Tech and Video Conferencing Solutions for Personal Trainers and Coaches
Modern-day problems require modern-day solutions.
COVID-19, novel coronavirus disease has changed the context of the whole world in a span of 4 months. It has made multinational corporations shut down their offices and start working from home, it has caused major global economic and financial changes, people are limited to their homes, and life has totally changed. But life goes on, as we all know.
Fitness trainers and coaches around the world have started online coaching groups and classes using video conferencing technology.
As the age of technology is shifting the trends in the whole world, different innovative methods have been introduced to keep the work going. Companies and enterprises have shifted their offices at homes and the concept of “Work from Home” is ever increasing. This concept was always seen in IT companies but now this concept can be seen all over the world and even in the field of teaching. But have you imagined what will be the consequences of this long global down on the physical health of the people? No Gyms, no outside walks, random eating habits, etc. This will lead to many health problems and physical issues.
Keeping the changes in technology and global problems in mind fitness trainers are also adopting the latest methods to solve these issues. These problems are making people run away from fitness classes and gyms. This leads to the demand for online solutions in this field. Fitness trainers and coaches around the world have started online coaching classes using video conferencing technology.
Previously there used to be lessons on YouTube or fitness videos on social media but now the trend is shifting to online video classes. Yes, online video classes to keep people healthy by just sitting at their homes. This can be a solution to this global problem of fitness. There are many exercises and training that can be done online.
Fitness charts, training programs, and nutrition and meal plans can be shared online which will help the trainers to interact directly with the people.
Being a fitness and health trainer, how can you cope up with the changing global conditions? The global lockdown has closed gyms, training centers, and many outdoor activities. So, do we just sit and wait for the lockdown to get over? Or we can get into the technology and start using the methods the whole world is adapting to.
There is several online software used around the world to “Work from Home” and to “Teach from Home”. Even the doctors and patients around the world are using the “Telehealth/Telemedicine” technologies to interact with the patients. With a few clicks, the patients can access their physician, join through a link a live video session with their doctors. So, if everyone is doing this, fitness trainers can do this as well.
gymGo
One of the most popular and fastest ways to get started working with clients while you travel is to coach/train online. You will want to learn more about GymGo. After a lot of research to find the best system for you, we’ve done it. GymGo lets you work with clients and make money in different ways: online, live-streaming virtual training & on-demand training. GymGO allows you to host your classes, nutrition appointments, and personal training sessions all online via live sessions. Sell memberships, packages, or sessions all through a simple, client-facing online web platform.
Zoom
The most popular video conferencing application used across the world is Zoom. Zoom, the software that has skyrocketed in the COVID-19 scenes.
What’s the thing that is common between a South Asian student and UK’s Prime Minister? Yes, Zoom Meeting app.
Zoom has the easiest interface to use. Easiest to download and install and simplest to invite through URL or any other platform. Just go to zoom’s website. Download the zoom app, sign up your account using your information and then enter into the application. You have the following options
- Join a Meeting
- Invite to a Meeting
- Schedule a Meeting
- Chat with your List
Zoom allows you to schedule your meeting and send it to your calendar of any integrating email providers like Outlook or Gmail. It also allows you to send the meeting URL and invite it through any social media platform. The participant just has to click the link and enter in the zoom call. The call can be 1 to 1, and one to many like a meeting. This can be used as a fitness classroom. You can schedule your class for any day and time of the week and invite people. You can record your live session and share it to anyone who has missed the fitness class.
You can share your screen with the participants and tell them the diet plan in detail. The meeting is secured and you can secure the meeting to limited participants. Once the class is complete, you can lock the meeting so no one else can join.
This is an amazing application that can help you in carrying on your fitness coaching journey. Zoom has a free application that allows up to a maximum of 40 minutes of call and a paid application that allows unlimited minutes of calls with premium features as well. If you are new and want high-quality audio and video calls, Zoom will be your choice to conduct the classes from now onwards.
Microsoft Teams
A chat-based workspace, part of Office 365. It is used in businesses and offices to collaborate between the teams and to share content and conversations. Team is a collaborating software that allows teams to join video conferencing and share each other’s work as well. Microsoft teams come as part of the Office 365 package that is usually bought by businesses.
Microsoft Teams can be preferable when you have limited clients and a set of people who are regularly part of the class. Zoom can be used if each day new participants are invited to join the class and if the number of participants is unlimited. It’s more expensive than the zoom application.
While using Microsoft teams, Syncing with Office 365 makes It easier to share files with the clients. You can collaborate in diet plans, fitness charts, and share visual documents using Microsoft teams. If your class requires more documentation, fitness planners, diet charts sharing, and collaborating in excel sheets along with video conferencing then Microsoft 365 with teams is the solution for you.
Live Streaming Videos at Facebook and Instagram
Live sessions at Facebook and Instagram are also a new innovation of technology. This is the new trend around the world during the lockdown as well. The sessions and coaching done through live pages and streaming will be public in nature. Anyone will have access to your videos. If you are new at coaching and new in fitness training you would want people to know more about you. This can be used as a free marketing tool and you can conduct few live fitness sessions on social media to captivate the audience and then invite them to your meetings for subscriptions.
