If you’re looking to become an online fitness coach in the UK, our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know:

• Step 1 – Get Qualified To Become An Online Fitness Coach
• Step 2 – Gain Practical Experience To Become A Fitness Coach Online
• Step 3 – Choose Your Specialism As An Online Fitness Coach
• Step 4 – Decide How You Will Deliver Your Online Fitness Coaching
• Step 5 – Get The Right Legal Coverage For Your Fitness Coaching Business
• Step 6 – Decide Your Rates For Your Online Fitness Coaching Business
• Step 7 – Market Yourself As An Online Fitness Coach

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in health and fitness and want to eventually become an online personal trainer, you can enrol on OriGym’s Personal Training Diploma and qualify in as little as 4 weeks! 

Learn more about our PT courses in our FREE course prospectus!

Step 1 – Get Qualified To Become An Online Fitness Coach

If you’re wondering how to become an online fitness coach in the UK, the first step is to get qualified. You will need to complete the following two qualifications:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor Course
• Level 3 Personal Training Course 

You can either take these courses separately or combined through OriGym’s cost-effective Personal Training Diploma, qualifying in as little as 4 weeks! This will lay the foundation of your career as a fitness instructor and means you can eventually become a personal trainer.

The good news is, you don’t need any specific or additional qualifications to coach clients online! However, if you’re looking to specialise in a particular area of fitness, you should take relevant additional training, such as:

• Level 4 Advanced Sports Nutrition 
• Level 4 Lower Back Pain Management 
• Level 4 Diabetes Control and Weight Management 

Step 2 – Gain Practical Experience To Become A Fitness Coach Online

Even if you’re specifically wanting to know how to become an ‘online’ fitness coach, it will benefit your career to initially gain in-person practical experience.

In doing so, you can develop transferable skills for your online coaching career. 

The best way to do this is by working in a gym or fitness centre as a personal trainer, and gaining experience training clients on a one-to-one basis. 

Working in this capacity will also help you build up a pool of loyal clients who will then follow you when you move your services online.

These individuals will be more likely to invest in your new business, as they will be aware that your training methods get the results they desire. 

Building rapport with in-person clients is therefore so important. Should they follow you to your online services, you can gain immediate financial stability, which is often a worry for any new business venture. 

Step 3 – Choose Your Specialism As An Online Fitness Coach

When exploring how to become an online health and fitness coach, you will need to decide what area you wish to specialise in.  

When making this decision, consider these two questions:

• What area of fitness and training do I personally excel in?
• Who do I want my clients (or ‘target audience’) to be?

For example, you could decide that you excel in creating weight loss programmes, and therefore wish to target clients looking to lose weight.

By targeting those who are looking specifically for an online fitness coach who specialises in weight loss, you’re immediately more appealing to clients who want specific results or specialised programmes, since you offer the exact service they are looking for. 

In other words, you will be regarded as an expert in that particular type of training, helping you stand out from other coaches who offer more general and holistic services.

Deciding your niche will also help you determine what qualifications are needed to pursue this specific career. 

Step 4 – Decide How You Will Deliver Your Online Fitness Coaching

When learning how to become an online fitness coach in the UK, there are three main ways that you can operate:

#1- Sell Self-Guided Online Fitness Plans

A self-guided plan is when clients independently work through a fitness programme that you give them. For example, you could create general plans for goals such as ‘weight loss’ or ‘gaining muscle’. 

Alternatively, if you already have a Level 3 personal trainer qualification, you would be qualified to create tailored virtual programmes for individuals with more specific needs and goals. 

In each case, the client would conduct the workouts themselves in their own home or at the gym in their own time. 

You could also add further value to your services by offering things such as weekly/monthly video check-ins, or communicating with clients via Whatsapp to support them alongside their plan.

This is a great option if you want to have lots of different clients enrolled on the same programme. You can therefore maximise your earnings since you can take on more clients with the same amount of time and effort. 

We have a whole article on selling fitness programmes online for more information about how to get started with this area of online coaching. 

#2- Coach Clients 1-to-1 Online in Real-Time 

Instead of creating a plan that clients complete in their own time, this option involves coaching clients live on a 1-to-1 basis via video chat. This essentially means giving them everything you would get from an in-person session, just virtually!

This can be done effectively through video calls using your laptop and microphone and can be held on platforms such as Zoom. 

 

#3- Record Workout Videos To Sell To Clients 

This is essentially when you pre-record videos that you can then sell to multiple clients. 

This means that instead of working with each of your clients individually on separate video calls, you can make one video and send that same video to an unlimited number of different clients!

In other words, you can earn more money from more clients by working the same amount of time! 

Should you decide to pursue this career, you will therefore need to invest in some filming equipment, such as a high-quality camera and microphone. 

Step 5 – Get The Right Legal Coverage For Your Fitness Coaching Business

If you are looking into how to become an online health and fitness coach, there are a two key legalities you should put in place:

#1- Online Fitness Coach Insurance

When considering how to become an online fitness coach, the main type of insurance you will need is personal liability insurance. 

This kind of insurance can provide protection if a client makes a claim against you for an injury or damage to property. A lack of insurance can lead to severe legal fines and in severe cases prison sentences.  

Within the last few years, most insurance providers have extended their policies to cover online sessions and classes. When choosing a provider you will need to read their policies in great detail to ensure you’re receiving accurate coverage. 

You will also need equipment insurance to cover things like your laptop, camera and microphone.

#2- Register Your Online Fitness Coach Business

If you’re wanting to become an online health and fitness fitness coach, you’ll need to register your business with the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for tax purposes. 

This means letting the government know your business exists and is paying relevant tax. However, you’ll only need to inform the HMRC and file a tax return if you earn more than £1000 in a year.

You can register through the UK government website as a sole trader or limited company. 

The best option is to register as a sole trader. This means that you can keep all your business profits after paying tax, but are responsible for your own finances.

It is therefore a good idea to hire an accountant to help you with the financial side of your business and to ensure that you calculate your taxes correctly. 

Step 6 – Decide Your Rates For Your Online Fitness Coaching Business

The next step in how to become an online health and fitness coach is to decide on how much you want to charge for your services. 

You should consider your outgoing expenses when deciding your prices and ensure that they cover costs such as:

• Buying and maintaining equipment such as a laptop, camera, microphone etc.
• Paying for an accountant
• Paying for software such as a website builder

It is also a good idea to conduct some market research to see how much your competitors are charging. This will allow you to price yourself appropriately, finding a balance between your prices being competitive and making a profit. 

To do this, you should try to:

• Offer sessions for slightly less than your competitors
• Provide customers with more than what competitors are offering

You could offer online sessions on a pay-as-you-go basis. But the best way to price your online fitness business is using packages. 

 

Step 7 – Market Yourself As An Online Fitness Coach

The next step in how to become an online fitness coach is to market your business to attract your first clients! 

Here are some techniques that are particularly beneficial for becoming an online fitness coach:

#1- Develop a Social Media Strategy For Your Online Fitness Coach Business

Social media is one of the best ways to promote your business, build brand awareness and interact with your clients.

For example, you could start a fitness instagram to build your brand this way and interact with followers directly, leading to more interest in your service.

You could also use social media advertising to target a specific demographic- which we will explain more below when we discuss paid advertising. 

#2- Use Family and Friend Referrals To Promote Your Online Fitness Coach Business

Another online business idea is to use a referral scheme. This is when you give current clients an incentive to refer their family and friends to your business. 

People are more likely to use a service when it’s recommended by someone they know and trust, making it one of the best ways to grow your online fitness coaching business!

Examples of popular incentives include:

• Discounted classes
• Free sessions
• Gift cards
• Cash incentives

This marketing tool benefits everyone – your clients will receive a benefit, and you will gain a new client!

#3- Create A Landing Page And Website For Your Online Fitness Coaching Business

When you’re thinking about how to become an online fitness coach, it’s important to have a professional landing page and/or website to attract clients and promote your business. 

A personal training landing page is a stand-alone page customers land on when they click through from something like social media, an email or an ad. 

These pages are less about exploration, and more focused on guiding customers to complete a specific action, turning visitors into leads or sales.

For example, a landing page could feature an enquiry box where potential clients enter their details for you to contact them. 

You will also need a high-quality and professional website that is easy to use and navigate. This gives your business credibility and makes users trust you, making them more likely to enquire and become paying clients! 

A strong website is particularly important if you are wanting to create a library of videos that you then sell to clients, as this is where they will access them. 

#4- Utilise Paid Advertising As An Online Fitness Coach

One of the best ways to market your online fitness coaching business is by using paid advertising. 

This method is great for businesses who are just starting out because:

• They are cost-effective – you only pay if someone actually clicks on your ad. 
• You can target a specific audience, i.e. people who are already searching for online fitness coaching. 
• You can reach a large number of people at the same time
• They are quick and easy to set up

The two main platforms to use paid advertising are Google and across social media. This allows you to reach a greater audience and eventually be a successful online personal trainer.

#5 – Use Email Marketing To Promote Your Online Fitness Coaching Business 

Email marketing involves capturing people’s contact details on your website or through social media, and sending targeted marketing emails to those individuals. 

These emails are a great way for you to advertise your services, increase general brand awareness and promote any offers you are currently running.

Ready to Become an Online Fitness Coach?

As the UK’s leading health and fitness course provider, OriGym has helped hundreds of aspiring fitness professionals get into the fitness industry, including online fitness coaching. 

If you’re ready to pursue this career for yourself, get a Personal Training Diploma under your belt! Through qualifying, you will develop beneficial skills and knowledge to ensure the future success of your online coaching business. 

To learn more about our industry-leading qualification, be sure to download our FREE course prospectus here

Are you looking to become an online personal trainer? This article will cover everything you need to know about pursuing this career, including:

Contents:

• Step 1: Establish What Qualifications You Need
• Step 2: Find The Right Course Provider
• Step 3: Choose Your Specialty
• Step 4: Choose A Platform For Your Online PT Business
• Step 5: Secure Your First Online Personal Training Client
• Step 6: Expand Your Online Personal Training Client List

If you’d prefer to listen to content featured in this article we have you covered. Our dedicated YouTube channel covers this information, allowing you sit back and learn how to become an online personal trainer with ease:

If you’re ready to turn your passion for fitness into an exciting new career? Enquire about our Personal Trainer Diploma; you could be qualified in as little as 4 weeks!

About the Role of an Online Personal Trainer

Before we break down the steps to become an online personal trainer, let’s explore the job!  

One of the biggest roles for any personal trainer online or in-person is to design and deliver bespoke training programmes to support clients in reaching their short and long-term goals.  

Depending on the service you offer as an online PT, you might also spend time performing weekly check-ins and creating marketing materials for your social media.

Many PTs work early mornings, evenings, and weekends to fit around clients’ schedules and complete the roles and responsibilities of a personal trainer. These hours will differ for online personal trainers, but we’ll get to that later. 

Although the average personal trainer salary is around £29,200, this varies depending on factors such as: 

• Number of hours worked
• Number of clients
• Amount of experience

It can therefore be difficult to calculate an ‘average salary’, but as an online PT you will have direct control over how much you charge, as you will be setting your prices. 

Step 1: Establish What Qualifications You Need to Become an Online Personal Trainer

To become a personal trainer online in the UK, two qualifications are required:

• Level 2 Fitness Instructor Qualification
• Level 3 Personal Training Qualification

Once completing these courses, you will:

Level 2 Fitness Instructor course: Qualify as a Fitness Instructor and have the necessary prerequisites to progress onto a Level 3 Personal Trainer course. If you already have a Level 2 qualification, you can jump straight in with a Level 3 course.

Level 3 Personal Trainer course: Become a fully qualified Personal Trainer, with all the necessary skills and knowledge required for designing & delivering bespoke training programmes and working with clients on a 1-on-1 basis.

If you don’t already have either of the above qualificaitons, the most affordable and quickest way to become an online personal trainer by completing a Personal Training Diploma, which combines both the Level 2 and Level 3 courses.

Whatever route you course you decide on, you must check that any course you do is regulated by an Ofqual-approved awarding body such as Focus Awards. If you’re keen to find the highest quality course, you should also look out for CIMSPA-endorsement.

CIMSPA is the professional body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector. They ensure fitness professionals qualify with a high level of knowledge by working with awarding bodies and course providers.

Ofqual is responsible for regulating England’s vocational qualifications. These regulations ensure any Level 3 Personal Trainer provides the same high level of training regardless of the course provider. 

Step 2: Find The Right PT Course Provider

One of the biggest factors when it comes to your studying experience and your future career prospects is the vocational training provider you decide on.

Some questions potential students should ask themselves include:

• What study methods are available to me? Course providers may have the option to study entirely online, full-time, or part-time. Here at OriGym, we offer all three to allow our students to decide on the most suitable study method for them.
• What post-course support do they have? A course provider that offers plenty of support after qualifying means you’ll find it easier to get your foot in the door when you enter the industry. As a result of our range of free career services, we have the highest work placement rate among competitors. This includes CV analysis and distribution, as well as opportunities for interviews.
• What do past students say about the provider? Potential students should check out reviews on websites such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews to have an insight into the experience of previous students.

For further tips and advice on comparing personal training courses, check out our video below:

Step 3: Choose Your Specialty As An Online Personal Trainer

After completing your Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification and gaining practical experience, a couple of questions you should ask yourself include:

• Who do I want my potential clients to be?
• What services do I want to offer?

There are various CPD Fitness Courses available to online personal trainers, such as:

• Kettlebells
• Medicine Ball Training 
• Body Weight Training 
• Fitness Business & Management 

Not only will these courses deepen your skills and knowledge, they allow you to carve out your own niche. When you become an online personal trainer, you need to separate yourself from others by offering something they don’t. 

For example, by offering boxing and pad work, you can target amateur boxing clients as well as general fitness enthusiasts.

Ben Malton is an example of an online personal trainer who offers a range of services, such as fitness training, nutrition coaching, and health & lifestyle advice. Ben uses his knowledge to help clients with health issues, going beyond just fitness:

The bottom line is, when deciding on what you want to focus on as an online personal trainer, you should consider what you’re most passionate about and build your service around this.

 

Step 4: Choose The Right Platform For Your Online PT Business

When becoming an online personal trainer, it’s important to plan how you’re going to deliver these services to your clients. For example, are you going to operate through social media pages or via a business website?

To understand how you can utilise both of these platforms to their full potential, we’re going to look at each one in detail.

Using Social Media for Your Online Personal Training Business

When deciding to become an online personal trainer, many choose to operate their business solely through their social media profiles. But how exactly is this achieved?

Whilst many trainers choose to create a professional business profile, this tool is only typically used for marketing purposes, to attract new/potential clients.

