Nettleton: Technology can help PTs better connect to communities of athletes
ANDY JACKSON Owner • AJ Scot LLC
“N
othing has changed. The threat of cutting out the middle man has
always been there: it used to be by using programmes from magazines or copying other people. Garmins and heart rate monitors have been around for a long time. The big advantages PTs have is that they can coach
and connect with the person and motivate in a way that technology cannot. They can also ensure people avoid injury by not doing things before they’re ready, or with bad technique. PTs have been criticised for just standing next to treadmills and talking to people, but 50 per cent of what they do is to support and motivate and simply be there. Clever personal trainers are already using the technology to
enhance what they’re doing and are using it to their advantage – for example, by providing an online service and using online programming to create more specific, targeted training. If I were a PT, I’d be using trackers to prove what I was doing
with clients was having a positive impact, and I’d be advising them to make use of apps such as MotionTraxx. PTs shouldn’t fear their clients using technology, or working out without them, because working out more is a good thing. Not keeping up with their education is more of a threat to PTs than technology.
” June 2015 © Cybertrek 2015
GARETH NETTLETON Marketing director • Strava
“P
Ts should absolutely be seeing technology as one way in which
they can validate the effectiveness of their services. When harnessed correctly, technology can be a huge enabler for PTs in various facets of their business, from helping athletes train smarter and more effectively, to facilitating the growth of a wider personal network for fitness professionals. From a performance measurement and analysis point of
view, technology makes fitness quantifiable. Whether that be through heart rate training or simply comparing times for similar run routes, technology allows for deeper analysis and therefore insight. Any training aid that allows athletes to recognise progress will only lead to improved motivation. Additionally, there’s the network potential that
technology brings. At Strava we talk about connecting athletes, both to each other but also to forward-thinking trainers, coaches and businesses. It’s a community with shared goals, motivations and athlete DNA at its core. Personal trainers who can tap into such a community can
find themselves not only directly connected to an array of athletes, but also granted access to their entire training history and performance data. That’s a huge opportunity.
” Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 33
PHOTO: JERED GRUBER
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