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Click and Sweat Virtual Workouts Change the Game
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by Julie Peterson
elcome to the digital age, where budding gym rats, former couch potatoes and schedule-challenged fitness freaks are finding new ways to get in shape. These days, virtually anyone with a smartphone or Wi-Fi connection can connect with a yoga video, a spin class or any number of personal exercise experiences. Some folks are wearing devices that calculate distance and monitor bodily functions—then post it all to social media. Private trainers are offering online workout
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routines with motivational emails and text messages, while some gyms include online training as an add-on to membership or leverage technology to provide classes to consumers globally. Virtual fitness is growing in leaps and bounds. The use of health and fitness apps has more than tripled since 2014, and three-quarters of active users open their apps at least twice a week, according to Flurry Analytics. Yet, it’s not for everyone. Erin Nitschke, Ed.D., of Cheyenne, Wyoming, the director of educational
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The convenience and affordability of virtual training has some clients thriving on their ability to marry technological tools to fitness goals. They can log in anytime, anywhere, even while travelling; take a variety of classes from famous trainers for a fraction of the cost of in-person sessions and receive emails or texts that provide encouragement to reach the next level. For those new to exercising, virtual training eases self-consciousness. It’s an opportunity to learn the basics and begin the process of toning up at home before venturing into an unfamiliar environment where everyone seems to know what they’re doing. In this respect, virtual training can serve as a gateway to establishing a fitness routine that eventually leads to the local gym. “One of the most frequent reasons people cite for not maintaining a regular exercise habit is lack of time,” says American Council on Exercise President and Chief Science Officer Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., of Redmond, Washington. He points out that virtual tools and devices may help eliminate some of those time barriers, allowing people to get quality workouts.
The Real Deal But some people go to the gym or attend fitness classes because they enjoy the social connection more than the sweat. Nitschke says that social support can be a predictor of success, so it’s possible that virtual training can have a negative impact. Bryant agrees. “There are different fitness personality types, and some need the live and in-person experience.” Bryant points out that gyms and trainers often request health information and fitness goals beforehand to provide clients a more customized program. In-person instruction also has the benefit of immediate
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partnerships and programs at the National Federation of Professional Trainers, is monitoring the upsurge in virtual fitness and believes it will take time to perfect the options. “While virtual training may be a best practice for a certain population of users, it may be a barrier to others,” she says.
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