It’s been the staple of my approach ever since I started training people on the Internet, and for a simple reason: if I’m doing my job correctly, then I don’t need to promote.

And that’s what I’ve done for more than 10 years now. My site has a tab for online coaching, I’ve had a waiting list for about 6 years now. I’ve been able to make some incredible friends, and been honored to assist in body transformations, health improvements, and behavioral change.

Which is why you might be wondering: Aren’t you breaking your own rule by writing about this now? 

Yes, I am breaking my rule, but only because I needed to clear the air and create transparency. Many people ask, “how much is online fitness coaching?” And they deserve a straight answer. Honesty is important, especially in business. 

If you can’t look someone in the eye and tell them how things are done, you have no reason to be having a conversation about exchanging money in the first place.

I spend a lot of time talking about “be the change.” To me, it means being a catalyst. Sparking something that allows you to make improvements, find your will, and push beyond what you think is possible and create the life you want.

This can happen in many ways, but sometimes it requires you to receive help from others.

Just because I’m helping create change doesn’t mean others can’t change me, too.

Which is exactly what happened long ago on a coaching call.

Break the mold of secrecy 

You see, most people in online fitness don’t share their prices. There are many reasons, but a lot has to do with marketing.

As I shared the details of my program with Charles, he sat waiting to ask the one question he really wanted to know?

What small fortune do I need to pay? 

When I told him our price he was shocked and immediately disappointed.

“Sh8t, man. Are you serious?

“Yes, I am.” I responded. “Why, what’s wrong?”

Charles then began to tell me:

“I figured you would be out of my price range, so I gave you a call. I already signed up for someone else’s program, but it’s even more expensive than yours.”

Charles was frustrated because even though he sat on the waiting list and set up a free consultation call, he assumed that I would be too expensive. This wasn’t the first time I’ve heard this feedback.

Our team hadn’t published our prices because we didn’t want money to a determinant. We wanted focused individuals who want to work hard for their results.

But the truth? Every year we work to have some of the lowest prices in online coaching while providing more access and assistance. We work with top-level trainers and nutritionists to make sure that the programs are top-notch and designed for results. We don’t want my biases to influence what the client needs, so I have a system to ensure a client-centered approach.

I don’t want health to be determined by who has the most money. I never want that to be a barrier. This might seem counterintuitive in a society where the value of something is directly linked to the price. Yes, we need to run a business. And yes, we need to value my time.

But I also need to value the money that people have to spend on their health.

Which is why I constantly work to keep prices low while improving the experience. I want fitness to be affordable. And I don’t want anyone to feel like being in great shape is a privilege of the wealthy. So I’m doing what I can to grant people more access to the best fitness coaching available.

Then can my moment of change.

What’s the Price of Online Fitness and Diet Plans?

“You should really just let people know your prices,” Charles said.

“I know you have a wait list, but I bet many people would like to work with you if they knew you were affordable.”

The words had an impact. So here’s the truth:

Born Fitness Coaching costs $249 per month with a 6-month commitment or $1,999 for an entire year. This covers everything you need to get in better shape: your personal exercise program, your personal diet plan, and weekly coach interaction — whenever you need it, and consistent updates to your program.

This is far below the industry average when working with individuals (and not group plans), where prices typically go from about $449 to $1,000 per month. I’m not here to judge prices or cast any judgment. There are many great trainers doing incredible work, and I have no doubt they are worth it. But my team’s model is different.

We don’t do generic plans at Born Fitness. Instead, everything is completely customized for your body, your preferences, and your schedule. This attention to quality and personalization is how we’ve been able to help 1,000+ people get the body they want.

We keep our client list small and happy, and continue to try and be a price and results leader. Premier coaching at prices that won’t break the bank.

Our online coaching program is small and personal. You get unlimited access to ask questions, receive personalized diet and training plans, and a mobile app to access your workouts. Maybe most importantly, you know that my team and I have your back.

While we’re at it, let’s address some other common questions people ask about online fitness coaching.

How frequently do you open online coaching?

After reaching their goals, some of our clients graduate out of the program. That means new spots open up every few weeks. However, you must have already filled out a coaching application to be considered. So we strongly recommend applying today if you’d like to be first in line. Because once those new spots are taken, they are gone.

