I successfully Swapped My Personal Trainer for AI – And It's Effective.
A runner
Following a festive period filled with rich foods and relaxation, numerous individuals enter January aiming to get their fitness back on track.
However, could AI be transforming the world of exercise by providing an alternative to human coaches?
Personalized Programs and Adaptable Schedules
Leah Walsh used 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 freedom to pose queries any time of day – a feature she believed was unavailable with a personal trainer.
Leah used an AI-powered running app that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and pace setting for her inaugural long-distance race in recent years.
She said she requested it to design a regimen combining running and the gym, and it generated an 11-week plan tailored to her race date and goals.
The user then tweaked the schedule to fit her lifestyle, which she described was highly practical.
Subsequently, she opted for a alternative application because it was more affordable and she could consult it whenever she wanted. Her result was a minute faster than her target finish.
She said she did not want the pressure from a human personal trainer.
"Using artificial intelligence you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she added.
A weightlifter
Remarkable Fitness Improvements
Meanwhile, Another individual, in his twenties, from Swansea, has been using artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has achieved peak strength, boosting his bench press from a lower weight to 110kg.
He resorted to a bot for help after being forced to walk a race.
"I realized I had to get myself in shape," he said.
The free tool constructed a fitness and meal program tailored to his goals, and created organized workouts.
"I work out for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a noticeable change," he added.
The Cost Contrast: Technology vs. Traditional Training
One recent study in late 2024 analyzed prices for numerous of the biggest gym brands and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds per month, for standard full-access plans.
Prices ranged from a lower price at the most affordable provider to a premium rate at the highest-priced.
According to industry research, fitness coaches set their own rates, typically £30-£65 per hour-long appointment outside London and about £45-£65 in London.
Clients will often use a coach one or two times a week and work with them for a few months, however these arrangements are completely flexible.
Dafydd Judd
The Essential Personal Touch
Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, based in Cardiff, acknowledged AI can be beneficial to accelerate results, but believes it will never replace the personal interaction and accountability that in-person coaching offers.
The 37-year-old, who has 12 years experience as a coach, specialises in older adults and injury rehabilitation. He said some of his trainees also use AI.
"In my opinion it's extremely useful, additional information is good," he said.
"I think the more that people are connected digitally the more they'll want human connection because they want the warmth from the comprehension that is absent from a computer," he added.
The trainer said AI can inform users and make coaching more effective.
But, he said true dedication comes when people appear in person for training.
"No matter how helpful as it is at 2am, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at early morning before work," he added.
For many, he said, the gym is a space to leave phones behind and stop being glued to screens.
