Social media has increased virtual connections, leading people from various professions to gradually shift toward online methods, including fitness.

Bivek Chhetri, a personal trainer with six years of in-person coaching experience and two years of online coaching experience, discusses training clients virtually.

How does virtual fitness compare to traditional in-person training?

In my two years of experience as a virtual trainer, I found virtual clients more consistent because of the self-discipline and self-learning aspects attached. In contrast, in in-person training, due to the availability of trainers at all times, clients tend to rely on them even when they have to train on their own. Because the clients are used to having someone helping them, they don’t get the chance to build the needed discipline to be consistent.

As an online personal trainer, I focus on programming (training program and diet plan) and helping clients overcome the everyday hurdles in every aspect of their life which affect their fitness—sleep being the most important, their lifestyle choices and helping them with their schedule so they can fit in the workouts and eat clean most of the time.

Effectiveness in terms of client engagement depends on the modality of the service that the trainer/coach prioritises. The more they prioritise a certain modality, the more engagement they can expect from their clients.

What challenges have you encountered in training clients virtually, and how have you adapted to overcome them?

The biggest challenge in online training is acquiring clients. It is hard to market yourself as an online trainer because only a few people know about it, and the majority are sceptical about its effectiveness.

I have learned that I have to give people the benefit of the doubt and gradually show them the results. Even if I don’t have the results, I show them the online training process and how it’s done through my social media.

The core component of building and keeping an online training clientele is building a community around it. Put them all together in a WhatsApp group and share success stories.

What tools or platforms do you prefer for hosting virtual fitness classes, and why do you find them effective?

The following are the tools I use for my online training service:

Instagram: Our clients spend most of their time on Instagram. Through this medium, I can market my services and build a clientele.

WhatsApp: WhatsApp is more effective in texting and calling than any other social media platform.

Google Sheets: I use Google Sheets to program, manage, and update training and diet plans. It is user-friendly, and it has a mobile app version so clients can update their training progress on the go.

YouTube: YouTube is the only platform that allows unlimited video uploads. It serves as the repository for our reference videos, which I then link to our training programs.

CapCut: Simple to use, I use CapCut to edit and upload personalised feedback videos for clients.

What do you think are the biggest advantages of virtual fitness for clients?

The biggest advantage of virtual fitness is that it’s financially friendly compared to hiring an in-person personal trainer. Similarly, the clients will develop a consistent learning curve, which will help them remain consistent with the training for a long period of time.

How do you foster a sense of community among your clients in a virtual space where participants might not physically meet one another?

Community is a core component for sustaining an online training business. I have built an exclusive WhatsApp group of my clients where everyone shares their after-workout selfies, success stories, and struggles. Such practice can make the clients feel that they are not alone by providing them with the consolation that everybody is trying their best despite their circumstances. I have found this to be very effective in fostering community among my clients.

What key factors help clients stay disciplined in their fitness journey when training virtually?

The key to helping clients stay disciplined in their fitness journey depends on how good their coach is at keeping them engaged and motivated by planning time-effective training plans and designing diets that cater to their lifestyle and schedule. The coach should also focus on accountability and emotional support to keep their clients consistent. It is to be noted that not all clients prioritise results; many prioritise lifestyle. As a coach, tailoring your approach to meet their needs is essential.

What’s your vision for the future of virtual fitness, both for yourself as a trainer and the industry as a whole?

As an in-person personal trainer in the fitness industry, it is challenging to increase your income as you are trading time for money. However, with online training, you can increase your numbers dramatically compared to in-person training and the financial investment.

Gyms and trainers can benefit from incorporating a virtual fitness strategy into their business and scaling it up to a level that didn’t exist even a few years ago.