🔗 Share this article

Leah Walsh

After a holiday period packed with rich foods and relaxation, many people enter January aiming 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 Adaptable Timelines

Leah Walsh employed an artificial intelligence application for impromptu training for the a major running event.

This young woman from Aberdare said she liked the liberty to pose queries at all hours – a feature she believed was not possible with a personal trainer.

Leah relied on an AI-powered running app that provided her customized schedules with voice guidance and pace setting for her first half marathon in recent years.

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

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

Subsequently, she chose a alternative application because it was more affordable and she could consult it whenever she wanted. Her result was a full minute quicker than her target finish.

She noted she wanted to avoid the pressure from a human personal trainer.

"With AI you have to find your own drive, which I quite like," she added.

Richard Gallimore

Significant Fitness Improvements

In a similar case, Richard Gallimore, 23, from Swansea, has been employing artificial intelligence for his exercise and nutrition programs, and said he has achieved peak strength, increasing his chest press from 70kg to 110kg.

Richard resorted to a AI assistant for assistance after being unable to run a race.

"I just knew I need to sort myself out," he commented.

This no-cost application constructed a workout and diet plan tailored to his aims, and established organized workouts.

"I train for about 120 minutes a day and I've seen a real difference," he said.

The Cost Contrast: AI vs. Conventional Training

One recent study in late 2024 compared costs for 17 of the largest gym brands and found the typical monthly fee was around £38 a month, based on basic memberships.

Prices started at a lower price at the most affordable chain to £132 at the most expensive.

According to further data, fitness coaches determine their own fees, usually a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per 45-60 minute appointment outside London and about a similar range in the capital.

Customers will often hire a trainer one or two times a week and work with them for a short period, but these agreements are often adaptable.

A personal trainer

The Irreplaceable Human Element

Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, from the Welsh capital, said artificial intelligence can be useful to speed up progress, but is convinced it will never replace the personal interaction and accountability that in-person coaching offers.

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

"I think it's very valuable, additional information is positive," he said.

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

The trainer explained Artificial intelligence can educate clients and make coaching more effective.

However, he argued true dedication comes when people appear in person for their sessions.

"No matter how helpful as it is at 2am, a digital tool won't keep you accountable at 7am before work," Dafydd added.

In the view of many, he suggested, the fitness center is a space to leave phones behind and stop being glued to screens.