Instead, when becoming an online personal trainer you should operate your business through a private account which can only be accessed by your clients. Here you will post premium content that will only be accessible to those paying for your service.

#1 – Why You Need a Private Profile That Can Be Accessed by Clients ONLY!

A private account creates a sense of exclusivity, as the content on this page will only be accessible to those who have paid for your services, rather than the general public.

Private accounts will also make it easier for clients to get in touch with you. Rather than getting lost in the shuffle of enquiries that your regular profile generates, their messages will all be filtered to one place.

Finally, having a private account makes it easier to broadcast important information.

For example, say you want clients to submit their measurements for their weekly progress check-in you can post an announcement to your story asking for clients to send them in.

#2 – Conduct Check-Ins Via Direct Messages

If you wish to become an online personal trainer, it’s important to maintain a consistent line of communication with your clients. Whilst there are many ways to do this, if you’re running a private account on the likes of Instagram, you can simply send off a direct message.

Much like in-person check-ins, you should still ask relevant questions regarding a client’s workout programme, such as:

• How did you find training this week?
• Are you struggling with any aspect of your programme?
• Is there anything I can do to help you more effectively?

These official check-ins should be conducted at least once a week, but you can also talk to your clients on a personal basis in order to build rapport.

#3 – Create Content That Encourages Communal Engagement

As an online personal trainer, you can also use social media to create content that encourages communal engagement.

A simple but incredibly effective way of doing this is by posting clients’ progress pictures. Similar to this example below from Roar Fitness London:

These posts allow you to celebrate a client’s achievements, and encourage others to congratulate their peers. This will provide motivation for the client in question, but also for others who will want to obtain similar results.

In addition to this, clients may be more likely to share these results on a private page as they know it’s filled with like-minded people who will share in their happiness. Whereas they may be less likely to share if it was going on a public profile for anyone to see.

Creating these posts help to create a sense of community, where everyone uplifts and supports each other during their programmes. In turn, this can positively affect your retention levels.

 

Using a Website for Your Online Personal Training Business

Alternatively, you could also opt to use your own website to manage your online personal training business.

Many trainers will do this after they’ve gained initial experience from using social media and cultivated a larger following of clients.

Specifically, during the creation process, you should ensure to include a ‘members section’ in order to manage your business. This page should only be accessible to paying clients, who must input a username and password in order to access your content.

An example of a members page can be found below, from PT David Kingsbury:

You can treat this members section similar to your private social media accounts, where you will post exclusive content that keeps them engaged in your business.

On top of their regular workout programme and check-ins, you could also offer:

• Monthly seminars
• Weekly Q&As
• Pre-recorded home workouts
• Group challenges
• Posts that help build up a community

All of this content should be available to every client regardless of when they sign up. Think of it like a hub, where all your most valuable resources will be available!

Step 5: Secure Your First Online Personal Training Clients

When you become a personal trainer online, it’s important to spend time marketing your business and utilising these online platforms. 

#1 – Gain Experience Before You Become an Online Personal Trainer

Although your goal is to be an online personal trainer, it’s important to gain experience working in a gym or fitness centre. This helps you understand how to effectively train clients before taking your service online. 

It also means you can start your service with a handful of loyal clients who can then refer your training to others, rather than having to start from scratch.

#2 – Reach Out to Potential Online PT Clients 

Don’t be afraid to reach out and message new followers or those who interact with your posts!

As an online personal trainer, you will largely gain clients virtually, meaning you need to utilise your social media. 

Just be sure to keep your message concise and to the point, asking potential clients about their training or goals. If they’re looking to lose weight or train, ask if they’re interested in you training them online. 

#3 – Offer Packages as an Online Personal Trainer

This is a great way to build a base and gain an idea of how many clients you will be training. Monthly packages are also your best option as they don’t come with an end date, meaning clients won’t need to subscribe again, they can simply set up a direct debit.

When creating these packages you should try to keep things as simple as possible, which is why we recommend giving your clients 3 possible options. Naturally, the more sessions someone wants the more they will have to pay, like in our example below:

This is important for attracting clients to buy more classes, even if they’ll be getting them for slightly cheaper. Check out our guide on creating personal training packages for a complete breakdown on making them successful.

Step 6: Expand Your Online Personal Training Clients List

Simply put, the more clients you have, the more income you’ll make! As an online personal trainer, you’ll want to continually gain clients and there are various ways to do this.

Once you have a website and social media, it’s important to continue optimising your website for ranking purposes. Make sure the information on your website is utilised to help users find your services, which is crucial to set you apart from the crowd.

You should also be sure to post regular updates and results on your social media to show you’re still actively seeking new clients.

You can also increase your client list by gaining additional qualifications such as CPD Fitness Courses and Level 4 Personal Training Courses. By having more specialised qualifications, you can attract a greater number of clients and carve out your own niche.

Another way to gain clients is through personal trainer referrals. You can ask for referrals from existing clients by incentivizing them. For example, you might offer free or discounted sessions for each new client who signs up.

Ready to Start Your Career as a Personal Trainer?

OriGym specialises in supporting both experienced and aspiring fitness professionals to reach their career goals. With our Personal Trainer Diploma, you can be qualified in just 4 weeks! or

For more information on our range of fitness qualifications, download our course prospectus here.

 

Looking for fantastic online business ideas that will allow you to follow your passion and make money at the same time?

Our comprehensive list of the best ideas for online business encompasses everything you’ll need to make a decision, as well as what that role could involve.

But if you’re keen to get started immediately, take the plunge today and become an online personal trainer with OriGym’s signature Personal Training Diploma. You can study almost entirely online, and learn at your own pace, before earning an impressive salary.

Download our complete prospectus today to learn more about everything we offer.

#1 – Being An Online Personal Trainer Is A Lucrative, Rewarding Online Business

Whether you’re looking to become a personal trainer or are already qualified, becoming an online PT is one of the best online business ideas for fitness professionals.

If motivating people to push that little bit further to reach their goals and working closely in a one-to-one setting sounds like your dream, consider this business idea.

You’ll have full control over your schedule and cash flow, as well as creative freedom to deliver the kind of training and guidance you resonate with.

In terms of your salary as a personal trainer online, you can expect to earn around the average within your first few years – £29,060 per year, according to Indeed.

Still uncertain if this is the online business idea for you? Check out our full breakdown of the pros and cons of online training, and see how it can fit around your lifestyle and existing commitments.

#2 – Working As A Food Blogger Is An Easy Idea For Your Online Business

If you’re a passionate foodie with a flair for writing in informative and entertaining ways, you should consider starting a food blog. 

It’s one of the more popular ideas for a small online business, but you can stand out by finding a niche.

Whether you prefer sweet or savoury, pastries or pasta, you can build a solid following by posting reviews or story-like posts on your blog and by posting gorgeous photos of the food you’re talking about on Instagram.

#3 – Business Coaching Offers One Of The More Unique Online Business Ideas

Business coaching involves working alongside businesses to help them grow and maintain success. You’ll assess the goals of the business and create business strategies to hit these goals.

This could involve:

• Designing charts showing projected earnings or growth
• Plans for future endeavours
• Ideas on marketing or advertising campaigns

This small online business idea can be very lucrative if you’re a good communicator. Plus, if you have experience in a specific industry, you can frame yourself as an expert, and ultimately charge more for your services.

#4 – Online Business Ideas: Nutrition Coach

If you’re known by family and friends as the person to come to for health and wellness advice, you should consider easy online business ideas like becoming a virtual nutritionist. 

In this role, you’ll mainly be providing clients with bespoke meal plans and video consultations to provide in-depth analysis of their lifestyle choices and dietary habits.

Many people who opt to pursue this as their online business idea will make use of social media platforms (like Instagram), and harness its features to provide both a point of contact and an informative resource for their clients.

You’ll also offer more holistic advice and recommendations, tailoring your client’s meal plans to ensure that it both helps them meet their goals, and accommodates any preferences or dietary requirements.

You’ll need the same qualifications and accreditations as a face-to-face nutrition coach to become an online nutrition coach, but with OriGym’s online sports nutrition courses, you’re able to study this entirely online.

#5 – Speech Writing Is One Of The Easier Online Business Ideas

If you’re a writer with a flair for crafting rousing presentations, you could start a successful online business with ideas for speeches. 

In this line of work, you could work with anyone from politicians to business leaders and more.

Speech writers may benefit from a degree in communications, English, journalism, or something similar, but this is not mandatory. 

You’ll want to build up a portfolio of work and get that in front of clients, but if you can write high-quality pieces, this is a good idea for an online business.

#6 – Good Ideas For Online Business Include SEO Services

One of the best ideas for an online business is to start an SEO business. 

It’s no secret that search engines are constantly evolving, and so are the businesses that rely on search engines.

You’ll work in a collaborative fashion with clients to help them understand how to use SEO in their daily operations or processes, and depending on your service rate, this can be a lucrative online business idea.

Plus, as search engines change, you’ve got the opportunity to develop as a professional, and offer a comprehensive service for your clients.

#7 – Ideas For A Small Online Business Include Building Job Boards

If you’re looking for ideas for an online business from home, consider creating your own job board. Plus, it can all be done from the comfort of your sofa!

Job boards connect employers with job seekers for a small fee. This fee may be for each job posted by employers, for uploading a CV, or for a package to post multiple listings.

Because there are already plenty of job boards online, you’ll need to find a niche, for example targeting app developers, content writers, interior designers, etc. – this will ensure you get adequate traffic to the site.

If you’re after ideas for small online business start-ups, this is a great place to start.

#8 – Best Online Business Ideas: Start A YouTube Channel

Starting a YouTube channel is a fantastic online business idea (UK) to start when you want to build a strong follower base or audience. 

It will, undoubtedly, take time to compete with the numerous other smaller channels out there, but with enough time and dedication, you can make money this way.

YouTube starts to pay you for advertising once you reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 “watched hours”, which might seem steep at first, but as you get started and find your niche, you’ll soon surpass those numbers.

As your following grows, you can branch out into branded merch, sponsorships, selling books, or even affiliate marketing (which we’ll go into in more detail later!).

#9 – Teaching Yoga Online Is One Of The Best Ideas For An Online Business

More and more yoga instructors are taking their teaching online, making this a fabulous online home business idea. 

By becoming an online yoga teacher, you’ll plan and deliver effective sessions that incorporate different poses and movements, all over Zoom or YouTube.

You’ll also be responsible for a wide range of other roles, too, including:

• Offering holistic guidance and advice
• Planning your teaching schedule
• Developing an effective yoga teaching style
• Marketing and advertising your classes

Whether you’re already qualified to teach or are getting your qualifications sorted, you can set up this business easily.

Along with YouTube or Instagram, we recommend launching your own independent yoga website, as this is the most effective way to teach online while maintaining a stable, recurring income.

#10 – A Virtual Event Planning Service Is A Great Online Business Idea

As a virtual event planner, you’re responsible for coordinating events down to the smallest detail, including overseeing the logistics, technology, and consistent execution of online events. 

For anyone with a passion for management and great communication skills, this unique online business idea will be a hit.

Because this style of event planning involves a lot of research and phone calls, it’s a business you can start anywhere. 

You can specialise in business events, wedding parties, corporate events, or private parties (and more!).

#11 – Consider Life Coaching As An Online Idea For Business

If you’re after online business ideas for beginners, you may want to look into becoming an online life coach. 

You don’t need any formal qualifications to offer advice on relationships, finances, career fulfilment, or just life in general, so if you’re the person everyone comes to for help, consider this role.

The primary benefit of being an online life coach is that you can expand your reach far beyond your immediate area. You can work with clients across the country or even the world and increase your potential earnings.

#12 – Provide Lead Generation Strategies For Your Online Business

A lead generation business sources potential clients for other businesses, meaning it’s ideal if you’re looking for online business ideas that are self-sufficient. 

This is one of the best ideas for online business start-ups because most companies are willing to pay good money for quality leads who have a genuine interest in the product or service on offer.

One of the main advantages of these ideas for online business is that once you’ve set it up, it’s completely automated! 

This means that, once you’ve put the initial effort in, you’re able to reap the rewards while you work on other lead generation software or something else entirely.

#13 – Start An Online Clothing Line For Your Business

Creating your own range of clothing and seeing people wearing it is very rewarding. While it might seem daunting at first, bear in mind that Gymshark (one of the biggest fitness clothing brands in the world) began in a garage in Birmingham!

If you love the idea of seeing your fashion ideas come to life and funnelling your creative juices into something special, consider this idea for businesses online.

Using websites like Shopify, you can set up your own clothing line, and have it printed and distributed via them. 

These online business ideas from home can be successful with a little bit of time and previous design knowledge.

#14 – Consider Teaching Music As One Of Your Ideas For An Online Business

If you’re a music teacher looking to get some extra students, taking your business online means you can get students from across the world. 

If you’re looking for online business-from-home ideas, this is a great one, especially if you’re proficient in one or more instruments.

People who want to learn how to play an instrument but don’t have the time or resources to travel to a teacher will often turn to online tutors. You’ll be communicating with them via video conferencing software like Zoom or Teams, but other than that, you’ll be teaching as normal.

#15 – Virtual Interior Design Is A Booming Online Business Idea

Being a virtual interior designer may sound strange – surely you need to be there in person to know what to do? 

Well, thanks to CAD and other computer design software, becoming a virtual interior designer has never been a better online business idea.

Whether you’re already an interior designer or looking to expand your skill set, you’ll need to be proficient at sketching and graphical drawing skills. 

Knowing how to build 2D and 3D renders of a space is also a crucial skill so that clients can fully understand your vision.

#16 – Best Ideas For Online Business: Transcriber

Transcription is an easy online business idea, as there are plenty of gigs on freelancing sites such as Fiverr, which you can use to build up a portfolio whilst gaining experience and feedback from clients. 

With the rise of video-to-text content, all you’ll need is a computer and quality English language skills to get plenty of clients.

To excel in this business, you must be quick and accurate with your typing to get the work done in a good time frame, as well as to ensure the proofreader isn’t taking too much time reviewing your work.

#17 – Bring Your Online Business Ideas To Life As A Voiceover Artist

If you have a unique voice, you may have been told that you should do voice overs. 

A voice actor uses their voice in a specific and often persuasive way, using vocal tone, enunciation, inflexion, and expression to put a point across to an audience.

You don’t need any formal training, but a bit of acting talent will go a long way, alongside enthusiasm and a flexible schedule. 

Plus, with a decent microphone and some simple audio editing skills, you’ll be able to apply to a huge variety of freelance voice-acting gigs on freelancing boards and get this successful online business idea going.

#18 – Consider Working Online As A Digital Consultant For Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has become an immensely popular way of financing projects and businesses. At its core, it entails collecting money from a large number of people through platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

As a digital consultant for crowdfunding, you’ll work closely with multiple types of businesses, especially start-ups that need advice on how to launch a campaign. 