If you would like to work with us, click here and see if the program is right for you. We’ve done everything we can to make our coaching affordable, and ensure that you get the personalized attention you deserve. And starting is risk-free.

Do you guarantee results?

We take our coaching very seriously, which is why we offer a 30 day money-back guarantee. If you work with us for 30 days and feel like online coaching isn’t a good fit, just let us know and we’ll give you a full refund for your first month and require no additional payments.

Our entire business is built on getting results for our clients. If you invest in us, then you can be confident that we’ll invest in your success and satisfaction.

How long is the online coaching program?

In order to get the best results possible, we have a 3-month minimum commitment. Remember, we’re playing the long-game here. We don’t follow fads. We focus on bringing health and fitness into your life so it works no matter how hectic or difficult your life gets. Making lasting, meaningful change takes time. That is why we ask for a 3-month minimum.

After the first three months, we’ll continue to coach you for as long as you want. Our clients come to enjoy having someone they trust write their exercise and nutrition programs, so the vast majority stay on for a full year—with many of them sticking around for two or three years — or more. 

I already have a personal trainer at my local gym. Can I work with you too?

Absolutely. We think it’s great that you’re getting hands-on coaching. Our coaches will work with you to build a program that compliments the work you’re doing with your local personal trainer.

Once you are accepted into the program, just let us know and we’ll make sure to integrate the two.

Will I be required to join a gym?

Nope. Our coaches can build a custom training plan for you no matter what equipment you have available. It doesn’t matter if you have just have a pair of dumbbells and an exercise ball at home – we’ll build you a plan that works. We can even create an entire training plan using nothing but body weight movements.

Do I have to take any supplements?

No. While we may suggest the occasional supplement that aligns with your goals we will never require you to purchase any supplement nor do we sell any supplements at Born Fitness.

I don’t live in the United States. Can I still join coaching?

You do not have to live in the United States to be part of Born Fitness Coaching. We currently work with clients from all over the world – including Switzerland, France, Australia, Turkey, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, to name a few.

I like to do other things outside of going to the gym (running, swimming, hiking, skiing, etc). Can I do these things and coaching?

Of course! Keep doing what you love because our goal is to help you do those things better. That’s how you make health and fitness a sustainable part of your life.

We’re here to help you be the change. And the best part? You help us do the same.

To sign up for one of the limited spots in Born Fitness Coaching, you can access all the details here.

And hey, if you want to see the results of real Born Fitness clients… 

Meet a Former Born Fitness Client Who’s Just Unstoppable

How 44-Year-Old Paul T. Gained a Massive Amount of Muscle

Mom’s Got Abs: How Kristen Shed the Baby Weight

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post How Much Do Online Fitness Plans Cost? appeared first on Born Fitness.

The programs aren’t what you’d expect. No special equipment, crazy exercises, or new movements never seen before. Nothing that immediately screams, “This is a great workout.”

It’s usually just 6 to 10 exercises total, spread across 3 to 4 days of lifting. Not much variety, a planned progression, and a few special touches of “Born” methodology tossed in. (A combination of training methods I did not create, but implemented in a way I’ve found to work. This could include some drop sets, 1.5 reps, cluster sets).

It’s not that I don’t want to share these workouts with everyone. After all, depending on the goal, they are the plans that lead to the most fat loss, muscle gained, or strength increases.

But when I’ve shared this approach with new clients a funny thing happens: People quit. They say the workout isn’t personalized. They question the philosophy and complexity, and doubt that anyone could see results for that type of plan.

Even when I explain exactly what I’m doing, I’m met with resistance.

• This is too easy for me.
• You don’t know what you’re doing.
• I think you only know how to program for beginners.
• This won’t work for my body.

The list of excuses goes on and on.

What’s interesting is these same people see incredible results from the workouts. I recently had someone lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks, yet insist the program wasn’t working.

With exercise and diet there’s an expectation for what will create success. Combine that with an unrealistic belief of how fast you should see results, and irrational frustration byproduct that results in quitting even in the face of improvement.

It’s a problem encountered by many trainers: Because of the Internet, everyone is now an “expert.” If your workouts don’t look better than what they can find online or in the magazines, then there’s the presumption that the workout won’t work or they could do the same thing on their own.

Seeing Is Believing: Which Workout is “Better?”

