The landscape of fitness (Part 1)
As the fitness industry has grown, an overwhelming number of new concepts have emerged, each with their own pros and cons. With all these different options, knowing which one is right for you has never been more difficult. Everyone wants something different from their fitness, and that’s ok! The goal of this article is to help you weigh the various pros and cons of these different models through the lens of what the ideal fitness program might look like.
In my opinion the ideal fitness program would:
Be cost effective
Build community
Provide accountability
Provide structure to your routine
Be personalized to you specifically
Be flexible and adaptable on a week to week, day to day basis
Be rooted in principles of exercise science
Be specific to your goals
Give feedback quickly
While there is no one program that does everything perfectly, generally your willingness to invest more into your health and fitness leads to checking more boxes. Price aside, as someone who has been in this industry for 5 years professionally, and has had experience with everything the fitness industry has to offer personally, some options are just frankly better than others, no matter what your goals are. If your main goal is simply enjoying what you do, that is great! In that case, as long as you enjoy what you are doing, you can’t really go wrong.
Option 1 - Train independently
Pros
Cheapest
Cons
No accountability
No guidance
No feedback
Program and community is what you make of it
Best for
18 year olds with endless time and a desire to hurt themselves while they figure things out
Those who already know how to work out and are satisfied with the level that they are at
Doing it on your own simply does not work for most people. While it is the cheapest option, especially if going with a budget gym chain, most people cannot stay consistent without a support system. You have to create your own program and hold yourself accountable to that program, without a coach to provide feedback. If you think about the scenarios in which this works, it's because a community grows organically, holding its members accountable, giving feedback and guidance. Imagine a group of experienced members at a local gym mentoring new lifters. However, often this community is not always made up of experts within exercise science, and the advice is often incorrect or outdated. I generally don’t recommend anyone to go this route, unless they have already developed strong fitness habits, and don’t necessarily care about getting better. While not everyone needs an in person coach, I strongly recommend everyone who is serious about their goals to work with someone in one format or another.
1B) Use AI to write you a program
Pros
Free
Cons
The programs are terrible
No accountability
No community
While theoretically personalized for you depending on the inputs you give it, program does not change and adapt the way it would were you working with a human
Best for
No one
Using AI to write you a fitness program sounds great in theory. But while it’s free, the programs that ChatGPT spits out as currently constituted are simply not effective. Going this route contains all the downsides of training on your own, but worse, because the AI has given you a false sense of security that you are following an effective program. While I think AI will probably write better fitness programs in the future, it’s just not there right now.
2) Download a non-personalized workout plan from an app or a creator
Pros
Relatively cheap
Structure to your workouts
Some community elements to certain offerings in this space
Cons
Generally ineffective workouts
No adaptability
No accountability
Often very little feedback on exercise technique
Still have to figure out most things on your own
Best for
Those on a budget who have strong fitness habits but want some structure to their workout
Getting a program from an app or a creator is a cost effective way to provide some structure to your exercise routine. Depending on the creator, these programs can be designed well, and have the potential to be quite effective. A program is often a great start, but when you don’t have well developed fitness habits or a strong network of accountability, most inevitably fall off. Many beginners are drawn to a cheaper program, but are precisely the demographic who don’t have the experience or habits developed to get the most out of it. If you are a more advanced trainee and you want some structure to your workouts, going this route can work well. But, if you are a beginner, I find that the accountability component of working with a coach absolutely essential.
3) Hire an online coach
Pros
More expensive, but can still be reasonably cost effective
Feedback from a coach consistently ensures you are continuing to make progress
Periodic review of exercise technique makes sure you aren’t getting away with technique ill suited towards your goals
Personalized program means that your program changes and evolves as you provide feedback to your coach
Cons
No community
Limited accountability
Feedback not immediate
Best for
Those who have strong fitness habits, but want a coach to take their fitness to the next level
Hiring an online coach is your cheapest version of a full service coaching experience. A coach will personalize your workout plan to you as an individual and constantly update the program upon feedback. While more expensive, the structure, personalization, and adaptability of working with a coach virtually ensures that your program is the most effective and most specific to you and your specific goals. Working with an online coach, however, can still be an isolated experience, with limited accountability. You will not get feedback instantaneously, which is crucial to your progress as a beginner.
All in all, for many beginners I can not in good conscious recommend they start their fitness journey without an in person coach.
Stay tuned for part 2 to see your higher priced options!