This is one of the best online business ideas if you have previous experience in crowdfunding and have a niche you can work within (such as your previous/current realm of employment).

If you can prove your quality, you may even make it onto Indiegogo’s list of recommended advisors, making this a lucrative business option.

#19 – Website Building Is One Of The Most Lucrative Online Business Ideas

If you know how to build a website from the ground up and customise it to given requirements, you’re all set for one of the best small online business ideas. 

You don’t need any formal qualifications to work as a website builder, just a portfolio of your work to put in front of clients.

It’s important to have the hard skill of some basic SEO knowledge so that you can use it in your web designs, and the soft skill of adaptability, as you’ll need to be able to work with all the new technology that comes out.

#20 – Online Business Ideas: Creating Stock Photography

Stock photography has become increasingly popular over the past few decades. If you love taking photos but have no formal photography training, this might be the perfect online business idea for beginners.

While the pay-out for an individual image use may be small (averaging £1 per image), if you submit work to sites like Adobe Stock, the image is stored and can be sold multiple times. 

This can become lucrative with a large portfolio as you’ll make money off images you’ve taken days, weeks, or months ago without having to market them.

#21 – Online Fitness Coaching Is A Lucrative Online Business Idea

If you’re passionate about exercise, and are seeking to pass on your enthusiasm and knowledge, becoming an online fitness coach is an excellent idea.

Online coaching differs from personal training because you’ll be working with clients that have specific goals, such as reaching peak performance in a sport or improving their technique, as opposed to PT clients with general goals like losing weight.

Fitness coaching is a good idea for an online business for anyone in the world of fitness who prefers the comfort of working from home. 

You’ll work with clients over Zoom or Teams to find out about their lifestyle and fitness habits and create bespoke fitness programs.

You’ll also be in contact with your clients throughout the week – through email or another video call – to ensure your clients are supported and stay on plan.

#22 – Software Testing Offers A Great Option For Online Business Ideas

Software testing is a unique online business idea as it’s one of the more technical fields, and you’ll need some previous experience to get started. You’ll be testing websites and tech products to find bugs and report on the usability of the product.

You’ll need a working knowledge of at least one coding language and should be able to identify issues in code and fix them. 

You can get work to build a portfolio from testing platforms like Testbirds and uTest. You could even create your own platform to perform quality control and testing if you have more experience.

Software testing is a good idea for an online business venture as there is plenty of room for you to grow and branch out into a niche later on.

#23 – The Best Online Business Ideas Include Animation

Whether you graduated with an animation degree or are completely self-taught, a career in the animation industry has a bright future. 

The global demand for animated content has shown steady growth over the years, with some sectors seeing 2-3% growth every year, so there’s no better time to put this online home business idea into action!

As a freelance animator, you’ll want to develop both your technical and non-technical skills and promote them through your social media channels and website. 

For example, develop your observational skills to better understand body movement, which you can apply when animating characters.

#24 – Travel Blogging Is One Of The Best Ideas For An Online Business

Another great idea for an online business from home is to create a travel blog. While it’s a great way to document your travels for you to look back on, you can use your blog to make income whilst you travel.

Combine your blog with a YouTube channel, and you’ll soon have a good deal of followers, alongside an ability to work alongside brands and travel companies to earn lucrative deals.

Once you’ve established yourself as a source of entertaining and informative content, you can monetise it through adverts, sponsorships, or paid promotions.

#25 – Creating Website Plugins Offers An Unusual Online Business Opportunity

A plugin is a type of script that alters websites. They can affect anything from the way log-ins work to triggering emails to send or even something as simple as tweaking the appearance of a header.

WordPress plugins are one of the most popular options, as it’s a scalable idea for a small online business. 

This means once you’ve created the plugin, it can be licensed to any number of WordPress users, leading to a very lucrative business.

Use your blog to build your brand awareness and post the best work you have – businesses may contact you for contracted work if they like what they see.

#26 – Consider Digital Illustration As An Online Business

It’s never been as easy for artists to make money online. With the advent of social media, anyone can post or be discovered through their posts. 

All sorts of publishers, from advertisers to content creators, look online for the artwork they’re after, making this one of the best ideas for online business ventures.

Start by finding commission work through freelance sites and build a portfolio, and, as it grows, you can showcase your work on your own website to build your brand. 

This is a super easy idea for an online business that anyone with quality illustration skills can start.

#27 – Good Ideas For Online Business: Website Maintenance

Website maintenance involves keeping websites functioning as they’re supposed to through regular auditing, conducting updates, and checking the site for any bugs, malware, or loopholes that could compromise security.

This job makes our list of ideas for online businesses because it can all be done fully remotely, simply with your laptop! 

You can work with multiple businesses and charge a monthly service fee, which ensures you build a recurring income, or work contracted to one business that you’ll consistently monitor.

#28 – Fashion Blogging Could Be Your Next Online Business Idea

If you have a passion for fashion and style, you might have been tempted to start a fashion blog. It’s a great online business idea for home workers, though you may have to head outside to get some shots of fabulous fashion!

According to Harper’s Bazaar, designers and top brands spend more than a billion dollars every year on Instagram advertising alone. 

This means there are plenty of opportunities for fashion bloggers – from sponsorships and brand deals, to promoted posts and opportunities to be a brand ambassador.

#29 – Graphic Design Offers An Online Business Idea For Creatives

If you have a keen eye for detail and a creative flair, you should consider starting your own graphic design business. 

You can begin by finding freelance work through sites like Fiverr and Upwork and building a portfolio.

We’d suggest using social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to post photos of your work that are more easily found than your CV, and brands may reach out to you via these platforms to commission you for work. 

Graphic design is one of the best ideas for an online business as it’s scalable and gives you ultimate flexibility.

#30 – Lucrative Ideas For Online Businesses Include App Development

If you want ideas for online business start-ups, and you have a background in coding, software development, or a similar field, you may want to branch out into app development. 

There’s an unlimited market for new mobile applications, so there’s no better time to put this online business idea (UK) into action!

You can build and market your own app ideas or partner with people who bring marketing skills to the table and develop apps on a contracted basis for other businesses. 

If you don’t have marketing experience yourself, this is the best way to get this small online business idea going.

#31 – Working As A Video Editor Could Be Your New Online Business

Video editing is one of the best online business ideas, as you can work fully from home without a full-fledged studio setup. 

You may need to buy quality software initially, but this is well worth the investment, especially as you begin to build a reputation.

People will always need this service, whether it’s editing family videos, a business’s marketing campaign, or simply creating a humorous video. 

You should be familiar with popular video editing methods (such as film splicing, tape-to-tape, and live editing) to make the most out of this easy online business idea.

#32 – Ideas For Online Business From Home: Handmade Creations

Looking for online business ideas from home? Consider yourself crafty? Then why not start your very own handmade crafts business! 

If you want to monetise your creative output whilst maintaining creative freedom and work-life flexibility, there’s no better option.

You can set up an online store or use sites like Etsy if you’re not tech-savvy. Etsy is particularly useful for artisanal products, and allows you to sell worldwide rather than only reaching your immediate area.

#33 – Consider Affiliate Marketing As An Effective Online Business

Affiliate marketing is a fairly simple online home business idea – businesses need their products advertised, and you’ll do it (for a slice of the profits!).

You’ll often be working on a freelance or semi-contracted basis than being fully contracted, as businesses employ you for new products or promotions.

This position offers very lucrative options and high ROI (affiliate marketing has been shown to have a much higher ROI than most other marketing strategies), and if you have the mindset of a salesman, this is a great option for you.

#34 – Simple Online Business Ideas: Social Media Management

There is no social media marketing without management! If you can create quality content that engages a target audience on social media, you have the perfect idea for an online business. 

It’s also the perfect business for scaling – there are a myriad of tools that help you handle multiple clients and social media accounts as you gain popularity.

If being paid to be on social media whilst bringing out your creative side sounds like your dream career, social media management may be perfect for you.

#35 – Designing Website Themes Could Be Your Next Online Business Idea

Similarly to being a website developer, you’ll be working on the back end of websites as a theme designer. 

This idea for a small online business is the perfect side hustle, as it provides you with a constant stream of income – once you create a theme, it can be licensed by multiple people.

You’ll also work alongside businesses to identify shortcomings in current themes and create solutions to these issues whilst remaining true to the brand’s image.

If you have a background in a specific industry, you can find your niche in creating themes for that industry.

#36 – Online Business Ideas For UK: Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a form of e-commerce (the buying and selling of goods only using the internet) in which you do not have to deal with any of the physical products you’re selling. 

You don’t need to manufacture, store, package, or even ship anything – you simply act as a middleman between the manufacturer and the customer, and get paid for it.

Sites like Wix are the favourites for this online business idea for beginners, as you simply partner with a manufacturer or wholesaler and make sales through your store. 

Your energy will go into maintaining your online shop and marketing the products through social media platforms.

#37 – Starting A Podcast Could Be The Ideal Online Business For You

If you’re after unique online business ideas, you should consider starting a podcast. 

It’s a great way to get your voice out there and build a following, and all you’ll need is some basic recording equipment and interesting things to talk about.

Whilst podcasting is a competitive space, if you find your niche and gain followers, you can make money from sponsorships or build a second business that revolves around the products or services your podcast audience is interested in.

Sites like Anchor.fm also provide a simple and effective route into podcasting, plus taking inspiration from your favourite ‘casters means you’ll be on the right track.

#38 – Editing & Proofreading Are An Ideal Online Business Idea

Of all the ideas for an online business from home on this list, editing and proofreading are fantastic ways to earn an income without any formal education. 

With content being published every day, you can specialise in magazine editing, proofreading fiction books, or just about anything else you can think of!

You should get started in this role by finding freelance work on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to build a portfolio and find clients. 

Once you’ve got some evidence of your skill under your belt, consider partnering with a marketing or content creation company.

#39 – Good Ideas For Online Business: Translating

If you’re fluent in more than one language, translation can be a very successful online business idea. You’ll work alongside companies or individuals that have an audience in more than one country. 

You’ll be translating anything from web pages to YouTube videos, so you need to be comfortable with many forms of media.

Your first work will likely come from freelance job boards, but once you’ve got a solid portfolio and a few clients, referrals and testimonials will help you grow your business.

#40 – Successful Online Business Ideas: Fitness Blogger

If you’re a fitness expert, whether you’re a qualified personal trainer or a CrossFit instructor, you’ve probably got a wealth of knowledge to impart. 

Becoming a fitness blogger allows you to share your advice, tips and tricks, and expertise with others.

You’ll be writing posts about new training techniques, ‘hot-to’ instructional posts, nutrition tips, and more, but we recommend finding a niche within a specific area of health and fitness, such as running or bodybuilding. 

This ensures you’ll build a loyal follower base, plus you’ll start to notice a more steady stream of income.

This is one of the best online business ideas for building your brand authority and recognition and gives you more exposure to people who otherwise may not have discovered you. 

#41 – Working As An Online Tutor Is An Excellent Business Idea

If you’re already a qualified teacher or personal tutor, you’re missing out on one of the best ideas for small online business start-ups! 

Online lessons have the same structure as a normal one-to-one session would – the only difference is that they work through video conferencing services like Zoom or Teams. 

Plus, with the help of technology, you can share resources in real-time, use interactive whiteboards to keep students engaged, and edit documents between yourself and your student. 

If you want small online business ideas, starting online tutoring is a great choice, especially with services like Tutorful that connect you with students in your chosen subject area.

#42 – Design & Sell Merchandise As Part Of Your Online Business

If you have a creative streak and have been looking for ideas for an online business, look no further! 

With merch design, you can put your creations on anything from t-shirts and mugs to blankets and tote bags.

You don’t need to be proficient in the production side, either. There are options like Merch by Amazon and Teespring that will do all of the printing and order processing for you – you simply get paid when someone orders one of your designs.

#43 – Best Ideas For An Online Business: Accountancy

If you’re a fully-fledged accountant, you’re a real gold mine to businesses, especially during tax season! 

If you want good ideas for an online business that allows you to work from home whilst getting paid, this is a fab choice.

Depending on your credentials and previous experience, you can browse through platforms like PeoplePerHour, a freelancer’s job board. 

You may specialise in bookkeeping, tax consulting for businesses, individual tax return preparation, or something else. You may also have a good knowledge of all of these, making this idea even more lucrative!

#44 – Run A Monthly Box Subscription Service For Your Online Business

Monthly subscription boxes can be good ideas for online business ventures as they can be very profitable, especially when you find your niche. 

With big companies like Bark Box and Dollar Shave Club already making millions a year, you can see the obvious potential of this business model.

It’s without a doubt one of the best ideas for an online business – consumers love to save time, automatically receive products, and discover new things, all without the hassle of shopping.

#45 – Working As A Virtual Assistant Is An Excellent Online Business Idea

Starting a virtual assistant business is one of the easiest online business ideas for beginners to put into practice. 

The role draws from previous administrative experience and soft skills you will likely have from university or other job experience.

Virtual assistants are always in demand as businesses always require help with email management, data entry, and appointment scheduling. 

Rather than hiring in-house receptionists, many companies will outsource this work to you instead!

#46 – Online Business Ideas For Beginners: Copywriting

If you have previous experience in copywriting or are simply gifted at writing high-quality content, you can easily create a copywriting business. 

Through sites like Fiverr and Upwork, you can network, gain clients, and build a portfolio, ultimately leading to a higher commission price.

What makes copywriting one of the best online business ideas is that you can offer a wide range of services or specialise. 

You may prefer advertising copy, website content, or email marketing copy – all of which come with their own unique challenges and benefits. 

#47 – Consider Publishing As A Lucrative Online Business Suggestion

When you think of publishing, you may automatically think of a warehouse filled with printing machines. But, with the advent of the internet, you can run a publishing business fully online. 

You’ll outsource the printing through companies like Kindle Direct Publishing, so won’t have to worry about the manufacturing or storing of books!

If you aren’t a writer yourself but love the industry, this online business idea (UK) is a great way to help authors get their work out there and make valuable connections. Stick with what you know, and work on becoming the authority in that genre.

Before You Go!

Now that you’ve read through our comprehensive guide to online business ideas, you should have some idea of how you can set up a digital business that’s exactly right for you.

If you’re seeking to get started straight away, OriGym’s Personal Training Diploma offers the perfect choice, taking you from no prior knowledge to a fully qualified PT in as little as 4 weeks.

Interested? Download our complete prospectus today to learn more!

Whether you’re asking ‘what is online personal training?’ as somebody considering a career in the world of online fitness, or you’re simply looking to hire an online PT, this article has all the answers.

