🔗 Share this article

Leah Walsh

After a festive period packed with rich foods and relaxation, many people enter January looking to get their fitness back on track.

But, could AI be changing the world of exercise by offering an option to personal trainers?

Personalized Plans and Flexible Timelines

Leah Walsh employed an AI tool for last-minute training for the a major running event.

This young woman from Aberdare explained she liked the liberty to ask it questions any time of day – a feature she believed was unavailable with a personal trainer.

Leah used an AI-driven running app that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and speed targets for her first long-distance race in recent years.

She explained she asked it to design a plan merging running and the gym, and it produced an 11-week programme tailored to her race date and goals.

The user then adjusted the schedule to suit her lifestyle, which she described was convenient.

The following year, she chose a alternative application because it was more affordable and she could consult it whenever she wanted. Her result was a full minute quicker than her goal time.

She noted she did not want feeling pressure from a human personal trainer.

"With AI you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.

A weightlifter

Significant Strength Improvements

In a similar case, Another individual, 23, from a Welsh city, has been employing artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and reported he has achieved peak strength, boosting his bench press from 70kg to 110kg.

Richard resorted to a AI assistant for help after being forced to walk a race.

"I just knew I had to get myself in shape," he said.

The free tool built a workout and diet plan tailored to his goals, and established structured routines.

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

The Cost Contrast: AI vs. Traditional Coaching

A recent survey in the previous year compared prices for numerous of the biggest gym brands and found the typical monthly fee was around £38 a month, based on standard full-access plans.

Prices started at a lower price at the most affordable provider to a premium rate at the most expensive.

Based on industry research, personal trainers determine their own fees, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per 45-60 minute appointment outside London and about a similar range in the capital.

Customers typically use a trainer once or twice a week and work with them for a short period, however these arrangements are completely flexible.

A personal trainer

The Irreplaceable Personal Element

Personal trainer Dafydd Judd, from Cardiff, acknowledged artificial intelligence can be useful to accelerate results, but is convinced it will never replace the personal interaction and responsibility that in-person coaching provides.

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

"In my opinion it's very valuable, additional information is good," he said.

"I think the more that people are online the more they'll want human connection because they want the warmth from the comprehension that is missing from a computer," he added.

Dafydd explained Artificial intelligence can educate users and make coaching more efficient.

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

"As useful as it is at 2am, a computer cannot ensure you show up at early morning before work," he added.

In the view of many, he suggested, the fitness center is a space to leave phones behind and take a break from technology.