🔗 Share this article

A runner

Following a holiday period packed with rich foods and downtime, numerous individuals enter the new year looking to get their fitness back on track.

But, is it possible that AI be changing the fitness industry by providing an alternative to human coaches?

Personalized Programs and Flexible Schedules

Leah Walsh used an artificial intelligence application for last-minute training for the a major running event.

The 21-year-old hailing from a town in Wales said she liked the liberty to ask it questions at all hours – a feature she believed was not possible with a traditional coach.

She relied on an AI-driven fitness application that gave her personalised plans with voice guidance and pace setting for her first long-distance race in recent years.

She explained she requested it to create a plan combining cardio and the weight training, and it produced an 11-week plan customized to her race date and objectives.

The user then adjusted the schedule to suit her daily routine, which she described was highly practical.

The following year, she opted for a different tool because it was cheaper and she could consult it whenever she wanted. She finished a minute faster than her goal time.

She noted she wanted to avoid feeling pressure from a live instructor.

"Using AI you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.

Richard Gallimore

Remarkable Fitness Improvements

Meanwhile, Another individual, in his twenties, from a Welsh city, has been employing AI for his fitness and diet plans, and reported he has never felt stronger, boosting his chest press from a lower weight to a much heavier load.

He turned to a bot for help after being forced to walk a running event.

"I just knew I had to get myself in shape," he commented.

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

"I train for about two hours a day and I've seen a noticeable change," he added.

The Expense Contrast: Technology vs. Traditional Training

One recent survey in late 2024 compared costs for 17 of the largest gym brands and found the average membership cost was around £38 per month, based on basic memberships.

Prices started at a lower price at the most affordable provider to a premium rate at the highest-priced.

According to further data, fitness coaches set their own rates, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per 45-60 minute appointment in most areas and about a similar range in London.

Clients will often hire a coach one or two times a week and collaborate for a few months, but these agreements are often adaptable.

Dafydd Judd

The Essential Personal Touch

Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, from the Welsh capital, said AI can be useful to speed up progress, but is convinced it will not supplant the human connection and responsibility that live training offers.

The 37-year-old, who has 12 years experience as a trainer, focuses on older adults and injury rehabilitation. He mentioned some of his trainees also use technology.

"In my opinion it's very valuable, additional information is positive," he stated.

"I believe the more people are online the more they'll desire human connection because they want the warmth from the comprehension that is missing from a computer," he added.

Dafydd said Artificial intelligence can inform users and make coaching more effective.

But, he said true dedication comes when people appear physically for training.

"No matter how helpful as it is at the middle of the night, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at 7am before work," he concluded.

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