• What is an Online Personal Trainer?
• What is Online Personal Training?
• What Are the Benefits of Taking Your PT Business Online?
• What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Online Personal Trainer?

If you think you have what it takes to launch an exciting career as an online PT, check out our guide to becoming an online personal trainer for information on getting qualified, finding clients, and developing your online brand!

Enquire about our personal training diploma here or download a propsectus for more information about our courses.

What is an Online Personal Trainer?

The main difference between an online personal trainer and a standard PT is obvious: one will most likely work entirely online!

You’ll need a Level 3 personal trainer qualification to be a standard PT or to work online. To get this you first need to complete a Level 2 fitness instructor course, or complete both simultaneously through a diploma in personal training.

If you want to know more about how these qualifications will set up your online personal training career, check out the video below:

They will usually have a bit of experience working with clients before branching out online.

They can also provide dietary advice alongside exercise regimes in order to help a client reach specific goals, whether that’s aesthetic or related to their fitness levels and strength. 

An online personal trainer will usually do a mixture of the following, depending on their qualifications and particular niche:

• Design an exercise programme for clients
• Do regular scheduled check ins with clients 
• Use apps or other online services to track progress and test fitness levels
• Provide a nutrition plan

All of these things will be determined by a client’s particular goals, the length of the programme, and the accountability of the client.

There are other answers to ‘what is online personal training’ however, depending on how an online trainer chooses to work. We’ll run through these different options in more detail now. 

What Does an Online Personal Trainer Actually Do?

So, we’ve answered ‘what is an online personal trainer’ but what are the different options for how they can work?

While the process to become a personal trainer in-person or online is the same, online personal training is always entirely online, utilising different apps and online services to work with a client.

It will include working one-to-one with a client and motivating them to complete an exercise programme in order to reach their goal. 

However, there are slight differences for each way of working. If you’re interested in becoming an online personal trainer you’ll need to know what these are to decide what would work best for you! 

Equally, if you’re trying to decide which online PT to hire, you’ll need to know exactly what to look for to get the most out of the experience.

Online PTs differ in terms of the support offered and the frequency of any accountability sessions.

This is what you want to make sure of whether you’re looking to hire a trainer or become one yourself: make sure you find or offer a high level of support to get the best results. 

Some personal trainers will just offer a questionnaire or verbal check in with clients, leaving them to assess their own progress and attempt to communicate in a written way.

If you’re wondering ‘what does an online personal trainer do’, especially compared to standard PTs, this depends on how they choose to work.

You can see what a day in the life of a PT looks like in our video below:

Online PTs Can Set Training Plans for Clients to Complete in Their Own Time

The most common way of working is providing a bespoke training plan for clients to complete in their own time at home or in a gym environment.

It will mostly be for people with a gym membership so that they can utilise the equipment for maximum results.

However, this is also an option for those who have basic equipment at home and want to complete the programme from there!

So, what is an online personal trainer going to ask in order to start training clients online?

Well, much like a standard PT, they will have you complete a PAR-Q form and either ask you to complete a questionnaire about your goals or have an onboarding consultation.

This will help the personal trainer determine:

• A client’s schedule
• Diet
• Current level of fitness or activity
• Preferred exercise styles if applicable
• Goals
• Any medical issues or injuries
• Any medication they’re on 
• Anything else that might mean that personal training or vigorous exercise is unsafe or ill-advised 

They will ask for all of this information so that they can plan a realistic, achievable, safe programme for a client to complete on their own terms. 

Online PTs Call Clients for Check-Ins

Other trainers will either get clients to film their workouts and give detailed feedback or have video check-ins with clients where there’ll be an opportunity to check form.

This is how an online personal trainer holds their clients accountable. Without in person sessions they will need to motivate PT clients in other ways.

For example, Onside PT gives clients the opportunity to have weekly video feedback on their goals:

He also schedules weekly calls as an option for clients to speak to him directly either by phone or by video.

Also, at the start of a training programme, he will get clients to record themselves so that he can make any major preliminary adjustments to form:

Depending on their qualifications, online personal trainers will also offer a bespoke nutrition programme to go with the exercise regime.

PTs can give nutritional advice with a Level 3 personal trainer qualification, but can boost their knowledge and expertise with a Level 4 nutrition course.

This deepens their understanding of nutrition giving further knowledge regarding not only basic principles of diet and exercise, but ways of boosting performance.

This means that clients will get the most out of their programme and take it beyond just a balanced, healthy diet and into something that will help achieve their goals quicker. 

Online PT’s Can Train with Recorded Material

A great way of ensuring clients improve and work on their technique, as well as making sure they have help and guidance between sessions, can be access to online content.

As well as being directly contactable, usually online personal trainers will have pre-recorded material for clients to use between sessions. This usually includes:

• Recorded classes
• Instructional videos for certain techniques and exercises
• Other tips on improving performance and technique depending on the trainer

Online personal trainers can use this material to help clients with their form as well as resources to act as homework.

One of the instructional videos might also teach people how to do complex exercises with equipment.

Online PT’s Can Use Apps to Communicate With Clients

As we mentioned earlier, a lot of online personal trainers will use an app such as My PT Hub to support their clients and offer support outside of sessions or between check-ins.

Apps are often a way for clients to maintain contact and to keep everything in one place including:

• Any links to instructional material
• Details of the exercise regime
• Details of the nutrition plan
• Recipe ideas
• Any dates of check-ins, assessments, or accountability sessions
• Internal messaging to offer motivational support

StrongHer do this with their own app:

Some of the best virtual PTs still utilise personal trainer apps such as True Coach and My PT Hub, as these offer a lot of the same features.

So, if you’re asking ‘what is online personal training’ because you want to start offering these services, you can download some of the best apps for free and get started. You don’t have to fork out for your own app to begin with!  

Online PT’s Can Train Over Zoom

Though it’s not as common as the aforementioned method, some who become online personal trainers will hold sessions over Zoom other another video software.

This means that they will schedule meeting via one of the following methods, in order to do live coaching with clients:

• Zoom
• Google Meet
• Personal trainer apps such as My PT Hub

This is what KT Chaloner does in order to offer more support than standard online training:

This can be a great option for clients as they will get more corrections to form in real time and get more immediate motivation.

Despite the increased attention, however, the workout regime is limited by what the client has at home as it would be difficult to do a zoom session in the gym.

The main reason this doesn’t tend to be as common is that it hasn’t got the convenience of completing a programme in your own time.

It will also often be more expensive because it’s live and will, in turn, take up more of the trainer’s time too. 

It’s far more common for this to be used for Zoom fitness classes instead of individual one-to-one sessions.

What Are the Benefits of Taking Your PT Business Online?

Now that we’ve looked at the different options, what is so good about online personal training?

Most personal trainers, once they’ve developed their career, will offer online services, even if it’s in combination with in person sessions.

We’ll now look at some of the main benefits of online personal training if you’re looking to start offering online services as a PT.

One of the Benefits is You’ll Have Almost No Geographical Limits

One of the first things you might think of when asking ‘what is online personal training’ is that you can train people from all over the world!

You’re nowhere near as limited by location as you are with in-person sessions.

Providing the time zones are compatible, you can potentially train anybody from anywhere in the world.

This is especially true if you’re providing a training programme and allowing clients to get going independently, between check-ins, rather than exclusively having sessions over Zoom. 

This is something you can use in your PT marketing strategies and boast that you can train people from all over the world. 

This is what Ultimate Performance have done, promoting their reach on their website:

So, if you’re wondering ‘what is online personal training going to offer me?’ you can massively increase your pool of clients when they don’t have to travel to work with you!

There’s Greater Flexibility in Being an Online Personal Trainer

Another important thing to consider when weighing up the pros and cons of online personal training is that there’s greater flexibility in how you design and implement your training.

You can design your online personal training programmes from the comfort of your home and utilise your knowledge without working in-person on the gym floor.

This is why it’s one of the best additional revenue streams for PTs, because you won’t be limited by:

• The operating hours of the gym
• Competing for popular time slots
• Having to wait for certain equipment with your client

Additionally you’re not constrained by when the client is available and when they’ll be able to make it to the gym outside of their usual commitments.

The ways you stay in contact with an online client, either by a PT app or in your regular check-ins, are a lot more flexible too.

It’s far easier for you to reschedule a check-in with a client when it’s an hour long conversation either by phone or by video call.

Not only is there more flexibility in where this can take place, you only have to consider both of your schedules rather than the opening hours of a fitness facility.

This is a great option if you’re just starting out because, whilst you’re building up your reputation, having online clients will increase your reach and provide testimonials from all over the country, potentially the world!

It Can Be Easier to Develop a Niche as an Online Personal Trainer

Unless you’ve got tons of experience and you’ve got your own personal training business or your own gym, it can be hard to develop a niche.

This is because you’ll be working out of a particular gym or fitness centre and, especially when you’re starting out, you’ll be sourcing a lot of clients this way.

For example, if you’re interested in training women specifically, or personal training clients with fibromyalgia, it can be difficult to source these clients from the gym floor.

Having a niche like this is one of the best ways to stand out as a PT by having a specific niche that fills a gap in the market.

This is what Dom Thorpe has done with his own online training, who does personal training for disabled clients:

You also may be constrained by what you can offer depending on the style of gym and the particular ethos of the facility that your clients have access to.

So, if you were wondering ‘what is online personal training going to offer me?’, hopefully now you know the benefits of finding your niche and developing it through online services!

What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Online Personal Trainer?

Now we’ll run through some of the best reasons to hire an online personal trainer, rather than in-person. 

Hiring an Online Personal Trainer is Cheaper than In-Person Training

One of the biggest advantages of hiring an online personal trainer is that they’re often cheaper than in-person training.

This is because you’re paying for the programme being designed, and the time this and the check-ins take, rather than:

• Paying for the trainer’s time slot in the gym
• Paying for access to the gym equipment

Hopefully you’ve seen that just because you’re paying less for online personal training this doesn’t mean that you’re missing out on service.

What is an online personal trainer going to do for you that an in-person one won’t? This will usually come down to those resources and the contactability we’ve talked about.

Though you may be paying less, there may be more resources for you to use outside of sessions and check-ins than if you were paying for an in-person trainer.

This might include: 

• Instructional videos
• Recipes
• Regular emails and messages for motivation and encouragement
• Pre-recorded classes

You will also potentially be saving money on a gym membership because you can workout at home or outside.

In-person personal trainer prices range from anywhere between £20 and £200 depending on location and experience of the trainer.

However, the average is £30 for a one-to-one session.

Looking at GymWolfPT, who offer both in-person and online personal training, their average cost for face-to-face is £40 – £50.

Even with just one session a week this could add up to £200 per month. However, their online programme costs £150 a month and this includes: 

• Workout programmes
• Diet and nutritional protocol
• 24/7 available contact with coach

The Flexibility of Online Training Will Benefit You Too 

Just as not being locked to a specific slot in the gym will work for your trainer, it will benefit you too!

Online personal training is a lot more flexible for you and your schedule because you can complete the workout whenever you like.

Once you’ve received your exercise programme, and your trainer has told you what to do before the next check-in, you’re free to do this, even if your only available window is 4am!

This means that no matter what your commitments you can work the programme around your life and integrate exercise a lot easier.

It’s also a lot easier to rearrange when a slot hasn’t got to be booked at the gym.

As with most of those we’ve mentioned, it’s super easy to contact online trainers either through an app or other online services.

If you need to rearrange at the last minute due to other commitments, obviously this isn’t ideal but you’ve got more flexibility to do so and it’s easier to swap to another time.

If you were in a gym environment and you were going to be half an hour late this may lose you the appointment and therefore your money!

If you’re running late for a video call, this is easier to rearrange for both parties and there’s more available room in the day for doing so. 

Online Personal Training is Great if You’re Feeling Nervous About Training

Online personal training is a great option if you’re feeling nervous about training or you’re new to exercise altogether.

There’s a heightened level of privacy with an online trainer because you’ll only ever be speaking one-to-one via:

• Video calls
• Phone calls
• In-app messaging

This means that you will potentially be a lot less self conscious as you won’t need to exercise in front of everybody else.

If you’re still getting used to working out, or you’re particularly insecure about form? All of this makes using an online personal trainer an ideal option!

Though you may occasionally have to watch yourself over video, this is a lot less exposed or public than in the gym.

Before You Go!

If you’re interested in this career, don’t forget to check out OriGym’s guide to becoming an online personal trainer!

With our Diploma in Personal Training, you can be qualified in as little as 4 weeks! Want more reasons to study with us? Download a free prospectus to learn more about OriGym and the courses we offer.

There are many pros and cons of online personal training, especially as someone who’s new to fitness. With our article, you’ll find out everything you need to make the right decision for your future.

This article will include:

• How Does Online Personal Training Work?
• Pros Of Online Personal Training
• Cons Of Online Personal Training

But before we get into the article, are you thinking of becoming a personal trainer yourself? With OriGym’s Personal Trainer Diploma, you can lay the foundation for an exciting career in the health and fitness industry!

Find out more by downloading our complete course prospectus, or simply enter your details below.

How Does Online Personal Training Work?

Many trainers are looking to become online personal trainers as a convenient and cost-effective way to experience the benefits of working with a qualified personal trainer over the internet. 

Before we break down the pros and cons of virtual personal training, it’s best that you’re certain exactly how online personal training works!

Your Online PT Will Do A Consultation First

When signing up to work with an online personal trainer, a consultation will take place. This should take roughly an hour, especially if the PT is trying to close you as a new paying client.

This consultation can happen over:

• Phone
• Video call
• Email

The pros of an online personal training consultation means you’ll be able to discuss various topics, such as:

• Health & Fitness Goals – When working with a personal trainer, you will be set a series of SMART fitness goals which should align with your reasons for seeking an online personal trainer. This can be for building strength, losing weight, an upcoming sport event, or simply because you just want to be more active. Whatever your reasons, you should let your PT know them so they can help you in the most effective way.
• Exercise History – It’s not just those who are new to exercise who seek out online personal trainers. Some people have an extensive history or knowledge of exercise, even if they’ve never used a PT before. You should tell a personal trainer your skill level so they can give you the right amount of attention and information.
• Preferred Training Style – If you’re familiar with exercise and have preferred methods or workouts you enjoy (such as resistance training), you should bring this up to your trainer. Having sessions centred around exercises you enjoy means you’re more likely to stay motivated.
• Programme Length – You should tell them how long you’re looking to be using their programme for as this can increase or decrease the intensity of your sessions. This will also determine the price, and will help the personal trainer decide if they can accommodate you.
• Any Medical Issues – During your consultation, it’s normal to share any medical history with your personal trainer. This makes them aware of the risks if you have any conditions or prior injuries and can dedicate more care or support if needed.

