I Exchanged My Own Fitness Coach for AI – With Great Results.

Leah Walsh

After a holiday period packed with rich foods and relaxation, many people enter January aiming to regain their fitness momentum.

However, could Artificial Intelligence be changing the fitness industry by providing an option to personal trainers?

Tailored Programs and Adaptable Schedules

Leah Walsh employed an AI tool for last-minute training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

This young woman hailing from a town in Wales explained she appreciated the liberty to pose queries at all hours – a feature she believed was not possible with a traditional coach.

Leah relied on an AI-driven fitness application that gave her personalised plans with audio coaching and speed targets for her first half marathon in recent years.

She explained she requested it to create a regimen merging cardio and the weight training, and it generated an 11-week programme tailored to her event day and objectives.

Leah then adjusted the schedule to fit her lifestyle, which she said was convenient.

Subsequently, she chose a different tool because it was cheaper and she could ask it questions whenever she wanted. She finished a full minute quicker than her goal time.

She noted she wanted to avoid the pressure from a human personal trainer.

"With AI you have to find your own drive, which I quite like," she remarked.

Richard Gallimore

Significant Strength Improvements

In a similar case, Richard Gallimore, 23, from a Welsh city, has been using AI for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has achieved peak strength, boosting his bench press from 70kg to a much heavier load.

Richard turned to a AI assistant for help after being forced to walk a running event.

"I realized I had to sort myself out," he said.

The free tool built a workout and diet plan personalized to his aims, and created organized workouts.

"I work out for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a noticeable change," he added.

The Cost Comparison: Technology vs. Traditional Training

One recent survey in the previous year compared prices for 17 of the largest fitness chains and found the typical monthly fee was around £38 a month, based on standard full-access plans.

Fees ranged from a lower price at the most affordable chain to a premium rate at the highest-priced.

Based on industry research, fitness coaches set their own rates, typically £30-£65 per hour-long appointment in most areas and about a similar range in London.

Customers typically hire a coach once or twice a week and work with them for a short period, but these arrangements are completely flexible.

Dafydd Judd

The Irreplaceable Personal Touch

Fitness coach one experienced professional, from the Welsh capital, acknowledged AI can be beneficial to accelerate results, but is convinced it will not supplant the personal interaction and accountability that in-person coaching offers.

This expert, who has over a decade of experience as a trainer, specialises in older adults and injury rehabilitation. He said a number of his clients also use AI.

"I think it's extremely useful, more knowledge is positive," he said.

"I think the more people are online the more they'll desire human connection because they crave the empathy from the comprehension that is absent from a computer," he continued.

Dafydd explained AI can inform clients and make coaching more efficient.

But, he said true dedication comes when people show up physically for training.

"No matter how helpful as it is at the middle of the night, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at 7am before work," Dafydd concluded.

For many, he said, the fitness center is a space to disconnect from devices and take a break from technology.