The pandemic decimated many businesses in the fitness industry. Unless you were selling fitness equipment, you felt the impact! But with the bad came the good. Virtual training became popular and it’s still going strong today.

I, like other trainers, had to quickly adapt. Virtual training was the obvious solution initially. Although I wasn’t sure how it would “work out” in the long run, I must say, it’s been a huge success and it’s changed the way I operate my business.

I still run my private studio in Richmond Hill, Ontario where I see clients on a regular basis, but I no longer conduct in-home sessions, at least not in person. I do them now remotely through virtual training.

Prior to the pandemic, I was on the road two mornings a week. I would leave my house at 6:15 a.m. and get back around 1:00 p.m., have lunch, and then see clients in the studio from 2:00 p.m. on. Those mornings I spent about two hours in my car. It gave me a chance to listen to podcasts and audiobooks, that part was good, but everything else… not so good!

When I first offered in-home sessions, I was on the road every weekday morning. After a few years, I felt more like a taxi driver than a trainer, so I weaned it down to three mornings (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and eventually to two (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Now, zero and believe it or not, it’s been a blessing in disguise for both me and my clients.

I no longer have to contend with the stress of traffic, parking, rushing to get to appointments, and so on. The gas bills have gone down tremendously, there’s a lot less wear and tear on my car and body, and those extra hours have allowed me to take on more clients.

Most of the clients that I used to do in-home sessions with are now doing it virtually and they love it! It’s opened up more schedule options for them – instead of being relegated to twice a week, they can do more sessions now – and they don’t have to be home to do it. One client does virtual training three times a week either from her city home, country home, or when she’s away in Florida. She never misses a session anymore.

It’s even beneficial for clients that come to the studio. If their car is out of commission one day or the weather is terrible and they can’t make it to my place, we’ll do it virtually at their place. No need to cancel their session. It’s all about consistency. Sure, we may need to tweak the workout to accommodate the equipment they have, but the ball keeps rolling and no sessions are missed.

Virtual consultations have become quite popular as well. I’ve done these with people all across North America and the United Kingdom. Whether it’s someone who wants an individualized diet and training plan designed for them, or a personal trainer who wants to discuss business, nutrition, supplementation, program design, periodization – you name it – it’s done remotely now and it’s done often! We use various platforms like FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet.

Bottom Line: Virtual training became quite popular during the pandemic and it’s here to stay. You don’t need to go to a gym anymore. You can train at home and have a professional guide you through your workout. If you’re able to read this article on an electronic device, then you’re able to make it happen… so stop making excuses and make it happen!