These questions will often be answered through pre-exercise and goal questionnaires. You will also sign a digital contract during this consultation.

Your PT Will Provide A Personalised Training Plan Tailored To Your Goals

Your consultation will then lead to the creation of your own online personal training programme.

Your online PT will use the information provided during your consultation to make a personalised exercise plan, tailored to your goals and preferred style. This is why it’s important to give them as much relevant information as possible during your consultation.

However, this programme isn’t set in stone. It can be adapted and changed depending on how you’re progressing with your fitness goals.

For example, if you’re progressing well your online PT may make aspects of the programme more challenging. But don’t worry, your trainer will inform you if they decide to make any changes to your programme.

You can also increase your income when you become a personal trainer online by selling fitness programmes online. Check out our guide for a full break down of this!

Your PT Will Use Online Services For Your Workouts & Fitness Tracking

While content may differ between online personal trainers, their methods will largely be the same. Most online PTs will film their own personalised workout videos, breaking down the movements and exercises so you can easily copy it.

Although different software may be used between virtual personal trainers, many will use platforms such as Trainerize when working with clients and building their programmes.

This allows online personal trainers to:

• Create effective workout plans that sequence different exercises
• Track meals and calorie intake
• Monitor progress and goals
• Process your payment smoothly and effectively

Software like this makes it easier for you to have everything in one place. You can complete your workouts and have your online PT track your results in real time. 

Trainerize also has the option for in-app messaging, providing you with greater means of communication.

Pros Of Online Personal Training

The pros and cons of online personal training differ for everyone, but with our list of benefits, you’ll be able to decide if this is the right choice for you.

#1 – Online Personal Training Removes Any Geographical Limits

One of the best pros of online personal training is being able to train with anyone without the frustration of them being geographically unavailable to you. 

This means if you find the perfect trainer, you don’t need to worry about them being halfway across the country or even the world! 

For example, some online personal training providers (such as Ultimate Performance) pride themselves on having a global reach:

Being able to use an online personal trainer is great for those who don’t have time to travel to a gym because of work or family commitments. 

Having the opportunity to train online means you don’t have to worry about rescheduling if you work away frequently or are going on a long trip.

Online personal training also gives you more freedom to decide where you want to train. In-person training is more limited as you have to train at the gym your PT is affiliated with.

If you can’t find a gym at one you regularly use or already have a membership with, this could mean having to leave your current one. You may also have to start paying for two gym memberships if you really don’t want to leave.

This isn’t an issue with online personal training as you can complete your sessions at whichever gym you choose. There’s no obligation to complete it in a certain location, giving you lots more freedom and independence.

#2 – Greater Flexibility For Online Personal Training Sessions

One of the biggest advantages of online personal training is you often have more freedom when scheduling training sessions than you would in a gym.

If you have a lot of family and work commitments, it can be difficult to fit a gym session into your schedule. The thought of arriving home from work, changing clothes, and driving to the gym can be off putting for busy people.

While you still have to find time to complete a workout even if it’s online, you gain extra time by eliminating the journey. Certain gym machines or areas may be busy too, meaning you’d have to add this extra time onto your already busy schedule.

A key advantage of online personal training is that you have more freedom to train where and when you want. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and set time aside each day for exercise.

When working towards goals, you should incorporate it into your routine enough that it’s a priority and not an afterthought. Establishing it as part of your daily routine means more consistency and keeps you in the mentality of hitting your goals.

Although flexibility is one of the biggest pros of virtual personal training, if you constantly put off exercise or keep forgetting, you’re essentially wasting both your time and that of your trainer.

#3 – Online PT Prices Are Lower Than Face-To-Face Training

Another of the most important online personal training pros is it’s cheaper than face-to-face training. While you may not be entering a gym and working with an actual trainer, you’re still using the same service for a reduced price.

This is because online personal trainers aren’t giving up as much of their time supervising your sessions as they would if you were visiting a gym.

Even well-established personal trainers such as GymWolfPT and LEPFitness acknowledge their online personal training services are cheaper.

For example, GymWolfPT states the average cost of face-to-face training per hour is £40 – £50. Their online personal training is only £150 a month for a tailored training programme as well as providing:

• Workout programmes
• Diet protocol
• 24/7 coach contact

Similarly, LEPFitness offers 3 – 6 months of online personal training priced between £150 to £300 each month and provides clients with the same services listed above.

LEPFitness also offers a free consultation for those looking to sign up for their services, allowing clients to discuss their goals in detail and how they want to achieve them.

This is why using an online personal trainer is great for those on a tight budget or low income. While people may be sceptical about the results, it can be a way for people to see the effects of training without putting too much money into it.

– – – – 

As you’re reading about the advantages and disadvantages of online personal training, why not find out more about this exciting career and how you can become one with these articles:

• 9 Benefits Of Online Personal Training
• How to Become an Online Personal Trainer
• How To Choose The Best Online Personal Training Course

#4 – Online Personal Training Offers Increased Privacy For Insecure Clients

While you may not have access to the equipment some of the best fitness & gym franchises have to offer, working with an online personal trainer can be a better experience for you.

Although it’s always great to push yourself out of your comfort zone, workouts and training should be a positive experience. If the thought of exercising in a gym fills you with dread and anxiety, there’s nothing wrong with choosing to train in your own home.

Being in a safe environment, free of judgement is great for beginners or those wanting to ease back into an exercise routine. The gym can be an intimidating place for people, especially those planning to lose a lot of weight or increase their muscle mass.

As it’s important to stay motivated, the last thing you want is to be panicking every time you need to leave for a gym session. This will likely put you off training and lead to you developing a negative mindset towards fitness.

Working out in your own home is great for making you feel less conscious as you won’t be worried about not having the latest gym wear brands or the most up to date equipment.

This means you can feel less embarrassed about making a mistake or doing whatever you need to do to complete the workout without feeling conscious about wasting their time or taking too long to finish a set.

#5 – More Support Outside Of Sessions With Online Personal Training

Another one of the online personal training pros is the level of support and communication between the PT and clients. During the hours you’re not training, you can contact your online personal trainer via text, calls, or email.

For example, Fitness With Albert offers support 7 days a week to support you through out training and raise any issues you have:

Social media platforms can also be used as a convenient way to ask questions through DMs. They could answer them by creating content around advice for clients on their personal trainer social media.

This is a great benefit for clients who choose an online personal trainer as your communication will be entirely virtual. For those attending in-person sessions, they may feel awkward messaging their PT outside of sessions and choose to wait until they see them again.

Other in-person PTs may also be too busy to offer unlimited support outside of sessions as they’re too busy with multiple clients. Their work and home commitments may not leave them enough time after sessions to communicate effectively with clients.

You Gain Access To Exclusive Online Personal Training Features:

One of the biggest pros of online personal training is getting access to exclusive digital content and support you wouldn’t necessarily gain from face-to-face training. While these benefits are to be expected for online training, they’re still great for those who choose this option.

Some of these extra features include:

• Exercise Guide Videos – Having access to a plethora of online exercise guide videos means being able to go back and rewatch form and technique you may have forgotten or need clarification on. This differs from online training where you have to rely on memory to complete certain exercises outside of sessions and would have to contact your trainer for clarification.
• Online Meal Plans – These plans can be easily adapted by online trainers and changed depending on how you’re progressing. It’s much easier to change a digital plan than a physical one and having it online reduces the risk of misplacing it.
• Online Support – Certain online personal training services may even have their own apps such as GymWolfPT. These apps boast their fast message and response times, allowing you to receive support or have questions answered quickly, especially if you’re in the middle of a workout.

The bottom line is, it’s important to remember every trainer is different. Even some online personal trainers may not be available exactly when you need them to be. The best thing you can do is ask them if they work to a schedule and what times they’re available.

#6 – Online Personal Training Makes You More Accountable

This may seem like one of both the pros and cons of virtual personal training depending how you look at it. 

However, it should be viewed as another benefit of online personal training as it makes you more accountable for your own training and the level of work required to achieve your goals.

This is down to everything being logged and recorded when it comes to online personal training. As your online personal trainer is likely to not be local, it’s down to you to track and monitor your progress.

A lot of this work will be your responsibility and your personal trainer will expect you to keep them updated on this. 

Your online personal trainer may ask you to record:

• Daily calorie intake
• Weight you’ve lifted
• Long distance running time

By having to record this yourself and share it with your online PT, it’s more likely you’ll stay motivated and continue to make improvements.

You should also be honest with yourself when recording your progress. There’s no point lying to look better as this won’t be reflected in your physical fitness. If something isn’t working for you, tell your online personal trainer!

At the end of the day, you’re paying someone for a service that should be getting you results. If you aren’t enjoying the workout, or feel you aren’t progressing to your goals quick enough, voice the issue and have them adapt your programme to better suit you.

#7 – The Results Of Online Personal Training Are Still The Same

There are sceptics out there who believe online personal training won’t produce the same results as face-to-face training will. However, this isn’t true!

By receiving your own personalised programmes and meal plans, there’s no reason why you can’t see the same results you would from training in an actual gym.

It’s likely the reason some people are unsure about the success of online personal training is because most of the responsibility is down to the client. It’s all about how much effort clients are willing to put in.

For example, take a look at these transformations posted by GymWolfPT regarding their online personal training:

Online personal training also has the potential to produce better results as your PT can constantly monitor your progress without having to wait until the next time they see you. It also means you need to push yourself harder to stay focused and motivated.

The bottom line is if you put the time and effort into your workout routine and meal plans, there’s no reason you can’t expect to see the same results.

Cons Of Online Personal Training

Although online personal training has many benefits, there are also some cons to virtual training you should be aware of:

#1 – Equipment For Online Personal Training Is More Limited Than In A Gym

While there are plenty of options if you’re wondering how to build your own gym, depending on what kind of workout you’re looking to do, one of the disadvantages of online personal training is that you may not have the right equipment to have as successful a workout.

Although the cost of sessions will work out less, you may have to buy more equipment. This may include certain weights or machines such as treadmills. If swimming is part of your programme, you’ll also have to pay for somewhere to do this too.

To avoid having your online personal trainer incorporate exercises into your programme that involve lots of equipment, it’s a good idea to make them aware of your financial situation or what’s available to you.

It’s likely one of the reasons why you’re looking at the pros and cons of online personal training is because you want a cheaper option. It’s important to inform them of your limits and whether you’d prefer a programme consisting of workouts that can be completed without machines.

However, this depends entirely on your goals. If your focus is entirely strength training, this may be difficult to achieve without at least some fitness equipment.

#2 – Easier For Clients To Lose Focus & Motivation With Online Personal Training

As we’ve already touched on, it’s up to the client to maintain fitness motivation and complete their workouts. While determination and focus is required for any fitness journey, sometimes we all need a push to keep us focused on our progress.

While your online personal trainer can provide you with support and positivity, it’s still down to you to find the motivation to complete the workout. When heading to a gym and working face-to-face with a PT, this helps establish a ‘fitness’ mindset.

Not meeting with someone can reduce the pressure of not wanting to let them down. This is why it’s important to take your training seriously regardless of whether you’re actually meeting with a trainer for sessions. 

At the end of the day, you’re still paying them for a service even if it’s a virtual one. While it may be at a lower cost, you should treat it as seriously as you would with face-to-face sessions.

Completing your workouts at home also opens the possibility for distractions. Many people find it strange to workout in the same place they usually relax.

You may also find there’s stuff you need to do, meaning your workouts may fall down your list of priorities if it appears there are more things to do around the house.

Rather than complete your sessions in the living room, you should try and workout in a room you don’t use often such as a spare bedroom or garage.

#3 – Online Personal Trainers Have Less Control Over A Client’s Form & Movements

In this current age, there’s never been a better time to work with an online personal trainer. With an improvement in screen quality as well as technology in general, you can copy the movements and actions of any of the best virtual personal trainers.

However, while videos are great to an extent, one of the disadvantages of using an online personal trainer is that they have less control over your form and movements.

As a beginner or someone trying new exercises, it can be harder to get the technique right if you don’t have a physical trainer there to show you exactly how it should be done.

Even if you message your online personal trainer about a technique, it can be difficult to describe in words how to perform it correctly. 

If you’re really struggling with a certain exercise, the best thing to do in this situation is contact your personal trainer and schedule a video call. Your PT can give you a clear demonstration of the exercise and check if you’re performing it correctly.

Before You Go!

Now you know all about the pros and cons of online personal training, it’s time to start your fitness journey!

But why stop at just using an online personal trainer? If you’d like to become one yourself, our Personal Trainer Diploma is the perfect place to begin your new career.

Download our complete course prospectus or enter your details below to find out more.

The development of the Internet has left many in the industry wondering how to sell fitness programmes online.

As dozens of people now enjoy engaging in workouts without leaving their homes, many have capitalized on selling online fitness programmes to those hoping to improve their health.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• Why Should You Sell Fitness Programmes Online?
• 7 Steps For Selling Your Fitness Programmes Online
• How To Find Customers To Sell Online Fitness Programmes To
• How Much Money Can I Make Selling Fitness Programmes Online?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Before You Go

If you’re looking to get started in the best way and increase your knowledge to sell your workout plans to a wider range of clients, check out our Personal Trainer Diploma.

Get information on the range of specialist qualifications we offer by downloading OriGym’s course prospectus.

Why Should You Sell Fitness Programmes Online?

When you become a personal trainer either online or off, it’s likely you want to help as many people as you can reach their goals and become healthier.

However, there just aren’t enough hours in the day for you to spend in the gym, while also expanding your personal training business through effective marketing and providing quality service.

So, rather than jumping straight into ‘how to sell fitness programmes online’, we should begin with ‘why you should sell workout plans online’.

#1 – Wider Range of Clients

The internet has changed the behaviour of consumers in every industry, especially health and fitness. Most businesses have been forced to move with the times and put just as much time into their online presence as well as their physical presence.

No longer can you rely on simply expecting potential clients to turn up at your gym to train. If people can’t find you or your fitness plans online, you’re doing yourself a disservice by disregarding a whole group of people.

You need to use every tool at your disposal to get personal training clients, and this should always involve some form of online marketing.

Many people are looking specifically for an online fitness coach, so it’s important to make yourself available and sell fitness programmes online.

#2 – Expand Beyond Your Facility

It’s unrealistic to think you’ll receive a wide range of recurring clients that will train with you in the gym for multiple sessions a week.

As it’s largely down to clients to decide how often to see a personal trainer, the number of people who keep coming back to train in your facility will be relatively small.

Clients also have other commitments outside of health and fitness, just as a personal trainer does, so they may not be able to free some time to venture out to the gym.

This is where selling fitness programmes online is a great way to appeal to more clients, and to continue to expand your business.

