A question that is debated and I am sure will continue to be. If it is good enough for other qualifications which require a practical element, then why not for personal training?
There are massive benefits for individuals to complete training online, so why should this industry frown upon this whilst others are embracing it?
The benefits of online learning
The social benefits include
- • Available to everyone, regardless of background, training or qualifications
- • Convenient way to improve employment prospects, develops subject knowledge, and raise self-esteem.
- • Study from home, in your spare time, at any time of the day or night.
- • Start any time
- • Learn while you earn
- • No commuting costs
- • No accommodation costs
- • No need to give up work
- • Flexible
- • Accredited professional qualifications, registered on the RQF universally recognised by employers, governing bodies and professional institutions
Online learning supports:
- • Single parents
- • Part-time workers
- • Full-time workers
- • School leavers
- • Those between jobs
- • Busy professionals
With the world of technology taking us by storm are we still expecting learners to attend courses and not utilising the technology to suit the needs of the learner’s lifestyles. Thus, giving them the choice of learning that suits their needs.
Many in the industry feel that this standard of delivery does not meet the requirement and standard of the requirement.
Online personal trainer courses definitely have their place as a learning method as the advancements in technology really do allow the essence of a classroom setting to be brought to the learner’s home. Through webinars, videos, podcasts and virtual reality in some instances, teaching can be performed as effectively from a distant learning, whilst allowing them the student to sustain their current income and social life to ascertain their fitness qualifications. Many people assume that since the job role is heavily practically orientated that it should be taught / learned on the gym floor, however personal training courses are theory dominated as if you do not know your anatomy or principles of exercise, you, therefore, can’t write an effective personalised plan and the delivery aspect is mainly the formality of actually conducting a well thought out plan, hence why online fitness courses exist.
There is scepticism with allowing the learner to have no face to face interaction, yes there can be errors when submitting videos and the use of technology, yes the learners need to ensure that they have enough practical experience to perform and teach the exercises correctly, however there are many learners that have been using the gym for years, and are very experienced in this field, there will be learners that are experts in technology and be able to ensure this is effective.
In short, we should allow each learner to utilise the learning that supports their needs without frowning on any methods that may be suit the individual.