I Swapped My Own Fitness Coach for Artificial Intelligence – And It's Working.
Leah Walsh
Following a holiday period packed with rich foods and downtime, numerous individuals enter the new year looking to regain their fitness momentum.
However, is it possible that AI be transforming the world of exercise by providing an alternative to human coaches?
Personalized Plans and Flexible Timelines
Leah Walsh employed an artificial intelligence application for last-minute training for the a major running event.
This young woman hailing from a town in Wales said she appreciated the liberty to pose queries at all hours – something she believed was unavailable with a personal trainer.
She relied on an AI-driven fitness application that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and pace setting for her first half marathon in 2024.
She explained she asked it to design a plan combining cardio and the gym, and it generated an multi-week plan customized to her race date and goals.
Leah then tweaked the schedule to suit her daily routine, which she described was highly practical.
Subsequently, she chose a different tool because it was more affordable and she could consult it whenever she wanted. She finished a minute faster than her target finish.
She said she wanted to avoid the pressure from a live instructor.
"With artificial intelligence you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.
Richard Gallimore
Remarkable Strength Improvements
In a similar case, Richard Gallimore, 23, from a Welsh city, has been using artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has achieved peak strength, increasing his bench press from 70kg to 110kg.
He resorted to a AI assistant for help after being unable to run a running event.
"I just knew I need to sort myself out," he commented.
This no-cost application constructed a workout and diet plan personalized to his goals, and created structured routines.
"I work out for about two hours a day and I've seen a noticeable change," he added.
The Cost Contrast: Technology vs. Traditional Coaching
One recent study in the previous year compared costs for numerous of the largest gym brands and found the typical monthly fee was approximately forty pounds per month, for basic full-access plans.
Prices ranged from a lower price at the cheapest provider to a premium rate at the highest-priced.
According to industry research, fitness coaches set their own rates, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per 45-60 minute appointment outside London and about £45-£65 in the capital.
Customers will often use a coach one or two times a week and work with them for a short period, but these agreements are often adaptable.
Dafydd Judd
The Irreplaceable Personal Touch
Fitness coach one experienced professional, based in Cardiff, said AI can be useful to accelerate results, but believes it will not supplant the personal interaction and responsibility that live training offers.
The 37-year-old, who has over a decade of experience as a coach, focuses on senior clients and recovery from injuries. He mentioned a number of his clients also use AI.
"In my opinion it's very valuable, more knowledge is good," he said.
"I believe the more people are online the more they'll desire personal contact because they crave the warmth from the comprehension that is absent from a computer," he continued.
Dafydd said AI can inform clients and make coaching more effective.
But, he argued true dedication comes when people show up in person for their sessions.
"As useful as it is at 2am, a computer cannot ensure you show up at 7am before work," he concluded.
In the view of many, he said, the gym is a space to leave phones behind and stop being glued to screens.
