I successfully Swapped My Fitness Coach for AI – And It's Working.
Leah Walsh
After a holiday period filled with indulgent treats and relaxation, numerous individuals enter the new year aiming to regain their fitness momentum.
However, is it possible that AI be changing the fitness industry by providing an option to personal trainers?
Personalized Plans and Adaptable Timelines
Leah Walsh used an AI tool for last-minute training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.
The 21-year-old from Aberdare said she appreciated the freedom to ask it questions any time of day – something she believed was not possible with a traditional coach.
She relied on an AI-powered fitness application that provided her personalised plans with audio coaching and pace setting for her inaugural long-distance race in recent years.
She explained she requested it to design a plan combining running and the gym, and it generated an multi-week programme tailored to her event day and objectives.
Leah then tweaked the schedule to suit her daily routine, which she described was highly practical.
The following year, she chose a different tool because it was cheaper and she could consult it at any time. She finished a full minute quicker than her goal time.
She noted she did not want feeling pressure from a live instructor.
"Using AI you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.
Richard Gallimore
Remarkable Fitness Improvements
In a similar case, Richard Gallimore, 23, from Swansea, has been employing AI for his fitness and diet plans, and said he has achieved peak strength, boosting his bench press from a lower weight to 110kg.
He turned to a bot for help after being forced to walk a running event.
"I realized I had to sort myself out," he said.
The free tool built a fitness and meal program personalized to his aims, and created organized workouts.
"I train for about two hours a day and I've seen a real difference," he said.
The Cost Contrast: Technology vs. Conventional Coaching
A recent study in late 2024 compared costs for numerous of the largest gym brands and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, based on standard memberships.
Fees started at a lower price at the cheapest provider to a premium rate at the most expensive.
According to industry research, fitness coaches set their own rates, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per 45-60 minute session in most areas and about a similar range in the capital.
Clients will often hire a trainer one or two times a week and work with them for a few months, however these arrangements are often adaptable.
A personal trainer
The Irreplaceable Human Element
Personal trainer Dafydd Judd, based in Cardiff, said AI can be useful to accelerate results, but believes it will never replace the human connection and accountability that in-person coaching offers.
This expert, who has over a decade of experience as a trainer, specialises in older adults and recovery from injuries. He mentioned some of his trainees also employ AI.
"I think it's extremely useful, more knowledge is positive," he said.
"I think the more people are online the more they'll want human connection because they want the warmth from the understanding that is absent from a machine," he added.
The trainer said AI can educate clients and make coaching more efficient.
However, he said true dedication comes when people appear physically for training.
"As useful as it is at the middle of the night, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at 7am before work," Dafydd added.
For many, he said, the fitness center is a place to leave phones behind and stop being glued to screens.
