Cons Of Online Workouts

There are just as many, if not more cons than pros to online workouts. Obviously, any program that you follow is far better from a health perspective than sitting at home doing nothing, but Online workouts do carry a fair few negative aspects.


First up is the fact that you simply don’t know who’s designed your workout. They’ll be someone who markets it, and chances are it’s them who created it, but you still can’t be sure. It could just be the company using the body and face of a fitness model to market a workout dreamt up by someone with zero real world experience, and a lack of any real training knowledge. Even if the plan comes with an impressive author bio, how do you know they’re telling the truth?

There are plenty of awesome online coaches out there, but there are lots of dodgy ones too, who may never even have trained someone. Exercise extreme caution when choosing which program to buy, and do as much research on the trainer as you can. If possible buy from someone who has published books, is affiliated with a magazine, and gives away a little good, solid information for free on their website.


The second big issue is specificity. Online workouts will very rarely be anything more than cookie cutter programs, designed for the masses. They can certainly work for Mr or Mrs Average gym-goer, but will they work for you? You may have certain conditions, limitations, or previous injuries that prevent you from doing certain exercises, or following the plan in the way it’s laid out. Following the plan to the letter could be dangerous, and even if it doesn’t pose a risk to your health, it will probably still be ineffective.

Try to get a program as specific to you as possible. For example, if you’re looking to get stronger following an injury, choose a program written for that specific purpose, nit just a general bodybuilding or weight training program. The same goes for losing weight – there are plenty of different plans for losing weight after pregnancy, after surgery, or for different age populations. Pick one that suits you.

What about if you have any questions or queries? If you’re working one on one with a trainer, or even using an online personal trainer, and have any issues, you can bring these up with them in your sessions. If an exercise is hurting, if you’re not getting results, or you’ve just got a general question, someone is there to answer it. With online workouts this is seldom the case. There may be a support forum, or a contact email given, but you might have to wait several days for a reply, and usually won’t get it direct from the program author.

A final, smaller but still important issue is that of progress. What happens if the workout is either too tough, or too easy? If you can’t do something, do you just persevere, or do you lower the weights, sets of reps. Likewise if the weights and exercises listed are feeling easy, and you’re feeling like you’re not pushing yourself is it better to increase it, despite the workout saying otherwise, or do you stick one hundred percent to the plan? This can be quite a tricky dilemma, and one that varies on a case to case basis.

Sum Up

Online workouts can definitely be beneficial – they can give your workout purpose, keep you on track, push you more than you would on your own, and save you money in the long run. However, it’s a minefield of information out there, so do your research before you purchase an Online workout, and make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before starting.