An online personal trainer is similar to any other personal trainer who works with individual clients to help them meet their physical fitness or weight loss goals, except these interactions will take place entirely online. Technology such as video chat makes this process even easier, though many online personal trainers will communicate with their clients strictly over email. There is typically a fee associated with an online personal trainer, just as there would be for a trainer at a gym, but the fee is sometimes less because there are no overhead costs.
In general, an individual will hire an online personal trainer to help him or her get in shape. He might have specific goals in mind, or just want to become more physically fit overall. The online personal trainer will then ask for information regarding existing weight, body type, fitness level, etc. The trainer can then use all of this information to create a workout plan that the client can follow. In cases such as this, it is obviously in the best interest of the client to be honest with the personal trainer about existing levels of physical fitness so the trainer can create an effective yet safe workout program.
Typically, the online personal trainer will then create the workout program and send it in an email to the client. The client will then keep him or her updated on her progress, and the trainer might then make changes to the program as time goes by. Typically an online personal trainer will have a number of different clients that he will need to keep track of, so it is important to be able to keep good records. One might choose to take an online personal training certification course before becoming this type of personal trainer; others may just add an online component to an existing job working as a personal trainer.
An online personal trainer will also need to decide whether he or she will be available to answer questions, and at what time. Most clients will want to know the amount of time they will have to wait before getting a question answered. It is important to be friendly and personable before becoming an online personal trainer, as well as possess the ability to offer clear and reasonable written instructions for workout or diet plans so that clients can work out safely in their own homes or at a fitness center without getting injured.