The DEATH of ONLINE Personal Trainers | AI Predictions

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The fitness industry is on the brink of a massive transformation, and artificial intelligence will be the catalyst. Drawing from twenty years of experience as a trainer and gym owner, I'm making a bold prediction: AI will eliminate more personal training jobs than COVID did in 2020, when over 20% of gyms closed permanently and 1.4 million fitness jobs disappeared.

This technological revolution will expose a harsh truth about our industry – most trainers lack the fundamental skills needed for long-term success. With 90% of textbook-certified trainers quitting within their first year, it's clear that passing a multiple-choice exam doesn't prepare you for real-world success. What's missing? Three critical components: technical skills (proper assessment and programming), business acumen, and effective people skills.

To demonstrate this coming shift, I compared a $100 online program from a popular fitness influencer with a workout I created using ChatGPT in minutes. The differences were shocking. The purchased program offered generic macro splits, potentially dangerous exercise volumes (including "100 sumo deadlifts" after multiple heavy supersets), and no personalization options. Meanwhile, the AI-generated program included appropriate progressions/regressions, balanced movement patterns, and sensible training approaches – all hallmarks of competent programming.

By 2030, when experts predict we'll reach artificial general intelligence, consumers will routinely use AI to evaluate fitness programs before purchasing them. The technology will immediately expose which coaches truly understand exercise science versus those selling glorified exercise lists. The fitness professionals who survive will be those who invested in hands-on experience, internships, and continuous education – and who leverage AI as a tool rather than seeing it as a threat.

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