If 2020 taught personal trainers one lesson, it was to have a plan if lockdowns occurred.
Nothing like that had ever happened in our lifetime, so most in-person personal trainers were not prepared. I don’t think that any of us were prepared to be honest.
However, the personal trainers who pivoted to selling a fitness offer online did very well in 2020.
<CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO SELL AN ONLINE FITNESS OFFER>
The truth is that your clients don’t care if they are in the same location as you, so selling online fitness gives you access to so many more clients than if you only sell in person.
The first question that I get asked by trainers is how to actually train clients online.
That is a great question! I am going to walk you through the steps to create an online fitness training program that will get results for your clients (and good testimonials for you!)
There are 3 facets to an online training program.
- Workouts
- Nutrition
- Communication
1. Workouts
I recommend using a phone app for workouts, and the two that I prefer are Trainerize and PT Distinction.
(I am actually creating my own app which will be out in the middle of 2021 but until then, I recommend those two apps)
Both Trainerize and PT Distinction allow you to create a specific workout plan for each client based on:
- Their goals
- The equipment they have access to
- How much time they have to workout
In addition, you can also message your clients through the app, and send them reminders to workout.
Because you won’t be with your clients when they workout, you can add videos for each exercise that show the client how to do it (so helpful!).
Most exercises have videos in there for you to pick one, but you could also create your own and add them if you like.
2. Nutrition
I recommend using the app Eat This Much. You can create a customized meal plan for your clients that make it easier for them to know what to eat and how much.
To use this app, you input the client’s stats, their macros and it will create a specific meal plan for them that they can use to create a shopping list.
Most clients will appreciate you removing the stress of trying to figure out what to eat by having a detailed plan to follow.
3. Communication
- Less likely to succeed
- Less likely to continue working with you
- Less likely to give you a glowing testimonial
First, make sure that you send a very personalized message to welcome them when you first start working together. Your new client needs to feel like you care about their success in losing weight (or whatever their fitness goal is).
Next, using the workout app you pick (see #1), or another automated messaging system, send weekly reminders to encourage your clients to workout, stick to the nutrition plan and record their stats.
Finally, once a week, using an online form (google forms or jotform) send a weekly check-in questionnaire.
Ask about their progress that week:
- Did they follow the program?
- How they feel?
- Are they struggling with anything?
If there is consistent communication, you can make any adjustments as a coach to ensure that your client gets the results that they want.
To recap how to set up an online fitness training program, focus on the 3 facets:
Workouts (use Trainerize or PT Distinction)
Nutrition (use Eat This Much)
Communication (weekly check ins to measure progress and challenges)
If you want to learn how to find clients for your online fitness program, my online course is a very affordable and easy way to get started.