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Leah Walsh

Following a holiday period filled with rich foods and downtime, numerous individuals enter January looking to get their fitness back on track.

However, is it possible that Artificial Intelligence be changing the world of exercise by offering an option to personal trainers?

Tailored Plans and Flexible Schedules

One fitness enthusiast used an AI tool for last-minute preparation for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

This young woman hailing from Aberdare said she liked the liberty to pose queries at all hours – a feature she believed was unavailable with a personal trainer.

Leah used an AI-powered running app that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and pace setting for her first long-distance race in 2024.

She said she requested it to design a plan merging running and the gym, and it generated an 11-week programme tailored to her event day and objectives.

The user then tweaked the schedule to suit her lifestyle, which she described was convenient.

The following year, she chose a alternative application because it was cheaper and she could ask it questions whenever she wanted. Her result was a minute faster than her goal time.

She said she wanted to avoid the pressure from a human personal trainer.

"With AI you have to find your own drive, which I quite like," she added.

Richard Gallimore

Significant Fitness Improvements

Meanwhile, Richard Gallimore, 23, from Swansea, has been using artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and reported he has achieved peak strength, boosting his chest press from a lower weight to 110kg.

He turned to a AI assistant for help after being forced to walk a race.

"I just knew I had to sort myself out," he said.

The free tool built a workout and diet plan tailored to his aims, and created organized workouts.

"I work out for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a real difference," he added.

The Expense Comparison: Technology vs. Traditional Training

One recent study in the previous year compared costs for 17 of the largest fitness chains and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, for standard memberships.

Fees ranged from £23 at the cheapest provider to £132 at the highest-priced.

According to further data, fitness coaches determine their own fees, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per hour-long appointment in most areas and about £45-£65 in London.

Clients typically use a trainer once or twice a week and work with them for a short period, however these arrangements are often adaptable.

Dafydd Judd

The Essential Personal Touch

Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, based in the Welsh capital, said AI can be beneficial to accelerate results, but is convinced it will never replace the human connection and responsibility that live training provides.

The 37-year-old, who has 12 years experience as a trainer, focuses on senior clients and recovery from injuries. He said some of his clients also use technology.

"I think it's extremely useful, additional information is positive," he stated.

"I believe the more people are online the more they'll desire personal contact because they crave the warmth from the comprehension that is absent from a machine," he added.

The trainer said AI can inform clients and make coaching more efficient.

However, he said true dedication comes when people appear physically for their sessions.

"No matter how helpful as it is at the middle of the night, a computer won't keep you accountable at early morning before work," Dafydd concluded.

In the view of many, he said, the fitness center is a space to disconnect from devices and stop being glued to screens.