Having online options gives your clients an element of control as they can experience your programmes but work them around their own schedules.

This also allows you to include those who may really enjoy your online fitness programmes but simply live too far away from your facility.

Another thing is that, while time may not always be on your side, space certainly is! Being able to sell workout plans online means you aren’t limited in how many clients you can train.

Compared to training clients in a facility where space may be tight, there isn’t really a limit on the number of people you can train.

#3 – Utilise Your Time Effectively

If you’re wondering how to sell fitness programmes online then you’re already looking for the best way to effectively use your time!

While most personal trainers would like to spend all their time training clients in the gym, this isn’t always possible if you’re looking to improve your service. By offering your services online, you can still earn money while working on making your business as best as it can be.

It also means you can make money at any time such as while you’re on holiday, training other clients, and even sleeping. This is an ideal way to continue earning some extra income even while you need to focus on something else.

Planning personal training sessions, creating successful workout programmes that appeal to clients, selling them online, and offering training from a distance, are all tasks that can take a lot of time.

However, they’re all necessary for creating a successful business in the long run. Dedicating time into creating an effective online presence allows you to put aside time to work on these aspects of the business.

Selling workout plans online gives you the freedom to continue creating more while not missing out on income, as you don’t have to spend every waking hour training clients in the gym.

With time management being a priority for many, a lot of professionals are taking their services online. Check out our guide on how to become an online personal trainer for more information.

7 Steps For Selling Your Fitness Programmes Online

While it may seem like a lot of work at first to create a few workout videos and set them up to sell online, it will certainly be worth it in the long run! With our tips, we’ll help make this aspect of your business run as smoothly as possible.

#1 – Start To Find Your Audience

It’s important to find your audience and understand who you want to be creating content for. There’s no point developing an online following for experienced weightlifters only to then begin producing content about beginner’s yoga.

You need to find the right audience if you want to have recurring clients to sell fitness programmes to online. As we’ll discuss in further detail later in this article, this is where social media can greatly benefit your business.

Using these platforms, you can locate particular groups or followers by searching for pages on Facebook or using hashtags on Instagram.

This will help you target specific people, and allow the clientele you want to attract to find you easily and without too much effort.

As demonstrated below, if you have a Facebook page, you can also use Facebook analytics for free to determine what demographic your most active users are and see the topics they have in common.

This is why it’s vital to plan the content you want to create for your audience so you can target the right people who can then recommend your service to other like minded people.

#2 – Build Your Website

This tip is similar to the one above. Whether you use WordPress or another website (like SquareSpace or Wix) to sell your online fitness programmes from, you need it to look professional.

A homepage essentially works as your online store front, and will be the first thing people see. The importance of your online presence shouldn’t be underestimated as this is where people will see your prices and decide whether your training style is right for them.

This is where your website branding is crucial in making your business and you stand out as a personal trainer.  Your website should be visually appealing to potential clients, so you’ll want a colour theme and logo to make your homepage look sleek and professional.

For example, take a look at our homepage here at OriGym:

See how the website follows the same theme and appears easy to navigate? A homepage essentially works as the online storefront of your business.

Picture it this way. Would you be willing to pay money to train in a gym that looked like this?

Probably not! So if your business page isn’t up to a high standard, it’s unlikely people will buy your online workout programmes.

Clients are often more willing to trust your service if it appears professional. If you can give them an idea of what you’ll be providing them with through your branding, people will be less reluctant to part with their money.

If you have a personal training blog like Origym, you can do what we do and include your workout programmes on there to make it easier for visitors to download them straight off your platform.

You can have them included through out posts on relevant topics so users can easily locate them or find them without it them feeling like they’re being bombarded with advertisements.

#3 – Creating Your Programme Packages

When selling online fitness programmes, there are two ways this can be done. This is where you need to decide how you want to sell your programmes and how much time you’re looking to invest in them. This is where you can either offer support to your clients or leave them to complete the programme alone.

Selling programmes without support is great for those who may be limited on time but are still looking to generate some income. You don’t need to be a qualified personal trainer to do this and don’t need to be investing time into clients who download your programmes.

If you sell your fitness programmes at £20 each, clients can simply download them and complete it themselves without your assistance. This means all you have to do is create the programme and your clinets do the rest!

Alternatively, you can offer support with your online fitness programmes which is essentially someone selling online personal training. You can offer customised plans and nutrition plans, as well check-ins through email and video calls.

However, to do this you must be qualified as a Level 3 Personal Trainer. You should also ensure you have enough time to support clients in the gym as well as those who download your programmes.

The last thing you want is to offer online support only to then realise you’re too busy to help clients with complete your programmes. This is why it’s important to decide what kind of programmes you want to create and how much involvement you want with clients.

If you’d prefer to invest more time with clients in the gym than online, having people pay to download programmes and complete them alone is probably best for you.

#4 – Creating Extra Revenue Streams

Alongside selling your fitness programmes online, it’s likely you’ll also want to create some extra revenue streams to give clients more for their money when they look into your services.

It’s unlikely clients will pay to download just one fitness programme if they can get it for free somewhere else. This is why it’s important to offer them access to multiple areas of your service so they feel they’re getting value for money.

Depending on how you want your business to run, you can either use TVOD or SVOD to do this. These can be used to sell your ‘add on’ content, alongside fitness programmes.

Let’s break these down!

Transactional Video-On-Demand (TVOD)

With this model, users make a one-off payment which gives them permanent access to certain areas of your content. This is great if you want to sell a group of workout videos as a series such as similar training plans, personal trainer meal plans, or consecutive workouts.

This content can be sold as a package and once a client has purchased it, they can access it for a lifetime. This is a good idea if you’re just starting out or have a limited amount of content already produced as you can continue to add as and when you produce it.

If people pay for your content on a TVOD basis, they’ll get more of an understanding of what you produce.

However, something to keep in mind is that you’ll have to find new customers each time you want someone to make a purchase.

Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD)

This model is where users have to pay a monthly or yearly fee to access to your content. Their access is limited because if they stop paying, they lose it.

This is a good way to create a steady flow of returning clients. The trainer can continually add more videos on a range of different exercises and tips to stay fit and healthy, thereby keeping clients engaged to ensure they continue to pay their subscription.

The SVOD model is ideal for trainers who are looking for a steady income from their online content rather than a one-off payment.

For monthly subscriptions, you could charge as little as £9.99, so while it may take longer to make money, you don’t need to constantly be on the lookout for new clients to sell larger packages to.

Alternatively, for those who already have a WordPress site, you can sell online fitness programs using a WordPress Membership plugin. This allows you to restrict content to those who have paid for it.

Regarding WordPress, the best membership plugin to use is MemberPress. This allows you to control your content, restrict access, sell digital downloads, and accept payments securely. You will be able to charge users for access to your content and track membership subscriptions.

If you already have an audience, platforms such as Patreon and SubscribeStar may be an option too as you can lock content behind a paywall, giving only subscribers exclusive access to your work.

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Enjoying this article so far? Here’s a few more we think you’ll like:

• How To Become an Online Personal Trainer
• Pros & Cons Of Online Personal Training
• How To Become An Online Fitness Coach

#5 – Set Your Prices

Some trainers who choose to sell fitness programmes online find it difficult to determine what prices they should charge for their service. While they may know how much to charge in a gym, it can be difficult to determine online personal training prices.

This is something you’ll want to get right, as putting your prices too high may result in potential clients looking elsewhere for a similar service. Putting them too low could result in your online programs losing value, and you devaluing your own hard work.

Mad Muscles provides personalised fitness plans for people of all abilities. You can either choose a plan specifically tailored to your goals or use more general ones such as the ones below:

As you can see, their four week plan is priced at £19.99 which is a good place to start. This isn’t bad for a month and gives clients the chance to progress onto longer programmes in the future and pay more.

Similarly, if you’re just starting out online and you only have a few clients to train per week, it’s best to set your online workout subscriptions at the lower end of the price spectrum.

Take a look at the prices Boxx have for their at-home boxing workout subscriptions:

Although it may not look it, this is a smart way to set your prices. Charging £9.99 a month is likely to work out more in the long run than a one-off payment of £49.99.

More clients would be willing to pay £9.99 a month and continue their subscription rather than pay £49.99 in one go when they’re unsure what they’re getting themselves in for.

If three people subscribe for £9.99 a month and continue for two months, you’ll have made around £60. Having more clients continually paying less than having to look for new customers to make one-off payments is much better in the long run.

Once you receive positive customer feedback and begin gaining more online customers, you can start to increase your prices. You may even want to start by giving a free trial to customers, giving them the opportunity to try your services before committing to them properly.

For live content, you might want to increase or decrease prices compared with pre-recorded workout plans. This is because pre-recorded content takes longer to record and edit compared to live videos that don’t take as much time to prepare for.

#6 – Plan Your Content

Once you’ve decided on the best model for your business, you’ll want to ensure the content you create is engaging for potential clients. It’s important here to know what direction you want your business to head in and what will appeal most to customers.

It’s important here to plan your content and know exactly how to sell fitness programmes online. You’ll want to have a clear understanding of what you’re selling as clients will expect high-quality videos if they’re spending money to watch them.

When planning content, some questions to ask yourself are:

• What do I want to teach?
• How am I going to teach this?
• What vital information do clients need to know?
• What is expected of me?
• What will I need to know to effectively teach this session?

You’ll also want to decide on what types of fitness will be covered in your videos:

• Do these exercises work the same areas of the body?
• Are your fitness programmes of varying intensity?
• Do they follow the same theme?
• Will they all cover the same topics or focus on different areas of fitness?

A final thing to decide is how you want your online workout plans to be filmed:

• Will each video be added as a continuous series or standalone videos?
• Will they be filmed solo or with a group?
• Are they going to be updated as live videos or prerecorded?

These are all questions you need to ask yourself when planning content. If clients are paying for online fitness programmes, they expect a level of quality. You need to cover these areas and know exactly what it is you’re creating.

#7 – Connect To Your Audience

Aside from simply finding your audience, it’s crucial you find a way to connect with them too. This is something we’ll discuss later, but social media is an important part of this tip.

You’ll want to connect with people who are looking to use your service and the best way to do this is by creating a sense of community. By connecting to your audience through social media, this makes it more personal for either those using your service or those hoping to.

Bringing people together through their shared fitness goals and preferred training styles is a great way to create a sense of belonging.

This support is all beneficial for you as a trainer because the more people engage with your online content, especially social media, the more your business and client base will grow.

Another way to do this is by providing a solution to a problem your audience may have experienced.

For example, maybe some of your followers have discussed how they’d like to try yoga classes, but feel intimidated by the advanced or expert classes they’ve seen in other places online or in gyms.

You could then provide them with an introduction to yoga. This shows how you’ve taken notice of what they’re seeking, and tailored your content to meet their needs, as well as how much you understand what they’re looking for.

#8 – Market Your Business

Once you’re ready to sell your online fitness programmes after establishing your website, you’ll want to find ways to promote it. This is a crucial step regarding selling online fitness programmes as you need to let people know they exist.

You want your website to get rankings and generate traffic from people searching on search engines such as Google for what you’re selling. When starting a fitness business, you’ll also want to get it listed on Google My Business.

This is where local businesses show up on the map when a user is searching for a particular service in their area. For example, this is what it looks like if I type ‘Personal Trainer Liverpool’ into Google search:

These businesses show up above the organic results but under the paid advertisements at the top, making it a great way for users to find you easily rather than having to search through dozens of results.

When you set this up, you will be given a blank page that needs to be filled with the relevant information of your business. Here is our Google My Business page for OriGym’s head office:

One of the most effective marketing strategies for personal trainers is social media. The most popular platforms are:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Youtube

Instagram is a great tool if you’re wondering how to sell fitness programmes online. As it’s based entirely on sharing pictures and videos, you can provide followers with images and video reels to give them a taste of what’s on offer without necessarily giving your content away for free.

As Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms for people of all ages, this can be a good way to appeal to all kinds of potential customers.

If you were to limit your online business to one platform, you run the risk of alienating people, especially ones who may not be as comfortable using social media. Facebook allows you to remain inclusive and use a range of text, pictures, and videos to appeal to users.

Although YouTube is primarily aimed at longer form content, it still has a place when marketing your business. By engaging with personal trainer video marketing, you can create trailers and snippets of longer videos clients pay for to let them get an idea of your brand.

It’s also a great way for you to build a loyal audience who can take it further and pay for add-on content on platforms like Patreon.

Giving online users a glimpse into what service you’re offering them is crucial for gaining interest. You could offer discounts or free trials for potential customers and recurring ones, or “wall off” content using some of the options we discussed earlier in this article.

You can also have referral programmes so family and friends can refer people they know to use your fitness programmes. Those who do can then be rewarded, giving them an incentive to help you gain new clients.

How To Find Customers To Sell Online Fitness Programmes To

Although we’ve answered the question of ‘how to sell fitness programmes online’ above, actually finding clients to sell these programmes to is the most important thing.

Your classes and workouts could be exceptional but if no one knows they exist, clients won’t be able to use them. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do, so marketing is important here for ensuring potential clients see your fitness programmes online.

Some simple ways you can get your business out there are:

Instagram

As mentioned above, Instagram is one of the best social media tools for marketing your services online. With the explore feature and prevalence of hashtags, it’s never been easier for smaller content creators to market themselves to a much wider audience.

You can use hashtags such as the ones below to tag your posts so they show up on people’s feeds who follow those particular hashtags:

The explore page also helps users enable various categories like food and destinations, specifically targeting content users may be interested in. If someone interacts with fitness accounts and you’ve built a large following, your page could appear on their explore page.

Facebook

Groups on this platform are a great way to build your reputation as a knowledgeable member of the fitness community. There are both public and private groups on Facebook where you may need to be accepted by an administrator to join.

As you can see from the example below, these groups often have thousands of members! This means there are plenty of people out there who may be willing to try out your online fitness programmes:

You can also self-promote in these groups and offer tips depending on what topic the group is aimed at. However, it’s best to only do this occasionally as some people simply join looking for tips or like minded people. Some group members may become irritated if you’re promoting your services too much.

With this, you should always check the rules of the group before deciding to promote your online fitness programmes.

Email Marketing

Setting up a newsletter as part of your website is a great way to attract those customers who’ve perhaps visited but not yet signed up.

To increase engagement, you could attach exclusive discounts or free content for those who read the newsletters, or provide additional value (like recipes or workout suggestions) to entice readers to try your services.

Voucher Code Sites

Another way you can advertise your personal training business for free is through large voucher sites such as vouchercloud and Groupon. As people love a discount, these sites have millions of subscribers, including local clients for you.

To advertise discounts on Groupon, all you have to do is fill in a Groupon merchant form with your business details and wait for them to approve it.