I want you to consider the following two workouts. I sent out a sample survey to 100 people and asked them which workout was better for gaining strength. (I’ll save you the rep scheme and sets because there’s a 4-6 week progression involved. Normally this stuff is important, but in this case, they aren’t essential to answering this question.)

Plan A

Day 1

1) Snatch-grip deadlift
2) Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat
3a) Dip
3b) Dumbbell row

4) Conditioning

Day 2

1) Front squat

2) Step-up

3a) Barbell push press
3b) Close-grip chin-up

4) Conditioning

Plan B

1A) Bench press

1B) Incline dumbbell press

1C) Dumbbell overhead press

1D) Skull Crusher

1E) Ab wheel rollout

2A) Deadlift

2B) One-arm dumbbell row

2C) Face pull

2D) Lat pulldown

2E) Barbell curl

3A) Squat

3B) Hip thrust

3C) Dumbbell step up

3D) Hanging leg raise

3E) Jump rope

Can you guess which was rated better?

More than 70 percent of people rated workout B as the more effective plan.

The reality: Workout A would be far more effective and realistic for about 99 percent of the population. Especially from a strength perspective. Can I see the extremely rare case when Workout B could maybe, possibly be better? Sure. (Maybe.) But this is the kitchen sink workout. Every exercise in the sun is thrown in. There is no way that I could even imagine doing squats after completing who knows how many sets of 10 other exercises.

Not to mention, workout B looks like it could easily take 3 hours. And any type of planned progression would be nearly impossible to execute.

Remember, the purpose of any workout is results. That’s it. I just want my clients to achieve the goals they set. And it’s a relentless pursuit that has led to a lot of success with my online clients.

Programming: Part Science, Part Psychology

It might upset some, but understanding human psychology and the “fun” factor of fitness is something that must be considered. The majority of people don’t inherently love exercise. If I trusted a coach and they told me to do just 2 exercises to achieve a goal, I’d do it. That’s the point of hiring an expert. You use them to help you achieve your goals. You should feel free to question everything, but you need to trust them at some level.

I mentioned that I rarely am able to share my favorite workouts—at least for my new clients. This is an important lesson for some trainers. As much as I want to stubbornly say, “Either the client gets it or they don’t” that’s a narrow-minded view that would leave too many people without the help that they need. And I’d rather help and make it fun, while removing the preconceived barriers.

Your job is to create a relationship with your clients. Be aware of the questions and hesitations they have, and give them a reason to trust you. That starts with getting them results, but it also might mean making the workouts appear a little sexier (at times) if you notice that the “appearance” of the programs is causing trust issues. [Note: this is something you should assess on a client-by-client basis.]

I firmly believe that you must meet your client where they are. If they trust you from the start, then there’s no need for this. But the moment you see hesitation it’s important that you

1)   Explain your entire philosophy

2)   Make sure they understand why you’re doing what you’re doing

3)   Assess their trust in your approach

The first two steps are paramount, but the third is what will keep you engaged with your client. If you see them wavering, that lack of trust can lead to a problem with execution. So swallow the pride and make it more fun. Throw in some different exercises and progress using your philosophy. Add some vanity work (like curls) to keep people engaged.

Training is part science and part psychology. You need people to buy in to your approach so they can bring intensity, and stay motivated and focused. Your job is to work with people—so your primary focus should always be figuring out how to map your philosophy and skills to their needs

If things aren’t working, don’t blame the client. When you make it about them—and understand what they need—then you can build a stronger relationship with your client. That’s how you build trust and respect, and as much as anything, that will be the cornerstone of your ability to help more people.

After that happens, then it’s on you to continue to deliver great programs and deliver the results.

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post The Illusion of the Great Workout appeared first on Born Fitness.

Now listen carefully: This does not mean you can just open up online without ever working with clients and experience success. Good trainers need experience first, mentors, and a willingness to constantly learn from others and becoming better by working with real clients. That said, the online world solves many of the problems that exist with traditional training, while still allowing you to become better at your craft. In this guest post, Jon Goodman, an expert in building online training models, addresses some of the current issues and shares his tips for success and how you can make more money in personal training.

The Problems With Personal Training

By Jon Goodman

I’ll be blunt, personal training only works for a small percentage of the population.

