Distance personal training

Many online sites allow people to plug in information and track their workout and diet progress.

One of the more common coaching methods begins with one or two in-person sessions that include a fitness and health assessment,a discussion of goals and some training on proper form and technique.

After that,check-ins are done via e-mail and phone,with the trainer tweaking routines,monitoring progress towards goals and providing motivation. Some clients even send footage of their workouts to be tweaked,and trainers in turn send new video routines to follow.

A gym isnt even necessary,since a great workout can be done at home,at the beach or at a park.

When choosing a programme,the key is to know thyself,says Margaret Moore,chief executive of the online coaching site http://www.wellcoaches.com: Some people want more of a relationship,while others are more into technology.

Ken Alan,a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise and a lecturer in kinesiology at California State University,Fullerton,offers a few other tips for making this hybrid form of training work.

Is the trainer certified?

Make sure the trainer has current certification from a reputable organisation,even if you are referred by a friend you trust. Besides referrals,trainers can be found in gyms and online,and certifications can be confirmed through the various organisations. Some trainers specialise in working with the disabled or chronically ill,pregnant women and new mothers,or elderly people.

Cheating gets you nowhere

Remember that you dont have licence to cheat just because your trainer cant see you. You will only be wasting your time if you dont give the process your all. Be fully committed to your fitness programme,and be open to trying different things,such as cycling,dancing or hiking. A trainer needs to find out what is necessary to get the client moving so that they will enjoy exercising and it doesnt feel like work, Alan says.

Set parameters

Establish how often you want to interact with your trainer and by what means e-mail,text messages,phone,snail mail,etc. Ask how progress will be measured,beyond shedding pounds. If someones goal is to lose 10 pounds and they only lost two,their trainer can show them other areas where theyve had success and made improvements, Alan says. This ultimately will make it easier to stick to a plan.

And check some more

When selecting an Internet-based training programme one that doesnt offer one-on-one training,check it out thoroughly to see if it meets your needs,is within your budget and has a qualified staff behind it.