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A runner

Following a festive period packed with indulgent treats and downtime, numerous individuals enter the new year aiming to regain their fitness momentum.

However, could Artificial Intelligence be changing the fitness industry by offering an option to personal trainers?

Personalized Programs and Flexible Schedules

One fitness enthusiast employed an AI tool for impromptu training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

This young woman from Aberdare explained she liked the freedom to ask it questions any time of day – a feature she felt was unavailable with a traditional coach.

Leah relied on an AI-driven fitness application that provided her customized schedules with audio coaching and pace setting for her first half marathon in 2024.

She said she requested it to design a plan merging cardio and the weight training, and it generated an 11-week programme customized to her race date and goals.

The user then adjusted the schedule to suit her lifestyle, which she said was convenient.

Subsequently, she opted for a alternative application because it was cheaper and she could consult it at any time. She finished a minute faster than her goal time.

She said she wanted to avoid the pressure from a live instructor.

"Using AI you have to motivate yourself, which I actually prefer," she added.

A weightlifter

Remarkable Fitness Improvements

In a similar case, Another individual, in his twenties, based in a Welsh city, has been using AI for his fitness and diet plans, and said he has achieved peak strength, boosting his chest press from 70kg to a much heavier load.

He turned to a bot for help after being unable to run a running event.

"I realized I had to sort myself out," he said.

This no-cost application built a fitness and meal program tailored to his goals, and created organized workouts.

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

The Expense Contrast: AI vs. Traditional Coaching

One recent study in late 2024 compared prices for numerous of the biggest fitness chains and found the average membership cost was approximately forty pounds a month, based on standard full-access plans.

Fees started at a lower price at the most affordable chain to a premium rate at the most expensive.

Based on further data, fitness coaches determine their own fees, typically a range of thirty to sixty-five pounds per hour-long session outside London and about £45-£65 in London.

Clients typically hire a trainer one or two times a week and work with them for a short period, but these arrangements are completely flexible.

A personal trainer

The Essential Human Element

Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, from Cardiff, said AI can be useful to accelerate results, but believes it will not supplant the personal interaction and responsibility that in-person coaching offers.

This expert, who has over a decade of experience as a coach, specialises in older adults and recovery from injuries. He mentioned a number of his trainees also employ AI.

"In my opinion it's very valuable, more knowledge is good," he said.

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

Dafydd explained AI can educate users and make coaching more effective.

However, he said real commitment comes when people show up in person for training.

"No matter how helpful as it is at 2am, a digital tool cannot ensure you show up at 7am before work," Dafydd concluded.

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