It’s expensive, location dependent, a scheduling nightmare and often obtrusive. Spending an hour one-on-one with somebody multiple times a week is an intimidating and uncomfortable experience for many and that alone might stop or delay somebody from starting an exercise program.

Before I continue, it’s important to note that I love the fitness and personal training industries. I was a trainer for 8 years, wrote a popular book on it and still operate the largest collaborative blog for trainers on the net.

I think that personal training works for some people but like everything else, it has its limitations. One size doesn’t fit all and blindly hiring a trainer in a neighborhood gym is not necessarily the best way to get fit for a variety of reasons ranging from cost, lack of accountability systems in place and extreme variability in qualifications.

Today I want to offer a different solution. A solution that solves every major issue that personal training suffers from for clients, trainers, and gym owners.

Everybody wins with online training.

Instead of writing a long-winded explanation, I’ve created 3 lists of the benefits to each party. Have a look before continuing.

Why online training is better for the client

• It’s more cost effective.
• Scheduling becomes a non-factor. Have to show up at 6:12pm? No problem. The number of popular times to workout in each trainers schedule is no longer limited. When you work with somebody online, this is no longer an issue.
• With a bit of research, you can work with a top trainer who specializes in exactly what you need instead of getting placed with a trainer at the gym (who is usually the new guy/girl).

Why online training is better for gym owners

• Instead of losing clients when they move away, you can keep them as an online client plugging a major leak in income.
• Clients can refer you everybody they know because location isn’t a factor.
• Offering a trainer the ability to design programs for online clients in his or her down time and splitting the revenue is a huge value add for trainers and will lead to better retention. (And we all know that retaining good trainers is the key to a successful fitness business.)

Why online training is better for you (the trainer)

• Time is your most precious resource and the only limiting factor that you have. Training clients online allows you to scale your time.
• You must be able to make money when you’re not in the gym if you’re going to be able to support a family or live a healthy lifestyle in this industry.
• Business shouldn’t dictate fitness. Sessions should not all be 1hrs or 30 minutes on the dot. Online training allows you to give clients what they need.
• You can finally take on friends and family members of current clients that live far away. Referrals become much easier to obtain when location isn’t a factor.
• You can charge less per client and make more exponentially increasing your income.

Working one-on-one with a trainer in a gym is great for some people. Getting a workout program from a magazine and diligently following it is great for a different subset of the population.

Yet, with all of this information readily available obesity rates are still rising and the adherence rate to workouts is abysmal. Something is missing.

I don’t believe that the solution is more information but instead information in different mediums presented different ways. Online training is another option and one that will become much more popular in the coming years.

Self-efficacy increases adherence to a program. If somebody believes that a relevant expert in the subject made a program specifically for him or her, there’s a better chance that they’ll do it.

Walking into a gym and getting placed with a trainer doesn’t necessarily give a new client confidence that this trainer is right for them. If, however, a client goes online and finds a trainer that they resonate with and become confidant that the trainer is “the one” for them, the chance of adherence goes up.

There is no one “best way” to get the required workout direction, support and accountability. Everybody is different and needs different types of support and online training solves a lot of common problems that frustrate trainers and thwarts client results.

The Next Steps

For trainers and gym owners, online training represents a massive opportunity for substantial revenue generation in a small amount of time. It also represents an opportunity to increase your reach and have an impact on more people. But delving into the online world is overwhelming. Analysis paralysis is common.

That’s why I developed the 1K Extra Course. My first goal was to offset analysis paralysis with the Jumpstart module. Here I show how, in a matter of hours with no software other than an email account, any fitness professional can start making at least $1,000 extra a month while helping more people.

To start you don’t need to be a marketer or understand anything technologically based. In fact, I don’t even get into advanced marketing funnels in the advanced module because I don’t think that it’s needed.

The real secret is to just start. Test out the model. See how your programs can still work in an online space so that you can better serve your clients (and in a more affordable way), improve as a trainer, and see your bottom line increase. It’s a solution that works for everyone.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Jon Goodman and I like writing bios in the first person. After training clients for 8 years I wrote a book about personal training and started a collaborative blog. Soon after I grudgingly stopped working in a gym to grow the site and help more trainers do a great job. It’s been a fun ride. If you want to hang out, I’d love to get to know you on Facebook or Twitter.

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.

The post The Problems With Personal Training appeared first on Born Fitness.