Online Workout Builders: Do You Need One?
These days, online workout builders are on our radar here at Coach Catalyst, because more and more people are requesting that we put them in our software. Of course, we aim to please, so we’re definitely considering that in the future. However, there are a few reasons we haven’t hopped onto the online workout builder bandwagon just yet.
I think a lot of coaches either start online training or they take a leap into software and think that they need an online workout builder ASAP. They think it’s something they should have, but they don’t think through the reasons. I still use Google sheets and PDFs to deliver all my workouts, and it works great for me. I don’t have the need for an online workout builder. Of course, if you’ve thought through your reasons and you think an online workout builder is right for you, that’s fine, too.
But let’s go over the main issues with jumping into build to an online workout builder.
Three Major Problems with Jumping into a Workout Builder
As I see it, there are three major problems with coaches jumping right into a workout builder: not starting with a system, having your clients get distracted by their phones, and transitioning more into being an online program designer than an online coach. Let’s break at each one of these issues.
Problem 1: Not Starting With a System
To benefit from an online workout builder, you should have a systematic way to write your programs and move your clients along a path to get them to their goal. If you’re just writing programs on the fly for each client, you probably don’t need an online workout builder because it’s not going to help solve your problem of taking a lot of time to write programs. Now I’m not saying you need to have an immovable, inflexible template, but you need some sort of designated path to guide your clients on, taking into consideration factors like their goals, health history, and exercise history.
You need a system right away, and signing up for an online workout builder is not going to solve that. Without that system, a workout builder won’t save you any time; you’ll still take just as much time writing your workouts.
Problem 2: Phone-Distracted Clients
The second problem with rushing into a workout builder is that it works with cellphones, which divide clients’ attention. I use my phone as much as anybody, but I think gyms should be phone-free zones. Let’s face it: as a society, we’re distracted enough. The last thing I want is my clients to do is to sit there entering their weight, reps, and sets for each exercise on their phones. Because guess what’s going to happen? They’ll get a ping. They’ll get a text message. And before you know it, they’ll stop for a bit and browse Facebook. All of a sudden, there goes their workout. Now they’re resting for five minutes in between each set. They’re not going to sweat, and they’re not getting the maximum benefit from their workout.
I don’t want to incentivize clients to use phones during the one time that they’re supposed to be unplugged from them. Now you can get around using phones in different ways, but It’s a really big issue for me.
Problem 3: Program Designing Instead of Coaching
The last major problem I see with coaches who blindly board the workout builder train is that they become online program designers more than online coaches. There’s nothing wrong with online program design, but it’s different than online coaching. Online coaching is delivering the workout to clients, but it involves coaching them through it and keeping them accountable to the workout.
Most of the time you might not even know if your clients do the workout unless you’re using some type of actual coaching software accountability tool. When I work with clients, I want to make sure I’m coaching them. I’m not just delivering a workout because they can go on YouTube or anywhere else to find a workout. Generally speaking, the workout isn’t the special sauce—the special sauce is a client doing that workout consistently, even if it’s not the perfect workout.
So those are the three big issues I see with online workout builders right now. Now, this is not saying we’ll never include one because we do have plans in the future to either integrate with an existing system or create a basic builder to help you with your business. However, don’t just assume you need a workout builder right this minute because that’s not the case.