Poseidon Virtual
People have busy lives and time is a premium. They desire affordable access to a professional trainer who can maximise their time and optimise their workout needs. Because of this issue we have come up with an affordable solution to solve this problem.
Poseidon Group gives people affordable access to a professional coach who not only create custom exercise programs but also keeps them accountable with communication and positive reinforcement.
In general, personal trainers fail to comprehend the concepts behind online training and I believe this is exactly why we have not seen a surge of quality online trainers even though the consumer is driving a market segment in that direction. Yet personal trainers have a perception of what “personal training” is and they adhere to a strict tactile traditionalism that excludes them from understanding. Here are the three primary challenges to overcome when working with a trainer online.
Some of the primary challenges to overcome when working with a trainer online:
PROBLEM 1 – Lack of Real-Time Form Correction and Cue: In my opinion, this is one of the biggest challenges to overcome with online personal training. In a live 1-2-1 session, a good coach will be constantly adjusting form to ensure safety and optimise the benefits of each moment. At Poseidon we use 6 kinetic chain checkpoints with live clients for every single exercise. This means a subject’s feet, knees, hips, thoracic region, shoulders and head must be properly aligned for each exercise. In addition, the coach can adjust the range of motion and tempo when a client becomes misaligned or needs to alter the speed of a movement. So, as you can see this is an issue for virtual training.
SOLUTION: One way to correct form virtually is by having clients record short videos of themselves completing exercise they are concerned about or feel awkward doing. I have clients uploading videos directly into their secure folder in Google Drive or whatsApp, so I can make assessments and send feedback for them to incorporate. This is great for me because I can assess how they move in general and allows me to write better programming. It’s great for the client because they get personalised feedback to enhance their awareness and over time, they self-correct to a greater degree than if they were going at it alone. By educating the client and getting them to think about the 6 checkpoints will improve their confidence and competency while working out. Not perfect because it’s not real time, but it’s pretty close.
PROBLEM 2 – Assessing progress and adaptation: During a live session, coaches can modify exercises based on the client’s response to the stress. We can quickly see if the weight is appropriate or the duration is sufficient. We can improvise to accommodate injures or generally enhance the session with program improvements based on direct observation. We detect minor progressions in a client’s ability to execute movements or judge enhancements to strength or flexibility. The subtle improvements notify a trainer that we are on the right track and the program is progressing as planned. This becomes a real challenge online because a trainer is not present to observe these adaptations.
SOLUTION: Communication is the key to coaching clients through understanding progressions and recognising adaptations in their own body. Open dialogue and education work together on this point. I feel clients that understand their own unique physiology and how to maximise their results create sustainability. I encourage my online clients to liberally use the messaging service. In addition, clients to take notes on exercises so they can journal between sets. When I meet with clients during face to face sessions, I review this information with them and coach them through the process or take their feedback and make any necessary alterations to their program. Clients that start with nearly zero coordination or gym confidence can quickly become a student of their body and begin to recognise changes that they can manage. In some ways, this makes them less dependent on a trainer and self-reliant. In the end, my goal is to get clients to a point of sustainability and lifelong habit change.
PROBLEM 3 – Motivation and real-time accountability: Often, a regular person will not put their full effort into exercises when they work out alone. I’m not talking about the dedicated lifter or serious athlete. I’m talking about people who would normally hire a trainer to begin with. A trainer will make sure you push through every rep, finish every set and challenge yourself in each exercise. The motivation to push yourself and the accountability to actual show up for your workout is part of what produces results. Getting the same quality on this topic using online platforms for personal training can be a real challenge, especially for the novice or person that struggles to workout anyway.
SOLUTION: Technology bridges the gap here. Because of technology, we encourage clients to log their completed workouts using ‘strong app’, to record and monitor improvements, track body measurements, compare before-and-after pictures, create personal best scores and keep a record of their activities. We can use this information to identify trends and get a full picture of your activities and nutrition. We constantly checks into your workout and can send you a note of encouragement and see how their workout went. Basically, I am in the mind of the client and they know they must report to me and this creates accountability. I remind clients to push through the hard parts and that coaching can inspire that extra push.
As you can see, the solutions are a partial substitute to live training. Clearly, online personal training is not ideal for everyone. There are still some people who truly need the in-person guidance of a trainer to maximise their health and fitness. But online training is great for people who need motivation, accountability, interesting exercises and periodic connection to a fitness professional. In the end, online training is an excellent alternative for a large group of people. To get more information on this topic or explore the online personal training in more detail, email us at nicholas@poseidonperformance.com
