Virtual Fitness

Best online strategies for the New Year

BY LINDA MELONE

If surfing the Internet burned calories and strengthened muscles, what shape would you be in? Should this question inspire visions of you winning the Hawaiian Iron Man Triathlon, you are not alone. The average person spends almost three hours a day online, according to recent AOL market research, and more than half the nation has Internet access.

In fact, hours spent surfing the Internet are often blamed - along with excess TV viewing and general inactivity - for our alarmingly fat nation. Over half the population is overweight and only 23% of Americans get the recommended 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular activity.

Ironically, Internet usage surveys note that the most popular searches are for health information. Although there’s a not-so-fine line between downloading information and actually using it, at least people are seeking answers to their fitness questions.

“And they’re using the Internet to find those answers,” says Ben Tucker of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). “Since only 14% of people actually train in a club setting, they want quality information that they can use wherever and whenever they choose to exercise.” Online personal training may be one way to bridge the gap between knowing what to do, and doing it.

What is online personal training?

Online personal training is not about a personal trainer barking orders through your computer, as some believe. Generally, it’s an exercise program designed for you, based on your answers to an online health and fitness questionnaire.

The bells and whistles vary among plans; some sites offer a forum where clients can post specific questions, and others have progress charts, calendars, streaming video and 24-hour coaching. The programs are usually fairly basic, making it easier for a novice to understand.

Where to find online programs

Most often, an online training service is added on to an already established coaching or personal training company. Plus One Health Management, Inc., for example, a health management company, was founded in 1986 and implemented online training three years ago. Neal Pire, vice president of Fitness and Wellness Services for Plus One, says the online training (www.plusoneactive.com) brings an “added dimension” to the company’s fitness offerings. With offices both in New York and California, Plus One was originally a personal training clinic for celebrities and clients seeking custom fitness programs; today Plus One employs 700 people and provides services ranging from facilities design and management to corporate health programs.

The company views online training as a way to service more clients.

Does online training work?

“I know that online training works. It motivates people,” Pire says. He admits that it’s not for everyone but adds, “Some people thrive on it.”

Sandy Litten is a PlusOneActive.com client who does thrive on it. “I opted for online training mostly for convenience. My trainer plans my workout and I can do it at a time that works for me. I feel I’m in good hands and that he sincerely wants to help me reach my goals.”

Another PlusOneActive client, Amy Stein, says, “While I have a fair amount of workout experience, I’m not comfortable enough or experienced enough to design my own workout program, so this is a great service.” She adds, “I also like that I can go back and look at the progress I have made over time.”

Online program options

Plus One Active offers two plans: a 12-week customized program ($9.95) or Plus One Active Expert ($39), which includes one-on-one training with a fitness expert 24/7 who provides individual attention, adjustments and advice. Unique features include a month-at-a-glance personal workout calendar, new workouts daily, instant feedback to your expert, an exercise technique homepage, up-to-date progress charts and a personal fitness homepage.

Large corporate companies are not alone in their quest for online fitness clients. Jason Rulo, a Missouri-based trainer, also offers online training through his company, Pinnacle Personal Training. He introduced pinnaclepersonaltraining.com in January 2004; it is now 20-30% of his total business. Like many of his competitors in the online arena, the majority of Rulo’s business is still in-person and in-home personal training. But the addition of an online service enables him to reach people outside his home base. (Some 30% of his online business comes from California, which he attributes to aggressive marketing in this state.)

He began his online business at the request of two friends ­ a father and son ­ who wanted to get in shape for a bodybuilding contest. “They wanted me to design a program for them, but they lived an hour away from my studio, making it tough for me to get together with them in person,” explains Rulo. “So I started training them online as a way to help them, and it took off from there.” A competitive, natural bodybuilder, Rulo designed a plan that proved successful for his motivated clients.

Mike Stevens, one of Rulo’s original online clients, says, “I liked it because I could do it on my own time at my convenience. I went from 280 pounds to 213 pounds in about 71/2 months and competed in my first bodybuilding contest. Jason was always there if I had a question and would reply to my e-mails the same day.”

