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Friday, April 18th
Trainiac is a personal training platform owned by Wellhub that specializes in providing individualized workouts for you every week. All of the personal trainers on staff at Trainiac are certified in their specific areas of focus. Trainiac even requires its own certification training on top of asking that all trainers are nationally certified first. All of the workouts offered through Trainiac are personalized to your goals, but this is a fully online program, so while you get unlimited one-on-one fitness coaching, you won't be meeting with your coach in person.
Target general fitness goals
The primary focus of training at Trainiac is general fitness, along with some flexibility to build a plan that covers nutrition, exercise, weight loss, or increasing/toning muscle. Every week you will have a one-on-one session with your personal trainer to help you build long-term habits and check in on your routine. The entire process is tracked through the Trainiac app, where you can keep an eye on your nutrition, daily workouts, and more. You can also expect to get your questions answered throughout the week through texts and in-app messaging.
App access only for Wellhub members
Trainiac isn't offered for everyone, unfortunately. You'll need to have a Wellhub membership to subscribe to Trainiac. Luckily, if you're a member, you may not need to pay at all for Trainiac. If your company adds Wellhub as a perk of your employment, you can grab Trainiac and sign up. Otherwise, this app isn't open to the public, which may be frustrating for many. The app even notes that "to learn more about Wellhub and recommend it to your company”, you should visit the Wellhub website.
Mostly DIY training
The programs at Trainiac are much more DIY. While you'll receive some guidance from Trainiac experts once per week, you'll mostly be on your own to complete the exercises daily and keep yourself on track. However, since you can text your trainer during the week, there is a little more guidance here than you might have with a just-video or totally DIY personal training experience.
Concerning app reviews on Google
According to our research, Trainiac's personal training app holds a 3.8-star average out of 5 on third-party review sites; however, there aren't many reviews to go off of. Concerningly, there are extremely mixed reviews for Trainiac on mobile app stores. Since this is an app-based program, the 1.9-star average out of 5 on Google Play is more than a little concerning. Most users have issues with the app being glitchy, with workout sets being out of order, or taking too much time to fill in details. The app has a rating of 4.6-star average out of 5 stars at the Apple Store, so it appears the app functions much better on iOS than on Android.
Only usable if your job gives you an account
At the end of the day, the usability of Trainiac is severely limited. You can only download and get a membership with Trainiac if you already have a Wellhub membership through your job. Given that most of the personal trainer platforms in our review are available to the public, Trainiac falls behind the pack considerably. Further, with an app-based platform that's getting such low customer ratings, we're concerned about the overall usability and experience.
Getting fit is one of the most significant steps toward caring for yourself. Many people find that going to the gym by themselves, though, can be overwhelming - especially if they're not sure what to do with all the machines and weights. Often even long-time gym members need help leveling up their workout and creating a targeted fitness plan for building muscle, or need support for an injury they want to strengthen.
Either way, a personal trainer is a great option to up your gym game. A talented personal trainer will whip you into shape, but on your terms and with a plan that fits your body, workout style, and goals.
A lot of folks think that personal trainers are for top athletes. And, while a personal trainer can be essential for those who need to complete specific goals for a sport or competition, a workout beginner can get just as much out of a personal trainer as a gym pro. Grabbing a personal trainer as a newbie can help you through the weeds of discovering what movements are safe for your body, how to use equipment properly, and how to see the results you want as quickly as possible.
There are innumerable benefits to getting a personal trainer (at any level). For one, you can be sure you'll have more effective workouts (workouts that serve a purpose for your body and your goals, and increased difficulty where needed to keep your body challenged). The process also includes a personalized experience where your trainer analyzes your current fitness level, health concerns, and previous injuries, and creates a tailored workout plan for your needs. Plus, your customized plan can offer you support in and out of the gym - including nutrition and recovery practices that will help you when you're not working out.
Finding a good personal trainer can be tricky, though. You'll want to make sure and check on potential candidates' education, areas of expertise, experience, and any certifications. The best certification agencies include the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NSAM), the National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American Council of Exercise (ACE), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Checking to see if your preferred personal trainer has a background in sports medicine (or a degree) is a good rule of thumb to know you're getting the proper advice from a medically-sound background.
While, at the end of the day, selecting a personal trainer is a super individualized process (you will need to like the trainer and spend a decent amount of time with him or her), we can help you get started on your search. To make sure you find the best personal trainer for your fitness goals, we've put together some factors to help you narrow the options:
To help you find the right place to kickstart your fitness journey, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked today's most popular platforms for hiring personal trainers online. This way you can focus on getting your gains and trusting that your trainer is there to help keep you on track!
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