Once approved, you can start uploading discounts which will get sent out to thousands of local Groupon subscribers.

Family & Friends

A great way to get started with a small following could be by mentioning a discount for family and friends. This could also be done by providing additional content to those you know personally, just as a way to build up a following.

You can also encourage them to spread the word about your service on their own platforms, offering rewards for those who do this in the form of free sessions.

If your business is new and you’re looking to find clients, you may have to accept that you’ll be providing some of your service for free. However, this should be done in a way that doesn’t devalue your services too much.

This could be something like a postural or biomechanical assessment. It should be something that doesn’t cost you anything but still adds value to your client, and ultimately provides them with a reason to use your paid services.

This means you can save content you’ve worked hard on for paying consumers while still rewarding others for helping spread the word about your business.

How Much Money Can I Make Selling Fitness Programmes Online?

There isn’t a definitive answer to how much you can make selling fitness programmes online. As it largely depends on how much of a following you have, it’s unlikely you’ll make a steady income solely from selling fitness programmes online.

However, this isn’t to say you can’t make a decent amount. Even if you were to price your videos on a SVOD model at just £9.99 a month, and three or four people subscribed around the same time, that’s £40.

If just the same four people continued their subscription for a year, that’s £480 alongside your regular in-person training.

While this may not seem a lot, keep in mind this is still at the lower end of the price range for when you’re starting out. If your popularity grows, you can increase your subscription prices.

This is why you need to be honest when it comes to pricing. If you’re just starting out and know a quick video didn’t take up too much of your time, price it for what it’s worth.

Alternatively, if a video has taken a substantial amount of time to film and edit, reflect that in the pricing too!

The trick is not to undersell or oversell your content. Be realistic in what you charge for your service, especially if you’re trying to build a following, or you’re aiming to consistently retain clients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Sell Workout Plans Without Being Certified?

There are no law stopping anyone from selling fitness programmes online. However, if you have no credentials, people will be less likely to pay for your services.

Qualifications give you credibility and this is what people want if they’re going to be handing their money over to you.

If you’re looking to sell online fitness programmes, the best thing you can do is get qualified. The first step is to complete a Level 2 Fitness Instructor Course. Once you’ve achieved this, you can advance onto a Level 3 Personal Trainer Course.

Gaining this qualification means you can then expand your knowledge by progressing onto more specialised Level 4 Personal Trainer Courses.

When deciding on a course, you should ensure your course is regulated by an Ofqual approved awarding body, such as Active IQ and Focus Awards. This regulation means the course has met industry standards as a ‘Level 3’ course.

You should also ensure your chosen course is accredited by CIMSPA, the UK’s professional body for health and fitness. This stamp of approval means you are enrolling on a course that meets fitness industry standards.

For example, all of OriGym’s personal trainer courses are recognised by CIMSPA and regulated by Ofqual. This means students can be assured they are receiving high-quality education that will be recognised when they search for a job.

The bottom line is, while anyone can create online fitness programmes, this doesn’t mean anyone should. The last thing you want is to be constantly corrected by followers if your technique is consistently wrong.

The bottom line is you need to know what you’re talking about, and gaining effective training is the ideal way to do this.

What Equipment Will I Need To Sell Workout Plans Online?

When it comes to selling fitness programmes online, you don’t need any exercise equipment to do this! You simply have to write the programme for your clients to follow. However, you will need PT software to create your programmes.

Software like Trainerize is great for creating your own programmes in a simple way. As shown below, you can choose the number of phases you’d like in your programme, as well as the duration for each phrase.

This allows you to periodize training by building stages that clients can gradually progress through as they build up to a healthier lifestyle.

However, if you want to deliver live high-quality workout then you need to invest in some appropriate equipment. If you’re creating content that will be streamed live, the last thing you want is to appear unprofessional by using less than stellar equipment.

Some common gym equipment you may want to invest in are:

• Weights
• Kettlebells
• Resistance Bands
• Yoga Mats
• Resistance Bench

However, for more focused classes, you’ll need more specialised equipment. For example, if you’re running boxing classes, you’ll need some gloves and pads, as well as a skipping rope.

Something to keep in mind is that as users are at home, some may not be able to purchase the necessary gym equipment used in your videos.

This is why you should offer some bodyweight alternatives they can use as substitutes, such as using laundry detergent as kettlebells or a backpack as a weighted vest.

As you’re developing a business through your content, you may also want to create some of your own branded gear with your name or logo on. This is a way to remind people you take your business seriously and gives you a bit more credibility.

Another important thing to keep in mind is you’ll need a strong internet connection if you’re planning on live streaming workout videos. If your connection is weak, the signal will constantly drop or lag and this will become incredibly frustrating for people who are tuning in to watch you.

If it continues, users will be reluctant to continue with them if you become known as being unreliable. In turn, it’s highly unlikely they will then pay to access exclusive content as they won’t trust you to deliver the sessions effectively.

Before You Go

Now you know how to sell fitness programmes online, you can expand your influence both virtually and offline. By continuing to improve your business and focusing on creating more workout plans for potential clients, you’ll utilise your time more effectively.

Check out our Personal Trainer Diploma to see how you can qualify as both a fitness instructor and personal trainer in just four weeks! Find out more about the range of specialist courses we offer by contacting our team today or download our course prospectus here.

Have you ever stopped to consider the benefits of online personal training? For a lot of people, going to the gym can be an intimidating process. For others, exercising at home is simply more convenient.

Whatever your reasoning, we highly recommend looking into online personal training! 

In this article, OriGym discuss:

• How Does Online Personal Training Work?
• The 9 Benefits of Online Personal Training
• Who Would Benefit from an Online Personal Trainer?
• Who Should Not Look into Online Personal Training?
• How to Find a Good Online Personal Trainer

Before we get stuck in, have you ever thought about pursuing a career as an online personal trainer? If so, why not enquire about this Personal Trainer Diploma or read more about how to become an online PT here.

For information on the range of health and fitness qualifications that you can study with us here at OriGym, go ahead and download our latest course prospectus!

How Does Online Personal Training Work?

Before we discuss the benefits of an online personal trainer, we will first discuss how said training actually works. 

Online personal training is a rapidly growing type of training and is a popular choice for those who become a personal trainer. It allows the budget-conscious individual a convenient way to work out with certified personal trainers via the internet. Since it is a relatively new method of training, we’ll run you through how it works.

Step 1: Consultation

Traditionally when you sign up for online personal training, an initial consultation between you and your potential personal trainer will take place. This can take place over the phone, via video call, text, or email.

The benefits of an online personal fitness coach conducting initial consultations is that you’ll be able to discuss:

#1 Health and fitness goals: Everyone searching for online personal training is doing so for different reasons. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or training for an event such as a marathon, it is important that your online PT knows what end result you want out of your exercise program. 

#2 Your fitness background and how long you’ve been exercising: Regardless of whether you’re new to exercising or not, a personal trainer will need to know your skill level. A common misconception is that personal training is just for beginners, but that is not true. You could have a very experienced background in exercise and still require (and benefit from) a personal trainer.

#3 Workout preferences: This point can relate to a multitude of things. Whether it be exercises you enjoy or want to pursue specifically, to incorporating your own equipment into a session, it’s important to let your PT know this information.

#4 Desired length of the program: It’s important that you detail clearly how long you want this training to last for as this can determine the price of online personal training and how long you have to wait to get started. Personal trainers can be in high demand, so be sure to mention how long you want your training programme to last so that they can accommodate you.

#5 Medical history: A part of your consultation, you should also expect to share your medical history with your online personal trainer. This includes any injuries or pre-existing conditions that you may suffer from. In addition to this, some PTs may ask you to disclose previous medical surgeries.

Step 2: Curating a Training Plan

Following your consultation, the next stage of online personal training is the curation of your training programme. 

The benefits of online personal training advancing onto this section, is that your trainer will take all of the personal information that you have given in the consultations and begin to curate a personalised exercise plan, tailored specifically to you and your exercise goals. 

During training, your plan may be adapted and changed to what has initially been agreed upon. For example, after 5-weeks of consistently improving your PT may find ways to make things slightly more challenging for you.

This is only done for your benefit and will allow you to continue growing and progress towards your goals. If this is something that you find a little overwhelming, you should know that a PT will never change your programme without first informing you, so there’s no need to worry that it will come as a surprise. 

Step 3: The Workouts

Once all of the technical side of planning is out of the way, you’ll finally be able to put this personalised workout plan into action! As you can probably tell, one of the main benefits of an online fitness coach is that their information and guidance is readily available at your fingertips. 

When it comes to your classes, most online personal trainers will use the following methods: 

App Based Training: A lot of trainers will use apps to conduct classes, monitor training and communicate with you one on one. Apps such as YouTube may be used to demonstrate poses and exercising techniques. Whereas apps such as Trainiac will be used to track your progress, as you advance in the weekly course.

Digital Spreadsheets: Think of these as your personal grading system. Your personal trainer may use spreadsheets to highlight areas that you’re both strong and weak in. This will benefit your overall performance, as you’ll be able to see what areas need improvement, allowing you to work on said area in between classes.

Live Classes: These types of classes may be conducted over Skype, Zoom or Facetime etc. It will involve the trainer interacting with you personally, guiding you through the class, as if you were having a one to one session at a gym. 

Whilst the trainer will keep track of your progress, we’d recommend keeping a more personal log of your workout routines. You know your body better than anyone, so make a note of what you feel you personally struggle with, what you enjoy, and what you feel you do well. Having this information at hand will only help your overall performance. 

Step 4: Updates

Virtual personal training benefits you even further when you engage in one to one check ins with your PT. Much like the initial meetings, these will be casual conversations taking place on the phone, via text, or over email.

During these chats you should highlight your successes and areas where you feel need improvement. In addition to this, you should also use this time to discuss any nagging worries or issues you may have as your trainer will be able to offer the best immediate solution. 

Be sure to ask as many questions as you can, if that means jotting them down during the week so that you don’t forget anything, do so! Remember your trainer is there to help you, so there is no such thing as a stupid question. 

Engaging in these friendly chats will only improve your knowledge of your training and exercise in general. It is also important to remember that your PT may offer you some constructive criticism during these chats. Keep in mind that this is all done to help you in the long run, try to not get too offended by what they have to say. 

9 Benefits of Online Personal Training

Online personal training advantages may vary from person to person, but we here at OriGym have curated a list of 9 benefits we feel that the majority of people will appreciate.

#1 Work Out On Your Time 

When it comes to online personal training pros, one of the most obvious ones to consider is that you’ll be working entirely on your own time. If you are on a busy schedule and cannot make it to the gym every day, working out from home with pre-recorded videos sent to you from your PT will save you a lot of time.

Additionally, many pre-recorded online PT workouts will purposely have a range of shorter classes and longer classes to accommodate time management. For example, short classes are a great choice if you have 30 minutes spare during your lunch break, whilst most people prefer to do a longer workout after work or on the weekend.

In comparison to working out with an in-person personal trainer, this is a huge benefit. With face-to-face PT, you will almost always have to adapt to the schedule of your PT. Just like you, personal trainers have their own life and they can’t spend all of their time in the gym waiting for clients. If you think in-person personal training is the route you want to choose, this is something you’ll have to be willing to accept. 

To avoid any such issues with your online PT, we recommend that you discuss your schedule during your initial consultations. Much like all of the other important information, make sure your PT knows when you have the most/least time available to workout and how often you want to train.

This way your online PT will be able to factor in longer or shorter sessions throughout the week, depending on how busy you are on any given day.

#2 It Can Be Done in Your Choice of Location 

Much like the point made above, another one of the online personal trainer pros, is that you can train in any location that you see fit.

If you’re somebody with an unpredictable schedule or a job that often involves working away, being able to train in any location offers the reassurance that no matter where you are you have access to guided exercise.

When you compare this to one of the cons of in-person personal training, which requires you to attend the gym which your PT is affiliated with, you can see just how beneficial online personal training can be.

Having to train with a PT at their gym could mean that you have to leave your current gym or begin paying for two memberships at once. This isn’t a necessity with online personal training, as you could take your online classes to any gym on the planet and do the same set routines in each one.

#3 Multiple Trainers at Once

The online fitness trainer benefits extend to the fact with some online PT programmes, you’ll have access to more than one trainer. Whilst you will consult with one specific trainer regularly and may even have live sessions with said trainer, many programmes also offer access to a multitude of other trainers and a range of classes. 

This may come in the form of videos that have been pre-recorded, or they may even put you in direct communication with other PTs depending on the package that you choose. 

This means the benefits of online personal training extend to having a multitude of professionals ready to teach you. All of these trainers may have special areas of interest, be it weightlifting, long distance running, or even swimming.

The benefits of an online personal trainer mean that these personalised exercise plans can be more varied. If you have a team of experts, they are going to be able to guide you in multiple areas, rather than just having one PT that tries to cover all the necessary information on their own.

If we contrast virtual personal trainer benefits with in-person training, we will see that personal training simply cannot offer the same level of variety that online training can. This is in no way a criticism of in-person training, however a PT is just one person and it’s just unrealistic to expect them to know as much as a whole team of people.

#4 Access to Any Trainer

The benefits of an online personal trainer know no boundaries, not even geographical ones. If you are looking for an in-person personal trainer, you’re going to have to stay within the boundaries of your own city or the surrounding area.

However, this boundary does not apply to online personal trainers. If there is a trainer out there that you greatly admire, but lives thousands of miles away, being trained by said person is still a possibility with online personal training. 

Additionally, online fitness training benefits those of you who don’t have this ‘ideal’ trainer in mind. If you don’t know who to train with, you can do research and cast a wider net. For example, if you’re not seeing any online personal trainers that take your liking in the UK, why not extend your search to other countries. 

Online personal training provides a great opportunity to be trained by some of the finest athletes in the world. You don’t need to be confined to one area, one gym or any other location-based factor, online personal training can truly take you anywhere in the world.

#5 24-Hour Support 

Online personal training advantages can also be found in the way in which you and your PT communicate. During your off hours, you’ll be able to communicate with your PT through texts and calls. Some may even use their social media platforms as an extended line of communication, offering advice from their posts as well as the DMs too. 

This is a great benefit to have, as it is sometimes easy to feel lost or overwhelmed when pursuing a fitness goal. For example, if you feel that you are not advancing in a specific area in ways that you would hope, you’ll be able to contact your online PT whenever these feelings arise to get some informational feedback.

As opposed to this, many in-person trainers simply cannot afford to offer this kind of constant support. Many PTs may have other jobs or life commitments, and as a result will have a shorter window for communication. 

Now this point may vary from trainer to trainer, so it’s important to ask them first if they have hours of inactivity. Like everything with online personal training, all you need to do is ask your trainer whether they work to a schedule and what times they’re available.