Mike’s father, Joe, 58, dropped 50 pounds in 18 weeks by following Rulo’s online exercise and dietary advice. “I could get questions answered much quicker than waiting for a face-to-face meeting. I stayed true to the program and was very happy.”

Rulo sends follow-up e-mails once or twice a week to every online client. Unfortunately, it’s easier to ignore a virtual trainer than one standing before you in the flesh. “Thirty to forty percent of my clientele does not respond regularly to my e-mails. It may take several weeks before I get a response. I know that means they’re not doing much on their own.”

Are you ready to get in shape?

Motivation to begin and continue exercising, whether on your own or with a virtual trainer, takes a large degree of readiness, according to Richard Cotton, of the Carlsbad-based myexerciseplan.com.

“Getting in shape doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Cotton. As the former chief exercise physiologist of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, his biggest challenge is in helping people “prepare to exercise.” Unlike other personal training sites where online training comprises only a small portion of the company’s services, online programs are the core of Cotton’s business. He cautions, “Giving a workout program to an inexperienced exerciser is like throwing seeds on untilled ground.” He coaches his online clients, helping them prioritize their health. “I help people figure out the obstacles in their life that prevent them from exercising. Most trainers don’t help people find the place in their life for exercise, which is why we added more coaching.

“It’s not just about having a better body, it’s about having a better life.”

“My goal has been to give quality information to people, to help them get started.” As a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, Cotton’s program focuses on beginning exercisers and inconsistent exercisers. “Face-to-face training is ideal, and yes, there are limits to online personal training, but we give people the best possible tools so they can help themselves.” The site boasts 18 programs and offers a virtual tour of the process. Additional, progressive exercise variations are given after 30 days on the program and again after 60 and 90 days.

A big upside

Convenience is the most-often mentioned benefit of online training, but low cost is a close second. Online training is a fraction of the cost of face-to-face personal training. Many people can’t afford the in-person rates, which may be as much as $80 or more an hour. At $60 a year for Cotton’s program, many more people can reap the benefits of a custom-designed routine. Rulo charges $30 a month for online advice and plusoneactive.com is $9.99 for a 12-week program.

Consider the Pros:

• Round the clock availability of trainers in most cases
• No intimidation or competitiveness of other gym members
• Much lower cost than face-to-face training
• No travel or parking involved
• No sweaty benches to wipe down (except your own)
• Work out at your convenience

And some drawbacks

Not everyone in the business is starry-eyed over online training. Mark Nutting, spokesman for the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a 25-year fitness industry veteran, believes that online coaching can be effective, but adds, “When you start to be a trainer online, it’s just irresponsible. People should see a trainer face-to-face, otherwise there is no way of knowing the person’s real situation. A client will often fill out a health form and leave out crucial information, like a recent shoulder injury.”

He adds, “A video reference is better, but even with a video the person still has no feedback about whether he’s performing the exercise correctly.” The lack of in-person motivation and accountability can also make or break a successful program. Even proponents of online training admit that, for the most part, you get what you pay for.

Consider the Cons:

• No professional initial assessments
• Not ideal for inexperienced exercisers
• Greater chance of injury
• Little accountability: it’s easy to ignore your trainer’s e-mails
• Easier to skip sessions
• No immediate feedback on improper form

If you’re considering an online program, “Choose an online trainer the same way you’d hire one in person,” suggests NASM’s Ben Tucker, “Check their credentials and find out if there’s any type of initial assessment. You can use a home mirror to observe if your knees turn in when you do a squat, for example. Your trainer can then make suggestions to correct this.” Expect an online program to be more basic than an in-person session.

The future

Is online personal training the wave of the future or another fitness fad? IDEA Health and Fitness Association cites online training as one of the fastest-growing personal training services; 8% of 75,000 trainers in the United States already offer online training. “Only time will tell,” says Neal Pire. “I predict fitness programs will soon be downloaded onto PDAs and people will bring their customized plans to their gyms and use them either on their own or in conjunction with a live personal trainer.”

Whether you train with a flesh-and-blood trainer or a virtual one, your commitment to the program determines your results. Jason Rulo adds, “You have to be very self-motivated for online training to work.”

OC Metro