I successfully Replaced My Personal Trainer for AI – And It's Effective.
A runner
After a holiday period packed with rich foods and downtime, numerous individuals enter the new year aiming to regain their fitness momentum.
However, could Artificial Intelligence be transforming the fitness industry by providing an option to human coaches?
Tailored Plans and Adaptable Timelines
Leah Walsh employed an AI tool for last-minute training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.
The 21-year-old hailing from a town in Wales said she appreciated the liberty to pose queries any time of day – a feature she felt was unavailable with a traditional coach.
Leah relied on an AI-powered running app that gave her customized schedules with audio coaching and speed targets for her inaugural long-distance race in 2024.
She explained she requested it to design a regimen merging running and the gym, and it generated an 11-week plan customized to her race date and objectives.
The user then adjusted the schedule to fit her daily routine, which she described was convenient.
Subsequently, she opted for a different tool because it was cheaper and she could consult it whenever she wanted. She finished a full minute quicker than her goal time.
She noted she did not want the pressure from a human personal trainer.
"With AI you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.
Richard Gallimore
Remarkable Fitness Gains
In a similar case, Another individual, in his twenties, based in Swansea, has been employing artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has never felt stronger, increasing his chest press from 70kg to 110kg.
Richard turned to a bot 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 fitness and meal program tailored to his goals, and established structured routines.
"I work out for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a noticeable change," he said.
The Expense Comparison: Technology vs. Conventional Coaching
A recent survey in late 2024 compared prices for 17 of the biggest gym brands and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, for standard memberships.
Fees started at £23 at the cheapest chain to £132 at the most expensive.
Based on further data, fitness coaches determine their own fees, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per hour-long session outside London and about a similar range in the capital.
Clients will often use a coach one or two times a week and collaborate for a short period, but these agreements are often adaptable.
Dafydd Judd
The Essential Personal Element
Fitness coach one experienced professional, from Cardiff, acknowledged artificial intelligence can be useful to speed up progress, but believes it will never replace the personal interaction and responsibility that in-person coaching offers.
The 37-year-old, who has 12 years experience as a coach, focuses on senior clients and injury rehabilitation. He said a number of his clients also use AI.
"I think it's extremely useful, more knowledge is good," he said.
"I think the more that people are connected digitally the more they'll desire personal contact because they want the warmth from the comprehension that is missing from a computer," he added.
The trainer explained Artificial intelligence can inform clients and make coaching more efficient.
However, he argued real commitment comes when people appear physically for their sessions.
"No matter how helpful as it is at the middle of the night, a computer won't keep you accountable at 7am before work," he added.
In the view of many, he said, the gym is a space to disconnect from devices and take a break from technology.
