When we had to shut down our studio after “Shelter In Place” took effect, I was worried. We had just asked all of our members to switch from live, in-person training to online personal training.  

At the time, I had many of the same thoughts that you are probably having right now. 

“It’s not going to be the same.” “It won’t be as good of a workout.” “What if people are not good with computers?” “It won’t get the same results.”

All of these thoughts were swirling around my head...but at the same time, I knew we had to do something to support our members.

So, we got set up on ZOOM and off we went.

What happened next was unbelievable.  

Our members not only liked the online training...many of them actually now PREFER IT! 

I am getting requests from members that I never thought possible. People want to either split their time between in-person and online training, or they want to go exclusively online!

If you have ever worked with a fitness coach, you know just how time intensive it can be.

You have to get yourself ready, get in the car, drive to the gym, put your stuff in the locker, go to the bathroom, work out for an hour, hang out and chat with your “gym friends”, get your things, get back in the car, go home, change, and get on with your day. 

Wow...it was exhausting just reading that!

Not with online training. You get changed, log onto your session, work out, get on with your day. This can save anywhere from 1-2 hours on EACH workout day. Priceless.

If you think an online workout is not as rigorous as an in-person workout, think again. This has been the most common feedback I have gotten about online training: it’s actually a better workout!

How can that be? Because there are no distractions.

No water fountain to go hang out at. No people around to get caught up in conversation with, and nowhere to go but right in front of the screen with your coach!

This is specific for people who work out in small groups, but if you are used to being in a small group or semi-private session, you know that there is the time when your coach is watching you (all-out effort time!) and there is time when your coach is watching someone else (9 reps is close enough, right??). 

When you train online, it doesn’t matter if there are 2 or 10 people with you, your coach can see everyone at the same time. Sure they have to focus on one person for a moment, but as any highly trained fitness coach will tell you, we are very good at talking AND scanning.

So, you better get all your reps in and have good form doing it...otherwise your coach is going to call you out!

If you are someone who travels for work, or just goes out of town a lot, online training is a must.

For years we have given our members “travel” programs for when they go out of town, and for years our members have had about a 10% follow through on actually doing those programs.

Not anymore! Now, with the ability to do online training, our members can keep their workout routines wherever they go! No more having to “get back in shape” after a long vacation or backsliding on your progress. Now you can have the accountability you need regardless of where you are in the world.

This was probably my biggest fear going in...will we be able to get our members the same results? The answer: YES!

And for many of our members, they are actually getting better results than ever because we have added in a whole new goals and results tracking software. We’re able to make sure we can help support people and keep them accountable to their fitness, diet, and homework better than ever before.

Since the shutdown, we have had members lose 5, 8, 12, even 17 pounds just because we have been able to help them focus more on their diets, their health, and their goals.

Now I know that there are a lot of good things about live, in-person training, and I am excited for the day we can re-open our doors. But to be honest, I am so happy that we were pushed to innovate and create a high-end online training solution, because now that we have it, it is here to stay.

I see a future where most, if not all, of our members have at least a hybrid program with both in-person and online training, because that is just what people need in today’s world.

And the best part is, the online side of things may just end up being the key difference between those who get results and those who don’t.

Mint Condition Fitness is the leading personal training studio in Los Gatos for purpose-driven men and women to lose weight, get out of pain, and do more of the things that make life meaningful.