Across the nation, gyms are shutting their doors due to the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Recreational centers, fitness franchises, and fitness classes are being canceled, leaving their patrons and clients without trainers to help them keep up on their fitness goals. Just because instructors should no longer teach in-person classes doesn’t mean all teaching has to come to an end. Thanks to technology, there are several means to continue to teach clients and help them reach their goals from the comfort of their own homes. Health Fitness Revolution has researched various ways instructors and trainers can still work and train their clients remotely to keep their clients healthy.
2/ Start posting health and fitness tips on your social media, people will appreciate it.
— Samir Becic (@SamirBecic) March 23, 2020
Training them remotely keeps your clients active and their #ImmuneSystem strong, their #stress levels in check, and helps them release endorphins (keeping them happy and sane).
Just because activities and classes are canceled doesn’t mean a fitness trainer’s responsibilities are canceled as well. It is important to continue to help those that rely on you and your assistance to help them stay active and reach their fitness goals. Exercise is the best way to keep your immune system strong to combat illnesses and keep your body healthy. Exercise is also the top method to decrease stress and anxiety levels, which is needed during these stressful times. Please note to keep exercise lower intensity – recent studies have shown that there are physiological changes in the immune system as a response to exercise. During moderate exercise, immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and viruses. Don’t let a quarantine lower your spirit and determination to help those who are looking to live happier and healthier lives!
- Zoom: Zoom is a widely used video conferencing software that has free plans to use. Their basic plan includes unlimited meetings with a 40-minute time-limit on meetings with three or more participants, which is plenty of time to get in that 30-minute invigorating workout! Trainers can set up the meeting for any time of day (or multiple times of day) and send an email link to all their clientele. This allows groups to be together to motivate one another and stay connected while still in the comfort of their own homes.
- Set-Up: Sign up for a free account at zoom.us and from there you can host live meetings for exercise routines, fitness Q&As, or even nutrition lessons. The possibilities are endless!
- Instagram: 60% of online adults have Instagram accounts. Instagram is a multi-use platform that can be accessed on any platform with an internet connection. Trainers can post uplifting messages, short videos of specific exercises and various adaptations, and even hold live-videos where all clientele can tune-in, watch, and participate in the exercise routine. You could also create a “members only” page for your subscribers.
- Set-Up: Sign up for an instagram.com account. You can choose to have a personal account or a professional account. From there you can post pictures, video clips, live videos, and even messages on your story that show for 24 hours.
- Facebook: Facebook is still the most widely-used social media platform with 83% of online women and 75% of online men having an account. Facebook allows businesses to have their own pages to post updates, photos, and videos. It is a useful way to keep people motivated by posting positive images and messages. It is perfect for sharing links to healthy recipes to keep clientele eating a nutritious diet as well as posting workout videos for everyone to follow along. It also has a live feature to stream live videos where trainers can hold real-time workout sessions. If you want a private space for your clients, start a private group to share all your videos to train clients remotely!
- Set-Up: If you don’t have one already, sign up for a Facebook.com account. From there you can create a business page, choose admins to help run it, and start communicating. You can make your page private or public, allowing either members-only to view what you post, or keep it open for everyone to benefit from. You can then post status updates, polls, pictures, and videos.
- Email: Using emails to send daily reminders, workout tips, and meal tips is a great way to keep clientele informed on the expectations that trainers have for them and to stay informed on the workouts that should be done each day. It is also a great way to share recipes and meal plans to keep people eating healthy while being stuck at home.
- Set-Up: If you don’t already have them, ask your clientele for their emails and let them know you will be communicating through there. You can set-up group emails for exercise routines, workout tips, and fun recipes to try.
- Google Hangouts: Google offers a free messaging service that comes with online video calls as well. These can be used for one-on-one training sessions or even group training sessions. It is a great way to keep clientele active with in-person classes being currently canceled.
- Set-Up: Create a Google Hangouts account and connect with your clientele. You can set up live meetings and stay connecting through an instant messaging service. The easy-to-join video calls are the perfect way to get a group workout started.
- YouTube: Posting workout videos online is one method trainers can use to train clients remotely and keep them active and healthy. YouTube videos can be played at any time and give people the convenience of working out on their own schedule. Trainers can record themselves doing their usual workouts, give tips, and give the motivation to keep exercising even though they can’t meet in person.
- Set-Up: Head straight to Youtube.com and make a free account. You can then record videos and post them to your channel for all your clientele to see.
- Vimeo: Vimeo is another popular platform where many businesses are choosing to post videos to grow their platform. It includes private video sharing so trainers can stream exclusively to those who are signed up for their training sessions.
- Set-Up: Start a free vimeo.com basic membership. They also offer a 30-day free trial of their different memberships that come with a variety of different benefits depending on what kind of streaming service you are looking for.
