🔗 Share this article

Leah Walsh

Following a festive period packed with indulgent treats and relaxation, many people enter January looking to regain their fitness momentum.

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

Personalized Plans and Flexible Schedules

Leah Walsh employed an AI tool for last-minute training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

The 21-year-old from Aberdare explained she liked the freedom to pose queries at all hours – a feature she felt was unavailable with a traditional coach.

She relied on an AI-driven fitness application that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and pace setting for her inaugural long-distance race in recent years.

She said she asked it to design a regimen merging cardio and the gym, and it generated an 11-week programme tailored to her event day and goals.

Leah then tweaked the plan to fit her daily routine, which she described was highly practical.

The following year, she chose a alternative application because it was cheaper and she could ask it questions at any time. She finished a full minute quicker than her goal time.

She said she wanted to avoid feeling pressure from a human personal trainer.

"With artificial intelligence you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.

Richard Gallimore

Significant Strength Gains

Meanwhile, Another individual, 23, based in Swansea, has been employing AI for his fitness and diet plans, and reported he has achieved peak strength, boosting his chest press from a lower weight to 110kg.

Richard turned to a AI assistant for assistance after being unable to run a running event.

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

This no-cost application constructed a fitness and meal program personalized to his aims, and established organized workouts.

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

The Expense Comparison: AI vs. Conventional Coaching

A recent survey in late 2024 analyzed costs for numerous of the biggest gym brands and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, based on standard memberships.

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

According to industry research, personal trainers set their own rates, typically a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per hour-long appointment in most areas and about a similar range in the capital.

Clients will often hire a trainer one or two times a week and collaborate for a few months, however these arrangements are completely flexible.

Dafydd Judd

The Irreplaceable Personal Element

Personal trainer Dafydd Judd, based in Cardiff, acknowledged AI can be useful to speed up progress, but believes it will not supplant the personal interaction and responsibility that live training offers.

This expert, who has over a decade of experience as a trainer, focuses on senior clients and injury rehabilitation. He said some of his trainees also use AI.

"I think it's extremely useful, more knowledge is good," he stated.

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

Dafydd said AI can inform clients and make coaching more efficient.

But, he argued true dedication comes when people appear in person for training.

"As useful as it is at the middle of the night, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at early morning before work," Dafydd concluded.

In the view of many, he suggested, the gym is a place to leave phones behind and take a break from technology.