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Leah Walsh

After a holiday period filled with rich foods and relaxation, many people head into the new year aiming to regain their fitness momentum.

However, is it possible that Artificial Intelligence be transforming the world of exercise by offering an alternative to personal trainers?

Personalized Plans and Flexible Schedules

One fitness enthusiast employed an artificial intelligence application for last-minute training for the Cardiff Half Marathon.

The 21-year-old from a town in Wales said she liked the liberty to pose queries at all hours – a feature she felt was unavailable with a traditional coach.

Leah used an AI-driven fitness application that gave her personalised plans with voice guidance and speed targets for her inaugural long-distance race in recent years.

She explained she asked it to design a plan combining running and the weight training, and it produced an multi-week plan tailored to her race date and goals.

Leah then tweaked the plan to suit her daily routine, which she said was highly practical.

Subsequently, she opted for a alternative application because it was cheaper and she could ask it questions whenever she wanted. Her result was a full minute quicker than her goal time.

She said she did not want the pressure from a live instructor.

"Using artificial intelligence you have to motivate yourself, which I quite like," she remarked.

A weightlifter

Remarkable Fitness Gains

Meanwhile, Richard Gallimore, 23, from Swansea, has been employing artificial intelligence for his fitness and diet plans, and reported he has achieved peak strength, increasing his chest press from 70kg to a much heavier load.

Richard resorted to a AI assistant for help after being forced to walk a race.

"I just knew I need to get myself in shape," he said.

This no-cost application built a fitness and meal program tailored to his aims, and established structured routines.

"I train for about two hours a day and I've seen a real difference," he said.

The Expense Contrast: AI vs. Traditional Coaching

A recent survey in late 2024 compared costs for numerous of the biggest fitness chains and found the average membership cost was around £38 per month, for basic memberships.

Fees ranged from a lower price at the cheapest chain to £132 at the highest-priced.

According to industry research, personal trainers determine their own fees, usually £30-£65 per 45-60 minute session in most areas and about £45-£65 in the capital.

Clients will often hire a coach once or twice a week and work with them for a short period, but these agreements are completely flexible.

Dafydd Judd

The Irreplaceable Human Touch

Fitness coach Dafydd Judd, based in the Welsh capital, said artificial intelligence can be beneficial to speed up progress, but is convinced it will never replace the personal interaction and responsibility that in-person coaching provides.

The 37-year-old, who has 12 years experience as a trainer, focuses on senior clients and injury rehabilitation. He said some of his clients also employ AI.

"I think it's extremely useful, more knowledge is positive," he said.

"I believe the more that people are online the more they'll want personal contact because they want the warmth from the comprehension that is missing from a computer," he added.

The trainer said Artificial intelligence can educate clients and make coaching more effective.

However, he said real commitment comes when people show up in person for training.

"No matter how helpful as it is at the middle of the night, a computer won't keep you accountable at early morning before work," Dafydd concluded.

In the view of many, he said, the fitness center is a place to leave phones behind and take a break from technology.