Two of my biggest struggles with fitness are a ridiculously low level of self motivation and my tendency to procrastinate.
Both keep me from getting into any regular workout cadence.
I also grew up as a soccer player so rather than learn how to work out in a gym, I spent all my time running sprints and doing wall-sits.
Those are valuable exercises, for sure, but as I get older, I’ve wanted to become more well-rounded.
I’ve never liked lifting weights and getting my skinny-fat butt to the gym is pretty much a non-starter.
However, I realize that strength training is a must if I want to keep my running and cycling careers going for as long as possible.
To help demystify the weight room floor and find the motivation to actually hit the gym more than once a month, I enlisted the help of a virtual trainer from the fitness app Future to see if I could finally squash my beef with strength training.
Read on to see what I learned both about myself and my body from working with a virtual personal trainer.
My Improvement Level Increased Exponentially
When I’m solely running or riding my bike four to five times a week, it’s hard to really push myself to improve quickly over a short period of time.
I tend to hit a plateau fairly quickly then just hang out there for a while, not really shaving time off my mile pace or climbing any extra steep hills on my bike.
It’s fun to slowly build a base level of fitness and just enjoy the ride, but when some of my old competitiveness starts rearing its head again, working out just to get in a good headspace wasn’t enough for me.
But once I started lifting weights and following a program, I saw improvement that I’d never experienced before.
I realized that I actually enjoyed mixing things up and found myself putting in more effort when I hit the gym.
The body needs variety to grow stronger and hiring a trainer really unlocked that growth for me.
Not only has gym work helped me develop some tone and feel more confident, but it has greatly improved my cardio capacity and helped me go further, faster.
In the end, I’m seeing myself achieving things on my runs and bike rides I never was able to in the past.
I Am More Motivated Than Ever
As I mentioned before, motivation is always a struggle for me, especially when it comes to going to the gym or doing any strength training at all.
It’s one thing for me to head out on a run right from my front door but it’s another to expect me to go to the gym, find weights, and actually run through some exercise sets.
With my virtual trainer, though, I had that little extra push.
Whether it was a quick phone call or a DM through the Future app, my trainer was always right on time with their encouragement.
Not only did my Future Coach make it easy for me to look forward to workouts, but they provided the perfect level of accountability to motivate me without turning me off.
Beyond simply motivating me to actually go to the gym, my trainer developed a plan that slowly built on itself, giving me mini goals to reach for each week.
As I dialed in my form, I was able to work out longer and harder, focusing on each step rather than trying to just white-knuckle myself to a new level of fitness.
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Now that I’m comfortable in the gym and understand what I do and don’t like, I’m able to dangle the proverbial carrot in front of my face and look for little ways to win throughout each workout.
Future Fitness is an excellent training tool if you’re interested in personal training, but don’t want the commitment of actually meeting with someone at the gym. If you want a balance between your own autonomy while still having an accountability partner, Future is fantastic.
I Learned New Exercises and New Ways to Recover
Part of why I never worked out in the gym is because I simply didn’t know where to start.
How many reps do I do? What is the correct way to do this exercise? Isn’t there a more fun way to do this?
My Future virtual trainer answered all of those questions.
They learned exactly what I wanted from my strength training and tailored my workouts to those goals while also making sure I had fun doing it.
I let them know which exercises were absolute no-gos for me, which I’d like to modify and which I’d like to explore, and they put together a plan that crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s.
Not only did I learn new exercises that would directly improve my ability to grow stronger and meet my goals, I learned new ways to recover and relax.
My trainer was able to tailor a recovery program to my workout program, ensuring that I was at my best each and every day.
They encouraged me to spend time in the sauna, incorporate cold plunging, and eat the right foods to help me improve and avoid wasting a workout because I wasn’t feeling well.
It Gave Me New Time Freedom
I always worried that hiring a personal trainer would be too restrictive because I’d have to actually go meet them at the gym at a pre-set time and day each week.
One of the best parts of working with a virtual trainer is that I can do my workouts whenever I want to.
I can send them videos of my workouts to get tips on my form, I can ask questions pre- or post-workout and can fire off a question via the app anytime I want, ensuring that I won’t forget anything.
Plus, as someone who is bad with procrastination and planning, I appreciated the structure of having a trainer when combined with the freedom of it being virtual.
These factors created a sweet spot for me where I could work out when I wanted while still having the accountability of someone who has your back.
I Was Able To Progress At My Own Pace
Since I wasn’t limited to a brief window of time with my trainer each week, I found that I was able to really devote time to finding my own form, routine, and preferred exercises.
The time constraints placed on in-person training don’t always allow for taking the time to learn properly.
These workouts can feel rushed, as you’re constantly trying to optimize the short amount of time you have to spend with your trainer.
Instant, in-person feedback is nice, but spending 15 minutes on form when you only have a 60 minute appointment doesn’t always feel like the best use of my time.
I was never in a rush, always making sure to take my time, and felt comfortable allowing myself an extra minute of rest or taking a trip to the bathroom without feeling like I was on the clock.
Getting a personal trainer wasn’t high on my priority list, but once I realized I had the opportunity to hire a trainer virtually, I found that they were a must-have resource when it came to getting my health.
The financial burden of personal training was also eased and I felt that I was really able to get my money’s worth.
My mental Rolodex of exercises and workout options has grown exponentially and I finally feel comfortable knowing what to do on the weight room floor.
I’m more efficient in my time spent at the gym and it’s easier to justify a quick weeknight workout or take advantage of a midday break when I only have 30 minutes to get some work in.
My strength and form have both improved immensely, but beyond that, I’m a stronger runner and a stronger cyclist, both of which were huge goals for me when I hired the virtual trainer.
If you want to explore the world of personal training but don’t have time for an in-person trainer, a virtual trainer is an excellent option. I recommend Future for this because they’ll create workouts around your schedule, while still being affordable.
So sign up for that race, start that push-up contest with your buddies, or join your local soccer league and get ready to finally hit your goals.
Get 50% off of your first month of Future now.
Future Fitness is an excellent training tool if you’re interested in personal training, but don’t want the commitment of actually meeting with someone at the gym. If you want a balance between your own autonomy while still having an accountability partner, Future is fantastic.
