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A runner

After a festive period filled with indulgent treats and relaxation, numerous individuals enter the new year aiming to get their fitness back on track.

However, could AI be transforming the fitness industry by offering an option to personal trainers?

Tailored Programs and Adaptable Schedules

Leah Walsh used an artificial intelligence application for last-minute preparation for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

This young woman from Aberdare explained she liked the liberty to pose queries at all hours – a feature she felt was not possible with a personal trainer.

Leah relied on an AI-powered fitness application that provided her personalised plans with audio coaching and speed targets for her first half marathon in 2024.

She explained she asked it to create a regimen combining running and the gym, and it generated an multi-week programme tailored to her event day and objectives.

The user then tweaked the plan to suit her lifestyle, 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. Her result was a full minute quicker than her target finish.

She said she wanted to avoid feeling pressure from a live instructor.

"Using AI you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she added.

A weightlifter

Significant Strength Gains

In a similar case, Another individual, 23, based in Swansea, has been using AI for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has never felt stronger, boosting his chest press from a lower weight to a much heavier load.

Richard turned to a bot for assistance after being forced to walk a race.

"I just knew I had to sort myself out," he commented.

This no-cost application built a workout and diet plan tailored to his aims, and created structured routines.

"I train for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a real difference," he added.

The Expense Comparison: Technology vs. Traditional Training

One recent study in the previous year compared costs for numerous of the biggest fitness chains and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, for standard full-access plans.

Prices started at £23 at the cheapest chain to a premium rate at the highest-priced.

Based on further data, personal trainers set their own rates, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per hour-long appointment in most areas and about a similar range in London.

Clients typically use a coach one or two times a week and collaborate for a short period, but these arrangements are completely flexible.

Dafydd Judd

The Irreplaceable Personal Touch

Personal trainer one experienced professional, based in the Welsh capital, acknowledged artificial intelligence can be useful to accelerate results, but believes it will never replace the personal interaction and accountability that live training offers.

The 37-year-old, who has over a decade of experience as a coach, specialises in senior clients and injury rehabilitation. He said some of his trainees also employ technology.

"In my opinion it's extremely useful, additional information is positive," he stated.

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

The trainer explained AI can educate clients and make coaching more efficient.

But, he said real commitment comes when people show up physically for their sessions.

"As useful as it is at 2am, a computer won't keep you accountable at early morning before work," Dafydd added.

For many, he said, the gym is a space to disconnect from devices and stop being glued to screens.