A great marketing strategy to get into the audience, win hearts and confidence through free classes, free tips, and then to make them part of your regular online classes permanently. Free of cost and initial.
WhatsApp is an app that is found nearly in every mobile phone already. So, it’s easier for you to make a WhatsApp group for your fitness coaching class or you can also create a broadcasting link. Currently, WhatsApp has a limited number of users who can join the video conference but to share material, to share audio messages, voice notes and documents it is the simplest and easiest platform that you start right now.
Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is another web video conferencing solution that is developed to promote e-learning and webinars. Although a bit expensive, Adobe connect provides you a safe and secure platform for Video calling. Difficult to use in the interface and expensive than zoom. Allow multiple features and quite a professional interface.
Skype
Skype is another communication tool that can be used to manage your whole community of the fitness center. Suppose you have a fitness center and you make a dedicated skype account named with your fitness center that is dedicated to your fitness class and coaching. You can add all of your participants in the contacts and then can have a group call. You can have a group video conference. Easiest to share documents, videos in the chat via skype. Easier to manage. It gives you a feel like an office and allows you to directly interact with the customers. All the contact list will include your participants.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook messenger can be used as a chat platform and video conferencing tool as well. But this more of a social media platform that doesn’t give the look and feel of an office or an online class. But serves the purpose if you have a majority of your audience at Facebook already.
Cisco Webex Meetings, GoToMeeting
Are more apps just like zoom used in offices around the world? These are a bit more expensive than zoom. Few people prefer these when considering the security and privacy of the documents in aspect. Simpler to use like zoom but different paid subscription packages. The interface may seem friendly to a few of the audience. You can try these and compare yourself.
Google Hangouts & Google Duo
Applications made by Google just to serve the purpose we are looking for. Easier and lightweight to handle. Google Hangouts is integrated with Gmail and similar Google duo is the lightest video calling app among all of these. Always a preference if you have an android phone with low space and Ram.
Facetime
The famous iPhone app that can be used for high-quality video call. The only limitation is that it limits the audio to only Apple and iOS. As a fitness trainer, you won’t want your customer to get limited because of their cell phone.
Have your Own Mobile App Developed
Another thing you can do is to have your very own app made by developers. Mobile apps aren’t costly these days and they allow you to have your own platform where you can put your videos, and material related to exercise health and fitness.
A highly customized app with your name and logo along with the set of features you would want to give free and to have few of them as a subscribed premium package.
Summing up the above technologies, all these applications provide you with the same result with different user interfaces and features. You can try out a few and then choose one of these for long term classes and coaching. This is the time and era where fitness is more than treadmills, gyms and free weights in a hall or space. Now it can be at your home, in your bedroom and in your lounge as well. You don’t need heavy weights, or to join some class where you are going to visit each day. It’s going to be your daily workout plan and your diet plan customized for the people by their fitness trainers at their homes. This is the age of Netflix and YouTube; you don’t need to go out and teach people or call them at a place and then coach them. Now it’s the age where with simple clicks you can set up your own, yes, your very own class that can help you get your business going and keeping your clients fit.
You just need to set up a class using any of the above technologies and to invite people. You can start by marketing yourself on Facebook and Instagram, promote your pages, and give few live sessions as a starter. And then you can invite your clients to subscribe to your daily online classes using any of the video conferencing apps.
So, by going through this blog, you must be aware of the software and tools the world is using to teach, collaborate and practice online in this era of global technology and lockdown as well. People are busy and they don’t have time. Also, online teaching allows you to get your audience from anywhere in the world, not just limited to your area or locality. This is the difference between Gyms and Online classrooms. Having a physical location and gym will restrict your audience to nearby areas online. But having an online classroom, a meeting room and an online training center will open up the whole audience around the world for you.
Basic Elements Needed for Online Class
The basic elements you would be needing for your online class will include
- An Online Application/Software for video conferencing
- Selection of the software
- Setup the software
- Make your contact list, get email addresses or phone numbers to invite people
- Social media pages and presence to reach your audience
- Documents (Word, Excel Sheets and PDF)
- Customized documents, diet plans, and fitness charts
- Fitness tracking software, apps or excel sheets to measure fitness and success percentage of the clients.
- Motivation and will
- Long term approach
- Knowledge and training about online fitness training classes
Yes, you have these all, you are ready to go. Just select an application and go start teaching the world. It’s far easier than you imagine and your new online business is going to start in few clicks.
Starting an Online Training/Coaching Business
Check out what it takes to start a career in personal fitness training. This is your most affordable and fastest way to become a highly qualified personal trainer.
Is your recertification coming up? Learn more about earning your CEU credits. You can find the full list of CEU courses here.
If you are ready to start your online personal training or coaching business, don’t forget to learn more about our online coaching course. You will also really enjoy this very comprehensive training course called Online Expert Empire.
There is always something exciting about earning a new training or coaching certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. This also helps you hit the reset button.
NESTA and Spencer Institute coaching programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites.
That’s it for now.
Take action!
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