now a large part of our lives. You just can’t escape it.
Your phone is probably the last thing you communicate with at night, and the first thing in the morning. Possibly even before your partner.
And with that use have come a huge number of life changing apps, from Facebook and Instagram to online personal trainers.
But can an app really be as effective as a personal trainer and will they get replaced by technology?
Here’s the thing…
As humans we need human contact. Put someone in solitary confinement and they will eventually go crazy.
Technology cannot mimic this innate need for other human contact. And the same is true for personal training.
No matter how many alerts and reminders you get from your phone, you are less likely to listen to it compared to a real person.
Put a trainer in front of you and you’re guaranteed to work harder and miss fewer sessions.
Money makes you accountable…
Apps can be bought for very little, which means they are seen as low value. A PT on the other hand is expensive.
Which one are you more likely to always stick to the schedule for? A PT session which costs a lot or a session in your app which costs almost nothing to miss.
The bottom line…
Using money to make you more accountable is a good thing. Paying for a service will make you more likely to stick to it in the long run. With an app you can easily put it off until tomorrow, or the day after…
The Tailored Approach
Apps can be fancy and show you a variety of cool moves to try out, but unfortunately they can never really tailor the moves specifically to you.
Sure, you might get a tailored program based on your fitness level or ability to do certain moves that you tell it about, but they can only go so far.
Compare that to in-person training where the coach can see exactly where your strengths and weaknesses are. They can tailor every exercise perfectly to your needs.
Poor Technique
Once you get to a certain age you start to think about quality over quantity when exercising. Your days of throwing massive weights around without injury are numbered.
Lifting weights and working out without proper technique will only lead to a higher risk of injury. Having a trainer look at your technique and ensure you are doing it properly will make a world of difference in the short and long term.
Motivation
No matter who you are, your motivation levels will always dwindle if training alone. A training buddy is a great start, but a knowledgeable training buddy is better.
That’s effectively what a personal trainer is. A buddy who is there to support you 100% of the way, helping you with technique, what workouts to do and get you pumped up when your motivation levels are low.
I’m sure you’ve experienced how different it feels when you are training alone and with a partner. Is it the same as when you’re training with an app in your hand?
The answer is no…
No matter how good the app and technology is, nothing can beat having someone standing there in front of you pushing you through those hard reps and sets to help you get the most out of your training session at the gym.
Best Value Personal Training
If you’re still a little put off by the price of a PT session, you can always look for semi-private training sessions or ways to partner up and have two people per trainer.
It’s a very cost-effective way of doing things and makes sure that you still get the attention you need. In fact, you will probably learn a thing or two about technique because you can watch your partner train and learn how to help them.