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Wednesday, December 11th
Compared with some of the personal training and nutrition services in our review, Forge is on the smaller side. However, this means they can deliver a more customized approach to your personal training, and that's where Forge really outshines the competition. Here, in addition to personalized workouts, you'll get access to a sophisticated meal planning system that can be tailored to your dietary needs. You'll receive from 1 to 4 live video call coaching sessions each month, based on the plan you choose, plus the workouts delivered right to your phone through their app. For all this, there's no commitment or long-term contracts - just stay as long as you enjoy the service. They are loved by a small but loyal following, and this hidden gem earns our highest rating for personal trainers.
Wrkout could be the best thing to hit the personal training industry in a long time - but this service just isn't there yet. The platform is currently geared primarily towards signing up new coaches and helping them connect with new clients, but not telling those prospective clients what to expect once they're matched with a trainer. Wrkout has potential - we love that they're developing studios where their coaches can deliver in-person and virtual sessions - but we found it an aggravating service to use as an everyday consumer.
All of us have reached some point in our lives where we thought "Something needs to change and I need to get healthier.” Right? For many of us, our next thought leads us to ask about personal training: we need specific advice for how, exactly, to get healthier - because, let's face it, winging it hasn't really been working so far.
Whether you're looking for someone who can meet with you in person and get you stretching and sweating, or you need the convenience of virtual sessions that you can do at home or at your local gym, you'll have no problem finding personal training online. Especially after the pandemic, today's top fitness professionals are marketing their services on the internet - which is a huge win for you.
When you're looking for a personal trainer, you're not relying on word-of-mouth referrals from your neighborhood walking club or the fitness fanatics you see on Instagram. Instead, you can browse at your own time and pace from a wide range of coaches and trainers until you find a great match.
So, should you choose a local personal trainer or a virtual one? The real question is, what's going to work for your schedule and keep you motivated? Not everyone wants to be face-to-face with their fitness coach, but it can help with accountability if you know you're going to have to see him or her on the regular. Some virtual options offer that same benefit via live coaching calls, without the inconvenience of having to drive somewhere to meet up.
Another dimension to consider is how comprehensive you want your personal training to be. Are you looking strictly for workout help - like knowing how much to lift and how often, mixing cardio with strength training, increasing your mobility - or do you want a nutrition component added too?
Finally, how much of a commitment are you willing to make? Some personal training systems have a minimum requirement of four or six sessions, which could cost you $125 or much more. Other platforms give you a refund after 30 days if you're not satisfied, a free one-month trial, or simply let you pay as you go with no contracts. You decide if having a requirement will keep you motivated or if you prefer greater flexibility.
What else should you keep in mind as you look at personal training options? Here are a few factors that could influence your decision:
To help you make progress on your health and wellness journey, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the most popular online resources for connecting with a personal trainer. Here's to a stronger, healthier you!
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