#6 Cheaper Than Face-to-Face PT 

Yet another benefit of online personal training is that it is significantly cheaper than in-person training. 

With most online personal training your initial consultation will actually be free. In-person training doesn’t typically offer free consultations, you are typically expected to have done your own research before approaching an in-person personal trainer.

In addition to this the actual classes are significantly cheaper, too. On average 1-1 personal training that takes place in person can cost anything from £25.00-100.00 an hour. This naturally depends on the trainers skill level, their popularity and how long they’ve been in the industry. However, regardless of all of these factors it is almost always significantly cheaper to use online personal training.

UK based companies such as Motivate and GymWolfPT even acknowledge that their online services are cheaper. GymWolfPT charges just £70 a month for their online personal training, which will grant you access to a tailored program for exercise and diet as well as 24/7 support. 

Motivate offers multiple different payment plans, with their smallest fee being £156.00 a month, which will grant you access to 3 personalised sessions a month, as well as access to digital workouts whenever you so please. 

So, virtual personal training benefits not only your body but your wallet as well.

#7 Makes You Accountable 

Another one of the online personal training pros is that you are forced to be more accountable for your actions and how much work you put into your customised workout plan. 

This is due to the fact that everything in online personal training is monitored and recorded. As we have discussed in previous points, your online trainer may live on the other side of the UK or in an entirely different country. They won’t be able to check and monitor your physical improvements/progress throughout your workouts, but they will ask you to!

A lot of the work is down to you, for example you may be asked to record your calorie intake, the amount of steps you take a day or what distance you can run without stopping. This forces you to be more accountable with your own actions, you’re more likely to make improvements if you know it’s going to be recorded. 

Be sure to be honest with yourself when inputting this information. If you lie, the only person you’re really going to hurt in the long run is yourself.

#8 Customised Workouts 

This may seem like an obvious inclusion to this list, but it is still regarded as one of the greatest benefits of online personal training, so we thought it was worth including. When you’re new to exercising it’s hard to get a grasp on things, sometimes it can feel like you’re running on a wheel and seeing no improvements. 

This is why online personal training is so great, as you’ll get a personally crafted workout routine that is dedicated to you and your goals. If you want to gain muscle, but currently have a smaller frame, then the expert trainers will be able to guide you in this direction. 

Everyone’s bodies are different and you need to take this into consideration when exercising. When it comes to fitness and nutrition, it is simply foolish to believe that one size fits all. 

For example if you lost a lot of weight from doing a large amount of cardio, it does not mean that this will work for everyone.

This is why sharing as much information about your body, health, and current diet during the initial consultation is so important. Being honest here is the only way to ensure that you’ll get a workout plan that is designed for you and you alone. 

Remember, If you have no prior fitness knowledge, you simply cannot expect to know everything that goes into achieving your dream body. Asking for help isn’t a bad or shameful thing, that is what personal trainers are there for.

#9 It Gets Results!

Some skeptics out there may doubt the benefits of online personal training, believing it to be just another technological crutch that simply doesn’t produce the same results as in-person training can. 

However, this isn’t true. Whether the trainer is there next to your or a million miles away couldn’t make a difference, the only person who can make a difference is you. Personal training of any kind is all about effort, the more you put in the more you’ll get out. If you put in time and energy into your customised workout plan and diet, then you can expect to see the same results. 

In fact, technology may even produce better results, this is because online trainers will be able to constantly monitor your progress from the information that you submit. If you are looking to gain muscle mass, for example, your rate of progress can be montoried in exact detail, uploaded onto one platform where both you and your PT can compare your progress week on week. 

This technology allows for more uptodate and relevant data for your online PT to work with. 

It is simply incorrect to believe that online personal training won’t produce the same, if not better results than in-person classes. But the only person that can be responsible for both of these results is you. You are the one that is going to have to motivate yourself to cut out certain foods, you are the one who is going to have to motivate yourself to go on that run. 

Personal trainers of any kind are good sources of knowledge and learning. But both in-person and online are useless if you’re not willing to work with them.

Who Should Use Online Personal Training?

Whilst there are many benefits of online personal training, the fact of the matter is it simply isn’t for everyone. If you are questioning whether this approach is correct for you, then we have created this list of individuals we feel would either benefit from or enjoy online personal training.

#1 Anybody On a Budget 

As we have discussed within the previous section, online personal training is significantly cheaper than regular personal training. So if you are on a strict budget every month, or are looking to save money, it may be worth pursuing online personal training.

Online fitness training benefits your bank account in the following ways:

• You won’t have to relocate gyms: if you like your current gym membership, with online personal training you won’t have to transfer to one that may be more expensive. 
• You may not even need a gym membership: If you want to use your own home equipment to save money in the long run, then that is completely acceptable. Online personal training can adapt to your needs and what you already own. 
• Videos on Demand: Many online personal training programs will offer exercise videos on demand, incorporated into their monthly pricing. For those of you who seek constant guidance outside of training hours, this will save you money as you won’t have to require a trainer to be there every time you’re in the gym. Simply pop in your headphones and push play.

Probably one of the biggest online personal training pros is that you’ll save a significant amount of money every month.

#2 Anybody Who Struggles To Make Progress Alone

We briefly touched upon this subject within the previous section, but we feel it is important to stress that if you’re not making as much progress as you’d like, then you should consider an online personal trainer. 

Struggling with progress is not a bad thing, exercising may not be your area of expertise and that is totally okay. When it comes to health and fitness there is no universal answer or solution to progress. So instead of struggling on your own, reach out and ask for a professional’s help and guidance. 

One of the main benefits of online personal training is that you’ll be guided through a steady stream of progress that is both approachable for beginners but also challenging. You will be taught how to gradually push yourself, tackling new challenges with each passing day without any worries of going too hard or getting bored of a routine that is too easy.

Never be afraid to seek guidance from online personal trainers. At the end of the day, it is their job to help and support you, so make sure you use their teachings to your fullest potential.

#3 Those of You Who Travel A Lot or Are On A Busy Schedule

To reiterate, one of the most commonly discussed benefits of an online fitness coach is that they’ll be there for you whenever and wherever you are located. If you are someone who doesn’t have a lot of spare time, adapting to a face-to-face personal trainers schedule may be difficult. 

Likewise, if you travel a lot (be it for business or pleasure), being out of the country will have a knock on effect to your in-person training. Both of these factors may mean that you miss out on teaching hours, despite having already paid in advance. 

However, on the list of online personal trainer pros we have to take into consideration that online training can literally go anywhere with you. Whereas a con of in-person training is that your sessions are limited to a set space during a specific timeframe. 

Whether you’ve been held back at the office trying to get work done, or whether you’ve decided to take a spontaneous holiday, your online trainer can work with you wherever you are. Be that in the comfort of your own home or a sunny tropical location.

#4 You Don’t Live Near a Gym/ a Gym With Trainers

This might be hard to believe for anybody who lives in a city or a built up area, but some people do not live near to a gym, or at least not close enough to visit 3-4 times every week. 

If this is the case, then you can take your practice online and pursue training from any location you deem fit, be it a local park or a living room. Having access to a gym is never a necessity when applying for online personal training. 

However, we would recommend giving your online PT a heads up about this before you sign up, as they’ll be able to craft this into your personalised training plan.

Additionally, even if you have a local gym they may not have personal trainers that are readily available to assist you. Unfortunately not every gym has the equipment, room, or financial income to accommodate trainers. 

So if you have a local gym but no one to train you, simply take your classes to said gym. For this instance, we would recommend informing your online PT about the equipment and resources that are available at said gym. As this will also help to craft your personalised program. 

Who Shouldn’t Use Online Personal Training?

Whilst this article is mainly focused on the benefits of online personal training, we also feel it is important to inform you of factors that may affect your enjoyment of online training.

#1 If You’ve Suffered From Any Recent or Long Standing Health Condition

If you have an extensive medical history or have suffered from an injury which has required surgery or rehabilitation therapy, then online personal training may not be the best thing for you.

This is for your own safety, if you suffer from an illness or pre-existing injury you may cause yourself harm or pain should you train without specific guidance. In addition to this, if you’re exercising alone, at home for example, no one would be around to help you, should the worst happen.

If you suffer from any long term injuries or illness that may affect your physical performance, we would recommend training with either an exercise referral specialist or a personal trainer with a qualification relevant to your specific medical issue.

#2 If You Learn Better In Group Environments

Whilst the online personal trainer pros are rooted in the idea that everything is tailored to you, some individuals simply learn better in groups. Online personal training is very much an individualistic activity. Regardless of where or how you choose to exercise, for the most part you will be doing so on your own.

In-person personal training acts slightly differently. Whilst they will run classes and meets that are specifically for you, other times they may host an entire class that all their clientele is invited to join. Here you’ll have the opportunity to meet like minded people who all share a similar goal and are being taught by the same person. 

This allows you to grow your practice further, as you’ll be able to exchange notes and thoughts with others. From this, you may be able to pick up useful tips on exercise techniques or diets, that you otherwise wouldn’t have gotten on your own.

If you thrive in social environments, then you may not pick up on all the benefits of online personal training. Rather you’re probably better joining a group exercise class or taking part in large personal training events with other clients. 

How To Find A Good Online Personal Trainer

Now that we have discussed all of the benefits of an online personal trainer, and the type of people that benefit from such training, our attention now turns to how to find a good online personal trainer. 

Online personal training advantages naturally span across many different categories, and as discussed there is no one right way to do it. There are multiple approaches to personal training, all of which we’re about to break down so that you can decide for yourself which works best for you.

One to One Training

As we have discussed, having a direct line of communication to your personal trainer is so greatly beneficial to your practice. If you are looking for a trainer that you can contact 24/7 then we can recommend the following apps:

The Athlete Factory – This app was designed for busy people on the go, who simply don’t have time to meet personal trainers at allotted times. The Athlete factory is happy to train anyone, from athletes to first time marathon runners, the app is even used and endorsed by the Sri Lankan cricket team. 

After your initial consultation you will be assigned a trainer, who will then create a specialised workout routine and diet plan just for you. The site also provides tracking technology, video classes and of course one to one instant messaging. Allowing you to communicate with your PT 24/7 – £25.00 – £65.00 a Month

Fitocracy Coaching – Once you complete your consultation, Fitocracy will pair you with a trainer that has been hand selected, based on your end goal. With huge endorsements from the likes of Men’s Health, you can rest assured that Fitocracy is of high quality.

Once you have been matched with your trainer, they will provide you with Live coaching sessions, a fitness program, meal planner and 1 on 1 access to your coach. The site encourages you to contact your coach as and when you need them – $30.00 a Month

Self Serving Apps

If you are looking for a personal trainer app that will adapt with you, you’re going to want to invest in a self serving app. These kind of apps, recognise patterns in your workouts and daily routines, and will create suggestions and plans dictated by your behaviour.

Freeletics –  Freeletics has three apps, which specialise in gym, running and weight training. With a focus on HITT workouts, users can expect to be pushed to their very limits for short bursts of intervals. A great aspect about Freeletics is that to complete most of these exercises you don’t need any equipment.

This app will ask you for data after each one of your exercises, which may contain information such as the distance you ran or how much weight you lifted. After you submit your initial data, your personalised workout programme will be generated, and will be continuously altered as you improve. – £12.99 a Month.

Fitness Builder Plus –  As this article has proven, the online personal training benefits are pretty great, but what if we were to tell you that you could have access to over 750 pre-recorded classes? On top of that, if you’re a personal trainer yourself, Fitness Builder Plus allows you to upload your own work too.

One of the great things about this app, is that it has an algorithm which recognises your activity. If you find yourself practicing yoga frequently, then Fitness Builder Plus, is likely to recommend yoga classes that advance in difficulty – $9.99 a Month.

Pre-Made Training Programs

Whilst there are many benefits of working with an online fitness coach, you may still be unconvinced. Perhaps you don’t want a strict plan that is just for you, maybe you’re in the market for something a little more general and allencopmasing. If that is the case we can direct you to some great pre-made training programs that we think you’ll enjoy.

Blueprint to Mass – Created by the Terminator himself bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzennegger has created an online training program that is designed for all you aspiring bodybuilders out there. 

On the blueprint to mass training program you’ll be given advice on exercise, nutrition, supplements and how to get started. This 12 week program is highly regarded by many fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts alike, and it’s completely free of charge. Meaning you can dip your toe into the online training pool without having to spend anything.

Free Trainers – This site is extremely popular, with it reaching over two-million readers every single month. This site allows trainers and athletes to post their online fitness routines and advice online.

Whilst you may not get a custom made workout plan designed for you by trainers, you will be able to search the site in order of your specifications. If you are looking to lose weight or target your abs for example, you can simply search this on the site and it will generate a previously used workout plan for you to follow.

To answer ‘how do you find a good personal trainer’, we must be honest and say that only you can find the trainer that is right for you. We can make recommendations based on specific criteria, however as we have touched upon multiple times, when it comes to online personal training there is no one size fits all.

Afterall, that’s what personal training should be, it should be personal to you. What one person is looking for, may be the complete opposite to what another is looking for. 

So, you need to be aware of two key things before approaching an online personal trainer. Firstly, you need to know what you want out of the training, do you want to lose weight, run a marathon or become a bodybuilder, you need to make this clear straight from the initial consultation. 

Secondly, you need to be aware of what kind of training you want, do you want training that heavily relies on one to one communications or would you rather have an online personal trainer that specialises in online videos. 

We here at OriGym would advise you to do your research before committing to anything. Remember, don’t feel constricted to just your country of residence, when it comes to online personal training you can take your practice literally anywhere.

FAQs

#1 What should I do if I feel my designed training plan is too easy/too hard?

The best way to resolve this issue would be to communicate it with your online PT, but be sure to do so immediately. Make sure that you raise this concern with them in order to change your personally designed training plan. Don’t push yourself and likewise, don’t take things that come too easy, you want something that is challenging but doable.

#2 I’m on a budget and worry I won’t be able to keep up with the specifically designed meal plans, what should I do?

Once again the answer to this question is communication. If you struggle at any point during your training with your finances, then you need to inform your personal trainer so that they can adapt your training program. If you don’t have that much spare cash, then any trainer will be able to take that into account and create you a meal plan that is both nutritious and cost effective.

Before You Go!

We hope you have enjoyed our article discussing the many benefits of online personal training. If you’re about to explore the world of health and fitness for the first time, we wish you the best of luck! 

Whilst you’re here, have you ever thought about pursuing personal training as a career? If you think you have what it takes, go ahead and enquire about our CIMSPA endorsed Personal Training Diploma.

Alternatively, why not download the full OriGym prospectus here – it’s free!